Action 11602 - SHAring Policies for Environment (SHAPE)

	Differences between UELN heights and national heights in Europe (in cm)

Removing obstacles to the access and use of environmental information

An integrated approach across disciplines, systems and scientific domains is essential for understanding the relationship between environment and society, as well as for the effective use of this information for science, policy, and informed public participation.

To address this challenge, the European Commission is working with the EU Member States, the European Environment Agency, and other stakeholders on the following main policies:
- The development and implementation of an Infrastructure for Spatial Information in Europe (INSPIRE Directive 2007/2/EC). Here the SHAPE Action undertakes the scientific, technical, and organisational activities necessary for the formulation of the legislation, the implementing rules for the interoperability of spatial datasets and services, the network services, and the engagement of the thematic communities in INSPIRE;
- The development of new information services to support Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES COM(2005)565, COM(2008)748);
- The development of the Shared Environmental Information System (SEIS - COM(2008) 46) as a policy coordination framework and its implementation plan. The SHAPE Action also undertakes research and studies on the environmental monitoring programmes in Member States, with a view to exchanging best practices and policy coordination;
- The implementation of a Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) to improve the monitoring of environmental change and its causes. SHAPE leads the definition of the GEOSS User Requirements, contributes to the formulation of guidelines for implementing the GEO data sharing principles, and promotes the coherent development of GEOSS with INSPIRE, GMES and SEIS across the entire policy cycle.

This Action focuses mainly on the first three phases of the policy cycle: agenda setting, policy formulation and adoption.

It also collaborates with international organisations to support the development of Spatial Data Infrastructures at the global level.

Specific objectives of the Action

- To coordinate the development of the INSPIRE Directive and its implementing rules by
   fostering participation and capacity-building activities in the stakeholder community, and 
   maintaining the links with the research community
- To support the policy development of the Shared Environmental Information System (SEIS) in
   collaboration with DG ENV, EUROSTAT, and the EEA
- To support GMES by coordinating and maintaining the link with INSPIRE and other strategic 
   geo-spatial standardisation initiatives
- To support the interoperable development of international SDI initiatives (GEOSS, GMES, 
   UN-SDI, Digital Earth, GSDI, and the African SDI)
- To advance research in semantic interoperability and impact assessment for spatial  data
     infrastructures. 

 

More information can be found on the Digital Earth and Reference Data Unit website.

Main customers

- DG Environment
- DG Eurostat
- DG Information Society and Media
- DG Enterprise and Industry
- DG Research
- DG Regional Policy
- DG Agriculture and Rural Development
- European Environment Agency (EEA)
- European Space Agency (ESA)
- International geo-standardisation organisations:  European Committee for Standardization
  (CEN),  International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and Open Geospatial Consortium 
   (OGC)
- INSPIRE Legally Mandated National Organisations (e.g. Ministries of Environment, Regional
    Public Authorities, Mapping Agencies, Statistical Institutes, Environmental Protection Agencies,
  Cadastres, Geological Surveys)
- Group on Earth Observations (GEO)

EU Legislation and Documents supported by this Action:

- INSPIRE Directive
- United Nations’ Aarhus Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in
      Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters
- Directive 2003/98/EC on the reuse of public sector information
- Sixth Environmental Action Programme of the European Community 2001-10
- Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC
- Global Monitoring for Environment and Security COM (2005)565

Further information

• JRC Project Browser: SHAPE

Contact Info:

Paul Smits - Tel.: +39-0332-785279 E-mail: paul.smits(at)jrc.ec.europa.eu