A foundation for future pan-European high-value datasets
Open Maps For Europe 2 (OME2) is a new project that will develop a new production process and technical specification for free-to-use, edge-matched data under a single open licence. Authoritative 1:10 000 scale data for 10 countries will be delivered via the user interface built by the award-winning Open Maps For Europe Project. OME2 is also enhancing the five existing Open Maps For Europe datasets, including the pilot Open Cadastral Map, EuroRegionalMap and EuroGlobalMap.
- A new production process and technical specification for free-to-use- high-value data from multiple European countries under a single open licence.
- A prototype for harmonised, edge-matched large-scale pan-European datasets covering 10 countries and aligned to key EU Policy objectives and UN core geospatial data recommendations.
- Enhancements to the five existing Open Maps For Europe datasets, including the pilot Open Cadastral Map.
- An infrastructure, process and tools for members, partners or key stakeholders who wish to use them to fund and create pan-European, harmonised, edge matched High Value Data in the future.
Benefits
- Addresses the challenge of finding, easily accessing and licensing authoritative pan-European harmonised edge-matched, large-scale, high-value geospatial data.
- Saves users time, effort and resources by providing harmonized data from multiple countries through one central portal under one easy-to-understand open data licence.
- Supports NMCAs in implementing rules for the Open Data and reuse of Public Sector Information Directive by re-using OME2 techniques nationally and sharing good practices.
- Advances the data sharing tools needed to deliver free-flowing, interoperable data for the single market.
- Demonstrates how demand for geospatial information in all common data spaces of the European Strategy for Data can be met.
The OME2 project, co-funded by the European Union, is being delivered by a consortium comprising: EuroGeographics; National Geographic Institute, Belgium; National Institute of Geographic and Forest Information, France; Hellenic Cadastre; General Directorate for the Cadastre, Spain; and Cadastre, Land Registry and Mapping Agency, The Netherlands.
The project corresponds with Member States’ obligations to implement high-value data and will be completed at the end of 2025.
January 2025
Open Maps For Europe 2 (OME2) adds two new countries to updated harmonised high-value data prototype
Luxembourg and Switzerland are the latest countries to be included in the Open Maps For Europe 2 (OME2) high-value large-scale pan European prototype.
Available via www.mapsforeurope.org, the dataset provides 1: 10 000 scale authoritative administrative boundary and transport data for Belgium, France and The Netherlands. It is the first to be created using the new production process, developed by OME2 consortium member, National Institute of Geographic and Forest Information (IGN France), to deliver edge-matched official geospatial information from multiple national sources.
Victoria Persson, Project Manager – Data Access and Integration, EuroGeographics said: “We are delighted to announce that the OME2 high-value large-scale pan European prototype now covers Luxembourg and Switzerland, in addition to Belgium, France and The Netherlands. By the end of 2025, it is expected to cover 10 countries with three key themes identified by users and defined as high value by the European Commission – administrative boundaries, transport and hydrography.”
November 2024
Open Maps For Europe 2 (OME2) expands Open Cadastral Map with four new countries
Open Maps For Europe 2 (OME2) has added Greece, Latvia, Luxembourg and Slovakia to the latest update of the Open Cadastral Map.
As a result, 10 countries are now included in the prototype map service for European cadastral data. This compiles and harmonises INSPIRE open data to provide users with an overview of the information available with user-friendly links for direct download from data providers’ national geoportals.
OME2 is enhancing the Open Cadastral Map prototype, which is available through the Open Maps For Europe interface, and also developing a strategy that will increase the use of European cadastral data by making it more findable and accessible. The project, co-funded by the European Union, is being delivered by a consortium comprising: EuroGeographics; National Geographic Institute, Belgium; National Institute of Geographic and Forest Information, France; Hellenic Cadastre; General Directorate for the Cadastre, Spain; and Cadastre, Land Registry and Mapping Agency, The Netherlands.
Victoria Persson, Project Manager – Data Access and Integration at EuroGeographics, said: “OME2’s vision is that the Open Cadastral Map becomes a single point to access pan-European high-value cadastral data enabling users to easily find authoritative information. To do this, we are developing common processes, guidelines and best practices, aligned to key European and global policies, for integrating data from National Mapping, Cadastral and Land Registration Authorities.”
