European Network for Biodiversity Information
(project completed 2005)

Establishing a strong European network as a pre-requisite to making biodiversity information accessible

ENBI (January, 2003-December, 2005) was a thematic programme supported by the European Union under framework Programme V and was a European Union contribution to the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). The major objective of ENBI was to establish a strong European network to pool the relevant technical resources and human expertise in Europe and to identify the biodiversity information priorities to be managed at the European level. Additional objectives were the establishment of communication platforms to inquire as to the needs of the users of biodiversity information and to disseminate biodiversity expertise to professionals and policy makers.

Online deliverables included the Lepindex, a demonstrator database on butterfly type specimens, fish type specimens and Macaranga and Mallotus (Euphorbiaceae) of Borneo. Additional deliverables included a manual of best practice for digitising biological type specimens, multi-lingual access and legal issues related particularly to Intellectual Property of biodiversity data and databases.

There were 66 partner organisations representing 24 countries in ENBI.

Project duration: 2003-2005