inspire gmes - brochure informativa (7° edizione)

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7th completely revised, extended and updated edition, September 2011

NUTS Classification CORINE Land Cover Editor: M. Schilcher, Technische Universität München

INSPIRE

GMES

Information Brochure

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Imprint

Editor:

Matthäus Schilcher

Technische Universität München Fachgebiet Geoinformationssysteme Arcisstraße 21 80333 München

Internet: http://www.rundertischgis.de E-Mail: [email protected]

ISBN: 978-3-935049-73-0

Version 1.0 (4 October 2011)

© Runder Tisch Geoinformationssysteme e.V.

Cover:

Left figure: Administrative boundaries of the “Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics” (NUTS). Generalised vector data set (using the 1 km reference grid of the European Environment Agency), Version 2007. Data source: European Environment Agency.

Right figure: CORINE Land Cover raster data set from 2000 (Version 15, August 2011). Data source: European Environment Agency.

Team of this INSPIRE-GMES Information Brochure:

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Matthäus Schilcher Dr. Gabriele Aumann Martin Kunert Tatjana Kutzner Sophie Steindor

All rights reserved. No part of this work may be copied or reprinted for commercial purposes.

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Supported by

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Statement from the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs, Infrastructure, Transport and Technology

In accordance with the European spaceflight strategy, in Bavaria we put our main emphasis on new applications in the fields of navigation and earth observation, which are made possible through the European initiatives GALILEO and GMES (Global Monitoring for Environment and Security).

Our objective comprises basically two items:

• The development and the implementation of services and products for users on all European levels

• The provision of the necessary satellite and ground infrastructure especially in the field of GMES for an independent European earth observation capacity to fulfil the European user requirements and to support global commitments.

As far as these two aspects are concerned Bavaria is well ahead due to the experience and competences which already exist.

With our initiative to found and develop a distributed GMES centre at the locations Oberpfaffenhofen and Neustrelitz we want to secure and further strengthen these competences at the location Bavaria. The planned GMES centre is well on its way: the financing of the first stage is largely secured and the support of the companies, research facilities and involved institutions has already started. As interregional cooperation in Germany this GMES centre is amongst others to safeguard the provision of data for geoinformation products and to accelerate the development of services and products and their use and, thus, to provide an ideal platform for the involvement of Bavarian institutions and companies with GMES.

The Runder Tisch GIS e.V. at TU München with its participating institutions takes a step forward and promotes the integration of the GMES data in the existing governmental spatial data infrastructure. The current activities for implementing the INSPIRE Directive in the context of the joint project InGeoSat have to be mentioned. The project allows for the development of an interoperable spatial data infrastructure and the integration of GMES data in the existent databases.

Especially the governmental side is in demand to support this process with adequate directives and regulations. Through the involvement of Runder Tisch GIS e.V. under the patronage of Prof. Dr.-Ing. Matthäus Schilcher of TU München, an ideal network and communication platform for all persons interested in GIS and GMES is developed, which initiates innovative impulses and new cooperations between administration, industry and science through its activities. Therefore I am sure that in this way we are moving together a step further towards the vision for the future, where GMES applications belong to everyday life just as navigations systems in our cars do.

Dietmar Schneyer

Ministerialrat, Department VIII/4, Applied Research, Aerospace Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs, Infrastructure, Transport and Technology

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Preface

Due to the rapid development of INSPIRE and GMES, one year after the last edition a completely revised and updated edition of the INSPIRE-GMES Information Brochure is released at the INTERGEO 2011 in Nuremberg. As innovation compared to earlier editions, this year’s brochure exclusively comprises articles of particular authors. The general texts previously introducing the topics INSPIRE and GMES have been edited to become individual articles.

In summer 2011 the INSPIRE conference in Edinburgh showed that INSPIRE has reached the stage of practical implementation. Numerous workshops and presentations demonstrated which software products can be used to implement INSPIRE. The presentations covered a broad range of topics and partly illustrated already which applications will be possible with INSPIRE in future. The current developments related to INSPIRE will be addressed and dealt with in detail in the first chapter. The two following chapters contain articles about the implementation of INSPIRE in Germany and selected countries. The forth chapter is entirely devoted to the cross-border semantic transformation of spatial data in the Lake Constance region. This chapter also contains a report on the expert workshop “Semantic Schema Transformation” held in March 2011. In chapter 5 advertising customers have the possibility to introduce their INSPIRE-related projects.

The sixth chapter deals with GMES. As the expert workshop “Application Potential of GMES in the Geoinformation Market” in March 2011 already showed, some questions still need to be solved for GMES. Given the enormous potential of the initiative, recommendations which could reduce the deficiencies have been made. Just as Mr. Schneyer from the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs, Infrastructure, Transport and Technology writes in his message, it is necessary that the incorporation of GMES data in the existing governmental spatial data infrastructures is accompanied by appropriate directives and regulations. The seventh chapter contains articles from the project “InGeoSat – INSPIRE-GMES Integration Platform for Innovative Spatial and Satellite Applications”. Every project partner reports about his scenario with an article of his own. The results of the project will be transformed onto a demonstration platform based on ArcGIS for INSPIRE. This aspect is addressed by the articles on the InGeoSat project and by the concluding article of Runder Tisch GIS e.V.

The implementation of INSPIRE is an ambitious task. In their article, Taggeselle and Bernard explain that the Saxon e-government platform is run by a private service provider due to the high requirements of INSPIRE regarding availability, performance and responsive behaviour. Scarce resources often make it very difficult for authorities to achieve the high level of technical knowledge. Runder Tisch GIS e.V. is trying to further the acquirement of know-how with its training courses for INSPIRE and GMES.

A main motivation for this brochure was to demonstrate the synergies of INSPIRE and GMES. The article of Mr. Horn shows that these possibilities have also been discovered by the industry. He reports that on the part of the big companies a commercial integration of earth observation and GIS expertise is already being performed. Thus, the boundaries between the vector and the raster data world might vanish soon.

I would like to thank everybody who contributed to the creation of this brochure. My special thanks goes to the authors of the articles, the advertising partners as sponsors and the project team Mrs. Aumann, Ms. Kutzner, Mr. Kunert and Ms. Steindor, who significantly contributed to the publication of this brochure.

I wish all readers to be able to use this brochure as a treasure trove of interesting and practice-oriented information. I am looking forward to your comments and suggestions.

Yours,

Prof. Matthäus Schilcher Chairman of Runder Tisch GIS e.V.

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Table of Contents

Statement from the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs, Infrastructure, Transport and Technology ........... iv

Preface ............................................................................................................................................................... v

1. The EU Directive INSPIRE ............................................................................................................................. 1

1.1 INSPIRE – An Introduction ................................................................................................................... 1

1.2 INSPIRE – Roadmap and Implementation ........................................................................................... 2

1.3 EC's INSPIRE Geoportal towards Operational Status ........................................................................ 11

1.4 INSPIRE: A Step Forward to Open Government Data ....................................................................... 14

1.5 INSPIRE Download and View Services .............................................................................................. 15

1.6 Data Harmonization Principles and Development Approaches as Applied to INSPIRE SDIs ........... 18

1.7 Shibboleth Access Management Federations as an Organisational Model for SDIs ......................... 23

2. INSPIRE in Germany .................................................................................................................................... 25

2.1 GDI-DE and INSPIRE ......................................................................................................................... 25

2.2 INSPIRE Implementation in Bavaria ................................................................................................... 27

2.3 INSPIRE in Baden-Wuerttemberg ...................................................................................................... 29

2.4 Implementing INSPIRE in Saxony ...................................................................................................... 31

2.5 Which Obligatory Roles will Administrative Districts Play in Higher-level SDI Structures in Future? ................................................................................................................................................ 34

2.6 INSPIRE from a Local Perspective ..................................................................................................... 36

3. INSPIRE in Selected Countries .................................................................................................................... 37

3.1 INSPIRE Implementation in Switzerland ............................................................................................ 37

3.2 INSPIRE in Austria .............................................................................................................................. 38

3.3 INSPIRE in Croatia ............................................................................................................................. 40

3.4 INSPIRE in Sweden ............................................................................................................................ 42

4. The Lake Constance Region goes INSPIRE ................................................................................................ 44

4.1 Cross-border Transformation of Spatial Data to INSPIRE in the Lake Constance Region – Challenge for Administration, Industry and Science ........................................................................... 44

4.2 Experience with Semantic Transformation Based on Currently Available Software .......................... 49

4.3 Model-driven Semantic Transformation – a Report on Work in Progress .......................................... 52

4.4 Data Harmonisation for a Cross-Border Flood Application Scenario (ERiskA) in the Lake Constance Region ............................................................................................................................... 54

4.5 Second Workshop „Semantic Schema Translation in the context of INSPIRE“ ................................. 56

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5. INSPIRE Projects of the GIS Industry .......................................................................................................... 58

5.1 The CEH Information Gateway ........................................................................................................... 58

5.2 Towards the Excellence in Regional SDIs: the Emilia-Romagna GeoPortal ...................................... 59

6. GMES ........................................................................................................................................................... 61

6.1 GMES – Earth Monitoring for Europe ................................................................................................. 61

6.2 Expert Workshop 2011: Application Potential of GMES on the Geoinformation Market .................... 63

6.3 INSPIRE and GMES Working Hand-in-Hand for Regional and Local “Geo-professionals” ............... 64

7. Project InGeoSat – INSPIRE-GMES Integration Platform for Innovative Geo and Satellite Applications .................................................................................................................................................. 66

7.1 InGeoSat: Application Scenario Forest Indicators .............................................................................. 66

7.2 Project InGeoSat – Scenario European Border Protection ................................................................ 68

7.3 Project InGeoSat – Storm Damage Scenario in Forests……………… ............................……………70

7.4 InGeoSat – INSPIRE-GMES Integration Platform for Innovative Geo and Satellite Applications ...... 73

8. Runder Tisch GIS e.V ................................................................................................................................... 75

9. INSPIRE-GMES Demonstration Platform of the Runder Tisch GIS e.V. ..................................................... 76

A. Important Definitions in the context of INSPIRE and GMES ....................................................................... 77

B. INSPIRE and GMES Contact Persons of the Network Runder Tisch GIS e.V. ........................................... 79

C. Annex I, II and III Data Themes of the INSPIRE Directive .......................................................................... 80

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1. The EU Directive INSPIRE

1.1 INSPIRE – An Introduction1

Astrid Fichtinger Runder Tisch GIS e.V. [email protected]

After negotiations of several years, the “Directive 2007/2/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 March 2007 establishing an Infrastructure for Spatial Information in the European Community” (“INSPIRE-Directive” for short) came into force on 15 May 2007. It was initiated by the European Commission's Environment Directorate-General with a view to harmonise and to facilitate the EU Member States’ provision of spatial data to fulfil reporting obligations towards the European Commission and the European Environmental Agency as well as within the framework of international environmental conventions. In addition, a higher level of transparency for the public and better exploitation of the public spatial data’s value-creation potential by commercial use are to be achieved [Meinert and Streuff 2009]. Given the large variety of spatial data concerned, the INSPIRE Directive also supports other policy areas. It will have far-reaching consequences for public authorities holding spatial data as well as the spatial information industry in general in the Member States of the European Union (EU).

The Directive’s 26 articles define a general framework for the creation of the European Spatial Data Infrastructure (ESDI). The ESDI is to be based on the EU Member States’ Spatial Data Infrastructures, which should be designed to ensure that

• “spatial data are stored, made available and maintained at the most appropriate level”;

• “it is possible to combine spatial data from different sources across the Community in a consistent way and share them between several users and applications”;

• “it is possible for spatial data collected at one level of public authority to be shared between other public authorities”;

• “spatial data are made available under conditions which do not unduly restrict their extensive use“;

• “it is easy to discover available spatial data, to evaluate their suitability for the purpose and to know the conditions applicable to their use. [European Parliament and Council 2007]”

Detailed provisions are laid down in Implementing Rules – which are generally issued as regulations – covering e.g. the topics metadata, network services, interoperability of spatial data and services as well as access and usage rights. Recommendations concerning the technical implementation are given in “Technical Guidance” documents, which are to incorporate international standards (e.g. by the Open Geospatial Consortium, OGC or the International Organization for Standardisation, ISO) as far as possible.

The directive covers a total of 34 spatial data themes, which are held in electronic format by or on behalf of public authorities and fall within the scope of their public tasks (see figure). Data sets which cannot be made publicly available due to existing privacy or copyright arrangements are excluded. The directive does not require the collection of new spatial data. Rather, it prescribes the way in which a public authority’s existing or newly collected spatial data is to be provided. These data sets have to be made available in accordance with the implementing rules within fixed periods (see chapter 1.2). For each of the spatial data themes, a common, Europe-wide data model is designed and existing spatial data have to be transformed to match these data models. Furthermore, spatial data sets and services must be described using metadata.

1 This article is based on chapter 3.2 of this brochure’s sixth edition.

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Access to spatial data sets listed in the Directive shall be enabled using the following types of services (see also chapter 1.2, figure 1):

• Discovery services: search for spatial data sets and services on the basis of metadata

• View services: displaying, navi-gating, zooming and overlaying spatial data sets

• Download services: download of and, where practicable, direct access to spatial data sets

• Transformation services: trans-formation of spatial data sets in order to achieve interoperability (e.g. data model or coordinate transformation)

• Services allowing spatial data services to be invoked

Cross-border access to these services shall be possible via a central INSPIRE Geoportal which is currently under development and should be fully operational in 2013 (see chapter 1.3). Currently, a prototype is accessible at www.inspire-geoportal.eu.

While discovery services are to be provided free of charge, fees can be established for viewing or downloading data. In this case, e-commerce services have to be provided which ensure access according to terms of use or licenses. The provisions on data sharing between public authorities foresee, that public sector data providers can charge fees, in case they are obliged to achieve full or partial recovery of costs related to capturing, maintaining and providing spatial data and services within the scope of their tasks. However, “any charges applied should not exceed the cost of collection, production, reproduction and dissemination together with a reasonable return on investment” [European Parliament and Council 2007]. The directive doesn’t contain specifications on fees for third parties.

The directive also stipulates measures for coordinating its implementation in the Member States, e.g. the establishment of nationals contact points.

Literature

European Parliament and Council 2007: Directive 2007/2/EC of the European Parliament and Council of 14 March 2007 establishing an Infrastructure for Spatial Information in the European Community (INSPIRE). Official Journal of the European Union 50, L 108/1, 25.04.2007.

Fichtinger, A. 2011: Semantische Transformation im Kontext von INSPIRE – dargestellt am Beispiel der grenzüberschreitenden Bodenseeregion. Doctoral dissertation, Technische Universität München.

Meinert, M.; Streuff, H. 2009: Geoinformation im internationalen Umfeld. In: Kummer, K.; Frankenberger, J. (Eds.): Das deutsche Vermessungs- und Geoinformationswesen 2010. Heidelberg: Wichmann, pp. 149 - 200.

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1.2 INSPIRE – Roadmap and Implementation1

Dr. Andreas Illert Bundesamt für Kartographie und Geodäsie Abteilung Geoinformationswesen [email protected] www.bkg.bund.de

Roadmap for INSPIRE Implementation

The Directive foresees a concrete, tight and binding roadmap for the realization of its goals. Two years after its entry into force – that is by mid March 2009 – the directive has had to be transposed into the Member States’ national law. By May 2011 the transposition was completed in all 27 Member States2. The implementing rules, which have to be adopted as regulations, concretize the directive in five subject areas:

• Metadata, which came into effect as a regulation on 24 December 20083.

• Data Specifications for spatial data themes listed in Annex I4 were published in the third version in September 20095 as guidance documents. The corresponding implementing rule regarding interoperability of spatial data sets and services went into force at 28 December 20106. An amendment7 that includes definition of codelists was adopted in February 2011. Meanwhile, the specification of data themes listed in Annex II and III has begun, which will be completed in autumn 2012. For this purpose, the draft data specifications v2.0 are reviewed and tested by the stakeholders between June and October 2011.

• Network Services, the implementing rules for discovery and view services8 are in effect since November 2009, and for download and transformation services9 since December 2010.

• Monitoring and Reporting10 came into effect in June 2009. In May this year all Member States had to report on the status of implementation.

• Data and Service Sharing, in effect since April 2010, regarding “access to spatial data sets and services of the Member States by Community institutions and bodies”11.

In addition to the implementing rules, technical guidelines (e.g. on metadata12) are published, which refer to the standards relevant for implementation. These documents are not legally binding but if they are not taken into consideration, interoperability of data and services as postulated by the INSPIRE directive cannot be achieved. In June an “Initial Operating Capability Task Force” (IOC TF) was established to support the Member States in implementing INSPIRE Network Services. This Task Force comprises the experts, who are in charge of the architecture of the National Spatial Data Infrastructures.

2009 saw the beginning of the INSPIRE implementation and monitoring phase. Between 2010 and 2019, public authorities have to provide data and metadata listed in the Directive step by step in an INSPIRE-compliant way. The measures to be taken are addressed in the following sections. Please refer to the

1 This article is based on chapter 4.1 of this brochure’s sixth edition. 2 De Groof, H. 2011 3 European Commission 2008b 4 see Annex C 5 European Commission Joint Research Centre o. J. 6 European Commission 2010a 7 European Commission 2011a 8 European Commission 2009c 9 European Commission 2010b 10 European Commission 2009b 11 European Commission 2009a 12 European Commission Joint Research Centre 2009

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INSPIRE Work Programme13 as well as the updated roadmap14 for details concerning the INSPIRE timetable.

Since May 2010, the Member States had to report the results of the implementation annually to the Commission. Here, the spatial data sets concerned by the Directive had to be listed and the status of implementation had to be identified based on predefined indicators15. In Germany, 1366 spatial data sets and 553 spatial services for the spatial data themes from Annex I to III were identified16 for the year 2010. For the themes listed in Annexes II and III, there are no mandatory implementing rules yet.

At EU level, the following departments are responsible for INSPIRE: the European Commission's Environment Directorate-General is responsible for the legal and political coordination, Eurostat coordinates the implementation and the Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) is acting as the technical coordinator.

Responsibilities in Germany

In Germany, INSPIRE is implemented under the auspices of the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (“Bundesministerium für Umwelt, Naturschutz und Reaktor-sicherheit”, BMU). Since 2005, the BMU has headed an INSPIRE Task Force composed of experts from BMU, other federal agencies, states, municipalities, industry and science.

The steering committee GDI-DE („Lenkungsgremium GDI-DE“) operates as Germany’s national contact point for the directive. It is composed of two federal representatives, one representative for the states and one for the municipal associations. This is laid down in an agreement between the federal and state administrations for building Germany’s spatial data infrastructure (“Verwaltungsvereinbarung von Bund und Ländern zum Aufbau der Geodateninfrastruktur Deutschland”)17 The coordination office GDI-DE (“Koordinierungsstelle GDI-DE“), jointly funded by the Federation and the states and organisationally attached to the Federal Agency for Cartography and Geodesy provides operational support to the steering committee. In addition,

13 European Commission 2007b 14 European Commission 2011b 15 Cf. GKSt GDI-DE 2010a 16 GKSt. GDI-DE 2010a 17 Bundesministerium des Inneren 2008

Figure 1: INSPIRE Architecture Overview (Source: Network Services Drafting Team 2008)

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GDI contact points were established on state level, e.g. in Bavaria (“Geschäftsstelle Geodateninfrastruktur Bayern”).

The national contact point is responsible for coordinating data and service provision as well as fulfilling monitoring and reporting obligations under INSPIRE. In the current phase, this also includes forwarding INSPIRE documents in comitology (e.g. draft implementing rules) to public authorities on all levels, collecting comments and passing them on to the European Commission18. Currently, representatives of German organisations are actively involved in the drafting of implementing rules.

Transposition into German Law

The INSPIRE Directive has already been transposed into German law. In April 2008, a working group chaired by the BMU had submitted a draft spatial data access law (“Geodatenzugangsgesetz”, GeoZG), which was adopted by the Bundestag in November 2008 and entered into force on 11 February 200919. The working group included representatives of the BMU, the Federal Ministry of the Interior (“Bundesministerium des Innern”) as well as of states and municipal associations. Given the federal structure of Germany, individual state laws (for the spatial data of states and municipalities) are needed in addition to the federal law (for the spatial data of the Federation). The federal GeoZG serves as exemplar for those.

Laws for the transposition of INSPIRE have been established by all German states20. Bavaria was the first German state to introduce a spatial data infrastructure law (“Bayerisches Geodateninfrastrukturgesetz”, BayGDIG)21 which entered into force on 1 August 2008. In Baden-Württemberg (LGeoZG BW), Berlin (GeoZG Bln), Brandenburg (GVB1_INSPRE-UmsetzG), Bremen (BremGeoZG), Hamburg (HmbGDIG), Hessen (Änderung HVGG), Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (GeoVermG M-V), Lower Saxony (NGDIG), North Rhine-Westphalia (GeoZG-NRW), Rhineland-Palatinate (LGDIG), Saarland (SGDIG), Saxony (SächsGDIG), Saxony-Anhalt (GDIG LSA), Schleswig-Holstein (GDIG GVOBI) and Thuringia (ThürGDIG) corresponding laws have come to force. The Transposition of the INSPIRE Directive into German Law was not completed until December 2010 when the last State law passed and thus was not finished in time. Therefore the Commission launched infringement proceedings against Germany. The court ruling is now stopped while the Commission checks the laws of the Members States for conformity with the Directive22.

In contrast to the INSPIRE directive itself, the implementing rules have direct legal effect in the Member States in case they are adopted as a regulation. EU regulations are binding for all administrative bodies in Germany ranging from the federal government to the municipalities.

