2 December 2021 – Brussels, Belgium – The Gaia-X Association, announced today the release of a White Paper titled, “Gaia-X Federation Services (GXFS) White Paper – Gaia-X Ecosystem Kickstarter”. Through our recent paper, we introduce readers to the Gaia-X project and reason on why Federation Services are key in delivering on Gaia-X’s ambitions.
The paper provides an overview of different Federation Services and how they are connected to Gaia-X. It further outlines the orchestration concept and structure of the GXFS project, reflecting on the role of Federation Services as an implementation toolbox to kickstart Gaia-X.
Furthermore, it also elaborates on the core concepts and roles within GXFS, including those of Federations, Federators, and Participants. In addition, it defines specific services that are being developed under each of the five GXFS work packages: Identity & Trust, Federated Catalogue, Sovereign Data Exchange, and Compliance and Portal.
“We are excited to release the White Paper,” remarked Francesco Bonfiglio, CEO, Gaia-X. “Gaia-X Federation Services (GXFS) empower each of the Federations to work together with efficiency and security. Each Federation can use the GXFS toolbox to build apps and services that match requirements in their respective Federation and achieve interoperability between different ecosystems,” he highlighted.
Ernst Stöckl-Pukall, Head of Division for Digitalisation and Industry 4.0, Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology highlights “The Gaia-X Federation Services (GXFS) are an essential part of a functioning Gaia-X ecosystem. The GXFS White Paper presents the project to a broad audience and ensures that all actors stay in the loop on Gaia-X’s achievements. With this GXFS toolbox, Gaia-X can fulfil its value proposition to develop the next generation of data infrastructure and shape an open, transparent and secure digital ecosystem. This ultimately fosters digital sovereignty for European industries. The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy supports this important project and work being done in the GXFS context”.
In the context of GXFS, open-source code will be developed to serve as a baseline for open, transparent, and secure transactions in different Gaia-X Federations. Services will cover areas like authentication and authorisation, personal credential management, self-descriptions, and notarisation services among others.
The White Paper released today was developed in close collaboration between the GFXS project management office at eco and the Gaia-X Association.
The 1 pager executive summary of the White Paper is also available to read here.
