INSPIRE - Discovery Services

The INSPIRE Discovery Service - a freely available web catalog service (CSW) - allows you to search for geodata sets and geodata services based on the content of corresponding metadata and to display the content of the metadata.

Suitability/Use

The Discovery Service can be addressed either via the transfer protocol REST (via an http GET request in the internet browser) or via the transfer protocol SOAP (via a SOAP client). For both transmission protocols the following operations are available:

GetCapabilities (description of the discovery service) and
GetRecords (query of metadata entries)

According to the Directive, the following combinations of search criteria are required: keywords, classification of geodata and spatial data services, quality and validity of spatial data sets, geographical location, conditions of access and use, regulation of responsibilities for the creation, management, maintenance and dissemination of spatial data sets and geodata services.

Requirements for access

There is no access restriction. The Discovery Service is free of charge.

Actuality

The metadata entries are basically updated on an ongoing basis. The INSPIRE member states update the metadata records regularly and generate them according to a given schedule. This timetable is established in the INSPIRE Directives (further information: http://inspire.ec.europa.eu/inspire-roadmap/61).