Skip to Content
Last modified by Artur K. on 2026/05/29 14:28
From version 1.1
edited by Helena K.
on 2026/01/27 12:51
Change comment: There is no comment for this version
To version 2.4
edited by Helena K.
on 2026/01/27 13:01
Change comment: There is no comment for this version

Summary

Details

Page properties
Content
... ... @@ -4,12 +4,12 @@
4 4  
5 5  = Document History =
6 6  
7 -|Version|Date|Comment
8 -|1.0|21/8/2015|Initial version.
9 -|2.0|7/3/2018|(((
7 +(% style="width:1039.96px" %)
8 +|Version|(% style="width:110px" %)Date|(% style="width:856px" %)Comment
9 +|1.0|(% style="width:110px" %)21/8/2015|(% style="width:856px" %)Initial version.
10 +|2.0|(% style="width:110px" %)7/3/2018|(% style="width:856px" %)(((
10 10  Replaced the “Embargo: Privileged access” use case confidentiality status to use CONF_STATUS:E instead of CONF_STATUS:N. When this guideline is implemented, the CONF_STATUS:N can no longer be used for this use case (the embargo time is ignored if the CONF_STATUS is N).
11 11  
12 -
13 13  Clarified the document text, removed superfluous text.
14 14  
15 15  Added use of time zone is recommended.
... ... @@ -17,74 +17,62 @@
17 17  
18 18  = Introduction =
19 19  
20 -This paper presents use case scenarios related to confidentiality and embargo in SDMX data exchanges, and provides recommendations on how to represent these elements in the SDMX model. The aim is to provide a consistent and practical way to represent these aspects in SDMX artefacts in order to promote cross-domain consistency, and harmonise methodology and processes.
20 +This paper presents use case scenarios related to confidentiality and embargo in SDMX data exchanges, and provides recommendations on how to represent these elements in the SDMX model. The aim is to provide a consistent and practical way to represent these aspects in SDMX artefacts in order to promote cross-domain consistency, and harmonise methodology and processes.
21 21  
22 -
23 23  Confidentiality aims at protecting data from unauthorised disclosure that could be prejudicial or harmful to the interest of the source or other relevant parties.
24 24  
25 -
26 26  Embargo means that data may become public only after expiry of a pre-defined date and time.
27 27  
28 -
29 29  Embargo establishes a relationship between a set of data (e.g. an observation), a date/time and a group of privileged data recipients.
30 30  
31 -
32 32  Disclosure of data marked as confidential or under embargo is not permitted. Procedures should be in place to prevent such disclosure, including rules for staff, aggregation rules when disseminating data, provision of unit records, etc.
33 33  
34 -
35 35  There needs to be a formal agreement between organisations involved in the exchange of confidential data in order to prepare systems and workflows.
36 36  
37 -
38 38  Data exchange partners are advised to agree up front on the usage of the embargo mechanism(s) for specific data messages.
39 39  
40 -
41 41  The embargo CONF_STATUS value “E” is not recommended for final dissemination to users but only for data exchange.
42 42  
43 43  = Use Cases =
44 44  
45 -This section describes the confidentiality and embargo use cases that are addressed by these guidelines.  The use cases and embargo SDMX representations are summarised in annex 1:
38 +This section describes the confidentiality and embargo use cases that are addressed by these guidelines. The use cases and embargo SDMX representations are summarised in annex 1:
46 46  
47 47  == Use case 1: Non-confidential data ==
48 48  
49 49  Data is available to the public immediately, meaning that data is not confidential and there is no embargo.
50 50  
51 -
52 52  The data’s CONF_STATUS attribute should be set to “Free (free for publication)”.
53 53  
54 -|(((
55 -=== SDMX representation ===
46 +{{box}}
47 +SDMX representation
56 56  
57 57  * **CONF_STATUS**: F
58 -)))
50 +{{/box}}
59 59  
60 60  == Use case 2: Confidential data ==
61 61  
62 62  === Exchange of confidential data without embargo nor forwarding to secondary recipients ===
63 63  
64 -One or more observations in the data message are confidential. Embargo does not play a role in this scenario. Depending on arrangements between data exchange partners, this data can be made available to privileged data users.
56 +One or more observations in the data message are confidential. Embargo does not play a role in this scenario. Depending on arrangements between data exchange partners, this data can be made available to privileged data users.
