Joep Crompvoets

Geographic Information Science at the Heart of Europe

Geographic information is increasingly contributed by volunteers via crowdsourcing platforms. However, most tools and methods require a high technical affinity of its users and a good understanding of geographic classification systems. These technological and educational barriers prevent casual users to contribute spatial data. In this chapter we present MAPIT, a method to acquire and contribute complex geographic data. We further introduce the concept of micromapping, the acquisition of geometrically correct geometric data of small geographic entities. MAPIT is a method for micro-mapping with smartphones with high geometric precision. We show that MAPIT is highly accurate and able to reconstruct the geometry of mapped entities correctly.Please check and confirm the author names and initials are correct.

Assessment of the Conditions for a European Union Location Framework

The European Union Location Framework (EULF) is a set of good practices and actions to promote more effective and efficient use of location information in e-government services. The EULF is part of the Interoperability Solutions for Public Administrations (ISA) Programme, which supports interoperability solutions, sharing and re-use among European Public Administrations. This report assesses the conditions for an EULF, based on a survey of Member States and an examination of EU policies and work programmes. Five focus areas are being considered initially: policy and strategy alignment, e-government integration, standardisation and interoperability, costs and benefits and committed partnerships. The assessment confirmed their importance in realising and maximising the benefits of location-related information and services. There are various good practices demonstrating that these issues can be addressed and that benefits for governments, citizens and businesses can be delivered. However these good pratices are not universally deployed and there are some significant gaps. The assessment also identified other important issues, including the need for effective leadership and governance, a user-driven approach, an open and balanced data policy, training and awareness raising and appropriately targeted funding. There is, therefore, a need for an EULF, to build on the good practices and interest from Member States and to develop a framework of guidance and actions that will foster interoperable cross-sector and cross-border sharing and use of location information.

Governance of Open Data Initiatives

The effective development and implementation of open data initiatives requires governance in order to avoid gaps, duplications, contradictions and missed opportunities. Appropriate governance instruments should be established to coordinate the activities and contributions of different stakeholders. This chapter reviews the governance of open data initiatives worldwide, using a governance instruments approach as introduced by public administration researchers to analyse coordination and governance in the public sector. Six sets of governance instruments in the governance of open data initiatives are identified: collective decision-making structures, strategic management, allocation of tasks and responsibilities, creation of markets, interorganizational culture and knowledge management, and regulation and formalization of open data initiatives. The chapter shows how each of these six sets of instruments have been applied in various countries in the governance of nation-wide open data initiatives.