1. Eurostat D2 – Regional Indicators and Geographical Information
INSPIRE
Joint Working Party Meeting National Mapping Agencies – National Statistical Offices
Luxembourg, 3-4 March 2008
Daniele Rizzi –
3 March 2008
Eurostat D2 – Regional Indicators and Geographical Information

2. Why INSPIRE ?
EU has islands of data of different standards and quality...
Policy Needs
Better information needed to support policies
Improvement of existing information flows
Differentiation across regions to be considered
Revision of approach to reporting and monitoring, moving to concept of sharing of information
The assessment of the situation of the many expert panels working on monitoring aspects in these various initiatives is similar:
We need better information, we have to improve the existing data flows and have to become more efficient in sharing this information and data.
The INSPIRE expert groups, which have been working between 2001 and 2004 preparing the proposal for an INSPIRE directive concluded that in Europe we have many isolated island of data and information.
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3. Sea Level trends in mm/y
Why INSPIRE?
Coastal Erosion
Source: EUROSION Project
Forest Fire Risk
Source: JRC/IES
Sea Level trends in mm/y
In the period floods comprised 43% of all disaster events in Europe
100 major floods
700 dead
Half a million displaced people
25 billion Euros uninsured economic loss
Along the Rhine, 10 m people live in areas liable to extreme flooding, potential damage estimated at 165 bn. Euros
101,000 kms of coastline, population doubled in last 50 years. Assets within 500 mt of coast = bn euros.
Source: JRC/IES
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Source: Marcos & Tsimplis, as quoted in JRC/IES
Source: JRC/IES

4. International coordination a huge challenge.
International river basin districts cover more than 60% of the EU territory!
International coordination a huge challenge.
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5. Reporting WFD: without harmonisation difficult to use !
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6. Data utilization problems
Natura2000 – Typical Questions
In which administrative region is the site?
Major roads running through the area?
Variation of altitude and slope?
Location of nearest villages and cities?
How are the land cover and land use distributed?
Where are potentially polluting nucleus’ situated?
Is there an area eligible for Community funding?
Only data of poor quality are available to
answer those questions….
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7. But good local data already exist and might be accessible !
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8. Relations with other Directives
PSI addresses the re-use of public sector information by third parties
Aarhus addresses the public access to environmental information
INSPIRE addresses the shared use of spatial data and services between public authorities for the performance of public tasks
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9. INSPIRE Directive general provisions
INSPIRE lays down general rules to establish an infrastructure for spatial information in Europe for the purposes of Community environmental policies and policies or activities which may have an impact on the environment.
This infrastructure shall build upon infrastructures for spatial information established and operated by the Member States.
INSPIRE does not require collection of new spatial data – electronic format
INSPIRE does not affect Intellectual Property Rights or statistical confidentiality
Let us now have a look at the INSPIRE directive itself:
First of all it’s important to consider the scope of INSPIRE which does not only affect data related to environmental policies, but actually all policies or activities which may have an impact on the environment .. agriculture, transport etc….
Of course INSPIRE is not built from scratch, many states and organizations have already infrastructures and policies in place. These will form the basis on which INSPIRE will be further developed.
It’s also important to consider that INSPIRE does not the require the collection of new data. Such requirements come from other thematic policies.
Some of the areas of concern regards the intellectual property rights and statistical confidentially. INSPIRE does not alter existing legislation in these areas, but ensures that notwithstanding certain limitations, IPR or confidentiality, does not prevent public authorities from conducting their public tasks related to the environment.
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10. INSPIRE Scope
Spatial data held by or on behalf of a public authority operating down to the lowest level of government when laws or regulations require their collection or dissemination
INSPIRE covers 34 Spatial Data Themes laid down in 3 Annexes – (required to successfully build environmental information systems)
INSPIRE only addresses data held by public authorities (or by a third party on behalf of a public authority)
INSPIRE will only affect public authorities which are the custodian of relevant data that needs to be reported, collected or disseminated to a higher level of administration. Data collected for local purposes only falls not under INSPIRE.
INSPIRE covers in its scope 34 themes of data, which, as you will recognise, are used for developing information systems for a wide variety of applications.
