This page describes version 2.1.0 of the DCAT-AP, which is the latest release of the DCAT Application Profile for data portals in Europe (DCAT-AP).

Webinars in light of DCAT-AP version 2.1.0

The SEMIC Action organised a series of webinars allowing the community to exchange and discuss the changes to be made as part of this DCAT-AP minor release:

• DCAT-AP webinar on 15th of September
• DCAT-AP webinar on 21st of October

What’s new? 

The changes implemented in DCAT-AP version 2.1.0 are related to the following issues:

• Improved UML diagram in accordance with the agreed profile reading
• Improved coherency between the UML diagram and the specification text
• A usage guide on the relationships between Dataset, Distribution and Data Service; and the consequences of this clarification on the model
• Various editorial fixes    
• Consolidation of the SHACL shapes
• Minor specification updates:
  • Introduction of the NAL planned-availability, NAL access-right and NAL dataset-type
  • Lift of the max-cardinality for dataset dct:type
  • Lift of the max-cardinality for property dct:creator
  • Allow other than SHA1 checksum algorithms
  • The range for temporal properties is enlarged to contain any temporal XSD datatype
  • Alignment of usage notes for reused property adms:status with W3C DCAT
  • Addition of max-cardinality 1 for dcat:temporalResolution and dcat:spatialResolutionInMeters to align with the usage note

A complete list of the issues and their resolution can be found on the DCAT-AP GitHub.

In September 2021, the Interoperable Europe Programme of the European Commission started the minor release cycle for DCAT-AP aiming to address requests for change received by users through the GitHub repository. DCAT-AP Working Group members and users were invited to share their comments by the 15th of November 2021.

About DCAT-AP

The DCAT Application Profile for data portals in Europe (DCAT-AP) is a specification based on W3C's Data Catalogue vocabulary (DCAT) for describing public sector datasets in Europe. Its basic use case is to enable a cross-data portal search for datasets and make public sector data better searchable across borders and sectors. This can be achieved by the exchange of descriptions of data sets among data portals.

The specification of the DCAT-AP was a joint initiative of DG CONNECT, the EU Publications Office and the Interoperable Europe Programme. The specification was elaborated by a multi-disciplinary Working Group with representatives from 16 European Member States, some European Institutions and the US.