diff --git a/src/core/qgsgeometry.cpp b/src/core/qgsgeometry.cpp
diff --git a/src/core/qgsgeometry.h b/src/core/qgsgeometry.h
@@ -89,18 +89,6 @@ class CORE_EXPORT QgsGeometry
     /** static method that creates geometry from Wkt */
     static QgsGeometry* fromWkt( QString wkt );
 
-    /** static method that creates geometry from GML2
-     @param XML representation of the geometry. GML elements are expected to be
-       in default namespace (<Point>...</Point>) or in "gml" namespace (<gml:Point>...</gml:Point>)
-     @note added in 1.9
-     */
-    static QgsGeometry* fromGML2( const QString& xmlString );
-
-    /** static method that creates geometry from GML2
-      @note added in 1.9
-      */
-    static QgsGeometry* fromGML2( const QDomNode& geometryNode );
-
     /** construct geometry from a point */
     static QgsGeometry* fromPoint( const QgsPoint& point );
     /** construct geometry from a multipoint */
@@ -395,12 +383,6 @@ class CORE_EXPORT QgsGeometry
      */
     QString exportToGeoJSON();
 
-    /** Exports the geometry to mGML2
-        @return true in case of success and false else
-     *  @note added in 1.9
-     */
-    QDomElement exportToGML2( QDomDocument& doc );
-
     /* Accessor functions for getting geometry data */
 
     /** return contents of the geometry as a point
@@ -506,24 +488,6 @@ class CORE_EXPORT QgsGeometry
 
     // Private functions
 
-    /** static method that creates geometry from GML2 Point */
-    bool setFromGML2Point( const QDomElement& geometryElement );
-    /** static method that creates geometry from GML2 LineString */
-    bool setFromGML2LineString( const QDomElement& geometryElement );
-    /** static method that creates geometry from GML2 Polygon */
-    bool setFromGML2Polygon( const QDomElement& geometryElement );
-    /** static method that creates geometry from GML2 MultiPoint */
-    bool setFromGML2MultiPoint( const QDomElement& geometryElement );
-    /** static method that creates geometry from GML2 MultiLineString */
-    bool setFromGML2MultiLineString( const QDomElement& geometryElement );
-    /** static method that creates geometry from GML2 MultiPolygon */
-    bool setFromGML2MultiPolygon( const QDomElement& geometryElement );
-    /**Reads the <gml:coordinates> element and extracts the coordinates as points
-       @param coords list where the found coordinates are appended
-       @param elem the <gml:coordinates> element
-       @return boolean for success*/
-    bool readGML2Coordinates( std::list<QgsPoint>& coords, const QDomElement elem ) const;
-
     /** Converts from the WKB geometry to the GEOS geometry.
         @return   true in case of success and false else
      */