“The pan-European Cadastral Data Strategy will define stakeholders as well as the technology, processes, resources and best practices required to support the long-term delivery of official high-value data for addresses, cadastral parcels, buildings and administrative units.”
November 2024
Open Maps For Europe 2 (OME2) offers new download option for harmonised high-value data prototype
Users of high-value large-scale geospatial data can now download the Open Maps For Europe 2 (OME2) prototype via www.mapsforeurope.org.
Version one of the prototype was launched earlier this year and provides 1: 10 000 scale authoritative administrative boundary and transport data for Belgium, France and The Netherlands. The new function enables the data to be downloaded by theme, country or administrative area using GeoPackage, an open format for geospatial information. Users preferring a web streaming service can continue to choose from WFS, WMS or WMTS.
Victoria Persson, Project Manager – Data Access and Integration at EuroGeographics, the not-for-profit membership association for Europe’s National Mapping, Cadastral and Land Registration Authorities which is coordinating the Project, said: “User needs are at the heart of OME2, and our aim is not only to promote access to high-value data but also its use.”
“The new download feature is particularly beneficial for those requiring ready-to-use authoritative data for desktop GIS and digital map production, such as the European institutions. The next release of data will be available by the end of 2024 and, by the end of 2025, the prototype is expected to cover 10 countries with three datasets that users have identified as key themes: administrative boundaries, transport and hydrography.”
July 2024
Pan-European geospatial datasets from official national sources updated to meet user requirements
EuroGeographics has released updates for two pan-European datasets created using official data from its members, Europe’s National Mapping, Cadastral and Land Registration Authorities. The seamless administrative boundary and topographic datasets are created by the not-for-profit organisation using a unique data integration process which harmonises national data to standard specifications.
May 2024
Open Maps For Europe 2 (OME2) Special Issue Newsletter
EuroGeographics latest newsletter focuses on the Open Maps For Europe 2 (OME2) project, and in particular the first release of a prototype for harmonised large-scale, high-value data. It also calls for feedback on version one which provides 1: 10 000 scale authoritative administrative boundary and transport data for Belgium, France and The Netherlands.
Read and subscribe to the newsletter.
May 2024
Open Maps For Europe 2 (OME2) Project releases first prototype for harmonised high-value data
The Open Maps For Europe 2 (OME2) project has today (28 May 2024) announced the first release of a prototype for harmonised large-scale, high-value data.
OME2 Project Maastricht border.
Available via www.mapsforeurope.org, version one provides 1: 10 000 scale authoritative administrative boundary and transport data for Belgium, France and The Netherlands. It is the first dataset created using the new production process, developed by several OME2 Consortium members led by National Institute of Geographic and Forest Information (IGN France), to deliver edge-matched official geospatial information from multiple national sources.
In addition to IGN France, the project partners comprise: EuroGeographics, the not-for-profit association for Europe’s National Mapping, Cadastral and Land Registration Authorities; National Geographic Institute, Belgium; Hellenic Cadastre; General Directorate for the Cadastre, Spain; and Cadastre, Land Registry and Mapping Agency, The Netherlands.
“This is a really exciting milestone that will benefit national providers of geospatial data and users alike,” said Victoria Persson, Project Manager – Data Access and Integration, EuroGeographics.
“The prototype is aligned to key EU policies, as well as UN core geospatial data recommendations for local level actions, and provides large-scale administrative boundary information as well as transport and railway networks, ports and airports.”
“The authoritative data is harmonised across countries and available via the Open Maps For Europe interface. This saves users time, effort and resources as they will no longer need to visit individual Member State geoportals to access specific datasets, spend significant resources connecting them, or agree to multiple licences.”
March 2024
Open Maps For Europe 2 (OME2) Project announces plans for pan-European Cadastral Data Strategy
Plans to develop a strategy that will increase the use of European cadastral data by making it more findable and accessible have been announced by the Open Maps For Europe 2 (OME2) Project.
The pan-European Cadastral Data Strategy will define stakeholders as well as the technology, processes, resources and best practices required to support the long-term delivery of official high-value data for addresses, cadastral parcels, buildings and administrative units.
