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SESSION: NATIONAL SDI II
Swedish preparations for INSPIRE
S. Jönsson, U. Sandgren
Lantmäteriet, Gävle, Sweden
This paper summarises the Swedish preparations for the foreseen implementation of the proposed INSPIRE
directive.The general situation on spatial information in Europe is characterised by lack of harmonisation
between datasets at different scales and with different data themes, duplication of collection and maintenance
of data, and difficulties to identify, access and use data that is available. Therefore, Lantmäteriet – the National
Land Survey of Sweden – supported by the Government has taken an active part in activities aiming to
overcome these problems and create interoperability between data within Sweden as well as cross-boarder.
Lantmäteriet has an active role in the European and international standardisation of geographic information
and in EuroGeographics activities aiming to support interoperability and easy access to national maintained
databases. We are also leading or participating in different projects aiming to harmonise and make available
information easier to access, e.g. EULIS, EuroRoadS and RISE.
Also the handling in Sweden of geographic and cadastral information has been changed during the last years
based on an SDI approach. Instead of being a “map factory” Lantmäteriet has developed as the national
coordinator of SDI and the guiding principles for this development are, in fact, the same as the basic principles
for INSPIRE. This means that standards and processes are developed to make it possible to collect and
maintain data at the level where this can be done most effectively, to share data between different
administrative levels and to combine data from different sources.
Saying that, it has been logically to give a general support to the INSPIRE initiative. A legal framework will
support a coordinated approach and be of advantage for more efficient governance, lead to better services to
citizen and support market development. In the long run cost savings in production and maintenance of data
will be achievable, while the costs (or the financing of costs) for the transition from today’s situation might be
a problem. Another advantage with the initiative is that geographic information has been placed on the
political agenda. We who are active in this sector have a good opportunity to show the benefits from efficient
handling of geographic information and GIS tools.
Swedish preparations
A number of activities have been carried out in order to prepare Swedish standpoints during the negotiation
process as well as to prepare for the implementation of the proposed Directive.
A reference group was established to support the Swedish participants in the INSPIRE Expert group in order to
widen the discussions to a larger group representing data producers and data users as well as researchers. This
has given the representatives in the Expert group a clearer and better defined mandate as they – as far as
possible – can speak for common Swedish interests. However, during the active phase of negotiations the
timetable made it impossible to send documents to the reference group for review, why the Swedish positions
only could be sent for comments to concerned ministries.
Sweden also had a full and active representation in the working groups, which prepared different matters
before the Commission presented the first proposal on the Directive. These groups looked into technical as
well as organisational, financial and administrative issues. The outcome was position papers on Implementing
structures and funding, Reference data and metadata, Data policy and legal issues, and Environment thematic
user needs.
In 2005 Government presented a bill to Parliament on priorities within information technology developments.
This bill included proposals on how to organise and coordinate the future development of the Swedish SDI,
including the foreseen handling of issues raised by INSPIRE. This bill has later on been approved by
Parliament. The decision includes a stronger coordination role for Lantmäteriet and the setting up of a National
Advisory Board on Geographic information. This Advisory board will handle strategic issues on the national,
European and international level and coordinate development of standards and specifications, metadata and
metadata services, services for data access, policies for data use, etc.
In the letter of regulation Government commissioned Lantmäteriet in December 2004 to work out a report
describing effects from the proposed Directive and actions needed in order to prepare the implementation.
After consultation with a number of authorities and other interested bodies Lantmäteriet presented this report
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