k.brannen@ed.ac.uk

Statistical Metadata is a key requirement for the publishing and correct interpretation of statistical data on the World Wide Web. It is also a necessary component for the automation of the production of statistics. In recent years there have been a number of metadata systems developed to support this process. However, the activities have been fragmented and these systems have incorporated different approaches and models.

In the year 2000, Eurostat, the statistical office for the European Union, funded a 'network of excellence', known as MetaNet, to bring together some of these disparate groups. The network has been analysing existing standards and systems in the area with a view to developing proposals for standards in the methodology used for describing statistical metadata and statistical information systems.

This paper describes the work of the network in more detail and discusses the key results and objectives attained.

Karen Brannen, University of Edinburgh
Scotland, UK