1.
EUROPEAN LOCATION FRAMEWORK (E.L.F.):
How to Build a Working Infrastructure Based on Reference Data from National Sources
Antti Jakobsson Programmes Manager, EuroGeographics
GSDI 13 conference Quebec 16th May, 2012

2.
What is EuroGeographics?
• A not-for profit international
association under Belgium law
(AISBL)
• 56 national mapping, land
registry and cadastral agencies
in 45 European Countries
• Working to bring interoperable
European geospatial reference
data for the benefit of society
• A distributed head-office of 10
people
• Experience in making
interoperable datasets for 20
years

3.
Our experinces in providing interoperability….
ERM 2009 version hydrography

4.
And the latest version (2012)….

5.
We have delivered ESDIN project succesfully 2008-
2011
• It received excellect results
from the Commission
reviewers
• It won a GeoSpatial World
Policy Award for the
exemplary implementation of
Geospatial policies and
programmes (April 2012)

6.
What we have learnt in ESDIN…
Understand your users’ needs!
• In ESDIN we found important to understand the users’ process
• This understanding is best achieved by involving users to the
project

7.
Cross-border interoperability requires agreements with
many partners
• Data Policy is a key issue
• A harmoninized policy is a
dream that can not be
achieved
• Modular approach to
handling licenses ->
GeoProduct Finder
• Resolve first policy then
technical issues will be
resolved
• Consider legal basis

8.
Think big start small
• You will have to win various
stakeholders; the most
difficult ones might be your
partners
• Make useful demonstrations
• Communication is a
challenge – make videos
• SCRUM methodology
worked in developement of
code!
• Management is a key thing;
make sure you have the right
resources for the project and
enough resources!

9.
Technology
• Fully decentraliced solution (based on WFS)
does not work, need to have cache
• GeoRightsManagement solutions do not work -
> federated approach works (JRC has
confirmed this)
• Open Source vs Industrial strenght solutions ->
both should be considered; some ESDIN
results base on propriety solutions some on
open source
• ESDIN Tech Architecture paper is a good
basis
• Solutions for UIDs, quality, edge-matching and
generalization provided
• Ultimately transformations are not the solution
-> harmonized specs needed for reference
data

10.
Why we need the European Location Framework
Today After
-Access to NSDI data is mostly national - Access possible for
-Only global players provide easy
access to geographic data
National, European and
-NSDI data is not used for the European Global use (E.L.F
policy decision making platform)
-use of INSPIRE data services is ?
-common tools not co-ordinated - SME applications easy
(Quality, Generalization, Edge- to connect
matching, Change management,
Visualization) - NSDI data is used for
European policy
decision making
- INSPIRE services
utilized
- Common tools (in the
cloud)

11.
The European Location
Framework is a technical
infrastructure which delivers
authoritative, interoperable,
cross-border geospatial
reference data for analysing
and understanding
information connected to
places and features
Picture: Virginie Luppens
EU Location Framework will provide the political/policy context to the E.L.F
BASED ON BEST PRACTICES OF NATIONAL MAPPING AND CADASTRAL
AGENCIES, INDUSTRY AND ACADEMIA

12.
• Policy drivers
• eGovernment (Programme
on interoperability solutions
for European public
administrations, ISA)
• Digital Agenda
• INSPIRE
• GMES,SEIS
• PSI
• International (UNGGIM,
GEOSS)
Source: EuroGeographics
It is for EUROPE – JOINING NATIONAL GEOINFORMATION TOGETHER

13.
IT IS LOCATION –
WHERE THINGS
ARE?
Locating and geocoding through coordinates, geographical names and addresses
(Geolocator)
Unique Indetifying of the geographical objects, Linked Data

14.
FROM GLOBAL TO
REGIONAL –
CONSISTENT
INFORMATION AT
ALL LEVELS
Management of Generalization, UIDs, Quality, Change and Visualization

15.
FROM REGIONAL…
- DECISION
MAKING AT
EUROPEAN LEVEL
Connection to the thematic sources, UIDs, Change Management

16.
TO NATIONAL…
- AUTHORATIVE
SOURCES
Source: IGN Belgium
Change management, Specifications, NSDIs

17.
Reference data and services are part of the solution!
Private industry
Cartographic industry Web companies GIS industry
EO ”the Cloud”
Additional and
Meeting the
Thematic data user
requiremen
Service User t
Integrati Application
Reference on
Reference data
data services USERS
NMCAs Other governmental
agencies

18.
Scale
Level of details
1:2,500,000
Target level Global
1:1,000,000 of detail
1,500,000
Target level of detail
1,250,000
Europe
1,100,000 Regional
Target level of detail
1,50,000
Mountainous
1:25,000
Rural
1:10,000 National
Local
1:5,000 Urban
1:2,500 Resolution and Level of Details

19.
Content and Services
• E.L.F Global and Regional
(EuroRegionalMap,
EuroGlobalMap)
• E.L.F Admin Regional
(EuroBoundaryMap) and
National
• E.L.F international boundaries
for edge-matching
• E.L.F Raster Basemap
Service (Regional to National)
• E.LF Cadastral (Regional and
National)
• E.L.F Geolocator (names,
address and admin)
• E.L.F Hydro, Transport,
Buildings

20.
The planned E.L.F. coverage at Europe Regional and
Global level
Not available
Available 2011-2014
Admin available 2011-2014
Admin, EGM available 2011-2014
Availability to be agreed
Note:
Administrative
theme covers the
whole territory of
France (including
overseas areas),
Denmark
(including
Greenland and
Faroe Islands)
Malta

21.
The planned E.L.F. coverage at National Level through
proposed ELFI project
Not available
Phase I Global and Regional
Phase II Cluster areas / 15 data providers
Phase III New cluster areas /NSDIs
Note
Phase I covers also phase II
countries
Phase III covers also phase I
and II countries

22.
The proposed ELFI project
Project proposal send to the
CIP ICT PSP call
• 36 months project
• 30 partners
• Implementation of the
E.L.F
• Three phases

23.
EDGE-MATCHED AT
NATIONAL
BOUNDARY, QUALITY
CHECKED,
IT IS A FRAMEWORK
IDENTIFIABLE,
THAT MAKES
MULTI-LEVEL
EUROPE UNITED BY
GEOSPATIAL
GEOINFORMATION
REFERENCE
INFORMATION
DISCOVER- LICENSE-
AUTHENTICATION-
ACCESS

24.
IT IS PROVIDED BY
NATIONAL MAPPING
AND CADASTRAL
AGENCIES OF
EUROPE THROUGH
EUROGEOGRAPHICS
AND SUPPORTED
BY INDUSTRY

25.
WANT TO HELP
US MAKE IT
HAPPEN?
JOIN THE
E.L.F
COMMUNITY

26.
Together we are stronger
Working together we
can achieve much
more than working
apart
Thank you!