Project overview
The INSPIRE Directive 2007/2/EC, establishes an Infrastructure for Spatial Information in Europe, requiring large amounts of environmental digital content to be made accessible across Europe, resulting in a data pool that is expected to be of huge value for a myriad of value-added applications. The INSPIRE Implementing Rules Legal Acts outlines these data pools, but more work is needed.
Making data available according to the INSPIRE standards in 30 countries using 22 languages requires specific skill sets that few public authorities have. The management of this content represents an opportunity for SMEs active in this sector.
SMEs can enable countries to fulfil the Directive, creating new market opportunities with increased potential for innovation and new jobs. Due to the legal requirements, the INSPIRE implementation becomes the entry-pointfor crucial business opportunities, opening new, or reinforcing existing perspectives (including Linked Open Data, Sensor Web, cloud computing and other e-environment application domains).
SmeSpire’s purpose is to encourage and enable the participation of SMEs in the mechanisms of harmonising and making large scale environmental content available.