1. Eurostat – Units E2, B5 Cristina BLANARU cristina.blanaru@ec.europa.eu
 Implementing a standard for environmental accounts data transmissions (item 5 of the agenda)
Eurostat – Units E2, B5
Cristina BLANARU
Joint meeting Working Groups on Environmental Accounts & Environmental Expenditure Statistics
Luxembourg, 13 April 2016

2. Working Group Environmental Accounts 13 – 14 April 2016
Content
Background
SDMX implementation strategy for Environmental Accounts
Support offered by EUROSTAT for a successful SDMX implementation, which includes:
SDMX Converter
SDMX Reference Infrastructure
Support from Eurostat and NSIs
Conclusions
Working Group Environmental Accounts 13 – 14 April 2016

3. Working Group Environmental Accounts 13 – 14 April 2016
BACKGROUND
Working Group Environmental Accounts 13 – 14 April 2016

4. Current Environmental Accounts data exchange
3 modules with legal basis + 3 modules becoming mandatory in other pilot tests
There are 6 EDAMIS datasets defined for the Environmental accounts data collection
Currently all data files in excel format (annual transmissions)
Actors involved: ESTAT+ National Compilers (NSIs+ Other National Authorities)
Working Group Environmental Accounts 13 – 14 April 2016

5. SDMX IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ACCOUNTS
Working Group Environmental Accounts 13 – 14 April 2016

6. Working Group Environmental Accounts 13 – 14 April 2016
PRINCIPLES
Test phase starts with 3 old modules:
Environmental taxes (ENVMFLAC_TAXIND_A)
Air emission accounts (ENVPFLAC_AEA_A)
Material flow accounts (ENVPFLAC_MFA_A)
Tests to be started after the working group with volunteering countries
A gradual transition to SDMX
Timing for tests can be driven by the regular data collection transmission
Working Group Environmental Accounts 13 – 14 April 2016

7. SDMX TRANSMISSION TO EUROSTAT
The timing of the production cycle for the test of the 3 questionnaires (2016 data collection)
QUESTIONNAIRE
(Q)
FINALISATION OF THE Q
BY EUROSTAT
Q SENT TO THE COUNTRIES
SDMX TRANSMISSION TO EUROSTAT
(INTENDED)
Environmental taxes
End April
June
30 September
Air emission accounts
Mid-April
in late April
Material flow accounts
Mid-August
End August
31 December
Working Group Environmental Accounts 13 – 14 April 2016

8. SUPPORT OFFERED BY EUROSTAT FOR A SUCCESSFUL SDMX IMPLEMENTATION
Working Group Environmental Accounts 13 – 14 April 2016

9. Transmitting data using SDMX
Data files must be structured according to the DSD
The transmission format is SDMX-ML (COMPACT)
Several services and tools available to Member States to implement SDMX for data transmission
Working Group Environmental Accounts 13 – 14 April 2016

10. One goal – different possibilities
Excel sheets
SDMX Converter
SDMX-ML file
Database export
SDMX Converter
SDMX-ML file
Same DSD 
Same Format
Database
SDMX Reference Infrastructure
SDMX-ML file SDMX Web Service

11. Working Group Environmental Accounts 13 – 14 April 2016
SDMX Converter
Is a Java application that converts files between different formats (SDMX 2.0, SDMX 2.1, GESMES, CSV, Excel)
it needs at least a data file and the corresponding data structure definition file (DSD)
You can download the latest version of the SDMX converter on CIRCABC
42cc-85f2-4f6f30b4d8eb
The SDMX Converter has been developed in the context of the SODI project.
It is a Java tool that allows converting from/to various dataset types based on SDMX-ML DSDs.
The allowed types between which the Converter is capable of converting are:
SDMX-ML formats (in order to go from/to Cross-Sectional type the DSD should contain Cross-Sectional information and TimeDimension)
GESMES/TS (aka SDMX-EDI) (not capable of converting from/to SDMX-ML Cross-Sectional format)
GESMES/2.1 and GESMES/DSIS
CSV, FLR, EXCEL, DSPL (supports mapping mechanism and parametric delimiter for CSV. Converting to CSV/FLR from other formats may result in loss of attributes attached at a higher level than observation.)
Working Group Environmental Accounts 13 – 14 April 2016 11

12. Needed for any conversion
The data file (CSV) used for the conversion. It can be obtained from:
the Excel file (using a VB macro)
directly from the Provider's Production system
2. The DSD (provided by Eurostat)
3. The SDMX Converter Application (Conversion from CSV to SDMX v Compact file)
Working Group Environmental Accounts 13 – 14 April 2016

13. Example
1. Input and output files
2. Format
3. DSD file or reference

14. The DSD development and the future involvement of MS
Eurostat considered extending the existing DSD for National Accounts
It would have long term benefits
But also create short term difficulties
Eurostat is working on 2 new, dedicated DSDs:
one for physical environmental accounts
one for monetary environmental accounts
They will be shared with MS for written consultation after the WG
They will be used for the first tests
Working Group Environmental Accounts 13 – 14 April 2016

15. Working Group Environmental Accounts 13 – 14 April 2016
What is SDMX-RI
Set of applications allowing a statistical office to disseminate SDMX data to the external world
Designed to provide data and metadata based on mappings to each organization's dissemination data warehouse
SDMX Reference Infrastructure
Installed in ~32 NSI for Census Hub
Can be extended to other domains
Working Group Environmental Accounts 13 – 14 April 2016

16. Support for data providers (1)
1st contact point - Local Transmission Coordinators
In National Statistical Institutes
Experience with EDAMIS and SDMX
Local contact point for Census-hub: Eurostat can provide a list
2nd contact point - Eurostat support team

17. Support for data providers (2)
Useful links:
SDMX Info space: Main_Page
Learning SDMX: Tutorials
Open Source Software for SDMX
SDMX Training Events and Key meetings, explanation about SDMX-RI
SDMX website
Working Group Environmental Accounts 13 – 14 April 2016

18. Working Group Environmental Accounts 13 – 14 April 2016
Conclusions
Call for volunteers to the tests
Tests during 2016
3 questionnaires (modules) to be tested
Send the SDMX package to the pilot countries (the DSD, the Guidelines, the SDMX Matrix)
Receive the test files from the volunteers countries via a test dedicated eDamis dataset
Validation of the test files by Eurostat
Working Group Environmental Accounts 13 – 14 April 2016

19. Thank you for your attention!
Questions
Working Group Environmental Accounts 13 – 14 April 2016