The OME2 Project is enhancing the Open Cadastral Map prototype, which is available through the Open Maps For Europe interface and currently provides large-scale coverage for six countries. The cadastral map comprises four layers: Administrative Units, Cadastral Parcels (and Cadastral Zones), Buildings (and Building Parts) and Addresses. It compiles and harmonises INSPIRE open data to provide users with an overview of the information available, and user-friendly links for downloading it directly from the data providers’ national geoportals.
Ms Hara Papadaki is one of the team of experts from the Hellenic Cadastre who are working with the General Directorate on Cadastre Spain to develop this key Project deliverable.
She said: “Our vision is that the Open Cadastral Map becomes a single point to access pan-European high-value cadastral data enabling users to easily find authoritative information. To do this, we are developing common processes, guidelines and best practices, aligned to key European and global policies, for integrating data from National Mapping, Cadastral and Land Registration Authorities.”
November 2023
Role of trusted location data pinpointed as valuable resource to build a better future for all
Data from official national sources is one of Europe’s most valuable resources in achieving a sustainable, safer and fairer society, MEPs have heard.
The showcase by members of EuroGeographics, the not-for-profit membership association for Europe’s National Mapping, Cadastral and Land Registry Authorities, highlighted their role providing fundamental information to implement the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Colin Bray, President of EuroGeographics said: “The UN recognises that a strong global geospatial infrastructure is an essential enabler for achieving its 2030 Agenda.”
“To fully realise the benefits, we encourage even greater use of official geospatial data for the global indicators of the SDGs. And we strongly believe that geospatial information should be an integral component of the next development framework.”
“The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2023 Special Edition highlights data challenges, calls for more inclusive data for development, and states the need to strengthen coordination within national data ecosystems. The UN-endorsed Integrated Geospatial Information Framework – or IGIF, which is being implemented by many of our members, helps to address these issues.”
“The EuroGeographics-led project, Open Maps For Europe 2 (OME2) supports the ambitions of the IGIF by aligning the technical specifications for large-scale open data with the core recommendations for content proposed by UN-GGIM: Europe.”
June 2023
Open Maps For Europe demonstrates demand for pan-European open data from official national sources
More than 4,000 registered users have downloaded around 4,700 datasets and carried out 6 million web service transactions via Open Maps For Europe.
The figures were announced by EuroGeographics, the not-for-profit membership association for Europe’s National Mapping, Cadastral and Land Registration Authorities, which coordinated the project in partnership with the National Geographic Institute (NGI) Belgium.
The organisation also revealed the most popular dataset was EuroGlobalMap, multi-themed topographic open data at 1:1 million scale, followed by 1:250 000 scale EuroRegionalMap and EuroDEM, a 1:100 000 scale digital open data elevation model providing height data. The datasets are also discoverable on the European Data Portal and on the NGI Belgium data portal.
“We are delighted to announce that Open Maps For Europe has far exceeded its initial aim of increasing users of our pan-European datasets by 50%, instead achieving an 1600% increase - a clear indication of its success and demand for pan-European open data from official national sources,” says Victoria Persson, Project Manager – Data Access and Integration, EuroGeographics.
“This is the first time that these datasets, created using our members authoritative geospatial information and EuroGeographics’ unique data integration process, have been easily discoverable, accessible, and released as open data under a single licence. Our customised approach harmonises official national geospatial information to standard specifications so users can be confident that it is consistent, comparable and easily shared.”
“The Open Maps For Europe 2 (OME2) project now builds upon this success by delivering a prototype for harmonised large-scale, high-value pan-European open dataset. OME2 will develop a new production process and technical specification for free-to-use, edge-matched data under a single open licence. Authoritative 1:10 000 scale data for 10 countries will be delivered via the Open Maps For Europe online interface, developed by IDOX France.”
March 2023
Project launched to prototype large-scale high-value pan-European datasets
National providers of geospatial information have announced plans to create a prototype for harmonised large-scale, high-value pan-European open datasets.
The prototype will provide three datasets, identified as key themes by users and defined as high-value in European Commission’s implementing rules for the Open Data and reuse of Public Sector Information Directive – administrative boundaries, transport and hydrography. Open Maps For Europe 2 (OME2) will also enhance the five existing Open Maps For Europe datasets, including the pilot Open Cadastral Map.
Views and opinions expressed are those of the author only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the European Commission can be held responsible for them.