EC Library Guide on persistent identifiers: ISSN

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

The ISSN is an 8-digit code (ISO 3297) used to identify serial publications and other continuing resources, whether available in print or digital formats. These are publications which are issued periodically, often bearing an issue number and expected to continue indefinitely. Serials include journals, magazines, annuals (e.g. annual reports, yearbooks, directories, etc.), and monographic series. ISSNs are assigned to the serial title as an entity and not to the individual issues.

The ISSN is used to trace the evolution of a serial, to show if it has been preceded/succeeded by another title, has changed its frequency or publisher, etc. It is often used by libraries for the management of holdings, in particular in order to look up missing issues, order a subscription and provide a central access point for users interested in a particular title. It further ensures accurate citing of serials and journal articles by scholars, researchers and librarians.

ISSN International Centre
The CIEPS, also known as the ISSN International Centre, is an intergovernmental organization which manages at the international level the identification and the description of serial publications and ongoing resources, print and online, in any subject.
The Publications Office of the European Union

The Publications Office is a member of the network of ISSN national centres which governs the ISSN system, and as such, it has been granted the exclusive right to assign ISSNs to EU publications. It submits the assigned ISSN to the worldwide ISSN Register for further dissemination, thus enhancing the visibility of EU serial publications at a worldwide level, making them known to a wide audience and facilitating their inclusion in library catalogues and beyond.