SDI in Greece

1. SDI in Greece Poulicos Prastacos Director of Research Institute of Applied and Computational Mathematics Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas Hrakleion, Greece Poulicos@iacm.forth.gr

2. Outline of presentation • Institutional context • The various agencies • Alternative paths for the future

3. Institutional context • A single agency responsible for implementing the SDI does not exist • Several agencies/ministries involved with the production of data of their own interest • Driver for the implementation of some standards is the “Information Society” organization responsible for distributing funds • There is discussion for implementing INSPIRE standards

4. The Agencies • Ministry of Public Works and the Environment • OKXE : Established in 1986 to be the Mapping Agency of Greece • KTIMATOLOGIO SA: Private company with one shareholder (OKXE) established to implement the cadaster • EDPER: Environmental information • Various other agencies • Ministry of Defense • GYS: Hellenic Military Geographical Service; Traditionally the mapping agency of Greece • YY: Hellenic Navy Hydrographic Service

5. The Agencies • Ministry of Agriculture • Various agencies responsible for developing databases for forests, agriculture (grape, olive cadaster etc.) • Ministry of National Economy • ESYE: Statistical office of Greece • Information Society: Organization for distributing the funds received from the EU (structural funds) • Ministry of Development • IGME: Institute of Geology and Mineral Exploration

6. The survey • 6 agencies filled questionnaires • 2 agencies obtained most data from their web • SDI in its formal name does not exist in any organization but in the last few years an effort has been made to start developing datasets and making them available to the public • Significant effort is made at the city and regional level to develop GIS systems and establish a component that will permit dissemination of information to the general public

7. The answers to the survey • User groups • Public agencies, public • Technological level • Mostly based on ESRI products, GEOMEDIA (Agriculture) • Open source products are not used • Originality, innovation • Use of Inspire principles • Only in few agencies • Benefits beyond the usual benefits from SDI • Ministry of Agriculture: subsidies for farmers • Ktimatologio SA: HEPOS system

8. The answers to the survey • Extending it to other countries • Could be extended if there are similar interests • User feedback • Nothing in written form • Links to national SDI web page • National sdi web page does not exist • There are usually links from the home page of the ministry • Language • Only the web sites of GYS and YY are in English discussing the various products available • Metadata • Not available on-line • Sometimes available off-line

9. Some examples of good practices • KTIMATOLOGIO SA: • Development of the HEPOS (Hellenic Positioning System) • Aerial photography of the whole country and orthophotomaps that could be distributed to other public agencies • Statistical Service of Greece • Establishment of policies to distribute city road maps at a relatively low cost • GYS: • Development of a web site describing fully their products and giving the capability to users to order products on line

10. The future • Greece has lost some time in developing an SDI for various reasons (lack of clear objectives, funds, bureaucracy, myopic stakeholders …) • However, the problems are not insurmountable • The problems are not technological but institutional arising from the lack to address the issue of map availability and distribution (SDI) in a cooperative way • There is a need to address the problems that exist and take decisions at high levels of government and break the barriers that exist among various agencies of the various ministries

11. Alternative paths • OKXE finally becomes the mapping agency not only in words but also in reality • It is designated as the responsible organization and with funding coming mostly from the EU (ESPA) new maps are developed • All agencies remain independent and somehow a memorandum of cooperation is established • Private contractors do the various tasks and deliver the products to the public agencies • Public agencies responsible for maintenance etc.

12. Alternative paths • OKXE establishes a private company • OKXE responsible but similar to the cadaster system a private company wholly owned by the Ministry is established to develop the SDI • Could be Ktimatologio SA • This approach will permit quick decisions • Funding from EU (if permitted)

13. Alternative paths • Public – Private partnerships • Private sector develops under strict rules the SDI and makes it available to the public sector and the public. • Develops not only datasets but also tools needed in the various agencies • Responsible for maintenance etc. • Funding provided by the private sector (banks etc.) and the public sector pays every year a lump sum (not per use)

14. Conclusions • Presently there is no SDI in Greece • However, significant efforts have been made in the last years • There is need to take some decisions with respect who develops, who manages, who maintains the SDI. • The failures of the last 20 years should be recognized and a new way of addressing the issues should prevail