GI Interoperability
in Europe
Lars Bernard
European Commission
DG Joint Research Centre
Institute for Environment and Sustainability, ESDI Action
Ispra, Italy
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
Outline
1) INSPIRE
2) Interoperating Geoinformation Services in
an Europen cross border SDI
2) The EU-Geo-Portal a first step towards
the ESDI
3) interoperability awareness
4) conclusions & lessons learned
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
EU policies and GI
• Increasing interest for the spatial dimension:
– GI-GIS needed (on an European level) to
• Assess needs
• Formulate the policy
• Monitor its implementation
• Evaluate its effectiveness
• Inform European Citizens,....
– GI-GIS explicitly required in EU directives/regulations
• Water Framework directive, Habitat, …
• Urban, Noise, …
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
But only islands …
• Data policy restrictions
– pricing, copyright, access rights, licensing policy
• Lack of co-ordination
– across boarders
– between levels of government
• Lack of standards and their use
–
–
–
–
incompatible information
incompatible information systems
fragmentation of information
redundancy
• Lack of data
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
EU has islands of
data of different
standards and
quality...
INSPIRE
INfrastructure for SPatial
InfoRmation in Europe
Need for action !
Without a co-ordinated
framework as “minimum
common denominator for all
Member States” the
problems will persist.
INSPIRE launched in
September 2001.
http://inspire.jrc.it
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
INSPIRE Framework
• Objectives & Principles
– Make relevant, harmonised spatial data available for
Community Environmental Policy (formulation,
implementation, monitoring and evaluation) and for the
citizen ...
– … through the establishment of integrated spatial
information services, based upon a distributed network of
databases, linked by common standards and protocols to
ensure compatibility.
– Linked to legal basis and policy measures
– pan-European harmonisation
of metadata / datasets / services (as far as necessary)
in an European Spatial Data Infrastructure (ESDI)
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
INSPIRE Framework
• Scope
– Existing digital spatial data (exception: essential datasets)
– Public sector
– Protection of the environment, Sustainable development,
Integration
• Data policy
– licensing framework for sharing between public bodies
– Publish, discover and view services free of charge
– no charging constraints on access
• Implementing provisions
– Establishment of Committee, Monitoring and reporting
– Stepwise approach
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
INSPIRE principles
1. spatial data should be collected once and maintained at the
level where this can be done most effectively
2. it must be possible to combine seamlessly spatial data from
different sources across the EU and share it between many
users and applications
3. it must be possible for spatial data collected at one level of
government to be shared between all the different levels of
government
4. spatial data needed for good governance should be
available on conditions that are not restricting its extensive
use
5. it should be easy to discover which spatial data is available,
to evaluate its fitness for purpose and to know which
conditions apply for its use.
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
INSPIRE complements other
key Information Directives...
Copyright
WFD
Databases
Habitats
Data Protection
INSPIRE
Enabled
Access
Ratification of Aarhus
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
Noise
INSPIRE - Organisation
• Driving Forces:
– INSPIRE Expert Group
(Member States , Umbrella organisation in
the area of environment and GI)
– European Commission
(DG Environment, EuroStat, JRC), EEA, GMES-Initiative
– JRC/IES (coordination, technical & scientific secretary) …
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
http://inspire.jrc.it
INSPIRE Information Flow
Data resources
Users
INSPIRE specifications
Government &
Administrations
request for information services
Local data
National and Subnational SDI
National and Subnational SDI
Discovery Service
Utility & Public
Services
Technical Integration/
harmonisation
Commercial &
Professional Users
Harmonised
Data policy
Research
European Data
Collaborative
agreements
European Data
Local data
NGOs and
not-for-profit orgs
delivery of information services
Citizens
ESDI
National and Subnational SDI
CEN / ISO / OGC
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
Towards the ESDI
From discovery of
GI resources
to Full Interoperability
of GI services
Standardisation
•
•
•
•
•
•
Metadata
Discovery Service
Data Policies
Licensing
Framework
Coordinating
structures
…
Harmonisation
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Geodetic
Framework
Seamless data
