| Description
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| SDIC Title
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The Geological Surveys of Europe |
| Acronym
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EuroGeoSurveys |
| Details |
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Mission and Objectives
| EuroGeoSurveys is the Association of the European Geological surveys (33 members with a total of over 20,000 persons active in all the domains of application of geosciences. European Geological Surveys have, in average, over 100 years of experience in Earth Observation and Thematic Spatial Data acquisition, archival, processing and dissemination. Geological Surveys have an intimate knowledge of many data themes or sub-themes listed in the Annexes I (Aquifers) and III of the Draft INSPIRE Directive. For several data sub-themes our members are the national or regional data repositories and some have a legal mandate to acquire data and maintain the related information systems. The detailed responsibilities and activities vary from State to State.
The objective of the EGS SDIC is to work on issues specifically related to geoscientific data in relation with INSPIRE (issues are: end-user data requirements, structure and contents of the Draft Directive Annexes 1 to 3, interoperability and harmonisation of regional/ national datasets -including data modeling, reference systems, metadata and data validation- and encoding systems).
EuroGeoSurveys will provide its wide experience in relation with geoscientific data (geology, tectonics, soils, aquifers, energy and mineral resources, natural hazards, land-use planning) acquisition, cataloguing, archival, processing and dissemination as well as experience in regional/ national data interoperability and harmonisation.
The EuroGeoSurveys missions are:
a) Virtual European Geological Survey
To assist the European Union to obtain joined-up scientific and technical advice from the Geological Surveys of the Member States and Accession Countries.
b) Virtual Data Centre
To provide the policy makers at EU, national, regional or local levels; business; industry; insurance companies; research; academia; NGOs and the public with easy accessible, interoperable, quality controlled geoscience data at a range of resolutions across the whole of Europe.
c) Virtual Center of Excellence
To combine the best of geo-expertise in Europe to further develop know-how and technology in the field of natural resources, natural and man-made hazards and the terrestrial and marine environment.
d) Virtual Geoscience Permanent Education Network
To improve the awareness of the public, the education sector, industry, central and local government and agencies of the relevance of geoscience and the opportunities offered by it.
EuroGeoSurveys pursues the following objectives:
a) To jointly address European issues of common interest;
b) To promote the contribution of geosciences to European Union affairs and action programs;
c) To assist the European Union to obtain scientific and technical advice from the members of the Association;
d) To provide a permanent network between the Geological Surveys and a common, but not unique, gateway to each of the Surveys and their national networks.
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| Mandate
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EuroGeoSurveys is an umbrella organisation representing the Geological Surveys from 33 European Countries. The Member Surveys proposing experts to the Implementing Rules Drafting Groups (IRDGs) agree to provide the services of their relevant experts, should these be selected to participate to the IRDGs.
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| Formal Mandate
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None
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| Main Activities
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Contribute to EU policy and legislation making in all domains related to geosciences, especially through participation to Working Groups set up by the European Commission. EuroGeoSurveys's members produced two European metadatabases, one on geological data (GEIXS) and one specifially on seabed samples, drilling cores and seafloor seismic profiles (EUSEASED). It also developed a harmonised pan-european Geochemical Geographical database and a drill-hole database. EuroGeoSurveys individual members are active, at national or regional levels, in data acquisition, archiving, processing and dissemination. Geological Surveys generate and deal primarily with spatial data from multiple sources (space, special aircraft, ground, subsurface) and intensively use GIS techniques and 3D modelling techniques, using not only geoscientific data but also spatial data from a great diversity of sources and suppliers: such as satellite data and geophysical data and geographical data . Thesauri and processes have and are being developed, aiming at progressive data harmonisation at regional and national levels. EGS members are/ were engaged in about 130 FP5/ FP6 research projects as well as in projects related to the GMES and e-content programmes. Several of these projects were/ are related to the geoscientific data themes listed in the Annexes of the Draft INSPIRE Directive.
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| SDIC URL
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www.eurogeosurveys.org |
| Membership
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The National Geological Surveys of Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany (and the Regional Geological Surveys of Germany), Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy (and the Regional Geological Surveys of Italy), Lithuania, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands and The United Kingdom. Romania is likely to become a member from September 2005 onwards. |
| Typology
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Thematic Sectorial |
| Comments
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None
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| Contact information for SDIC |
| Contact Person |
Luca Demicheli
|
| Organisation |
EuroGeoSurveys |
| Function |
Secretary General
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| Address |
36-38, Rue Joseph II - 1000 Bruxelles |
| Country |
BELGIUM |
| Tel |
+32 2 888 75 50 |
| Fax |
+ 32 2 503 50 25 |
| PROPOSED ROLE IN INSPIRE DEVELOPMENT |
| Which role(s) do you foresee for the SDIC in INSPIRE development |
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allocate experts to Drafting Teams
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submit reference material as input to the Drafting Teams
- register a project to test/revise/develop the draft Implementing Rules
- collect and describe user requirements related to Environmental policies
- participate in the review process
- implement pilot projects to test/revise/develop the draft Implementing Rules
- contribute to cost/benefit analysis of the draft Implementing Rules
- contribute to awareness raising and training
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| Area of work/experience |
| Geographic Domain: |
Europe
Description of geographic extent
EU Member States + Accession countries + Members of the Council of Europe (observers)
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| Societal Sector
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Public service under the umbrella of Central or Regional Government |
| Specific Expertise |
Metadata  |
| Data Specifications |
| Network services |
| Data and Service Sharing |
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| INSPIRE Data Themes
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| Title |
User | Producer | Coordinator |
| Coordinate reference systems |
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| Geographical grid systems |
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| Geographical names |
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| Administrative units |
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| Cadastral parcels |
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| Transport networks |
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| Hydrography |
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| Protected sites |
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| Elevation |
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| Land cover |
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| Orthoimagery |
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| Geology |
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| Statistical units |
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| Buildings |
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| Soil |
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| Land use |
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| Human health and safety |
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| Environmental monitoring Facilities |
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| Production and industrial facilities |
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| Agricultural and aquaculture facilities |
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| Population distribution and demography |
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| Area management/restriction/regulation zones & reporting units |
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| Natural risk zones |
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| Atmospheric conditions |
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| Meteorological geographical features |
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| Oceanographic geographical features |
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| Sea regions |
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| Bio-geographical regions |
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| Habitats and biotopes |
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| Species distribution |
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| Previous Experience relevant for INSPIRE development
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An average of 100 years in geoscientific data acquisition, archival, processing and dissemination of geoscientific data in Europe and abroad (mostly within the framework of cooperation projects with developing countries) |
| Primary Business
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Very diversified with geology as the core: knowledge, exploration and management of geological resources: soils, groundwater, energy (fossil and renewable), minerals, subsurface space for infrastructure development and/or storage - Identification and characterisation of natural hazards and mitigation of their impacts - Environmental Management - Development of clean technologies (soil and water remediation; waste and ore processing) - Earth observation and related technologies (geophysics; geochemistry; remote sensing) - Modelling - Software development - GIS development - Standardization of geoscientific data - Consulting / Technical services , Mapping , Research |
| Environmental application domains
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Soils, Water cycle; Geology/ Soils/ water interface; Mineral and Energy resources; Natural Hazards; Subsurface space use and management; development of clean processes |
