Eurogi Objectives

EUROGI has six objectives. The objectives 1, 2 and 3 are the answers to the question: “WHAT? What are the products and services that need promotion at the European, national, regional and local levels?” The objectives 4, 5 and 6 are for EUROGI not only WHAT – questions, but also “HOW? How to succeed in that ambition?”

  1. Datasets and services: to promote the compatibility, sharing and re-use of geo-spatial data.
  2. User access: to promote easy access to datasets by users from a technical, legal, financial point.
  3. Applications: to promote the development of innovative services enabling the effective use of geospatial data for day to day uses (general public, government, industry, and research).
  4. To build the necessary technological, political, and human capacity at all levels.
  5. To contribute towards advancing Global Spatial Data Infrastructures, support European overseas development aid programmes and deal with such other issues external to Europe as may arise from time to time.
  6. Communicate about the objectives, high level and net-work lobbying to achieve the objectives.

1. Datasets and services: to promote the compatibility, sharing and re-use of geo-spatial data.

Better information will be crucial to improving governmental policies in the next decade. Geographic information is a form of communication. It presents information in a lively and understandable way to citizens and stakeholders. INSPIRE (Infrastructure for Spatial Information in Europe) and GMES (Global Monitoring for Environmental and Security) are two initiatives that will support this.
EUROGI tackles relevant questions such as:

  • What type of data should be established? Reference data, professional data?
  • What geographic extension: pan European, transborder, national, local?
  • What is the role of standardisation in the elaboration of new data?

EUROGI set up a Working & Advisory Group Datasets to carry out related actions.

2. User access: to promote easy access to datasets by users from a technical, legal, financial view point

As Geographic Information (GI) is a basis for good governance, economic and social development and informed public participation, there is a need to ease the access of geo-spatial data for day-to-day uses (general public, government, industry and research). EUROGI objectives include the promotion of easy access to datasets by users from a technical, legal, financial and organisational point of view.

EUROGI set up a Working & Advisory Group on User Access.

3. Applications: to promote the development of innovative services enabling the effective use of geo-spatial data for day to day uses

From a user point of view, EUROGI wishes to influence the key decision-makers by undertaking concerted actions at the national level as well as at the European level.

EUROGI set up a Working & Advisory Group on User Access. Their goal is to promote the development of innovative mechanisms enabling the effective use of geo-spatial data for day-to-day uses (general public, government, industry and research.

4. To build the necessary technological, political, and human capacity at all levels

Some of the topics under this objective include:

  • How to enable and facilitate National GI-associations to broaden their membership horizontally?
  • What are the opportunities of enlargement in the direction of: Eastern countries, Nordic countries, and Mediterranean countries?
  • What is EUROGI’s contribution at the global level?

5. To contribute to the development of world-wide spatial data infrastructures and to support relevant European overseas aid programmes

Europe is part of the globalisation process and global interests will impact to an ever greater extent directly on GI and other issues within Europe. It is thus appropriate to give suitable recognition to this international dimension.

Europe is part of the developed world and enjoys a high standard of living. It is widely recognised international practice that developed countries should be contributing to relief of suffering and promoting economic and other forms of assistance to less well developed countries. The EU Treaty recognises this responsibility and commits the EU to assist. GI can play a significant role in promoting development, managing disasters, delivering services etc in developing countries. EUROGI has amongst its members a substantial level of expertise in the GI field which can be of assistance in fulfilling these development and humanitarian needs.

6. Communicate about the objectives, high level and net-work lobbying to achieve the objectives

Communication is one of the pillars for EUROGI. EUROGI communicates a message through dissemination and lobbying. In addition, the transfer of best practices, information about processes and their implementation are also focal points. EUROGI has a key role to play as a co-ordinator of information from/to its members. We strive to be the focal point where information is received and conveyed. By doing so, our goals are:

  • Raise awareness about geographic information and services
  • Filtering technical issues into laymen’s language
  • Gain political interest in geographic information
  • Good communication in EUROGI for and between members