Quality insurance
Certification
Updating
Data model
…
Integration
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
Catalog Services
View Service
Query Service
Object Access
Service
Generalisation
Services
Geo-Processing
services
…
Oct 2002
May 2003
June 2003
End of 2003
2004
2006
: final position papers
: Internet consultation
: Extended impact assessment
: Interservice consultation
: Adoption of proposal by EC
: Adoption of INSPIRE
2006+
: Implementation of framework
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
Pre-implementation phase
INSPIRE Outlook
JRC Technical Support of the INSPIRE
pre-Implementation phase, e.g.:
• Close Relationship to CEN/ISO/OGC
– Chair of JAG OGC/ISO
– Support of ISO and OGC outreach
• Workshops on connecting RSDI (1st in 1/2003)
– Cross border pilot
• European Geoportal
– First prototype in 11/2003
• Outreach
– AGILE 2004, 10th EC-GI & GIS.. interoperability
awareness
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
Interoperating GI services in EU RSDI
A cross border study
Background
• Discussions with stakeholders on realizing a NRWNL cross border GDI since almost one year
• Technical Workshop in Ispra in Jan. 2003
on connecting
European RSDI
 showed that only a few
cross-border
linkages can be
realized in the moment
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
Interoperating GI services in EU RSDI
Cross Border RSDI Study (March - June 2003)
Funded by EU-INTERREG, NL, and NRW:
A) Study on different stakeholders and
their needs on a cross border SDI
B) Organization plan for a
sustainable cross border SDI
C) Pilot on easy-to-reach cross border SDI
applications
D) Presentation of the results on the
2nd NRW-NL Geo-Conference
in June 2003 (Münster)
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
Interoperating GI services in EU RSDI
A cross border study
Objectives
• Prove and demonstrate the applicability of state of
the art technology and GI standards:
– proving that it is simple and easy to achieve
– proving that technology and standards are practical and
applicable, experience is available
– proving that Cross Border partnership leads to better
results
– reporting the current technical potentials of cross border
RSDI and the open development and research issues
– apply the INSPIRE recommendations
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
Cross Border RSDI Prototype
Scope of the Pilot:
• Offering cross border geo-information by providing
cross border Web Mapping Services (WMS) and
Web Catalog Services (WCatS)
• Providing topographic data and road data
by different WMS
• Accessible through universal clients in
HTML-browser and allowing seamless
usage of linked WMS
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
Cross Border RSDI Prototype
Technologies
Internet
Search Engine
Find
Publish
Bind
Information
Resources
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
Cross Border RSDI Prototype
Technologies
Web Catalog Service (WcatS):
• Standardizes the way a client searches for metadata
descriptions on spatial data or services
• Parameters include the query language used, the
desired verbosity of the result, etc.
• Catalog servers manage metadata descriptions
based on a metadata schema, e.g. ISO 19115
• Basic operations:
–
–
–
–
GetCapabilities
TransactionService
GetRecord
DescribeRecordType
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
Cross Border RSDI Prototype
Technologies
OpenGIS Web Map Service (WMS)
• Standardizes the way in which clients request maps
• Parameters include: named layers, size and area of
the returned map, spatial reference system, etc.
• A WMS has 3 operations:
– GetCapabilities
– GetMap
– GetFeatureInfo
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
Cross Border RSDI Prototype Data
• Topography
• Road
• Food-and-mouth disease cases (fictive)
• Metadata for Datasets and
Services (ISO 19115)
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
<serviceType>
<nameValue>WMS</nameValue>
<nameNameSpace/>
</serviceType>
<serviceTypeVersion>1.1.0</serviceTypeVersion>
<serviceTypeVersion>1.1.1</serviceTypeVersion>
<citation>
<title>XtraWMS - GDI Testbed II (2nd Rev)</title>
<date dateType="creation">2003-01-11 00:00:00</date>
<citedResponsibleParty>
<individualName>Reinhard Erstling</individualName>
<organisationName>interactive instruments GmbH</organisationName>
<positionName>Geschäftsführer</positionName>
<contactInfo>
<phone>
Cross Border RSDI Prototype Overview:
Catalog Services
CS / CS Client
NL
NCGI
WRS Client
NRW
CeGi
WRS
NRW
CeGi
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
Cross Border RSDI Prototype Overview:
Mapping Services
WMS - Road/Topo/NUTS
NL
Geodan
WMS Client
IfGI
WMS - MKZ Data
NL
Geodan
WMS - Topo Data
NRW
AED
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
WMS - Road Data
NRW
ii
Showcase NL-NRW
„Cross-Border Risk Management“
• In the Netherlands
a case of
food-and-mouth-disease
has been detected.
