Joinup glossary
A
Architectural Building Blocks (ABB) are a fundamental concept that represents the basic components used to build an IT system or solution.
The Asset Description Metadata Schema (ADMS) is a vocabulary to describe interoperability assets making it possible for solution providers to describe their solutions using standardised metadata, content aggregators to aggregate such descriptions into a single point of access, and ICT developers to explore and search for interoperability assets.
ADMS-AP (Asset Description Metadata Schema – Application Profile) refers to the Application Profile (AP) of the ADMS and aims to extend the use of ADMS for the description of other types of interoperability solutions, meaning solutions covering the political, legal, organisational and technical interoperability layers defined by the European Interoperability Framework.
A Joinup feature available to Collection/Solution managers that allows them to send a message to their members (i.e., about upcoming events, new releases of software or tools, or project related to open-source software, digital solutions, etc.). It is an important means of communication that helps raise awareness.
An application profile is a type of resource that is used on the Joinup platform to describe the technical characteristics and requirements of a specific interoperability solution.
A registered user with the author role can publish, update, and/or delete their own content without moderation from a Collection/Solution manager.
C
Joinup revolves around Collections. Collections provide a distinct, easy way to group and access content that is related to a specific subject field. All created Joinup content resides under a collection (i.e., solutions, documents, news, events etc.).
In a Contributor Licence Agreement (CLA), the rights of a specific contributor are assigned or granted to the party to whom the contribution is given. In a simple case, a contributor assigns their copyright to the party who is contributing. This is an additional, complementary licence that aims to prevent problems that arise from multiple copyright ownerships.
Copyleft is the practice of using copyright law to remove restrictions on distributing copies and modified versions of a work for others and requiring that the same freedoms be preserved in modified versions.
The copyright is a legal means to grant a creator of an intellectual property the exclusive rights to this property for a limited period of time. These exclusive rights comprise the right to exclude other parties from using the intellectual property, or to set certain limitations on the allowed usage.
A core vocabulary is a core concept, represented in a particular representation language, such as an RDF or XML schema.
This item type can be added by Collection/Solution owners and facilitators. It allows the creation of content pages with custom layouts via the use of re-arrangeable blocks. Currently, Joinup supports the following block types: simple paragraph; interactive geographical map; accordion; content listing; and iFrame.
D
A Developer is a member of a project who participates actively in its development. A Developer has the Developer role in the project. This role gives a project member additional access rights to the version control system.
Digital ready policymaking refers to the process of developing and implementing policies that are adapted to the European digital age and take advantage of the opportunities presented by digital technologies. It involves using digital tools and methods to gather and analyse data, engage with stakeholders, and monitor and evaluate policy outcomes.
The Digital Single Market (DSM) is an initiative of the European Union aimed at creating a single market for digital goods and services within the EU. It aims to remove barriers to the free flow of data and digital services, promote the development of digital infrastructure, and enhance online trust and security.
A discussion item on Joinup allows the exchange of ideas, opinions, and information among registered users of the platform. It typically involves topics related to open-source software, e-Government, interoperability, and digital transformation in public administrations. Discussions on Joinup can be created by registered users who can also “follow” such items.
A distribution can be created in a Solution and may contain a software package, source code, documentation etc.
A document item on Joinup is standalone content page relevant to a Collection/Solution which can host information such as case studies, guidelines, factsheets, presentations etc.
E
e-Government is about using the tools and systems made possible by Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to provide better public services to citizens and businesses. ICTs are already widely used by government bodies, just as in enterprises, but e-Government involves much more than just the tools.
The European Interoperability Framework (EIF) is a set of guidelines and recommendations developed by the European Commission for public administrations in Europe on how to set cross-border and cross-sector digital interoperable digital solutions based on open standards and specifications.
The EIF Online Assistant helps users to find operational solutions that cover the alignment and implementation of the European Interoperability Framework (EIF) and filter them by attributes.
The EIF Toolbox is designed as a guidance for national public administrations to equip them with the tools necessary to align their National Interoperability Frameworks (NIFs) with the European Interoperability Framework (EIF) to promote interoperability at national and European level.
