The Data Seal of Approval is an initiative of Data Archiving and Networked Services launched earlier this year. It sets out guidelines for research data, with these principles:

Digital research data must meet five quality criteria:

1. The research data can be found on the internet.
2. The research data are accessible, while taking into account ruling legislation with regard to personal information and intellectual property of the data.
3. The research data are available in a usable data format.
4. The research data are reliable.
5. The research data can be referred to.

See also the summary and comments by Stéphane Goldstein.