Overview
EN ISO 19115-1:2014/A2:2020 (CEN adoption) is Amendment 2 to ISO 19115-1:2014 - the international standard that defines the fundamentals of geographic information metadata. This amendment updates normative references, clarifies how reference system information is represented in metadata, and replaces specific UML and table elements that describe coordinate reference system (CRS) information and epochs.
Key Topics
- Metadata fundamentals (ISO 19115-1 Part 1): continues to define core metadata concepts and structure for geographic datasets and services.
- Reference system information update:
- Replaces references to ISO 19111:2007 and ISO 19111-2:2009 with ISO 19111 (Referencing by coordinates).
- Updates Figure 12 (Reference system information classes) and replaces Table B.8 (Reference system information including identifier and type).
- Introduces subclause B.2.10 Reference system information, linking classes CRS and DataEpoch to ISO 19111 clauses.
- Metadata elements clarified (as shown in the replacement table):
- MD_ReferenceSystem - aggregated class holding reference system details.
- referenceSystemIdentifier - identifier and codespace (example: EPSG::4326).
- crs - full description of the coordinate reference system (class CRS).
- coordinateEpoch / DataEpoch - epoch for dynamic coordinate reference systems (example: 2019.71).
- referenceSystemType - type code (MD_ReferenceSystemTypeCode).
- Standards governance: Approved by CEN (October 2020), adopted as a national standard across CEN member bodies (implementation deadline June 2021).
Applications
This amendment improves the precision and interoperability of spatial metadata where accurate coordinate referencing matters. Typical use cases:
- GIS and remote sensing data cataloguing and discovery
- Building or enhancing Spatial Data Infrastructures (SDIs)
- Metadata creation for geospatial datasets and web services (WMS/WFS)
- Data sharing between national mapping agencies, research organizations, and software vendors
- Ensuring metadata records explicitly document CRS, coordinate epochs, and identifier coding (for reliable reprojection and temporal accuracy)
Who Should Use It
- GIS data managers and metadata specialists
- Geospatial software developers and platform architects
- National mapping and cadastral authorities
- Standards bodies and technical committees working on geospatial interoperability
Related Standards
- ISO 19115 series (metadata standards)
- ISO 19111 (Referencing by coordinates) - now the normative reference for CRS and DataEpoch classes in this amendment
This amendment enhances clarity around reference system metadata, improving interoperability, accuracy, and machine-readability of geographic information metadata.
