From Geostandards

Introduction and general requirements

The bases for any of the INSPIRE Implementing Rules for Metadata is the INSPIRE Directive 2007/2/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (see INSPIRE Directive)

The INSPIRE Directive lays down general rules for the establishment of the Infrastructure for Spatial Infor­mation in the European Community. It is necessary for a user to be able to find spatial data sets and services and to establish whether they may be used and for what purpose, Member States should provide descriptions in the form of metadata for those spatial data sets and services. Since such metadata should be compatible and usable in a Community and trans-boundary context, it is necessary to lay down rules concerning the metadata used to describe the spatial data sets and services corre­sponding to the themes listed in Annexes I, II and III to Directive 2007/2/EC.

Levels of metadata

In accordance with the INSPIRE Directive, three different types or levels of metadata are distinguished: metadata for discovery, metadata for evaluation, and metadata for use. In addition, metadata on metadata are needed for the management of metadata catalogues.

A broader discussion on that issue is located in the section INSPIRE Metadata scope.

Relevant sections of the INSPIRE Directive

The following table givens an overview on the reason for including INSPIRE elements to the implementing rules and refers to paragraphs of the INPSIRE Directive that are directly or indiretcly concerned with the element.

INSPIRE metadata element	Reason for inclusion
Resource title	Necessary for the identification of a resource
Resource abstract	Necessary for the identification of a resource
Resource type	As the Directive applies to both spatial datasets and spatial data services, this metadata element is necessary to identify the type of resource.
Resource locator	Necessary link to additional information making it possible to inventory, and use the resources (Art. 3-6). In case of spatial data services, Art. 11-1 sais that "services shall [..] be easy to use, available to the public and accessible via the Internet [..]".
Coupled resource	Necessary for the identification of a resource
Unique resource identifier	Necessary for the identification of a resource
Resource language	The Directive recognises the importance of multi-linguality (Art 8-2 (c))
Spatial data service type	Classification of spatial data services (Art. 11-2 (b))
Topic category	Classification of spatial data (Art. 11-2 (b))
Keyword	Keywords describing a resource (Art. 11-2 (a))
Geographic bounding box	Geographical location; (Art. 11-2 (e))
Temporal reference	Temporal domain; (Art 8-2 (d))
Lineage	Quality and validity of spatial data; (Art. 5-2 (c) and 11-2 (c))
Spatial resolution	Quality and Validity (Art. 5-2 (c) and 11-2 (c))
Conformity	The conformity of spatial data services with the Implementing Rules referred to in Article 7-1 (Art. 11-2 (d))
Conditions for access and use	Conditions applying to access to, and use of, spatial data sets and services and where applicable, corresponding fees (Art. 5-2 (b) and 11-2 (f)).
Limitations on public access	Limitations on public access and the reasons for such limitations (Art. 5-2 (e))
Responsible organisation	Public authorities responsible for the establishment, management, maintenance and distribution of spatial data sets and services; (Art. 5-2 (d) and 11-2 (g))
Metadata point of contact	Required by relevant European standards
Metadata date	Art 5-1 requires that metadata are kept up to date
Metadata language	the Directive recognises the importance of multi-linguality (Art 8-2 (c))

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Infrastructure for Spatial Information in the European Community (INSPIRE)

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