The European Interoperability Reference Architecture (EIRA) is an architecture content metamodel defining the most salient architectural building blocks (ABBs) needed to build interoperable e-Government systems. EIRA provides a common terminology that can be used by people working for public administrations in various architecture and system development tasks.
ePractice brought together policy makers and practitioners in the fields of eGovernment, eHealth and eInclusion, and helped them set up online communities to further pursue their common interests. In 2014 the European Commission migrated the ePractice platform to the Joinup platform.
EU Login is the European Commission’s user authentication service. It allows authorised users to access a wide range of Commission web services, using a single email address and password. Joinup requires the use of an EU Login account to register and sign in on the platform.
The European Union Public Licence (EUPL) is the European Free/Open Source Software (F/OSS) licence. It has been created on the initiative of the European Commission. It is now delivered in 23 original linguistic versions and can be used by anyone for software distribution. The EUPL is OSI certified and considered as a Free Software Licence by the Free Software Foundation.
Europa Analytics is the European Commission’s service that monitors and evaluates the effectiveness and efficiency of the Commission's websites on Europa. Both the infrastructure and software are under the full control of the European Commission and comply with the current EU data protection legislation. Joinup uses Europa Analytics for the platform’s web analytics requirements.
An event is an organised activity at a specific time and place (e.g., a meeting, a workshop, a webinar). Any registered user can create events to be published on the platform.
F
A facilitator is responsible for the animation and management of a Collection or Solution. They have the responsibility and authorisation to manage memberships and to review the content that has been created within the Collection or Solution.
Joinup hosts and operates a catalogue of interoperability solutions and enhances this catalogue by federating other catalogues of solutions that exist outside of Joinup (i.e., at Members States).
FLOSS stands for Free/Libre/Open-Source Software. According to the Free Software Foundation, free software is a matter of the users' freedom to run, copy, distribute, study, change and improve the software.
Discussion items on Joinup allow registered users to “follow” such items. When following discussions, users will receive notifications of any updates occurring to the item, such as when a new comment is added.
Some licence agreements grant considerably more rights than most End User Licence Agreements (EULA) provide. A free software licence grants the right to modify and redistribute the licensed software, both of which would ordinarily be forbidden by copyright law. In some cases, these rights are accompanied by copyleft restrictions, adding requirements to redistribution.
G
GitHub is a web-based Git platform that is commonly used for version control and collaborative software development. It allows users to host and review code, manage projects, and collaborate with other developers.
GitLab is a web-based Git repository management system that allows developers to collaborate on code, track changes, and manage projects.
A Joinup feature available to Collection/Solution managers that allows them to create a Collection-level Glossary page in which to insert terms and descriptions.
H
I
Information and communication technology (ICT) refers to the digital technologies and tools used to develop and deliver digital solutions and services that support the modernization of public administrations in Europe.
IDABC was a programme run by the European Commission from 2005 until 2009. IDABC stands for Interoperable Delivery of European eGovernment Services to public Administrations, Businesses and Citizens. It supported the delivery of cross-border public sector services to citizens and businesses in Europe and promoted collaboration between European public administrations.
The intellectual property rights (IPR) cover almost all creations of the mind, which covers artistic work, literature, inventions, fine arts and most importantly for the platform computer programs (software).
Interoperability is defined by the European Interoperability Framework (EIF) within the context of European public service delivery (e-Government) as the ability of disparate and diverse organisations to interact towards mutually beneficial and agreed common goals, involving the sharing of information and knowledge between the organisations, through the business processes they support, by means
This term refers to resources that support the exchange of data in distributed information systems. The term summarises resources needed to support content interoperability, in particular Syntactic and Semantic Assets.
Interoperability solutions refer to software, tools, standards, and guidelines that enable different IT systems to work together seamlessly, facilitating the exchange of information between them. Joinup aim to provide a common language and technical infrastructure that enable public administrations to work together, share data, and deliver services more efficiently.
