Opening speeches – welcome and scene setting

The first thematic plenary session, "INSPIRE for environment – closing the implementation gap", will focus on the effectiveness of the implementation of the INSPIRE value proposition in satisfying the needs of its customer segments in the environmental policy domain.

The first intervention in this session will set the scene by presenting an approach for the active dissemination and reporting of information related to legislation on urban waste water and the role of INSPIRE.

The second intervention by the European Commission, DG ENV, will provide an EU overview of the implementation state-of-play. It will present a number of issues, recommendations and the outlines of a forward looking strategy at the EU level for turning those in concrete actions.

Such actions require strong coordination between the EU and Member States. They will have to be tailored to the specific implementation challenges faced by different countries, across their borders and across the thematic communities who are partners, implementers as well as customers of INSPIRE.

To fuel the debate, representatives from a number of neighbouring countries will then present their plans and views on implementation.

Speakers:

The second thematic plenary session, INSPIRE for the Digital Economy will look at the INSPIRE value proposition in the context of  the EU's Digital Single Market, cross-cutting eGovernment and the EU's strategy for space Copernicus programme.

The first intervention in this session delivers an EU perspective on the synergies between INSPIRE and actions under the  Digital Single Market strategy such as the European Interoperability Framework and Strategy, the 2016-2020 eGovernment Action plan, the European Cloud and Data Centres initiative and instruments such as the Interoperability Solutions for public Administrations, ISA2 programme.

The EU Space strategy Copernicus programme is a major provider as well as user of spatial data, observations and thematic data covered by the scope of INSPIRE. The second intervention of this session will focus on the synergies of INSPIRE and the EU Copernicus Earth observation and services programme.  

The last three interventions will comment on the potential and challenges of INSPIRE and Copernicus for eGovernment and environment related applications. They will show and assess through concrete applications developed in collaborations between the private and public sector the added value of INSPIRE in a digital sustainable economy context.

Speakers:

Mr. Mauro Facchini
European Commission, Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, Head of Unit Copernicus

Mr. Stavros Tekes,
Draxis Environmental Technologies SA.,  Greece

The third thematic plenary session, INSPIRE by thematic networks will address the alignment of the business models of a number of thematic networks with INSPIRE.

Both national and trans-national coordination plays a key role in these efforts. A number of the organisations tackled this challenge through a coordinated effort of their pan-European thematic networks.

A number of those thematic networks, which together cover a significant part of the spatial data under the scope of INSPIRE, will contribute to the debate by presenting their approach in aligning to the INSPIRE business model. They will report on challenges and achievements and share their views on the INSPIRE implementation outlook.

Speakers:

Mr. Mick Cory
EuroGeographics Secretary General and Executive Director

Mr. Luca Demicheli
Secretary General, EuroGeoSurveys

The closing plenary session of the conference is in the first place the moment where we take stock of the lessons learned during the conference.
Together with a report on the findings from the 2016 Geospatial World Forum, these findings present a useful "take-away" package, a source of future 'INSPIREation' for the participants.
The closing plenary is also the moment of the INSPIRE Awards, which honour contributions to the implementation of INSPIRE for their excellence.
Finally, it is also the moment where once again we have to say goodbye, however not without saying until the next time. No INSPIRE conference is therefore complete without honouring and thanking the current organisers for their hospitality and the presentation of the next year's conference hosts.

Speakers: