1. Metadata Working Group Jean HELLER EUROSTAT Directorate A: Statistical Information System Unit A-3: Reference data bases

2. Objective: to provide ESS with a coherent, stable and functional metadata environment that allows users to have a high-quality information on statistical data. 1. Harmonisation of metadata definitions and basic elements on the basis of agreed international standards. 2. Good coordination of the metadata process within Eurostat and member States (metadata architecture). 3. Good exchange of information with member States and partner organisations.

3. 1. Harmonisation of metadata elements l METIS 1995: Guidelines for the Modelling of Statistical Data and Metadata (Methodological Material). l METIS 1996: Special Data Dissemination Standard (SDDS). l METIS 1999: Guidelines for Statistical Metadata on Internet. l METIS 2000 (28-30 November 2000): Harmonisation of terminology, Improved cooperation and metadata exchange, use of XML. l METIS 2002 (Luxembourg, 6-8 March 2002)

4. Special Data Dissemination Standard Contacts and dissemination formats l The data (coverage, periodicity, timeliness) l Access by the public (release calendar, simultaneous release) l Integrity (terms and conditions, access before release, commentaries, info on data revisions and changes in meth.) l Quality (info on methodology and sources, info that support cross-checks and “assurance of reasonableness”) l Summary Methodology (concepts and definitions, scope of the data, accounting conventions, nature of basic data, compilation practices)

5. Data and Metadata Models l Several models/schemas developed by international organisations (Eurostat, IMF, OECD...) and national agencies. l Getting everyone to agree on and use the same model is a sort of “mission impossible”. l Agree on a statistical vocabulary for the exchange and sharing of statistical information. “Atomic level”.

6. STATISTICAL GLOSSARIES Metadata dissemination typology/formats Metadata elements Statistical glossaries IMF (SDDS) BOC (SDMS) Stats Can (IMDB) OECD (MEI) Eurostat (MT) Statistical life-cycle (collection, production, storage, dissemination) International statistical standards (UN, ILO, IMF, Eurostat, OECD, etc)

7. Metadata Standard Components Metadata elements describing different elements of statistical production cycle Administrative, Sources Concepts, coverage, definitions StandardsMethodology (collection, accounting, compilation,...) Quality and performance Unambiguous accepted definition of metadata elements (Glossary)

9. 2. Coordination of the metadata process in ESS RAMON (NOMENCLATURES)  hierarchical lists  correspondences  dates of validity DATA (statObject) TEXT SERVER  typology of texts  components  standard formats CODED  concepts and definitions THESEUS (Reference Thesaurus)  semantic classes  keywords, synonyms  hierarchical and associative relations access to data via menus, keywords, publications through the metaservers

10. Life cycle of STATISTICAL INFORMATION INPUT ACQUISITION AGGREGATIONOUTPUT DELIVERY Finalize observation register Statistical modelling Survey preparationPresentation Dissemination Data collection Estimation Data preparation Observation modelling Population modelling Frame preparation Sampling Tables Graphs Other presentation forms Traditional publications On line databases Other electronic media Contact sources Observation Data preparation at source Point estimations Estimation of sampling errors Estimation of other quality Other estimations & analyses Data entry Coding Data editing

11. 3. Good exchange of information A common agreement on global metadata requirements (  XML). Mapping of generic metadata items and dissemination standards. Agreement on which metadata elements are covered by Gesmes exchange tools. Exploring Gesmes functions that could help transmitting metadata or information on where metadata are available (meta-metadata, links).

12. Metadata “Labyrinth” ESCB OECD IMFEUROSTAT Country Country X

13. A Common Metadata Gateway (Portal) ESCB OECD IMF EUROSTAT Country Country X

14. XML for exchanging statistical information It is a standard It fits into our work  XML simplifies the exchange and the standardisation of the information.  XML simplifies the access and understanding of complex documents.  XML keeps structure separate from presentation. There is an XML momentum and a common interest in XML XML emphasises the document structure XML is a syntax: you need to standardise the content

15. SDMX: Common Statement by Participating Institutions The BIS, ECB, EUROSTAT, IMF, OECD and the UN have joined together to focus on business practices in the field of statistical information that would allow more efficient processes for exchange and sharing of data and metadata within the current scope of our collective activities. The goal is to explore common e-standards and ongoing standardisation activities that could allow us to gain efficiency and avoid duplication of effort in our own work and possibly for the work of others in the field of statistical information. We intend to do this by taking advantage of existing and emerging: q exchange protocols, such as GESMES/CB which was implemented by central banks for exchanging time series; q dissemination formats, such as that implicit in the IMF Dissemination Standards Bulletin Board (DSBB); q e-standards, such as Extensible Mark-up Language (XML).