Archiving of Geodata

The producers of geodata and the Swiss Federal Archives are required to jointly ensure the availability of geodata over time based on geoinformation legislation. They have accordingly defined common processes and data formats in the Ellipse project. At national level, this work has been continued by the cantons and communes.

© SFA

The Federal Office of Topography (swisstopo) and the Swiss Federal Archives (SFA) have developed a solution for the archiving of geodata with the Ellipse project, completed at the end of 2016. The results are recorded in the manual the archiving of federal geodata, which describes the archiving process from storage and archiving planning to the use of geodata.

• Concept report project Ellipse - Concept for the archiving of official geodata under federal legislation

  PDF2.50 MB14 April 2026

• Manual on the archiving of federal geodata

  PDF12.33 MB14 April 2026

Archive file formats for raster data and geo-dossiers

A simple format called TIFF+EWF.XML (EWF stands for Extended World File) has been defined for archiving georeferenced image and graphic raster data as well as elevation and thematic raster data. Details can be found in the information sheet on the format specification. The requirements for delivering digital geodata to the SFA are defined in the geo-SIP and geo-dossier specification.

• Information sheet Specification for an archivable geoformat for image and graphic raster

  PDF688.30 kB14 April 2026

• Specification geo-SIP and geo-dossier (de)

  PDF1.44 MB14 April 2026

National activities

Based on the results of the Ellipse project, the cantons and communes have worked together with the Coordinating Agency for Federal Geographic Information (GCG) to develop in-depth studies and concepts for ensuring the long-term availability and archiving of their geodata:

• Long-term availability and archiving of geodata
  The GIS working group of the Swiss Conference on Information Technology (SIK-GIS) has drawn up a concept for the long-term availability and archiving of geodata “Sustained availability and archiving of geodata” (de) to be implemented at federal, cantonal and communal level.
• Concept historicization, long-term availability and archiving of cadastral surveying data
  The Executive Board of the Conference of Cantonal Cadastral Services (CadastreSuisse) and the Federal Directorate of Cadastral Surveying (FDCS) have developed a concept (de) for the historicization, long-term availability and archiving of cadastral surveying data.
• Geo categories
  In close cooperation with the GCG, the SIK-GIS working group has developed the eCH-0166 geo categories standard eCH-0166 geo categories (de). The ‘SO-19115 Topic Categories’ have been adapted to the circumstances in Switzerland and, in particular, to the requirements of the Federal Administration and its geodata customers, and to archiving requirements.