Continue promoting free, full, open and timely access to Earth Observation datasets, products and services. Maintain dialogues with Governments and support the up-take and implementation of the GEOSS Data Sharing principles by GEO Members and Participating Organizations.  Raise awareness of the technical, organizational, and resource implications of implementing the GEOSS Data Sharing Principles.

Implementation approach, respectively responsibilities

The activities will be performed by a dedicated Working Group, supported by the GEO Secretariat.

a. Task Members
Update implementation guidelines on Data Sharing Principles that underpin the quality of available data, information and tools and support their integrated use.
Keep track of international Open Data trends and continue to evolve the next generation of Data Sharing Principles as necessary.
Analyze and advocate the benefits of Data Sharing. Raise global awareness, including in developing countries, about the free and open datasets, products and services provided through GEOSS including support of measuring and monitoring of the SDGs.
Promote national coordinating mechanisms for implementing the Data Sharing Principles Post-2015 and monitor data sharing progress by the GEO member governments.
Analyze Data Commons in GEO SBAs that enable data sharing across various SBAs. Address legal interoperability of datasets across various SBAs, through recommended mechanisms to share data as part of GEOSS DataCORE or compatible open licenses.
Monitor, interpret, and adjust the use metrics to gauge the utilization of shared resources and their value to both data providers and data users, within and across SBAs.

b. GEO Secretariat
Support the coordination and the administration of this task
Data sharing point of contact to the external world and helpdesk function, in coordination with the SIF, for Data Providers and Users
Promotion and extension of GEOSS DataCORE
Manage and operate a Use Metrics component of the GCI.

Hold at least one meeting of DSWG.
Update Implementation Guidelines on Data Sharing Principles for Plenary approval in 2016.
Produce a report on international Open Data trends.
Draft a summary of mechanisms for monitoring the status of GEO Members in establishing and implementing Open Data Policies.

Proposed GEO Foundational TASKS

May change according to ToR of the Working Group