diff --git a/src/core/qgsogcutils.cpp b/src/core/qgsogcutils.cpp
diff --git a/src/core/qgsogcutils.h b/src/core/qgsogcutils.h
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+#ifndef QGSOGCUTILS_H
+#define QGSOGCUTILS_H
+
+class QDomNode;
+class QDomElement;
+class QDomDocument;
+class QString;
+
+#include <list>
+
+class QgsGeometry;
+class QgsPoint;
+class QgsRectangle;
+
+/**
+ * @brief The QgsOgcUtils class provides various utility functions for conversion between
+ *   OGC (Open Geospatial Consortium) standards and QGIS internal representations.
+ *
+ * Currently supported standards:
+ * - GML2 - Geography Markup Language (import, export)
+ *
+ * @note added in 2.0
+ */
+class CORE_EXPORT QgsOgcUtils
+{
+public:
+
+
+  /** static method that creates geometry from GML2
+   @param XML representation of the geometry. GML elements are expected to be
+     in default namespace (<Point>...</Point>) or in "gml" namespace (<gml:Point>...</gml:Point>)
+   */
+  static QgsGeometry* geometryFromGML2( const QString& xmlString );
+
+  /** static method that creates geometry from GML2
+    */
+  static QgsGeometry* geometryFromGML2( const QDomNode& geometryNode );
+
+  /** Exports the geometry to mGML2
+      @return true in case of success and false else
+   */
+  static QDomElement geometryToGML2( QgsGeometry* geometry, QDomDocument& doc );
+
+  /** read rectangle from GML2 Box */
+  static QgsRectangle rectangleFromGMLBox( const QDomNode& boxNode );
+
+private:
+  /** static method that creates geometry from GML2 Point */
+  static QgsGeometry* geometryFromGML2Point( const QDomElement& geometryElement );
+  /** static method that creates geometry from GML2 LineString */
+  static QgsGeometry* geometryFromGML2LineString( const QDomElement& geometryElement );
+  /** static method that creates geometry from GML2 Polygon */
+  static QgsGeometry* geometryFromGML2Polygon( const QDomElement& geometryElement );
+  /** static method that creates geometry from GML2 MultiPoint */
+  static QgsGeometry* geometryFromGML2MultiPoint( const QDomElement& geometryElement );
+  /** static method that creates geometry from GML2 MultiLineString */
+  static QgsGeometry* geometryFromGML2MultiLineString( const QDomElement& geometryElement );
+  /** static method that creates geometry from GML2 MultiPolygon */
+  static QgsGeometry* geometryFromGML2MultiPolygon( const QDomElement& geometryElement );
+  /** Reads the <gml:coordinates> element and extracts the coordinates as points
+     @param coords list where the found coordinates are appended
+     @param elem the <gml:coordinates> element
+     @return boolean for success*/
+  static bool readGML2Coordinates( std::list<QgsPoint>& coords, const QDomElement elem );
+};
+
+#endif // QGSOGCUTILS_H
diff --git a/src/core/qgsrectangle.cpp b/src/core/qgsrectangle.cpp
@@ -55,32 +55,6 @@ QgsRectangle::QgsRectangle( const QgsRectangle &r )
   ymax = r.yMaximum();
 }
 
-QgsRectangle::QgsRectangle( const QDomNode& boxNode )
-{
-  QDomElement boxElem = boxNode.toElement();
-  if ( boxElem.tagName() == "Box" )
-  {
-    QDomElement bElem = boxElem.firstChild().toElement();
-    QString coordSeparator = ",";
-    QString tupelSeparator = " ";
-    if ( bElem.hasAttribute( "cs" ) )
-    {
-      coordSeparator = bElem.attribute( "cs" );
-    }
-    if ( bElem.hasAttribute( "ts" ) )
-    {
-      tupelSeparator = bElem.attribute( "ts" );
-    }
-
-    QString bString = bElem.text();
-    bool conversionSuccess;
-    xmin = bString.section( tupelSeparator, 0, 0 ).section( coordSeparator, 0, 0 ).toDouble( &conversionSuccess );
-    ymin = bString.section( tupelSeparator, 0, 0 ).section( coordSeparator, 1, 1 ).toDouble( &conversionSuccess );
-    xmax = bString.section( tupelSeparator, 1, 1 ).section( coordSeparator, 0, 0 ).toDouble( &conversionSuccess );
-    ymax = bString.section( tupelSeparator, 1, 1 ).section( coordSeparator, 1, 1 ).toDouble( &conversionSuccess );
-  }
-  normalize();
-}
 
 void QgsRectangle::set( const QgsPoint& p1, const QgsPoint& p2 )
 {

diff --git a/src/core/qgsrectangle.h b/src/core/qgsrectangle.h
@@ -44,9 +44,6 @@ class CORE_EXPORT QgsRectangle
     QgsRectangle( const QRectF & qRectF );
     //! Copy constructor
     QgsRectangle( const QgsRectangle &other );
-    //! GML2 constructor
-    //@note added in 1.9
-    QgsRectangle( const QDomNode& boxNode );
     //! Destructor
     ~QgsRectangle();
     //! Set the rectangle from two QgsPoints. The rectangle is

diff --git a/src/mapserver/qgsfilter.cpp b/src/mapserver/qgsfilter.cpp
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@
 #include "qgslogicalfilter.h"
 #include "qgsspatialfilter.h"
 #include "qgsvectordataprovider.h"
+#include "qgsogcutils.h"
+
 #include <QDomElement>
 #include <QStringList>
 #include "qgsvectorlayer.h"
@@ -129,7 +131,7 @@ QgsFilter* QgsFilter::createFilterFromXml( const QDomElement& filterElem, QgsVec
       if ( gNodes.size() > 0 )
       {
         QDomElement gElem = gNodes.at( 0 ).toElement();
-        geom = QgsGeometry::fromGML2( gElem );
+        geom = QgsOgcUtils::geometryFromGML2( gElem );
       }
     }
 
