The combination of statistics and geography has the potential to generate information far beyond the simple representation of data on a map. From 2012 Eurostat provided a series of grants to statistical authorities to facilitate work on the coordination of statistics and geospatial information (details available 2012-2015 and 2016-2020). The project funded under these grants are listed below and the key themes and trends are outlined below.
| Phase | Focus Areas |
| 2012–2015 | Foundational tools, pilot platforms, internal use |
| 2016–2018 | Consolidation, domain-specific applications |
| 2018–2020 | EO, automation, open data, cross-agency integration |
Key Developments 2012 – 2020
- Foundational Work (2012–2015)
- Early Integration Models: Initial projects focused on building geospatial foundations such as population grids, geocoding frameworks, and web mapping platforms.
- Institutional Collaboration: First efforts were largely carried out within national statistical institutes (NSIs), with limited early collaboration with mapping authorities.
Challenges Identified:
- Inconsistencies in address registers and spatial data.
- Lack of standardized tools for data linkage and visualisation.
- Fragmented expertise in GIS across NSIs.
2. Expanded Scope and Technical Maturity (2016–2020)
- Focus on Methodology and Automation: Projects advanced towards semi-automated analysis (e.g. image processing, machine learning) and methodological frameworks such as the Global Statistical Geospatial Framework (GSGF).
- Increased Collaboration: More cross-agency work, particularly with national mapping and cadastral authorities (NMCAs).
- Earth Observation (EO) Integration: Use of satellite and aerial imagery for statistical applications became more prominent (e.g., crop yield prediction, land cover monitoring).
- Standardization and Interoperability: Alignment with INSPIRE Directive and adoption of linked open data (LOD) principles gained traction.
- Refinement of Tools: WebGIS platforms and interactive dashboards were enhanced for public and internal use.
Themes and Trends
- Geocoding and Grid-Based Data
Widespread shift toward 1 km² population and statistical grids, enabling uniform, comparable, and granular spatial analysis.
2. Functional Integration
Integration of geospatial data into various domains: health, agriculture, energy, urban planning, and business registers.
3. Earth Observation (EO) and Remote Sensing
Notable increase in EO usage in the later years (2018–2020) for land use/land cover (LULC) change, agriculture, and environmental indicators (Austria, Slovenia, Finland).
4. Statistical Disclosure and Confidentiality
As geospatial precision increased, projects like Poland (2018) addressed confidentiality with new strategies tailored for spatial data.
5. Linked Open Data (LOD) and Semantic Web
Shift from static datasets to interoperable, linked data infrastructures.
Emphasis on metadata harmonisation and use of unique identifiers for linking datasets.
6. Support for Policy and SDGs
Development of geospatial indicators for SDGs, sustainable development, and cohesion policy.
7. Capacity Building and Reusability
Projects increasingly assessed by potential for methodological transfer, reuse of tools, and open access.