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Strategic Initiative: Webinar on Future Reference Frames
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A trusted geodetic reference is the invisible infrastructure of every modern society.
Behind every map, navigation system, construction project, and climate model lies a geodetic framework that ensures Europe speaks the same spatial language.
This webinar, hosted in collaboration with the Norwegian Mapping Authority and EuroGeographics, marked the beginning of a strategic dialogue on the future of Europe’s geodetic reference frameworks.
As the world moves toward ITRF and dynamic reference systems, Europe faces a critical choice: how do we ensure long-term interoperability across borders and sectors?
Why this matters
Geodesy is not just a technical discipline — it is the foundation of Europe’s digital infrastructure.
From autonomous transport to smart cities and environmental monitoring, every digital service that relies on location depends on a stable and trusted reference frame.
If Europe fails to act together, the coherence and trustworthiness of its geospatial data could erode — weakening the digital backbone that connects economies, governments, and citizens.
This webinar explored how we can safeguard confidence in European geodata for the next 30 years.
Keynote speaker
We were delighted to welcome Nicholas Brown, Head of Office at the United Nations Global Geodetic Centre of Excellence.
Nicholas brought deep insight from the global geodetic community and shared perspectives on how strategic collaboration can strengthen Europe’s leadership in this evolving landscape.
A crossroads for Europe
Europe now stands at a crossroads. Several pathways can shape how our geodetic reference frameworks evolve — from maintaining today’s static systems, via introducing periodic updates, to embracing fully dynamic, time-aware references.
Each pathway carries strategic implications. Stability offers continuity but risks falling behind a changing Earth. Periodic updates balance tradition and innovation, while dynamic systems unlock new precision — yet demand shared governance, investment, and trust.
This webinar invited national mapping authorities, policy leaders, and experts to explore these options together — and to define a shared European vision for trusted geodata in a dynamic world.
The agenda is available here (24/11/2025) and you may find the presentations of this webinar as well as the video below.
| 1 | “The importance of understanding user requirements” | Nicholas Brown, Head of Office, United Nations Global Geodetic Centre of Excellence | |
| 2 | “Three Paths to Europe’s Next Reference Frame” | Per Erik Opseth, Head, Geodetic Institute, Norwegian Mapping Authority | |
| 3 | “Georeferencing in the Digital Era from the user’s perspective” | Ivar Oveland, EuroSDR | |
| 4 | “ETRS89 and dynamic reference systems in Europe" | Martin Lidberg, EUREF | |
| 5 | “Why Geodetic Reference Frames Matter for AIM?” | Boris Coric, Eurocontrol |
Webinar Recording (Opens in YouTube)