@@ -139,7 +141,7 @@ QgsFilter* QgsFilter::createFilterFromXml( const QDomElement& filterElem, QgsVec
       if ( gNodes.size() > 0 )
       {
         QDomElement gElem = gNodes.at( 0 ).toElement();
-        geom = QgsGeometry::fromGML2( gElem );
+        geom = QgsOgcUtils::geometryFromGML2( gElem );
       }
     }
 
@@ -149,7 +151,7 @@ QgsFilter* QgsFilter::createFilterFromXml( const QDomElement& filterElem, QgsVec
       if ( gNodes.size() > 0 )
       {
         QDomElement gElem = gNodes.at( 0 ).toElement();
-        geom = QgsGeometry::fromGML2( gElem );
+        geom = QgsOgcUtils::geometryFromGML2( gElem );
       }
     }
 
@@ -159,7 +161,7 @@ QgsFilter* QgsFilter::createFilterFromXml( const QDomElement& filterElem, QgsVec
       if ( gNodes.size() > 0 )
       {
         QDomElement gElem = gNodes.at( 0 ).toElement();
-        geom = QgsGeometry::fromGML2( gElem );
+        geom = QgsOgcUtils::geometryFromGML2( gElem );
       }
     }
 
@@ -169,7 +171,7 @@ QgsFilter* QgsFilter::createFilterFromXml( const QDomElement& filterElem, QgsVec
       if ( gNodes.size() > 0 )
       {
         QDomElement gElem = gNodes.at( 0 ).toElement();
-        geom = QgsGeometry::fromGML2( gElem );
+        geom = QgsOgcUtils::geometryFromGML2( gElem );
       }
     }
 
@@ -179,7 +181,7 @@ QgsFilter* QgsFilter::createFilterFromXml( const QDomElement& filterElem, QgsVec
       if ( gNodes.size() > 0 )
       {
         QDomElement gElem = gNodes.at( 0 ).toElement();
-        geom = QgsGeometry::fromGML2( gElem );
+        geom = QgsOgcUtils::geometryFromGML2( gElem );
       }
     }
 

diff --git a/src/mapserver/qgswfsserver.cpp b/src/mapserver/qgswfsserver.cpp
@@ -41,6 +41,8 @@
 #include "qgslegendmodel.h"
 #include "qgscomposerlegenditem.h"
 #include "qgsrequesthandler.h"
+#include "qgsogcutils.h"
+
 #include <QImage>
 #include <QPainter>
 #include <QStringList>
@@ -509,11 +511,11 @@ int QgsWFSServer::getFeature( QgsRequestHandler& request, const QString& format
             {
               if ( childElem.tagName() == "Box" )
               {
-                req.setFilterRect( QgsRectangle( childElem ) );
+                req.setFilterRect( QgsOgcUtils::rectangleFromGMLBox( childElem ) );
               }
               else if ( childElem.tagName() != "PropertyName" )
               {
-                QgsGeometry *geom = QgsGeometry::fromGML2( childElem );
+                QgsGeometry *geom = QgsOgcUtils::geometryFromGML2( childElem );
                 req.setFilterRect( geom->boundingBox() );
                 delete geom;
               }
@@ -892,11 +894,11 @@ int QgsWFSServer::getFeature( QgsRequestHandler& request, const QString& format
           {
             if ( childElem.tagName() == "Box" )
             {
-              req.setFilterRect( QgsRectangle( childElem ) );
+              req.setFilterRect( QgsOgcUtils::rectangleFromGMLBox( childElem ) );
             }
             else if ( childElem.tagName() != "PropertyName" )
             {
-              QgsGeometry* geom = QgsGeometry::fromGML2( childElem );
+              QgsGeometry* geom = QgsOgcUtils::geometryFromGML2( childElem );
               req.setFilterRect( geom->boundingBox() );
               delete geom;
             }
@@ -1335,7 +1337,7 @@ QDomDocument QgsWFSServer::transaction( const QString& requestBody )
 
