GR - 2024: Country Fiche

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. State of Play
   1. Coordination
   2. Functioning and coordination of the infrastructure
   3. Usage of the infrastructure for spatial information
   4. Data Sharing Arrangements
   5. Costs and Benefits

Introduction

The INSPIRE Directive sets the minimum conditions for interoperable sharing and exchange of spatial data across Europe as part of a larger European Interoperability Framework and the e-Government Action Plan that contributes to the Digital Single Market Agenda. Article 21 of INSPIRE Directive defines the basic principles for monitoring and reporting. More detailed implementing rules regarding INSPIRE monitoring and reporting have been adopted as Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2019/1372 on the 19th August 2019. This country fiche highlights the progress in the various areas of INSPIRE implementation. It includes information on monitoring 2023 acquired in December 2023 and Member States update.

State of Play

The Ministry for Environment and Energy (MEE), has the responsibility for the creation and maintenance of the NSDI and the INSPIRE implementation. MEE developed a geoportal (geoportal.ypen.gr) in 2018, providing access to the priority datasets its services produce “as-is” through discovery, view and download services. In 2022 the Ministry’s Geospatial Information Directorate ran a project in house, for the harmonization of the geoportals spatial datasets. Today all the Greek Geoportal’s datasets are harmonized to the INSPIRE Interoperability Specifications and the Catalog is linked to the European INSPIRE Geoportal. The services interoperability has significantly improved. The last few years of INSPIRE implementation by the MEE, have made clear the necessity of preparation and implementation of a National NSDI Strategy in order to support the MEE to fulfill its purpose and engage other public authorities by providing spatial data and services. Although the Strategy was prepared and went under public consultation in 2020, no actions have been taken yet for its adoption

Coordination

National Contact Point

• Name of Public Authority: Ministry for Environment and Energy
• Postal Address: 17 Amaliados Str, PC 11523, Athens, Greece
• Contact Email: eygep.support@prv.ypeka.gr, dgeopl@prv.ypeka.gr
• Telephone Number: +30 2106469813, +30 2106437895
• Telefax Number:
• National INSPIRE Website: http://geoportal.ypen.gr/geonetwork/srv/gre/catalog.search#/home
• MIG Contacts:
  • Contact Person: Aliki Fatourou
  • Email: a.fatourou@prv.ypeka.gr
  • Telephone Number: +30 2106469813, +30 2106437895
  • Contact Person: Eleni Grigoriou
  • Email: el.grigoriou@prv.ypeka.gr, grigoriouelena@gmail.com
• MIG T Contacts:
  • Contact Person: Eleni Grigoriou
  • Email: el.grigoriou@prv.ypeka.gr, grigoriouelena@gmail.com
  • Telephone Number: +30 2106469813, +30 2106437895

Coordination Structure & Progress:

Coordination structure

• In accordance with Article 18 of Law 3882/2010, as amended by Article 1 of Law 4164/2013 and following the provisions of the Presidential Decree No 132/30-10-2017, the public authority responsible for the implementation of the INSPIRE Directive and the development of the NSDI, is the Ministry for Environment and Energy (MEE). The Ministry is the National Contact Point for INSPIRE and participates with representatives in the INSPIRE Committee and the MIG.
• In accordance with the transposition law 3882/2010, the political body that decides upon the national geoinformation policy in terms of legal, administrative and technological interoperability and monitors its implementation is the National Committee for Geo-Information (NCG).
• During 2019-2020, the elaboration of the National Geospatial Strategy concerning the creation of the NSDI and the implementation of the Directive began. The Strategy went through a public consultation procedure and is expected to be adopted by the political leadership. The NSDI Strategy is expected to trigger the necessary administrative and legal changes in order to move forward with the implementation of INSPIRE in Greece and the creation of the NSDI.
• No further actions have been made for the adoption of the National Geospatial Strategy for the creation of the NSDI in 2023

Progress

• Due to the continuous structural changes in Public Administration from 2013 - 2018, planning and implementation of the NSDI has not made satisfactory progress, in organizational aspects. The need to change the organizational structure still remains.
• In 2018, the Geospatial Information Directorate published the first version of the INSPIRE metadata catalogue, providing access to a set of Priority Datasets through discovery, view and download services. The metadata catalogue is linked to the INSPIRE Geoportal and is being optimized continuously.
• The geoportal (http://geoportal.ypen.gr) was built by the Directorate in house using free and open source software (FOSS) and is set up in the governmental cloud. This strategic choice led to improving the capacity and know-how of the MEE’s services.
• In 2022 all the Geoportal’s datasets were harmonized with the INSPIRE Interoperability Specifications. The services interoperability has significantly improved also. The new Geoportal is now linked to the European one
• In 2023 upadated versions of datasets have been added

Functioning and coordination of the infrastructure

• The MEE is the responsible organization in terms of institutional, organizational and Technical aspects of the NSDI development and INSPIRE implementation.
• The first version of the Greek Geospatial Data Catalogue was developed in house using FOSS and the infrastructure provided by the governmental cloud (http://geoportal.ypen.gr/geonetwork/srv/eng/catalog.search#/home). The catalogue is linked to the INSPIRE Geoportal and the INSPIRE compliance has been significantly improved in 2022. In 2023 upadated versions of datasets were added.

Usage of the infrastructure for spatial information

• No information is collected about the use of geospatial data sets and services.
• There have been no data exchanges or collaborations on spatial information with other EU Member States.

Data Sharing Arrangements

• Τhere has been no change in data sharing between public authorities and the EU institutions. It continues to be governed by the provisions of Article 27 of Law 3882/2010, relating to the sharing of geospatial data and services between public authorities. It applies in the same way to public authorities in other Member States of the EU, to EU institutions and bodies, and to bodies established by international agreements to which the EU and Member States are members, solely within their core scope and remit which may have an impact on the environment.
• Many of the barriers to data sharing mentioned in the previous reports still persist, mainly because of the lack of a National Geoinformation Policy and an operational NSDI.

Costs and Benefits

• Neither quantitative nor qualitative cost/benefit measurements are available so far.