1. Item of the Agenda
Towards an integrated Eurostat metadata handler – Eurostat SDMX Registry services for Member States
Francesco Rizzo Unit B3
13 & 14 October 2008

2. An SDMX Registry (in general)
Is a metadata registry for use with SDMX standards
Is an application which is accessible to other programmes over the Internet (or Intranet, or Extranet) to provide information needed to facilitate the production, transmission and dissemination of statistics.
Is only concerned with providing information needed to access the data and reference metadata
Is primarily to be used by applications and not directly by end-users
13 & 14 October 2008
IT Directors Group

3. Functions of an SDMX Registry (in general)
It provides information about the structure of datasets and reference metadata sets
It provides information about what datasets and reference metadata sets are available, and where they are located
It provides information about how the data sets and reference metadata sets are provided
It allows applications to sign up (or subscribe) for notification
13 & 14 October 2008
IT Directors Group

4. The Eurostat SDMX Registry
Comprises three major blocks:
The database
The web service
The graphical user interface
It will be used as back-office application for access to DSDs and MSDs by eDAMIS, SODI, and other systems inside and outside Eurostat
Three different environments:
Test environment (accessible only internally at Eurostat)
Production environment
Training environment
Web Services to be accessible outside the Commission in the near future
13 & 14 October 2008
IT Directors Group

5. How can Member States make use of the Eurostat SDMX Registry?
To view or retrieve standard DSDs and MSDs
To view or retrieve other harmonised structural metadata, such as code lists
For human users: via graphical user interface or Data Structure Wizard
For applications: via the web services
To support collaboration among Member States (eg in ESSnets)
13 & 14 October 2008
IT Directors Group

6. Eurostat CVD Metadata Handler (CVD-MH)
It is one of the components of the CVD architecture and it will provide the data producers at Eurostat with a single tool for handling of statistical metadata
It will be operated by the different actors on metadata:
Domain manager in Eurostat production units
Staff of horizontal units dealing with metadata used but not modified by domain managers
The first release of CVD-MH will be developed around the Eurostat SDMX Registry and will be delivered in 2008
13 & 14 October 2008
IT Directors Group

7. CVD-MH road map First release (2008)
Will provide a common user interface for the management and retrieval of structural metadata
Will provide all services available in the existing Eurostat and ECB GESMES Structural Metadatabases
It will provide web services for access to structural metadata for Eurostat applications
CVD-MH environment will be extended to integrate existing Eurostat metadata applications (EMIS, RAMON, CODED) + national reference metadata
13 & 14 October 2008
IT Directors Group

8. For more information Eurostat SDMX in production environment
Eurostat SDMX in training environment
Eurostat SDMX Registry downloadable version
SDMX standards related to the registry:
Section 05 Registry Specification - Logical Interfaces
Section 06 Implementor’s Guide for SDMX Standards
13 & 14 October 2008
IT Directors Group

9. Member States are asked
To take note of the progress and to comment on any issues of special interest
To consider how they can make use of the services and information provided by the Eurostat SDMX Registry
13 & 14 October 2008
IT Directors Group