The European Commission's ISA programme announces the opening of the Public Comment period for the Asset Description Metadata Schema (ADMS), until 6 February 2012 (inclusive).

Asset Description Metadata Schema

The Asset Description Metadata Schema is a common way to describe semantic interoperability assets including metadata schemas, controlled vocabularies and code lists.

Better documenting semantic assets can help improve interoperability of eGovernment initiatives across Europe, and possibly beyond.  ADMS will also be a key element of the upcoming federation of semantic asset repositories in Europe. Please consult the ADMS brochure for further information.

The current draft of ADMS was elaborated in the second half of 2011 by a multi disciplinary working group of 43 people, from 20 different Member States and the US. This work was based on earlier work in 2010, by a Working Group with representation from 17 EU member states, several EU institutions and the US.

From mid 2012, the Joinup platform, of the ISA programme, will make available a large number of semantic interoperability assets, described using ADMS, through a federation of asset repositories of Member States, standardisation bodies and other relevant stakeholders.

How can you help?

You are invited to:

• Download the ADMS specification from the Joinup platform; and
• Comment on the ADMS specification by: using the ADMS Forum (registration required); or sending an e-mail to the ADMS editor, Makx Dekkers: [email protected]

Please indicate in your comment as precisely as possible to which part of the specification your comment applies.

What happens with your feedback?

• All comments will be registered in an issues list that will be discussed by the Working Group in early February.
• Resolutions of those issues will be shared on Joinup, and will lead to a final version of the specification that will be submitted to the European Commission for endorsement by the EU Member States.
• In Q2 and Q3 2012, the specification will be tested in a pilot implementation with four existing repositories. The results of that pilot will also be shared with the wider community through Joinup.