65 65  
58 +The observation’s CONF_STATUS attribute should use a specific code denoting the confidential character of the information. Below are some examples of such confidentiality statuses{{footnote}}For a full list of confidentiality statuses, see https://sdmx.org/wp-content/uploads/CL_CONF_STATUS_1_2_2018.docx{{/footnote}}:
66 66  
67 -The observation’s CONF_STATUS attribute should use a specific code denoting the confidential character of the information.  Below are some examples of such confidentiality statuses[[~[1~]>>path:#_ftn1]]:
60 +* **N**: Not for publication, restricted for internal use only. Used to denote observations that are restricted for internal use only within organisations
61 +* **C**: Confidential statistical information (primary confidentiality) due to identifiable respondents
62 +* **D**: Secondary confidentiality set by the sender, not for publication
63 +* **A**: Primary confidentiality due to small counts
68 68  
69 -* **N**:   Not for publication, restricted for internal use only.  Used to denote observations that are restricted for internal use only within organisations
70 -* **C**:   Confidential statistical information (primary confidentiality) due to identifiable respondents
71 -* **D**:   Secondary confidentiality set by the sender, not for publication
72 -* **A**:   Primary confidentiality due to small counts
73 -
74 -
75 -
76 76  === Forwarding confidential data to secondary recipients ===
77 77  
78 78  A sender sends confidential data to certain primary recipients, and allows those to forward the confidential data to a restricted and pre-defined set of secondary recipients.
79 79  
69 +The observation’s CONF_STATUS attribute should be marked as “Not for publication, restricted for internal use only”. An additional observation-level attribute: CONF_REDIST, defines the secondary recipient(s) to whom the sender allows the primary recipient to forward confidential data{{footnote}}Example: National statistical institute XX reporting data to Eurostat indicates that Eurostat can forward those data to the ECB, IMF and OECD.  More complex use case: The reporting organization specifies that Eurostat can forward those data only to the ECB Statistics Department, thus excluding all other organisations as well as all other ECB departments.{{/footnote}}. See section **Use of the CONF_REDIST attribute** for the appropriate coding of this attribute.
80 80  
81 -The observation’s CONF_STATUS attribute should be marked as “Not for publication, restricted for internal use only”.  An additional observation-level attribute: CONF_REDIST, defines the secondary recipient(s) to whom the sender allows the primary recipient to forward confidential data[[~[2~]>>path:#_ftn2]].  See section **Use of the CONF_REDIST attribute** for the appropriate coding of this attribute.
82 -
83 -
84 84  The forwarding of confidential data is represented as follows in SDMX:
85 85  
86 86  |(((
87 -=== SDMX representation ===
74 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" id="HSDMXrepresentation-1" %)
75 +SDMX representation
88 88  
89 89  * **CONF_STATUS**: N;
90 90  * **CONF_REDIST **(Observation, Conditional): [Organisation(s)];
... ... @@ -99,20 +99,19 @@
99 99  * Allowing privileged access to embargoed data
100 100  * Enabling the frontloading of data into systems
101 101  
102 -
103 -
104 104  **//Allowing privileged access to embargoed data//**
105 105  
106 106  If the goal is to allow the data recipient to have privileged access to embargoed observations in a data message (message), the embargoed observation’s CONF_STATUS attribute should be coded as “E: Not for publication until the embargo time expires; free for publication after the embargo time expires.” with an observation level attribute EMBARGO_TIME (date/time/time zone).
107 107  
108 108  |(((
109 -=== SDMX representation ===
95 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" id="HSDMXrepresentation-2" %)
96 +SDMX representation
110 110  
111 111  * **CONF_STATUS**: E;
112 112  * **EMBARGO**_**TIME** (Observation, Conditional): [timestamp]
113 113  )))
114 114  
115 -Including a time zone is strongly recommended and the best case is to use the UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) time standard. However, if no time zone is provided then the time zone of the recipient is assumed.
102 +Including a time zone is strongly recommended and the best case is to use the UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) time standard. However, if no time zone is provided then the time zone of the recipient is assumed.
