Stefan Jensen
Head of SEIS & Reference Data Group - MDI Program
European Environment Agency
Denmark

Biography
Stefan Jensen holds a geography degree and today heads the group on data management in the European Environment Agency (EEA) which supports the implementation of the EEA?s spatial data infrastructure and of INSPIRE. Before he had joined EEA in 2001 to lead projects on electronic environmental reporting and on establishing the European Water Information System, he began his career in the private sector on the marketing and application of Geographic Information Systems. He also worked as a private consultant for a couple of years and started his European work from the Environment Ministry in Hannover, Germany where he developed the state?s spatial environmental information system.

Abstract
INSPIRE Implementation in the Environmental Domain - Key Opportunities and Obstacles after Mid-term

Co-Authors:
Christian Ansorge, European Environment Agency
Darja Lihteneger, European Environment Agency
Paul Hasenohr, European Environment Agency

The European Environment Agency (EEA) supports a variety of INSPIRE implementation actions as part of the INSPIRE coordination team. We have the double challenge to anchor INSPIRE within EEA - both technically as well as thematically - and at the same time anticipate and respond to the support needs of Member States in Eionet. The paper provides a set of reflections on current benefits INSPIRE provides for the policy cycle, to the development of an extended environmental knowledge base and on a more structured and in-depth environmental data management. It highlights and further explores trends as identified in the mid-term evaluation report on INSPIRE implementation. We add reflections based on national implementation experiences we come across. We are discussing our SWOT analysis in progress which helps focussing further EEA activities.