Page 255 - Special Topic Session (STS) - Volume 4

STS583 Mariana K. et al.

Implementing a geospatial data strategy in the
European Statistical System
Mariana Kotzeva*, Nikolaos Roubanis, Julien Gaffuri, Hannes I. Reuter
Eurostat, European Commission, Luxembourg

Abstract
The European Statistical System is a partnership between Eurostat (the
Statistical authority of the European Union) and the National Statistical
Institutes and other national authorities of the European Union Member States
responsible for the development, production and dissemination of European
statistics. The production of statistics relies on the Generic-Statistical-
Business-Process-Model, which is enhanced with a Global Statistical
Geospatial Framework. This creates an information infrastructure composed
of statistical and geospatial information, which is connected and conceptually
integrated to spatially enable all statistics throughout the entire statistical
production process. A detailed (e.g. 1km grid), comparable (e.g. across
countries) and efficient data production process provides the information
required for analysis to contribute to the policy decision-making processes in
the EU. To facilitate the implementation of the geospatial data strategy in the
European Statistical System, Eurostat is active on various levels. At the
European level, the “GEOSTAT” projects were launched (1km2 population grid
for Europe; standardised, point-based, geospatial, reference framework for
statistics; European adaptation of the Global Statistical Geospatial Framework).
At the Member State level, separate actions were initiated to align the varying
levels of the geospatial data available in the statistical production process.
Specific objectives were facilitated within Eurostat by, for example, providing
the necessary legal instruments (e.g. Census 2021 grid regulation, Integrated
Farm Structure Statistics, etc.) and with the creation of pan-European
geographical datasets. The presentation will report on Eurostat’s activities
related to implementing a geospatial data strategy in the European Statistical
System.

Keywords
UN-SDG, grid, Statistical Geospatial Framework, data, strategy

1. Introduction
European and global sustainable development programs increasingly
require reliable and relevant information in terms of higher spatial and
temporal resolution and increased abilities for spatial and thematic
disaggregation. The UN Agenda 2030 and its Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs) is pushing for a closer integration of statistical and geospatial

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