CoreTrustSeal

The table below shows the differences between the CTS certification, the application for the NESTOR seal and ISO certification (Netwerk Digitaal Erfgoed, n.d.). The assessment varies in intensity from a 'peer review' of delivered documentation in the case of the CoreTrustSeal to a prepared 'on-site' visit by an external audit team in the case of the ISO guideline 16363.

Dillo & de Leeuw (2018) summarise a number of the benefits as follows:

• Performing a self-assessment does not take much time; on average two to four days;
• The time to be spent mainly depends on the level of existing documentation;
• The certification process is very useful as an evaluation of internal procedures, which can be reviewed and updated as necessary. The current state of affairs becomes visible. In addition, the procedures and documentation are evaluated, tested and approved by an external professional and the CTS is very useful in identifying strengths and weaknesses;
• CTS certification confirms the usefulness and necessity of long-term planning and helps to put these issues higher on the management's agenda;
• CTS certification contributes to a reliable image. The label clarifies what a digital repository is, what its activities are and creates transparency in the area of sustainability;
• The CTS label helps to build a community: "We all work according to the same standards";
• Because of its general approach, CTS is seen as a less 'threatening', detailed and time-consuming procedure than more comprehensive standards, such as ISO. The focus is on increasing awareness and transparency.

In the report 'Turning FAIR into reality', the authors recommend using the CTS as a starting point for the development of an assessment framework for FAIR certification of data archives and services (European Commission, 2018). In the project FAIRsFAIR (n.d.) this recommendation will be elaborated.