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
Showcase NL-NRW
„Cross-Border Risk Management“
• This case is added to a
web-accessible map
server (*) by a veterinary
from the Dutch
environmental authority
(*) the MKZ map server;
food-and-mouth-disease
is “mond en klauwzeer”
in dutch
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
Operator
NL
WMS - MKZ Data
NL
Geodan
Showcase NL-NRW
„Cross-Border Risk Management“
• The Dutch veterinary
calls its German
colleague in NorthRhine Westphalia to
inform him about the
developments and
discuss measures
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
Showcase NL-NRW
„Cross-Border Risk Management“
• The German veterinary
in North-Rhine
Westphalia starts his
Web Browser and
opens a Cross-Border
GDI Portal
http://www.gdi-nl-nrw.info/
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
Showcase NL-NRW
„Cross-Border Risk Management“
• He opens a catalog client to
search for information about
the food-and-mouth-disease
in Gelderland
• He uses the keywords:
„Gelderland Maul- und
Klauenseuche“
• … and finds the “mond en
klauwzeer” map server in
the Netherlands (due to the
availability of multi-language
metadata)
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
Showcase NL-NRW
„Cross-Border Risk Management“
• The veterinary in North-Rhine
Westphalia opens his favourite
web mapping client
• He adds the MKZ-Layer from
the map server found by his
search
WMS - NUTS
NL
Geodan
WMS - MKZ Data
NL
Geodan
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
WMS Client
IfGI
Showcase NL-NRW
„Cross-Border Risk Management“
• The veterinary sees a map
with one or more symbols
representing MKZ cases
• He clicks on one symbol to
retrieve additional
information about the
particular case
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
Showcase NL-NRW
„Cross-Border Risk Management“
• The veterinary now uses the
catalogue client again to
search for road data in both
the Netherlands and NorthRhine Westphalia
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
Showcase NL-NRW
„Cross-Border Risk Management“
• He finds two map servers
and adds layers from these
servers to his map
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
Showcase NL-NRW
„Cross-Border Risk Management“
• Together with his colleague
in the Netherlands he
identifies a location that
needs closer inspection (the
closest border crossings
from the reported cases
where control points shall
be established; no control
points on highways)
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
Showcase NL-NRW
„Cross-Border Risk Management“
• As he zooms in to this area,
more details are shown on
the map (topographic
layers)
• Both operators can now
identify and discuss
in detail where the
control points should
be established, etc.
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
Showcase NL-NRW
„Cross-Border Risk Management“
• After the discussion is finished and
the measures have been agreed
upon, both veterinaries continue to
communicate with the required
authorities in their region (e.g.
police, road administration, etc.)
• In order to do this successfully and
efficiently, a presentation of the
same information in the native
language of the respective region is
essential
 support for multiple languages is a
key aspect for cross-border activities
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
Showcase NL-NRW
„Cross-Border Risk Management“
• The situation as seen by the
operator in the Netherlands
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
Showcase NL-NRW
„Cross-Border Risk Management“
• The use of open
specifications
allows the
integration in
standard GIS
products, too
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
EU Geo-Portal - Motivation
• Recommended by
– INSPIRE WGs Architecture and Standards and
Implementing Strategy
– GINIE Project
– Supported by the INSPIRE Internet consultation
• One entrance point to the up-coming ESDI to
support the search and access to
geoinformation resources in the ESDI
• Evaluation and demonstration of current
developments and their potentials
• Motivation of national and regional SDI-development
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
EU Geo-Portal
• Does not contradict the Idea of the ESDI, being based
on distributed geoinformation services
( INSPIRE-consultation)
• A Geo-Portal realizes a thematic and/or regional view
on the SDI (environmental portal, national portal, etc.).
• Has an important teaching, learning, and motivation
effects :
 what happens ?
 what is already feasible ?
 who is already taking part ?
(= my GI resources should also be connected)
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
EU Geo-Portal - Requirements
In chronological order (1/2):
• Based on distributed geodata & GI services
(no local copies…) !
• Publish and search geoinformation
• Access to further relevant resources
(Documentation, FAQ, links,…)
• Integration of distributed portrayal services
(Web Mapping Services)
• Provide multilingual Thesauri and Gazetteer
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
EU Geo-Portal - Requirements
In chronological order (2/2):
• Multilingualism
 Application, Thesauri, Metadata,
Attribute identifiers of geodata or services…
…up to which granularity ?!?
