Sustainable Development and Integration Directorate The European Programme for the Shared Environmental Information System Meropi Paneli European Commission Environment DG Sustainable Development and Integration Directorate EnviroInfo 2008, Lüneburg, Germany

Outline presentation What is the SEIS? Why SEIS? Scope of the SEIS Benefits How will SEIS be built? The SEIS Commission Communication, February 2008 – Set out the SEIS principles Towards a European SEIS Implementation Plan Communicating SEIS and Establishment of an eEnvironmnet Community in Europe

What is SEIS? A collaborative initiative of the European Commission and the European Environment Agency (EEA) Establish together with the MSs an integrated and shared EU-wide environmental information system. An initiative for a pan-European eGovernment -system of systems- for Environment Information A System where the public authorities are the providers but also the main end-users and beneficiaries Now that the INSPIRE entered recently into force, Member States, their regions and the Commission are faced with important challenges related to its implementation. Implementing INSPIRE will require commitment and efforts from many public authorities and organisations which are dealing with data related to the environment. Faced with these challenges it may be worthwhile to look again at why we actually need an INSPIRE directive and how it fits in with recent environmental policy developments at Community level

Why SEIS is needed? International Conventions and EU Env legislation: main drive for collection of environmental data A wealth of information is collected but: The current fragmented reporting system The information is not readily available It is obsolete when finally available Prevents effective use and re-use for many purposes (sustainability of information – an issue) Prevents development of innovative added value information products and services –(eEnvironment services) Now that the INSPIRE entered recently into force, Member States, their regions and the Commission are faced with important challenges related to its implementation. Implementing INSPIRE will require commitment and efforts from many public authorities and organisations which are dealing with data related to the environment. Faced with these challenges it may be worthwhile to look again at why we actually need an INSPIRE directive and how it fits in with recent environmental policy developments at Community level

42 % of EU citizens feel poorly informed about environmental issues Source: Eurobarometer, March 2008

Source: Eurobarometer, March 2008

Who do you trust most when it comes to environmental issues? The highest performing eGovernment services are strongly underpinned by citizen´s trust, and government transparency [M. Blakemore and P.Lloyd, CCeGov Think Paper no. 10]. Source: Eurobarometer, March 2008

Commission Communication Towards a Shared Environmental Information System (SEIS) “Better decisions from local to European level need better and more timely information, based on more efficient monitoring and reporting systems” S Dimas, Feb 2008

Dare to dream – Seize the opportunities Once a Shared Environmental Information System exists all players can efficiently share information via shared areas Environmental Informatics vital to achieve it Now that the INSPIRE entered recently into force, Member States, their regions and the Commission are faced with important challenges related to its implementation. Implementing INSPIRE will require commitment and efforts from many public authorities and organisations which are dealing with data related to the environment. Faced with these challenges it may be worthwhile to look again at why we actually need an INSPIRE directive and how it fits in with recent environmental policy developments at Community level European Commission

Scope of SEIS Tie in better all existing data gathering and information flows related to EU environmental policies and legislation using modern tools such as the internet, GIS and satellite technology Move away from paper-based reporting to a modern e- Reporting system based on a SEIS Make environmental information more readily available and easier to understand to policy makers and the public Put into practice the principle 'monitor once for timely and multi-purpose uses' Now that the INSPIRE entered recently into force, Member States, their regions and the Commission are faced with important challenges related to its implementation. Implementing INSPIRE will require commitment and efforts from many public authorities and organisations which are dealing with data related to the environment. Faced with these challenges it may be worthwhile to look again at why we actually need an INSPIRE directive and how it fits in with recent environmental policy developments at Community level European Commission

SEIS: Good decisions need the right information at the right time What benefits will SEIS bring? Better regulation, better policy Empowering citizens Simplification and Efficiency Promoting Europe globally Boosting Innovation and Intelligent eServices: eEurope, eGovernment, eEnvironment ´According to the World Economic Forum: Countries that score high on public- sector openness, efficiency and e-government delivery also top economic performance and competitiveness` SEIS: Good decisions need the right information at the right time

