ERFC is associated with an expert network which disposes capabilities in the area ofgeomatics. ERFC’s ambition is intervene in European projects with geomatics solutions able to apply :

• systems interoperability
• data diffusion
• mapping analysis
• metadata archiving
• digital aerial imagery mapping
• collaborative applications

ERFC is interested to promote Open Source applications which can respond very well to its goals:

• sharing local development in territorial perspective
• sustainable private and public prosperity
• Integration of New technologies
• Socio-economic development
• Empowering Civil Society

ERFC has increased understanding in relation to the application of the new European INSPIRE directive establishing an Infrastructure for Spatial Information in the European Community.
Text of the INSPIRE Directive is here

Spatial Data Infrastructure:

A spatial data infrastructure (SDI) is a framework of spatial data, metadata, users and tools that are interactively connected in order to use spatial data in an efficient and flexible way.

Another definition is the technology, policies, standards, human resources, and related activities necessary to acquire, process, distribute, use, maintain, and preserve spatial data.

Some of the main principles are that data and metadata should not be managed centrally, but by the data originator and/or owner, and that tools and services connect via computer networks to the various sources.

(Sources: Wikipedia)