             if ( !geometryElem.isNull() )
             {
-              if ( !layer->changeGeometry( *fidIt, QgsGeometry::fromGML2( geometryElem ) ) )
+              if ( !layer->changeGeometry( *fidIt, QgsOgcUtils::geometryFromGML2( geometryElem ) ) )
                 throw QgsMapServiceException( "RequestNotWellFormed", "Error in change geometry" );
             }
           }
@@ -1451,7 +1453,7 @@ QDomDocument QgsWFSServer::transaction( const QString& requestBody )
                 }
                 else //a geometry attribute
                 {
-                  f->setGeometry( QgsGeometry::fromGML2( currentAttributeElement ) );
+                  f->setGeometry( QgsOgcUtils::geometryFromGML2( currentAttributeElement ) );
                 }
               }
               currentAttributeChild = currentAttributeChild.nextSibling();
@@ -1649,7 +1651,7 @@ QDomElement QgsWFSServer::createFeatureGML2( QgsFeature* feat, QDomDocument& doc
     QgsGeometry* geom = feat->geometry();
 
     QDomElement geomElem = doc.createElement( "qgs:geometry" );
-    QDomElement gmlElem = geom->exportToGML2( doc );
+    QDomElement gmlElem = QgsOgcUtils::geometryToGML2( geom, doc );
     if ( !gmlElem.isNull() )
     {
       QgsRectangle box = geom->boundingBox();

diff --git a/src/providers/wfs/qgswfsprovider.cpp b/src/providers/wfs/qgswfsprovider.cpp
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@
 #include "qgsspatialindex.h"
 #include "qgslogger.h"
 #include "qgsnetworkaccessmanager.h"
+#include "qgsogcutils.h"
+
 #include <QDomDocument>
 #include <QMessageBox>
 #include <QDomNodeList>
@@ -418,7 +420,7 @@ bool QgsWFSProvider::addFeatures( QgsFeatureList &flist )
 
     //add geometry column (as gml)
     QDomElement geomElem = transactionDoc.createElementNS( mWfsNamespace, mGeometryAttribute );
-    QDomElement gmlElem = featureIt->geometry()->exportToGML2( transactionDoc );
+    QDomElement gmlElem = QgsOgcUtils::geometryToGML2( featureIt->geometry(), transactionDoc );
     if ( !gmlElem.isNull() )
     {
       geomElem.appendChild( gmlElem );
@@ -569,7 +571,7 @@ bool QgsWFSProvider::changeGeometryValues( QgsGeometryMap & geometry_map )
     nameElem.appendChild( nameText );
     propertyElem.appendChild( nameElem );
     QDomElement valueElem = transactionDoc.createElementNS( "http://www.opengis.net/wfs", "Value" );
-    QDomElement gmlElem = ( &geomIt.value() )->exportToGML2( transactionDoc );
+    QDomElement gmlElem = QgsOgcUtils::geometryToGML2( &geomIt.value(), transactionDoc );
     valueElem.appendChild( gmlElem );
     propertyElem.appendChild( valueElem );
     updateElem.appendChild( propertyElem );
@@ -1287,7 +1289,7 @@ int QgsWFSProvider::getFeaturesFromGML2( const QDomElement& wfsCollectionElement
         }
         else //a geometry attribute
         {
-          f->setGeometry( QgsGeometry::fromGML2( currentAttributeElement ) );
+          f->setGeometry( QgsOgcUtils::geometryFromGML2( currentAttributeElement ) );
         }
       }
       currentAttributeChild = currentAttributeChild.nextSibling();

diff --git a/tests/src/core/CMakeLists.txt b/tests/src/core/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -109,3 +109,4 @@ ADD_QGIS_TEST(stylev2test testqgsstylev2.cpp)
 ADD_QGIS_TEST(composerhtmltest testqgscomposerhtml.cpp )
 ADD_QGIS_TEST(rectangletest testqgsrectangle.cpp)
 ADD_QGIS_TEST(composerscalebartest testqgscomposerscalebar.cpp )
+ADD_QGIS_TEST(ogcutilstest testqgsogcutils.cpp)
diff --git a/tests/src/core/testqgsgeometry.cpp b/tests/src/core/testqgsgeometry.cpp
@@ -56,8 +56,6 @@ class TestQgsGeometry: public QObject
     void differenceCheck2();
     void bufferCheck();
 