INSPIRE and GDI-DE

GDI-DE will form the national building block within the European SDI as defined by INSPIRE (see figure 2). The organisational and technical structures for building the GDI-DE are therefore already being aligned with the INSPIRE road map. The GDI-DE architecture concept23 of September 2010 takes into consideration INSPIRE requirements. GDI-DE pilot projects such as Geodatenkatalog-DE (spatial data catalogue for providing metadata)24, address the technical implementation of INSPIRE in practice. The spatial data infrastructures of the German states are established as integral parts of the GDI-DE25.

18 Lenk 2008 19 Bundestag 2009 20 GKSt GDI-DE 2011c 21 Bayerischer Landtag 2008 22 De Groof, H. 2011 23 GKSt GDI-DE 2010b 24 GKSt GDI-DE 2008 25 Faust et al. 2009

INSPIRE

GDI-DE SDIs of otherEU membercountriesState SDIsFederal SDI

MunicipalSDIs

Figure 2: SDI hierarchy in Europe (Source: GKSt GDI-DE 2007)

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INSPIRE Activities of GIS Vendors

In addition to public authorities, GIS vendors and other companies in the GIS industry are also active in the context of the INSPIRE directive. Their commitment ranges from customer information and consulting regarding the requirements of the directive to an active involvement in defining the implementing rules in the so-called INSPIRE Drafting Teams. Companies are taking INSPIRE into consideration during product development to ensure subsequent compliance.

Spatial Data Affected by the Directive

The INSPIRE directive primarily concerns spatial data held by public authorities. Thus the federal GeoZG e.g. applies to spatial data fulfilling the following conditions26:

1. They relate to the territory of the Federal Republic of Germany; 2. They are available in electronic format; 3. They are available at

a. a spatial data holding body falling within the scope of its public tasks and aa) were produced by a body holding spatial data or bb) were received by a body holding spatial data or cc) are managed and updated by this body holding spatial data,

b. Third parties which are granted access to the national spatial data infrastructure, or they are held on behalf of these.

4. They relate with one or more of the following spatial data themes: [...]

The three annexes to the INSPIRE directive specify which themes of spatial data are concerned (see Annex C). This classification in three groups in annexes I to III reflects different requirements to the data specification as well as a temporal prioritisation. Data specification work started with annex I data and now continues with annex II and III.

The directive just addresses existing data. It should not set requirements for the collection of new data27. In case multiple identical copies of the same spatial data set are held by various public authorities, only the reference version from which the copies are derived is concerned28.

Data Providers Concerned by the Directive

INSPIRE first of all obliges the EU Member States to make data available in accordance with the directive’s provisions. The Member States are responsible for making arrangements regarding data provision within each state (including the above-mentioned laws). The directive primarily concerns public administrations at all levels, i.e. federal, state and local authorities, which hold the above-mentioned data in electronic format. Thus also service providers which undertake GIS operations or spatial data management on behalf of these authorities are potentially concerned by INSPIRE. Spatial data existing at the lower levels of public administration and the municipalities are only covered by the directive, if their collection or dissemination is required by law29.

The coordinating office GDI-DE has carried out a survey in cooperation with the SDI contact points of the German states in order to identify spatial data sets and their providers relevant for the spatial data themes listed in annex I of the directive30.In the first INSPIRE monitoring, authorities holding spatial data had to report data sets concerned by INSPIRE by April 2010. In April 2011 the monitoring was extended to Annexes II and III.

Costs incurred for the coordination of the INSPIRE implementation are split between the German Federation and the states according to the above-mentioned administrative agreement31.

26 Bundestag 2009 27 GKSt GDI-DE 2009b 28 European Parliament and Council 2007 29 GKSt GDI-DE 2009b 30 GKSt GDI-DE 2009a 31 Bundesministerium des Inneren 2008

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Consequences of the Directive for Data Providers Concerned

The directive requires the bodies holding spatial data – as defined in the spatial data themes – to provide these according to the implementing rules using appropriate services as well as to document data and services by means of standardised metadata.

The INSPIRE Data Specifications developed by the Thematic Working Groups (see figure 3) contain requirements and recommendations, e.g. concerning data content and structure, spatial reference systems, data quality criteria, theme-specific metadata elements as well as encoding and portrayal of the data. Harmonised, pan-European common conceptual data models for each of the data themes form the core of the Data Specifications. Object classes, attributes, data types, relations and constraints relevant for a data theme are described in UML-diagrams32 and corresponding feature catalogues33. Figure 4 shows a detail of the Hydrography Data Specification’s data model describing an object class “Surface Water” as well as the two subclasses “Watercourse” and “Standing Water”. The mandatory parts of the data specifications are extracted to the Commission regulation on interoperability of spatial data sets and services34.

From a data provider’s (e.g. mapping agency’s) perspective this does not necessarily imply having to change the data models and data management of their original data. However, for the INSPIRE compliant provision of relevant data, a transformation of data from their original data models, such as the ATKIS Basis-DLM as part of the AFIS-ALKIS-ATKIS reference model (AAA) in Germany into the data models specified by the EU is required.35

Summing up, the following steps have to be taken by a data provider concerned by the Directive:

1. Identifying relevant spatial data sets taking into account the definitions in the Annexes of the Directive and in the Data Specifications

2. Analysing existing data sets and corresponding metadata

3. Initial recording of INSPIRE compliant metadata or preparation of existing metadata for provision according to INSPIRE requirements

4. Preparing the INSPIRE compliant delivery of spatial data (executing the required data harmonisation steps like data model or coordinate transformation)

5. Setting up spatial data services (organisationally and technically), to provide spatial data and metadata.

32 Unified Modeling Language, used for object-oriented modeling of systems and data 33 Illert 2009; Fichtinger and Kutzner 2010 34 European Commission 2010b 35 This topic is at the core of a pilot project undertaken by Technische Universität München in cooperation with the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich since 2006, cf. Donaubauer et al. 2008 and Kutzner in this brochure

Figure 3: INSPIRE Data Specifications ( Annex 1) (Source: Fichtinger and Kutzner 2010)

Figure 4: INSPIRE Hydrography Data Model (detail) (Source: INSPIRE Thematic Working Group Hydrography 2009)

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In Germany, thematic networks ("Fachnetzwerke") were established under the GDI-DE in the end of 2009, which have, in a first step, developed a fact sheet for each of the data themes listed in Annex I. These are available on the GDI-DE website36. This is to support data providers in the identification of data sets affected, and the implementation of the INSPIRE requirements. In addition, the draft implementing rules for interoperability of spatial data sets and services were translated into German.

The INSPIRE Directive establishes binding deadlines within which the requirements have to be met. The JRC provides an overview of the timetable for the adoption of implementing rules and the provision of INSPIRE compliant data and services37. First delays have occurred, e.g. the Metadata Regulation having entered into force half a year later than originally planned. Accordingly, also the deadline for the provision of metadata for spatial data themes of annexes I and II were shifted by six month to the end of 2010. The entry into force of the Regulation on interoperability of spatial data sets and services, including the Data Specifications for the data themes listed in annexes II and III to the Directive will even be delayed by more than a year.

Detailed, concrete action recommendations cannot be given until all implementing rules have been adopted. However, it has already become apparent, that the SDI defined by INSPIRE will be based on the concept of a Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) which is already established today. INSPIRE also includes requirements concerning the availability and response times for the various types of services. Flexibility and security of the SDI are important factors as well. It is advisable to consider these aspects already today when taking decisions on the IT and GIS infrastructure, on operating models as well as on and the restructuring of processes within public authorities.

The Directive’s Potential for Users

The INSPIRE directive’s key potential lies in the interoperability to be achieved. This will facilitate cross-institutional and cross-border access to spatial data and spatial data services. Building the European Spatial Data Infrastructure potentially holds great benefits for providers of INSPIRE compliant data and services as well as for their users and further groups within and beyond the spatial information sector.

Federal, State and Local Public Authorities

• Simplifying the fulfilment of reporting obligations under various environmental directives of the European Commission, e.g. the Directive on Environmental Noise (Directive 2002/49/EC), which requires the generation of noise maps.

• Activating the value-creation potential of spatial data and spatial data services, e.g. by marketing them as base for application specific data of public and private data providers.

• Simplified, standardised and browser-oriented access to distributed, heterogeneous spatial data and spatial data services using state-of-the-art technologies.

• Increasing cost-effectiveness of spatial data usage: reduced costs (e.g. if only one section of the dataset is needed) and increased benefit (e.g. through accessibility of spatial data which were previously unavailable or difficult to use).

• Simplified exchange of data between public authorities (e.g. within an inter-municipal cooperation or a cross-border context).

• Utilizing the INSPIRE approach (Service Oriented Architecture, avoiding redundancies, standardised interfaces, shift from GIS-centric to process view, etc.) for optimizing internal processes and integrating GIS into an organisation’s IT environment.

• Advancement and legal safeguarding of federal, state and local SDI initiatives.

36 GKSt GDI-DE 2011 37 European Commission Joint Research Center 2011

8

Citizens

• Support for democratic opinion-forming processes by means of freely accessible public information.

• Increased transparency regarding the information base for decision-making in public administration.

• Simplified usage of official spatial data.

Companies Including Engineering Firms and Research Institutions

• Positioning as service providers supporting the implementation of the INSPIRE Directive.

• Placement of INSPIRE compliant products on the market, since the Directive requires the adaptation of IT and GIS infrastructure as well as processes.

• Substantial simplification of access to distributed spatial data of public authorities by means of the central INSPIRE geoportal or the federal, state and local geoportals being established. This includes the potential of providing new products and services based on the data.

References

Bayerischer Landtag (Ed.) 2008: Bayerisches Geodateninfrastrukturgesetz (BayGDIG) vom 22. Juli 2008. Available online at: http://by.juris.de/by/gesamt/GDIG_BY.htm (Accessed 07.09.2009).

Bundesministerium des Inneren (Ed.) 2008: Vereinbarung zwischen dem Bund und den Ländern zum gemeinsamen Aufbau und Betrieb der Geodateninfrastruktur Deutschland (Verwaltungsvereinbarung GDI-DE). Available online at: http://www.gdi-de.org/de/de_neu/download/inspire_gesetze/081128_VV_GDI-DE_public.pdf (Accessed 02.03.2010).

Bundesministerium für Verkehr Bau und Stadtentwicklung BMVBS (Ed.) 2010: Global Monitoring for Environment and Security – GMES. Available online at: http://www.bmvbs.de/SharedDocs/DE/Artikel/LS/global-monitoring-for-environment-and-security-gmes.html (Accessed: 01.09.2010).

Bundestag (Ed.) 2009: Gesetz über den Zugang zu digitalen Geodaten (Geodatenzugangsgesetz – GeoZG) vom 10. Februar 2009. Bundesgesetzblatt Teil I 2009 Nr. 8, S. 278. Available online at: http://bgblportal.de/BGBL/bgbl1f/bgbl109s0278.pdf (Accessed 27.02.2009).

Deutscher Landkreistag (Ed.) 2009: Geodaten sinnvoll nutzen (= Veröffentlichungen des Vereins für Geschichte der Deutschen Landkreise e.V., Band 81). Available online at: http://www.lk-starnberg.de/media/custom/613_9751_1.PDF (Accessed 07.09.2009).

Donaubauer, A.; Staub, P.; Straub, F.; Fichtinger, A. 2008: Web-basierte Modelltransformation – eine Lösung für INSPIRE? In: GIS, 2/2008, S. 26-33.

European Commission (Ed.) 2008b: Verordnung (EG) Nr. 1205/2008 der Kommission vom 3. Dezember 2008 zur Durchführung der Richtlinie 2007/2/EG des Europäischen Parlaments und des Rates hinsichtlich Metadaten. Amtsblatt der Europäischen Union, L 326/12. Available online at: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2008:326:0012:0030:DE:PDF (Accessed 02.03.2010).

European Commission (Ed.) 2009a: Draft Commission Regulation (EC) implementing Directive 2007/2/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the access to spatial data sets and services by the Member States to the Community institutions and bodies under harmonised conditions. Available online at: http://ec.europa.eu/transparency/regcomitology/index.cfm?do=Search.getPDF&yvesgnft2O4NV54eykuxY0uYwr24bl+u6M8oCwqlYrvB7EJR+poTzWZ/2wT/z/JFTr7x0HnynbCJdi/BzR4ZvdPpAur0FOHhej8jYcN49FA= (Accessed 02.03.2010).

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European Commission (Ed.) 2009b: Entscheidung der Kommission vom 5. Juni 2009 zur Durchführung der Richtlinie 2007/2/EG des Europäischen Parlaments und des Rates hinsichtlich Überwachung und Berichterstattung (Bekannt gegeben unter Aktenzeichen K(2009) 4199). Amtsblatt der Europäischen Union, L 148/18. Available online at: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2009:148:0018:0026:DE:PDF (Accessed 07.09.2009).

European Commission (Ed.) 2009c: Verordnung (EG) Nr. 976/2009 der Kommission vom 19. Oktober 2009 zur Durchführung der Richtlinie 2007/2/EG des Europäischen Parlaments und des Rates hinsichtlich der Netzdienste. Available online at: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2009:274:0009:0018:DE:PDF (Accessed 26.02.2010).

European Commission (Ed.) 2010a: Commission Regulation (EU) No 1089/2010 of 23 November 2010 implementing Directive 2007/2/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards interoperability of spatial data sets and services. Available online at: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2010:323:0011:0102:EN:PDF

European Commission (Ed.) 2010b: Commission Regulation (EU) No 1088/2010 of 23 November 2010 amending Regulation (EC) No 976/2009 as regards download services and transformation services. Available online at: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2010:323:0001:0010:DE:PDF

European Commission (Ed.) 2011a: Commission Regulation (EU) No 102/2011 of 4 February 2011 amending Regulation (EU) No 1089/2010 implementing Directive 2007/2/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards interoperability of spatial data sets and services. Available online at: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2011:031:0013:0034:EN:PDF

European Commission (Ed.) 2011b: INSPIRE Roadmap. Available online at: http://inspire.jrc.ec.europa.eu/index.cfm/pageid/44 (Accessed 26.02.2010).

European Parliament and Council (Ed.) 2007: Directive 2007/2/EC of the European Parliament and Council of 14 March 2007 establishing an Infrastructure for Spatial Information in the European Community (INSPIRE). Official Journal of the European Union, L 108/1. Available online at: http://eurlex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2007:108:0001:0014:EN:PDF (Accessed 21.11.2007).

European Commission Joint Research Centre (Ed.) 2009: INSPIRE Metadata Implementing Rules: Technical Guidelines based on EN ISO 19115 and EN ISO 19119. Available online at: http://inspire.jrc.ec.europa.eu/reports/ImplementingRules/metadata/MD_IR_and_ISO_20090218.pdf (Accessed 07.09.2009).

European Commission Joint Research Centre (Ed.) o. J.: Data Specifications. Available online at: http://inspire.jrc.ec.europa.eu/index.cfm/pageid/2 (Accessed: 15.08.2011).

European Commission Joint Research Centre (Ed.) 2011: INSPIRE Roadmap. Available online at: http://inspire.jrc.ec.europa.eu/index.cfm/pageid/44 (Accessed: 15.08.2011).

Faust, T.; Heß, D.; Höhne, A.; Hummel, R.; Jackisch, U.; Schleyer, A. 2009: Die Geodateninfrastruktur Baden-Württemberg im nationalen und europäischen Kontext. In: zfv, 4/2009, S. 187-200.

Fichtinger, A.; Kutzner, T. 2010: Datenharmonisierung im Kontext von INSPIRE. In: Schilcher, M. (Ed.) 15. Münchner Fortbildungsseminar Geoinformationssysteme, 8. - 11. März 2010, Tagungsband, S. 30-46.

GKSt GDI-DE (Ed.) 2007: Architektur der Geodateninfrastruktur Deutschland Version 1.0. Available online at: http://www.gdi-de.de/de/download/GDI_ArchitekturKonzept_V1.pdf (Accessed 22.11.2007).

GKSt GDI-DE (Ed.) 2008: GDI-DE Newsletter 02 / 2008. Available online at: http://www.gdi-de.org/de_neu/download/newsletter/Newsletter_02_2008.pdf (Accessed 02.03.2009).

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GKSt GDI-DE (Ed.) 2009a: Umfrage zur Vorbereitung der INSPIRE Annex I Datenbereitstellung. Ergebnisse. Available online at: http://www.gdi-de.org/de_neu/download/temp/Umfrage_INSPIRE_ANNEX_I.pdf (Accessed 26.01.2010).

GKSt GDI-DE (Ed.) 2009b: Umsetzung der INSPIRE-Richtlinie in Deutschland. Available online at: http://www.gdi-de.org/de_neu/download/091211_info_AP_V1.0.pdf (Accessed 26.01.2010).

GKSt GDI-DE (Ed.) 2010a: INSPIRE Monitoring-DE. Available online at: http://www.gdi-de.org/monitoring2010/ (Accessed: 14.08.2011).

GKSt GDI-DE (Ed.) 2010b: Architektur der GDI-DE, Available online at: http://www.gdi-de.org/download/AK/A-Konzept_v2_100909.pdf

GKSt GDI-DE (Ed.) 2011a: FAQ’s – Häufig gestellte Fragen. Available online at: http://www.gdi-de.org/inspire/faq (Accessed: 14.08.2011).

GKSt GDI-DE (Ed.) 2011b: Steckbriefe für die INSPIRE-Datenspezifikationen der Themen des Anhang 1. Available online at: http://www.gdi-de.org/download/inspire_guidance/annexI-III/Steckbriefe-INSPIRE-AnhangI-1-2.pdf (Stand: 18.05.2011).

GKSt GDI-DE (Ed.) 2011c: Homepage der Geodateninfrastruktur Deutschland. Available online at: http://www.gdi-de.org/de_neu/start.html (Accessed 14.08.2011).

INSPIRE Thematic Working Group Hydrography 2009: INSPIRE Data Specification on Hydrography – Guidelines. Available online at: http://inspire.jrc.ec.europa.eu/documents/Data_Specifications/INSPIRE_DataSpecification_HY_v3.0.pdf (Accessed 18.01.10).

Lenk, M. 2008: Inspire wächst. In: GIS-Business, 1/2008, S. 12-13.

Network Services Drafting Team (Ed.) 2008: INSPIRE Network Services Architecture. Available online at: http://inspire.jrc.ec.europa.eu/reports/ImplementingRules/network/D3_5_INSPIRE_NS_Architecture_v3-0.pdf (Accessed 07.09.2009).

Runder Tisch GIS e.V. (Ed.) 2009: INSPIRE - Grundlagen und Praxisbeispiele. Schulungsunterlagen. München 2009.

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The user can then select spatial datasets directly from the result list into his working session context, in order to further explore them within the "GeoNavigation" viewer. This viewer allows the user to combine and overlay different layers with transparency and define their order, providing all basic functionality to arrange different layers to a customized map. These maps can be shared with other users within the portal or extracted into standard Web Map Context files with pointers to the original Member State's services.

The geoportal's architecture is modular and ready to be extended by additional functionality, like download services and other INSPIRE network services access. It is based on a Content Management System, which allows also for the easy integration of standard, non-geospatial portal functions and informational pages.

Under the hood: MS Discovery & View Services' integration

To ensure quick responses to the users' data searches, the Web Portal is connected to a 'proxy' component.

Initially one Discovery Service endpoint per Member State is registered. A crawler harvests metadata from these Discovery Services and stores them in a cache. From these metadata sets, INSPIRE relevant View Service endpoints and layers are derived and registered.

Map tiles for small scale views are stored in a tile cache, while map requests for larger scales are forwarded to the offering View Service from the respective Member State. The caches are initially filled and regularly updated.

Open source commitment

The project makes high usage of open source products. The proxy services are based on deegree and jackrabbit and new code will be contributed to deegree. The portal itself is based on the CMS plone and the newly developed portal components "Interactive Discovery" and "GeoNavigation" will be made available under the EUPL license.

13

Project status

The project is currently closing the requirements assessment phase and UI mock-ups and is about to enter the first development iteration. A first prototype is expected to be available for test by selected end-users in mid-November. There will follow two additional development iterations of three months each and in between a second requirements assessment.

Literature

INSPIRE website: http://inspire.jrc.ec.europa.eu/

14

1.4 INSPIRE: A Step Forward to Open Government Data

Dr. Martin Fornefeld MICUS Management Consulting GmbH Managing Director [email protected] www.micus.de

Henning Fischer Attorney Rödl & Partner GbR henning.fischer @roedl.com www.roedl.de

If companies want to purchase public data and use it commercially, they need to overcome high barriers. Even the questions like which spatial data can be obtained from which authorities, or whether they are available for reuse take too much time. The multitude of public data producers entails a large number of different terms of use and licensing rights, which in turn requires several emails and telephone calls to conclude a contract closure. Thus, the acquisition of a single data set or service sometimes takes up to five working days in practice. In addition, there are licensing costs and if needed processing of geo-information. Therefore, in most cases, a cost-effective use of these data is not possible.

With the transposition of INSPIRE into national law, the situation for companies will improve fundamentally. It is expected, that central Geoportals will facilitate the delivery of spatial data considerably, and on the other hand that the supply of re-usable data will increase dramatically.

If based on the laws on access to spatial data (Geodatenzugangsgesetz) uniform web-enabled charging and licensing models for the delivery of spatial data are created successfully companies and public authorities can benefit. For companies, access will be eased and the supply will be extended, transaction costs will be reduced, so that the spatial data market receives new impetus. Authorities can expect a reduction of administrative costs on the one hand and increasing demand and steady income on the other hand.

