Rapid access to authoritative maps for emergency services agreed at international conference

Emergency services responding to disasters will continue to benefit from fast access to authoritative maps from official sources following a renewed agreement between EuroGeographics and the European Environment Agency (EEA).

The agreement, first signed in 2011, enables the Copernicus Emergency Mapping Service to quickly produce maps for crisis management using geospatial data from EuroGeographics’ members, the European National Mapping, Cadastre and Land Registry Authorities (NMCAS). It was signed today (3 October) during EuroGeographics 2016 General Assembly in Budapest, Hungary which was attended by leaders from 51 NMCAS.

“Confidence in the accuracy and quality of geospatial data is vital for providing a common operational picture for crisis management,” said Mrs Ingrid Vanden Berghe, President of EuroGeographics.

“Our members fulfill a unique role by creating, managing and maintaining official sources of definitive and detailed map and land information. Many already provide advice and support to their national governments regarding mapping for emergencies. They are delighted that their data will continue to be at the heart of the Copernicus Emergency Mapping service which benefits people right across Europe.”

Hans Bruyninckx, Executive Director, EEA said: “When working in the aftermath of crises such as floods, storms, earthquakes or industrial accidents, emergency response teams need rapid access to the most up-to-date geospatial data.”

“This agreement is extremely important as it brings together authoritative information from official sources to quickly produce emergency response maps. Civil protection agencies, national and local emergency services, humanitarian aid organisations and European Union bodies will all benefit from the renewal of this agreement with EuroGeographics’ members.”

The Copernicus Emergency Mapping Service can be activated on any day and produces mapping products to support the different phases of emergency response inside and outside Europe.

It is provided free of charge in rapid mode for emergency management activities, which require immediate response, and risk and recovery mode, supporting emergency management activities. The service is activated by authorised users including national authorities in the EU countries or EU bodies responsible for the coordination of emergency management activities in the respective country.

For more information, visit http://copernicus.eu.

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For further information please contact Rhian French on +44 1264 300126, +447892 698 350(mobile) or email press@eurogeographics.org.

Notes to Editors

EuroGeographics
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, Cadastre and Land Registry Authorities. It currently brings together 61 members from 46 countries.

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

Icelandic organisations pledge to provide data for gateway to pan-European maps and land information

Iceland has committed to contribute data to a gateway to pan-European maps, geographic and land information from official sources.

Following agreements with EuroGeographics, National Land Survey Iceland and Registers Iceland will provide a range of information, including topographic and cadastral data, administrative units, addresses, geographical names, land cover and transport networks to the European Location Framework.

They are among 24 National Mapping, Cadastral and Land Registry Authorities (NMCAs) that have already pledged to provide geospatial content for this single source of definitive, detailed and quality-assured data. In the future, users will also be able to license the information from different agencies and different countries from this single access point.

EuroGeographics is a not-for-profit organisation representing the European NMCAs and together with a number of its members is contributing to the European Location Framework Project. Upon completion of the development phase in October 2016, the Project Consortium, which also includes software developers, application providers, research companies and academia, will continue to provide their services under the ownership of EuroGeographics.

Mick Cory, Secretary General and Executive Director, EuroGeographics said: “Our members fulfill a unique role by providing definitive, detailed geographic and land information. We are committed to supporting them as they improve access to this rich source of data.”

“The Project has developed a solid foundation on which to build future European location services delivering the most up to date information available from official national sources. As custodian of this powerful source of geospatial information, we’re looking forward to working with members to secure its long-term future by ensuring that it will meet market need for authoritative reference data.”

“Content is key and our long-term aim is to offer full European coverage so we are delighted to sign this data agreement with National Land Survey Iceland and Registers Iceland.”

Magnus Gudmundsson, General Director, National Land Survey, Iceland commented: “The European Location Framework is a true international collaborative effort which demonstrates how NMCAs contribute to the wider public good.”

“It will ensure that our data is used across Europe by those who rely on NMCA information for high-level decision making and policy development, as well as users who need data to industry-recognised specifications that enable the easy transfer of applications between countries.”