A European Commission initiative hosted on Joinup for a reinforced interoperability policy showcasing news and events about government-related interoperability, along with initiatives and best practices that support the digitalisation of EU public administrations.
The European Commission has adopted the Interoperable Europe Act proposal and its accompanying Communication to strengthen cross-border interoperability and cooperation in the public sector across the EU.
Register users that create discussion items on Joinup are allowed to “invite” to the discussion other registered users of the platform. Users that have been “invited” will receive a relevant notification allowing them to accept or reject the invitation to join the discussion.
ISA was a programme launched by the European Commission to improve electronic cooperation among public administrations in EU Member States (2010 – 2015). ISA stands for Interoperability Solutions for European Public Administrations and took a very practical approach in supporting administrations across Europe to communicate more easily. ISA was a successor to the IDABC programme.
The ISA² programme was the ISA programme successor and ran from 2016 to 2020. The ISA² programme supported the development of digital solutions that enabled public administrations, businesses and citizens in Europe to benefit from interoperable cross-border and cross-sector public services.
The International Organisation for Standardisation (IOS) is a non-governmental organization that develops and publishes international standards for various industries and sectors.
J
The Joinup platform is the European Commission's one-stop shop for interoperable, open, and free digital government ICT solutions and an online space for e-Government professionals and enthusiasts to share and learn about digital public services and initiatives.
The Joinup Licensing Assistant (JLA) is a tool that helps users to choose, compare and combine suitable open-source licences for their material. JLA provides guidance on licence compatibility and helps users understand the legal implications of using a particular open-source licence.
L
A licence is basically a permission granted by the copyright owner allowing another party to perform certain actions on a specific property of the copyright owner. The licence contract or agreement forms the legal basis of the specific rights of use that are transferred to the licensee in a very detailed manner.
M
A member is a registered user that has subscribed to a Collection or Solution. Within a subscribed Collection or Solution a member can publish, edit, and/or delete their own contributions. Members can also receive notifications of content updates occurring in the subscribed Collection or Solution.
A moderator is a registered user whose main responsibility is to review the content that is created in a Collection or Solution. Moderators are usually the owners and facilitators of Collections/Solutions and can: accept or reject created content; block or unblock members of closed Collections; assign user roles etc.
N
A news item is a piece of content created and published within a Collection or Solution. Any register user can create a news item and request its publication, which is subject to the validation of the moderator or facilitator.
A newsletter is a periodically distributed publication that subscribers receive via e-mail. Past Joinup newsletters are archived and available via the “Newsletter archive” link in the footer area of Joinup. Subscriptions are also possible via the “Newsletter subscription” link in the aforementioned area.
The National Interoperability Framework Observatory (NIFO) is one of the mechanisms put in place by the European Commission as a monitoring tool, to regularly gather information on the state of play of digital public administration and interoperability activities within the EU Member States and associated countries.
O
Observatories are a tool, designed to gather information on the state of play of digital public administration and interoperability activities. These observatories, such as NIFO and OSOR, enable stakeholders to stay up-to-date on the latest developments and trends in digital public services.
An ontology is a semantic interoperability asset. It is a formal representation of the concepts within one domain, the properties of these concepts, and the relationships between these concepts. In addition to a data model, an ontology allows reasoning (i.e., make deductions) about the concepts, terms, and relationships).
The fundamental principle of the Open Source Licensing is that it prohibits anyone from exclusively exploiting a given piece of work. In order to reflect this, a legal framework was originally developed to guarantee the openness by a certain set of principles.
The Open Source Observatory (OSOR) aims to become a trustworthy observatory that provides Free and Open-Source Software(FOSS) expertise and information as well as serve as a middle-ground to connect European Public Administrations with other relevant stakeholders. To reach this objective, OSOR supports a dynamic community and further promotes the use of Free and Open Source software.
Open Source Software (OSS) is software that is available in source code form: the source code and certain other rights normally reserved for copyright holders are provided under a software licence that permits users to study, change, improve and at times also to distribute the software. Open source software is very often developed in a public, collaborative manner.
