Contents

1. Exchange Data Model: QueryResponse (Evidence Response)

This guideline explains how to use the ebRS QueryResponse syntax to implement the Business Requirements (Req ID) described for the Evidence Response. The guideline provides specific details for each class and information elements including the underlying standards, data types and cardinalities to produce conformant XML documents. In the following sections, we describe the XML serialization of the Evidence Response in the same hierarchical order of the corresponding Exchange Data Model.

The Exchange Data Model in the figure below provides an overview of the information elements and their associations contained in the Evidence Response. An Evidence Response is a message created by the Evidence Provider (EP) containing all the necessary parameters for positively responding to an evidence request including the evidence itself.

To form a valid QueryResponse, at least the following elements are required:

• the "requestId" of the QueryRequest;
• the "status" of the QueryResponse;
• the "SpecificationIdentifier" to identify the version of this specification.
• the "EvidenceResponseIdentifier" provides a unique identifier of the Response Message.
• the "IssueDateTime" to describe the time of the response;
• the "EvidenceProvider" to describe the entity that is technically responsible for creating the QueryResponse; 
• the "EvidenceRequester" to describe the entity that is technically responsible for receiving the QueryResponse; 
• In case of success, the QueryResponse must include a "rim:RegistryObjectList" which returns the requested information. A "DocumentQuery" triggers a response with the rim:Slot "EvidenceMetadata" and rim:RepositoryItemRef. 

2. ebRIM Definition of the QueryResponse  (Evidence Response)

This section defines the core ebRIM elements that are used to compose a Query Response (Evidence Response). It thereby distinguishes between attributes and slots to define the Evidence Response:

Attribute Definition: The table provides an overview of the mandatory attributes and the information they contain for each QueryResponse according to ebRIM. 

Slot definition: The elements provide an overview of the defined ebRIM SlotType instances, which have a name and a value. The value is of type ValueType. Most rim:Slots do not contain sub-properties other than the SlotValue itself, except if they are collections. Collections refer to sources such as Core Vocabularies and a corresponding syntax binding to a class defined in the SDG Generic Metadata Profile. (see section 3). 

2.1 ebRIM QueryResponse example

The Evidence Response is expressed using the ebRS Query Response Message. It contains a reference to the query it is responding to, and thus there is no need to include any information already present in the request. This reference is in the form of a requestId attribute.

The status attribute is used to distinguish between a successful response using the value "urn:oasis:names:tc:ebxml-regrep:ResponseStatusType:Success" and a response that is available at a later time "urn:oasis:names:tc:ebxml-regrep:ResponseStatusType:Unavailable". 

The Evidence Response is contained in the RegistryObjectList element of the QueryResponse. Each Registry Object in the registry object list represents an Evidence Distribution. It is noted that the Registry Object list may contain more than one responding pieces of evidence, each represented in the distribution requested. Each RegistryObject element contains one EvidenceMetadata slot and one repositoryItemRef element.

The RepositoryItemRef element contains the link to the AS4 Attachment containing the Evidence described in the EvidenceMetadata Slot.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<query:QueryResponse xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
    xmlns:rs="urn:oasis:names:tc:ebxml-regrep:xsd:rs:4.0"
    xmlns:rim="urn:oasis:names:tc:ebxml-regrep:xsd:rim:4.0"
    xmlns:query="urn:oasis:names:tc:ebxml-regrep:xsd:query:4.0"
    xmlns:sdg="http://data.europa.eu/p4s"
    xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"
	xmlns:xml="http://www.w3.org/XML/1998/namespace" 
    
    requestId="urn:uuid:c4369c4d-740e-4b64-80f0-7b209a66d629"
    status="urn:oasis:names:tc:ebxml-regrep:ResponseStatusType:Success">

	<!-- Slots are omitted for clarity  -->      
	<rim:RegistryObjectList>         
		
		<!-- First Object -->
		<rim:RegistryObject xsi:type="rim:ExtrinsicObjectType" id="555555-740e-4b64-80f0-2462462462">
            
