Google submitted KML (formerly Keyhole Markup Language) to the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) to be evolved within the OGC consensus process with the following goal: KML Version 2.2 has been adopted as an OGC implementation standard. Future versions may be harmonized with relevant OGC standards that comprise the OGC standards baseline. There are four objectives for this standards work:

• That there be one international standard language for expressing geographic annotation and visualization on existing or future web-based online and mobile maps (2d) and earth browsers (3d).
• That KML be aligned with international best practices and standards, thereby enabling greater uptake and interoperability of earth browser implementations.
• That the OGC and Google will work collaboratively to ensure that the KML implementer community is properly engaged in the process and that the KML community is kept informed of progress and issues.
• That the OGC process will be used to ensure proper life-cycle management of the KML Standard, including such issues as backwards compatibility.