EUROSTAT
Directorate B: Statistical methods and tools, Dissemination
Unit B-6: Dissemination /
DISSEMINATION WORKING GROUP
Special session on XML publishing
Luxembourg
13th November 2007
1
Special session
'Using XML in publication's production'
Minutes from the meeting of 13 November 2007
1.General remark
In 2006, Eurostat created a working group on XML-publishing with the aim of exchanging know-how amongst statistical offices and, if possible, with the aim of developing common concepts and economising developments.
A first meeting of the working group took place in October 2006. It was attended by participants from 8 organisations. A further meeting was planned for autumn 2007. However, since progress in this area is not only interesting for the participants of the working group, it was decided to organise the meeting as a special session of the Dissemination Working Group (DWG).
Most participants of the DWG remained for the special session.
2.Presentation of Eurostat
Eurostat launched end of 2006 a study on the potential implementation of XML publishing. The objectives of the system should be the reduction of production times, an easy dissemination through multiple output formats, and a consistency in layout. The study suggested to use ODF as the standard XML format and proposed suitable standard software. A prototype should be built using the Eurostatistics publication. Particular attention should be paid to the end user interface. A functioning prototype is expected for end of 2008.
3.Presentation of the European Central Bank (ECB)
The ECB presented their system to visualise their most important data in a flexible and user-friendly way. Data is extracted from the data base using SDMX-ML and transformed in order to be presented according to the needs of the user. The user interface is very rich and offers numerous possibilities to display the data. Applications implemented up to now are the Euro area yield curve and the bilateral exchange rates.
4.Presentation by Statistics Finland
Statistics Finland started to work on XML publishing already in 2001. However, XML publishing is only fully operational since the beginning of 2007. Until the end of 2008, most publications should be converted into the new system. Web and PDF versions are created in parallel from the same XML content.
Apart from technical and conceptual problems during the first years, the main problems concern the learning effort for the specific XML editor, and the redefinition of parts of the content (particularly tables) to fit the web dissemination.
The presentation was followed by questions on why the development took such a long time and whether the system is economically viable. The time for development was explained by the fact that in the first years the technical solution was not obvious and the required tools were not available. The project was stopped several times. The economical interest lies in the rationalisation of the production process, in the combined production of web and paper publications, and in the harmonisation of output.
5.Presentation by statec Luxembourg
The Statec Luxembourg implemented its yearbook using the XML publishing system made available centrally by the Luxembourg government. Although the yearbook is now produced in the third year using this system, other government bodies have not yet started using the same technology. However, the production of the yearbook is now much more efficient and the tool is easy to use.
6.Conclusion
XML publishing is considered to be a promising technology for the efficient production of both web and paper publications. Eurostat will continue to implement its XML publishing system and invites other organisations to share their experiences and to participate in the discussions of the working group.