Euro SDMX Registry
Introduction
SDMX is a global solution (and an ISO standard, 17369:2013) to model statistical data and metadata. The principle is that by following the SDMX standard, data and metadata reporting, exchange and dissemination becomes more efficient and can be automatised. The SDMX standard is supported and owned by eight international organisations, including Eurostat.
The SDMX standard defines several objects or artefacts that can be used to model and automate data and metadata exchange (the Information Model), as well as specifications of Registries that allow for the storage and retrieval of these objects.
The Euro SDMX Registry is Eurostat's implementation of an SDMX Registry. The Euro SDMX Registry is used to store all SDMX artefacts needed to exchange and interpret statistical data and metadata exchanged in the ESS.
Main features
The Euro SDMX Registry can be used to manage and store several SDMX artefacts. The information contained in the tool can be accessed by means of :
- A graphical user interface
- A web service interface - Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) and the RESTful web services are supported.
For more information please consult the corresponding Euro SDMX Registry user guides.
Below are listed the most common set of artefacts as well as stakeholders present in the reporting and / or collection of data and metadata.
Major SDMX artefacts
ARTEFACT |
DEFINITION |
RELEVANT FOR DATA EXCHANGE |
RELEVANT FOR METADATA EXCHANGE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Codelist | Set of terms from which some statistical coded concepts take their values | √ | √ |
| Concept Scheme | Lists Concepts (each with a name and definition) that are used in the data or metadata collection and which will form the basis of the Data Structure Definition (DSD) or Metadata Structure Definition (MSD) | √ | √ |
| Constrains | When an existing codelist is not to be used in full but rather partially, this artefact allows defining which codes will be used without having to create a new codelist | √ | X |
| Dataflow | A slide of the DSD. Data Sets are reported or disseminated according to a Dataflow | √ | X |
| Data Structure Definition | Each Concept defined in the Concept scheme, will be given a role: Dimension, Measure or Attribute. The representation (codelist or non-code data) will also be specified | √ | X |
| Metadataflow | It is linked to a MSD. Metadata Set will be reported and/or disseminated according to a Metadataflow | X | √ |
| Metadata Structure Definition | Unlike in the DSD, the Concepts defined in the Concept scheme only play one role (metadata attribute). The MSD can target any object that can be identified such as a code or concept | X | √ |
ESS data and metadata providers and domain managers can use the Registry to search and download all the relevant SDMX artefacts for their domain.
Organisations that would like use SDMX for their own data collection, dissemination or metadata management can also create their own instance of the application by downloading it and installing it on their premises.
User guide
Information on key features available in Eurostat's sdmx repository