##  Introduction

This section describes the data exchange protocol used in the I3U project. The
purpose of the protocol is to describe the computer format in which data is
made available for use within the project. The data exchange protocol is
binding for all partners. It must be used to submit all data in a to the
project database in a common format. The common project database will consist
of a number of files organized according to this protocol.

##  File format and file names

The file format is Microsoft Excel binary file format, version 2007 or later.
This file format is the default Excel file format and has file extension
.xlsx. (also OpenOffice can also produce this file format).

The files will be named as follows: _“WPXXnameYYYY.xlsx”_

where _“XX”_ is the number of the workpackage that produced the file, _“name”_
is the name of a group of indicators, and _“YYYY”_ is the version number of
the data, where all digits are used. Version numbers is not consecutive but
indicate major steps in data construction process.

We expect several updates during the project’s lifetime, so several version
numbers will be saved.

##  Data documentation

Use Calibri font throughout the file, point 11.

The leftmost worksheet in the file should be named documentation, and should
contain a description of all data contained in the file. Column A in this
sheet should be set to column width 100 and text wrapping on. Cell A1 contains
a general description of the data contained in this file. It should cover
approximate definitions (what phenomenon is measured by these indicators?). If
this description needs several paragraphs, use one cell per paragraph, and
continue using as many rows as are needed. Leave one row empty after the
general description is completed.

Start reporting formal variable definitions on the next row, starting with the
variable name, in bold, followed by the formal definition. Use one cell per
variable, and leave one row empty after the last definition.

Start reporting sources on the next row, starting with text “source for
variable name”, in bold, followed by a description of the source. Use one cell
per variable. Leave one row empty after the last variable.

Write any messages about permissions for data use and/or attribution of
efforts in collecting the data in this cell. Mention the I3U project in the
attribution.

##  Data presentation

The worksheets following the documentation sheets contain the actual data. Use
one worksheet per variable, and name the worksheet by the exact variable name
(used in the documentation sheet).

The top row of a worksheet containing data documents the units to which the
data refer (countries, sector, regions, etc.; we refer to these as labels in
this document), and the years for which data is available. Start with label
country in column A, and use subsequent columns for additional labels in the
database (such as sector or region). Use as many columns as there are label
types (e.g., 3 columns if there are countries, regions and sectors). Document
the first year for which data are available in the column following this, and
continue years after this. Freeze panes at the 2nd row below the first year.

Adjust column width according to the data format and labels, but do not make
columns any smaller than width 3, nor wider than width 15 (including columns
for labels). Left align label columns, right align data columns.

Always provide text for any label column that is used (do not leave any cells
empty below a label), and set

the cell format to General for all labels. Use full country names as used on
the Eurostat website (see below for selected countries). For any other labels
than countries, provide a separate worksheet explaining the labels used (see
below).

Provide the data below the years, and set the cell format to Number for all
cells containing data. Use an appropriate fixed number of decimals throughout
the worksheet for a single variable, but implement this as a display format,
not as actual rounding (provide full decimals in the actual writing of
variables). Use two dots (..) for missing data (also right align these), and 0
for values that are actually 0.

##  Notes to individual datapoints

In case your data has any notes (e.g., to indicate exceptions to definitions,
breaks in definitions or sources, etc.), include a separate sheet for every
variable for which such notes exist, and name this sheet “variable name –
notes”. Insert the sheet to the immediate right of the sheet with data.

The notes sheet has exactly the same format as the actual datasheet, except
that the cells where the data are in the data sheet will contain the notes.
Set the format to General for these cells, but keep them right aligned.

##  Aggregations for sectors and EU

When possible, provide EU totals for all variables that you supply. When
appropriate, these totals are weighted averages, using the natural weights
that lead to a value that spans the entire country set.

##  Labels for countries, sectors, regions and other dimensions

###  Countries

Use full country names (as specified below, or for non EU countries, use
official country names as specified in _this UN document_ .  
  
