Make official datasets independently verifiable.
Create a verifiable record of each publication and revision through EBSI, so users and connected systems can confirm the dataset’s source, integrity and version without contacting the publisher. The dataset remains in your existing systems.
The Problem
Official data becomes harder to verify once it leaves the publisher.
Official datasets are downloaded, copied, cited, combined, and redistributed across systems the publisher does not control. As the data moves, the connection between a file and a particular official release can become difficult to demonstrate.
Versions become difficult to distinguish
When a dataset is revised, users may continue working with earlier files without a reliable way to identify the exact release they downloaded or used.
Provenance becomes separated from the file
Metadata, source links, and attribution can be lost when data is downloaded, renamed, shared or incorporated into another system.
Verification returns to the publisher
When the source or version of a file is disputed, users may need to contact the issuing institution - or return to the original publication platform for confirmation.
Solution
Give every release a verifiable publication record.
Without EBSI
A downloaded file can become separated from the original source and publication details
Revisions can make earlier releases difficult to distinguish
Users may be unable to determine whether a file still matches the version originally published
With EBSI
Each release is linked to a verifiable record of the publishing institution
Each release has its own record and can remain connected to the publication history
The file’s cryptographic fingerprint can be compared with the proof recorded through EBSI
Support reproducible research and policy analysis
Help researchers, analysts and public institutions identify the exact dataset release used in an analysis, report or decision, and give users a direct way to confirm its source and integrity.
Advance European standards for trusted public data
Help establish stronger practices for data quality, provenance, and verification across European public-sector ecosystems.
Extend trust throughout the data lifecycle
Maintain a verifiable connection to the official publication when datasets are downloaded, shared, cited, archived or incorporated into other systems.
Who is it for?
For teams responsible for publishing, operating, and governing authoritative data.
Public Data Portals
A European, national, regional, or city-level open data portal.
They host many datasets from many publishers, so verification helps users distinguish official, current, and unchanged data.
Statistical Office
A statistical office publishing population, labour, trade, inflation, or housing datasets.
They can make each dataset release independently verifiable, including version, source, publication date, and integrity.
Data governance offices
Central data governance units in ministries, agencies, or public institutions.
They can define consistent practices for provenance, quality, and verification.
Standards and interoperability bodies
National/EU-level groups defining schemas, metadata models, or data exchange rules.
They can make verification part of the standard, not an afterthought.
Audit and compliance teams
Internal audit, regulatory oversight, quality assurance, anti-fraud, accountability teams.
They need evidence that a dataset was official, unchanged, and used correctly.
Add verifiable proof to your existing publication workflow.
1
Publish through your existing systems
When the dataset is updated, a new fingerprint is created and associated with the relevant publication record. Previous proofs remain available as part of the version history.
2
Create and anchor the fingerprint
When the dataset is updated, a new fingerprint is created and associated with the relevant publication record. Previous proofs remain available as part of the version history.
3
Link each revision
When the dataset is updated, a new fingerprint is created and associated with the relevant publication record. Previous proofs remain available as part of the version history.
4
Let users and systems verify the file
A user or connected system generates the fingerprint of a downloaded file and compares it with the EBSI record. The verification response identifies the matching publisher, release, version, and publication timestamp.
The dataset itself remains within the publisher’s existing systems. EBSI provides the shared verification layer.
Why EBSI
Verification infrastructure aligned with the public mission.
Distributed Network
Operated through a network of European nodes, endorsed by Member States.
Built for interoperability
Open standards enable verification across systems, organisations and borders.
Designed for integration
Connect existing applications to EBSI services through APIs and developer tools.
Validated through a Eurostat pilot.
Eurostat tested dataset anchoring within a high-volume publication workflow to assess whether verifiable proofs could be generated and recorded at publication scale.
See how dataset anchoring fits your publication workflow.
FAQ
What is dataset anchoring?
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Does EBSI store the dataset?
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What information is recorded through EBSI?
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How are dataset revisions handled?
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How can users verify a downloaded dataset?
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