1. Sponsorship on Standardisation
Barteld Braaksma (Statistics Netherlands)
Wim Kloek (Eurostat)

2. Brief history Mandate approved in May 2011 by ESSC
Members: 6 NSIs (DE, FR, IT, LV, HU, NL) and Eurostat
Duration two years
Regular reporting to ESSC and PG
Interaction with DIME and ITDG
Communication to other international groups (e.g. HLG-BAS)
Kick-Off meeting September 2011, Brussels
Second meeting November 2011, Luxemburg (short)
Third meeting January 2012, Budapest
Fourth meeting July 2012, Riga 2

3. Kick-Off meeting (22+23 September, Brussels)
Focus on review of standardisation experiences (‘We are not alone’)
Statistical community (DE, HU)
Eurocontrol (Single Sky)
Cap Gemini (EU Digital Agenda)
Report of ESSnet Preparation of Standardisation
First exchange of views on Programme of Work 2012 3

4. Kick-Off meeting (22+23 September, Brussels)
Lessons learned
Standardisation takes at least 10 to 20 years
Implementation phase involves large budgets
Concrete pilots needed as guides and test cases
Governance and maintenance of standards important
Good standards promote themselves
Both quality and efficiency are drivers
ISO/IEC vocabulary can be (re)used
Other observations
Business case for standardisation not yet sufficiently clear
Concerns about resources 4

5. PoW 2012: Three pillars of activity
Stocktaking of current standards (HU leading)
Annotated and structured list of standards
Assessment of their status, quality and maturity
Identification of gaps
Framework for standardisation (IT leading)
Why? What/who? How?
ESS High-level architecture
Road map for standardisation (time frame, ambition level)
Pilot studies, for example (?? leading)
Infrastructure: EuroGroups Register (EGR), Census Hub or SDMX
Cross country sharing of tools
Data validation process
Output harmonisation/consistent use of classifications and concepts

6. Third meeting (19+20 January, Budapest)
Extensive discussions of plans for the three pillars
Suggestions for involvement of stakeholders
Reporting
Workshops
Regional groups
Website
Opinion on draft regulation on metadata, processes and standards
Presentation of SWOT analysis as assessment tool
Preparations for final and intermediate report 6

7. Fourth meeting (upcoming) (3 July, Riga)
Progress review of the three pillars
How to profit from GSIM in the ESS?
Ongoing initiatives: how to avoid fragmentation?
Preparations for final and intermediate report 7