Advisory Panel on Public Sector Information

APPSI's overall response to Ordnance Survey's new business strategy is two-fold:

To welcome and acknowledge the principles underpinning Ordnance Survey's new Business Strategy and their importance in facilitating resolution of one of the longest running and most distracting issues in the public sector information world;

To highlight many of the issues which need to be resolved before any Strategy can be realised and make some constructive comments on these.

See APPSI-response-to-OS-Business-Strategy.pdf (217.72 KB) for details on the key issues emerging from Ordnance Survey's new Business Strategy.

APPSI's overall comments on this consultation are as follows:

• The Impact Assessment (IA) looked generally well-prepared, covering many of the impacts that needed to be measured. The benefits assessment has been undertaken in a conservative manner minimising the risk of optimism.  However, it is important that steps are taken to ensure that the benefits are actually realised.
• We are concerned that Statutory Instruments (SIs), and the IA, may not have recognised that the geographic area relevant to the Directive is wider than the UK – the Directive includes all areas where the UK has or exercises jurisdictional rights.  Hence, for example, it appears to include surrounding sea areas and the atmosphere above them.  The position of other areas, such as the Falklands (and surrounding areas), Gibraltar and the Channel Islands is not clear.
• For clarity, the SIs should note that INSPIRE includes data held on behalf of Public Authorities – thus data collected by the private sector may well be included if it is part of a statutory requirement.
• As a clarification, the Consultation Document should have made clear, in Annex 5 (on Related UK legislation) that the EIR does not require all information to be made available electronically and hence INSPIRE will not apply to such information.
• The underpinning idea of providing better access to information is strongly supported by APPSI; however this approach can easily become over-bureaucratic and expensive so safeguards to avoid this are essential.

See in full APPSI-response-to-INSPIRE-consultation.pdf (87.38 KB)

The highlights of this meeting include:

• A presentation by Michael Fanning, Managing Director of Online Consultants International GmbH on the MICUS EU PSI Re-use study: Assessment of the Re-use of Public Sector Information (PSI) in the Geographical Information, Meteorological Information and Legal Information Sectors (March 2009).
• A presentation by the Shareholder Executive on Ordnance Survey's New Business Strategy.

• 18.05.09-Agenda.doc (102.5 KB)
• Paper 1-04.03.09-Minutes.pdf (160.52 KB)
• Paper 2-micus_report_december2008.pdf (1.95 MB)
• Michael-Fanning-EU Study-presentation.pdf (459.77 KB)
• Shareholder-Executive-presentation.pdf (94.89 KB)
• 18.05.09-APPSI-minutes1.pdf (193.49 KB)

The aim of the PSI Directive was to introduce basic conditions to facilitate the re-use of PSI throughout the EU.

The review of the PSI Directive concluded that since its launch in 2003:

• Progress has been made but big barriers still exist
• Commercial re-use of PSI has been allowed
• Monopolies have been broken
• Fair trading conditions have been introduced
• Prices have been decreased
• There is more transparency

The main barriers identified by the review include:

• attempts made by public sector bodies to maximise cost recovery
• competition between public and private sectors
• practical issues hindering re-use, such as the lack of information on available PSI
• the mindset of public sector bodies failing to realise the economic potential of PSI re-use
  

The review recommends that Member States should:

• focus their efforts on full and correct implementation and application of the Directive
• terminate exclusive arrangements
• apply licensing and charging models that facilitate the availability and re-use of PSI
• ensure equal conditions for public sector bodies re-using their own documents and other re-users
• promote quick and inexpensive conflict and resolution mechanisms
  

The review says that the Commission will:

• Closely monitor implementation and application of the Directive
• Scrutinise exclusive arrangements (2009-10) in particular
• Analyse the economic case for marginal cost
• Encourage the exchange of good practices (proactive re-use policies, public tasks, conflict resolution)
• Further review by 2012, accompanied where appropriate by a proposal for amendments to the Directive.
  

See details of EC staff working document