Welcome speech

Janusz Dygaszewicz

EFGS PresidentProgramming and Coordination of Statistical Surveys Department Director

Central Statistical Office of Poland

EFGS 2015European Forum for Geography and Statistics 2015 Conference

Vienna, Austria, 10 – 12 November 2015

WHAT IS THE EFGS

Since1998 a network of experts – primarily working in European National Statistical Institutes (NSI).

Mainly GIS specialists but also statisticians, researchers and employees of mapping authorities.

Voluntary work done by devoted experts with visionary ideas.

EFGS ACTIVITIES

The main goal - to promote the integration of statistical and geospatial information in public sector information and the use of GIS in NSIs;

EFGS acts as a reference group for Eurostat and the project group for the GEOSTAT projects;

In October this year we received the status of official Observer Organisation to UN-GGIM: Europe;

Regularly produces strategy documents on various aspects regarding the integration of statistical and geospatial information;

EFGS WORK PROGRAM

Creation of a point-based spatial reference framework for official statistics as the base for desimination of statistical data on grid;

Partnership between NSI and NMCAs on equal terms;

Increased participation of NMCAs and geospatial experts in the activities of the EFGS, e.g. in the EFGS conference;

A fully geocoded census 2021;

A truly object oriented statistical-geospatial information system for sustainable development ranging from local to global;

EFGS WORK PROGRAM

the program is implemented through:

works within projects:

GEOSTAT 1 and 2

„Merging statistics and geospatial information in Member States”

active participation in UN-GGIM and UN-GGIM: Europe sessions

final version of the GEOSTAT 2011 population grid on the Eurostat website:

http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/gisco/geodata/reference-data/population-distribution-demography

The grid contains the total residential population on the date of the census 2011.

With national data from 29 EU/ EFTA member states plus data from Kosovo and Albania, the GEOSTAT 1 project has by far exceeded all expectations

Copyright© 1997-2015. The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York.

EFGS AS A FORUMFOR KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE

The lack of regular contacts and working relationships between NSIs and NMCAs is often a major obstacle for better understanding, cooperation and data sharing;

The strength of the EFGS is willingness for networking and knowledge sharing (annual conferences, projects and website);

UN-GGIM and NMCAs should take advantage of the professional network established by the EFGS in this important area of geospatial information management;

In memory of

Lars Henrik Backer

passed away on13th May 2015

Initiator and co-founder of EFGS

EFGS executive director for many years

Main target:the development of ‘Spaceship Earth’

Favourite motto: “Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare”

Thank you for your attention

Janusz Dygaszewicz

EFGS PresidentProgramming and Coordination of Statistical Surveys Department Director

Central Statistical Office of Poland