SEIS: Connecting systems, Connecting people for a better Environment How will SEIS be built? A European Programme for SEIS February 2008: SEIS Commission Communication Establish a Political Framework for SEIS Set-up conceptual principles of SEIS: environmentally-relevant data and information stored in DBs throughout the EU (“information infrastructure”) Decentralised, but well integrated (“system of systems”: information close to source, produced once and shared many times, information readily available) web-enabled information ´system of systems´ based on a network of public information providers sharing environmental data and information SEIS: Connecting systems, Connecting people for a better Environment

Reinforce the co-ordination of ongoing activities at European, national and regional level in line with SEIS Ensure SEIS, INSPIRE, GMES are mutually supportive Revision of standardised reporting directive to move towards an eReporting based on SEIS EEA to make SEIS central to its corporate strategy Include SEIS in the eGovernment National Action Plans -Effectively liaise with Aarhus Convention Implementation and Directive - EEID (2003/4/EC) Develop a SEIS Implementation Road map - Task Force: EC, EEA, MSs Use of Community funds (structural, CIP, eContent LIFE+, Research) to complement MSs funding or building blocks of SEIS Communication outlines measures to facilitate the implementation of SEIS European Commission

SEIS: Good decisions need the right information at the right time Progress since the SEIS Communication Establish the SEIS Task Force to develop a SEIS Implementation Roadmap – 1st meeting 29th September Brussels Start revision of standardised reporting directive (91/962/EC) to move towards an ENV eReporting based on SEIS –Establishment of one-stop shop web based ENV registers as central access points County Visits for SEIS - Launch of quick wins projects –WISE, WISE Marine, Ozoneweb etc Launch of the NESIS thematic network funded under ICT European Commission SEIS: Good decisions need the right information at the right time

Communicating SEIS on the web Establish a Technical Support Facility to promote the continued development of the SEIS and eGovernment services in the field of Environment: 2 web tools: SEIS Europa web site: New pages http://ec.europa.eu/environment/seis/index.htm Coming soon– Somes examples: Successful real life examples of pan-European Interoperable services (in environment and other sectors) SEIS/eEnvironment Eurobarometer Funding Opportunities Award opportunities for best practice projects Promote SEIS in your country (a tool kit) Innovate: develop eEnvironment services Increase the environmental PSI market- Business opportunities Now that the INSPIRE entered recently into force, Member States, their regions and the Commission are faced with important challenges related to its implementation. Implementing INSPIRE will require commitment and efforts from many public authorities and organisations which are dealing with data related to the environment. Faced with these challenges it may be worthwhile to look again at why we actually need an INSPIRE directive and how it fits in with recent environmental policy developments at Community level

Communicating SEIS on the web Establishment of an eGovernment Environment Community under epractice portal to take advantage of Web 2.0 technologies including an eEnvironment Newletter An eEnvironment Community is coming soon Now that the INSPIRE entered recently into force, Member States, their regions and the Commission are faced with important challenges related to its implementation. Implementing INSPIRE will require commitment and efforts from many public authorities and organisations which are dealing with data related to the environment. Faced with these challenges it may be worthwhile to look again at why we actually need an INSPIRE directive and how it fits in with recent environmental policy developments at Community level

Benchmarking of eEnvironmnet Services in Europe Develop and implement an efficient methodology for quickly and reliably benchmark (mapping/rating/awarding) the EU MSs effective progress with on-line availability of eGovernment services in the area of environment (eEnvironment) Taxonomy and Typology of eEnvironment Services Recommendations on Methodologies and eEnvironment Typology/Taxonomy welcome Benchmarking results on SEIS web Now that the INSPIRE entered recently into force, Member States, their regions and the Commission are faced with important challenges related to its implementation. Implementing INSPIRE will require commitment and efforts from many public authorities and organisations which are dealing with data related to the environment. Faced with these challenges it may be worthwhile to look again at why we actually need an INSPIRE directive and how it fits in with recent environmental policy developments at Community level

Conclusions SEIS is an ambitious and inspiring project - We can built it only if: the 3C + 1N +2 O formula Commitment Collaboration -Network Coordination Optimism: see the bottle half full Openness - see (and seize) the opportunities rather the threats

 ENV-SEIS@ec.europa.eu "If liberty and equality, as is thought by some, are chiefly to be found in democracy, they will be best attained when all persons alike share in the government to the utmost." Aristotle Thank you! http://ec.europa.eu/environment/seis/index.htm  ENV-SEIS@ec.europa.eu Special thanks to Chris Steemans and Bernt.Rondell (EEA) for provision of material for this presentation