116 116  
117 117  These two examples represent the same time for a recipient established in the Central European time zone (e.g. Germany, Norway, Gibraltar):
118 118  
... ... @@ -119,46 +119,35 @@
119 119  * (Recommended) With UTC indicator: 2017-12-15T14:02:29Z
120 120  * With timezone indicator: 2017-12-15T15:02:29+01:00
121 121  
122 -
123 -
124 124  **//Enabling the frontloading of data into systems//**
125 125  
126 -If the goal is to allow frontloading of a whole data message into systems so that the data can be made visible to users at the expiry of the embargo date/time, the header section of the message should contain an embargo date/time attribute.  This implies that all information in the data message is under the embargo date/time set in the header.  The header attribute EmbargoDate with format date/time/time zone indicates until when the whole data message received cannot be shared with any recipient users. 
111 +If the goal is to allow frontloading of a whole data message into systems so that the data can be made visible to users at the expiry of the embargo date/time, the header section of the message should contain an embargo date/time attribute. This implies that all information in the data message is under the embargo date/time set in the header. The header attribute EmbargoDate with format date/time/time zone indicates until when the whole data message received cannot be shared with any recipient users.
127 127  
128 -
129 129  Once the EmbargoDate in the header elapses, each observation’s confidentiality status becomes that which is marked in the CONF_STATUS attributes.
130 130  
115 +Note that this scenario presumes that all data in the message cannot be viewed before the header EmbargoDate, and that there is no privileged access before this time. However, observations may be marked with any other confidentiality status that is valid after the frontloading EmbargoDate elapses.
131 131  
132 -Note that this scenario presumes that all data in the message cannot be viewed before the header EmbargoDate, and that there is no privileged access before this time.  However, observations may be marked with any other confidentiality status that is valid after the frontloading EmbargoDate elapses.
133 -
134 134  |(((
135 -=== SDMX Representation ===
118 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" id="HSDMXRepresentation" %)
119 +SDMX Representation
136 136  
137 137  * **CONF_STATUS**: <Set to the required confidentiality status after the embargo time elapses>; <Header>\<EmbargoDate>: [timestamp]
138 138  )))
139 139  
124 +The two ways of representing embargoed data exist to provide efficiency in the exchange, allow for differentiating data intended to be frontloaded and data aimed to be provided in advance to a restricted audience, and provide flexibility when few observations need to be embargoed in a large data message. The trade-off is the complication of system implementation to support the two representations of embargo, which has to be done locally on a case-by-case basis.
140 140  
141 -
142 -The two ways of representing embargoed data exist to provide efficiency in the exchange, allow for differentiating data intended to be frontloaded and data aimed to be provided in advance to a restricted audience, and provide flexibility when few observations need to be embargoed in a large data message.  The trade-off is the complication of system implementation to support the two representations of embargo, which has to be done locally on a case-by-case basis.
143 -
144 144  = Additional recommendations and examples =
145 145  
146 -In data flows that feature confidential data, CONF_STATUS is highly recommended to be a mandatory attribute.  However, if CONF_STATUS is optional in the DSD and missing from an observation, it is always implied to be “F” (free).
128 +In data flows that feature confidential data, CONF_STATUS is highly recommended to be a mandatory attribute. However, if CONF_STATUS is optional in the DSD and missing from an observation, it is always implied to be “F” (free).
147 147  
148 148  === Use of the CONF_REDIST attribute ===
149 149  
132 +The CONF_REDIST attribute defines the secondary recipient(s) to whom the sender allows the primary recipient to forward confidential data. It is recommended to be an optional attribute at observation level. Ideally it should reference a shared code list containing standard organisation codes. To allow several secondary recipients there are these possibilities:
150 150  
151 -The CONF_REDIST attribute defines the secondary recipient(s) to whom the sender allows the primary recipient to forward confidential data.  It is recommended to be an optional attribute at observation level. Ideally it should reference a shared code list containing standard organisation codes. To allow several secondary recipients there are these possibilities:
134 +Use a code that represents multiple organisations, or;
152 152  
136 +Use several CONF_REDIST attributes to portray the multiple recipients. Each attribute represents one recipient and references the same codelist. This implementation is cleaner than the above point 1, though this will require adding as many attributes to your DSD as there are potential recipients of the redistributed confidential data.
153 153  
154 -1. Use a code that represents multiple organisations, or;
155 -
156 -
157 -
158 -1. Use several CONF_REDIST attributes to portray the multiple recipients.  Each attribute represents one recipient and references the same codelist.  This implementation is cleaner than the above point 1, though this will require adding as many attributes to your DSD as there are potential recipients of the redistributed confidential data.