A new important impact to INSPIRE comes up with the discussion of Open Government Data (OGD), in the meaning of free access to and reuse of public data. This discussion is driven by society and not just by experts like the SDI-debate. So understand INSPIRE as the first step to develop an OGD-society with Linked Open Data (LOD). Crowd-Sourcing and Mash-ups are the upcoming challenges. With each step the level of formal agreement and commitment will decline. What we learn is:

• Economy and public authorities should start to prepare for the upcoming changes to benefit from the opportunities (opened up by INSPIRE). For municipalities this means, they will have to provide services, downloads and online viewers for the data sets concerned.

• Important for companies: Exploring the opportunities when the principle: "Public provision instead of application” applies in the future: It is no longer at the discretion of the authorities, "whether" data are released. This opens up new business models for companies and authorities.

Companies, citizens and the administrative agencies can find all information and legal principles concerning access to, and re-use of geo-information at www.geobusinesslaw.org. On the basis of digital maps answers to the following questions are given there: How are EU directives implemented in the various EU countries?

• Who are the contacts for data sources?

• Where can data sources for different business models be found?

In addition, the GeoBusinessLaw-Check on this website provides an immediate overview of the legal terms and conditions. Queries concerning the title to provision and re-use of spatial information can be made and users can check the legal remedy options based on the legal basis for claims.

15

1.5 INSPIRE Download and View Services

Jens Fitzke lat/lon GmbH [email protected] http://www.lat-lon.de

Short positioning: INSPIRE Network Services

By now, more precise: May 2011 INSPIRE has entered the functional stage. Discovery and View Services need to be made available by the 27 Member States, first in the form of an "initial operating capability", by November 2011 also under adherence of the quality criteria that are set in the Commission Regulation for Network Services. So the INSPIRE-affected institutions will face major challenges – because: the requirements are complex, spread over a full range of documents and are not always clear, as latest discussions on the interpretation of quality criteria prove. Furthermore there is a difference between legally binding documents (directive plus implementing rules) and those, which are used as recommendations (technical guidelines). In the latter the distinction in requirements and recommendations is added, which does not change the not legally binding character of the respective document as a whole.

Software for INSPIRE

As with any spatial data infrastructure, which is generally understood as a bunch of legal regulations, organizational measures, subject-specific models and technical specifications, the software provides the components for the operational part of the SDI – so does INSPIRE as well. Software for implementing the INSPIRE requirements has to fulfil the above mentioned complexity. The challenge consists in the realization of the extensive technical details on the one hand and the development of software packages that are manageable and can be integrated in existing environments. Whereas the conformity criterion (in terms of the technical specifications) is absolute, it is a question of weighing flexibility and simplicity when it comes to manageability and integration: a combination of absolutely flexible and absolutely simple is not possible. In an Open-Source project like deegree this weighing takes place in the dialog between users – in the case of Geo-Web-Services between administrators and GIS experts – and developers, namely against the background of concrete specific tasks and projects. Free software naturally comes into being by practice for practice.

The INSPIRE implementation using the example of deegree

The deegree project has a long tradition in implementing Geo-IT standards and plays to that regard a pioneering role in the area of free software, beginning with the realization of Simple Features in Java (1999), from the first WMS implementation as an Open-Source software package (2001), up to today's deegree version 3 which already offers a wide INSPIRE support. This is particularly true for the Discovery Service as OGC CSW, the View Service as OGC WMS, but also for the data model by which the present data specifications of the Annex I – administrative units, addresses or protected sites for instance – can be completely depicted. The support of the WFS version 2.0 is currently being included (Fall 2011) into deegree's Download Service.

The implementation concept provides that existing infrastructure components of the affected institutions continue to be used and be extended by an INSPIRE specific feature of the data access module (FeatureStore). This helps to generate the defined data formats by INSPIRE from existing data bases or to integrate these across a loading mechanism. These data formats are based on complex GML application schemas which are supported by the Download Service or the visualization via a View Service instance. What makes it special: both types of service make use of the same data access configuration within the

16

persistence layer. There are several alternatives available for the actual data storage. Next to the trivial case of direct access to an INSPIRE-compliant GML file, INSPIRE files can be stored in SQL Server, Oracle and PostgreSQL/PostGIS:

Figure 1: INSPIRE implementation using the example of deegree

It is necessary to distinguish again between three operation modes: in the so-called BLOB mode GML objects are saved in binary form and merely a few needed properties are stored in separate table columns for the efficient data access (identifier and bounding rectangle). Less efficient but therefore flexible is the complete relational decomposition within the data base. With this mode, directly available data models may be integrated for instance. A middle course of both strategies is the hybrid mode in which the relational decomposition is combined with the binary storage. It depends on a variety of factors which way is chosen for the implementation and which can be detected individually.

The practical suitability of these concepts can already be evidenced in a range of implementation projects. A recent pilot study of the Dutch IPO (umbrella organization of the provinces in the Netherlands) has shown on the basis of protected sites data that deegree can be used abundantly for the realization of View Services.

Figure 2: Information on protected sites of the Netherlands within the View Service

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The software package distinguished itself especially in terms of performance, scalability and minimized consumption of resources. This was tested with the help of national data sets referring to soil properties, natural entities classification, monuments, landscape units and other information on protected sites. Furthermore IPO runs an INSPIRE-compliant Discovery Service instance on the basis of deegree since 2010.

Outlook

Within the projects on realizing an operational INSPIRE node (IPO, Netherlands) and an INSPIRE GeoPortal (JRC) the WFS 2.0 support within the Download Service of deegree and the support for the WMTS service based on raster data tiles is currently under development.

Literature

Schneider, M. and J. Fitzke (2011): Professionelle Implementierung der INSPIRE Data Themes mit Open Source-Technologien. In: Geoinformationssysteme. Beiträge zum 16. Münchner Fortbildungsseminar. Ed. By M, Schilcher (TU München). Heidelberg. p. 134-144

deegree webpage: http://deegree.org/

deegree-Wiki: http://wiki.deegree.org/

This article has been translated into English by Inga-Mareike Nießen.

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1.6 Data Harmonization Principles and Development Approaches as Applied to INSPIRE SDIs

Dean Hintz Safe Software Senior Analyst Professional Services [email protected] www.safe.com

The core driver for INSPIRE is the need for spatial data harmonization to better support decision making in areas such as environment and resource management, sustainable development and disaster response. Integration across the diversity of themes needed implies challenges that require careful planning to mitigate. Fortunately INSPIRE provides a framework to guide this process10. Below are some insights into the harmonization principles and best practices that are worth considering as part of the INSPIRE implementation process.

How do SDI data harmonization principles apply to the INSPIRE context?

Key to harmonization for INSPIRE is the use of a common data model in the context of open standards in a service oriented environment. This implies the need for tools that support schema mapping from internal to INSPIRE data models. It also implies support for open standards and web services to allow systems to readily interact with minimal reconfiguration. Systems which load data into INSPIRE structures need to preserve metadata, semantics and rich geometric structures and ensure overall quality and compliance with INSPIRE standards. Solutions need to be model driven and scalable to support the level of maintainability and performance production environments require.

Typically five stages are involved in harmonization processes: evaluation, assembly, transformation, validation and publication. These steps are also sometimes referred to as Spatial ETL – Extract Transform and Load. First, it is essential to fully evaluate the existing spatial information context. Source, target schemas and actual data should be closely examined before design begins.

Data assembly involves extraction of data from required sources, often with some combination of queries and translation. Format translation is a first step which needs to take into account the diversity of possible data sources implied in the wide range of INSPIRE themes. These may include a combination of CAD, GIS, vector, raster, database, text, XML, web, non-spatial, 3D source data. Given the rich INSPIRE data models, often data required for a specific INSPIRE theme comes from multiple sources, requiring many joins, whether relational or spatial. Lithuania Geographic Information Infrastructure (LGII)1 is Lithuania’s SDI built by a consortium led by HNIT-Baltic and assisted by con terra. It harmonizes data between government agencies, business, education, research institutions and NGOs, using 38 spatial ETL schema transformation models along with other con terra and ESRI tools. This supports automated data conversion from a wide variety of CAD and GIS formats, coordinate system reprojection and schema mapping to a common data model based on INSPIRE 1.

Core to the harmonization workflow is the transformation process which reshapes source schema and geometry to match the required destination structure. Disparate data sources imply different data models which must be mapped to a common destination model. One of the most labor intensive processes to configure is schema mapping, which includes processes such as feature type, attribute, and code list mapping, new attribute creation, and conditional value mappings. In addition, often some type of geometry transformation is required, whether coordinate systems reprojection (ED50 to ETRF89), or type conversion (CAD lines to GIS polygons; non-spatial text coordinates to point geometry), generalization or interpolation. Datasiel built a system to support Nature SDIplus harmonization for Regione Liguria2, Italy. Their transformation model extracts data from an Oracle database, performs the required joins, and then uses

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schema mapping models to transform the data structure to the INSPIRE Protected Sites schema. The system generates INSPIRE compliant GML for publication via WFS 2.

Once data is assembled and transformed, a validation process is essential to ensure quality. Typically involved is validation against standards such as the INSPIRE schemas, and also general validation processes to ensure data integrity, which may help detect upstream problems in the extraction and transformation process. Validation often includes checks for unique ids, geometric integrity, null values, domain codes, realistic data ranges, data gaps, tolerances, and bounds. A project by State Office for Nature Environment and Consumer Protection North Rhine-Westfalia and con terra provides a good example 3. This operational system includes a validation process which ensures the data uploaded meets specific data model and quality requirements. The system then uses the con terra INSPIRE Solution Pack for FME deployed on FMEServer to transform and load into an INSPIRE compliant staging geodatabase. This spatial database then serves as the foundation for INSPIRE services by ArcServer.

After data is transformed and loaded into the common INSPIRE data model, the task of publishing services is the main challenge. Central to the spirit of INSPIRE is accessibility – how will the users get at and interact with the data. While OGC services are mandated, augmenting these with support for more ubiquitous clients and de facto industry standards and API’s is advisable. A good example of integration between a vendor system, open standards and open source software is a system developed by Spatialworld for the National Land Survey of Finland4 (NLSF). NLSF preferred an open source solution where possible, so the geoportal was augmented with deegree’s WPS (Web Processing Service) in order to provide transformation services. The Open Layers client is configured to generate WPS requests. These are received by the deegree WPS and passed via API to FME Server. Based on the request type FME Server then runs the appropriate transformation model and provides the resulting GML or raster data stream back to the deegree WPS for streaming back to the client 4.

Finally, production systems require some assurance of performance, security and access control. There is usually the need for role based security as different groups require different levels of access. Level of service requirements need to be met. Service process should be readily scalable, easily replicated as new instances, and if possible deployable via cloud to maximize flexibility.

What are some key implementation risks, and what best practices can help mitigate them?

First, from a management perspective, it is essential to identify early on the resources required. For INSPIRE projects, IT, GIS, domain and INSPIRE experts are all needed. Domain experts are often not IT experts. One solution is to break down the harmonization problem and let data experts use the tools they are familiar with to describe their data (e.g. excel tables for schema mapping) rather than forcing them to learn new modeling languages or interfaces.

This approach helped manage the complexity of an ongoing project Metria is building for the Swedish EPA5. Metria developed spatial ETL tools (using FME) to extract and join the required datasets together before transforming them into the INSPIRE Protected Sites data model in a staging database. Data from Europe’s Natura 2000, regional Helsinki Commission, and the national EPA database (NVR) is mapped to the common INSPIRE schema using attribute and code list mapping tables stored in spreadsheets external to the ETL models. Domain experts can modify schema mappings without having to understand the rest of the transformation model. The staging database then serves as the basis for INSPIRE Protected Sites OGC services as part of the Swedish national SDI 5.

Overdesign is a potential hazard given the complexity of INSPIRE. Large projects can start off with a bang then get bogged down, run out of resources, or lose sponsorship. The answer is to start simple, start small, and with what is readily available. Staged, iterative design and development limits risk and involves starting with a small proof of concept and working through to prototype, before going to production 11 12 14. Solicit input from key stakeholder groups and make sure they receive value added results early 13.

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Figure 1: Partial schema mapping table from Swedish NVR to INSPIRE Protected Sites

Figure 2: Data harmonization model showing schema mapping from Swedish NVR to INSPIRE Protected Sites

Another way to minimize risk is to test with real data in real environments and with real user feedback early and often. Too many systems are designed in a vacuum in the abstract and look great until exposed to the harsh demands of an operational environment. Also, data, standards, requirements, and environments all can change. Successful systems are designed to be adaptive 13 14. For example, migration methods should support updates as well as loads. It’s also advisable to develop modular systems that communicate via standardized APIs and keep schema mapping separate from code. Document workflows very well so that you don’t end up with a system you can’t modify because a key architect is no longer available. Automate wherever possible to minimize manual effort.

How does INSPIRE’s approach to SDI compare with other NSDIs around the world?

Like INSPIRE, many SDIs tend to include extensive use of standards such as ISO and OGC, and have had an early emphasis on metadata, discovery, catalog services. In contrast to INSPIRE, many world regions outside of Europe are focusing their efforts more on national and state level SDIs 6. Canada has the CGDI (Canadian Geospatial Data Infrastructure)7 also called GeoConnections8 and the US has the NSDI developed by the FGDC. In these SDIs data models are not as strictly prescribed as in INSPIRE. The focus is more on enabling data sharing by setting up standards for metadata and developing catalog services. The US system allows for downloading of actual datasets through sites like data.gov. Authoring agencies of

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Canadian datasets are often at the provincial level. Access to the actual source data usually involves linkages from the CGDI catalog service to the provincial data management agency. However, these systems are not as prescriptive as INSPIRE. INSPIRE defines the precise data structure including every table and field required. The north American SDIs tend to provide an infrastructure for discovery of what is there, and leave it to the individual authoring agencies to define standards for their data (USGS defines standards for base mapping etc).

For many INSPIRE is seen as taking a pioneering role in the establishment of a rather ambitious transnational SDI which defines common data model and content standards across all member states, even to the level of the precise application schemas. This has both advantages and risks. The advantages are implicit: once data is compliant it is easily shared. The risks are related to the level of investment required up front to transform the data into a compliant state before the benefits are seen. While some may be skeptical about how much investment this will take, many are watching closely to see what lessons will be learned through the INSPIRE development process, to build on INSPIRE successes and perhaps avoid some of the potential pitfalls. At a recent GIS conference in the UAE there was significant interest in INSPIRE. ADSIC (Abu Dhabi Systems and Information Centre) is in the midst of developing the AD SDI (Abu Dhabi SDI) which is a comprehensive spatial data sharing initiative aimed at linking 49 different government agencies, albeit over an area limited to the UAE 9.

What’s Next for INSPIRE?

As INSPIRE efforts at the national agency level mature there will emerge more demand for lower level agency adoption by regions, cities and utilities. This will necessitate greater integration with existing vendor systems. While national agencies may be able to afford complete INSPIRE centric systems, local agencies and businesses need to work within their existing architecture and make minimal investments to integrate with SDIs. Thus systems capable of integration between open standards, de facto standards, proprietary systems and open source software will be needed.

Implementation demands will inevitably encourage the convergence of approaches and refinement of INSPIRE guidelines. Performance will be a problem in some cases such as on-the-fly translation or downloads for large datasets. To date most testing has taken place using discovery and view services and small downloads with few clients. To meet volume demands production level systems will require publication methods such as staging databases and caching. Common practices will emerge that demonstrate efficient approaches to implementing INSPIRE standards and services in the context of production systems.

Key to demonstrating the value of INSPIRE is making its data more widely accessible. So far, many efforts have focused on how to make data compliant for collection by central EU authorities. Not enough focus has yet been placed on distribution of INSPIRE data for daily applications. Vendors will need to improve the ability of their systems to consume INSPIRE data and services directly. Data distribution services should provide data via both OGC services and common CAD and GIS file formats, common browser accessible streams such as PDF, PNG or KML, or national data models such as AAA NAS GML. Rich INSPIRE data content should be preserved as much as possible, which implies a reverse schema transformation process from INSPIRE to local or domain specific schemas.

Thus, these data harmonization approaches of evaluation, assembly, schema transformation, validation and publication provide a path for confronting the daunting challenges INSPIRE implies. Careful consideration of SDI best practices can help mitigate implementation risks. Tools are needed that bridge gaps between the complexities of INSPIRE standards and the daily requirements of end users working with legacy systems. Only then will the vision of community wide spatial data sharing for better decision support based on the common INSPIRE model be realized.

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References 1 Lithuania Geographic Information Infrastructure: Wagner, Mary Jo. “From Silos to Open Data Fields:

Lithuania’s INSPIRED SDI”, GeoInformatics, Vol 12, June 2009. http://www.geoportal.lt/download/gii_mokymai/GII_08_mokomoji_medziaga/En/Paskaitu_konspektai/GII-08_training_material.pdf

2 Nature SDI plus in Regione Liguria, Italy: http://www.sysgroup.it/sysgroup/files/u1/datasiel.pdf http://www.nature-sdi.eu/newsletters/NATURE-SDIplus_Newsletter_1_April_2009.pdf

3 State Office for Nature, Environment and Consumer Protection, North Rhine-Westfalia: http://geoportal.nrw.de http://www.conterra.de/de/service/download/cs/Finals/case_study_data_harmonization_EN.pdf

4 National Land Survey of Finland: http://www.maanmittauslaitos.fi/en http://www.spatialworld.fi/public/fme/en/inspire.shtml

5 Swedish EPA: GIM International, “INSPIRE Prototype”, Geomares Publishing, Netherlands, June 2010. http://www.gim-international.com/news/id4719-INSPIRE_Prototype.html www.geodata.se/en

6 Global Spatial Data Infrastructure: http://www.gsdi.org/SDILinks 7 Federal Geographic Data Committee: http://www.fgdc.gov/ 8 Geoconnections Canada http://geodiscover.cgdi.ca/ 9 Abu Dhabi Spatial Data Infrastructure (AD-SDI): http://sdi.abudhabi.ae/Sites/SDI/Navigation/EN/root.html 10 EU INSPIRE: http://inspire.jrc.ec.europa.eu/index.cfm/pageid/48 11 “Project Lifecycle Models: How They Differ and When to Use Them“, http://www.business-

esolutions.com/islm.htm 12 “Project Management”: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_management 13 “Software Prototyping”: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_prototyping 14 Kenneth E. Foote and Shannon L. Crum, The Geographer's Craft Project, Department of Geography, The

University of Colorado at Boulder, „Project Planning Life Cycle“: http://www.colorado.edu/geography/gcraft/notes/lifecycle/lifecycl_f.html

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1.7 Shibboleth Access Management Federations as an Organisational Model for SDIs

Chris Higgins EDINA Workgroup Leader [email protected] http://edina.ac.uk/

Michael Koutroumpas EDINA Software Consultant [email protected] http://edina.ac.uk/

Security is an important topic in the development of SDIs that is often neglected or misunderstood and which often ends up presenting an insurmountable barrier preventing SDI initiatives from meeting their initial ambition. In recognition that an approach to authentication acceptable to the open geospatial standards community is both important and missing, the EDINA1 National Data Centre in the UK participated in two major initiatives to investigate, develop and test a generic open-standards based solution for securing SDIs across Europe.

Through the European Spatial Data Infrastructure Network (ESDIN) project and an EDINA led OGC Web Service (OWS) Shibboleth Interoperability Experiment (IE), it has been established that Shibboleth provides a production strength, standards based, open source, interoperable solution to the problem of how to implement access control around the OGC Web Services central to SDIs. Shibboleth is an open source implementation of the OASIS standard Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML). An attractive property of SAML is the ability to facilitate the Single Sign-On on a large scale by establishing Access Management Federations (AMFs, alternatively called identity management federations). In this instance, federation is taken to mean a group of organisations with common business goals which has established a circle of trust and formal understanding with associated procedures so that these cross-domain business interactions can take place. With this approach organisations can delegate a large part of their security administration to a common trustee, thus allowing the federation to grow to a large number of users.

Federations are an obvious organisational model underlying SDIs: a large number of organisations working together to achieve a set of shared goals and objectives. SAML based access management federations represent one of the few models for production systems currently in operation at the kind of scale required while satisfying the need of being able to authenticate users. Shibboleth based AMFs are used daily around the globe by millions of users in order to securely exchange the identity information necessary to make authorisation decisions concerning protected web resources. Through the EDINA led OGC Shibboleth IE it has been demonstrated using a prototype federation of INSPIRE compliant services established under ESDIN that this can be done without modifications to either mainstream Shibboleth or the current OGC's Interoperability Initiatives (OWS phase 7). In the course of this IE, many different organisations have provisionally added SAML support on their products to test interoperability including Snowflake, Cadcorp, Envitia, con terra and the EU’s Joint Research Centre.

AMFs are typically comprised of a number of entities, e.g. organisations working together to achieve a set of shared objectives while each member retains control over its own internal affairs. There are three main categories of entities: identity management is devolved to individual member organisations who act as Identity Providers. Service Providers are established by organisations wanting to make protected resources available, and finally, there is a small coordinating centre (see figure 1).

In the course of the ESDIN and the OGC Shibboleth IE, EDINA representing the academic sector interests and working towards improving access for the European academic sector to harmonised geospatial content from the European National Mapping and Cadastral Agencies (NMCAs) developed and demonstrated two clients: one desktop (based on OpenJump) implementing the SAML Enhanced Client or Proxy (ECP) Profile

1 EDINA National Data Centre: http://edina.ac.uk

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and one browser based (based on OpenLayers) implementing the SAML Web Browser SSO Profile. Both are released as open source software2.

