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PURPOSE: to
create a legal framework for the establishment and operation of an
Infrastructure for Spatial Information in Europe (INSPIRE). LEGISLATIVE
ACT: Directive 2007/2/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council
establishing an Infrastructure for Spatial Information in the European
Community (INSPIRE). CONTENT: the
purpose of this Directive is to lay down general rules aimed at the
establishment of the Infrastructure for Spatial Information in the European
Community (“Inspire”), for the purposes of Community environmental policies
and policies or activities which may have an impact on the environment.
Inspire will build upon infrastructures for spatial information established
and operated by the Member States. It does not require collection of new
spatial data, and does not affect existing intellectual property rights. Data
interoperability and data sharing are prime objectives. The aim of
INSPIRE is to strengthen the knowledge base for environmental policy and make
it more accessible to citizens, stakeholders and decision-makers. The
Directive will cover a wide range of spatial data ranging from basic mapping
information, such as geographical names and administrative units, to key
environmental information such as emissions, environmental quality and
location of protected sites. The Directive
deals with the following key points : - the creation
of metadata ; - technical
developments promoting interoperability ; - the use of
data services ; - principles
on access to data and the related charges ; and - national
co-ordination. The Directive sets
out the obligations of Member States’ public authorities in respect of the
data they collect. Public authorities holding data covered by the directive
will have to share their data with other public authorities (e.g. EU
institutions). They must allow the public to view data for free and buy the
data for download and use over the Internet, and must comply with technical
implementing rules to improve consistency. INSPIRE will
provide metadata, thereby making it easier to search for the data and to
assess its quality and potential use. Detailed technical rules will be
developed for a wide range of spatial data themes in order to make it easier
for different data sets to be combined. A portal will
be developed to provide a single entry point for users to access the data. The European
Environment Agency set up by Council Regulation (EEC) No 1210/90 will
contribute actively to the implementation of this Directive. The Directive
deals with a number of related issues, such as safeguarding privacy, and
where appropriate, enabling data owners to charge for their datasets or
services. Data search services designed for the public will generally be free
of charge, although the directive allows fees to be charged for access to
data under certain circumstances. Reports: no later than 15 May 2010 Member States must send to the
Commission a report including summary descriptions of: - how public
sector providers and users of spatial data sets and services and intermediary
bodies are coordinated, and of the relationship with the third parties and of
the organisation of quality assurance; - the
contribution made by public authorities or third parties to the functioning
and coordination of the infrastructure for spatial information; - information
on the use of the infrastructure for spatial information; - data-sharing
agreements between public authorities; - the costs
and benefits of implementing the Directive. Every three
years, and starting no later than 15 May 2013, Member States must send to the
Commission a report providing updated information in relation to these
items. By 15 May 2014
and every six years thereafter the Commission must present to the European
Parliament and to the Council a report on the implementation of the Directive
based, inter alia, on Member States’ reports as detailed above.Where
necessary, the report shall be accompanied by proposals for Community action. ENTRY INTO
FORCE: 15 May 2007. TRANSPOSITION:
15 May 2009.
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