The top distinction in the category “Best Implemented Idea” was won by the Region of Crete at the Ministry of Digital Governance Awards 2025, for the innovative Geospatial Information Infrastructure GIS Crete. This is the first integrated application of this kind in a Greek Region, which combines primary data from services with satellite information from the European Copernicus program, while utilizing modern open data practices.
GIS Crete offers the Administration a unified, reliable and documented picture of the entire island, facilitating faster and more effective decision-making that supports environmental protection and sustainable development. The use of geospatial information in real time enhances planning, reduces administrative burden and increases the accuracy of interventions, constituting a typical example of modern public innovation.
At the same time, citizens gain direct and transparent access to updated spatial information, which reduces bureaucracy, facilitates their daily lives and enhances their participation in issues concerning their place. The availability of data through open infrastructures – with open data now being treated as a modern public good – empowers society, encourages the development of new ideas and supports entrepreneurship and research.
For the services of the Region, the infrastructure translates into better coordination, a common information base and significant savings of resources. The Region of Crete, which has already been recognized by the European Space Agency as a pilot case for the direct use of satellite data in cases of emergency, thus confirms its role as one of the most innovative public organizations in the country.
This award highlights the Region’s consistent strategic choice to invest in tools that combine transparency and high-level expertise, transforming digital information into a real benefit for the environment, development and the citizen.
The date of the award ceremony will be announced by the Ministry in the near future.
