Public Sector Information Homepage :: What is PSI
About Public Sector Information
Public sector information an untapped resource
Public sector information is re-used by a growing number of companies as part of added-value information product and services. Its large potential is, however, not fully realised. There are barriers that limit the re-use of public sector information and therefore the possibilities it offers for new economic activity and job creation.
The challenge is to overcome these barriers and to turn this untapped resource into an important economic asset.
Public authorities produce considerable amounts of
information. Examples include digital maps, business and address data as well as
meteorological, legal, traffic and financial information.
This information is often useful for purposes that go beyond the initial reason
for producing it. It can be integrated into new, added-value services, for
example a mobile service based on digital maps, which helps you to find your
way. This is what we call re-use of information. Today new information and
communication technologies enable us to collect, store, combine, analyse, and
disseminate information in a much more efficient, effective, user friendly and
cheaper way.
The combination of high quality Public Sector Information and new information
and communication technologies creates a multitude of opportunities in the area
of exploitation of PSI (PDF file).
Objective of the Directive on the re-use of Public Sector Information
The aims of the Directive are the following:
-
To facilitate the creation of Community-wide services based on or integrating public sector information
-
To enhance an effective cross-border re-use of the information for added-value information and service
-
To limit distortions of competition on the Community information market.
The directive covers written texts but also e.g. databases, maps, audio files and films.
It addresses material held by public sector bodies in the Member States, at national, regional and local levels. Public sector bodies are for example ministries, State agencies, and municipalities, but can also be organisations for the most part financed by or under the control of the public authorities, such as the national meteorological institutes.
Value of PSI
-
The importance of PSI lies especially in its economic value. PSI is difficult to measure. However, the MEPSIR study (2006) has concluded that estimates for the overall market size for PSI in the EU range from EUR 10 to EUR 48 billion, with a mean value around EUR 27 billion. This amounts to 0.25% of the total aggregated GDP for the EU (EUR 10.730 billion).
-
A previous study made for the Commission in 2000 by PIRA International Ltd. estimated the economic value of PSI in Europe at an amount of EUR 68 billion. You can download an Executive summary (PDF file) and a Final report (PDF file).
-
The potential of PSI is BIG but still not extensively exploited.
Maintained by Information Society and Media DG, Unit E4 - Access to Information
Contact: infso-psihelp@ec.europa.eu