> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://template.ishare.eu/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://template.ishare.eu/technical-building-blocks/data-value-creation-enablers/value-added-services/guiding-questions.md).

# Guiding Questions

1. **General**

* *What types of value-creation services are most relevant for the sector (e.g., carbon reporting, energy monitoring, predictive maintenance)?*
* *Should horizontal (cross-sector) or vertical (domain-specific) services be prioritised?*
* *How to balance commercial vs. non-profit services?*

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Rules are needed to define which services can operate within the data space, how they are accredited, and how participants can trust them.
{% endhint %}

2\. **Governance and Participation**

* *Who governs service acceptance (central authority, sector councils, accreditation body)?*
* *What criteria should services meet (technical compliance, ethics, sustainability)?*
* *Should service accreditation tiers exist (basic vs. certified)?*

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Services must integrate smoothly with shared data, registries, and other technical building blocks while ensuring FAIR principles.
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3. **Interoperability and Standards**

* *Which interoperability standards (APIs, formats, ontologies) should services follow?*
* *How to ensure compatibility across domains?*
* *How should provenance, traceability, and usage policies be embedded?*
* *Will services expose discoverable APIs with lifecycle metadata and versioning?*

{% hint style="success" %}
Value creation services should be accessible to all participants, not only large organizations with resources.
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4. **Access and Fairness**

* *Should shared infrastructure be provided to SMEs/NGOs?*
* *How can we avoid vendor lock-in or over-dependence on a few large providers?*
* *What pricing or licensing models (open access, subscription, pay-per-use, hybrid) would ensure fairness and sustainability?*

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Services need viable business models, balancing sustainability with impact.
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5\. **Sustainability and Business Models**

* *Should some services be public goods (funded by EU/national initiatives) while others are market-driven?*
* *How to handle revenue-sharing between service, data providers, and users?*
* *How can value creation services be aligned with long-term Green Deal objectives (e.g., CO₂ reduction, transparency, circular economy)?*
* *Will the marketplace have transaction fees and tracking & tracing of purchases?*

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Trust mechanisms are required to ensure that services deliver accurate, unbiased, and reliable outputs.
{% endhint %}

6. **Trust, Certification, and Quality Assurance**

* *Should services undergo certification or quality audits?*
* *How can transparency in algorithms, data sources, and methodologies be ensured?*
* *How should liability be handled if a service provides incorrect or misleading results?*