Data Archiving and Networked Services
DSA and CESSDA
Heiko Tjalsma
Policy Advisor DANS
Data Seal of Approval Conference 2014
Amsterdam, 24th September 2014
DANS is an institute of KNAW and NWO
What is it?
Consortium of European Social Science
Data Archives – European Research
Infrastructure Consortium (CESSDA-ERIC)
For now:
CESSDA AS
Central Office in Bergen, Norway
What was it?
Council of European Social Science Data
Archives
Founded 1976
Steps towards ERIC……..
2008 – Start CESSDA PPP
2010 – Signing the MoU / CESSDA ERIC
Steering Committee
2013 – Established as a legal institution
1 September 2014: First Managing Director Paul
Jackson starts job in Bergen, Norway
13 Members (and SP’s)
2013: CESSDA Trust Project
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Initiated by Matthew Woollard (UK Data Archive)
CESSDA SP’s have to meet the Annex 2 obligations of
the Statutes
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CESSDA requirements needed for operating Trusted
Digital Repository status for all SPs as a basis for
trust (fulfilling obligation 7)
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In particular: also trusted partner for the European
Statistical Offices
2013: Two workshops on Trust
General Aim:
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Introduce all CESSDA SPs to trust
Provide unified approach
Allow for informal self-assessment
Advice on moving forwards:
• Provide explanatory information on “Annex 2”
• And/or reformulate “Annex 2” in relation to TDR
criteria like the DSA ones
First Workshop
February 2013 Bergen
Introduction into
 the issue of Trust
 the CESSDA Annex 2
obligations
 the DSA Guidelines
 the DSA Self-Assessment
Process
DSA Self Assessment and Review Process
leading to a Gap Analysis
Steps:
 Self Assessment by each SP, in total 14
 Each Self Assessment reviewed by another SP
 All Self Assessments reviewed by four “experts”
Self  Reviewer  Expert
Most gaps observed in:
The guidelines on Data Repositories 4-13:
 6 (Data Storage Processes – Preservation Policy)
 7 (Preservation Plan)
Seen as confusing, no documentation, no explicit policy
Lowest scores in this section
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The guidelines on Data Consumers 14-16:
Taken together seen as confusing and difficult to
distinguish
Still: good scores
Second Workshop
October 2013 Cologne
Conclusions Gap Analysis:
 Scores not too bad, on the
contrary
 Points of attention, to be
worked on:
 Documentation, especially in English
 “Work in progress”: how far is the
work really?
Early 2014: CESSDA Work Plan
Proposal by the Working Group on
Integration
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DSA best candidate for achieving the Mandatory
Trusted Digital Repository status for all SPs as a basis
for trust (CESSDA obligation 7)
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(No 1-to-1 relation DSA – Annex 2 obligations) 
Additionally CESSDA guidelines on
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those obligations that are related to DSA
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the obligations not related to DSA
Conclusions by the Board of Directors:
Most participants were either in a good position to apply
for DSA certification or aware of the
challenges they face before applying.
Possibly a one or two years period is needed to achieve
the goal of all Service Providers being DSA certified.
Clarification is also needed on how best
to integrate the DSA certification with the Annex 2
obligations.
CESSDA Work Plan 2014 - 2015
approved unanimously by the General
Assembly in June 2014
(Priority 1)
Coordinating Trusted Digital Repository
status (DSA) for all Service Providers
ensuring the obligations in Annex 2 are
in place before the end of 2015
So: Work has started at the CESSDA House in Bergen!
DSA certified at the moment:
DANS – The Netherlands
GESIS – Germany
UKDA – United Kingdom
Several others under way (ADP, NSD, FSD a.o.)
Thank you!