Figure 1: A Possible Evolution for the ESDIN Federation (Higgins, 2011)

Literature

Higgins, C. (2011). “Operational view/download services and access control conforming to INSPIRE implementation rules into the academic sector geospatial testbed(s)”, ECP-2007-GEO-317008, ESDIN

2 http://esdin.fgi.fi/wiki/index.php/Esdin:AuthIE:Client

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SOLUTIONS• Applications, Server, Infrastructures• individual, integrated, process-oriented

TRAINING• Basics, Technology, Products• systematic, qualified, practical

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2. INSPIRE in Germany

2.1 GDI-DE and INSPIRE

Dr. Markus Seifert Bavarian Agency for Surveying and Geographic Information Head of the Secretariat for SDI in Bavaria Contact for GDI-DE and INSPIRE [email protected] www.gdi.bayern.de

Where do you see the greatest challenges for the implementation of INSPIRE in Germany. What would be your view on specific suggestions for improvement?

INSPIRE should not be seen as fulfilling a mere legal obligation, but as an opportunity to build a sustainable infrastructure for spatial information which is beneficial to as many people as possible in the end. In my opinion, the biggest challenges on the technical level are the implementation of very complex specifications, particularly the data modelling. Organisationally, there are some challenges to bring INSPIRE into practical operation. Accordingly, the infrastructure will eventually be used as naturally as any other infrastructure.

A complex project like INSPIRE requires perseverance. It may not be operational at once. Therefore you should proceed step by step and align the supply of data with the actual demand. Currently, there is great uncertainty in the interpretation of the guidelines, especially regarding the question which items have to be provided imperatively and which don’t. Therefore, close coordination is needed among all stakeholders during the implementation, to reach the aim of interoperable datasets throughout the EU. For this purpose, so-called thematic networks ("Fachnetzwerke") were established in Germany, striving for a nationwide, consistent implementation through cooperation of different stakeholders. These thematic networks have to “live”, because networking should not only take place on the technical but also on the organisational level.

How important do you think is the AFIS-ALKIS-ATKIS model for the implementation of INSPIRE in Germany?

The German Mapping Agencies’ spatial data covers a large part of the INSPIRE data themes. The INSPIRE Data Specifications are based on the same technological principles as the AAA data model. Through active participation in several Thematic Working Groups (TWG), it was guaranteed that the requirements regarding the content can be met. Nevertheless, it must now be determined in detail, how INSPIREcompliant data can be derived from existing datasets, which is a very demanding task. A syntactic and semantic mapping of data elements is necessary, which requires extensive knowledge in both models.

The AAA data model is an integral part for the implementation of INSPIRE in Germany. There is also an offer by the AdV (Working Committee of the Surveying Authorities of the States of the Federal Republic of Germany) to use the AAA data model for spatial data from other departments. For this purpose, the AdV provides relevant guidance documents and tools.

What is the contribution of the SDI Germany (“GDI-DE”) for the implementation of INSPIRE for practical applications (Data providers)?

The GDI-DE has evolved into an efficient and competent network comprising the private sector, academia and public authorities. The INSPIRE specifications are a central part of the architectural concept of the GDI-DE, which is implemented by the data providers. GDI-DE has always (even before INSPIRE) implemented pilot projects, in which specifications are tested in practice (e.g. “Modellprojekt Schutzgebiete” for protected areas). On the one hand, the projects’ results are fed back into the development of implementing rules and

26

technical guidance documents, on the other hand the advantages of a spatial data infrastructure becomes visible by means of practical applications. Moreover, SDI Bavaria (“GDI-BY”) follows a similar approach.

In addition to the conceptual coordination, GDI-DE will provide operational support to data providers by means of the central components geoportal (“Geoportal-DE”), spatial data catalogue (“Geodatenkatalog-DE”), registry (“Registry-DE”), and a test suite (“GDI-Testsuite”). An appropriate concept of operations is currently being developed.

How do you assess the state of involvement of the municipalities?

In the municipal sector, politicians and technical decision makers currently have only rudimentary knowledge of "INSPIRE / GDI" and rarely associate these topics with the general developments in e-government. Consequently, the benefits of spatial information and spatial services are still not sufficiently recognized as a component of the technology-aided modernisation of public administration.

Therefore, a municipal coordination committee (“Kommunales Koordinierungsgremium”, KoKo GDI-DE) was established during the INTERGEO 2010 in order to foster coordination of municipal issues and representation of municipal interests in the process of building the GDI-DE. This committee, which comprises municipal practitioners and representatives of municipal umbrella organisations, intends to ensure a coordinated municipal appearance at the GDI-DE steering committee (“Lenkungsgremium GDI-DE”) and to develop requirements for the federal and state governments. Targeted information processing is to motivate local communities even more to participate actively in the SDI initiatives in order to benefit in the end.

From your perspective: How is the cooperation between actors among authorities and data, system and solution providers working?

In my view, the interaction is great. From the start, German vendors have been contributing to the preparation of the INSPIRE implementing rules and technical guidelines, so that technically feasible targets are defined. For instance, through the contacts of the AdV as data provider to the GIS vendors, as part of the AAA project for years, this cooperation is very successful.

What can the Runder Tisch GIS e.V. (RT-GIS) network contribute to INSPIRE? How synergies between GDI-DE and RT-GIS be exploited?

I see two main aspects. First, the RT-GIS – being in close contact to many well-known GIS vendors - can test technical specifications in terms of the required interoperability as is done with the INSPIRE/ GMES –testbed. Even scientifically, new technologies can be developed and tested for practicality (e.g. the mdWFS project). Second, due to good contacts to local authorities, the RT-GIS also can contribute to give local authorities an understanding of the advantages of an infrastructure for spatial information.

In my view there is already a major intersection of players in the GDI-DE and the RT-GIS for research projects and the implementation of technical standards, and the exchange is intense. In future, this coordination should continue.

The implementation of INSPIRE is considered technically challenging and requires expertise. How do you estimate the need for training or know-how development in practice?

If INSPIRE is to be successful, then the skills shouldn’t only rest on the shoulders of a few experts. The training needs for imparting this complex and technically demanding subject is unquestionably enormous. The implementation of technical specifications and the creation of awareness of the added value of an SDI in practice are the key challenges. In both areas, the RT-GIS has already been providing customized training for years. I would like to see these things being integrated into the teaching at universities.

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2.2 INSPIRE Implementation in Bavaria

Dr. Klement Aringer Bavarian Agency for Surveying and Geographic Information Director General [email protected] http://geodaten.bayern.de

Bavaria has been building its spatial data infrastructure since 2003. The Free State takes INSPIRE very seriously and has been the first German state to transpose the EU Directive by means of the Bavarian spatial data infrastructure act (“Bayerisches Geodateninfrastrukturgesetz”, BayGDIG). Prior to this, Bavaria was instrumental in the INSPIRE process in Germany. Here, results and guidelines of Bavarian SDI activities from previous years were incorporated to some extent. The legal framework for the provision of data and services by the data providers concerned has been created. In Bavaria, strong emphasis is put on not only reacting while implementing existing requirements, but rather to already contribute proactively to the process of defining the implementing rules. INSPIRE offers various means of active participation in the shaping of specifications at the EU level, e.g. by participating in Thematic Working Groups. The data specifications’ requirements are tested with a view to feasibility. Bavarian administrations are involved in this process.

From a practical point of view, the legal framework now has to be filled step by step. From the very beginning, a pragmatic approach was taken in building the SDI Bavaria (“GDI-BY”). Numerous projects focussing on user- and need-oriented provision of public data were successfully executed since 2003. The principle of voluntary action is of central importance in this regard. Experience gained from the project partnerships with other administrations and the municipal umbrella organisations is also valuable for the INSPIRE implementation. Examples are:

• Comprehensive provision of urban land-use plans on the internet

Legally binding, geo-referenced municipal land-use plans are provided via a web application as well as a standardised spatial data service for the private sector, citizens and administrations. The current state of implementation is available at www.bauleitplanung.bayern.de.

• Energy Atlas Bavaria

The Energy Atlas Bavaria is an information platform based on spatial data services. It supports the goal of the Bavarian State Government to raise the share of renewable energies in final energy consumption to 20% by 2020. The Energy Atlas Bavaria provides – amongst other things – digital maps, information on funding opportunities, plant locations and contacts on the following topics: solar, wind and geothermal energy, biomass, waste heat potentials, infrastructure data, etc.

In addition to the spatial data, metadata and services components, building a spatial data infrastructure requires suitable structures for coordination and communication. At ministerial level, a coordination committee was established, managed by the Ministry of Finance (Bavarian Administration for Surveying), which also includes representatives of the municipal umbrella organisations and the private sector. The respective administrations holding the data are responsible for the provision of spatial data and services. The extensive requirements of INSPIRE call for detailed knowledge in various fields. Therefore, the Secretariat for SDI in Bavaria at the Bavarian Agency for Surveying is tasked with the processing of information considered relevant to the implementation of INSPIRE for the individual data providers, and its dissemination in events and training courses. The Secretariat acts as contact point for data providers and offers support e.g. in developing and providing INSPIRE compliant services.

Meanwhile, INSPIRE has also become a topic for other departments, and internal structures for the coordination of the manifold requirements are formed. The Bavarian Administration for Surveying also acts as a coordinator at the operational level. In projects and working groups, it prepares guidelines (e.g. for metadata capture or WMS), which can be used by other administrations as well.

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According to the BayGDIG, municipalities are only subject to this act, if there is a legal requirement for collecting and distributing their spatial data in electronic format, and if the collection and distribution is not restricted by data protection or copyright provisions. With a view to the German principle of connectivity, INSPIRE can’t just simply be imposed on the Bavarian municipalities, because the general conditions and requirements are partly different at the municipal level. Nevertheless, the municipalities benefit from an SDI’s opportunities (e.g. urban land use plans on the internet). There is a strong demand for information and support. Henceforward, the SDI representatives at the Bavarian Cadastral Offices will make a significant contribution in order to make SDI knowledge and support with building municipal SDIs in Bavaria available throughout the state. The municipal umbrella organisations support the exchange of practical experience as well.

The recommendations for building the SDI Bavaria incorporate the INSPIRE implementing rules, relevant standards, as well as the provisions of the SDI Germany’s architectural concept. This ensures that the SDI Bavaria can be integrated seamlessly with the overarching structures. Whenever possible, existing components are integrated into the technical architecture.

One of the central components is the environmental object catalogue (“Umweltobjektkatalog”) of the Bavarian State Ministry of the Environment and Public Health. This catalogue serves as an editor for capturing INSPIRE compliant metadata and provides for the link to the spatial data catalogue of the SDI Germany (“Geodatenkatalog-DE”).

In addition, the Geoportal Bavaria (“Geoportal Bayern”) was created as a central access point for spatial data, spatial data services and spatial applications of Bavarian administrations.

INSPIRE makes great demands on the provision of spatial data. Nevertheless, one should not lose sight of the pragmatic and user-oriented approach when implementing INSPIRE. The Bavarian Administration for Surveying has always been characterized by taking this approach and will continue to do so as central coordinator within the public authorities for the INSPIRE implementation in Bavaria.

Additional information is available at:

http://www.gdi.bayern.de

http://geoportal.bayern.de

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2.3 INSPIRE in Baden-Wuerttemberg

Dieter Heß Ministerium für ländlichen Raum und Verbraucherschutz Baden-Württemberg Referat Geoinformationsdienste [email protected] www.mlr.baden-wuerttemberg.de

The overall task of the Spatial Data Infrastructure (Geodateninfrastruktur) in Baden-Württemberg (GDI-BW) is to make spatial data accessible across borders for an interdisciplinary use in politics, administration, economy, science and the public, using up-to-date information technology.

The state administration as well as local authorities, the domestic industry and science in Baden-Württemberg pursue the common goal of developing the GDI-BW. Being the geo-element of the E-Government-Strategy of Baden-Württemberg, the GDI-BW is an integral part of the Spatial Data Infrastructure in Germany (GDI-DE), while at the same time a harmonised state wide framework for data infrastructures related to specific fields and the

local authorities is being implemented. In this process, the development of a spatial data infrastructure for Europe (INSPIRE) plays a fundamental role.

The overall GDI-BW concept decided on by the monitoring committee of the GDI-BW is not restricted to INSPIRE alone. The GDI-BW provides additional measures to round off the compulsory INSPIRE Directive which was transposed into state law by the “Landesgeodatenzugangsgesetz” (law regulating the access to spatial data) on 17 December 2009.

Besides different projects on the development of central GDI components, one measure deals with defining the spatial data base Baden-Wuerttemberg. In this data base all spatial data with potential for being used in an interdisciplinary and interdepartmental way and which are of particular importance for the state are combined with the spatial data relevant to INSPIRE or belonging to the national spatial data base GDI-DE (key data). These data will then be provided within the framework of GDI-BW by the individual authorities.

For that purpose, beyond INSPIRE

• the spatial data themes of the data base will be determined,

• structured into thematic trees and

• described by thematic sheets.

This thematic description serves the monitoring committee for controling if the spatial data base is established in a well-regulated way. Moreover, the thematic description shall support users and providers of spatial data; e.g. by transparently documenting which spatial data of the state are affected by INSPIRE, by providing additional expert information (beyond meta data) for external data users and by preparing the ground for an interdisciplinary specification and harmonisation of the spatial data.

For documenting the thematic description of the spatial data base, the State Agency for Spatial Information and Rural Development develops a Registry which is accessible via the Geo Portal Baden-Wuerttemberg (www.geoportal-bw.de). Together with the state specialist administrations providing spatial data and the local

30

authorities, the thematic description will be agreed upon in a working group of the GDI-BW and will be added to the Registry by decision of the monitoring committee.

With this strategy, administrative processes are to be designed more efficiently beyond INSPIRE, added values for industry and science are to be created and citizens are to be provided with geoinformation in a modern way. The INSPIRE guidelines act as a nucleus and are therefore no “annoying duty” from the perspective of the GDI-BW, but a “welcome chance” to accelerate the development of a Spatial Data Infrastructure in Baden-Wuerttemberg which is geared to the users’ needs.

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32

Mastering the challenges

First a new organisational structure needs to be established allowing for a new form of crosscutting cooperation. Following an only project based structure would - considering the temporal and the complexity aspects of the tasks - neither be reasonable nor sustainable. Thus modern structures need to be developed to best possibly link the GDI activities of the respective public authorities. The Technische Universität Dresden proposed a mediator concept as the meta-model for such collaboration. The body or institution constituted to act as the mediator shall cover all the GDI related activities, which cannot be handled by an individual public authority.

Thus, the main task of this moderator is to act highly flexible and to provide all tools and measurements, that allow an individual public authority to master the tasks being pertinent in supporting and operating the GDI Sachsen and to implement INSPIRE. The overall aim here is to present all the different INSPIRE realisations within the GDI Sachsen as a harmonised and complete construct, almost appearing as a monolith to the INSPIRE users inside and outside of Saxony. Thus the usage of the INSPIRE offerings in Saxony shall be heavily simplified.

In other words the mediation helps contemplating the GDI functionalities and capacities which are lacking in the GDI implementations of an individual authority. Technically this is achieved by providing a number of IT-components. For the usage of IT-components three categories can be differentiated:

• Components being centrally hosted and assuring central tasks in the GDI Sachsen (e.g. a central metadata catalogue)

• Components being locally hosted and assuring central tasks in the GDI Sachsen (e.g. an view service on protected sites being hosted by the Saxon State Office for the Environment and Geology)

• Components being centrally hosted and assuring local tasks in the GDI Sachsen (e.g. a specific Map Service for a municipality)

The GDI Sachsen architecture model and the operation model base on the mediator concept. The operation model expresses the technological and organisational view of the GDI Sachsen. It presents the various processes und the linkages between these processes. A number of so called operation concepts detail the operation model for specific tasks (e.g. a metadata operation concept). The operation concepts define

33

precisely the responsible parties, the concrete action plans, the required organisational interfaces, the required technical, financial, and personal resources for the concerned actors, and the detailed roadmaps. Naturally the operation model focuses on INSPIRE and therewith required services and data provisions. However, it is assumed that also all tasks which are being relevant in operating the GDI Sachsen can and will be reflected in these concepts. The operation model identifies four different roles in the GDI Sachsen: (1) GDI coordination centre, (2) GDI service centre, (3) local authorities providing spatial data sets (4) users. The Saxon Geodata Infrastructure Act formally attaches the first three roles to specific institutions.

The architecture model is the basis for the development of the central components of the GDI Sachsen and describes there linkages and interactions with the local components in the GDI Sachsen. Guided by the Saxon Ministry of the Interior the central components get currently being developed in the frame of the Saxon e-government activities as so called basic geodata components (GeoBAK 2.0). The related specifications have been developed by a consortium of the con terra GmbH, the AED-SICAD AG and the interactive instruments GmbH in close cooperation with representatives of the state and the local administrations, the Technische Universität Dresden, and the Dresden University of Applied Sciences.

Main goals of GeoBAK 2.0 are:

• Support of local authorities providing spatial data sets in implementing INSPIRE

• Improving the GDI Sachsen capabilities to more efficiently provide spatial information towards public administrations, industry and citizens; especially in the frame of e-government

• Avoiding unnecessary redundant local developments thus striving for cost effectiveness.

In 2012 GeoBAK 2.0 shall be provided to all state and local authorities as a central base component in the Saxon e-government. To guarantee the quality of the offered services in terms of performance and response time, as required by the INSPIRE directive, the components will be hosted and maintained by an external service provider.

References can be found under www.gdi.sachsen.de. As most are in German please do not hesitate to also contact the authors for further information.

34

2.5 Which Obligatory Roles will Administrative Districts Play in Higher-level SDI Structures in Future?

Dr. Ulrich Huber District Office Cham GIS Representative/Head of Department/Board Member of Runder Tisch GIS e.V. Member of KoKo GDI-DE and KoKo GDI-BY [email protected] www.landkreis-cham.de

Spatial data infrastructures both at state and federal level rely on the quality and versatility of currently available and future spatial information. Thus, these organizations depend unquestionably on the widely involved local authorities. The heterogeneous nature of local authorities makes it not easy for the persons in charge to integrate local information systems in a higher-level spatial data infrastructure. Moreover, the rather individual federal state legislations on spatial data Infrastructure from the recent past add to this. Intermunicipal GIS-cooperations combine local spatial data on the level of administrative districts and, therefore, are significant building blocks within national and international SDIs.

This results in the question of “What definite role will administrative districts play in a higher-level spatial data infrastructure in the future”? Trying to find a clear answer to this question is unfortunately still not very promising. A look at INSPIRE makes that clear. INSPIRE aims to enact provisions for the creation of the spatial data infrastructure in the European Union, in support of the common environmental policy and other political measures or actions affecting the environment. This requires Web-based online services for the retrieval, display, and download of spatial data. The implications for local authorities are still a bit vague. There is an uncertainty, to some degree, which INSPIRE guidelines will be applied by the local districts in which federal states and which will even be supported. Who is actually required to provide data? INSPIRE affects Germany as a whole. Thus, the federal government, its states, and its local authorities are required to provide INSPIRE compliant, i.e., interoperable data.

Even the administrative districts – with or without suitable federal state legislation – cannot ignore the specifications of INSPIRE. The “question of local involvement” is highly up-to-date in terms of the upcoming INSPIRE Data Specifications for Annexes II and III and is currently discussed intensively. It has to be kept in mind, however, that the federal government and its states run administrative departments, maintaining spatial data as part of their official duty. Examples are the state mapping agencies. On the other hand, this is not the case with most local authorities, especially among municipalities. Operating a GIS on a local level is, generally an involuntary-voluntary task to optimise one’s own administration. Consequently, homogenous, comprehensive and consistent spatial databases are not on the agenda of local authorities and are not to be expected in future according to the current legal situation.

For better coordinating local concerns and representing interests regarding the development of the GDI-DE, the chairs of the three local head organisations at federal level decided in spring 2010 to set up a common local coordination committee (Kommunales Koordinierungsgremium, KoKo GDI-DE). It consists of the responsible officers of the local head organisations and of local practitioners. Besides conventional SDI topics and a well-coordinated representation at the steering committee of the GDI-DE, the tasks of the committee include the promotion of an inter-municipal cooperation on the spatial sector. Furthermore, the coordination committee sees more need for action regarding the public relations on the local sector. Similar

35

initiatives make sense at the federal state level as well. E.g. the four local head organisations in Bavaria recently founded the counterpart “KoKo GDI-BY”.

Thus, there is still no “local spatial-gold-digger-spirit”. Instead, there are significant information deficits and open questions. In detail they could read as follows:

1. As a municipality, do I have to maintain a GIS?

a. Who obligates me to do so?

b. Who is going to pay the expenses of such a system?

c. Can I participate in GDIs without having a GIS?

2. Do I have to provide and maintain data compliant to INSPIRE?

a. If yes, what data?

b. Who obligates me to do so?

c. Who supports me, if necessary?

3. What value-creation / E-Government potentials can INSPIRE offer me?

a. …in a GIS for municipalities?

b. …without such a system?

In order to clarify these and other similar questions, as well as to represent municipal interests in respective bodies, more than ever municipal head organisations are responsible at both national and state level. With the formation of KoKo GDI-DE, a very promising first step has been made in this direction.

Basically it can be assumed that well-established municipal spatial data infrastructures will have it easier with INSPIRE’s offers and requirements, than those who live in their ivory tower. Also, the co-operation between spatial data infrastructures on both a municipal- and state-level is an essential factor of success. Ideally, those in charge on a state-level take on the decision-making for municipalities. Only clearly defined collaboration on a district and state-level can ensure a successful implementation of INSPIRE on a municipal level.

