G. Saio, E. Roccatagliata, M. Raubal, et al. (2001). PANEL-GI: Pan European link for Geographical Information: ’The PANEL-GI Compendium, A Guide to GI and GIS’. (Abstract) in: 7th EC-GI & GIS Workshop 'EGII - Managing the Mosaic', June 13-15, 2001, Potsdam, Germany, European Commission.

Abstract

Within the European Programme INCO-COPERNICUS, a PAN European Network for Geographical Information, the “PANEL-GI” project has been proposed and developed. The main goal of the project has been the integration of interested groups from Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) in the emerging European GI/GIS framework and to support them in developing this information technology in their countries.

The project, started in July 1998, has formally concluded in January 2001. Nevertheless, with a Memorandum of Understanding, the partners agreed for the continuation of the PANEL-GI network after the conclusion of the project as part of their activity at a National and/or European level. The PANEL-GI network is a forum towards the Pan European GI Community and, as such, is opened to new organisations wishing to share its objectives.

One of the main outputs of the project has been the production of a Package, the “PANEL-GI Compendium. A Guide to GI and GIS”, designed as a reference book useful for a vision of the GI and GIS key issues. It offers the reader a synthesis of the main GI topics, supporting orientation in the GI/GIS field, stimulating as well a business approach for the development of new projects and products.

The book targets in particular actual and potential users of Geographic Information including managers in private business and decision-makers in the central, regional and local administration. The book is organised in eight chapters, structured as a guide to different GI issues:
1. The Importance of Geographical Information
2. Basic Concepts of GIS
3. Organisation and Business Aspects of GIS
4. Geographical Information Infrastructures
5. National GII Solutions: The Portuguese Experience (Project SNIG)
6. Standardisation and Interoperability – From a European Perspective
7. GIS Application Domains
8. Trends

The PANEL-GI Compendium has been published (EUR 19630 EN, ISBN-3-901716-22) on the occasion of the IST 2000 NICE Conference, in November 2000. It is also available on the Web at: http://www.gisig.it/panel-gi/package/pack.htm Moreover, it has been translated in all the languages of the PANEL-GI partners from Central and Eastern Europe. In addition, some material provided by the Partners complement the Compendium: technical documents, articles, studies, and examples in line with the PANEL GI package issue. Such material is structured in the so-called “PANEL-GI Extended Package”, available beside the web version of the Compendium.