SDI Days 2012 > Abstract_View
INSPIRE from the JRC point of view

Vlado Cetl, Katalin Tóth and Paul Smits, European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Environment and Sustainability, Digital Earth and Reference Data Unit, Via E. Fermi, 2749, I-21027 Ispra (VA), Italy


This paper/presentation summarizes some recent developments in INSPIRE from the JRC point of view. The role of European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) in INSPIRE is in line with its mission which is to provide customer-driven scientific and technical support for the conception, development, implementation and monitoring of EU policies. As a service of the European Commission, the JRC functions as a reference centre for science and technology across the Union. Close to the policy-making process, it serves the common interest of the Member States (MS) whilst being independent of special interests, whether private or national. The JRC acts as the overall technical coordinator of INSPIRE. It ensures the viability and evolution of the technical infrastructure for INSPIRE and guarantees the liaison with the European and international research community. JRC also initiates and monitors the work with international standardization bodies (e.g. ISO/TC211, CEN/TC 287 and OGC) for the purposes of INSPIRE and is responsible for the technical coordination with other relevant international initiatives. Interoperability and data sharing are essential to achieving the INSPIRE vision. Currently JRC is running two actions: SHAPE and ENABLE that both contribute to INSPIRE but which focuses on different parts of the policy cycle. SHAPE undertakes the scientific, technical, and organizational activities necessary for formulation of INSPIRE daughter legislation, i.e. the INSPIRE implementing rules for the interoperability of spatial datasets and services and network services. ENABLE carries out the activities necessary to support a coherent implementation of INSPIRE by helping the MS with the INSPIRE implementing rules on metadata and network services; and by developing the Community components of Inspire Architecture (e.g. geoportal, registries, etc.). The JRC also facilitates the Initial Operating Capability Task Force (IOC TF) which purpose is to help and support the implementation of INSPIRE in the MS. The scope of the IOC TF includes architectural aspects and implementation of Network Services to ensure interoperability with the INSPIRE geoportal and among MS. In terms of implementation, 2012 is a year with a number of important milestones for INSPIRE. In June, Member States shall provide both the Download Services and the Transformation Services with initial operating capability, and they shall be fully operational by December. Also in June a new version of the Technical Guidance for the implementation of INSPIRE Download Services has been published. In July draft guidelines for all 25 themes covered in INSPIRE Annex II and III have been published. In November, newly collected and extensively restructured Annex I spatial data sets must follow Commission Regulation (EU) No 1089/2010 on interoperability of spatial data sets and services. The JRC has released the first version of the INSPIRE Geoportal, which allows users to access spatial and environmental data from many different sources across Europe.

Keywords: SDI, INSPIRE, Development, JRC

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