The “Round Table GIS e.V.” can aid its members on a municipal level in answering any open questions. Its long lasting project work relating to the INSPIRE-GMES test bed and this brochure offers an excellent foundation of know-how and experience. Its working group “Municipalities” mainly supports the chances and additional values of INSPIRE on the sector of information and public relations.

2.6 INSPI

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36

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Green light for a geointelligence network across Europe: ArcGIS for INSPIRE.

Europe becomes geointelligent. The European Commission has stipulated its requirements – and we have been listening carefully. The outcome is clear: with ArcGIS for INSPIRE, Esri is offering the perhaps most elegant and certainly the most comprehensive solution for INSPIRE, Europe’s new, uniform geodata infrastructure. The entire INSPIRE workfl ow, includ-ing analysis, documentation, and publication, can be operated using a carefully coordinated combination of tools, and, in true ArcGIS style, all services are virtually intuitive. What are you waiting for?

Esri Deutschland GmbH · Ringstraße 7 · 85402 Kranzberg · Phone +49 8166 677 [email protected] · esri.de

37

3. INSPIRE in Selected Countries

3.1 INSPIRE Implementation in Switzerland

Dr. sc. ETH Peter Staub swisstopo

The implementation of the INSPIRE directive is also of importance for Switzerland. Basically, Switzerland is only committed to meet the INSPIRE directive in specific topics, for example, through membership in the European Environment Agency (EEA) and bilateral agreements with Eurostat. Switzerland is therefore particularly involved in the implementation of INSPIRE concerning the environmental field. Through the enactment of the spatial information law on 1st July 2008 (“Geoinformationsgesetz”, GeoIG)1 and relevant implementing rules, Switzerland has a legal means to manage and develop projects to build the national spatial data infrastructure (NSDI).

Developments in the field of geoservices and data models—or in general: data harmonisation—should not ignore INSPIRE. There are several parts of INSPIRE to support the creation of the NSDI in Switzerland. Principally, NSDI developments must not be in direct contradiction to the INSPIRE directive. An INSPIRE national point of contact has been established in order to monitor the INSPIRE implementation process actively and to enable a targeted coordination of efforts in Switzerland.

This is of particular interest for two reasons: Firstly, the technical and organizational framework of the INSPIRE implementation is relevant also for the NSDI in Switzerland. Secondly, the subsequent integration of the Swiss NSDI into a future European SDI is enabled through appropriate interface standards. The Federal Office of Topography swisstopo („Bundesamt für Landestopografie swisstopo“) is participating in consultations as a legally mandated organisation. The steering body e-geo.ch for the establishment of the NSDI in Switzerland as well as the Swiss Organisation for Geographic Information (“Schweizerische Organisation für Geo-Information“) contribute to the process of INSPIRE implementation as Spatial Data Interest Communities. In addition, Switzerland was directly represented in the drafting team Data Specifications. Through the participation in INSPIRE, synergies arise for Switzerland, and the long-standing experience in the field of data modelling promotes according efforts in INSPIRE, respectively.

Through bilateral agreements with EuroStat and the European Environmental Agency, Switzerland commits itself to provide INSPIRE-compliant data in the relevant fields. However, it remains to be seen what the two European agencies will prescribe precisely.

1 Cf. Swiss Confederation 2007

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Moreover the National Coordination Board deals thoroughly with all the documents created by the EC within the process of developing and formulating the implementing rules, especially those outlining both the organisational and technical requirements in the Member States. The relevant documents are reviewed by the various Austrian stakeholders leading to a common Austrian position. In order to foster the successful overall implementation of INSPIRE as well as to emphasise our national interests within the context of INSPIRE the common Austrian opinion is sent to the EC. The National Contact Points (NCP) of all Member States are provided with a copy, thus to ensure transparent communication. If necessary the National Coordination Board is supported by a pool of technical experts who are nominated by the authorities concerned by the INSPIRE Directive. Some of these experts represent Austria in a number of working parties and expert teams on European level. We do hope that due to the international cooperation the consequential expenditures will be at least compensated by achieving optimised implementing rules and by the intensification of our own expertise.

Austria’s National Coordination Board has to fulfil its tasks without any instructing and ruling competences but may only make recommendations. The responsibility and the final decisions concerning the correct and comprehensive implementation of the directive and the corresponding regulations remains with every single authority dealing with spatial data sets and services falling under the INSPIRE Directive. One of the current challenges is therefore to find all the relevant spatial data sets and services as well as the responsible authorities, especially those performing under private law and – most difficult – for the data themes of the Annexes II and III. Extensive task analyses, additional information campaigns and events for awareness rising will help to cope with this challenge.

In terms of the technical implementation two synchronised but in principle independently operated server systems shall provide fail-proof access to the Austrian NSDI. The creation of the metadata of the relevant data sets and services was carried out by all authorities on all levels in due time as well as the establishing and operating of the network services (discovery and view services) with initial operating capability. Currently the responsible authorities are working intensively to meet the requirements of the full operating capability as stipulated for the beginning of November 2011.

These first successful implementations are quite satisfying. Nevertheless it has to be said, that from the perspective of the Austrian experts the intentions of the EC to regulate all spatial data services of the Member States that are not defined as network services by additional implementing rules (SDS-IR), are considered as critical. The original plan foresaw to provide access to the non-regulated spatial data services of the Member States by the invoke services. Now it seems that the EC intends to enforce the transformation of all spatial data services into one specific shape. The consequential additional expenditures as well as the principle of service oriented architecture (SOA), which would be jeopardised by the EC’s initiative calls the SDS-IR into question. Also taking into account the disputable benefit of such an implementing rule it seems to be necessary to enlarge the envisaged timeframe for creating and adopting an SDS-IR. It would be more helpful to concentrate on the development of a homogenous and consistent overall INSPIRE architecture, including corresponding guidelines. Austria will continue to contribute with its expertises in all the reviews and discussions.

Literature

Österreichisches Bundesgesetz über eine umweltrelevante Geodateninfrastruktur des Bundes (Geodateninfrastrukturgesetz – GeoDIG), BGBl. I, ausgegeben am 1. März 2010

Website „INSPIRE Österreich“: http://www.inspire.gv.at/

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SGA as NSDI coordination body is also obliged to establish and maintenance metadata public service on the Internet through a geo-portal. The SGA Geoportal is a forerunner of national geoportal (www.geo-portal.hr). SGA Geoportal is designed as geospatial portal according to Reference architecture of geospatial portals defined by Open GIS consortium (OGC), built on Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) principles and in-line with ISO/OGC standards and INSPIRE directive. The Geoportal offers a metadata driven catalogue-service for publish-and-find functionality. In the first phase five data sets have be put on the Geoportal: orthophoto, cadastral maps in raster format, Croatian base map at the scale 1:5000 and already existing geodetic points and register of spatial units systems are linked.

In November 2009, 1st Croatian NSDI and INSPIRE was organized in Varaždin to promote knowledge about SDI at national and European level, as well as to gather representatives of institutions, entities of NSDI with the purpose of accelerating implementation of NSDI in Croatia and the development of a geo-enabled society. The 2nd NSDI and INSPIRE Day was held in November 2010, in Opatija. The conference attracted some 200 delegates from a broad range of professional disciplines and organizations including the directors of the cadastral agencies from the region. The many presentations from national experts demonstrated the very good progress being made in Croatia in their implementation of NSDI. The 3rd NSDI and INSPIRE is in September 2011 in Split.

Some important steps in the NSDI improvement in Croatia have already been undertaken but those in the future will be crucial for success. One of the tasks for the next time will be full implementation of INSPIRE directive and transposition into national regulation as well as establishment of national geoportal. However it must be accompanying with strengthening political support, capacity building, better coordination of activities and sharing of data, as well as of leadership.

References

Ba�i�, Ž., Raši�, Lj., Landek, I., Malnar, N. (2008): Building Croatian Spatial Data Infrastructure in Line with the European Standards. Proceedings of ISPRS Commission IV Congress, Beijing, China.

Cetl, V, Roi�, M., Masteli� Ivi�, S. (2009): Creation of an NSDI strategy – Case Study Croatia, International Journal of Spatial Data Infrastructures Research, Vol 4.

Cetl, V., Ba�i�, Ž., Raši�, Lj. (2009): NSDI Framework in Croatia. GIM International, Vol 12.

Ba�i�, Ž., Raši�, Lj. (2010): The Role of National Mapping and Cadastre Agencies in Establishment of NSDI: Croatian Example. Proceedings of XXIV FIG International Congress, Sydney, Australia.

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3.4 INSPIRE in Sweden

Olov Johansson Metria GIS expert [email protected] www.metria.se

Swedish National Infrastructure for Geodata

To meet the requirements of INSPIRE the 23 Swedish organisations responsible for providing data according to INSPIRE have joined forces under the lead of the Swedish National Land Survey (Lantmäteriet) to form a national infrastructure for geographic information (www.geodata.se/en). Together, development of new techniques and tools can be made in an efficient and cost-saving manner. The national infrastructure includes a portal for discovering and utilising geographic information (www.geodata.se/en) with a national metadata catalogue covering the approximately 250 data products published at the portal (2010).

In 2010 INSPIRE was implemented into Swedish legislation but by then several organisations had already started out to test models and techniques and prepare for what's to come. Many small and medium sized businesses will benefit from the implementation of INSPIRE. Access to geographic information will be easier with the new geoportal and many of the organisations responsible for providing data according to INSPIRE will need assistance doing so. One of the obstacles that data providers will encounter, and need help with, is schema transformation. Schema transformation is difficult because involves both a conceptual and a technical part. Conceptually you need to understand the target schema or model (e.g. INSPIRE data specifications) as well as the information your data represents. Technically you need tools to perform the schema transformation and be able to validate transformed datasets.

Swedish EPA INSPIRE implementation

The Swedish EPA have been very active in the INSPIRE initiative, both nationally and in European working groups. The agency developed implementation strategies very early on and notable was the technical challenges in creating download services. Metria and the Swedish EPA have a close relationship and a long history of working together, with for instance Protected Sites. The Swedish database of protected sites provides detailed information on each object and one of the challenges was to convert the 200 database

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tables with information into the INSPIRE Protected Sites data model in GML format. It was also important that the INSPIRE data download services could be generated without impacting existing workflows or data tools. Metria have good experiences from using FME (Safe Software) for data transformation and when Metria and the Swedish EPA decided to develop a prototype system for providing INSPIRE download services it was an obvious choice to partner with Safe Software.

Of concern was how to restructure and transform protected sites to GML on-the-fly and still be able to meet the quality demands that is set forth by the INSPIRE directive. The solution was to implement a two step process to first use FME to pre-process the data, performing all the time consuming transformations and store the resulting GML ‘snippets’ in a ‘staging’ PostGIS database and then publish and distribute the data through an INSPIRE Web Feature Service (WFS).

The development of the prototype was successful and the next step is to further develop the system and create an operational INSPIRE download service for Protected sites by the 2012 deadline. Metria is looking forward to continue the interesting work of building infrastructure for spatial information and together with customers and partners meet the future in geographic information exchange and management.

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4. The Lake Constance Region goes INSPIRE

4.1 Cross-border Transformation of Spatial Data to INSPIRE in the Lake Constance Region – Challenge for Administration, Industry and Science

Dipl.-Ing. Hansjörg Schönherr Landesamt für Geoinformation und Landentwicklung Baden-Württemberg Director General Board Member of Runder Tisch GIS e.V. www.lgl-bw.de

Univ.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. Matthäus Schilcher Technische Universität München Head of GIS Group Chairman of Runder Tisch GIS e.V. www.rtg.bv.tum.de

Dr. Andreas Illert Bundesamt für Kartographie und Geodäsie Abteilung Geoinformationswesen [email protected] www.bkg.bund.de

Tatjana Kutzner Technische Universität München GIS Group Research Associate [email protected] www.gis.bv.tum.de

Dieter Heß Ministerium für ländlichen Raum und Verbraucherschutz Baden-Württemberg Referat Geoinformationsdienste [email protected] www.mlr.baden-wuerttemberg.de

Introduction and Motivation

In 2010 the state and federal surveying agencies of Baden-Wuerttemberg, Bavaria, Austria and Switzerland, launched a joint and innovative project: The spatial base data provided by the surveying agencies of the neighbouring countries around the Lake Constance, are prototypically to be transformed to the data models defined by INSPIRE (the so-called INSPIRE Data Specifications).

The reason why the project is of particular importance lies in the fact that especially the spatial base data of geotopography and real estate cadastre play an essential key role as SDI core components in the 21st century’s information society without which a regional, national or even European spatial data infrastructure would be impossible. In the end, all users from administration, industry and science who in the near future intend to complete geospatial tasks of high quality standards depend on official spatial data that is available in a custom-oriented way through modern web services and across political borders.

On the one hand the state and federal surveying agencies of Baden-Wuerttemberg, Bavaria, Austria and Switzerland feel responsible for the country and the society to actively contribute to the development of the European spatial data infrastructure INSPIRE. Even Switzerland generally participates as member of the European Environment Agency, although it is not a member of the European Union (EU) and therefore actually not obligated to implement the INSPIRE Directive enacted by the EU.

On the other hand the state and federal surveying agencies would like to gain experience on how to transform the spatial base data of the surveying agencies to data models conforming to INSPIRE and, if necessary, to other customised data models by applying different schema translation approaches.

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Test region Lake Constance

The region around the Lake Constance is not only of scenic interest, but particularly also because here, Europe takes place in miniature. The cross-border cooperation between four countries provides concrete chances – as is generally known, due to the federal structures in the field of geospatial information in Germany a distinction has to be made between Bavaria and Baden-Wuerttemberg. At the same time challenges concerning the cross-border use of heterogeneous spatial data can be identified which in principle are transferable to other regions as well. The common language in the Lake Constance Region makes the experts’ exchange unarguably easier.

Actual starting point is the fact that no national borders are defined across the Lake Constance. Hence there have always been talks between the surveying agencies about the ongoing coordination of handling and publishing cross-border topographic maps and the cooperative work to create a cross-border basic grid for the positioning and determination of height and gravity of points. In 2004 the state and federal surveying agencies of Baden-Wuerttemberg, Bavaria, Austria and Switzerland jointly applied for an Interreg IIIA-project, co-financed by the European Union, which resulted in bringing together cross-border digital data sets of four countries into the “Lake Constance spatial data pool” [1]. Henceforth, getting the region’s spatial data fit for the European spatial data infrastructure seemed natural.

Project partners

Initiators and sponsors of the project are the official providers of the spatial base data of geotopography and real estate cadastre in the countries mentioned above, namely the baden-württembergische Landesamt für Geoinformation und Landentwicklung (State Agency for Spatial Information And Rural Development Baden-Wuerttemberg), the bayerische Landesamt für Vermessung und Geoinformation (the Bavarian Agency for Surveying and Geoinformation), the österreichische Bundesamt für Eich-und Vermessungswesen (Austrian Federal Office of Meterology and Surveying) and the schweizerisches Bundesamt für Landestopographie swisstopo (Swiss Federal Office for Topography swisstopo). All these agencies have many years of experience in spatial data management; however, since the project brings about considerable scientific and technical challenges, other proficient partners have been brought in to realise this project.

The GIS Group of the Technische Universität München and the affiliated Runder Tisch GIS e.V. (Round Table GIS) provide the scientific support On behalf of the German Federal Agency for Cartography and Geodesy (BKG) and the Swiss Federal Office of Topography (swisstopo) and in cooperation with the ETH Zurich the GIS Group has already researched promising transformation solutions for spatial data infrastructures, especially in the context of the model driven Web Feature Service (mdWFS, project duration 2005-2011) [2] [4] [5]. Above that, a preparatory study dealing with semantic transformation was commissioned in 2010 by the state and federal surveying agencies of Baden-Wuerttemberg, Bavaria, Austria and Switzerland, whose results are to be tested in practice now [3]. For the technical implementation it was possible to involve the company AED-SICAD AG, which is experienced in the field of semantic transformation of AFIS-ALKIS-ATKIS data to INSPIRE [7]. Furthermore, the project is accompanied by the German Bundesamt für Kartographie und Geodäsie (BKG) (Federal Agency for Cartography and Geodesy).

The Runder Tisch GIS e.V. plays an important role here. Without the Runder Tisch GIS e.V. it would have hardly been possible to establish this project. It is being a member at the Runder Tisch GIS e.V. which provides the actual platform for such a joint cooperation.

Objectives

The special challenge in this project is that the spatial base data of the geotopography are evaluated together with the spatial base data of the real estate cadastre and also are transformed to INSPIRE together. This is not only limited to the official surveying data sets which have fundamentally been harmonised according to the German AFIS-ALKIS-ATKIS (AAA) Reference Model: in fact, the spatial base data of Baden-Wuerttemberg and Bavaria is to be combined for the first time with the spatial data of Austria and Switzerland, which have been produced based on different legal and technical guidelines and therefore have been structured differently.

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The spatial data, harmonised in this way, can then be provided with high performance for cross-border use e.g. out of a Cloud through standardised spatial web services, as it already has been achieved across the federal borders within Germany with the help of WebAtlas.DE of the Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Vermessungsverwaltungen der Länder der Bundesrepublik Detuschland (Working Committee of the Surveying Authorities of the Federal Republic of Germany).

The fundamental self-interest of every surveying agency is obvious: every single of the four surveying agencies will through the project be able to transfer their own sovereign spatial base data in a program-controlled way to the INSPIRE data structures. This makes it interesting especially for the surveying agencies of other German federal states and other European states as well.

Implementation concept

The project aims at analysing the methodology of the semantic transformation prototypically within this small European context. On the one hand there is the model-driven transformation, where the rules between the country’s source data models and the INSPIRE Data Specifications are defined on the conceptual level to apply them on the actual spatial data afterwards. The source and target data models of the individual countries and of INSPIRE which are defined using the Unified Modelling Language (UML) as well as the research results of the above mentioned mdWFS project serve as the basis. With regard to cross-border semantic transformation the topic of different modelling languages and profiles has been analysed in a study preparatory to the project described here [3]. On the other hand, the format-driven transformation is to be mentioned, which up to now is more used in practice. Here the transformation is defined and executed directly on the format level (e.g. SHAPE files).

Of course it will also be compared in how far the four countries are capable of filling the INSPIRE Data Specifications with regard to the compulsory data and the optional voidable information. This might provide information about whether and to which extent further need for action is necessary for the cross-border harmonisation of contents and structures of the original spatial base data.

In the end valuable advice is expected from the prototypical analysis on how to provide the customers in the short and long term as efficiently as possible with the spatial base data by means of a cross-border spatial data infrastructure, without the user having to take care of complex data integration into his/her applications.

Since this is a challenging undertaking, the analyses are to be concentrated on the spatial data themes of Annex I of the INSPIRE Directive, whose data models were published as legally-binding by the EU in November 2010 and primarily affect the spatial base data.

In a first step the focus is on the format-driven transformation: the description and the following implementation of the transformation process are to be carried out based on the AAA model with the software FUSION Data Service (FDS) from the company AED-SICAD AG. The FDS is based on the Feature Manipulation Engine (FME) from the company Safe Software Inc., which has been extended by the Semantic Mapper module through the company AED-SICAD AG. The software FDS is already applied in Germany; for the Austrian and Swiss data appropriate transformations have been defined with the software FDS as well. FME itself has already successfully been used by the mapping agencies of Germany, Austria and Switzerland for quite some time now.

In a second step the model-driven transformation, which is significantly more ambitious, is to be realised for individual spatial data themes. For this purpose, the scientific foundations have to be developed and technical solutions for the prototypical transformation have to be implemented first. The transformation results and especially the approach of defining the transformation rules of the two alternatives can then easily be compared.

Source data

The figure depicts the source data from the real estate cadastre and the geotopography. Generally it can be said that all source data are sovereign data from the countries involved, which are maintained by the official agencies in charge as is required by law. The figure shows the specifications and their differences in detail. It

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is evident that the data from the four countries are based on different data models or that no data models are defined in a formal language at all. Furthermore the data transfer formats for including the data into the transformation process vary from country to country.

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Results

Based on the figure one of the results is that the data models and the formats of the four countries possess high heterogeneity and therefore differing complexity. The effort for defining the transformation rules strongly depends on the complexity of the individual schema or format and therefore varies for each country. Above that the project yielded that other specialist data beyond the topography and cadastre data are required to be able to completely fill the Annex I themes. To be able to guarantee a state-wide uniform transformation to INSPIRE, it is furthermore necessary, that each country defines legally-binding and preferably platform-independent transformation rules for its topography and cadastre data, and possibly for further specialist data as well. Otherwise the case could occur that the transformation rules differ from software to software. Since the Lake Constance region, as mentioned above, can be considered as “little” Europe, it would be desirable when the findings from this project would be taken into consideration by other European regions as well, maybe to be able to avoid similar problems in advance. Siehe hierzu auch nachfolgenden Beitrag 4.2, welcher sich detaillierter mit den im Projekt gewonnenen Erkenntnissen beschäftigt.

Outlook

The second step, the model-driven transformation, is to be realised in 2012. The research will be based on the results from the study on semantic transformation [3] and the findings currently gained. Furthermore the mdWFS approach of the GIS Group and the ETH Zurich will be employed there [2] [6]. The main focus of the analyses will be on the model-driven semantic transformation based on differing modelling languages. As a possible solution to this problem the definition of a core profile of the modelling language UML with subsequent metamodel transformation is taken into account. Other analyses deal with meeting quality of service requirements which INSPIRE imposes to the services used for accessing the transformed data.

