Towards a GI strategy for Europe The European Umbrella Organisation for Geographic Information EUROGI Towards a GI strategy for Europe Chris Corbin EUROGI GINIE Project Co-ordinator

Presentation content Part 1 - an update on EUROGI Part 2 - an update on the GINIE project since last GISCO meeting in October 2001

- To represent the views of the GI community. Part 1: EUROGI EUROGI mission - To maximise the effective use of geographic information for the benefit of the citizen, good governance and commerce in Europe. and - To represent the views of the GI community.

- 22 National GI Associations - 3 pan European GI organisations. Part 1: EUROGI EUROGI membership - 22 National GI Associations - 3 pan European GI organisations. - representing over 6000 private and public sector organisations across 22 countries.

- based in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands Part 1: EUROGI EUROGI secretariat - based in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands - small permanent Secretariat led by Secretary General Bino Marchesini Assistant Secretary General Karen Levoleger - President: Professor Ian Masser

EUROGI mission delivered over past 12 months through: Part 1: EUROGI EUROGI mission delivered over past 12 months through: - Delivering benefits to the members. - Reacting to EU initiatives such as PSI and INSPIRE. - Presenting GSDI6 conference in Europe September 2002. - Working within the GINIE consortium.

Global Spatial Data Infrastructure (GSDI6) Part 1: EUROGI Global Spatial Data Infrastructure (GSDI6) Organised by EUROGI with one of its members HunAGI Took place in Budapest 16 - 19th September 2002 Attended by 225 delegates from 51 countries Over 80 presentations made. Refer to web site. CD-ROM available soon. 16 Resolutions agreed. GSDI President Professor Ian Masser. Next GSDI conference to be in India.

Global Spatial Data Infrastructure (GSDI6) Part 1: EUROGI Global Spatial Data Infrastructure (GSDI6) Successful event - met its objectives. Enabled Europe to present its SDI initiatives and for these to be compared with other regions of the world. Sponsored (50%) by the IST programme. (Thank you)

Aim: Develop a cohesive Geographic Information Part 2: GINIE Aim: Develop a cohesive Geographic Information Strategy at the European level Key activities: Develop a sound knowledge base through the comparative policy analysis of frameworks for access, use, and dissemination of GI Raise awareness and capacity building which includes targeted actions for policy-makers at national and European levels Strategic input to INSPIRE and contributing to the international debate taking place at the GSDI Conference (Budapest, Sept. 2002) Establishing government and industry panels to help formulate a cohesive European Strategy for GI, and a business model to make it work.

Accompanying Measures, IST Programme IST-2000-29493 Part 2: GINIE Partners: European Umbrella Organisation for Geographic Information - EUROGI Joint Research Centre of the European Commission (JRC) Open GIS Consortium (Europe), Ltd. (OGC-E) University of Sheffield, Project Co-ordinator Accompanying Measures, IST Programme IST-2000-29493 Funded timeframe: 1st November 2001 to the 31st October 2003

Proposed ABGI mission is: Part 2: GINIE The objective of GINIE is to establish a fully functioning Advisory Board on Geographic Information (ABGI) Representatives of governments industry research Proposed ABGI mission is: “To provide the strategic vision and leadership necessary to maximize the use of GI by all sectors of society for the purposes of good governance, commerce, research and citizenship.

GI capacity building and awareness raising Part 2: GINIE GI capacity building and awareness raising Develop guidelines for national associations. Workshop on capacity building in accession countries. (Prague, Sept 02) Workshop on GI in the Mediterranean countries. (Crete, April 03) Dynamic portfolio of case studies case study search engine Case studies Picture book

Part 2: GINIE 8th EC-GIS workshop Dublin, 2-5th July 2002 GINIE as a theme Presentation of findings on SDI’s and Data Policy WS Opportunity to have broad range discussion on ABGI with key stakeholders Input to the GI strategy research agenda

Global Perspectives on GI Part 2: GINIE Global Perspectives on GI Workshop on NSDI’s experiences and lessons for Europe. (ISPRA, May 02) Workshop on local to global infrastructures. (Rome, March 03) Comparative study of experiences in US, Australia and Canada. Inputs towards a European SDI cookbook.

- Three workshops completed Part 2: GINIE - Three workshops completed - Spatial Data Infrastructure (ISPRA, May 02) - Data Policy (Paris, May 02) - Capacity building in the Accession period (Prague, Sept 02) - Experts from 23 countries have participated so far Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, USA. - 60 experts have been involved in the workshops (30, 22, 25)

Part 2: GINIE Workshop outputs Baseline documents and presentations from the workshops available on GINIE web site: www.ec-gis.org/ginie Each workshop will provide a report (English only) and Management overviews in 10+ European languages. Usually available within 3 months of workshop completion.

