About the Data in Publications guide

This guide is relevant to anyone involved in the process of producing and publishing data and information for EU institutions, agencies and other bodies. This includes researchers, policymakers, communications specialists, data experts, IT specialists, publication coordinators, designers and contractors.

The publications can be any type of published content that contains or references data. This includes reports, studies and books, assessments, briefs and summaries, press releases, leaflets and brochures – both in print and online. The data could be a primary source (data produced and analysed specifically for this publication) or a secondary source (third-party data that is used as supporting material).

The guide should be used at the very beginning of your publishing process – after you have received the OK for a publication, but before you have commissioned any work on it.

Ideally, all stakeholders should be involved in the process from the very beginning. That way, each person has the chance to make use of the recommendations that are relevant to their field of responsibility, be it analysing data, writing text, creating visualisations or publishing the data.

The Data in Publications guide was created by the Publications Office of the European Union. What you see here is a beta version of the guide. As we are continuing to develop it, we would love to hear your feedback. Please send us an email at OP-DATA-EUROPA-EU@publications.europa.eu , with ‘Data in Publications guide feedback’ in the subject line.