Post-pandemic user requirements are foundation for future collaborations

EuroGeographics President, Colin Bray (left), Zeljko Obradovic, Director, Federal Administration for Geodetic and Real Property Affairs, and Léa Bodossian, Secretary General and Executive Director, EuroGeographics (right) discuss the importance of official geospatial data with Mr. Fadil Novalić, Prime Minister of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Leaders of Europe’s national mapping, cadastral and land registration authorities met in Sarajevo last week to discuss the role of official geospatial data in reconnecting post-pandemic.

EuroGeographics’ General Assembly 2022 heard that user requirements for official geospatial data will form the foundation for future collaborations as a series of speakers demonstrated its importance in preparing for the decade of action, as well as in recovery and resilience programmes. Users from the United Nations, European Parliament, Commission and its agencies also expressed a strong desire to work in partnership with the Association and its members.

“In uncertain times, authoritative mapping, cadastral and land registration information provides certainty to those with responsibility for making critical decisions,” said Colin Bray, President of EuroGeographics.

“Reliable geospatial data is therefore crucial for reconnecting post-pandemic, and as national sources of mapping, cadastral and land registration information, our members have a key role to play in Europe’s resilience and recovery programme, and in addressing key issues that extend beyond national boundaries.”

“Achieving ambitions against a backdrop of change requires reconnection – reconnection with members​, reconnection with stakeholder​s, and reconnection with users – to ensure we continue to provide the high-quality data and services that underpin the infrastructures relied on by modern society.”

“Our challenge now is to meet the needs of users in a way that can be sustained for the benefit of all.”

Hosted by the Federal Administration for Geodetic and Real Property Affairs in Sarajevo, the annual conference was opened by Mr. Fadil Novalić, Prime Minister of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Ms. Ankica Gudeljević, Minister for Civil Affairs.

During the formal business of the Association, Colin Bray, Ordnance Survey Ireland was re-elected to the Management Board and as the Association’s President.

Members also elected Denis Tabučić from the Federal Administration for Geodetic and Real Property Affairs, Bosnia & Herzegovina; Kristian Møller, Agency for Data Supply and Efficiency, Denmark; and Emilio López Romero, National Geographic Institute of Spain to the Management Board, and thanked Amalia Velasco Martín-Varés, Spanish Directorate General for Cadastre and Sanja Zekušić, State Geodetic Administration, Croatia who both came to the end of their term.

EuroGeographics is an international not-for-profit organisation (AISBL/ IVZW under Belgian Law. BCE registration:  833 607 112) and the membership association for the European National Mapping, Cadastral and Land Registry Authorities.

To find out more about EuroGeographics, please visit www.eurogeographics.org

Open Maps For Europe releases open cadastral map prototype and data updates

Open Maps for Europe has released an Open Cadastral Map prototype which provides large-scale coverage for four countries.

The data is now available via the Open Maps interface and this first iteration includes Poland, The Netherlands, Czech Republic and Spain. The map takes INSPIRE open data and allows the user to find out what is available from national sources in one place before obtaining the data from the official provider. The cadastral map comprises four data types: Administrative Units, Cadastral Parcels (and Cadastral Zones), Buildings (and Building Parts) and Addresses.

The Open Maps For Europe project, which is co-financed by the Connecting Europe Facility of the European Union, is coordinated by EuroGeographics in partnership with the National Geographic Institute (NGI) Belgium.

Angela Baker, Programme Manager, Data Access and Integration, EuroGeographics  says: “We have used our unique data integration process to produce the Open Cadastral Map prototype using members data, and we expect to add more coverage in the future.”

“The Open Cadastral Map is a service to show the end user what is available from the Cadastral Agencies, it does not replicate the data that our members provide.  Features can be identified via the map interface and can be consumed via the WMS. Links are available to access the full national data.”

“In addition to the Open Cadastral Map prototype, we are also pleased to announce that the second release of Open Maps for Europe includes updated versions of EuroGlobalMap (EGM 2022) and EuroDem, a pan-Europe open data elevation model providing height data.”

