Statement: Data and metadata availability through standardised mechanism and ensure its long-term availability.

Rationale: 

Data format should be readable for machines without the need for specialised or ad hoc algorithms, translators, or mappings.

Data does not exist in isolation but is highly dependent upon other data that is available from other parties. Data should also be reused, when possible, to prevent collecting the same data twice and introducing duplication, with the risk of inconsistency.

Controlled vocabularies define the terms in a specific domain, standardising their interpretation. These concepts are the foundation for data, providing definitions and meaning to them. It is important for users of data to have access to these definitions, so they can correctly interpret the data.

Implications: 

Barriers to access that should be avoided include protocols that have limited implementation, poor documentation and components that require human manual intervention. For sensitive data, it is perfectly FAIR to provide an email, phone number or contact person who can discuss access to the data.

Metadata must be treated at the same level as data, using the proper formats, and reusing relevant vocabularies that ensure its long-term availability.

Principle source: FAIR Principles

Principle source URL: https://www.go-fair.org/fair-principles/

Scope: Digital Public Service Operation

Category: Business agnostic

PURI: http://data.europa.eu/2sa/elap/data-accessibility