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MECO Data Cataloguing journey
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MECO Data Cataloguing Journey: Improving Data Discoverability

Think of a library where every book is neatly catalogued – you can find what you need in seconds. That same principle applies to data. When datasets are clearly described and organised, they become easier to discover and reuse.

This shared challenge brought the partners together in a collaborative effort, with Luxembourg National Data Service (LNDS) and the Ministry for Digitalisation (MinDigital) working alongside with the Ministry of the Economy (MECO) on a data cataloguing project.

This work did not happen in isolation, but within a broader European and national data governance framework.

Building on national standards

Across Europe, data governance is changing. The European Data Governance Act (DGA) sets out a framework to make public-sector data more findable and reusable, even when it’s sensitive or protected. Luxembourg is implementing this through 19 December Law establishing the Commissariat du Gouvernement à la souveraineté des données (CGSD), which defines the legal and operational structures for trusted data sharing.

Furthermore, in May 2025, Luxembourg published its Data Strategy, one of three national priorities alongside AI and Quantum strategies, with a clear message: data is a strategic asset for Luxembourg. It supports evidence-based policymaking, fuels innovation, and underpins transparent public services.

In this context, Luxembourg has built two essential foundations to ensure a smooth experience with public-sector datasets:

  • the Data Catalogue Vocabulary Application Profile for Luxembourg (DCAT‑AP‑LU), the national metadata profile that ensures consistent descriptions and interoperability with European data spaces.
  • the Public Sector Data Catalogue (Catalogue des Données du Secteur Public, CDSP), a national data catalogue designed to document datasets in a standardised way, improve discoverability, and ensure compliance with security and legal obligations. It allows organisations to see what data exists and under what conditions it can be accessed. 

Together, these tools enable consistent and interoperable cataloguing of public-sector datasets at national level, including work such as the MECO Data Cataloguing project.

Within this framework, the project focused on datasets from the Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) department of MECO and aimed to strengthen data discoverability and metadata standardisation, making datasets easier to find and consistently described.

The power of findable data

Metadata is the label on the “book.” It tells you what the dataset contains, who owns it, how to access it, and under what conditions. Without this, even valuable data can remain underused.

In practice, by leveraging the DCAT-AP-LU metadata standardisation and the CDSP environment, MECO ensures its metadata is:

  • Consistent: Every dataset follows the same standard.
  • Interoperable: Compatible with EU-wide standards.
  • Compliant: Meets national governance and legal requirements.

Defining metadata standards is essential, but their impact increases when teams learn how to apply them in their daily work – something the MECO project set out to achieve.

Inside the MECO project: from vision to action

Rather than treating data cataloguing as a purely technical requirement, the project was designed as a learning and implementation process. LNDS and MinDigital jointly designed and delivered workshops covering metadata principles, DCAT-AP-LU alignment, and the operational use of the CDSP. These sessions were complemented by practical exercises. MECO teams worked directly with their own datasets, mapping and aligning metadata as part of the cataloguing process. This approach allowed participants to build confidence while applying the standards in a real operational context.

The collaboration with the Luxembourg National Data Service has been highly valuable for MECO. Through a constructive and hands on partnership, we were able not only to standardise and structure our metadata according to national requirements, but also to build strong internal capacity for future cataloguing efforts. The expertise, responsiveness, and collaborative spirit of LNDS greatly contributed to the success of this pilot project and laid a solid foundation for a more harmonised and efficient data governance approach within MECO.

– Ministry of the Economy (MECO)

Project achievements: growing autonomy and improving tools

By the end of the project, MECO improved internal data discoverability. The targeted datasets were aligned with the DCAT‑AP‑LU metadata profile and were successfully catalogued in the CDSP, making them fully available as internal records.

Just as importantly, MECO team became progressively autonomous on the cataloguing process. They became capable of managing the full cataloguing workflow themselves – from creating and validating metadata to ingesting records into the catalogue.

This project also improved MECO internal data discoverability 

The collaboration also helped improve the tools themselves. Feedback gathered during the project led to concrete improvements in both the CDSP and the DCAT-AP-LU profile, contributing to smoother cataloguing workflows for future initiatives.

Why this matters for Luxembourg’s digital future

As outlined earlier, the 19 December Law of the CGSD aims to make public-sector data accessible, trustworthy, and reusable. This MECO project shows how this vision becomes reality: through standards, collaboration, and capacity building.

By strengthening metadata practices and clarifying publication workflows, this work contributes to a national ecosystem where well-described data can become easier to find and reuse, supporting better decisions, better services, and digital innovation.

The MECO cataloguing project demonstrates how national data governance principles can be translated into concrete value when clear standards are paired with practical, hands‑on support. By applying DCAT‑AP‑LU within the CDSP environment and working directly with MECO on real operational use cases, the project not only strengthened metadata quality and improved data discoverability but also generated insights that contributed to refining both tools for future users. This collaboration shows how consistent practices and shared expertise across administrations can accelerate digital transformation and build a more coherent, accessible, and trusted public‑sector data landscape for Luxembourg. 

– Ministry for Digitalisation (MinDigital)

A foundation for what comes next

The project achieved its objectives while laying the groundwork for future expansion. With standardised metadata practices in place and internal capacity strengthened at MECO, this project provides a solid foundation for extending data cataloguing to additional MECO departments in future phases.

Taken more broadly, the experience shows how structured metadata and practical implementation can make public-sector data easier to find and better described.

This experience provides a practical reference for organisations considering similar initiatives.

Interested in data cataloguing?

If you are interested in cataloguing public sector data, we invite you to contact the LNDS Service Desk. Together with the Ministry for Digitalisation, we can support you in aligning with data governance requirements and publishing metadata in the national Public Sector Data Catalogue (CDSP).

This work contributes to broader efforts in building data clarity and impact across Luxembourg’s public sector, as described in our article Building Data Clarity: From Vision to Impact.

For further information on available datasets and the cataloguing process, please consult: