Data without Boundaries The DwB project (FP7-13) Roxane Silberman CNRS/Réseau Quetelet DwB coordinator WG on Statistical Confidentality (WGSC) 1st meeting November 15th/16th Eurostat, Luxembourg

A European project A FP7- 13 EC call : Data archives and remote access to official statistics in Europe Coordination of existing infrastructures : Data Archives (CESSDA), ESS, others stakeholders 27 Partners and 12 countries CESSDA partners : CNRS/Quetelet, GESIS, NSD, SND, DANS, UKDA, FORS, EKKE, CIS, RODA, ADP NSIs and other providers of official statistics: ONS, CBS, INSEE, SORS, CBS, IAB, DESTATIS, INSSE Universities, CED (IPUMS) Enhancing researchers access to official microdata both national and European and both anonymised (PUF and SUF) and confidential A step toward a European research infrastructure within the context of the ESFRI roadmap and the CESSDA ERIC process

Access to OS both anonymised and detailed, both national and European, currently fragmented Different systems, different standards, different providers Mode of access ranging from no access (even for non confidential), PUF, SUF, safe centres , remote execution to remote access Standards for anonymisation differ, level tends to increase : PUF and SUF may become not usable for researchers Access to highly detailed detailed and sensitive data (including administrative data and combined datasets) increasingly crucial but uneven at national level, crossing boarders worse Accreditation highly dependent on the national legal framework, national institutional arrangements and practices and of the European regulations Providers may be NSIs, statistical departments, government agencies and Data archives Metadata not always available Language issues

DwB in short Main issue : Increase access to official statistics both national and European Focus on access to highly detailed and sensitive microdata, administrative data, combining datasets but access to anonymised microdata in the scope (PUF and SUF) Across boarders A wider scope than WGSC and ESSnet, even if obvious links cf needs of comparative research Strategy : Bridge the different actors and communities Data Archives (CESSDA and CESSDA ERIC) that have long term experience in preservation, metadata, dissemination (also for several for OS) , accreditation and anonymisation NSIs and the ESS that need to provide access to their microdata ensuring high protection of confidentiality Researchers who are the final users To : Build trust Agree on standards and common views Provide pilots Increase immediate access to OS at national and European level

Main objectives Towards a single point of access : what data are available ? Where and how can I access them ? Towards standards for metadata that could be possibly harvested on the CESSDA ERIC portal Towards a European accreditation Towards a European distributed and flexible remote access for confidential microdata both for national and European microdata

12 Work packages WP1 Management WP2 Communication Website WP3 Accreditation and legal issues WP4 Improving access : remote access WP5 Servicing the use of the OS WP6 Networking WP7 Standard developments for metadata WP8 Improving resource discovery for OS data WP9 On site transnational access WP10 Remote access transnational access WP11 Improved Methodologies for Managing Risks of Access to Detailed OS Data WP12 Implementing Improved Resource Discovery for OS Data

How ? All WPs in cooperation between partners Networking outside the DwB A bi-annual European Data Access Forum involving all stakeholders Two regional data access workshops in Southern and Eastern Europe A bi-annual Users’ conference involving researchers and NSIs Training activities for researchers : where to find official microdata ? how to use main European datasets ? confidentiality issues Supporting NSI and Archives staff visits to remote access installations in order to promote development of European remote access Building pilots Facilitating immediate access to and use of OS within the current context

Towards a European accreditation Current situation : fragmented, highly dependent on national and European legal frameworks and institutional arrangements, crossing boarders problematic Study the existing national accreditation procedures in the ERA, identify necessary features and select best practices for those features Design and initiate an audit of the legal frameworks for research data access in the ERA and analyse the requirements for accreditation to comply with the current legal frameworks Consult with data providers, service providers, and representatives of the researcher community about preferred accreditation features Design and launch an ‘ERA Accreditation Standard’ with related guidance and promote and assist the adoption of the standard in the ERA, possibly to be used as a pilot within the DwB project  Structure and consolidate reliable information on national and European legal frameworks for research data access and provide assistance to researchers Contribute to the discussions about the Commission regulation

Towards a European distributed remote access Current situation ranging from no access, on site access, remote execution or remote access from researchers’ desk or from certified places Analyse the key features of ISO27001 and the framework for the design and management of information security standards for Remote Access centres Define a dynamic and interactive research environment in a Remote Access Centre. Define a framework for pan-European remote data access requests taking into account: The management of national data sets in the system The management of possibly centralized facilities (like a centralized metadata system) The management of pan-European data access requests; The management of further support to users (besides the metadata system), whenever this is required. The evaluation of different models of remote access Build and implement a pilot (IAB, UKDA/SDS, INSEE/GENES) based on existing Research Data Centres, which may be hosted by NSIs or archives. The network will be expandable into a broader network.  

Enhance immediate access to OS Providing information about OS data (national and European) and access Making European microdata more usable for researchers : provide routines for format, harmonization, improve metadata, provide translation for questionaries Training the researchers : 4 days sessions twice a year across the ERA (overview about OS data, training on the use of some European datasets, on census, confidentiality issues) Enhancing foreign researchers access to national OS (particularly highly detailed microdata) = TNA (transnational access) supporting the researchers for accreditation and enrolment, for travels costs and for access costs. 7 partners for on site access (including on site accreditation and enrolment) and 4 partners for remote access or remote execution. Joint call to be issued.

In addition Contribute to research and methods for achieving the best ratio of utility against disclosure risk (anonymisation, checking outputs …) Quite important for delimitation of PUF, SUF Impact on the format (size) of remote access system to confidential data : may become the main access `Promote remote access in the ERA supporting Archives and NSIs staff visits in the RDC.

Where we are ? Positive evaluation of the project Revision of the proposal Final negotiation with the EC expected within the next days and start in February/March 2011 A 4 years project with about 6.5 M Euros

Conclusion On-going discussions about these issues for years now both at national and European level Urgent needs for solutions for PUF, SUF and confidential data at national and European level Format : Remote access may well become the main access in the future What is specific to DwB ? A place for bridging the different communities, stimulating discussions within the partners and outside the project and building the necessary trust and cooperation A place for moving, proposing standards, discuss possible improvements in the legal frameworks and regulations , providing pilots and promoting them A wider scope than the WCSC and ESSnet Challenges 27 partners from different communities Coordinate strongly with other bodies and initiatives : WGSC, ESSnet, CESSDA Eric process, DASISH … In particular establish regular relations with the WGSC in order to contribute to discussions on the different