Merkel: Ownership of digital data needs EU-wide rules

The ownership of digital data should be regulated by the EU, with the aim of creating a digital European internal market, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said in a video message published Saturday.

"This means we need to have legal situations which are as similar as possible in all European countries," Merkel said.

This includes both a basic regulation for data protection, as well as property rights.

With reference to the automotive sector, Merkel said it is important to decide whether the data belongs to the car manufacturer or the software company, as the user data can then be used to produce new products and applications.

Digitalization is one of the "motors of change," the chancellor said.

Merkel is to open the CeBIT digital business fair in Hanover on Sunday evening.