Data governance must consider the interests of the global community

The European Health Data Space Regulation (EHDS), a legal framework that facilitates the interoperability of electronic health record systems between member states, entered into force on 26 March 2025, ushering in a new era for European Union (EU) health data governance. The aim of the EHDS is not only to empower people to access, control and share their personal electronic health data for healthcare delivery but also to enable the secure and trustworthy reuse of health data for research, innovation and policymaking. How should this legislative milestone be received in a world with growing ambitions for global equity in digital health? We connect this regulatory innovation to the emerging debate on digital determinants of health (DDH) — where health data can create global inequities via the digital divide — and introduce the concept of ‘data cosmopolitanism’ to advance global data justice and solidarity, outlining some benefits and challenges.