Literature

[1] Data pool Lake Constance (Bodensee Geodatenpool): http://www.bodensee-geodatenpool.net/

[2] Donaubauer, A.; Fichtinger, A.; Kutzner, T.; Schilcher, M.: Semantische Modelltransformation im Kontext von INSPIRE. In: Newsletter e-geo.ch, Nr. 22, April 2009, S.10-13, e-geo.ch, Wabern.http://www.e-geo.ch/internet/e-geo/de/home/publi/nletter.html

[3] Kutzner, T.; Eisenhut, C.: Vergleichende Untersuchungen zur Modellierung und Modelltransformation in der Region Bodensee im Kontext von INSPIRE, Technische Universität München, 2010.

http://www.gis.bv.tum.de/tum_content/tum_files/Publikationen/Veroeffentlichungen/studie_geodatenpool.pdf

[4] Fichtinger, A.: Semantische Transformation im Kontext von INSPIRE dargestellt am Beispiel der grenzüberschreitenden Bodenseeregion, Dissertation, Technische Universität München, 2011.

[5] Spilker, K.: UMLT - Anforderungen an eine Mapping-Sprache im Kontext von INSPIRE, Masterarbeit, Universität Salzburg, 2011

[6] Straub, F.; Donaubauer, A.; Staub, P.: Forschungszusammenarbeit im Bereich der semantischen Transformation, Endbericht der ETH Zürich für den Zeitraum 01.09.2010 bis 31.03.2011, Zürich 2011 (unveröffentlicht)

[7] Banfi, D.; Fünfer, H.; Kutzner, T.: Von ALKIS und ATKIS zu INSPIRE. In: INSPIRE-GMES Informationsbroschüre – Grundlagen, Status, Projektberichte. Oktober 2010, S. 40-42, Runder Tisch GIS e.V. http://www.rtg.bv.tum.de/inspire

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4.2 Experience with Semantic Transformation Based on Currently Available Software

Michael Lill Technische Universität München GIS Group Research Associate [email protected] www.gis.bv.tum-de

Tatjana Kutzner Technische Universität München GIS Group, Research Associate Project Leader mdWFS [email protected] www.gis.bv.tum.de

Hubert Fünfer AED-SICAD AG Head of Consulting Public Sector Project Manager for AAA Implementation [email protected] www.aed-sicad.de

The project „Prototypical transformation of spatial data to INSPIRE in the cross-border Lake Constance region“, which was presented in the article before (see chapter 4.1), aims at transforming the topographical data together with the cadastre data from Baden-Wuerttemberg, Bavaria, Austria and Switzerland to INSPIRE according to the format-driven approach. This article presents the findings gained during project execution. The results refer solely to the semantic transformation of topography and cadastre data. Other harmonisation components defined in the context of INSPIRE, such as edge matching, scale, generalisation, have not been taken into consideration by the project due to its short duration.

Data Base For the project all in all eight different spatial data sets have been provided by the mapping agencies of Baden-Wuerttemberg, Bavaria, Austria and Switzerland, which are depicted in a comparative overview on page 47. The following differences between these spatial data are worth mentioning: Baden-Wuerttemberg provides topography (ATKIS) as well as cadastre (ALKIS) based on the AFIS-ALKIS-ATKIS model (AAA model), which is modelled in UML and acts as conceptual schema, in form of the Normbasierte Austauschschnittstelle (NAS) of the AdV, a special GML format. Bavaria, too, provides topography in the NAS format; however, the spatial data underlying the format are not based on the ATKIS Base-DLM as part of the AAA model, but on the conventional ATKIS Base-DLM. The cadastre data Digitale Flurkarte (DFK) was provided in the Shape format. Likewise Austria supplied both, the Digitale Landschaftsmappe (DLM) and the Digitale Katastralmappe (DKM), in the Shape format. Both, the Bavarian and the Austrian topography and cadastre data do not have a conceptual schema, however, an object type catalogue with descriptions exists for each dataset. Switzerland finally provides as topography the Topographische Landschaftsmodell (TLM) in the Interlis 1 format and as cadastre MOpublic data in the Interlis 2 format. Both datasets have been modelled with Interlis and have a conceptual schema.

Execution of the Transformation The transformation rules were defined and the semantic transformation was executed using the software FUSION Data Service (FDS) of the company AED-SICAD AG. Core component of the FDS represents the Feature Manipulation Engine (FME) of the company Safe Software Inc. which has been extended by the Semantic Mapper module of the AED-SICAD AG, thus making format-driven transformation possible. As target system for the transformed data the software “ArcGIS for INSPIRE” of the company ESRI was used, since it already provides a database schema for storing the transformed data which is based on the INSPIRE Data Specifications. Basically, it would have been possible as well to define one’s own database schema. However, since the project focuses on transformation and not on finding a solution for storing the data, available solutions were applied. Furthermore it was important that based on this database schema the data can afterwards with ArcGIS Server through INSPIRE View and Download services be provided to the user as INSPIRE-compliant GML data, as is depicted in the figure.

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• When a schema is missing, the meaning (semantics) of the data must be documented in a different way (e.g. object type catalogue).

• Whenever the format changes, the transformation rules have to be adjusted for every transformation the format is involved in.

Benefit for public administration, industry and science The benefit of the project for the public authorities of the countries lies in realising that the transformation does not depend on specific formats or a conceptual schema. Of importance is the existence of an object type catalogue from which can be derived which object types and attributes are to be mapped to INSPIRE in which way. The project can serve as good basis for discussion about the definition of such mapping rules. However, the exact definition has to be decided on mandatory by persons responsible and experts of the individual countries. From the perspective of the industry it was proven that currently available software is able to load the INSPIRE Data Specifications with the source data available in the project. Furthermore it was possible to develop the software further towards productivity. For the science the benefit of the project lies in deriving new research questions from the experience gained. In addition, by publishing the project results assistance can be provided for example in planning or estimating the effort of an actual transformation to INSPIRE.

Outlook With this project it was possible to demonstrate that topography and cadastre data from Baden-Wuerttemberg, Bavaria, Austria and Switzerland can successfully be transformed to INSPIRE according to the format-driven approach. With regard to the mapping rules necessary for the transformation an extensive discussion based on the project results should take place as next step between the experts of the individual countries. To be able to provide for a uniform transformation of the data to INSPIRE, the mapping rules have to be defined mandatory by the countries. Above that, the plan for 2012 is to include the model-driven transformation of spatial data in the project (so-called model-driven approach). In this approach the mapping between the spatial data takes place independently of the format on the schema level. A study preliminary to the project identified that the UML profiles of the AAA, TLM and INSPIRE schemas cannot be regarded as real UML profiles in terms of the UML specification, which is why additional difficulties can occur during transformation. A solution to this could be a core UML profile as intermediate step in the transformation which is to be researched in more detail in 2012.

Literature

Banfi, D.; Fünfer, H.; Kutzner, T.: Von ALKIS und ATKIS zu INSPIRE. In: INSPIRE-GMES Informationsbroschüre – Grundlagen, Status, Projektberichte. Oktober 2010, S. 40-42, Runder Tisch GIS e.V. http://www.rtg.bv.tum.de/inspire

Fichtinger, F.: Semantische Transformation im Kontext von INSPIRE dargestellt am Beispiel der grenzüberschreitenden Bodenseeregion, Dissertation, Technische Universität München, 2011.

Kutzner, T.; Eisenhut, C.: Vergleichende Untersuchungen zur Modellierung und Modelltransformation in der Region Bodensee im Kontext von INSPIRE, September 2010, ISBN 978-3-935049-74-0. http://www.gis.bv.tum.de/tum_content/tum_files/Publikationen/Veroeffentlichungen/studie_geodatenpool.pdf

AED-SICAD: Fusion Data Service (FDS), http://www.aed-sicad.de/index.php/FDS.html

Safe Software: Feature Manipulation Engine (FME), http://www.safe.com/fme/fme-technology/

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4.3 Model-driven Semantic Transformation – a Report on Work in Progress

Dr.-Ing. Andreas Donaubauer TU München GIS Group Research Associate [email protected] www.gis.bv.tum.de

Tatjana Kutzner TU München GIS Group Research Associate [email protected] www.gis.bv.tum.de

Florian Straub ETH Zürich Research Associate [email protected]

Schema translation is identified as key interoperability issue in INSPIRE. To be able to perform schema translation, the INSPIRE Directive suggests so-called transformation services. With these services, data requested by a user could be directly transformed to match the INSPIRE Data Specifications while the original data remains unchanged.

However, standards for transformation services do not exist up to now. Furthermore, most existing approaches define the translation between source and destination schema on the level of the data transfer formats (e.g. GML application schemas), and not on the platform-independent conceptual level (e.g. UML schemas). This shortcoming is addressed by the research and development project Model-driven approach for accessing distributed spatial data using Web Services – demonstrated for cross-border GIS applications which is carried out by the Technische Universität München (TUM) and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETHZ) on behalf of the German Federal Agency for Cartography and Geodesy (BKG) and the Swiss Federal Office of Topography (swisstopo) from 2006 until the end of 2011.

The project aims at developing a transformation service, called mdWFS (model-driven Web Feature Service), which can carry out model-driven transformation of spatial data in a web-based environment. In this approach, the schema translation is defined on the level of the conceptual schemas and not on the level of the data transfer formats. The transformation of the spatial data can then be carried out automatically based on these conceptual definitions. The transformations are defined with the transformation language Unified Modeling Language for Transformations (UMLT) which was developed specifically for this approach. The transition from the conceptual to the format level is accomplished by using encoding rules.

Source schemas used in the project are the German Digital Landscape Model (ATKIS Base-DLM) as part of the AFIS-ALKIS-ATKIS Reference Model (AAA) and the Swiss Data Model TLM (Topographic Landscape Model). These schemas are transformed into the harmonised EU INSPIRE Data Specifications. A graphical UMLT editor was developed for defining the transformation rules and for exporting them in the XML Metadata Interchange format (XMI) for further use as platform- and data-format-independent input to any transformation tool able to interpret XMI.

Within the project the transformation is based on the transformation tool FME from the Canadian company Safe Software. The UML models and the UMLT transformation rules are provided in XMI. Therefore FME had to be extended by appropriate readers and transformers to be able to handle XMI. However, the internal data model of FME is based on the relational modelling paradigm whereas UML models adhere to the object-oriented (OO) modelling paradigm. This results in difficulties when reading UML models with FME, since the OO paradigm contains constructs (e.g. inheritance, associations) which are not available in the relational paradigm (Kutzner and Eisenhut 2010). Here solutions had to be found how to map these different paradigms.

In the period 2010/11 the following research work was carried out in order to advance the concept of a model-driven semantic transformation:

On behalf of the Swiss Federal Office of Topography (swisstopo) the ETH Zurich developed schema translations from geospatial data of several Swiss federal agencies to the INSPIRE Data Specification Protected Sites and the EuroGeoNames schema.

Summarizing the findings of this work, it can be said that a semantic transformation on conceptual schema level cannot be used in a production environment yet because of the following reasons:

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• When schemas for geospatial data are developed, conceptual schema languages like UML are often only used as an informal, graphical representation of the schema. Schemas of this kind often contain errors which are irrelevant when the schema is just employed as an informal source of information but they become relevant when the schema is interpreted by a machine as is the case with the model-driven semantic transformation.

• Software tools for building schema translation rules on the conceptual level using the language UMLT are not yet fully operable. In the project encoding rules which are used to map UMLT to a specific schema translation engine have been developed and informally been described for the software FME. These rules must now be implemented in FME or in any other schema translation tool.

These shortcomings of the model-driven semantic transformation are accompanied by a number of benefits. In addition to well-known benefits like the independence from a specific data format or a specific schema translation tool, the following positive experience with the model-driven semantic transformation has been made in the current project phase:

• Describing schema transformation rules on the level of the conceptual schemas using UMLT is relatively simple, very descriptive and clear und therefore UMLT is suited very well for tool- and format-independent documentation of semantic transformations.

• UMLT uses the object oriented paradigm for describing schema translation rules. Compared to using the relational paradigm which is often applied for describing schema translation rules on the level of the data formats, UMLT led to less complex transformation rules, especially when the schemas contain associations. By taking into account that both the INSPIRE schemas and the schemas of the German and Swiss data were modeled using the object oriented paradigm, this advantage becomes evident.

• The transition from the conceptual level to the transfer format level is accomplished by using encoding rules. The use of encoding rules makes it possible to derive the data in any transfer format the user desires. This approach also supports maintenance of the mapping rules. When changes occur in either the source or the destination schema, the mapping rules can be modified on the conceptual level and modified transfer formats can be derived automatically from the encoding rules.

Does it pay off to apply the model-driven semantic transformation despite the shortcomings listed above? An ultimate answer to this question cannot be given yet. There are clear advantages but these advantages only will take effect, when the model-driven architecture (MDA) is applied consistently throughout the whole process of modeling and transferring geospatial data.

Literature

A. Donaubauer, T. Kutzner, H.R. Gnägi, S. Henrich, A. Fichtinger: Webbasierte Modelltransformation in der Geoinformatik. In: Lecture Notes in Informatics - Proceedings, Modellierung 2010, Klagenfurt, Österreich, S. 269-284, Volume P-161, Gesellschaft für Informatik, Bonn 2010. http://subs.emis.de/LNI/Proceedings/Proceedings161/P-161.pdf

T. Kutzner, C. Eisenhut: Vergleichende Untersuchungen zur Modellierung und Modelltransformation in der Region Bodensee im Kontext von INSPIRE München 2010. http://www.gis.bv.tum.de/tum_content/tum_files/Publikationen/Veroeffentlichungen/studie_geodatenpool.pdf

F. Straub, A. Donaubauer, P. Staub: Forschungszusammenarbeit im Bereich der semantischen Transformation, Endbericht der ETH Zürich für den Zeitraum 01.09.2010 bis 31.03.2011, Zürich 2011 (unveröffentlicht).

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HUMBOLDT Alignment Editor (HALE). The definition of mappings at the level of GML schemas is also foreseen in the draft Technical Guidance for INSPIRE Transformation Services document [Howard et al. 2010]. Once defined on the level of the transfer format schema, mappings can potentially be used for all datasets which conform to the schema. However, GML schemas contain less information than UML schemas (e.g. constraints). In addition, concepts of object-oriented modelling like aggregation and composition are not easily treated [Fichtinger 2011].

In the HUMBOLDT use cases, the mapping into the INSPIRE target schema has proven to be feasible, albeit not complete. The latter is due to various reasons (e.g. lack of information in the source schema, heterogeneity between source and target schemas). For example, the content of the digital landscape models (geospatial reference data) is not sufficient to fill all the attributes postulated by the INSPIRE data specification on “Hydrography” (thematic data model). However, many of these attributes are optional or can be filled with a “void” value. Aspects of geometric harmonisation in the context of the ERiskA scenario are presented in Luderschmid [2010].

ERiskA results were incorporated into the INSPIRE-GMES demonstration platform operated by Runder Tisch GIS e.V. and are available at http://www.eriska.gis.bv.tum.de/.

References

Fichtinger, A. 2011: Semantische Transformation im Kontext von INSPIRE - dargestellt am Beispiel der grenzüberschreitenden Bodenseeregion. PhD thesis, Technische Universität München.

Fichtinger, A; Luderschmid, F.; Schäffler, U. 2010: Grenzüberschreitende Datenharmonisierung für ein Hochwasser-Anwendungsszenario in der Bodenseeregion. In: Schilcher, M. (ed.): INSPIRE-GMES Informationsbroschüre. Grundlagen, Status, Projektberichte, pp. 38-39.

Fichtinger, A.; Rix, J.; Schäffler, U.; Michi, I.; Gone, M; Reitz, Th. 2011: Data Harmonisation Put into Practice by the HUMBOLDT Project. In: International Journal of Spatial Data Infrastructures Research 6 (2011), pp. 234-260.

Howard, M.; Payne, S.; Sunderland, R. 2010: Technical Guidance for the INSPIRE Schema Transformation Network Service. Version 3.0. URL: http://inspire.jrc.ec.europa.eu/documents/Network_Services/JRC_INSPIRE-TransformService_TG_v3-0.pdf (accessed 30.06.2011).

Luderschmid, F. 2010: Datenharmonisierung für den grenzüberschreitenden Katastrophenschutz bei Hochwasser im Bodenseeraum. Diploma thesis, Technische Universität München.

Figure 2: Source and target schemas in the ERiskA scenario

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4.5 Second Workshop „Semantic Schema Translation in the context of INSPIRE“

Tatjana Kutzner Technische Universität München GIS Group Research Associate Project Leader mdWFS [email protected]

On 22 March 2011 the 2nd workshop dealing with semantic schema translation took place at the Technische Universität München during the 16th Munich GIS conference, which is organised annually by Runder Tisch GIS e.V. The workshop focused on the current developments in research and industry regarding schema translation. Dr. Andreas Illert (Federal Agency for Cartography and Geodesy) provided an introduction to the topic of the workshop and furthermore presented the current state of the INSPIRE implementation. Afterwards presentations from various research, user and industry projects were given demonstrating the status quo of semantic transformation.

Current topics in research were presented by the research projects “Comparative Studies Regarding Modeling and Schema Translation in the Lake Constance Region“ (C. Eisenhut, Eisenhut Informatik AG; T. Kutzner, Technische Universität München), “HUMBOLDT” (A. Fichtinger, Technische Universität München) (see chapter 4.4) and “Model-driven approach for accessing distributed spatial data using web services – demonstrated for cross-border GIS applications (mdWFS)” (Dr. A. Donaubauer, ETH Zürich; Dr. P. Staub, swisstopo) (see chapter 4.3). The user side was represented by the project “Cross-border homogenisation of spatial base data between the Free State of Saxony and the Czech Republic” (C. Gedrange, Leibniz Institute of Ecological Urban and Regional Development) and the industry position was presented by: AED-SICAD AG (M. Müller), grit GmbH / Snowflake Software (O. Schimmich), 1Spatial (L. van Linden) and Safe Software (D. Hintz).

Discussions and exchange of experience finally led to a set of results and recommendations for future research in the field of semantic schema translation:

Results

• Data providers state that transformation to INSPIRE data specifications will not be performed on-the-fly for the near future, mainly due to performance problems with large datasets and complex models.

• State-of-the-art transformation tools use (graphical) schemas to import the models and to assist the user in the definition of mapping rules, but transformations are usually defined and performed at the logical/physical level.

• Regarding transformations at the semantic level, different approaches used for defining UML profiles, e.g. in Switzerland and Germany, create a problem. UML profiles are defined in different ways, e.g. with or without extension of the UML standard.

• Difficulties for system vendors in implementing INSPIRE transformations mainly result from the complexity of models (both AAA and INSPIRE) and the understandability of models.

Recommendations

• The community should agree on schema languages and schema mapping languages before vendors develop and implement the model driven transformation.

• Find out on how to simplify models.

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• Do not define new UML profiles, use a core UML profile. Apply model driven architecture (MDA) consistently.

• Agree within the AdV on flattening rules to make simple AAA models.

• Publish best practices on collaborative transformation rules.

• Simplify the documentation on models.

• Provide sample data with the documentation (for testing, etc.).

• Ask the end user, e.g. with surveys.

• Do not forget about scalability.

• Develop standards out of projects and not projects out of standard, i.e., more practical research and testing before establishing the standards.

• Feedback to vendors about their software through partnerships with users/universities.

The workshop was organised for the first time in March 2010 during the 15th Munich GIS conference. The big success of the workshop and the continuing significance of the topic led the Runder Tisch GIS e.V. to the decision that the workshop should take place again this year; the huge feedback with 24 participants from authorities, research and industry confirmed this success. The workshop was chaired by Dr. Andreas Illert (Federal Agency for Cartography and Geodesy).

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5. INSPIRE Projects of the GIS Industry

5.1 The CEH Information Gateway

Barry Masterson con terra GmbH Consultant [email protected] www.conterra.de

The Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH) is the UK's Centre of Excellence for integrated research in the land and freshwater ecosystems and their interaction with the atmosphere. CEH is part of the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), employs more than 450 people at four major sites in England, Scotland and Wales, hosts over 150 PhD students, and has an overall budget of about £35m. CEH tackles complex environmental challenges to deliver practicable solutions so that future generations can benefit from a rich and healthy environment.

CEH is a custodian for a wealth of environmental and scientific data which must be made available to a wide audience of scientific and academic research organisations throughout the UK and Europe. The challenge was to create a one-stop-shop whereby these users can discover spatial data resources, assess them for usefulness, and connect to or download resources in a secure manner, and in compliance with both INSPIRE, the Infrastructure for Spatial Information in the European Community and UK GEMINI 2, the specification for a set of metadata elements for describing geospatial data resources for discovery purposes.

After successfully going live with the Information Gateway in September 2010, CEH has now launched phase 2, adding support for UK GEMINI2. Using con terra’s sdi.suite as a core, the CEH Information Gateway provides a web portal that enables users to discover and bind to spatial data resources within CEH and throughout the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). Metadata records describing these resources conform to both INSPIRE and the UK GEMINI2 profile, ensuring compliance at both the National and International level.

sdi.suite securityManager ensures that the right people get access to the right data, while sdi.suite serviceMonitor will allow both administrators and users to gauge the health of spatial services essential to the usefulness of the Information Gateway. The recent launch of e-Licensed services, implemented using sdi.suite licenseManager, allows for broader access to spatial services and data, while protecting the rights of CEH and related organisations.

As well as making online services available, the CEH Information Gateway provides a download manager, powered by FME Server, which allows users to integrate raw data into their own scientific analysis. Both downloads and services are secured to ensure that security policies can be applied at a fine-grained level. The application of such access policies applies equally to CEH/NERC staff members and external users who can self-register.