Margret Hauksdottir, Director General, Registers Iceland added: “We are delighted to be contributing to the European Location Framework. It complements our national activities and will meet user needs whilst reducing costs, creating new business opportunities and increasing the reuse of public sector information.”

For more information on the European Location Framework Project, visit www.elfproject.eu. More information about EuroGeographics and its members can be found at eurogeographics.org

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For further information please contact Rhian French on +44 1264 300126, +447892 698 350(mobile) or email: press@eurogeographics.org.

Notes to Editors

EuroGeographics
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, Land Registry and Cadastral Authorities. It currently brings together 61 members from 46 countries.

The European Location Framework Project
The European Location Framework Project, which started in March 2013, is co-funded by the EC’s Competitiveness & Innovation framework Programme (CIP) Information and Communication Technologies Policy Support Programme (ICT PSP). The Consortium comprises mapping and cadastral authorities, application developers, SMEs, universities, EuroGeographics and the Open Geospatial Consortium.

Survey reveals benefits of integrating land information

Information about land use and ownership restrictions is easier to find and use when combined with national cadastres, a survey by EuroGeographics has shown.

The Association, which represents national mapping, cadastral and land registry authorities from the whole of geographical Europe, asked its members if public-law restrictions were documented and if they could be overlaid with their land ownership records.

The results showed that 22 countries – out of 25 countries replying to the survey – not only documented public-law restrictions, but also integrated them in their cadastral systems. Of these, 16 provided open access to the data via an online service with buyers, sellers, planners, architects, public authorities and financial organisations among the users benefitting from this single source of land information. A further four respondents said the information was available to the parties involved in the registration process.

“In most countries, people who own land cannot simply use it as they wish, but must comply with specific regulations,” says Dr Daniel Steudler, Chair of EuroGeographics Cadastre and Land Registry Knowledge Exchange Network which conducted the research.

“These public-law restrictions are often enforced by different agencies and, in the past, this has meant collecting all the relevant information from each separate organisation – a complex and time-consuming process.”

“By integrating the data and making it quickly and easily available through a single point of contact, our members are helping to increase market transparency and efficiency as well as the degree of legal certainty in the real estate sector.”

The survey also found:

• The top five public-law restrictions cited by members were environmental protection, groundwater protection, land use zones, protection orders for areas of cultural importance and public infrastructure corridors, for example utility networks.
• 10 countries reported more than 10 national public-law restrictions with five having 50 or more.
• Sweden was the first respondent to fully integrate its public-law restrictions into its cadastre with full coverage achieved in 1995.

EuroGeographics’ Knowledge Exchange Networks provide an open forum for members and invited experts. Each focuses on an area of particular interest for national mapping, cadastral and land registry authorities.

More than half of EuroGeographics’ members focus on property rights and registration. Changing technology means that Cadastre is becoming ever more dynamic as a result of crowd sourcing and real-time reporting. The Cadastre and Land Registry Knowledge Exchange Network provides a valuable forum for sharing best practice as well as reflecting these emerging trends.

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For further information please contact Rhian French on +44 1264 300126, +447892 698 350(mobile) or email press@eurogeographics.org.

Notes to Editors

EuroGeographics

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, Land Registry and Cadastral Authorities. It currently brings together 60 members from 46 countries.

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

Gateway to Maps for Europe takes centre stage at European Commission

National Mapping, Cadastral and Land Registry Authorities have demonstrated how their maps and land information can help the European Commission to achieve the EU’s priorities.

The two-week Maps for Europe event in Brussels focused on the use of geospatial data to better understand information related to people and places. It was organised by EuroGeographics, the membership association for European National Mapping, Cadastral and Land Registry Authorities in collaboration with Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, under the patronage of European Commissioner Marianne Thyssen.

Speaking at the opening reception, Walter Radermacher, Director General of Eurostat emphasised the importance of integrating statistics with geospatial information.

“The goal of the European Location Framework is to deliver authoritative, interoperable, cross-border data to benefit both the public and private sectors,” he said.

