UK national mapping agencies connect with Europe. Dozens of MEPs and EC officials attended an evening reception at the European Parliament in Brussels, which highlighted the important contribution of geographic information (GI) to achieving EU objectives. Hosted by Ordnance Survey and Ordnance Survey Northern Ireland (OSNI), the reception was supported by EuroGeographics, the representative organisation of European mapping agencies.
The theme of the reception was ‘Connecting with Europe’, with key speeches by Joakim Ollen, (President of EuroGeographics), Steve Erskine (Managing Director of Graphic Brands, Ordnance Survey), Stan Brown (Director of Marketing, OSNI) and Vanessa Lawrence (Director General and Chief Executive, Ordnance Survey). The speakers highlighted how GI can contribute to European Directives, and emphasized the benefits of a common geographic framework for Europe’s information economy. The presence of several European mapping agency CEOs demonstrated how working together to promote best practice can achieve significant common goals.
The reception was a highlight of Ordnance Survey’s weeklong exhibition at the European Parliament, visited by many interested MEPs including Glenys Kinnock and UK Cabinet Minister Peter Hain. Britain’s national mapping agency is directly involved with the development of European and international GI standards, and is a member of the Open GIS Consortium and EuroGeographics.
In common with other European mapping agencies, Ordnance Survey provides topographical data for a pan-European 1:1 million scale EuroGlobalMap. This dataset can provide the structure to support a number of EU policies, including the Water Framework Directive. Geographic intelligence can also provide solutions for key EU policy areas such as transportation, community development, agriculture, emergency response, environmental management and information technology.
The reception demonstrates Ordnance Survey’s wider commitment to communicate the benefits of GI to policy and decision-makers, both in Britain and internationally.
