Interoperability of data in spatial planning

Abstract

Spatial planning activity in the last 10 years has increasingly used computer-based tools. With the diffusion of geographic information systems, technicians and planners have had at their disposal more and more databases. Geo-databases were originally created to meet specific local or thematic purposes, whereas now data tend to be organised in more complex spatial data infrastructures that can be useful in various types of spatial planning and programming activities. In order to ensure that the different spatial data infrastructures of the EU member states are compatible and usable in a community and trans-boundary context, the European Union issued the ‘Inspire’ directive, which aims to create a pan-European spatial data infrastructure. A common European spatial data insfrastructure would allow the sharing of spatial information among public sector organisations, thereby facilitating better access to spatial information across Europe. ‘Inspire’ requires that common implementing rules are adopted in a number of specific areas such as metadata, data specifications, network services, data and service sharing, monitoring and reporting. These implementing rules are adopted as EC decisions or regulations and are binding in their entirety. The Plan4all project, co-funded by the EC programme ‘eContentplus’, experimented in the harmonisation of spatial planning data based on trans-national cooperation among EU public administrations, public and private research institutions and stakeholders. More information and details can be found at http://www.plan4all.eu .