SDI Workshop deliverables. (organised by the JRC) Part 2: GINIE SDI Workshop deliverables. (organised by the JRC) Workshop Completed Report (English) Completed Management Overview (English) Completed Translation (10 languages) Completed Comparative Analysis - English Completed (Australia, Canada, USA) On GINIE web site: www.ec-gis.org/ginie

Data Policy workshop deliverables (organised by EUROGI) Part 2: GINIE Data Policy workshop deliverables (organised by EUROGI) Workshop Completed Report (English) Draft Management Overview (English/French) Draft Translation (10 languages) Not started Watch GINIE web site www.ec-gis.org/ginie

Part 2: GINIE Capacity building in Accession period workshop deliverables (organised by EUROGI) Workshop Completed Report (English) Starting Management Overview (English) Starting Translation (10 languages) Not started On schedule Watch GINIE web site www.ec-gis.org/ginie

Raising awareness deliverables. Case Studies Part 2: GINIE Raising awareness deliverables. Case Studies - Search engine Prototype ready - Case Studies drafts being edited then put on GINIE web site - Picture book In process - Watch GINIE web site www.ec-gis.org/ginie

Part 2: GINIE Current position regarding the Advisory Board for Geographic Information (ABGI) (responsibility of EUROGI) - Origins EUROGI strategy consultation document - EUROGI Excom - January meeting - 8th EC GI Workshop - Dublin July - GINIE consortium - Version 6 of draft within - EUROGI Excom - October meeting - Consultation period - October through to December includes consultation with Pan European Associations Forum (PEAF) and others. - Public Sector and Private sector panels - lists of names being constructed

Future workshops scheduled: - Registries - Munich January (21st/24th) Part 2: GINIE Future workshops scheduled: - Registries - Munich January (21st/24th) - Local to Global - Rome March (5th to 7th) - Mediterranean - Greece (Crete) April (10th/11th)

GINIE brochure (3 languages) Web site (public and intranet) Part 2: GINIE Information dissemination: a mixture of web plus presentations and PR through media. GINIE brochure (3 languages) Web site (public and intranet) Newsletter 1 Newsletter 2 (being drafted) Plus final conference autumn 2003

SDI workshop recommendations Co-ordination and organisation: Part 2: GINIE SDI workshop recommendations Co-ordination and organisation: There is a need for a coordinating body at the European level to make an ESDI happen. It should have technical working groups reporting to it. Financial sustainability and political sustainability: Political involvement is important: to endorse and propagate the vision; for putting in place the legal framework; for allocating resources; and for peer pressure of politicians on politicians

Part 2: GINIE SDI workshop recommendations continued: Selling the benefits: Carefully devise a communication strategy addressing authorities at different administrative levels, and focus on use-cases and pilot projects that have a direct relation to political top priorities Phased implementation: ESDI principles should be followed in EU-funded projects: development of data and technology specifications should be considered in parallel to enable delivery of a specific service

Data policy workshop recommendations: Part 2: GINIE Data policy workshop recommendations: Regulation - the need: The provision of a universal GI service requires a conventional regulatory regime. Regulation is required between: The different levels of public sector; The public sector and private sector. Regulation is required if voluntary solutions do not work.

Regulation - the framework: Part 2: GINIE Data policy workshop recommendations continued: Regulation - the framework: The regulatory framework shall ensure that: Where information monopolies exist they maximise the access to data for the citizen and public sector and a level playing field for commercial operators exists. When privatisation of a public sector activity occurs the rights to data are established.

Part 2: GINIE Data policy workshop recommendations continued: Data user: Individuals and organisations must be able to achieve their objective without being impeded by the terms and conditions regarding the use of geographic data. The terms and conditions related to the use of all public sector data must be publicly and freely available.

Data provider: Part 2: GINIE Data policy workshop recommendations continued: Data provider: If a licence is needed, it must be both simple and clear and be similar for similar products. Liability: All products should be defined (described) including the limitations of the products. New legislation will need to be put on the statute book to provide the liability framework.

Data policy: Part 2: GINIE Data policy workshop recommendations continued: Data policy: Innovative financial regimes must be developed to maximise the sustainable, cost/effective production and use of GI. GI usage should be maximised through incentives to promote data sharing. All services should be funded either through public funding or user payment - whatever is sustainable. The option chosen should ensure that it promotes the maximum (the best) access and use.

