EEG6/Working Group 1 (EEG6/WG1) is concerned with the exchange of aggregated statistical data or, in other words, the exchange of multidimensional statistical tables and time series. The type of data exchanged in this way is many and varied, covering population, farming, transportation, economic activity, etc. The principal organisations involved in the exchange of this data are the national statistical authorities, National Central Banks, and those organisations playing a role at the international level, such as the UN/Economical Committee for Europe (UN/ECE), the OECD, Eurostat and the European Central Bank and the bank for International Settlements. However, as work has progressed, many private organisations have expressed a keen interest in the activity of EEG6/WG1.
EEG6/WG1 has focused primarily on designing a message which is able to cope with the many and varied types of array data to be exchanged and to support the exchange of the metadata associated with a statistical array (e.g. reference to classifications and footnotes), and which can be used to minimise the redundant transmission of common data values (e.g. dimension data).
The result of this work is GESMES - Generic Statistical Message - which reached Status 1 in March 1995. GESMES supports the exchange of statistical figures together with its associated metadata (e.g. footnotes, methodological notes, dataset structures). GESMES works in synergy with CLASET, the message for the exchange of classification.
Various profiles of GESMES have been developed: GESMES/PRODCOM, GESMES/DSIS, and GESMES/CB (time series oriented).
GESMES can also be used as a request message for data.
The appeal of GESMES is not confined to statistical organisations: any organisation which has a need to exchange data of a tabular, multi-dimensional, or time related (time series) nature will find GESMES useful.
The data modelling method was applied for the design of GESMES. This allowed its implementation in more than one EDI syntax:
A GESMES toolbox has also been developed, for training and awareness purposes, that converts GESMES/EDIFACT to HTML. Demonstration tools are also available to convert GESMES to Excel and Lotus formats, and to convert from Excel to GESMES.
A User Guide, GESMES 95 Version 2.1 is available since September 1997.
For users wishing to have a short introduction to GESMES, the "GESMES - Quick Results" booklet has been developed. With the aid of this booklet, it is possible to use many of the more popular features of GESMES, without the need to understand its more complex features.
Both Guides can be downloaded from the CIRCA "EDI & Statistics" library
In the European Reference Environment, GESMES and CLASET are used to exchange data and metadata.
It is hoped that the GESMES facilities will soon be integrated into commercial application systems. Software houses will be approached.
The group should consist of representatives from statistical bodies (i.e. Natinal Statistical Administrations, Pan European Institutions, ...) or private organisms involved in the statistical chain.
This Working Group will work on behalf of the EDI Expert Group 6:
Before submission and dissemination to other EDI Expert Groups or other structures of EBES, all written documents produced by the group must receive an EEG6 agreement