-    void gmlTest();
-
   private:
     /** A helper method to do a render check to see if the geometry op is as expected */
     bool renderCheck( QString theTestName, QString theComment = "" );
@@ -372,18 +370,6 @@ void TestQgsGeometry::dumpPolyline( QgsPolyline &thePolyline )
   mpPainter->drawPolyline( myPoints );
 }
 
-void TestQgsGeometry::gmlTest()
-{
-  QgsGeometry* geom = QgsGeometry::fromGML2( "<Point><coordinates>123,456</coordinates></Point>" );
-  QVERIFY( geom );
-  QVERIFY( geom->wkbType() == QGis::WKBPoint );
-  QVERIFY( geom->asPoint() == QgsPoint( 123, 456 ) );
-
-  QgsGeometry* geomBox = QgsGeometry::fromGML2( "<gml:Box srsName=\"foo\"><gml:coordinates>135.2239,34.4879 135.8578,34.8471</gml:coordinates></gml:Box>" );
-  QVERIFY( geomBox );
-  QVERIFY( geomBox->wkbType() == QGis::WKBPolygon );
-}
-
 
 QTEST_MAIN( TestQgsGeometry )
 #include "moc_testqgsgeometry.cxx"

diff --git a/tests/src/core/testqgsogcutils.cpp b/tests/src/core/testqgsogcutils.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+
+/***************************************************************************
+     testqgsogcutils.cpp
+     --------------------------------------
+    Date                 : March 2013
+    Copyright            : (C) 2013 Martin Dobias
+    Email                : wonder.sk at gmail dot com
+ ***************************************************************************
+ *                                                                         *
+ *   This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify  *
+ *   it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by  *
+ *   the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or     *
+ *   (at your option) any later version.                                   *
+ *                                                                         *
+ ***************************************************************************/
+
+#include <QtTest>
+
+//qgis includes...
+#include <qgsgeometry.h>
+#include <qgsogcutils.h>
+
+
+/** \ingroup UnitTests
+ * This is a unit test for OGC utilities
+ */
+class TestQgsOgcUtils : public QObject
+{
+    Q_OBJECT
+  private slots:
+
+    void testGeometryFromGML();
+    void testGeometryToGML();
+};
+
+
+void TestQgsOgcUtils::testGeometryFromGML()
+{
+  QgsGeometry* geom = QgsOgcUtils::geometryFromGML2( "<Point><coordinates>123,456</coordinates></Point>" );
+  QVERIFY( geom );
+  QVERIFY( geom->wkbType() == QGis::WKBPoint );
+  QVERIFY( geom->asPoint() == QgsPoint( 123, 456 ) );
+
+  QgsGeometry* geomBox = QgsOgcUtils::geometryFromGML2( "<gml:Box srsName=\"foo\"><gml:coordinates>135.2239,34.4879 135.8578,34.8471</gml:coordinates></gml:Box>" );
+  QVERIFY( geomBox );
+  QVERIFY( geomBox->wkbType() == QGis::WKBPolygon );
+}
+
+void TestQgsOgcUtils::testGeometryToGML()
+{
+  QDomDocument doc;
+
+  QDomElement elemInvalid = QgsOgcUtils::geometryToGML2( 0, doc );
+  QVERIFY( elemInvalid.isNull() );
+
+  QgsGeometry* geomPoint = QgsGeometry::fromPoint( QgsPoint( 111, 222 ) );
+  QDomElement elemPoint = QgsOgcUtils::geometryToGML2( geomPoint, doc );
+  delete geomPoint;
+  QVERIFY( !elemPoint.isNull() );
+
+  doc.appendChild( elemPoint );
+  QCOMPARE( doc.toString( -1 ), QString( "<gml:Point><gml:coordinates cs=\",\" ts=\" \">111.0,222.0</gml:coordinates></gml:Point>" ) );
+}
+
+
+QTEST_MAIN( TestQgsOgcUtils )
+#include "moc_testqgsogcutils.cxx"