Part 2: GINIE Objectives of Prague workshop: GI Capacity Building in the EU Accession Period a) understanding geographic information in a broader context of the European Information Society and EU Enlargement; b) recognition of different aspects of GI capacity building; c) learning about the situation in different European countries and exchanging ideas; d) analysis of strong and weak points;

Capacity Building Parague workshop - a definition Part 2: GINIE Capacity Building Parague workshop - a definition Capacity building is the collective set of processes that operate within a given society to deliver the correct balance of all necessary resources that ensure geographic information is available such that it meets the needs and demands of the given society. This will include sustainable development and support of geographic information, maximising its exploitation, the development of human reources and institutional structures within the given society.

Part 2: GINIE Capacity Building - a definition … continued The processes include for example: - the provision of resources: a skilled workforce that meets the demands of both the supply and demand side of the market place, data, technology, finance. - human networks that support and enable the transfer and dissemination of knowledge and good practice. - national GI associations, professional societies and institutions. - research and development.

Part 2: GINIE Sustainable policy Sustainable policy making at the EU level is dependent upon sound quality geographic information and data at all levels from the European, National and Local levels. This requires the data to be both available and accessible to the same data standards across the whole of the EU. The GI capacity of each nation is of fundamental importance to meeting this EU entire requirement.

Part 2: GINIE National GI Associations National Associations have a key role in capacity building through bringing together all within the GI community to: - share good practice; - raise awareness; - network; - work in partnerships with other thematic sectors and disciplines; - establish a concensus view or policy; - provide advice and support.

Prague workshop conclusions - a) generic Part 2: GINIE Prague workshop conclusions - a) generic - Considerable progress has been made since November 2000 with regard to GI by the candidate countries but their is a need to continue capacity building to deliver the benefits to society. - as a result of the organisational and structural changes that are taking place rapid advances are being made with regard to GI. - there is good adoption of EU frameworks and initiatives. - the legal framework in most candidate countries is good but in some countries law enforcement is weak.

Part 2: GINIE Conclusions continued: There is: - a need to balance the involvement of all sectors of the GI community due to the dominance of central government in some countries. e.g. the involvement of all sectors of the GI community - government at all levels (Central, Regional, and Local administrations), private, research, and users communities. - a need to find ways to overcome the public-private barriers and to develop partnership with the private sector. - need for both a top down and bottom up approach to stimulate development so that there are seamless data flows from the local level to national level and vica versa .

Part 2: GINIE Conclusions continued: There is: - an opportunity to avoid the mistakes of western European countries. - no great difference between countries regarding the adoption of data and interoperability standards. - a need to translate from CEN to ISO standards. (may require financial support)

Part 2: GINIE Conclusions continued: - a need for greater emphasis to be given to developing and implementing data policy e.g. to include open access to and the sharing of data at all levels. - the need for a champion(s) and leader(s). - Government at all levels should stimulate the growth and development of GI. - the potential of networks both within a country and transnational in supporting the growth and development of GI capacity building should be recognised and exploited.

Part 2: GINIE Conclusions: b) National GI Associations - have the potential to facilitate capacity building. - no one model suits all. (the model chosen will depend upon the national environment) Although different models may bechosen to suit national conditions the same end goals can be achieved. - provide a national focalpoint for all GI matters both inside and outside of the country. - should have an important role in counter balancing dominant players both inside and outside of the association. - should have an important role in representing the GI User (demand side) as well as minority and unrepresented groups.

Part 2: GINIE Conclusions: National Associations continued: - can raise awareness through formal and informal networks. - can optimise resources and achieve greater goals from working in partnerships. - need to be flexible and adaptable to be both relevant and sustainable.

Part 2: GINIE National GI Associations continued: Establishing and growing a national association. Recommendation: is to at all times maintain a balance between raising expectations and resources. (there is no such thing as a free lunch)

Part 2: GINIE National GI Associations continued: An example of an approach to establishing a national GI Association 1. start informally through meetings chaired by a neutral party. 2. if the interest is there form an emboyonic association using in kind resources. 3. as the interest grows formally consitute the association and establish links with other GI Assocations within Europe. (becomes a legal entity)

Part 2: GINIE National GI Associations continued: Establishing a national GI Association continued 4. develop direct benefits to members using volunteers, with the support of in kind and/or part time paid staff and premises funded from membership subscriptions. 5. develop fund raising initiatives that enable financial reserves to be established as well as extending the direct benefits and the development of indirect benefits. e.g. Conferences, sponsorship. 6. as association gains both in financial strength and membership numbers consider the employment of full time secretariat and own office accommodation. 7. etc.

Thank you for listening Conclusion Thank you for listening Visit and watch the EUROGI and GINIE web sites: www.eurogi.org www.ec-gis.org/ginie Any questions?