            <!-- The slot "EvidenceMetadata" is included here -->
            
            <!-- The attached Document Provided as Evidence. Points to an AS4 attachment -->             
			<rim:RepositoryItemRef xlink:href="cid:attachment100001@example.oots.eu" xlink:title="SecondaryEducationCompletion"/>         
		</rim:RegistryObject>
	 	
		<!-- Second Object -->
	 	<rim:RegistryObject xsi:type="rim:ExtrinsicObjectType" id="60bc1cbb-2f6c-4eef-9479-b4ce3684572c">
        
            <!-- The slot "EvidenceMetadata" is included here -->
            
            <!-- The attached Document Provided as Evidence. Points to an AS4 attachment -->
            <rim:RepositoryItemRef xlink:href="cid:attachment100002@example.oots.eu" xlink:title="Secondary Education Completion Evidence Supplement"/>
        </rim:RegistryObject>
    </rim:RegistryObjectList>  
</query:QueryResponse>

2.2. Specification Identifier example

The SpecificationIdentifier element is used for expressing the version of the specification used for creating the referred document.

A Slot with the name of "SpecificationIdentifier" is used with the ValueType of StringValueType.

<!-- SpecificationIdentifier Slot -->
    <rim:Slot name="SpecificationIdentifier">
        <rim:SlotValue xsi:type="rim:StringValueType">
            <rim:Value>oots-edm:v1.0</rim:Value>
        </rim:SlotValue>
    </rim:Slot>

2.3. Evidence Response Identifier example

The EvidenceResponseIdentifier element is used for expressing the Unique Identifier of the response generated by the evidence provider.

A Slot with the name of "EvidenceResponseIdentifier" is used with the ValueType of StringValueType.

<!-- EvidenceResponseIdentifier Slot -->
    <rim:Slot name="EvidenceResponseIdentifier">
        <rim:SlotValue xsi:type="rim:StringValueType">
            <rim:Value>5af62cce-debe-11ec-9d64-0242ac120002</rim:Value>
        </rim:SlotValue>
    </rim:Slot>

2.4. Issue Date and Time example

The IssueDateTime element is used for expressing the creation date and time of the referenced document. 

Α Slot with the name of "IssueDateTime" is used with the ValueType of DateTimeValueType which has the value of ISO timestamp.

   <!-- IssueDateTime Slot -->
    <rim:Slot name="IssueDateTime">
        <rim:SlotValue xsi:type="rim:DateTimeValueType">
            <rim:Value>2022-05-19T17:10:10.872Z</rim:Value>
        </rim:SlotValue>
    </rim:Slot>

2.5 Response Available Date Time example

In situations where pieces of evidence may exist that are not immediately available, the ResponseAvailableDateTime slot may be used to express the latest point in time by which any such late pieces of evidence may be made available. As an example, this may be used by Data Services that generate evidence using a process that cannot complete within the duration of an interactive user session, but which have a predictable availability date and time. For example, a process that involves scheduled batch jobs. Depending on implementation, the Online Procedure Portal may use this information to inform the user to pause the procedure and to return at a later point by which time the evidence will be available.

If multiple pieces of evidence may be available, with possibly different dates and times at which they are available, the value to be used in the Slot should be the latest of these values.

This Slot must only be used with Query Response status set to the “Unavailable” response status. In that case, the content of the QueryResponse element must contain a (possibly empty) RegistryObjectList.  

The Slot must be omitted if the Data Service is not willing or able to provide the date and time by which pieces of evidence may be available.

 Α Slot with the name of "ResponseAvailableDateTime" is optionally used with the ValueType of DateTimeValueType which has the value of ISO timestamp. 

