TECHNOLOGIES AND TOOLS FOR DATA EXCHANGE

In modern information societies, internet has effectively abolished time and distance constraints for the transmission of data, allowing the virtual and instantaneous dissemination of information. To guarantee the efficient exchange of statistical data and metadata between its different partners, the European Statistical System – Eurostat, the National Statistical Institutes and other National Authorities of the EU responsible for the production and dissemination of official statistics – has developed a set of dedicated tools and recognised standards named SDMX.

The Statistical Data and Metadata eXchange (SDMX) is a worldwide initiative sponsored by seven international institutions – the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), the European Central Bank (ECB), Eurostat, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the United Nations (UN) and the World Bank – which fosters benchmarks to share information. Developed to promote and facilitate the transmission and dissemination of statistical data and metadata, SDMX makes European statistics accessible in a standard format with common semantics, improving the quality of the information disseminated both in terms of timeliness and interpretability.

Having its in-house team of experienced specialists, Sogeti provides support, consulting services and training activities on SDMX, particularly within the EU context.

Since 2008, Sogeti provides EU Member States, EFTA countries, Candidate Countries, Potential Candidate Countries and Countries outside the European Union with technical assistance on SDMX, defining, implementing, operating and monitoring the exchange of statistical data and metadata.

In particular, Sogeti’s in-house team of experts currently provides:

• Trainings courses on the set of standards and tools supporting the exchange of statistical data and metadata;
• Support for the definition, specification and implementation of data exchanges as well as the conversion of different formats (GESMES, SDMX-ML, XML, CSV, ESMS, etc.);
• Assistance and services to administrate and monitor Eurostat Single Entry Point for statistical exchange;
• Handbooks, guidelines, self-learning tutorials, online support, leaflets and quick start guides;
• First and second level Service Desk Support;
• Data validation and quality control on data structure definitions and validation rules;
• Analysis and studies on tools and standards supporting the exchange of statistical data and metadata.

Since 2008, Sogeti is in charge of the SDMX implementation and support as a contractor for Eurostat. As such, Sogeti currently contributes to the development of SDMX data and metadata exchanges within the European Statistical System by:

• Implementing activities to raise awareness and promote the use of SDMX;  
• Producing self-learning tutorials, student books, videos and self-tests;
• Assisting Eurostat and National Statistical Institutes of the EU in the implementation of SDMX data exchange in several statistical domains (Population Census, National Accounts, Pesticides Statistics, Maritime Statistics, EuroGroups Register, Research & Development, Waste Statistics, etc.);
• Providing trainings on different subjects – SDMX Basics, SDMX for IT developers in Java and .NET, tools for the exchange of metadata, tools to validate and edit data, etc.

Since 2001, Sogeti also provides support activities on EDAMIS – the Electronic Data files Administration and Management Information System implementing the Single Entry Point policy of Eurostat. Within this framework, Sogeti currently:

• Administers and monitors the central server;
• Sets up data exchanges;
• Provides service desk assistance, off-site and on-site supports for Member States, trainings, analysis and feasibility studies;
• Produces promotional materials and user guides.

In the recent past, Sogeti took part to the European Statistical Training Programme assisting Eurostat with trainings on New Technologies to Report, Exchange and Disseminate Data and Metadata. In 2012, Sogeti also organised a conference on the Modernisation of Statistical Data and Metadata Transmission in Latin America and the Caribbean Region. The conference, which took place in Mexico and included workshops and seminars on SDMX, was sponsored by Eurostat in its effort to foster quality standards for data and metadata exchange. 

Over the years, Sogeti has also gathered experience in development and cooperation (MEDSTAT, UEMOA, etc.) assisting Non-EU countries with training courses and consulting services on advanced technologies for data collection and exchange.