Metadata Model for the European Forest Information and Communication Platform

Abstract

This paper describes the metadata model conceived for the future European Forest Information and Communication Platform (EFICP). The core of the platform, currently under implementation in the scope of a two-year project funded by the European Commission, is given by a repository of metadata that describes the available information resources. These are distinguished in terms of resource categories (common / bibliographic resources, news, spatial data information services and statistical data) and are treated in a differentiated way by the EFICP metadata model, applying widely accepted standards such as ISO/OGC, Dublin Core, SDMX and RSS, whereas a key requirement for system interoperability is given by the set of INSPIRE implementation rules as currently available. This paper provides a description of the structure of the EFICP metadata model and its components. This model extends the metadata guidelines as proposed by the former NEFIS project. In order to support the online access and exchange of forestry specific statistical data, a general information model for the modelling of these resources in the context of a proposed EFICP reference reporting system has been created and is proposed for implementation on the basis of the SDMX standard.
Keywords: metadata, Dublin Core, OGC, search and discovery, geospatial information services, forestry statistics, EFICS, EFICP