   <!-- ResponseAvailableDateTime Slot  -->
    <rim:Slot name="ResponseAvailableDateTime">
        <rim:SlotValue xsi:type="rim:DateTimeValueType">
            <rim:Value>2022-05-30T15:00:00.000Z</rim:Value>
        </rim:SlotValue>
    </rim:Slot>

3. SDGR Application Profile for the Evidence Response

The SDGR application profile for the Evidence Response defines the semantics of the previously introduced rim:Slots defined as a collection (green components) of the Evidence Response Message. The SDGR application profile for the Evidence Response describes how the SDG-Generic-Metadata Profile (SDG-syntax) is profiled in ebRIM in order to compose a valid QueryResponse. It therefore contains a mapping to the underlying SDG-syntax elements and necessary parameters for providing the evidence that was requested by an Evidence Request.  Thus, the values for several parameters are obtained from the Evidence Provider that is responding to the Evidence Request. The namespace of the SDG-syntax is http://data.europa.eu/p4s. In the following samples, the prefix "sdg" is assumed to be linked to the namespace http://data.europa.eu/p4s.

3.1 Evidence Provider slot and example

The Evidence Provider element is used to describe an organisation that provides data or documents requested by an Evidence Requester.  In most cases, the agent is a public organisation, however in some MSs, for some evidence types, businesses have been accredited to supply them.

An evidence provider must be registered in the Data Service Directory in order to be activated in the SDG OOTS.

The Evidence Provider element is expressed using a Slot with the name of "EvidenceProvider" and ValueType of CollectionValueType in order to express the information using the Core Public Service Vocabulary Application Profile. The Evidence Provider information inside the AnyValueType Slot is expressed using the Agent Class. The CollectionValueType Slot as a container can hold information about EvidenceProvider and Intermediaries.

<!--   EvidenceProvider Slot -->
	<rim:Slot name="EvidenceProvider">
	 <rim:SlotValue xsi:type="rim:CollectionValueType">
		<rim:Element xsi:type="rim:AnyValueType">
            <sdg:Agent>
                <sdg:Identifier schemeID="urn:cef.eu:names:identifier:EAS:9930">DE73524311</sdg:Identifier>
                <sdg:Name lang="en">Civil Registration Office Berlin I</sdg:Name>           
                <sdg:Address>
                        <sdg:FullAddress>Schönstedtstraße 5</sdg:FullAddress>
                        <sdg:LocatorDesignator>5</sdg:LocatorDesignator>
                        <sdg:PostCode>13357</sdg:PostCode>
                        <sdg:PostCityName>Berlin</sdg:PostCityName>
                        <sdg:AdminUnitLevel1>DE</sdg:AdminUnitLevel1>  
                </sdg:Address>
			 	<sdg:Classification>EvidenceProvider</sdg:Classification>
            </sdg:Agent>
        </rim:Element>
      </rim:SlotValue> 	
	</rim:Slot>

3.2 Evidence Requester slot and example

The Evidence Requester element is used to describe an organisation that requests data or documents from Evidence Providers. The agent requests the evidence, by sending an evidence request to the evidence provider, on behalf of the evidence subject.  In several cases it might be a portal/organisation that initiates the evidence request. However, the evidence response must be returned to the Evidence Requester that initiated the evidence request and not to the portal/intermediary in case there are more than one Evidence Requesters named in the evidence request. 

No central registry of evidence requesters is required, only the minimal details required to enable legal logging of requests or facilitate the processing of the evidence request. 

A Slot with the name of "EvidenceRequester" is used with the ValueType of AnyValueType which accepts any xml representation. In this particular case, the Core Public Service Vocabulary Application Profile and its Agent class is used for the expression of the Evidence Requester information inside the AnyValueType Slot.

<!--   EvidenceRequester Slot  -->
	<rim:Slot name="EvidenceRequester"> 
		<rim:SlotValue xsi:type="rim:AnyValueType">
            <sdg:Agent>
                <sdg:Identifier schemeID="urn:cef.eu:names:identifier:EAS:0096">DK22233223</sdg:Identifier>
                <sdg:Name>Denmark University Portal</sdg:Name>
            </sdg:Agent>
        </rim:SlotValue>    
	</rim:Slot> 

3.3 Evidence Metadata slot and example

Element to provide the metadata about an evidence that is provided from the Data Service of an Evidence Provider (EP). Is described along the DCAT Application Profile.