An owner is responsible for the animation and management of a Collection or Solution. They have the responsibility and authorisation to manage memberships and to review the content that has been created within the Collection or Solution.
P
A patent is a government-issued and approved document that grants an inventor the exclusive rights to an invention for a fixed period of time. The exclusive rights in reference to patents mean that the patented invention may only be exploited by another party with authorisation by the inventor or IP holder.
The hallmark of proprietary software licences is that the software publisher grants a licence to use one or more copies of software, but that ownership of those copies remains with the software publisher.
R
The Resource Description Framework (RDF) is a standard language for representing data and metadata on the web. It allows users to create a distributed, shared model of data that can be easily extended and integrated with other systems.
A registered user is a user who has created an account on Joinup. Registered users have their own user profile page on the platform and can create content, subscribe to Collections/Solutions, receive notifications for content updates, add comments, and access all the features available on the platform.
A regulation body represents a governmental or intergovernmental agency of some kind, which may issue legal regulations or restrictions. Examples for regulation bodies are the United Nations (UN), the European Union (EU) or agencies of the Public Administrations within the European Union, such as the Monopolies and Mergers Commission of a Member State.
A release can be created in a Solution and may include a standard, specification or software under a versioning scheme. A good practice to follow is to create distributions under releases.
The practice of supporting and enabling public administrations to share and reuse IT solutions, open source software, standards and solutions across the European public sector, in order to provide electronic services to citizens.
S
A semantic asset is a collection of highly reusable metadata (e.g., xml schemata, generic data models) and reference data (e.g., code lists, taxonomies, dictionaries, vocabularies) which are used for e-Government system development.
The European Interoperability Framework (EIF) defines semantic interoperability as the ability of organisations to process information from external sources in a meaningful manner. It ensures that the precise meaning of exchanged information is understood and preserved throughout exchanges between parties.
The Semantic Interoperability Community (SEMIC) develops solutions to help European public administrations perform seamless and meaningful cross-border and cross-domain data exchanges.
Any individual, group, or organisation that is involved in or affected by the development, implementation, or use of digital solutions and services. This can include public sector organisations, private sector entities, civil society groups, and individual citizens.
A standardisation body represents a standardisation committee of any kind. This includes government (sometime referred to as official committees) standardisation committees, such as the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO), as well as industrial standardisation initiatives, such as the Organisation for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards (OASIS).
Registered users can subscribe to Collections and Solutions making them members of them. Subscribed users can also opt in to receive notifications for content updates that occur in the subscribed Collections/Solutions.
Syntactic assets define common data structures e.g., XML-Schemata, core components and related elements and resources needed to support the Syntactic Interoperability layer.
Syntactical Interoperability represents the ability of a system to communicate and exchange information properly on a technical abstraction level. The fundamental technical (syntactical) capability of communicating is guaranteed by a set of formal data, format specifications, communication protocols, and interface descriptions.
T
A taxonomy is a classification of the standardised terminology for all required and involved terms within a knowledge domain. In a taxonomy, all elements are grouped and categorised in a strict hierarchy and are usually presented by a tree structure.
A thesaurus is a set of controlled vocabulary used within ontologies. In contrast to a taxonomy, the individual elements of a thesaurus are not necessarily required to be semantically related with each other but may well be an independent collection of vocabulary (non-hyponym character).
Topics on Joinup refers to the various subject areas or themes that are covered by the platform. These topics can be related to open source software, e-Government initiatives, policies, standards, and other relevant areas.
U
The User interface (UI) is the visual and interactive elements of the website through which users interact with the system.
A user is any person who visits the platform. A user can view and consult all publicly available content.
User experience (UX) is the overall experience that a user has when interacting with the Joinup platform, often including factors such as usability, accessibility, and satisfaction.
V
A version control system is a system that supports the management of changes to documents, programs, and other information stored as electronic files.
X
XML is a commonly used data format on the platform. XML stands for Extensible Markup Language and is a markup language used to encode documents in a format that is both human-readable and machine-readable. XML allows users to define their own custom tags and data structures, which makes it highly flexible and adaptable to various data needs.