The INSPIRE Reference Validator is one of the central INSPIRE infrastructure components used every day by tens of data providers to test the conformity of their data, metadata and web services against the INSPIRE requirements.

Last week, a new user interface for the INSPIRE reference validator was released, improving its usability. The most outstanding updates are:

1. alignment with the visual identity of the European Commission
2. more user-friendly approach for starting tests and navigating/filtering the test reports

The new user interface is being tested with the INSPIRE community before its propagation to the production INSPIRE Reference Validator instance.

If you are involved in the INSPIRE implementation, you are invited to test the new user interface and provide comments or report issues in the dedicated GitHub space. 

In the coming months, under the Digital Europe Programme, the ETF testing framework, the tool powering the INSPIRE Reference Validator will be promoted to new interest groups and communities so that they can benefit from it to validate their digital resources. 

Background

The INSPIRE reference validator is based on the ETF testing framework. It has been recognised as a tool within the European Interoperability Framework toolbox (EIF toolbox) fostering interoperability governance.

The INSPIRE Reference Validator allows data providers and solution providers to check whether metadata, data sets and network services meet the INSPIRE requirements allowing for cross-border and cross-sectoral interoperability.

The ETF testing framework is an open-source testing framework initially designed for validating spatial data, metadata and web services in Spatial Data Infrastructures that can be reused in any domain. The ETF testing framework has been developed in a neutral generic way to be reused and deployed in any domain requiring automatic checks over data resources. Being an open-source tool, it allows for flexible content and layout customisations.