54
R.A. Longhorn
under the information market banner. This needs to be redressed very soon by the
whole scientific research community.
GI2000: Towards a European Policy Framework for Geographic Information
Following more than two years of wide consultation with the European geographic
information community, the EC recognised the need to formulate a European policy
framework for geographic information which would permit European GI to be created,
combined, marketed, used, reused and shared in a cost effective manner for the benefit
of the European information society. Studies sponsored by DG XIII/E indicate that the
major impediments to wider and more efficient use of geographic information in
Europe are political and organisational, not technical. The lack of a formal mandate at
European level, to address the needs of the GI community, is retarding development of
harmonised GI strategies, across national boundaries and across disciplines.
To redress this situation, in October 1997 the Commission sent a
Communication to the Council, to the European Parliament, to the Economic and Social
Committee and to the Committee of Regions titled “GI2000: Towards a European Policy
Framework for Geographic Information”.
Quoting from that document, the
Commission states:
“What is required is a policy framework to set up and maintain a stable,
European-wide set of agreed rules, standards, procedures, guidelines and incentives for
creating, collecting, updating, exchanging, accessing and using geographic
information. This policy framework must create a favourable business environment
for a competitive, plentiful, rich and differentiated supply of European geographic
information that is easily identifiable and easily accessible.”(DG XIII/E, 1997)
The Communication predicts benefits which include greater efficiencies of
scale in a more unified market, reduced problems for cross border and pan-European
projects, efficient technical solutions for future growth, increasing use of European
skills, improved market position in geographic information and better results of
European-wide planning and decision making. The policy framework must include
the legal aspects of geographic information to ensure the creation and use of EU-wide
datasets and standards. It must also stimulate and challenge private companies and
public bodies to invest in the creation of such datasets and to cooperate where
appropriate.
The EU Member States should agree to set up a common approach to create
European base data, and to make this generally available at affordable rates; to set up
and adopt general data creation and exchange standards and to encourage their use; to
improve the ways and means for both public and private agencies and organisations to
conduct European-level actions (including cross-border and cross discipline
initiatives); and to ensure that European solutions are globally compatible.
The Commission has created a GI2000 High Level Working Party,
comprising representatives from the leading players in the public and private sectors of
the wider GI community, including strong user representation, to be chaired by the
Commission. This Working Party would elaborate a detailed action plan to implement
R.A. Longhorn
under the information market banner. This needs to be redressed very soon by the
whole scientific research community.
GI2000: Towards a European Policy Framework for Geographic Information
Following more than two years of wide consultation with the European geographic
information community, the EC recognised the need to formulate a European policy
framework for geographic information which would permit European GI to be created,
combined, marketed, used, reused and shared in a cost effective manner for the benefit
of the European information society. Studies sponsored by DG XIII/E indicate that the
major impediments to wider and more efficient use of geographic information in
Europe are political and organisational, not technical. The lack of a formal mandate at
European level, to address the needs of the GI community, is retarding development of
harmonised GI strategies, across national boundaries and across disciplines.
To redress this situation, in October 1997 the Commission sent a
Communication to the Council, to the European Parliament, to the Economic and Social
Committee and to the Committee of Regions titled “GI2000: Towards a European Policy
Framework for Geographic Information”.
Quoting from that document, the
Commission states:
“What is required is a policy framework to set up and maintain a stable,
European-wide set of agreed rules, standards, procedures, guidelines and incentives for
creating, collecting, updating, exchanging, accessing and using geographic
information. This policy framework must create a favourable business environment
for a competitive, plentiful, rich and differentiated supply of European geographic
information that is easily identifiable and easily accessible.”(DG XIII/E, 1997)
The Communication predicts benefits which include greater efficiencies of
scale in a more unified market, reduced problems for cross border and pan-European
projects, efficient technical solutions for future growth, increasing use of European
skills, improved market position in geographic information and better results of
European-wide planning and decision making. The policy framework must include
the legal aspects of geographic information to ensure the creation and use of EU-wide
datasets and standards. It must also stimulate and challenge private companies and
public bodies to invest in the creation of such datasets and to cooperate where
appropriate.
The EU Member States should agree to set up a common approach to create
European base data, and to make this generally available at affordable rates; to set up
and adopt general data creation and exchange standards and to encourage their use; to
improve the ways and means for both public and private agencies and organisations to
conduct European-level actions (including cross-border and cross discipline
initiatives); and to ensure that European solutions are globally compatible.
The Commission has created a GI2000 High Level Working Party,
comprising representatives from the leading players in the public and private sectors of
the wider GI community, including strong user representation, to be chaired by the
Commission. This Working Party would elaborate a detailed action plan to implement