“It builds upon the success of the INSPIRE Directive and will clearly have a positive impact upon policymaking within the Commission.”

Catherine Stihler MEP added: “I am delighted to see for myself how this “gateway to maps” can work for Europe. Maps provide context and clarity, and contribute to the successful delivery of many European policies. Confidence that the information provided is consistent and comparable, regardless of its national source, is key.”

Ingrid Vanden Berghe, President of EuroGeographics said: “From protecting against flooding or other natural hazards to intelligent transport and economic growth, many European initiatives need up-to-date, harmonized geospatial information.”

“The Commission already has access to European maps from our members through our agreement with Eurostat. In the future, we hope to expand the availability of authoritative maps, geographic and land information through the European Location Framework. This will contribute to a number of European initiatives, including the Digital Single Market, INSPIRE and Copernicus, and will encourage the reuse of public sector information and e-government.”

“The European Location Framework is not an island; it is a building block within a European framework supporting the legal base provided by the INSPIRE Directive and the strategic vision for a European Location Strategy. It complements the national activities of our members and is aligned to their future, enabling them to meet the needs of existing data users as well as those of the next generation.”

The Maps for Europe event was held from 16 to 27 November in the Berlaymont, the European Commission’s Headquarters.

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For further information please contact Rhian French on +44 1264 300126, +447892 698 350(mobile) or email: press@eurogeographics.org.

Notes to Editors

EuroGeographics – Connecting you to the authoritative geo-information framework for Europe

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, Land Registry and Cadastral Authorities. It brings together 60 members from 46 countries.

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

To see our members’ geographical information in action, please visit our showcase at www.youtube.com/eurogeographics

EuroGeographics signs contract to provide geospatial information to EuroStat

Closer working relationship with EuroSDR announced

EuroGeographics and EuroSDR have today (6 March 2015) announced that they will work together to provide a framework for European spatial data research and development.

The cooperation agreement will further the development of the EuroSDR Research Plan and the activities of the EuroGeographics Knowledge Exchange Networks. As a result, members of both not-for-profit organisations will benefit from greater opportunities for professional development. They will also be able to take part in joint projects and hand over tasks more appropriate to the other organisation’s expertise.

“We have a common interest in carrying out and applying relevant research and developments in the field of geographic information and spatial data infrastructures,” said Ingrid Vanden Berghe, President of EuroGeographics, the membership association of the European National Mapping, Land Registry and Cadastral Authorities.

“With rapid technological advances generated by a digital information society, the time from research via development to operation has never been faster. This agreement will ensure our members remain up to date with and understand the possibilities presented by new technologies and methodologies so they can react more quickly to user demands.”

Martin Salzmann, President of EuroSDR, which links national mapping, land registry and cadastral authorities with research institutes and universities in Europe, added: “Achieving synergy in our activities benefits both our members and society by strengthening research and development, sharing results of common interest and making these operational. At the same time, we will foster and stimulate a vibrant research community with which to capitalise on future technologies and to be responsive to user demands. By working together we also avoid the risks of duplication of work between us and our member organisations.”

EuroGeographics and EuroSDR are both committed to supporting wide range of initiatives that will benefit people across Europe. These include the European Spatial Data Infrastructure, Copernicus, Galileo, Horizon2020, European Location Framework and the European Digital Single Market.

For more information visit eurogeoarchive.srgry.uk and www.eurosdr.net

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For further information please contact Rhian French on +44 1264 300126, +447892 698 350(mobile) or email: press@eurogeographics.org.

Notes to Editors
EuroGeographics – Connecting you to the authoritative geo-information framework for Europe

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, Land Registry and Cadastral Authorities. It brings together 60 members from 46 countries.

To find out more about EuroGeographics, please visit eurogeoarchive.srgry.uk 
To see our members’ geographical information in action, please visit our showcase at www.youtube.com/eurogeographics

EuroSDR
EuroSDR is a not-for-profit organisation linking National Mapping and Cadastral Agencies with Research Institutes and Universities in Europe for the purpose of applied research in spatial data provision, management and delivery.

To find out more, please visit www.eurosdr.net