159 -
160 -
161 -
162 162  If the EMBARGO_TIME and CONF_REDIST attributes are both used:
163 163  
164 164  1. Data is available only to the organisations in CONF_REDIST until EMBARGO_TIME
... ... @@ -165,7 +165,8 @@
165 165  1. Data is available to the public after EMBARGO_TIME
166 166  
167 167  |(% colspan="3" %)(((
168 -= Privileged Access =
144 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" id="HPrivilegedAccess" %)
145 +Privileged Access
169 169  )))
170 170  |**Use case**|**No forwarding**|**Forwarding**
171 171  |**Embargo**|(((
... ... @@ -194,8 +194,6 @@
194 194  * The national statistical institutes send data to Eurostat, and allow the data to be shared with the ECB for statistical coproduction
195 195  * The data may only be shared with the public on the next day
196 196  
197 -
198 -
199 199  **CONF_STATUS:**E**;**
200 200  
201 201  **CONF_REDIST: **ECB**;**
... ... @@ -202,27 +202,31 @@
202 202  
203 203  **EMBARGO_TIME=<**T+1 day**, **e.g.** **2017-12-15T10:00:00Z>
204 204  
180 +The solutions suggested above aim at covering the most common confidentiality and embargo use cases within a single transmission from the primary reporter to the primary recipient. However, for some more complex scenarios it might still be required to make multiple transmissions.
205 205  
206 -The solutions suggested above aim at covering the most common confidentiality and embargo use cases within a single transmission from the primary reporter to the primary recipient. However, for some more complex scenarios it might still be required to make multiple transmissions.
207 -
208 -
209 209  It is strongly recommended that use cases are specified in an agreement between organisations involved in regular transmissions up-front in order to avoid unnecessary delay in data publication or – much worse – confidentiality breaches.
210 210  
211 211  **Annex 1: SDMX Representation of the confidentiality use cases**
212 212  
213 213  |(((
214 -== Use case ==
187 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" id="HUsecase" %)
188 +Use case
215 215  )))|(((
216 -== CONF_STATUS (Observation) ==
190 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" id="HCONF_STATUS28Observation29" %)
191 +CONF_STATUS (Observation)
217 217  )))|(((
218 -== Additional attributes ==
193 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" id="HAdditionalattributes" %)
194 +Additional attributes
219 219  )))|(((
220 -== Remarks ==
196 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" id="HRemarks" %)
197 +Remarks
221 221  )))
222 222  |(((
223 -== Non-confidential data ==
200 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" id="HNon-confidentialdata" %)
201 +Non-confidential data
224 224  )))|(((
225 -== F ==
203 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" id="HF" %)
204 +F
226 226  )))|(((
227 227  == ==
228 228  )))|(((
... ... @@ -229,58 +229,72 @@
229 229  == ==
230 230  )))
231 231  |(((
232 -== Confidential data with no embargo ==
211 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" id="HConfidentialdatawithnoembargo" %)
212 +Confidential data with no embargo
233 233  )))|(((
234 -== C;D;S;A;O;T;G;M;N ==
214 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" id="HC3BD3BS3BA3BO3BT3BG3BM3BN" %)
215 +C;D;S;A;O;T;G;M;N
235 235  )))|(((
236 -== ==
217 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" id="H-2" %)
218 +
237 237  )))|(((
238 -== CONF_STATUS will usually be C but may also be D;S;A;O;T;G;M;N depending on the required status and confidentiality reason.  See the CL_CONF_STATUS code list for details[[~[3~]>>path:#_ftn3]] ==
220 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" id="HCONF_STATUSwillusuallybeCbutmayalsobeD3BS3BA3BO3BT3BG3BM3BNdependingontherequiredstatusandconfidentialityreason.A0SeetheCL_CONF_STATUScodelistfordetails5B35D" %)
221 +CONF_STATUS will usually be C but may also be D;S;A;O;T;G;M;N depending on the required status and confidentiality reason. See the CL_CONF_STATUS code list for details{{footnote}}https://sdmx.org/wp-content/uploads/CL_CONF_STATUS_1_2_2018.docx{{/footnote}}
239 239  )))
240 -|**Forwarding of confidential data**|N|(((
223 +|(((
224 +**Forwarding of confidential data**
225 +)))|(((
226 +N
227 +)))|(((
241 241  CONF_REDIST: (Observation, Conditional)
242 242  
243 243  
244 244  )))|CONF_REDIST may represent multiple organisations
245 245  |(((
246 -== Embargo: Privileged access ==
233 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" id="HEmbargo:Privilegedaccess" %)
234 +Embargo: Privileged access
247 247  )))|(((
248 -== E ==
236 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" id="HE" %)
237 +E
249 249  )))|(((
250 -== EMBARGO_TIME (Observation, Conditional) ==
239 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" id="HEMBARGO_TIME28Observation2CConditional29" %)
240 +EMBARGO_TIME (Observation, Conditional)
251 251  
252 252  
253 253  )))|Only the observations with an EMBARGO_TIME attribute are embargoed. After the embargo time elapses, the data are free for publication (equivalent to F status).
