Cordination of Geographic Information in the Commission and the ESS DIMESA Director’s meeting Environmental statistics and accounts Eurostat, 24-25 April 2012 Daniele Rizzi Unit E4 – Regional Statistics and Geographical Information

The coordination of GI in the Commission Problem statement (1) Several Commission Directorates-General generate and use geographic information for community policy making and assessment (Environment, Transport, Regional policy, Research, External relations, …) The INSPIRE directive sets the framework for harmonised spatial information in MSs and in the Commission DIMESA meeting 24-25 April 2012

The coordination of GI in the Commission Problem statement (2) Georeferenced statistics are increasingly being collected, and the use of statistics in combination with geographic information is being recognized as a powerful tool for validation and analysis Resource restrictions are making even more evident the need for a more efficient use of available sources of information and a more coordinated common approach DIMESA meeting 24-25 April 2012

The coordination of GI in the Commission Envisaged approach Maximisation of the exploitation of existing know-how and resources Avoid duplication of efforts Share of roles and responsibilities between Commission DGs Envisaged role for Eurostat Focus on issues more directly related with statistical priorities: Combination of GI and statistics Improve the coordination of GI issues in the ESS Reduce the activities directly related to the overall implementation of INSPIRE Maintain the Commission internal geoportal, INSPIRE@EC Proposed short term action Set up a permanent, high level interservice group for GI coordination DIMESA meeting 24-25 April 2012

The European Statistical System and Geostatistics Background As in the Commission, National Statistical offices and National Mapping Agencies or other GI authorities in Member States already cooperate, but more coordination and further synergies are needed INSPIRE, Statistical Regulations and other thematic reporting obligations set the regulatory framework at the European level Vision The ESSC should take a leading role in further awareness-raising and coordination of an increased integration of two sources of information, geospatial and statistical, which ultimately would lead to an increased capability to monitor and understand human and natural phenomena, reduce burdens related to duplications of efforts and provide better information for policy making DIMESA meeting 24-25 April 2012

The European Statistical System and Geostatistics Proposed actions High level workshop with NSIs and NMCAs (15-16 May) Session on geostatistics in the 2012 DGINS conference Follow up point in a ESSC meeting second half 2012 Creation of a high level permanent structure of discussion within the ESS Further and enlarged cooperation in the framework of the GEOSTAT project (Representing Census data in a European population grid), in particular for the exploitation of the 2011 census Support of actions at national level Follow up of the first GEOSTAT project Call for proposals supporting geostatistical activities DIMESA meeting 24-25 April 2012

Thank you for your attention ! http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/pgp_ess/ess/ess_news http://www.efgs.info/ DIMESA meeting 24-25 April 2012