Paris: December 2008

The Committee on Data for Science and Technology (CODATA) in collaboration with the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) reported during December 2008 on the progress of the Data Sharing Principles that are under development. CODATA lead on the GEOSS Task DA-06-01: Furthering the practical application of the agreed GEOSS data sharing principles.

The presentations and papers published on the CODATA-GEOSS portal include:

The presentation titled: Full and Open Access to Data in the Global Earth Observing System of Systems (GEOSS): Implementing the GEOSS Data Sharing Principles that was presented at the American Geophysical Union (AGU) AGU 2008 Fall Meeting, San Francisco, 17 – 19 December 2008. The presentation outlined the Proposed Guidelines and states:

1. Promoting implementation of the principle of full and open exchange of data in accordance with the GEOSS Data Sharing Principles
2. Encouraging GEOSS users to reuse and re-disseminate shared data, metadata, and products
3. Ensuring consistency in the implementation of the GEOSS Data Sharing Principles with relevant international instruments and national policies and legislation
4. Implementing pricing policies consistent with the GEOSS Data Sharing Principles
5. Reducing the time delays for making data available through GEOSS
6. Promoting research and education uses of GEOSS data
7. Developing metrics and indicators for GEOSS data sharing activities
8. Developing effective coordination and outreach mechanisms for implementing the GEOSS Data Sharing Principles

The draft white paper titled: The GEOSS Data Sharing Principles refers to the European Union re-use of public sector information Directive 2003/98/EC and other European Union Directives that relate to sharing of public sector information. Interestingly the paper as yet makes no reference to the OECD PSI Policy document ratified by the OECD Ministerial Meeting titled: The Future of the Internet Economy in Seoul during June 2008.

The indications are that there is a reasonably correlation between the three initiatives – which is important as Countries need to be able to sign up and implement consistent policies regarding public sector information and data sharing principles that cover the entire life cycle of data from the initial creation through to archiving.

All three documents cover Pricing and Licensing with the preference for cost of distribution charges!