An explicit and coherent data policy for the European Commission (EC) is urgently needed, particularly at a time when the EC is promoting several European Union (EU) policies aiming at an efficient and wide-spread use of digital technologies and information (eEurope, eContent, eGovernment Information Strategies). An information policy must be dynamic and not static. It must fix the aims and objectives, the strategy to get there from the existing conditions, and a review mechanism to monitor progress. It must provide cohesive direction to the data-related activities of all EC service. COGI should focus on the data and information needed by the EC to support these policies. As these policies have an increasing geo-spatial component, it is justified to focus on a geographic information policy.

The object of an EC geographic information policy should include the terms and conditions for the acquisition, use, maintenance, and dissemination within the the Commission and to third parties of all the geographically referencered data that is necessary to formulate, implement, and monitor EU policies.