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Search Eurostat Datasets

eurostat_search_datasets
Read-onlyIdempotent

Search the Eurostat catalogue by keyword. Returns matching datasets with codes, descriptions, period coverage, and theme breadcrumbs. Use this to discover dataset codes before calling eurostat_get_dataset_info, then eurostat_query_dataset for a slice of a dataset or eurostat_download_dataset for the whole of one. Results are limited to datasets and predefined tables — folders are excluded. The catalogue joins two sources: the dissemination table of contents, and the Comext host's dataflow list, which adds the DS-* collections — detailed trade by CN8, HS, SITC, BEC and CPA, and PRODCOM — filed under "International trade in goods - detailed data (Comext)" and "Statistics on the production of manufactured goods (PRODCOM)". Comext entries report a last-update date but no period coverage or observation count. A collection on neither list, such as the legacy PRODCOM DS-056120, is not disseminated and cannot be reached through this server.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
limitNoPage size — maximum datasets returned per page (1–100). Default is 20. To retrieve matches beyond one page, pass the returned nextCursor back as cursor; the page size is fixed by this first call.
queryYesSearch terms — at least one non-whitespace token is required. Split on whitespace into tokens; every token must match (AND), case-insensitively, somewhere across the dataset label, theme breadcrumb, or code. Spacing beside punctuation in the catalogue is ignored, so "Rev.2" also finds "Rev. 2" and "2015=100" finds "2015 = 100"; a token keeps its own punctuation, as in "R&D", "non-EU", or "DS-045409". Word order does not matter, so "business demography NUTS 3" or "regional economic accounts" resolve without naming a label verbatim. When nothing matches, the error names each word whose removal alone would find matches.
cursorNoOpaque pagination cursor from a previous call's nextCursor. Omit for the first page; pass it back — with the same query — to fetch the next page of matches over a stable order. A cursor is bound to the query that produced it and to the catalogue snapshot in effect at that time, so reusing one with a different query, or after the catalogue refreshes, is rejected rather than silently paging a different result set.

Output Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
errorNoPresent when the call failed. Absent on success.
queryNoSearch terms as submitted.
noticeNoNames each part of the catalogue this answer is missing — the Comext collections, or updates since a refresh failed — and what to do about it. Omitted when the whole catalogue answered.
datasetsNoMatching datasets for the current page, up to the requested limit.
nextStepNoSuggested next action based on these results. Populated when there is a clear follow-up call.
truncatedNoTrue when more matches remain beyond this page — pass nextCursor as cursor to fetch them.
nextCursorNoOpaque cursor for the next page of matches. Pass it back as cursor with the same query; it stops working once the catalogue refreshes. Omitted on the last page.
totalMatchesNoTotal distinct dataset codes matching the query across all pages, before the page limit.
catalogueLoadedAtNoWhen the catalogue that answered was loaded (ISO 8601). Present only when a refresh failed and that older copy is still in service; omitted otherwise.
comextListMissingNoTrue when the Comext dataflow list could not be loaded, so the DS-* collections (detailed trade and PRODCOM) were not searched and totalMatches counts the dissemination table of contents alone. Omitted when both sources were searched.

