GEOSS, INSPIRE and GMES an Action in Support
GEOSS, INSPIRE and GMES are three multinational initiatives with similar goals including a focus on environmental policy support, use of geomatic and geographic information, reliance on international standards and the spatial data infrastructure needed for their implementation. While there is considerable overlap amongst the key stakeholders, the origins and operating philosophy of the three initiatives vary significantly, each initiative follows its own timeline and approach for technical development, leading to the risk of evolving into separate, incompatible services and not profiting from the benefits of a common approach. In response to the this, the EU Seventh Framework Programme established the GEOSS, INSPIRE and GMES an Action in Support (GIGAS) project to analyze GEOSS, INSPIRE and GMES, and to propose responses to address interoperability gaps and opportunities for establishing bridges between the initiatives.
Comparison between GEOSS, INSPIRE and GMES
Similarities
- SOA architecture based on 'publish/find/bind' paradigm
- use of OGC and ISO/TC 211 standards, in particular for catalogue interfaces, view-services
Differences
- INSPIRE and GEOSS have a strong emphasis on open 'standards' as a means to achieve interoperability
- GEOSS defines interoperability arrangements based on standards
- INSPIRE defines implementing rules based on standards
- GMES is implementation driven, developing new APIs and interfaces as required
- interoperability within INSPIRE is based around information models (developed following ISO 19100 series standards)
- GMES types are 'CM GSC Products' and 'GSC Data Sets'
- INSPIRE and GMES use a 'top-down' specification process, ultimately selecting a single solution to each requirement.
- GEOSS operates 'bottom-up', by soliciting contributions, and accepting multiple solutions to each requirement.
- INSPIRE has a legal mandate
- GEOSS has a high political profile
- GMES builds on a strong tradition of operational space-based observing systems
Partners
- Fraunhofer Institute Computer Graphics Research
- JRC - Spatial Data Infrastructures Unit
- European Space Agency
- Open Geospatial Consortium
- Spacebel SA
- Science and Technology Facilities Council (UK)
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche
- Interactive Instruments
- Dresden University of Technology
- AED-SICAD AG
- Stichting Nederlandse Organisatie-Institut
- Norwegian Mapping and Cadastre Authority
- Thales Alenia Space
- Spot Image
- Infoterra Ltd
- Elsag Datamat spa.
- Institut Géographique National (France)
- ERDAS
See also
- Seventh Framework Programme
- CEN
- European Union
- GEOSS
- GMES
- INSPIRE
- ISO/TC 211
- OGC
- Spatial data infrastructure