Work is underway on the development of a new pan‑European dataset. National mapping authorities from France, Germany and the Netherlands, together with their membership association, EuroGeographics, are working on a high‑value, large‑scale geospatial dataset created specifically for EU policymakers by national mapping organisations using their authoritative national data.
EuroCoreReferenceMap will cover all EU Member States and Switzerland, with the ambition to incorporate data from official sources across geographical Europe.
Developed through a unique production process underpinned by national expertise, the dataset integrates core geospatial information to deliver three EU priority themes: Administrative boundaries, Transport networks, and Hydrography. The project builds on the success of the Open Maps For Europe 2 (OME2) project which ended in December 2025 and provided a proof-of-concept that bridges policy and practice to transform INSPIRE and HVD requirements into accessible and useable pan-European data.
The EuroCoreReferenceMap Consortium – France’s National Institute of Geographic and Forest Information (IGN France), Germany’s Federal Agency for Cartography and Geodesy (BKG), the Netherlands’ Cadastre, Land Registry and Mapping Agency (Kadaster Netherlands) and EuroGeographics – have committed significant investment to its development. They have the backing of EuroGeographics members who endorsed the three‑year initiative at the Association’s 2025 General Assembly, meaning that EuroCoreReferenceMap development will run until the end of 2028.
Angela Baker, head of operations and data at EuroGeographics, said: “Geospatial data from our members is a vital component of Europe’s critical infrastructure and one of its most valuable sovereign assets for evidence-based decision-making.
“EuroCoreReferenceMap further strengthens Europe’s digital sovereignty by making authoritative pan-European data more interoperable, accessible and useable. This enhanced capability supports EU‑wide systems and enables cross‑domain applications for Europe’s strategic priorities – from security and climate resilience to sustainable mobility.”
Nicolas Paparoditis, deputy director‑general of IGN France and a member of EuroGeographics Management Board, explained: “OME2 showed how effectively Europe’s national mapping authorities can collaborate to transform EU high‑value data requirements into a practical solution aligned with UN GGIM recommendations.
“Our continued work in geospatial data harmonisation supports Member States by reducing duplication and promoting reusable techniques and shared good practices.”
EuroCoreReferenceMap has the backing of EuroGeographics members that endorsed the three‑year initiative at the Association’s 2025 General Assembly, meaning that EuroCoreReferenceMap development will run until the end of 2028.
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