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. Changed6 schema fields changed
    • changedInput schema / properties / query / description
      Previous value: -"Search terms — at least one non-whitespace token is required. Split on whitespace into tokens; every token must match (AND), case-insensitively, somewhere across the dataset label, theme breadcrumb, or code. Word order does not matter, so \"business demography NUTS 3\" or \"regional economic accounts\" resolve without naming a label verbatim."New value: +"Search terms — at least one non-whitespace token is required. Split on whitespace into tokens; every token must match (AND), case-insensitively, somewhere across the dataset label, theme breadcrumb, or code. Spacing beside punctuation in the catalogue is ignored, so \"Rev.2\" also finds \"Rev. 2\" and \"2015=100\" finds \"2015 = 100\"; a token keeps its own punctuation, as in \"R&D\", \"non-EU\", or \"DS-045409\". Word order does not matter, so \"business demography NUTS 3\" or \"regional economic accounts\" resolve without naming a label verbatim. When nothing matches, the error names each word whose removal alone would find matches."
    • addedOutput schema / properties / catalogueLoadedAt
      Added value: +{
      +  "description": "When the catalogue that answered was loaded (ISO 8601). Present only when a refresh failed and that older copy is still in service; omitted otherwise.",
      +  "type": "string"
      +}
    • addedOutput schema / properties / comextListMissing
      Added value: +{
      +  "description": "True when the Comext dataflow list could not be loaded, so the DS-* collections (detailed trade and PRODCOM) were not searched and totalMatches counts the dissemination table of contents alone. Omitted when both sources were searched.",
      +  "type": "boolean"
      +}
    • changedOutput schema / properties / error / properties / data / properties / reason / description
      Previous value: -"Machine-readable failure mode. Declared by this tool: `no_match`: No datasets matched the query string — including a query naming a DS-* code that neither the dissemination table of contents nor the Comext dataflow list carries, which is a collection Eurostat does not disseminate. `invalid_cursor`: The cursor is malformed, came from a different query, or came from a catalogue snapshot that has since refreshed. Other values are possible when a failure originates below the handler."New value: +"Machine-readable failure mode. Declared by this tool: `no_match`: No datasets matched the query string — including a query naming a DS-* code that neither the dissemination table of contents nor the Comext dataflow list carries, which is a collection Eurostat does not disseminate, and any query while the Comext dataflow list cannot be loaded and only the table of contents is searched. `invalid_cursor`: The cursor is malformed, came from a different query, or came from a catalogue snapshot that has since refreshed. `upstream_fault`: The server had no catalogue loaded yet, and Eurostat's table of contents answered HTTP 5xx or could not be reached on every retry, which the error marks retryable. Once a catalogue is loaded, a failed refresh serves that copy instead. Other values are possible when a failure originates below the handler."
    • changedOutput schema / properties / error / properties / data / properties / reason / examples
      Previous value: -[
      -  "no_match",
      -  "invalid_cursor"
      -]New value: +[
      +  "no_match",
      +  "invalid_cursor",
      +  "upstream_fault"
      +]
    • addedOutput schema / properties / notice
      Added value: +{
      +  "description": "Names each part of the catalogue this answer is missing — the Comext collections, or updates since a refresh failed — and what to do about it. Omitted when the whole catalogue answered.",
      +  "type": "string"
      +}
  2. Changed1 schema field changed
    • changedOutput schema / properties / error / properties / data / properties / reason / description
      Previous value: -"Machine-readable failure mode. Declared by this tool: `no_match`: No datasets matched the query string. `invalid_cursor`: The cursor is malformed, came from a different query, or came from a catalogue snapshot that has since refreshed. Other values are possible when a failure originates below the handler."New value: +"Machine-readable failure mode. Declared by this tool: `no_match`: No datasets matched the query string — including a query naming a DS-* code that neither the dissemination table of contents nor the Comext dataflow list carries, which is a collection Eurostat does not disseminate. `invalid_cursor`: The cursor is malformed, came from a different query, or came from a catalogue snapshot that has since refreshed. Other values are possible when a failure originates below the handler."
  3. Changed6 schema fields changed
    • changedInput schema / $schema
      Previous value: -"http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"New value: +"https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema"
    • addedInput schema / additionalProperties
      Added value: +false
    • changedOutput schema / $schema
      Previous value: -"http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"New value: +"https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema"
    • addedOutput schema / anyOf
      Added value: +[
      +  {
      +    "not": {
      +      "required": [
      +        "error"
      +      ]
      +    },
      +    "required": [
      +      "datasets",
      +      "query",
      +      "totalMatches",
      +      "truncated"
      +    ]
      +  },
      +  {
      +    "required": [
      +      "error"
      +    ]
      +  }
      +]
    • addedOutput schema / properties / error
      Added value: +{
      +  "additionalProperties": {},
      +  "description": "Present when the call failed. Absent on success.",
      +  "properties": {
      +    "code": {
      +      "description": "JSON-RPC error code for this failure.",
      +      "maximum": 9007199254740991,
      +      "minimum": -9007199254740991,
      +      "type": "integer"
      +    },
      +    "data": {
      +      "additionalProperties": {},
      +      "properties": {
      +        "reason": {
      +          "description": "Machine-readable failure mode. Declared by this tool: `no_match`: No datasets matched the query string. `invalid_cursor`: The cursor is malformed, came from a different query, or came from a catalogue snapshot that has since refreshed. Other values are possible when a failure originates below the handler.",
      +          "examples": [
      +            "no_match",
      +            "invalid_cursor"
      +          ],
      +          "type": "string"
      +        },
      +        "recovery": {
      +          "additionalProperties": {},
      +          "description": "Actionable next step for the caller.",
      +          "properties": {
      +            "hint": {
