Thanks for sharing this, Joe.
and,
of course, thanks to Robin for putting this on your site for us all.
-ppy
-- (01)
1. Our [sicop-forum] and [ontolog-forum] might be interested in what
they had to say about semantic interoperability. (02)
<quote> (03)
Semantic Interoperability (04)
EIF Recommendations 7-9 concern "semantic interoperability" and
highlight the special role of XML vocabularies based upon data dictionaries: (05)
"To move from simply presenting information to where computer
programmes can exchange it, combine it with other information resources
and subsequently process it in a meaningful manner, requires agreement
on a wide variety of issues that relate to the context within which the
information is created and used. This is the subject of semantic
interoperability. It entails agreement on, for example, ways to
discover, represent and give a context to information. This will allow
automated tools to share and process information, even when they have
been designed independently. The objective is not only to allow
information resources to be linked up but also to allow information to
be automatically understandable, and, consequently, reusable by computer
applications that were not involved in its creation. (06)
In the context of the 2005 target of eGovernment services, semantic
interoperability concerns the need to agree on common definitions and
understanding for the pieces of data that will need to be exchanged on a
pan-European level. (07)
Solving semantic interoperability is an activity to be done at the
sectoral level, i.e., within a specific eGovernment service, taking into
account the life event or business episode it serves. However, it is
most likely that a common set of data items (the core eGovernment data
elements such as basic national identifiers of enterprises, citizens and
administrations) may need to be identified at a pan-European level. This
will require the implementation of organizational as well as technical
infrastructures... (08)
An essential requirement for the exchange of information is a single
language that enables the description of the meaning and structure of
the underlying data, i.e. a markup language. In the context of current
technologies and market developments this markup language is XML.
However, XML does not, and cannot by itself, guarantee or deliver
semantic interoperability. This is achieved through initiatives to
develop common semantics on the basis of XML; the subsequent
introduction of XML schemas and related artefacts (e.g., metadata,
ontologies, etc.) then make it possible to integrate services that were
developed with different vocabularies and with different perspectives on
the data..." (09)
</quote> (010)
2. Unfortunately, their recommendations fall short of giving ontological
engineering specific strategies or approaches. (011)
<quote> (012)
Summary of European Interoperability Framework Recommendations (013)
...[snip]... (014)
* Recommendation 7 (semantic): For each eGovernment service
considered at a pan-European level, the data elements to be exchanged
should be made interoperable by requiring
o The responsible administrations to publish information on
the corresponding data elements involved at national level.
o The responsible administrations to draft proposals for and
agree on the data and the related data dictionaries required at
pan-European level. This work should be performed on the basis of core
eGovernment data elements common to all pan-European eGovernment
services. The sector-specific eGovernment data elements should then be
defined and agreed upon.
o The responsible administrations to draft proposals for and
agree on multilateral mapping tables between the various national and
pan-European data elements. (015)
* Recommendation 8 (semantic): When considering semantic
interoperability, due account should be taken of linguistic traces of
the specific legal vocabularies used in delivering services. In the
European Union's legal and social framework, there is a presumption of
linguistic equivalence in directives and regulations that are approved
as part of the legislative process. This implies that vocabulary used in
European law subsequently finds itself used in the delivery of
eGovernment services on the national level. This may require
pan-European harmonization. (016)
* Recommendation 9 (semantic): Initiatives at pan-European level
to develop common semantics on the basis of XML should be performed in a
coordinated way and should consider cooperation with the existing
standardisation bodies. In particular, the XML vocabularies should be
developed whilst taking into account the agreed core/specific
eGovernment data elements. Specific European schemas and definitions
should be made available to all pan-European stakeholders through common
infrastructures. (017)
...[snip]... (018)
</quote> (019)
3. Lastly, it is encouraging to note that open standards (and other
important "open" aspects) looms big in the whole document (as evident by
citations of Stallman, the "Open Standards and Libre Software in
Government", GPL, Torvalds, .... etc.) (020)
Regards. -ppy
-- (021)
--- Begin Message ---
Just announced, and
directly applicable to our mission: IDA Releases European Interoperability
Framework for Pan-European E-Government Services[1]. Actual document is at
[2].
Highlights:
- The European Commission's Interchange of Data Between Administrations (IDA) released a
Final Version 1.0 of its European Interoperability Framework for
Pan-European E-Government Services, approved by the Telematics Between
Administrations Committee (TAC) Steering Committee. Publication of the EIF
document follows a ten-month period of review and feedback by Members States,
industry representatives, and stakeholders within the
institutions.
- The
European Interoperability Framework document "provides recommendations and
defines generic standards with regard to organizational, semantic, and technical
aspects of interoperability, offering a comprehensive set of principles for
European cooperation in eGovernment.
- The European
Interoperability Framework "supports the European Union's strategy of providing
user-centred eGovernment services by facilitating, at a pan-European level, the
interoperability of services and systems between public administrations, as well
as between administrations and the public (citizens, businesses). It is an
action of the eEurope 2005 Action Plan, under the eGovernment
heading."
- The
EIF document considers "interoperability" in three dimensions, and -categorizes the seventeen Recommendations
according to this taxonomy: organizational interoperability, semantic
interoperability, and technical interoperability.
Kind Regards,
Joseph Chiusano
Booz Allen Hamilton
Strategy and Technology Consultants to
the World
--- End Message ---
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