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11. INSPIRE Spatial Data Scope
Annex I
Coordinate reference systems
Geographical grid systems
Geographical names
Administrative units
Addresses
Cadastral parcels
Transport networks
Hydrography
Protected sites
Annex II
Elevation
Land cover
Ortho-imagery
Geology
Harmonised spatial data specifications more stringent for Annex I and II than for Annex III
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12. INSPIRE Thematic Scope
Annex III
Statistical units
Buildings
Soil
Land use
Human health and safety
Utility and governmental services
Environmental monitoring facilities
Production and industrial facilities
Agricultural and aquaculture facilities
Population distribution – demography
Area management/restriction /regulation zones & reporting units
Natural risk zones
Atmospheric conditions
Meteorological geographical features
Oceanographic geographical features
Sea regions
Bio-geographical regions
Habitats and biotopes
Species distribution
Energy Resources
Mineral resources
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13. INSPIRE - Data Sharing
Member States shall adopt measures for the sharing of data and services between public authorities for public tasks relating to the environment without restrictions occurring at the point of use.
Public authorities may charge, license each other and Community institutions provided this does not create an obstacle to sharing.
When spatial data or services are provided to Community institutions for reporting obligations under Community law relating to the environment then this will not be subject to charging.
Member States shall provide the institutions and bodies of the Community with access to spatial data sets and services in accordance with harmonised conditions. Implementing Rule
INSPIRE has both a data policy and a technical component.
It shall not come as surprise to you that the most difficult negotiations on INSPIRE related to the data policy aspects.
However, it has now become clear that data and related services will have to be shared without restrictions.
This does not preclude charging or licensing … but, this should never result in ‘obstacles’ at the point of use. It is obviously up to the member states to find the most efficient solution to this.
In any case, data reported under Community law relating to the environment, this means not only environmental legislation ! Will not be subject to charging.
In addition, for other data, harmonized conditions for community institutions and bodies (agencies) will be part of a ‘daughter’ legislation of INSPIRE, in the form of an implementing rule.
Now that we are talking about ‘implementing rules’ … next slide
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14. Coordination
MS shall designate a contact point responsible for contacts with the Commission.
This contact point will be supported by a coordination structure, taking into account the distribution of powers and responsibilities within the MS.
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15. From Commission proposal to Community Directive implementation
Preparatory phase ( )
Co-decision procedure
Start of preparation of Implementing Rules
Transposition phase ( )
Directive entered into force 15 May 2007
INSPIRE Committee starts its activities 26 June 2007
Continuation of preparation of Implementing Rules
Transposition into national legislation
Adoption of Implementing Rules by Comitology
Implementation phase ( )
Implementation and monitoring of measures
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16. INSPIRE – Implementing Measures
INSPIRE is a Framework Directive requiring the definition of “Implementing Rules” for:
Metadata
Interoperability of spatial data sets and services
Network services (discovery, view, download, transform, invoke)
Data and Service sharing (policy)
Coordination and measures for monitoring & reporting
“Implementing Rules” to be adopted according to directive “roadmap”
INSPIRE has besides the data policy dimension also a more technical dimension. This to tackle technical obstacles related to accessibility, interoperability etc.
INSPIRE is a framework directive, this means that 5 pieces of ‘daughter’ legislation will have to be developed and adopted by the Commission following the eventual right of scrutiny of Council and European Parliament.
It will take us to far to discuss all the details and roadmap related to this procedure.
However, INSPIRE is based on a bottom-up approach, developed by – and for its stakeholders.
This principle is maintained and even reinforced in the current procedure for developing this daughter legislation.
Drafting teams, with experts provided by the stakeholders, are working free-of-charge on these implementing rules since Stakeholder reviews and public consultations are foreseen and scheduled before this ‘daughter’ legislation will be submitted to a formal INSPIRE Committee of member states and the European Parliament and Council. Only after the successful conclusion of this process will the Commission adopt the ‘daughter’ legislation.
“Implementing Rules” as a bottom-up development with stakeholders
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17. Work Programme 2007-2009 Implementing Rule development cycle
Text of Directive
Reference materials
Requirements
Drafting of IR
Testing of draft IR
Manage
evolution of IRs
Stakeholders
(SDICs, LMOs):
Reference material
Experts
Projects
Stakeholder
consultation
Commission
Decision
Regulatory process
Commission
inter-service
consultation
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18. IR on Metadata Call for experts March 2005
Drafting Teams established in October 2005
Draft IR for Metadata published on 2nd Feb based on requirement of Directive, review of existing material submitted by SDICS and LMOs, international standards, and drafting team knowledge.
Open for comments by SDICs and LMOs over an 8 week period comments received.
DT analysed comments and made recommendations to Commission in August 2007.