• Support of AAA services (Authorisation, Access,
Account); perhaps Pricing- and Ordering Services
• user profiles
• Access on further geoprocessing services
(classification, coordinate transformation, etc.) and
GI service chaining according to user needs
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
EU Geo-Portal - Components
Web Browser (Thin Client)
Thesauri &
Translation
European Geo-Portal
Gaz
GI Services
Gazetteer
WFS
WFS
WMS
WMS
WCS
WMS
Various providers of Geographic Information
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
WCatS
WCatS
Cascading or
aggregating
further services
EU Geo-Portal - Prototyp
Requirements for the prototype:
• Publish of Geoinformation (geodata and
GI services) by registering metadata
• Search for geoinformation
• Access to further relevant resources
(Documentation, FAQ, links,…)
• Integration of distributed portrayal services
(Web Mapping Services)
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
EU Geo-Portal - Prototyp
European Geo-Portal
Gaz
Gazetteer
JRC
Download
WMS
WMS
Download
WMS
CatS
JRC
Various providers of Geographic Information
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
EU Geoportal Prototyp - Standards
• OGC Web Services
– WMS 1.x.x
• Metadaten (ISO)
– 19115:2003 using the categories recommended by
INSPIRE
 this Metadata needs to be provided to register your
service or dataset
• Geographic names for Gazetteer
– NIMA
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
EU Geo-Portal
Prototype
http://eu-geoportal.jrc.it
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
Searching data
on biodiversity
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
Search results
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
See metadata
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
View map
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
Zoom map and select NATURA2000
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
Zoom and query NATURA 2000
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
Add new WMS (CORINE Land Cover)
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
Conclusions
• Major Achievements:
– Up-to-date geo-information is available across borders /
pan-European using existing GI-specifications and
standards
– Collaboration is possible on a shared and common
information level
– (Low-key) semantic interoperability is achieved through the
use of mapping services
– No pre-installed software is required, just a web browser
and an internet connection
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
Conclusions
• What was required to make these applications work:
– Usage of common technical specifications and standards
• Web Map Service
• Catalog Service
• Common base information models and their encoding
– Availability of the required datasets via the internet
– All services support a common
Coordinate Reference System (CRS)
– Multi-language support in Web Map Services
and the metadata
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
Issues / Lessons learnt
• In a European context, built-in support for multiple
languages is required in technical specifications like
Web Map Service and Catalog Service
• The higher the structural and semantical similarity of
the information on both sides of the border, the
easier it is to exploit cross-border data (e.g. layer
classification)
• Integration by mapping does result in maps with
heterogeneous mapping styles  not necessarily a
problem
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
Issues / Lessons learnt
• Metadata…
– Lack in collecting and providing of Metadata - thus use of
metadata can hardly be proven
– Further need on tools to support (semi-) automatic
collection and maintenance of metadata
– Missing support to combine ISO 19115 and 19119;
Standards not always sufficient
– Multilingualism
– Harmonising
• Of used Schemata und Categories
• Used Vocabularies in Thesauri and Gazetteer
( semantic Interoperability)
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
Issues / Lessons learnt
• ISO-Standards and OGC-Specifications are a
good & important tool for Interoperability, but it needs
some additional glue…
–
–
–
–
Definition of CRS, Scale-Hints, layer names…
Certification of services ( CITE)
Quality measurement of distributed(!) services
Long-lasting Specifications
 ESDI Technical Guidelines; support to harmonise
additional specifications on European level
 Futher development of specifications
(incl. feedback to ISO & OGC !!)
by European and national SDI-Projects
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
Create awareness on interoperability
• Pre-conference Tutorial -Technical Foundations of
Interoperability for Geoinformation and
Workshop - SDI & Interoperability for Geoinformation
27-28 April '04 at 7th AGILE 2004 (Heraklion, GR)
http://www.agile-online.org
• Workshop on national and regional Geo-Portals
23-25 June '04 at 10th EC-GI & GIS Workshop,
(Warsaw, PL)
http://wwwlmu.jrc.it/Workshops/10ec-gis/
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
Thank You for Your Attention!
Questions & Comments ?!
contacts in the ESDI team:
Alessandro Annoni
[email protected]
Lars Bernard
[email protected]
Ioannis Kanellopoulos
[email protected]
Paul Smits
[email protected]
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma
Cross Border RSDI Prototype
Common CRS (ETRS89 + UTM32)
Interoperabilità nelle Infrastrutture di Dati Territoriali, 26. Feb. 2004, Roma