On the 25th April 2007 the INSPIRE Directive was published in the Official Journal of the European Union (L 108 Volume 50). The Directive entered into force today, the 15th May 2007.

This is the end of the beginning!!

First it would only be appropriate to thank all those who have put in so much hard work since the inception of the INSPIRE initiative to make it happen. In particular, we would like to cite the members of the working groups, the INSPIRE expert group, and the drafting teams, as well as the many other academic, professional and business partners (too many to list individually) who put their time, intellect and efforts at our disposal so that INSPIRE could succeed.

Many thanks indeed to you!!

on reflection, the progress of the Directive was indeed often "inspiring". The initial response to the principles of the Directive was very encouraging but we knew that "the devil lies in the detail" as the old adage goes. Therefore, a very wide-ranging process of stakeholder involvement, participation, and negotiation was necessary to ensure that we could come to an agreed position, shared and owned by all the parties concerned. It took time but it was well worth it.

Now comes the hard bit: making it work!

Already the Commission services concerned with the Directive (DGs Environment, Eurostat and Joint Research Centre) have been hard at work to refine the work programme, establish a road map but most of all, set up the structures that will support the decision making process. Member states have been asked to designate their delegates to the INSPIRE Committee and also their "contact point" as required under Article 19(2) of the Directive. A first meeting to "establish" the Committee is already being prepared and will take place in Brussels at the end of June. Work in the Drafting Teams, which are supported by the stakeholder organisations across Europe (Spatial Data Interest Communities and Legally Mandated Organisations), has been progressing apace for some time to meet the deadlines that the Directive imposes for the definition of the Implementing Rules.

In parallel, the structures created for the preparation phase have been reviewed and adapted to support this new phase of work. Thus, the INSPIRE Expert Group, having completed its exemplary work, will be brought to a close. However, advice from interested parties is more necessary than ever and we are reflecting on establishing a broad advisory body to continue to provide the multi-disciplinary input needed by the Commission. The EC GI and GIS workshop will also continue to play a role to allow new and developing ideas to be debated by all the stakeholders in the Geo-Information community. Other structures may follow as deemed necessary in association with the Committee.

Last but not least, work has started in the Commission itself to become "INSPIRE compliant", and act as a key node of the European Spatial Data Infrastructure we are building together.

Let's make it happen!