Commission prepared its own draft proposal based on inputs received, open for public consultation in October 2007 for 8 weeks
Commission currently revises its proposal based on all input received and submits to Regulatory Committee
IR to be tabled at meeting of INSPIRE Committee on 14th May 2008
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19. IR on Interoperability and Harmonization of Spatial Data Sets and Services
The development of INSPIRE Implementing rules for the interoperability and, where practicable, harmonization of spatial data sets and services follow a two-step approach:
Development of conceptual framework and specification methodology.
DS-D 2.5 Generic Conceptual Model (GCM),
DS-D 2.6 Methodology for Specification Development.
Development of data specifications for each data theme
Based on the conceptual framework and specification methodology, and based on the INSPIRE roadmap
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20. Data Specifications - Approach
Implementing Rules comprising data (product) specifications for 34 themes … … …
Coordinate Reference Systems
Geographical Grids
Protected Sites
Elevation
Orthoimagery
Geology
Statistical Units
Buildings
Energy Resources
Mineral Resources
Annex II
Annex III
Annex I
Conceptual Framework
D2.3
Definition of Annex
Themes & Scope
D2.5
Generic Conceptual Model
D2.6
Methodology for
Specification Development
D2.7
Guidelines for Encoding
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21. Data specifications: progress
The Data specification Drafting Team is responsible for the developing and maintaining the conceptual framework
Data specifications of the theme will be developed by the Thematic Working Groups composed from domain and GIS/IT experts Kick-off meeting of Annex I Thematic Working Groups : Feb 2008
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22. User requirements survey
Existing material needs to be updated and complemented
User requirements need to be prepared for consumption by TWGs
User requirements survey has been launched
Aimed at collecting structured information in line with the Data Specifications framework documents
Generic Conceptual Framework
Methodology
Information collected on applications, legal/formal agreements underlying these applications, and input and output data requirements
Identifying/developing use-cases for the data specifications process
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23. User requirements survey
Current status
25 replies (Belgium 6, Netherlands 6, Germany 3, France 2, Italy 2, UK 2, Greece, Spain, Ireland, Poland 1)
Only very few organisations with an environmental focus
Brussels Institute for Management of the Environment (IBGE-BIM) (BE)
How to participate?
Responses collected by 10 March will be used for developing Annex I data specifications
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24. Network Services General issues to address: Architecture
Technical protocol
Right Management
Service metadata
Multilingualism
Discovery and View services
Download services
Transformation services
Services to Invoke spatial data services
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25. Network services: progress
An INSPIRE Architecture is proposed to integrate INSPIRE services, e-commerce and DRM components,
INSPIRE services shall be Web Services (W3C) using the SOAP protocol to exchange messages, and WSDL language to describe the services -> reviewed by SDICs/LMOs
INSPIRE Services
Based on:
IR Status
Discovery services
OGC Catalogue service, with the ISO Application Profile : OGC CS-W 2.0 ISO AP
Draft IR has been reviewed by SDIC / LMO
=> Final draft: Spring 2008
View services
Web Map Service : ISO WMS 1.3
Download services
OGC Web Feature Service (ISO 19142),
OGC Web Coverage Service,
HTTP File download
Draft IR to be reviewed by SDIC / LMO
=> Final draft: June 2008
Transformation services
Functions of a Web Processing Service (OGC WPS):
Coordinate transformation services
Draft IR for a SDIC / LMO review early 2008
Schema transformation services
First draft during 2008
Invoke services
- Chaining services : BPEL (Business Process Execution Language form OASIS)
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26. Data and Services Sharing
IR governing access and rights of use of spatial data sets and services for Community institutions and bodies
Other objectives
guidance and recommendations accompanying the IR
recommendations for cross border data and service sharing
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27. Data and Services Sharing : progress
Work on Glossary, good practice sharing arrangements and legal issues
Draft Implementing Rule with Commentary planned went to Coordination Team Nov 2007; new version under preparation
Deliverable
Description
Milestone
D 4.9a
Draft IR including commentary and clarifications (internal to DT and CT)
D 4.10
Recommendations accompanying draft IR
D 4.9b
Draft IR
Launch of SDIC/LMO consultation on draft IR
D 4.9c
Revised draft IR
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28. Monitoring and Reporting: progress
Mid March-mid May 2008
SDIC/LMO review
Mid May-June 2008:
Consolidation of feedback from review, new draft available by end June
July-September 2008:
the CT will finalise the IR (objective: adoption by the Committee on November 2008)
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29. to know more: http://www.ec- gis.org/inspire come to the
INSPIRE Conference,
Maribor, Slovenia,
23-25 June 2008
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