They meet with their foreign colleagues, exchange ideas and create common new concepts, while me, sitting at the top of the pyramid, do not even know who my immediate neighbours are . Consequently, IGN-France invited the heads of its neighbouring NMAs to a meeting in June 1979. Enthusiastic discussions followed, and all participants agreed on meeting regularly in order to set up an effective and long lasting collaboration in the field of cartography. It has developed to include today representatives of most European countries, from Russia to Poprtugal, and from Iceland to Cyprus. However, each country has it own specific setting and NMA a country may greatly differ from NMA of a country B in nearly all aspects, i.e. size, remit and mission, regulatory authority etc.
Exceptions also exist.
For example the United Kingdom in represented by Ordance Survey of Great Britain and by Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland. Member organisations are grouped into four categories, according to their financial contributions, and potential new members are accepted as Observers for two years, before decision on membership is made. This site is best viewed with Internet Explorer 4.0 and above, at display settings of 800X600 pixels GISdevelopment.net. All rights reserved. GISdevelopment.net does not necessarily subscribe to the views expressed in this site.