CLEAR provides access to public sector geographical data
Under the CLEAR project, government departments, research and educational institutes, and private individuals will all be able to use a central, bilingual information system for geographical data and a delivery system for direct access to information resources held by the public sector within a specific region. When infrastructure developments or business projects cross national boundaries there can be particular problems in assembling all the geographic information needed. It is in the interest of both providers and potential users of this data that it is easily accessible, up-to-date and comprehensive. The CLEAR project focuses on the Saar-Lor-Lux region, which includes the German Länder of Rheinland-Pfalz and the Saarland, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, the French region of Lorraine, and the Belgian province of Luxembourg. The project team will develop a system giving information about available geographical data - including ownership, price and technical quality - held in the participating countries. The project will produce: - A catalogue of digital spatial data for the region; - A definition of user requirements based on research through questionnaires and workshops; - Proposals for operational standards of the exchange, conversion and integration of data across national borders; - Proposals for legal, organisational and political framework for a spatial data clearing house for the region; - A bilingual information and delivery system for the region based on CD-ROM or Internet technology. The CLEAR project is one of the projects selected form the 1997 calls for proposals for "Exploiting Europe's public sector information" under the INFO2000 programme.