Data from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Ukraine, the Isle of Man and Montenegro are now available in EGM 2022, which also includes updated Administrative Boundaries, Transportation and Settlement themes. These have been fully generalised from EuroRegionalMap (ERM), multi-themed topographic open data at 1:250 000 scale. The EGM metadata was updated and its compliance with the INSPIRE metadata regulations was checked.

The latest version of EuroDem has increased coverage and now includes data from Germany, Hungary and Switzerland with open data infilled from a further 11 countries.

The Open Maps For Europe online interface, developed by thinkWhere, an Idox company, enables users to discover, view, license and download the open datasets. These also include an open gazetteer service providing authoritative multilingual geographical names with data provided by 36 National Mapping, Cadastral and Land Registration Authorities, and Pan-European Imagery provided by Germany’s Federal Agency for Cartography and Geodesy created from data taken from the European Union´s Earth observation programme Copernicus (Sentinel-2, L1C-L2A).

Angela Baker adds: “By working together to deliver pan-European open data, our members are demonstrating not only what can be achieved through Europe-wide cooperation but also the benefits that result for the wider public good, specifically in support of policy decision-making at the European level.”

“Our unique approach to interoperable pan-European datasets unlocks the value of authoritative geospatial information and is one of the key ways members are supporting The Open Data Directive, which recognises that the value of data lies in its use and re-use.”

“By working to ensure their data is interoperable, readily available and easily accessible, they are demonstrating a commitment to delivering Open Maps for Europe both now and in the future.”

Open Maps For Europe runs until 31 December 2022.

EuroGeographics is an international not-for-profit organisation (AISBL/ IVZW under Belgian Law. BCE registration:  833 607 112) and the membership association for the European National Mapping, Cadastral and Land Registry Authorities.

The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of EuroGeographics and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the European Union.

French General Directorate Cadastral Bureau joins EuroGeographics

EuroGeographics has welcomed the French General Directorate Cadastral Bureau as an Associate Member.

The Bureau’s membership of EuroGeographics will see the two organisations work together to deliver the Permanent Committee on Cadastre (PCC) conference in May as part of France’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

“Joining the EuroGeographics’ community enables us to access and contribute to knowledge exchange across a Europe-wide network of National Mapping, Cadastral and Land Registry Authorities,” said Marina Fages, Head of the French Cadastral Bureau. “We are very pleased to be part of an association with such a long and successful history of bringing organisations together to participate in joint projects and policy developments.

Léa Bodossian, Secretary General and Executive Director, EuroGeographics added: “I am delighted that our members have unanimously voted to approve the membership application of the French Cadastral Bureau and warmly welcome them to our community.”

“For people across Europe, cadastral data underpins many aspects of everyday life and our members fulfil an essential role by providing official, detailed, secure and reliable information on property rights and registration. Delivering official cadastral data and high-quality services is therefore vital for achieving so many European policies, including the Next Generation EU agreement, the Recovery and Resilience Facility and the European Green Deal.”

“EuroGeographics’ dedicated forum – the Cadastre and Land Registry Knowledge Exchange Network – shares best practice in providing official information on property rights and registration, and is a great example of the cooperation at the heart of our association. We look forward to the insight that the French Cadastral Bureau will bring as a result of its experience in maintaining the only large-scale parcel cadastral map covering the entire territory of France.”

The French General Directorate Cadastral Bureau is based in Paris and responsible for listing all owned properties, identifying them with unique cadastral references, searching for their real or apparent owners, recognising and defining the cadastral limits of these properties, and describing and assessing them.

EuroGeographics is an international not-for-profit organisation (AISBL/ IVZW under Belgian Law. BCE registration:  833 607 112) and the membership association for the European National Mapping, Cadastral and Land Registry Authorities. It currently brings together members from 46 countries, covering the whole of geographical Europe.