Geodata as the basis for trustworthy data rooms

The study analyzes the importance of geodata as a central basis for the development of trustworthy data spaces in Switzerland. Geodata, which provide information about geographical locations and their changes in space and time, are essential for numerous applications in areas such as mobility, agriculture, urban planning and environmental protection. Switzerland is planning to create a national data ecosystem based on the use of interoperable data spaces. In these data spaces, stakeholders from business, administration and research will share and use data securely and efficiently. Geodata and the associated and existing geodata infrastructures play a key role here, as geodata usually describe a physical reality independent of a specific topic and can serve as a cross-sectional infrastructure for various data spaces.

Code of Conduct of the Confederation

The Code of Conduct for Trustworthy Data Spaces, which was adopted by the Federal Council, sets out key principles such as transparency, control, fairness and efficiency, which are also relevant to the use of geodata. These principles are intended to ensure that data spaces are not only technically trustworthy, but also legally and ethically trustworthy. The study emphasizes that many of the Code's requirements are already fulfilled by existing laws, particularly in the area of data protection and public geodata. Nevertheless, the Code can help in cooperation between public and private actors to maintain data sovereignty and promote the trustworthy exchange of data.

An important aspect of the study is to ensure the interoperability of geodata. This interoperability is an inherent quality of geodata, regardless of the subject, and is particularly related to the centuries-long use of common projection systems and spatial reference frames. In Switzerland, the technical, syntactic and semantic interoperability of geodata at all levels of government is guaranteed by the Federal Geoinformation Act. It emphasizes that geodata must be documented, semantically described, available in uniform formats and via uniform services so that they can be used by different systems and sectors. The quality of geodata, particularly in terms of completeness and timeliness, plays a crucial role. Geodata must not only be reliable, but must also be updated in real time to enable widespread use, such as in navigation systems or infrastructure monitoring.

No separate data room required

The study concludes that there is no urgency for a dedicated data space for geodata in Switzerland at present or in the foreseeable future. The existing legal foundations and the federal, cantonal and municipal geodata infrastructures based on them are sufficient for the use of official geodata in future data spaces and can be gradually expanded if necessary, e.g. in relation to the Swiss transport network for the mobility data infrastructure MODI or the mobility data space.

In an international context, initiatives such as Gaia-X and the International Data Spaces Association (IDSA) are largely responsible for the development of standards and reference models for data spaces. These projects aim to promote the secure exchange of data across national borders and sectors. In Switzerland, there are also initial steps in this direction, such as the Mobility Data Infrastructure (MODI), which is intended to enable a standardized exchange of mobility data. Another example is the agridata.ch project, which is building a data space for the agricultural and food sector while safeguarding the digital self-determination of farmers.

National spatial data infrastructure

The Federal Office of Topography together with the Coordination Body for Geoinformation at the Confederation (GKG) and the Conference of Cantonal Geoinformation and Cadastral Offices (KGK) play a central role in the provision, standardization and interoperability of nationwide geodata and the development of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) in Switzerland. Today, this enables the provision and uniform use of nationwide geodata of national interest and facilitates their interoperability between different organizations and administrative levels (Confederation, cantons, municipalities, etc.). Swisstopo, GKG and the KGK can ensure the coordination of the provision and use of official geodata in different data spaces and develop guidelines for their use. Particularly in sectors such as mobility, agriculture and environmental monitoring, clear standards and guidelines are necessary to ensure the trustworthy and efficient use of geodata.

Recommendations of the study

The most important recommendations of the study are that swisstopo, GKG and KGK should continue to work actively on the provision and management of official geodata and official geodata services as well as the definition and implementation of standards for geodata in data spaces. The national geodata infrastructure ensures interoperability between systems and actors and supports the preservation of data sovereignty of the actors involved. It is also recommended to support the joint use of geodata in data spaces in pilot projects and to strengthen cooperation between public and private stakeholders. On the other hand, the Community of Practice created by the FC would be a concrete opportunity to contribute to developments at national level. However, the Swiss Data Alliance would also recommend and welcome the inclusion of swisstopo as the provider of an essential cross-sectional infrastructure in the so-called "core team data spaces".