<table>  
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www.i3u-innovationunion.eu

</th>  
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**Page 10 of 11**

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The following table provides country memberships of the EU12, EU15, EU25, EU27
and EU28 groups:  
  
<table>  
<tr>  
<th>

**Country**

</th>  
<th>

**Remarks**

</th>  
<th>

**EU12**

</th>  
<th>

**EU15**

</th>  
<th>

**EU25**

</th>  
<th>

**EU27**

</th>  
<th>

**EU28**

</th> </tr>  
<tr>  
<td>

**Belgium**

</td>  
<td>

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td> </tr>  
<tr>  
<td>

**Bulgaria**

</td>  
<td>

</td>  
<td>

</td>  
<td>

</td>  
<td>

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td> </tr>  
<tr>  
<td>

**Czech Republic**

</td>  
<td>

</td>  
<td>

</td>  
<td>

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td> </tr>  
<tr>  
<td>

**Denmark**

</td>  
<td>

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td> </tr>  
<tr>  
<td>

**Germany**

</td>  
<td>

For data until 1990 use former territory of the FRG, indicate this in notes if
any data for 1990 or before are included

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td> </tr>  
<tr>  
<td>

**Estonia**

</td>  
<td>

</td>  
<td>

</td>  
<td>

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td> </tr>  
<tr>  
<td>

**Ireland**

</td>  
<td>

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td> </tr>  
<tr>  
<td>

**Greece**

</td>  
<td>

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td> </tr>  
<tr>  
<td>

**Spain**

</td>  
<td>

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td> </tr>  
<tr>  
<td>

**France**

</td>  
<td>

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td> </tr>  
<tr>  
<td>

**Croatia**

</td>  
<td>

</td>  
<td>

</td>  
<td>

</td>  
<td>

</td>  
<td>

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td> </tr>  
<tr>  
<td>

**Italy**

</td>  
<td>

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td> </tr>  
<tr>  
<td>

**Cyprus**

</td>  
<td>

</td>  
<td>

</td>  
<td>

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td> </tr>  
<tr>  
<td>

**Latvia**

</td>  
<td>

</td>  
<td>

</td>  
<td>

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td> </tr>  
<tr>  
<td>

**Lithuania**

</td>  
<td>

</td>  
<td>

</td>  
<td>

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td> </tr>  
<tr>  
<td>

**Luxembourg**

</td>  
<td>

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td> </tr>  
<tr>  
<td>

**Hungary**

</td>  
<td>

</td>  
<td>

</td>  
<td>

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td> </tr>  
<tr>  
<td>

**Malta**

</td>  
<td>

</td>  
<td>

</td>  
<td>

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td> </tr> </table>  
<table>  
<tr>  
<th>

**Netherlands**

</th>  
<th>

</th>  
<th>

Yes

</th>  
<th>

Yes

</th>  
<th>

Yes

</th>  
<th>

Yes

</th>  
<th>

Yes

</th> </tr>  
<tr>  
<td>

**Austria**

</td>  
<td>

</td>  
<td>

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td> </tr>  
<tr>  
<td>

**Poland**

</td>  
<td>

</td>  
<td>

</td>  
<td>

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td> </tr>  
<tr>  
<td>

**Portugal**

</td>  
<td>

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td> </tr>  
<tr>  
<td>

**Romania**

</td>  
<td>

</td>  
<td>

</td>  
<td>

</td>  
<td>

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td> </tr>  
<tr>  
<td>

**Slovenia**

</td>  
<td>

</td>  
<td>

</td>  
<td>

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td> </tr>  
<tr>  
<td>

**Slovakia**

</td>  
<td>

</td>  
<td>

</td>  
<td>

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td> </tr>  
<tr>  
<td>

**Finland**

</td>  
<td>

</td>  
<td>

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td> </tr>  
<tr>  
<td>

**Sweden**

</td>  
<td>

</td>  
<td>

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td> </tr>  
<tr>  
<td>

**United Kingdom**

</td>  
<td>

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td>  
<td>

Yes

</td> </tr> </table>

**Table 1: country memberships of the EU12, EU15, EU25, EU27 and EU28 groups**

The official membership countries are: Iceland, Montenegro, the former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Albania, Serbia, Turkey.

###  Regions

The project uses the _NUTS 2013_ classification, with NUTS-2 as the default
level of disaggregation. Whenever NUTS-3 data exist, these can be provided,
but in any case NUTS-2 (when available) must be provided. Use NUTS codes to
indicate regions.

###  Sectors

The project uses the _NACE classification, Rev. 2._ Data availability will
determine the level of disaggregation. Use NACE codes to indicate sectors.

###  Other labels

When other labels are necessary, use an official classification, and provide
details of this classification by referencing an official document.  
  
<table>  
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<th>

www.i3u-innovationunion.eu

</th>  
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**Page 11 of 11**

</th> </tr> </table>