PSI Market Observatory
EPSI Platform, 31st July 2009
 Chairman of the PSI Alliance, Rolf Nordqvist, is hosting the guest blog on the EPSI Platform for the coming month. Updates will appear here: www.epsiplus.net/guest_blogs
I think we agree upon the difficulties in creating a fair market place for PSI re use. This is a marathon race and it will take a considerable amount of time to make the changes that will result in real growth in this European marketplace. However, if you look at the positive signs, it is easier to endure consistent work towards a better market place in the long run than a stop and start approach. Positive examples have a tendency to spread and this is why PSI Alliance now is looking for good practice in different countries.
We have a vision of a market where
- You can easily find information that is available for re use ( open asset lists )
- You are met by a positive attitude from the PSI Holder who really understands your role and wants to co-operate with you as a re user
- You are offered a fair price, primarily based upon the distribution cost
- You are offered conditions that do not restrict your product development
- You are not competing with the information holder itself, but with other value adding companies on the market
- You can easily and quickly find a way to solve any conflicts with the PSI Holder about the access to the information.
We obviously have the same vision. But how to get there?
As I have stressed before I think we have to join forces. One way to do it is to take part in the PSI Alliance, as I know you already are doing. The PSI Alliance is actively trying to find information about good and bad practice in different countries. But as you point out this does not seem to be enough to create the fast changes that we want. We have therefore suggested to the EU Commission that they should make continuous observations of the PSI market. This is similar to the review process that you are suggesting. I believe that the EU Commission needs to create a permanent PSI Market Observatory (PSIMO); this will assist in making observations between countries and between different PSI Holders. An Observatory, will enable us to follow the effects of different PSI price models, the different results if the authorities are or are not competing with the private industry, how special re-dress mechanisms influence the re-use business, the effects of active government support or non active support to re-users and other things that have an influence on the market.
Hopefully the creation of an Observatory will help show that changes in line with our vision will make the PSI re use market grow. We hope that evidence provided by an Observatory will help convince national governments and different authorities all over Europe to join us on the road to a better market for re use of PSI. Growth in the PSI marketplace will inevitably create more jobs in the European information industry – which is to everyone’s benefit. That is what we really want to happen - isn’t it?
Rolf Nordqvist
Chairman PSI Alliance
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