      +              "type": "string"
      +            }
      +          },
      +          "required": [
      +            "hint"
      +          ],
      +          "type": "object"
      +        },
      +        "retryable": {
      +          "description": "Whether retrying may succeed.",
      +          "type": "boolean"
      +        }
      +      },
      +      "type": "object"
      +    },
      +    "message": {
      +      "description": "Human-readable description of what went wrong.",
      +      "type": "string"
      +    }
      +  },
      +  "required": [
      +    "code",
      +    "message"
      +  ],
      +  "type": "object"
      +}
    • removedOutput schema / required
      Removed value: -[
      -  "datasets",
      -  "query",
      -  "totalMatches",
      -  "truncated"
      -]
  4. Changed1 schema field changed
    • changedOutput schema / properties / datasets / items / properties / code / description
      Previous value: -"Dataset code (e.g., \"nama_10_gdp\"). Use this in eurostat_get_dataset_info and eurostat_query_dataset."New value: +"Dataset code (e.g., \"nama_10_gdp\"). Use this in eurostat_get_dataset_info, eurostat_query_dataset, and eurostat_download_dataset."
  5. Changed6 schema fields changed
    • changedInput schema / properties / cursor / description
      Previous value: -"Opaque pagination cursor from a previous call's nextCursor. Omit for the first page; pass it back to fetch the next page of matches over a stable order."New value: +"Opaque pagination cursor from a previous call's nextCursor. Omit for the first page; pass it back — with the same query — to fetch the next page of matches over a stable order. A cursor is bound to the query that produced it and to the catalogue snapshot in effect at that time, so reusing one with a different query, or after the catalogue refreshes, is rejected rather than silently paging a different result set."
    • changedInput schema / properties / query / description
      Previous value: -"Search terms. Split on whitespace into tokens; every token must match (AND), case-insensitively, somewhere across the dataset label, theme breadcrumb, or code. Word order does not matter, so \"business demography NUTS 3\" or \"regional economic accounts\" resolve without naming a label verbatim."New value: +"Search terms — at least one non-whitespace token is required. Split on whitespace into tokens; every token must match (AND), case-insensitively, somewhere across the dataset label, theme breadcrumb, or code. Word order does not matter, so \"business demography NUTS 3\" or \"regional economic accounts\" resolve without naming a label verbatim."
    • addedInput schema / properties / query / pattern
      Added value: +"\\S"
    • changedOutput schema / properties / datasets / items / properties / themePath / description
      Previous value: -"Breadcrumb path from root theme to this dataset (e.g., [\"Economy and finance\", \"National accounts\"]). Empty for top-level entries."New value: +"Breadcrumb path from root theme to this dataset (e.g., [\"Database by themes\", \"Economy and finance\"]). Eurostat files some datasets under several branches; this is the first branch that matched the query. Empty for top-level entries."
    • changedOutput schema / properties / nextCursor / description
      Previous value: -"Opaque cursor for the next page of matches. Pass it back as cursor. Omitted on the last page."New value: +"Opaque cursor for the next page of matches. Pass it back as cursor with the same query; it stops working once the catalogue refreshes. Omitted on the last page."
    • changedOutput schema / properties / totalMatches / description
      Previous value: -"Total datasets matching the query across all pages, before the page limit."New value: +"Total distinct dataset codes matching the query across all pages, before the page limit."
  6. Changed9 schema fields changed
    • addedInput schema / properties / cursor
      Added value: +{
      +  "description": "Opaque pagination cursor from a previous call's nextCursor. Omit for the first page; pass it back to fetch the next page of matches over a stable order.",
      +  "type": "string"
      +}
    • changedInput schema / properties / limit / description
      Previous value: -"Maximum number of results to return (1–100). Default is 20."New value: +"Page size — maximum datasets returned per page (1–100). Default is 20. To retrieve matches beyond one page, pass the returned nextCursor back as cursor; the page size is fixed by this first call."
    • changedInput schema / properties / query / description
      Previous value: -"Search terms — case-insensitive substring match against dataset labels."New value: +"Search terms. Split on whitespace into tokens; every token must match (AND), case-insensitively, somewhere across the dataset label, theme breadcrumb, or code. Word order does not matter, so \"business demography NUTS 3\" or \"regional economic accounts\" resolve without naming a label verbatim."
    • changedOutput schema / properties / datasets / description
      Previous value: -"Matching datasets, up to the requested limit."New value: +"Matching datasets for the current page, up to the requested limit."
    • addedOutput schema / properties / nextCursor
      Added value: +{
      +  "description": "Opaque cursor for the next page of matches. Pass it back as cursor. Omitted on the last page.",
      +  "type": "string"
      +}
    • addedOutput schema / properties / nextStep
      Added value: +{
      +  "description": "Suggested next action based on these results. Populated when there is a clear follow-up call.",
      +  "type": "string"
      +}
    • changedOutput schema / properties / totalMatches / description
      Previous value: -"Total datasets matching the query before the limit."New value: +"Total datasets matching the query across all pages, before the page limit."
    • addedOutput schema / properties / truncated
      Added value: +{
      +  "description": "True when more matches remain beyond this page — pass nextCursor as cursor to fetch them.",
      +  "type": "boolean"
      +}
    • changedOutput schema / required
      Previous value: -[
      -  "datasets",
      -  "query",
      -  "totalMatches"
      -]New value: +[
      +  "datasets",
      +  "query",
      +  "totalMatches",
      +  "truncated"
      +]
  7. Changed3 schema fields changed
    • addedOutput schema / properties / query
      Added value: +{
      +  "description": "Search terms as submitted.",
      +  "type": "string"
      +}
    • changedOutput schema / properties / totalMatches / description
      Previous value: -"Total number of datasets matching the query before the limit is applied."New value: +"Total datasets matching the query before the limit."
    • changedOutput schema / required
      Previous value: -[
      -  "datasets",
      -  "totalMatches"
      -]New value: +[
      +  "datasets",
      +  "query",
      +  "totalMatches"
      +]
  8. First observed