<xs:choice>

<xs:choice>

<xs:choice>

<xs:choice>

The EvidenceMetadata Slot has a SlotValue of type AnyValueType containing an Evidence class. The DCAT Application profile is used for representing each XML element. 
The Evidence class contains:

• The Unique Identifier of the issued evidence
• A reference to the EvidenceType to which the Evidence is conformant to
• The Evidence Subject in the "IsAbout" element, either a natural or a legal person;
• The Distribution class, which includes:
  • The Format, conformance and language code as defined in the SDG Application Profile.
  • The Transformation applied to the evidence, if any.
• The Issuing Body which uses the Agent class from the SDG Application Profile using the Core Public Service Vocabulary Application Profile Agent class:
  
  • This includes an identifier and the name of the Issuing Body.
• The document's issue date;
• Language(s) used in the specific included evidence;
• Optionally, a validity period, specified in the temporal element with a start and end date.

When using the Evidence class for representing the value of each element, AnyValueType is used as it allows data in XML format to be used as the slot's value. 

 <!--   EvidenceMetadata Slot  -->    
 <rim:Slot name="EvidenceMetadata">
   	<rim:SlotValue xsi:type="rim:AnyValueType">
       	<sdg:Evidence>
          	<Identifier>37a169f1-9cf6-4aa8-ac24-b083fa569173</Identifier>
            <IsAbout>
            <!--
                Must contain at least the Minimum Data Set part of the
                evidence Subject attributes to confirm identity matching   
			    Must contain either a IsAbout <<NaturalPerson>> or <<LegalPerson>> but NOT both.    
            -->
            	<NaturalPerson>
                	<!-- The identifier of the user retrieved through the EvidenceRequest from eIDAS -->
                  	<Identifier schemeID="eidas">DK/DE/123456</Identifier>
                    <!-- Mandatory Minimum Data Set -->
                    <FamilyName>Smith</FamilyName>
                    <GivenName>John</GivenName>
                    <DateOfBirth>1985-09-09</DateOfBirth>
             	</NaturalPerson>
          	</IsAbout>

			<!-- The issuing authority which might be different from the evidence provider e.g. if the evidence provider acts as intermediary platform for data services -->
            <IssuingAuthority>
               	<Identifier schemeID="urn:cef.eu:names:identifier:EAS:9930">DE73524311</Identifier>
              	<Name lang="en">Civil Registration Office Berlin I</Name>
           	</IssuingAuthority>

		  	<!-- Classification Information - Used for linking with the Semantic Repository and Evidence Broker -->  	
            <IsConformantTo>
               	<EvidenceTypeClassification>CertificateOfBirth</EvidenceTypeClassification>
 		    	<Title lang="en">Certificate of Birth</Title>
				<Title lang="de">Geburtsurkunde</Title>
				<Description lang="en">An official certificate of birth of a person - with first name, surname, sex, date and place of birth, which is obtained from the birth register of the place of birth.</Description>
				<Description lang="de">Eine amtliche Bescheinigung über die Geburt einer Person – mit Vorname, Familienname, Geschlecht, Datum und Ort der Geburt, welche aus dem Geburtsregister des Geburtsortes erstellt wird.</Description>
          	</IsConformantTo>
           	
		    <!-- The issuing date, distribution and validity period of the evidence -->
			<IssuingDate>1985-09-11</IssuingDate>
           	<Distribution>
              	<Format>application/pdf</Format>
          	</Distribution>
           	<ValidityPeriod>
               	<StartDate>2022-05-20</StartDate>
                <EndDate>2023-05-20</EndDate>
           	</ValidityPeriod>
      	</sdg:Evidence>      
   	</rim:SlotValue>
</rim:Slot>