[geo-discuss] INSPIRE vote in committee today: update

Wed Mar 22 17:08:00 UTC 2006

Jo Walsh wrote:
> dear Rufus, thank you so much for this. A deep learning experience,
> and great angle for followup.
> 
> On Tue, Mar 21, 2006 at 11:53:56AM +0000, Rufus Pollock wrote:
> 
>>By complete chance I've been in Brussels yesterday and today speaking at 
>>the TACD conference (http://drn.okfn.org/node/100) which has given me a 
>>chance to to some last minute lobbying on the INSPIRE directive.
>>
>>We now know the Green, EPP, ALDE and PSE line and they all seem pretty 
>>good for us (I'll give more detail after the vote).
> 
> 
> What Happened?? were you out drowning your sorrows, or at least dousing
> them? Were you allowed to physically attend and get a recording?

What happened is that we didn't have any net access .... (the TACD 
conference had finished and taken its free wifi with it by the time we 
got out of the parliament -- and, of course, there is no wifi in the 
parliament).

We did get a recording which Benjamin going to post up last night when 
he got home but I guess he was delayed. I have now posted it:

== Audio recording of the session ==
   * [http://www.publicgeodata.org/files/envi_committee_20060321_1.mp3 
chunk 1] -- rapporteur speaking
   * [http://www.publicgeodata.org/files/envi_committee_20060321_2.mp3 
chunk 2]

Note that due to some slight technical problems:
   * the recording is in two parts and there is a brief gap between the 
parts
   * the recording was of the english translation not the original version

I believe Benjamin also took a recording and given the gaps in the above 
it would be useful if he could post his version as well.

> 
>>b) We should try and change the UK govt line on this, i.e. we want to 
>>target DEFRA. They probably haven't heard from anyone from OS until now 
>>and I think we could make a lot of progress if we were able to find 
>>someone to talk to.
> 
> 
> I have a friend at English Nature who's connected to DEFRA people, who
> i talked to about this a fair bit when we were just starting, and
> i'll try to chase up a connection there.
>  
> 
>>4. The vote on INSPIRE will be at 1700 Brussels time. Benjamin and I 
>>should be there and will try and post asap after the vote.

As you will already know the good news is that everything passed. The 
bad news is that there will undoubtedly now be lots of behind the scenes 
bargaining between the parliament and the council in which the council 
will push to get its stuff back in. Thus we must now focus on lobbying 
our national governments to make them understand the benefits of freer 
access to public geodata and to ensure they take a better line on this 
in the coming months.

Regards,

Rufus