TDQS

A4.5/5.0
Behavior5/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations only cover the read-only/idempotent/open-world profile; the description goes well beyond that, disclosing that results are limited to datasets and predefined tables, that the catalogue merges two distinct sources, that Comext entries carry a last-update date but no period coverage or observation count, and that some collections (e.g. legacy PRODCOM DS-056120) are unreachable. These are genuine behavioral caveats an agent would otherwise discover only by failure.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness3/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The first three sentences are tight and front-loaded, but the closing catalogue-provenance paragraph runs long and carries low-yield detail for tool selection (source names, breadcrumb strings, the specific DS-056120 example). Useful caveats like Comext lacking period coverage are buried in that block rather than stated up front.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness5/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

With an output schema present, the description is not obliged to detail return values, and it still gives a one-line summary of the result fields. Combined with the reachability caveats and workflow routing, an agent has everything needed to call and interpret this tool.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 100% and each of query/limit/cursor is thoroughly documented in the schema itself (tokenized AND matching, punctuation folding, cursor binding). The description adds no parameter guidance beyond that, so the baseline 3 applies.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

States a specific verb and resource ("Search the Eurostat catalogue by keyword") and immediately says what comes back (codes, descriptions, period coverage, theme breadcrumbs). It also distinguishes itself from siblings by positioning itself as the discovery step before eurostat_get_dataset_info / european_query_dataset / eurostat_download_dataset. An agent can tell this apart from browse_themes or get_dimension_values without opening a schema.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines5/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

Explicitly routes the agent: use this to discover codes, then eurostat_get_dataset_info, then eurostat_query_dataset for a slice or eurostat_download_dataset for the whole. It also names a negative boundary (folders excluded) and flags entries not reachable through the server, so the agent knows when to stop searching.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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