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Minutes of the Documentation and Information NCG and the
EURISCO Advisory Group. Planning for the continuation of EPGRIS.
Joint Meeting,
2-3 April 2007,
Rome, Italy
[PDF file 148KB]
EPGRIS3 project -
European Plant Genetic Resources Information Infra-Structure
EURISCO -
European Plant Genetic Resources Internet Search Catalogue
PGR flow in Europe
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Latest news
A meeting of the
EURISCO Advisory Group and EPGRIS3 will be held in Bonn, Germany,
on 12-14 March 2008.
A joint meeting of the Documentation and Information Network Coordinating Group and the
EURISCO Advisory Group was held in Rome, 2-3 April 2007 with the objective to plan for the continuation of
EPGRIS. The outcome was the initiative to launch a self-funded collaborative project called
EPGRIS3.
See:
Minutes of the joint meeting
[ 148KB]
Presentations given during the joint meeting:
• L. Maggioni: ECPGR framework and expectations
[
32KB]
• J. Engels: AEGIS framework
[ 1.3MB]
• S. Gaiji: EURISCO – current status and perspectives
[ 1.3MB]
• I. Thomas: EPGRIS2
[ 497KB]
Background information
The Documentation and Information Network was established during Phase V of
ECPGR
(1994-1998). This Network has been a forum for discussion, decision-making and promotion of training
activities and project proposals. Activities have been driven by the so-called "European Documentation
Support Centres" (CGN, The Netherlands,
NGB, Sweden, Bioversity International (formerly IPGRI), Italy and
ZADI, Germany). All the
European Central Crop Database Managers are involved in the Network activities, as well as the
National Inventory Focal Points.
The Documentation and Information Network is overseen by a
Network Coordinating Group (NCG), composed of members agreed by the Network and combining
specific expertise and geographical representation. The NCG formulates proposals for the attention of
the ECPGR Steering Committee (SC) on Network priorities and activities, following the planning and
prioritizing mechanism established by the SC.
The Network has identified the
EURISCO Advisory Group as specific advisory body with the function to monitor the progress of EURISCO,
and to give advice on its further development.
A proposal for budget allocation during
Phase VII (2004-2008) was approved by the SC in December 2004.
Past activities
Bonn ECPGR Network Coordinating Groups meeting, March 2006
A meeting of the ECPGR Network Coordinating Groups took place in Bonn, Germany, on 29-31 March 2006.
See:
Report of the NCG meeting
[ 566KB]
Presentations given during the NCG meeting
Bonn Documentation and Information Network Coordinating Group meeting, April 2005
A meeting of the Documentation and Information Network Coordinating Group was held on
11 April 2005 in Bonn, Germany, followed by a one-day joint meeting with the EURISCO Advisory Group for
the preparation of the EU project proposal EPGRIS-2 (which was rejected in the meantime).
The role of the ECCDBs versus EURISCO was re-discussed: several discrepancies between data available from EURISCO and from the central
databases were noted. It was recommended to analyze the reasons for discrepancies and propose actions
for improvement of data consistency.
The role of ECCDBs, also including characterization and evaluation data, would be revisited at the
next EURISCO Advisory Group meeting.
For any follow-up activities refers to the activities under
EPGRIS3.
Wageningen ad hoc meeting 2004
An ad hoc Documentation and Information Network Coordinating Group was jointly held with the EURISCO Advisory
Group on 5 March 2004 in Wageningen, The Netherlands, for the preparation of a PGR documentation
project.
The development of a project proposal (EPGRIS-2) under the coordination of IGER, UK, was prepared and
submitted for funding to the European Commission. It was aimed at considering
standardization issues (passport and characterization/evaluation data), XML schema and organization of
data flow, GIS-visualization and taxonomy issues, the creation of pilot crop portals and linkages with
all related documentation systems.
However, the EPGRIS-2 proposal was rejected.
EPGRIS project
Following approval for funding by the EU of a pan-European project, the Network entered into a new
phase of operation. During this period (2000-2003), the main implementation of the Network’s activities
was through the EU-funded project EPGRIS, the European Plant
Genetic Resources Information Infra-Structure, coordinated by CGN, The Netherlands. EPGRIS supported
the creation and provided technical support to National PGR Inventories and created a European
Internet Search Catalogue (EURISCO). EURISCO
was developed by IPGRI (now Bioversity International) in Rome. It includes passport information of plant genetic resources maintained
ex situ in Europe.
A revision of the FAO/IPGRI Multi-Crop Passport Descriptors List was part of the exercise to define
which descriptors to use by EURISCO. This revision, coordinated by IPGRI in close consultation with
the EPGRIS project, was concluded in the
December 2001 version.
Information flow
The Network oversees the development of Web-accessible information. The new
ECPGR Web site was set up
in 2000 and then revised in 2004. It currently provides easier access to information related to
ECPGR and to the
ECPGR public listserver, raises the profile of ECPGR and informs the public of the Programme's
objectives, activities and outputs.
Documents are made available in PDF format: these include draft reports of the meetings as well as the most recent
ECPGR publications.
Training and Technical support
An "Internet Advisory Group" (renamed "Information and Communication Technology Advisory Group" as of October 2003) offered its services to
help and give advice to database managers. Two training courses were then organized to promote the
development of on-line searchable databases for the ECCDBs. Training exchanges of several specialists
have also taken place.
As per decision taken during the joint meeting of the Documentation and Information NCG and the EURISCO
Advisory Group (Bonn, Germany, April 2005), the Information and Communication Technology Advisory Group
was dissolved. The Documentation and Information Network would however continue to offer an advisory role
on technical matters upon request. Requests on PGR documentation issues can be addressed to the
ECPGR Secretariat, to the Network Coordinator or to the appropriate Network institution directly.
See:
Presentations given during the meeting
(Bonn, April 2005)
Budapest meeting 1996
A milestone for the Network was a meeting in Budapest (October 1996), during which the FAO/IPGRI
Multi-Crop Passport Descriptors (MCPDs) for the exchange of passport data were finalized and approved.
An Internet European Information Platform was also temporarily established, to offer direct access to
on-line Central Crop Databases.
European Central Crop Databases (ECCDBs)
The Network promoted the development of several European
Central Crop Databases (ECCDBs) that are managed by European institutions on behalf of ECPGR.
These databases have recently developed following the guidelines and standards defined by the Network.
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Contacts
Network Coordinator:
Mr Frank Begemann
Network
Coordinating Group members
EURISCO
National Inventory Focal Points
National Inventories
ECPGR
in situ / on-farm National Inventory Focal Points
European
Central Crop Database Managers
EURISCO
Advisory Group members
Documents
Developing
crop descriptor list: Guidelines for developers
FAO/IPGRI
Multi-Crop Passport Descriptors
EURISCO descriptors
ISO 3166-1 Code List
Network
Related Publications
Budget
as of August 07
Archive:
ICT Advisory Group
Meetings & Reports
Network related
Meetings & Reports
Workshops
On-line Databases - First Training Workshop, 8-10
June 1997, Bonn, Germany
On-line Databases - Second Training Workshop,
18-21 February 1998, Alnarp, Sweden
Other
ECPGR Listserver
Germplasm databases
Taxonomic Nomenclature Checker
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Back to
ECPGR Network
IPGRI and INIBAP
operate under the name Bioversity International.