EuroSDR (OEEPE) Seminar of Honour "From OEEPE to EuroSDR, 50 years of Spatial Data Research and beyond"

Munich, Germany October 16, 2003

In October 1953 EuroSDR came into existence as OEEPE (Organisation Européenne d’Etudes Photogrammétriques Expérimentales), in accordance with a recommendation passed by the Council of the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation. On the 16th October 2003 the organisation (now with eighteen member countries) celebrated its 50th anniversary by holding a one day seminar entitled ‘From OEEPE to EuroSDR, 50 years of Spatial Data Research and beyond’ at the Bayerisches Landesvermessungsamt in Munich, Germany. The eighteen countries presently members of EuroSDR are: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Germany, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and the United Kingdom. Membership is open to member states of the Council of Europe.

The Vice President of FIG, Dr Ralf Schroth attended the Seminar and addressed the gathering, offering congratulations on behalf of FIG to EuroSDR.

In his speech he expressed the following: "It is a great pleasure to bring you all the best wishes from the International Federation of Surveyors. The FIG council and all FIG member associations send their regards to the 50th anniversary of the European Organization for Experimental Photogrammetric Research, nowadays EuroSDR. The OEEPE as a link between theoretical research and practical applications run in the past many successful projects and tests. It helped to bring the disciplines of photogrammetry and remote sensing to a fully accepted method in surveying and mapping. I can imagine that for the future not only the new name of the organisation opens new fields of operations. Also the co-operation of different international associations like ISPRS and FIG will strengthen our common interests. Personally and in the name of FIG I wish EuroSDR a bright future."

This Anniversary Seminar reviewed the evolution of OEEPE into EuroSDR (European Spatial Data Research) and examined what spatial information, associated technologies and initiatives will be needed in the future to assist Spatial Data Infrastructural development. The proceedings have been published and are available through the EuroSDR website at www.eurosdr.org as is, the new EuroSDR Rolling Research Plan 2004 – 2006 which was launched in Munich. EuroSDR’s research is conducted through five commissions which are Commission 1: Sensors, primary data acquisition and georeferencing, Commission 2: Image analysis and information extraction, Commission 3: Production systems and processes, Commission 4: Core geospatial databases, and Commission 5: Integration and delivery of data and services.

The Permanent Secretariat of EuroSDR is now located at Dublin Institute of Technology, Faculty of the Built Environment. For further information please contact Assistant Secretary General Helen Murray: helen.murray@dit.ie.