Transcript The Euro-SDMX Metadata Structure and Quality Indicators August Götzfried Eurostat unit B 4 Conference on Data Quality for International Organizations, Rome, 7-8 July 2008

The Euro-SDMX Metadata Structure and Quality
Indicators
August Götzfried
Eurostat unit B 4
Conference on Data Quality for International Organizations, Rome, 7-8 July 2008
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Background
Eurostat was confronted with the needs of improving and extending the
current structure of reference metadata in use which is based on the
SDDS template. The main reasons were

the European Statistics Code of Practice and the upcoming
Draft Regulation on European Statistics which create the need
for more and more structured quality reporting;

the need to also offer a harmonized structure for reporting
domain specific reference metadata to our Member states;

the publication of the SDMX Content-oriented Guidelines in
02/2008 that provide the basis for harmonized and
internationally used statistical cross-domain concepts.
Conference on Data Quality for International Organizations, Rome, 7-8 July 2008
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The Euro-SDMX Metadata Structure (ESMS)
The following 21 statistical cross-domain concepts were selected as new
reporting structure for reference metadata for the European Statistical
System:
1. Contact
8. Release policy
15.
Timeliness
punctuality
2. Metadata update
9.
Frequency
dissemination
3. Statistical presentation
10.
format
4. Unit of measure
11. Accessibility
documentation
5. Reference period
12. Quality management 19. Data revision
6. Institutional mandate
13. Relevance
7. Confidentiality
14.
Accuracy
reliability
and
of 16. Comparability
Dissemination 17. Coherence
of 18. Cost and burden
20. Statistical processing
and 21 Comment
Conference on Data Quality for International Organizations, Rome, 7-8 July 2008
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The Euro-SDMX Metadata Structure (ESMS)
The 21 statistical concepts also cover sub-concepts which are detailed
in the annex to the paper; e.g. “statistical presentation” covers “short
description”, “classification system used”, “sector coverage”, etc.
The concepts 12 to 18 refer to the reporting of domain specific data
quality. These concepts are aligned with the standard quality reporting
defined for the European Statistical System.
A Commission Recommendation has been drawn-up recommending the
ESMS to the whole European Statistical System.
In addition: Guidelines for applying and implementing the ESMS
concepts are currently defined providing more details on what to insert
under the various concepts. Also a number of standard quality indicators
will be requested, e.g. under 14.2: the coefficient of variation.
Conference on Data Quality for International Organizations, Rome, 7-8 July 2008
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Next steps
The ESMS will be finalized in autumn 2008 and then successively
implemented within the European Statistical System.
Next working steps could be that also other international organizations
define their reporting scheme for reference metadata based on SDMX
and that a structured exchange of the reference metadata is organized
between international organizations.
At the end this should lead to a reduction of the burden on national
metadata provider.
Conference on Data Quality for International Organizations, Rome, 7-8 July 2008
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Conclusions
In using the SDMX ‘acquis’ Eurostat defined a improved structure for reference
metadata: the Euro SDMX Metadata Structure (ESMS).
This ESMS will be successively implemented within the European Statistical
System which should lead to better reference metadata and better quality
reporting across statistical domains.
With reference to the implementation of SDMX in other international
organizations a better exchange of reference metadata (including those related
to data quality) should be organized in order to reduce the burden on national
metadata provider.
Conference on Data Quality for International Organizations, Rome, 7-8 July 2008
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