The integration of data citation practices within Social Science and Humanities (SSH) presents a multifaceted challenge, primarily due to the relatively recent emergence of the concept of publishing data. While there are recommendations such as those provided by the RDA (Research Data Alliance), a standardized approach is yet absent. This leads to the coexistence of varied citation methods, often comprising textual references or using different Persistent Identifiers for the same object. More generally and beyond a simple citation of data in a publication, it is necessary to be able to establish links between data and publications. The COMMONS project is a collaborative effort involving three French national infrastructures OpenEdition, Metopes et Huma-Num. It aims to address this issue by establishing reliable links between data and publications but also covers related issues It will last 8 years for a total cost around 30 M€..

Over the past year and a half, the project has focused on evaluating diverse use cases from different communities in order to understand current needs and anticipate future requirements. These evaluations have outlined the necessity for tools facilitating the creation of new publishing objects, in particular data papers, and providing enhanced visibility and accessibility to datasets within publications. Moreover, there's a growing demand for measuring dataset reuse to acknowledge and credit their creators effectively.

Organized into distinct sections (éléments), the COMMONS project strategically approaches its objectives. The tasks of these sections include: developing infrastructure components, identifying and implementing standards, linking data and publications through innovative use cases. And above all, one of the crucial points identified for this project is user training.

By adopting a step-by-step approach, the project aims to establish robust links between data and publications through metadata integration, adherence to standards, and seamless communication between infrastructures.

The project emphasizes the importance of machine-actionable data, achievable through synchronized updates and the adoption of standards such as SCHOLIX. Leveraging metadata formatted according to these standards enables the creation of publication services within infrastructures, facilitating accessibility and utilization by users. Additionally, close collaboration with the user community, including the development of a usage observatory, ensures that the developed tools align with evolving needs and preferences.

By focusing on interoperability and user-centric design, the COMMONS project aims to streamline workflows and enhance the accessibility and usability of data and publications. Through comprehensive interactions between its constituent sections, we endeavor to build a holistic ecosystem centered around the creation and utilization of data-publication links. The overarching goal is to go beyond mere compliance with FAIR principles and significantly improve the accessibility and utility of SSH resources.