1. 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

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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It is obsolete when finally available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

5. 42 % of EU citizens feel poorly informed about environmental issues
Source: Eurobarometer, March 2008

6. Source: Eurobarometer, March 2008

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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
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

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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

19.  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! 
Special thanks to Chris Steemans and Bernt.Rondell (EEA) for provision of material for this presentation