Gwyn Rees, Director of the Environmental Information Data Centre at CEH, said, “Implementation of con terra’s sdi.suite is helping us to play a leading role with regard to INSPIRE compliance in the UK. sdi.suite underpins the CEH Information Gateway, enabling us to provide easy access to a wide range of terrestrial and freshwater datasets . Datasets and map view services can be harvested into the UK INSPIRE Portal, and potentially onwards to other portals across Europe, providing increased exposure for CEH science, and added value for policymakers and the wider public.”

CEH’s Information Gateway has enabled it to make its data more accessible, thereby promoting a more joined-up approach to data sharing within the environmental science community. It has also helped CEH to streamline the data production and dissemination process, allowing CEH staff to concentrate on the science, and producing data valuable for environmental analysis and policy-making.

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5.2 Towards the Excellence in Regional SDIs: the Emilia-Romagna GeoPortal

Giovanni Ciardi Regione Emilia-Romagna Responsible for the development of the regional SDI [email protected] http://geoportale.regione.emilia-romagna.it

The Emilia-Romagna regional SDI

The overall objective the Italian NSDI should pursue is to create a system of knowledge and sharing of the spatial data available nationwide. From an architectural point of view, the NSDI should be designed according to a SOA (Service Oriented Architecture) model, which benefits of the availability of regional geoportals acting as access points for Web services and data provided locally by different entities.

Emilia Romagna is one of the three Italian regions, together with Piedmont and Tuscany, registered as a legally mandated organisation (LMO) on the INSPIRE portal. In this framework the Geographic Information System Department performed several tasks, such as contributing to the technical and operational feasibility analysis for the implementation of the proposed draft Implementing Rules.

This strong commitment to INSPIRE comes with the important investment made during the last ten years in the development of the Spatial Data Infrastructure of the Emilia Romagna. This regional SDI is based upon a metadata catalogue and a repository manager that manages access to geographical data, and it has been completed by applications and services oriented at different levels of government, that are now accessible through a unique interface, represented by the regional GeoPortal (“GeoPortale ER”, http://geoportale.regione.emilia-romagna.it).

The GeoPortal of Emilia-Romagna

GeoPortale ER provides the access to regional data and metadata through several services that allow the user to discover data in the catalogue, using both graphical and alphanumeric criteria, and to browse, use and download the data of interest. GeoPortale ER thus enables the dissemination, use and publishing of data, information and geographical services both to the public and the staff of local /national public administrations, in accordance with the latest regional and national directives (DigitPA, Intesa GIS ) and international standards (INSPIRE, OGC) in terms of interoperability.

Developed by Planetek Italia s.r.l. (www.planetek.it), the Emilia-Romagna GeoPortal is based on Open Source technologies (Plone, OpenLayers, Ratman projects) and ArcGIS Server to expose web services suitable to OGC and ISO standards like WMS, WFS, WCS and Web Processing Service (WPS). This way GeoPortale ER provides Discovery services, Navigation services, Download services and Transformation services. It also manages catalogue services, through the OGC standard “Catalog Service – Web” (CS-W), that are accessible by external clients in an automatic way.

A big effort has been put into the integration of legacy geographical systems and web applications. On the front-end side a 2D and 3D viewer is available for both external (anonymous or federated) users and internal users (Emilia-Romagna employees). The web client, based on OpenLayers and Ratman for the 3D, offers the tools metadata discovery, data download and access to the Map&Bookshop (the Regional Selling platform).

The existing back-end services have been integrated in the new GeoPortal infrastructure, in order to provide a harmonized platform for the content management (based on Plone CMS), metadata catalogue and dataset management, and the users authentication/authorization via SAML protocols (FedERa: the federated platform of Emilia Romagna) and Social Plugins like Facebook, Twitter, Gmail and OpenID.

Emilia-Romagna Region has now the opportunity, thanks to the launch of GeoPortale ER, to become a reference point for the implementation of the INSPIRE Directive in Italy and to offer to the citizens a unique

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6. GMES

6.1 GMES – Earth Monitoring for Europe

Dr. Jörn Hoffmann Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR) Spaceflight Management Earth Monitoring

The European regulation “on the European Earth monitoring program (GMES) and its initial operations (2011-2013)” came into force on 8 November 2010. Ten years after the resolution of the European Council in Gothenburg (2001) to create a European capacity for the “global monitoring for environment and security” there is for the first time now a program of the European Union for the earth monitoring system. The operational phase of GMES started in 2011.

Objectives

GMES – Global Monitoring for Environment and Security – provides earth observation data from satellites and other associated measurement systems and derives from them information in six thematic areas. By doing so the European governments pursue several objectives:

1. Europe gains more precise, more complete and more recent information on the state of the global environment. Moreover, Europe becomes more independent through its own information base. GMES supplies European politics with a knowledge base for reacting to the global change and supports an environmental management from the local to the global level. Part of this strategy is that large, consistent streams of data will lead to new findings and better models in the earth system sciences. This too is an important basis for future political decisions.

2. The transition to an operational utilisation of satellite remote sensing, which has taken place in meteorology 30 years ago already, is now to be implemented for the six thematic areas of GMES. The satellite data which are of high-quality and reliably available allow for modern and innovative information services.

3. By using satellite-based applications and modern geoinformation technology more intensely this dynamic market is to be supported, economic growth to be created and new jobs to be provided.

Structure

GMES comprises information services for six thematic areas:

• Land monitoring

• Marine monitoring

• Emergency response

• Atmosphere monitoring

• Climate change monitoring

• Security

The services for land, marine and atmosphere monitoring as well as emergency response are the most advanced ones. They have been implemented by huge development projects of the European Space

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Agency (ESA) and the 7th Research and Development Framework Programme of the European Union (EU) and are in use by European and national institutions since years.

Parallel to this, the ESA has been developing the GMES space component since 2005. Five sensor families – the GMES Sentinels – are specially developed as required by the GMES services. The Sentinels carry on with measurements operationally, which in the past were conducted by research sensors in a similar way. In this way, applications can be continued which were developed e.g. with data from the Landsat, SPOT or ENVISAT satellites. The first Sentinels will start in 2013. Already in an operating state now is that part of the GMES space component from commercial and national European missions. The ESA purchases data from these systems as needed by the GMES services. New missions are only publicly sponsored when there is no adequate alternative available.

The GMES services also use earth observation data from systems that are not space-based. These systems are usually run and financed by the European Member States. The European Environment Agency coordinates the so called “in situ component” of GMES and agrees upon the access of the GMES services to the required data. The European Spatial Data Infrastructure (INSPIRE) allows for this in an efficient way.

Financing

The European states have up to now invested more than 3 bn € in the development of the GMES capacity. The biggest part of it, about 1.8 bn €, is invested by the ESA member states in the implementation of the space component. According to the European Commission the costs of the operational phase from 2014 on will amount to 834 m € per year – including the regular modernisation of the necessary satellite systems, the service and the connection of required in situ systems. The largest part of these financial means is to be paid by the EU member states from 2014 on. The ESA will continue to contribute to the development of new satellite technologies. The basis for this separation of responsibility will be established within the ongoing negotiations about the next budget of the EU. Whether the EU will budget the financial means for GMES in spite of all consolidation efforts will decide on whether the EU will be able to achieve its self-set goals with GMES and to fulfil its new role in the field of spaceflight.

„GMES-Mainstreaming“

Besides the current question of financing, the other big challenge for GMES is the advancing increase in the user base. Up to now GMES services have mostly addressed large, institutional users on EU level. To realise the diverse applications and benefits of the GMES systems, many more users will need to be added. The Federal Government uses information and support activities to especially attract institutional users. Companies and scientists as well should understand and make manifold use of GMES as a resource and infrastructure.

The start of the first Sentinel satellite (2013) will be a milestone in this development. On the basis of the data, which will then be broadly available, GMES will find its way into our daily life step by step.

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6.2 Expert Workshop 2011: Application Potential of GMES on the Geoinformation Market

Martin Kunert Runder Tisch GIS e.V. [email protected]

The expert workshop “Application Potential of GMES on the Geoinformation Market” took place on 22 March 2011 during the 16th Munich GIS Conference of the Runder Tisch GIS e.V. Since meanwhile the first Europe-wide GMES core services are implemented, the workshop especially was intended to inform users at regional level about the possibilities of GMES and to allow for connecting to the processes on European level. Therefore the main aim was to pick up the recent developments of the European remote sensing initiative GMES and to link them as far as possible to the GIS world (in particular INSPIRE). Moreover, the need for further GMES services should be decided on and recommended actions be formulated for the further development of GMES. Mr. Dr. Häusler (GAF AG) took over the moderation of the workshop. The participants came from administration, industry and science. In the afternoon, they were divided into two discussion groups led by Mrs. Roßner (DLR) and Mr. Prof. Dr. Buziek (ESRI).

The following results were presented in a session of the Munich GIS conference after having been worked out by the two discussion groups. The planned Europe-wide environment information reporting is regarded as the main benefit of GMES. This benefit additionally increases in combination with INSPIRE, as was able to be shown with the InGeoSat project. It has also been reported that GMES products can successfully be used in the forestry already. The deegree of popularity of GMES was evaluated as not sufficient. Hence, there was the demand for providing information events to make GMES much more known. Furthermore there was criticism, that almost no test data and application examples are available for interested users. Thus, it is recommended to develop pilot projects based on the first European core services aiming at environment information reporting. Since many potential users do not feel addressed without legal requirements being available, the requirement was made, to analyse how the statutory integration of GMES in spatial data infrastructures could be strengthened. This is to achieve the integration of the GMES data and services into the already existing spatial data infrastructures and accessing them permanently in a standardised way. Another recommendation suggests that requirements analyses for GMES services should be conducted on the different administrative levels. In terms of the support and development strategy and the politics of data provision, more transparency and clarity is required. The workshop showed that for GMES there is still potential for improvement in many areas. The focus for further development should in particular increasingly be on the identification and integration of potential future users.

Literature

Runder Tisch GIS e.V. 2011: Ergebnisse und Empfehlungen des Workshops „Anwendungspotenzial von GMES im Geoinformations-Markt“ (Pressemitteilung). Online im Internet. URL: http://www.rtg.bv.tum.de/images/stories/downloads/aus-und_weiterbildung/fortbildungsseminare/2011/Vortraege/GMES/Pressemitteilung_GMES_Workshop.pdf

Runder Tisch GIS e.V. 2011: Ergebnisse und Empfehlungen des Workshops „Anwendungspotenzial von GMES im Geoinformations-Markt“ (Bericht). Online im Internet. URL: http://www.rtg.bv.tum.de/images/stories/downloads/aus-und_weiterbildung/fortbildungsseminare/2011/Vortraege/GMES/Bericht_GMES_Workshop.pdf

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6.3 INSPIRE and GMES Working Hand-in-Hand for Regional and Local “Geo-professionals”

Rainer Horn SpaceTec Capital Partners GmbH Managing Partner [email protected] www.spaceteccapital.eu

During a recent keynote speech at the European Space Policy Institute, Herbert Allgeier – the former Director General of the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre - reminded his audience that “GMES was invented to pass the message that remote sensing is not only an interesting gadget but a tool to serve, above all, two policies of public interest: environment and security.” Thirteen years after the birth of GMES, Allgeier, who is often referred to as one of the “Fathers” of GMES, sees in INSPIRE “an enhancing, enabling contribution to data derived from remote sensing at regional level. Coordination of this vital information infrastructure should significantly enhance the Member States’ capacity to better plan, implement and monitor environmental, disaster mitigation and climate change measures.”

Intersections and interdependences between INSPIRE and GMES have developed in many ways on a European level. Firstly, INSPIRE has had an impact on the development and implementation of GMES services: the INSPIRE directive sets the baseline for the way in which geographic products and services are disseminated to users, in the context of the development of a European Spatial Data Infrastructure (ESDI). Secondly, INSPIRE principles have been adopted for data quality control of the GMES In Situ Component (GISC), which is developing a management system for in situ data for GMES. Quantity, quality, coverage, timeliness, accessibility, and intellectual property rights are key issues in the supply of in situ data for operational services. Thirdly, INSPIRE stands for the obligation to share data about policies and activities which have an impact on the environment. In relation to the ongoing implementation of a clearing house mechanism for European Climate Change impacts, vulnerability and adaptation, INSPIRE continues to address the various obstacles which prevent efficient and structured data and information sharing from taking place. Fourthly, INSPIRE-compliant thinking is ingrained in the European Commission, with its FP7 Research Programme requiring INSPIRE compatibility by projects dealing with or using geospatial information.

Whilst the GMES and GIS communities need to improve their understanding of each other’s terminology and mutually beneficial contributions, it is interesting to note that the corporate sector is already preparing for the commercial integration of EO and GIS capabilities: Hexagon expanded into vector data with the integration of Intergraph, ESRI acquired 3D-specialist Procedural and Trimble gained pattern recognition capability for raster data by swallowing Definiens Earth. This recent mergers and acquisitions activity by geo-giants suggests that the traditional boundaries between the vector and raster data worlds will soon be history.

INSPIRE and GMES are, in many ways, “soulmates” or “brothers in arms” in the challenge of implementing European Policies at regional level. Olav Eggers, from the Danish Ministry of the Environment recently pointed out the need for regional GMES implementation at the 2011 INSPIRE conference, stating that “Member States’ data have just to a limited extent been used in GMES context.” He regrets the absence of a “bottom-up approach within GMES” and wants to see the “main obstacles for GMES […] tackled in an integrated manner – with INSPIRE and Member States data inventories”. Obviously, such a bottom-up approach should be combined with the top-down vision resulting from the budgetary constraints and the needs of the European institutions.

Responsibilities for INSPIRE/GMES-relevant administrative processes differ greatly across the 27 Member States. In most Member States, INSPIRE implementation responsibility resides with regional, provincial or local level administrations – with varying degrees of involvement among them. The implementation is all the more a challenge as there are approximately 1.600 local and regional administrations (LRAs) with more than 150.000 inhabitants in EU27. If we assume that each LRA has more than one single potential user of GMES

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Services, we can easily assert that 5 to 10.000 potential “users” remain to be addressed. The greater the disparities of administrative processes between European countries, and often, between regions within a country, the more pressing the need for LRAs to use common standards and interoperable data sets. There is a high likelihood that the very same local “geo-professional” or process owner will be confronted with the INSPIRE implementation challenge whilst GMES information becomes operationally available. Those pilot LRAs who address the challenge proactively will benefit first and foremost from INSPIRE and GMES. The potential to learn from one another, and possibly drive some joint implementation and cross-fertilisation activities will certainly manifest.

The responsible authorities within GMES have recognised LRAs as a large reservoir of users and have supported initiatives to understand and embrace these stakeholders. Two FP7-funded projects (GRAAL and DORIS_Net) are supporting the European Commission in identifying regional user communities and linking them to GMES service innovation. These projects have been launched to bring LRAs closer to GMES. They will address the aforementioned communities at regional and local level in their own technical language. GRAAL and DORIS_Net will also endeavour to highlight the benefits of GMES for LRAs to eventually foster the development of downstream services in support of public actions in LRAs across Europe. It is expected that prime candidates are tools which allow effective completion of reporting and monitoring obligations (e.g. Water Framework Directive, Natura 2000, Urban Atlas, etc.). Grass-roots pilot activities and LRA success cases will allow developing user uptake across Europe.

The INSPIRE directive and the GMES programme need to march hand-in hand to convince regional and local geo-professionals in LRAs of the combined benefits of these two European initiatives. The coordination of this vital information infrastructure on a regional and local level will eventually simplify reporting procedures, improve the comparability and interoperability of data, and increase cross-LRA and cross-border cooperation.

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7. Project InGeoSat – INSPIRE-GMES Integration Platform for Innovative Geo and Satellite Applications

7.1 InGeoSat: Application Scenario Forest Indicators

Matthias Schulz GAF AG Head of GIS Software Development [email protected] www.gaf.de

Scenario

GAF AGs application scenario deals with the calculation of forest indicators which provide information about the extent of forest land cover and the amount of woodland for determinable areas. Both, INSPIRE relevant data (administrative and statistical units) as well as GMES data (forest layer) are used. A service-based web application, which integrates the distributed data and allows a simple computation and presentation of the indicators in a user-friendly way, was developed using the OGC Web Processing Standard (WPS) as well as other INSPIRE relevant standards (WMS, WFS, WCS, CS-W).

Motivation and Objective

The Application Scenario Forest Indicators is a practical application example, which was developed as part of the GMES projects geoland2 and GSE Forest Monitoring together with the involved users. Among other things the calculated forest indicators can provide a contribution to the biodiversity assessment and the fragmentation of forests and should ease mandatory reporting, especially as part of the MCPFE (Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe) and UNCBD (United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity). The forest indicators are associated with the European Initiative SEBI 2010 (Streamlining European 2010 Biodiversity Indicators).

Besides the automatic calculation of the forest indicators, which didn’t exist up to now and was mainly carried out manually, the major technical focus of the project lies on the use of Open Source Technologies. Here it is important to analyse how far single components already support INSPIRE and GMES guidelines or where deficits still remain. These evaluations can be of great use for further projects. Furthermore the implementation of a WPS through the combination of different INSPIRE/OGC conform services is an optimal starting point for an assessment of the interoperability of the involved services.

Beyond, the chosen scenario offers further extension potential, such as change detections, if forest data of different time periods is available. Because of that, analyses, which show the forest development, are possible. In addition, other land use data e.g. may be integrated instead of forest data, and by that, analogous indicators be calculated and analyzed due to the encapsulated logic and used standards in the service.

Results

It has been shown that a WPS implementation containing INSPIRE and GMES data services is possible using Open Source Technologies. In addition, an easy and user-friendly access to the application was created with a browser-based web-GIS client. Even though the INSPIRE requested versions of technical standards are still partly in development in some Open Source projects, the basic suitability and feasibility of the examined interaction between data and services could be demonstrated based upon those standards. The developed results and technologies can be transferred to further application scenarios and should set up the foundation for future technological projects in the INSPIRE and GMES environment. Furthermore, the

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prototype demonstrates how functionality or business-logic can be implemented into a GDI without using a Desktop GIS, which would require the corresponding know-how of the users. Hence the functionality and accordingly the expanded data services can be provided to a large number of users. From a company point of view these technologies provide the opportunity to offer adequate services to the clients without having them to store and maintain data or build up adequate GIS knowledge.

References

GSE Forest Monitoring: http://www.gmes-forest.info/

Geoland2: http://www.gmes-geoland.info/

Steuer, H. et al 2010: Standards based and automated processing of Forest Spatial Indicators in the context of GMES and INSPIRE. Proceedings of EnviroInfo 2010.

Kunert, M. et al 2011: Bedeutung von GIS und Fernerkundung im Kontext von INSPIRE und GMES, AGIT Tagungsband 2011.

Kunert, M. 2011: Web-basierte Berechnung von Forstindikatoren im Kontext der europäischen Initiativen GMES und INSPIRE. Diplomarbeit, Ludwig Maximilians-Universität München.

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7.2 Project InGeoSat – Scenario European Border Protection

Dr. Karin Hosse ESG GmbH Project Manager [email protected] http://www.esg.de

Introduction

Border protection is a multifaceted task and border protection agencies rely on support from industry in addition to their own expertise in order to deal with this task. The increasing complexity of border protection tasks means an increasing need for support when planning and implementing diverse technical systems and their integration in the course of daily border protection business. Experience taken from various projects carried out by ESG Elektroniksystem- und Logistik-GmbH (e.g. design of a European border security infrastructure) highlighted the need to develop improved solutions for planning and operating border security systems in the interest of border protection agencies. The scope is confined here to solutions and how they are deployed at green and blue borders ("prevention of illegal crossing") and excludes the systems used directly at border crossings ("handling of legal border traffic").

Aim of the scenario

The essential aim of the presented scenario is to provide INSPIRE-compatible integrated data and services from the GMES environment for strategically operational coordination centres of mobile action forces. The scenario for the InGeoSat Project is implemented according to the GMES Technical Working Group on Border Surveillance which describes how EU member states can use information from satellites and other monitoring systems (e.g. unmanned aerial vehicles) as well as other sources (e.g. open source intelligence) in future for monitoring borders and adjacent areas outside the EU. The functionality required for securing

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EU external borders involves, for example, providing essential current geoinformation on border areas including information on topography and transport infrastructure in order to create an overview of the situation, with which activities and movements of objects (vehicles, groups of people) can be displayed and routes primarily used by smugglers and illegal immigrants can be identified.

Technical implementation

Data from satellites (e.g. TerraSAR-X) and other border security systems is combined with cross-border INSPIRE data like administrative borders and transport networks by means of web services for the purpose of monitoring borders. For the demonstrator in the InGeoSat Project, the server software components are run on ESG's mobile geoinformation system in a virtualised environment. This system consists of a modular framework for high-performance distribution and visualisation of geoinformation with internationally standardised geo web services for geospatial data with multi-terabyte (TB) size.

A GIS client is available on which client software components can be found. In addition, the test partners can access the web portal and web services via their own systems.

Thanks to the support from the INSPIRE GMES Integration Platform for innovative geospatial and satellite applications, high flexibility is achieved in terms of available service components, involved systems and scenarios relevant to operation.

Outlook

In the project, the cross-functionality and usability of geoinformation is investigated in consideration of future-oriented standardisation processes and services offered in the INSPIRE and GMES environment (interfaces and procedures). Together with mobile communication systems (e.g. radio network of security authorities and organisations) and operational guidance systems, this information allows border protection agencies to run up against organised border crime which manifests itself in smuggling, human trafficking and the promotion of illegal immigration.

A first demonstration of the project results obtained so far is planned for the exhibition Intergeo 2011 in Nuremberg. The results will then be assessed in detail within the framework of an evaluation phase (potential, problems, achievement of objectives, conformity to standards) and examined in terms of possibilities of utilisation (influence in standardisation, projects, further development).

