Context

This is a continuation of the work under Action 2.5 (in turn created from merging the former Actions 2.1 and 2.2) that was initiated within the MIWP 2021-2024. While the implementation of the INSPIRE Directive by EU Member States and EFTA countries, certified by the results of the annual Monitoring and Reporting cycles, has continuously improved over the past few years, implementation gaps still remain. Certain aspects of the implementation of the Directive (e.g., harmonisation of all data in its scope) are still considered as cumbersome or even disproportionate. The broad spatial data scope of the Directive and the high-level definition of the data scope through its 34 themes has resulted in a diversified and non-comparable offering across Member States.

The publication in 2023 of the high-value-datasets (HVD) Regulation under the Open Data Directive, covering a large part of the data in scope of the INSPIRE Directive, has triggered the identification of a clear need in the Member States for an aligned, common, and once-only implementation for geospatial data sharing that serves the requirements of both the INSPIRE and Open Data Directives. Work towards such an alignment has started in the former MIWP with the development of the first draft of a good practice on High-Value Datasets (HVDs) tagging as well as the setup of a pilot to test and evaluate the suitability of the transformation of INSPIRE (ISO 19139-based) metadata into DCAT-based metadata using the GeoDCAT-AP 3.0.0 specification and its related XSLT transformation. In addition, a new section to browse and access INSPIRE datasets falling under the scope of the HVD Regulation was added to the INSPIRE Geoportal.

Proposed action

Within the context described above, the action will continue building a common understanding of the interaction between the INSPIRE Directive and the HVD Regulation, developing a consensus on a common implementation roadmap (with main focus on data discoverability and accessibility) with the objective to maximise the reuse of the INSPIRE implementation for meeting HVD requirements. Leveraging the ongoing developments of the good practice and the pilots, the action will continue to: i) explore and identify synergies between the monitoring processes for INSPIRE datasets and services in scope of the HVD Regulation, and ii) further connect the INSPIRE and Open Data/HVD networks at the EU and national level via coordinated communication to strengthen the open geospatial content and functionality availability and utilisation.

The action will be strictly linked to Action 2.4 Central INSPIRE infrastructure components, e.g. to introduce new fit-for-purpose data specifications/encodings in the infrastructure, and to the Action 3.1 GreenData4All initiative and Action 3.2 GreenData4All transition to feed the results (legal bottlenecks and simplification proposals) in the upcoming revision of the legal framework.

Tasks

Outcomes

• INSPIRE good practice on the tagging of high-value datasets in INSPIRE metadata
• Consolidated mapping between INSPIRE ISO-19139 and GeoDCAT-AP metadata for HVD
• Additional INSPIRE good practices and implementation guidance for only once publication of geospatial environmental data
• Recommendations for the GreenData4All impact assessment on aligning INSPIRE and HVD (not limitative):
  • the alignment of data sharing regimes including the possible move of the access regime towards open data
  • moving towards technical neutrality
• Alignment of regulatory monitoring and reporting provisions on data sharing and use/impact