WRITTEN QUESTION E-3043/01 by Elmar Brok (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Importance of geo-information for economic development.
Date: 2001-11-05
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU programme, agricultural policy, database, economic development, economic geography, environmental policy, exchange of information, geographical information system, natural disaster, transport policy

6.6.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 134 E/185

The Commission believes that the encouragement of optimal use of the new technologies in all areas of
activity lies at the heart of this eEurope Action Plan. A comparative assessment of the progress achieved by
the Member States in the information society integration process would provide a more coherent and
detailed overview of developments both at European and national level. It would also ensure that any
decisions taken in the future were more focused.

(2002/C 134 E/189)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3043/01

by Elmar Brok (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(5 November 2001)

Subject: Importance of geo-information for economic development

1.

In the Commission’s view, how important is geo-information for economic development?

In what way does the Commission promote geo-information, particularly the collection and

2.
utilisation of geo-data?

Does the Commission share the view that geo-information is not a national matter but an important

3.
issue on a European scale?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(7 January 2002)

1.
Geo-information (GI) is an area that has a substantial economic potential. The market for GI related
products and services is already well developed and the importance of GI will only increase with the move
towards mobile communications. It is, for example, an essential factor for location based services that may
become one of the key elements of the mobile Internet. The availability of high quality geo-information
also has an impact on other sectors, like transport and agriculture.

GI, furthermore, plays an increasing role in the definition, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of
Community policies, as in the disaster planning and environmental domains. In fact, the availability of geo-
information can be considered as a prerequisite for a sustainable development.

The Commission stimulates the strengthening of

2.
the structures for the creation and use of
Geographic information and applications based on GI along different lines. In collaboration with the
Member States, the Commission is developing the idea of a European GI base (ESDI), leading ultimately to
a pan-European interoperable digital map coverage.

GI is furthermore one of the sectors addressed by the Commission’s general policy on the exploitation of
public sector information. The Commission adopted on 23 October 2001, a Communication on the
exploitation of public sector information (1), giving the general policy orientations on the issue.

Financing instruments
for Geographic information projects are available in various Community
programmes like the 5th Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (R & D)
and the market orientated eContent programme. The Commission is currently funding research projects in
the geo-information area for more than € 20 million.

Finally, in different Community policies and notably the Community environmental policy, geographic
information plays an increasing role for the definition, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of new
policy instruments (2). It is against this background that the idea of a European GI base is very important to
prevent overlapping and incompatible geographic information layers.

C 134 E/186

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

6.6.2002

Geo-information is a concern for all levels of responsibility: Local, Regional, National and European.
3.
Since GI-related issues very often have an important European, cross-border component, the European
Union has a clear role to play. The initiatives mentioned above show how the Commission is already
contributing to the GI-area, where there is a clear European added-value. In some cases, cooperation in
Geo-information goes even beyond the European scale. The Commission is currently contributing to the
world-wide scale GSDI initiative (Global Spatial Data Infrastructure).

(1) COM(2001) 607 final.
(2) Cf for instance Directive 2000/60/EC of the Parliament and the Council of 23 October 2000 establishing a
framework for Community action in the field of water policy, OJ L 327, 22.12.2000. Proposal for a directive of the
Parliament and of the Council relating to the assessment and management of environmental noise @ OJ C 337 E,
28.11.2000.

(2002/C 134 E/190)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3045/01

by Glenys Kinnock (PSE) to the Commission

(5 November 2001)

Subject: Provision of lifeguards

Is the Commission aware of a recent UK study into the number of children who drown in pools and in the
sea in Member States of the EU every year?

In the light of this study, would the Commission consider initiating a systematic recording of figures in all
Member States in the EU?

What plans does the Commission have to introduce a Regulation on the provision of lifeguards at public
pools and beaches?

Supplementary answer
given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(24 January 2002)

The Commission has attempted to find the study referred to by the Honourable Member. The competent
UK authorities have sent it two recent reports on drowning accidents produced for the Department of
Trade and Industry (DTI) (1). However, these refer only to accidents in the domestic environment (home
and garden), and to the situation in the United Kingdom.

One of these studies focuses on accidents in the garden to children under the age of five, while the other
provides a more general analysis of the problem of drowning accidents in the home and garden.

On the basis of
the data collected, both studies describe the main accident scenarios and make
recommendations to limit the risks of domestic drowning accidents. They conclude that most accidents to
very young children occur as a result of a lack of supervision.

The Commission has been unable to identify any study carried out in the United Kingdom or elsewhere
with a more general scope covering drowning accidents to children in pools and in the sea, as referred to
in the Honourable Member’s question.

The Commission does not have any plans for a specific Community initiative involving the collection of
information on drowning accidents to children in the Member States and the provision of lifeguards in
public pools and on beaches. The Commission feels that these matters are the responsibility of the Member
States and their local authorities. However, certain aspects of the matter, namely those relating to the