Figure 2: Solution Architecture of ESG Node

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7.3 Project InGeoSat – Storm Damage Scenario in Forests

Lars Schmitz Esri Deutschland GmbH Project Manager [email protected] http://www.esri.de

Motivation

Storm events, such as Lothar (1999) and Kyrill (2007) have been occurring with increasing frequency in the last few years, causing considerable damage to forests. The prognosis for the future is that powerful storms continue to be expected in Central Europe, especially in the winter months. The subsequent cost of relieving the damage caused by storms is enormous. Forest management control centres face the dual challenge of gaining a rapid overview of the extent of the damage and planning the measures necessary to counter the damage as rapidly as possible. Modern methods of analysis and evaluation using satellite-based remote sensing techniques coupled with up-to-date forestry data (e.g. a geographic forestry information system) are able to supply initial findings regarding the extent of the damage, offering valuable support for conducting the subsequent planning process. Accordingly, data from a variety of sources must be provided and evaluated (forest authorities, satellite data providers, service providers, etc.), something which favours INSPIRE-compliant technical implementation.

A so-called GMES Downstream Service is to be implemented as part of a test platform, based on empirical data and approaches to problems used at the Bavarian State Forestry Department. It is hoped that this will promote more rapid and efficient analysis and reconditioning in future events. Using standardised access, the aim is to demonstrate how the use and integration of data simplifies processes and increases their value to the user.

Object of investigation

The object of investigation is the damage caused by the Kyrill storm in 2007 in the forest district of Berchtesgaden. It entails the evaluation of archived satellite data from before and after the storm in the forests of the Bavarian State Forestry Department.

A simulation is made of the scenario whereby a rapid overview is made of the extent of the damage, based on evaluated satellite data, and sent to the executive management of the forestry administration after a maximum of 5-10 days. The overriding measures to be taken are then decided on the basis of this data. In particular, this overview serves to facilitate the subsequent methodical planning of the necessary logistics for repairing the damage (see Figure 1: Forest storm scenario).

Partners

Esri has devised the prototype for a practice-based solution for the described application case, in collaboration with the Bavarian State Forestry Department (BaySF), the GAF AG and the Technische Universität München (TUM). GAF AG is responsible for the acquisition, pre-processing and evaluation of satellite data and the provision of the results (maps of damage areas). In place of the forestry market, BaySF controls the technical requirements and provides its own data.

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7.4 InGeoSat – INSPIRE-GMES Integration Platform for Innovative Geo and Satellite Applications

Julia Stahl Technische Universität München Project Coordination (until 30.09.2011) E-Mail: [email protected] www.gis.bv.tum.de

The general conditions which have been created by the INSPIRE and GMES initiatives bring about huge potential. While INSPIRE aims at enabling interoperable data exchange, GMES is to continually provide updated earth observation data. The goal of the InGeoSat project is to create the technological requirements for using spatial data of INSPIRE and GMES together. The infrastructure which is to be developed in the context of INSPIRE has the potential to provide interoperable access to up-to-date earth observation data from the GMES initiative as well.

The InGeoSat project runs from June 2010 to May 2012 and combines know-how in the fields of INSPIRE and GMES, which exists at Technische Universität München and at the participating companies ESG (Elektroniksystem- und Logistik-GmbH), Esri Deutschland GmbH and GAF AG. The goal of the project is to set up a testing and development environment, which consists of hardware and software components of different producers as well as of data from different providers. In this infrastructure the technical and organisational standards from the INSPIRE and GMES context can be tested through different systems and organisations. The coupling of the two initiatives is analysed by three different application scenarios:

• Forest indicators: calculation of forest indicators with Web Services (particularly Web Processing Service) to control the fragmentation of forests, to be able to measure their splintering and to avoid the loss of biodiversity involved (see chapter 7.1).

• Forest storm damage: coupling INSPIRE, GMES and costumer data in such a way that the costumer (BaySF) receives an overview of the deegree of damage shortly after the storm occurred and is able to derive the next steps, e.g. claim management, from it (see chapter 7.3).

• European border control: data from satellites and other border control systems are combined via Web Services with cross-border INSPIRE data such as administrative boundaries and transport networks to control borders (see chapter 7.2).

The ESRI products Geoportal Server and ArcGIS for INSPIRE serve as common point of entry for all subprojects of InGeoSat. The Geoportal provides descriptions, information and documents concerning the project. The main purpose of the portal is to make available the individual demos of the partners and the data of the subprojects. For this reason the metadata which belong to the INSPIRE data are published according to the INSPIRE specification in the Geoportal.

The data of the jointly used INSPIRE data themes (Annex I) are made available centrally by TU München via ArcGIS for INSPIRE and can be consumed for the scenarios of the project partners.

To provide INSPIRE compliant data, Administrative Units of the GADM database and Statistical Units (NUTS) of the European Environment Agency were used and transformed to the INSPIRE target model with the help of the ETL tool FME (using the con terra INSPIRE Solution Pack for FME). The target model is available as XML template as part of ArcGIS for INSPIRE.

The data transformed in this way have then been published via the INSPIRE compliant view and download services and the corresponding metadata have been published in the Geoportal in turn.

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8. Runder Tisch GIS e.V

Dr. Gabriele Aumann Runder Tisch GIS e.V. Managing Director [email protected] www.rundertischgis.de

The Runder Tisch GIS e.V. was founded in July 2000 aiming at more efficiency in the use of geographic information systems and their data by the cooperation of administration, industry and science. The registered non-profit association is situated at the Technische Universität München. Since its foundation with 31 founding members, the association grew to more than 200 members today. Besides personal memberships, 40 companies, 26 authorities and 6 universities are members of the association. The main emphasis of the association’s work is on projects, training and further education, promotion of young talents and on work in changing working groups.

The Runder Tisch GIS e.V. deals with the topic of de-jure and de-facto standards within the context of its project work already since the year 2000. The OGC test platform, whose implementation has started in 2000 and which has continually been upgraded with new OGC services and new application scenarios, has become a trademark of the Runder Tisch GIS e.V. Due to the INSPIRE activities, an upgrading of the OGC test platform to a cross-border INSPIRE-GMES test platform for the Lake Constance region was initiated in July 2007. At the end of 2010 it was decided to extend the INSPIRE-GMES test platform to a demonstration platform. The concept was expanded to the effect that the test platform will now also include results from external projects (mainly projects from members of the Runder Tisch GIS e.V.). This results in guaranteed financing of the projects by the individual project operators and their results regarding the demonstration platform can be made available for all members of the Runder Tisch GIS e.V. Furthermore, members can actively participate in the projects and thus become leading in terms of know-how.

Currently this means that after their completion the results of the projects “Prototypical transformation of spatial data to INSPIRE in the cross-border Lake Constance region” and “InGeoSat” will be available for the members of the Runder Tisch GIS e.V. through the INSPIRE-GMES demonstration platform as well.

The results of the project work are also directly being integrated in the information brochure INSPIRE-GMES, which is published by the Runder Tisch GIS e.V. regularly since 2008. The brochure addresses persons who want to become familiar with the topics INSPIRE and GMES and supports interested people from authorities, especially from state and local authorities, to adjust their IT and GIS strategies to the new requirements of INSPIRE in time. Furthermore, the brochure is to provide useful information for GIS suppliers and service providers, who want to offer solutions for the INSPIRE implementation. Students and scientists can make use of it as an introduction to the INSPIRE topic and can deepen their knowledge in the field of data harmonisation.

The topics INSPIRE and GMES are also dealt with at the training and further education courses of the Runder Tisch GIS e.V. In the context of the 17th Munich GIS conference (17th Münchner Fortbildungsseminar Geoinformationssysteme) from 12 to 15 March 2012, amongst others a training course will be offered on “Transformation of spatial data to INSPIRE” which is based on the results of the project “Prototypical transformation of spatial data to INSPIRE in the cross-border Lake Constance region”.

References

Hosse, K: INSPIRE-GMES-Testplattform – Bedeutung und Nutzen für die Praxis (2010). Geoinformationssysteme – Beiträge zum 15. Münchner Fortbildungsseminar (S. 84 – S. 99)

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9. INSPIRE-GMES Demonstration Platform of the Runder Tisch GIS e.V.

Dr. Gabriele Aumann Runder Tisch GIS e.V. Managing Director [email protected] www.rundertischgis.de

The Runder Tisch GIS e.V. deals with the topic of de-jure and de-facto standards within the context of its project work already since the year 2000. The OGC test platform, whose implementation has started in 2000 and which has continually been upgraded with new OGC services and new application scenarios, has become a trademark of the Runder Tisch GIS e.V. Due to the INSPIRE activities, an upgrading of the OGC test platform to a cross-border INSPIRE-GMES test platform for the Lake Constance region was initiated in July 2007. At the end of 2010 it was decided to extend the INSPIRE-GMES test platform to a demonstration platform. The concept was expanded to the effect that the test platform will now also include results from external projects (mainly projects from members of the Runder Tisch GIS e.V.). This results in guaranteed financing of the projects by the individual project operators and their results regarding the demonstration platform can be made available for all members of the Runder Tisch GIS e.V. Furthermore, members can actively participate in the projects and thus become leading in terms of know-how.

First steps in this direction have already been taken by integrating two demos for presentation at the INTERGEO 2010. In the context of the test platform, the following two projects were presented at the INTERGEO 2010:

• Automated interpolation of precipitation measurements by using OGC Web Services: a possible application of Web Processing Services in the field of temporal precipitation interpolation was demonstrated in cooperation with the Wupperverband

• Spatial forest indicators: a first prototype of the InGeoSat project, which is currently being implemented and which is supported by the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs, Infrastructure, Transport and Technology, shows the application of a Web Processing Service to calculate spatial forest indicators. The project partners and members of the Runder Tisch GIS e.V. – ESRI, ESG, GAF and TUM – by the way, met through the network of the Runder Tisch GIS e.V.

Since spring 2011 experience and results of the project European Risk Atlas (ERiskA), a subproject of the HUMBOLDT project, are accessible via the demonstration platform. The subproject ERiskA aimed at the development of a cross-border flood information application for the Lake Constance region. The test region includes areas of Switzerland, Austria and Germany. ERiskA is to facilitate the cross-border cooperation of the authorities which are responsible for the disaster management in the Lake Constance region through the possibility of information exchange about flood areas and flooded infrastructure. Therefore many interoperability and data harmonisation aspects have been dealt with in the scenario.

Currently, the results of the project “Prototypical transformation of spatial data to INSPIRE in the cross-border Lake Constance region” will be made available for the members of the Runder Tisch GIS e.V: through the demonstration platform as well.

On completion of the InGeoSat project, these results will also be integrated in the INSPIRE-GMES demonstration platform.

The two latter protects are based on the INSPIRE compliant data management of the ESRI product ArcGIS for INSPIRE. The data of the jointly used INSPIRE data themes (Annex I) will be made available centrally by TU München via ArcGIS for INSPIRE and can be consumed for the scenarios of the projects.

The INSPIRE-GMES demonstration platform provides descriptions, information and documents concerning the individual projects.

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A. Important Definitions in the context of INSPIRE and GMES1

Spatial Data INSPIRE defines spatial data as data with a direct (e.g. using coordinates) or indirect (e.g. using a postal code) reference to a specific location or geographical area (European Parliament and Council 2007).

Spatial Data Services Spatial data services are software components made available on the internet providing functionalities for the usage of spatial data via software interfaces. Within a spatial data infrastructure, services complying with standards e.g. of the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) or the INSPIRE directive are needed for enabling interoperable access to spatial data. The terms geo services and geo web services are also often used synonymously.

Spatial Data Infrastructure A spatial data infrastructure (SDI) is characterized by the following, closely related components (Jaenicke 2004, Faust et al. 2009):

• spatial data and associated metadata

• a technical infrastructure consisting of spatial data services, portals, user interfaces (clients), components for security, access control and billing as well as a network

• Standards enabling the interaction of the distributed, heterogeneous components within an SDI

• SDI stakeholders like providers and users of spatial data and spatial data services as well as operators of SDI portals

• a legal and organisational framework (legal provisions, agreements concerning access and use, mechanisms for coordination and monitoring)

Interoperability Interoperability denotes the ability of originally autonomous systems to co-operate. Via interfaces which are syntactically and semantically specified in an unambiguous way, services are provided to other systems and services of other systems are used. The complexity of the systems’ internal structures is hidden from the user of a service.(Donaubauer 2004) The INSPIRE directive adds a second focal point to the definition: In addition to the interoperability of services, it also requires the harmonisation of spatial data. Accordingly, interoperability means “the possibility for spatial data sets to be combined, and for services to interact, without repetitive manual intervention, in such a way that the result is coherent and the added value of the data sets and services is enhanced“ (European Parliament and Council 2007).

GMES GMES (Global Monitoring for Environment and Security) is a joint initiative of the European Commission and the European Space Agency (ESA). It aims at generating European capacities for an independent and sustainable access to information on the environment and security. For this purpose, services based on the integration of space-based earth observation data as well as data from in-situ sensors are being set up.

1 This article is based on chapter 3.1 of this brochure’s sixth edition.

Figure 1: Elements of an SDI (Source: Mordhorst 2007)

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Metadata INSPIRE defines metadata as “information describing spatial data sets and spatial data services and making it possible to discover, inventory and use them.” (European Parliament and Council 2007)

Meta-information Systems Meta-information systems are integrated solutions for the acquisition, management, evaluation and provision of metadata. The provision of metadata through standard interfaces - in the case of INSPIRE through the so-called discovery services - is a crucial requirement for meta-information systems and also a key point in the context of the European Spatial Data Infrastructure. The OpenGIS Catalogue Service (CSW) Standard enables the interoperable usage of metadata via web services.

References

European Parliament and Council (Ed.) 2007: Directive 2007/2/EC of the European Parliament and Council of 14 March 2007 establishing an Infrastructure for Spatial Information in the European Community (INSPIRE). Official Journal of the European Union, L 108/1. Available online at http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2007:108:0001:0014:EN:PDF (Accessed 21.11.07).

Faust, T.; Heß, D.; Höhne, A.; Hummel, R.; Jackisch, U.; Schleyer, A. 2009: Die Geodateninfrastruktur Baden-Württemberg im nationalen und europäischen Kontext. In: zfv, 4/2009, S. 187-200.

Jaenicke, K. 2004: Nutzen und Wertschöpfung von Geodateninfrastrukturen. Diplomarbeit an der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München.

Donaubauer, A. 2004: Interoperable Nutzung verteilter Geodatenbanken mittels standardisierter Geo Web Services. Dissertation an der Technischen Universität München, Fakultät für Bauingenieur- und Vermessungswesen.

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B. INSPIRE and GMES Contact Persons of the Network Runder Tisch GIS e.V.

Organisation / Company Contact Person E-Mail

AED-SICAD AG Markus Müller [email protected]

AED-SYNERGIS GmbH Elmar Happ [email protected]

Autodesk GmbH Michaela Schneeberger [email protected]

Bayerisches Landesamt für Vermessung und Geoinformation

Markus Seifert [email protected]

Bund der öffentlich bestellten Vermessungsingenieure e.V. (BDVI)

Michael Zurhorst [email protected]

con terra GmbH Christoph Uhlenküken [email protected]

ESG – Elektroniksystem- und Logistik-GmbH Dr. Karin Hosse [email protected]

ESRI Deutschland GmbH Lars Schmitz [email protected]

GAF AG Matthias Schulz [email protected]

GEOSYSTEMS GmbH Dr. Ursula Benz [email protected]

Intergraph SG&I Deutschland GmbH Dr. Markus Schaffert [email protected]

IP SYSCON GmbH Dr. Roman Radberger [email protected]

Landesamt für Geoinformation und Landentwicklung Baden-Württemberg

Thomas Witke [email protected]

Landesvermessungsamt Feldkirch Martin Seebacher [email protected]

Landratsamt Cham Dr. Ulrich Huber [email protected]

Microsoft Deutschland GmbH Dr. Josef Kauer [email protected]

MICUS Management Consulting GmbH Dr. Martin Fornefeld [email protected]

M.O.S.S. Computer Grafik Systeme GmbH Philipp Willkomm [email protected]

Technische Universität München Horst Steuer [email protected]

Wupperverband Karl-Heinz Spies [email protected]

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C. Annex I, II and III Data Themes of the INSPIRE Directive1

Annex I Spatial Data Theme Definition Coordinate reference systems Systems for uniquely referencing spatial information in space as a set of coordinates (x, y, z)

and/or latitude and longitude and height, based on a geodetic horizontal and vertical datum Geographical grid systems Harmonised multi-resolution grid with a common point of origin and standardised location and

size of grid cells Geographical names Names of areas, regions, localities, cities, suburbs, towns or settlements, or any geographical or

topographical feature of public or historical interest Administrative units Units of administration, dividing areas where Member States have and/or exercise jurisdictional

rights, for local, regional and national governance, separated by administrative boundaries Addresses Location of properties based on address identifiers, usually by road name, house number, postal

code Cadastral parcels Areas defined by cadastral registers or equivalent Transport networks Road, rail, air and water transport networks and related infrastructure. Includes links between

different networks Hydrography Hydrographic elements, including marine areas and all other water bodies and items related to

them, including river basins and sub-basins. Where appropriate, according to the Water Framework Directive

Protected sites Area designated or managed within a framework of international, Community and Member States' legislation to achieve specific conservation objective

Annex II Spatial Data Themes Definition Elevation Digital elevation models for land, ice and ocean surface. Includes terrestrial elevation, bathy-

metry and shoreline Land cover Physical and biological cover of the earth's surface including artificial surfaces, agricultural areas,

forests, (semi-)natural areas, wetlands, water bodies Orthoimagery Geo-referenced image data of the Earth's surface, from either satellite or airborne sensors Geology Geology characterised according to composition and structure. Includes bedrock, aquifers and

geomorphology

Annex III Spatial Data Themes Definition Statistical units Units for dissemination or use of statistical information Buildings Geographical location of buildings Soil Soils and subsoil characterised according to depth, texture, structure and content of particles and

organic material, stoniness, erosion, where appropriate mean slope and anticipated water storage capacity

Land use Territory characterised according to its current and future planned functional dimension or socio-economic purpose (e.g. residential, industrial, commercial, agricultural, forestry, recreational)

Human health and safety Geographical distribution of dominance of pathologies (allergies, cancers, respiratory diseases, etc.), information indicating the effect on health (biomarkers, decline of fertility, epidemics) or well-being of humans (fatigue, stress, etc.) linked directly (air pollution, chemicals, depletion of the ozone layer, noise, etc.) or indirectly (food, genetically modified organisms, etc.) to the quality of the environment

Utility and governmental services Includes utility facilities such as sewage, waste management, energy supply and water supply, administrative and social governmental services such as public administrations, civil protection sites, schools and hospitals

Environmental monitoring facilities

Location and operation of environmental monitoring facilities includes observation and measurement of emissions, of the state of environmental media and of other ecosystem parameters (biodiversity, ecological conditions of vegetation, etc.) by or on behalf of public authorities

Production and industrial facilities Industrial production sites, including installations covered by Council Directive 96/61/EC of 24 September 1996 concerning integrated pollution prevention and control and water abstraction facilities, mining, storage sites

Agricultural and aquaculture facilities

Farming equipment and production facilities (including irrigation systems, greenhouses and stables)

Population distribution — demography

Geographical distribution of people, including population characteristics and activity levels, aggregated by grid, region, administrative unit or other analytical unit

Area management/restriction/regulation zones and reporting units

Areas managed, regulated or used for reporting at international, European, national, regional and local levels. Includes dumping sites, restricted areas around drinking water sources, nitrate-vulnerable zones, regulated fairways at sea or large inland waters, areas for the dumping of waste, noise restriction zones, prospecting and mining permit areas, river basin districts, relevant

1 European Parliament and Council (Ed.) 2007: Directive 2007/2/EC of the European Parliament and Council of 14 March 2007 establishing an Infrastructure for Spatial Information in the European Community (INSPIRE). Official Journal of the European Union, L 108/1. Available online at http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2007:108:0001:0014:EN:PDF (Accessed 21.11.07).

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reporting units and coastal zone management areas Natural risk zones Vulnerable areas characterised according to natural hazards (all atmospheric, hydrologic,

seismic, volcanic and wildfire phenomena that, because of their location, severity, and frequency, have the potential to seriously affect society), e.g. floods, landslides and subsidence, avalanches, forest fires, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions

Atmospheric conditions Physical conditions in the atmosphere. Includes spatial data based on measurements, on models or on a combination thereof and includes measurement locations

Meteorological geographical features

Weather conditions and their measurements; precipitation, temperature, evapotranspiration, wind speed and direction

Oceanographic geographical features

Physical conditions of oceans (currents, salinity, wave heights, etc.).

Sea regions Physical conditions of seas and saline water bodies divided into regions and sub-regions with common characteristics

Bio-geographical regions Areas of relatively homogeneous ecological conditions with common characteristics Habitats and biotopes Geographical areas characterised by specific ecological conditions, processes, structure, and

(life support) functions that physically support the organisms that live there. Includes terrestrial and aquatic areas distinguished by geographical, abiotic and biotic features, whether entirely natural or semi-natural

Species distribution Geographical distribution of occurrence of animal and plant species aggregated by grid, region, administrative unit or other analytical unit

Energy resources Energy resources including hydrocarbons, hydropower, bio-energy, solar, wind, etc., where relevant including depth/height information on the extent of the resource

Mineral resources Mineral resources including metal ores, industrial minerals, etc., where relevant including depth/height information on the extent of the resource

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