June 25, 2013 -- New ways of delivering pan-European geo-information are putting National Mapping, Cadastral and Land Registry Authorities at the forefront of public sector information (PSI) reuse.

Members of EuroGeographics have already made the 1:1 million scale topographic dataset, EuroGlobalMap available free of charge for any use under a new open data licence. Now they are part of a consortium developing the European Location Framework, an operational delivery platform for interoperable, cross border geo-information, much of which will be available as open data under standard licences.

With its completion set to coincide with the deadline for Member States to transpose the recently adopted PSI Directive into national law, the European Location Framework (E.L.F.) is key to the delivery of public sector information provided by EuroGeographics’ members. The E.L.F. project started in March 2013 and is an important contribution to the new PSI legislation, which itself is part of an EU policy to stimulate the economy, aid democracy and support evidence-based policies.

EuroGeographics’ President, Ingrid Vanden Berghe said: “By realising a sustainable framework to maximise the use and benefit of their data, our members will be well prepared to deliver the public sector information required under this new Directive.”

“The impact is far reaching but National Mapping, Cadastral and Land Registry Authorities have a long tradition of making their information widely available.  By ensuring that public sector geo-information is readily and easily available, these exciting new initiatives provide a powerful tool to ensure its continuing contribution to European prosperity.”

-ends-

For further information please contact Patricia Sokacova, EuroGeographics‘ Membership and Communication Manager on +421 903 056 418/+421 948 388 908, email: patricia.sokacova@eurogeographics.org; or Rhian French on +44 1264 300 126, +447892 698 350 (mobile), 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 59 members from 46 countries, from Portugal to the Ukraine and Iceland to Turkey.

The European Location Framework project is co-funded by the European Commission’s Competitiveness & Innovation framework Programme (CIP) Information and Communication Technologies Policy Support Programme (ICT PSP). The project team comprises mapping and cadastral agencies, application developers, SMEs, universities, EuroGeographics and the Open Geospatial Consortium.

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