GreenData4All - Revision of the Directive establishing an infrastructure for spatial information in the EU (INSPIRE) and the Directive on public access to environmental information (REFIT)
In “A European Green Deal”
The European strategy for data announced the development of a Common European Green Deal data space, to use the major potential of data in support of the Green Deal priority actions on climate change, circular economy, zero pollution, biodiversity, deforestation and compliance assurance.
This involves the launch of a 'GreenData4All' initiative, consisting in evaluating and possibly reviewing the Directive establishing an Infrastructure for Spatial Information in the EU (INSPIRE Directive 2007/2/EC), together with the Access to Environmental Information Directive (Directive 2003/4/EC). The initiative would aim to modernise both directives to align them with the contemporary state of technology; promote active dissemination and sharing of government- and private-held public data in support of the environmental acquis and the European Green Deal objectives; and define and implement interoperable building stones for sharing public data in the Green Deal data space.
In its work programme for 2022, adopted on 19 October 2021, the European Commission announced that it would put forward, under the European Green Deal, a revision of both directives, following their evaluation in 2021.
The legislative proposal, to be accompanied by an impact assessment, was originally expected in the fourth quarter of 2022.
The European Commission published a call for evidence on 26 February 2024, open for feedback until 25 March 2024. The proposal is now planned for the first quarter of 2025.
References:
- European Commission, Commission work programme 2022. Making Europe stronger together, 19 October 2021
- European Commission, A European strategy for data, COM(2020) 66 final
- European Commission, GreenData4All – updated rules on geospatial environmental data and access to environmental information, call for evidence, 26 February 2024
- Directive 2007/2/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 March 2007 establishing an Infrastructure for Spatial Information in the European Community (INSPIRE)
- Directive 2003/4/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 January 2003 on public access to environmental information
Author: Vivienne Halleux, Members' Research Service, legislative-train@europarl.europa.eu