254 254  |(((
255 -== Embargo: Privileged access with forwarding ==
245 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" id="HEmbargo:Privilegedaccesswithforwarding" %)
246 +Embargo: Privileged access with forwarding
256 256  )))|(((
257 -== E ==
248 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" id="HE-1" %)
249 +E
258 258  )))|(((
259 259  EMBARGO_TIME (Observation, Conditional)
260 260  
261 -== CONF_REDIST: (Observation, Conditional) ==
253 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" id="HCONF_REDIST:28Observation2CConditional29" %)
254 +CONF_REDIST: (Observation, Conditional)
262 262  )))|(((
263 -== Only the observations with an EMBARGO_TIME attribute are embargoed. After the embargo time elapses, the data are free for publication (equivalent to F status). ==
256 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" id="HOnlytheobservationswithanEMBARGO_TIMEattributeareembargoed.Aftertheembargotimeelapses2Cthedataarefreeforpublication28equivalenttoFstatus29." %)
257 +Only the observations with an EMBARGO_TIME attribute are embargoed. After the embargo time elapses, the data are free for publication (equivalent to F status).
264 264  
265 -== CONF_REDIST may represent multiple organisations ==
259 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" id="HCONF_REDISTmayrepresentmultipleorganisations" %)
260 +CONF_REDIST may represent multiple organisations
266 266  )))
267 267  |(((
268 -== Embargo: Frontloading ==
263 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" id="HEmbargo:Frontloading" %)
264 +Embargo: Frontloading
269 269  )))|(((
270 -== Set to the required confidentiality status after the embargo time elapses. ==
266 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" id="HSettotherequiredconfidentialitystatusaftertheembargotimeelapses." %)
267 +Set to the required confidentiality status after the embargo time elapses.
271 271  )))|(((
272 -== <Header\EmbargoDate>: [timestamp] ==
269 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" id="H3CHeader5CEmbargoDate3E:5Btimestamp5D" %)
270 +<Header\EmbargoDate>: [timestamp]
273 273  
274 274  
275 -)))|There is no EMBARGO_TIME attribute as the whole message is embargoed with no privileged access.
273 +)))|(((
274 +There is no EMBARGO_TIME attribute as the whole message is embargoed with no privileged access.
275 +)))
276 276  
277 -
278 -
279 -
280 280  ----
281 281  
282 -[[~[1~]>>path:#_ftnref1]] For a full list of confidentiality statuses, see [[https:~~/~~/sdmx.org/wp-content/uploads/CL_CONF_STATUS_1_2_2018.docx>>url:https://sdmx.org/wp-content/uploads/CL_CONF_STATUS_1_2_2018.docx]].
283 -
284 -[[~[2~]>>path:#_ftnref2]] Example: National statistical institute XX reporting data to Eurostat indicates that Eurostat can forward those data to the ECB, IMF and OECD.  More complex use case: The reporting organization specifies that Eurostat can forward those data only to the ECB Statistics Department, thus excluding all other organisations as well as all other ECB departments.
285 -
286 -[[~[3~]>>path:#_ftnref3]] [[https:~~/~~/sdmx.org/wp-content/uploads/CL_CONF_STATUS_1_2_2018.docx>>url:https://sdmx.org/wp-content/uploads/CL_CONF_STATUS_1_2_2018.docx]]
279 + {{putFootnotes/}}
© Semantic R&D Group, 2026