TASK – a database at NUTS level 3 Pedro Ferreira 27-Sep-2010

Structure of my talk Problem statement LFS at NUTS 3 Urban / Rural typology LFS at NUTS 3 Methodological issues Results Conclusions 27-Sep-2010 TASK – a database at NUTS level 3

Rural / Urban Typology Recently a new Rural / Urban typology was agreed in the European Commission (DG REGIO and DG AGRI) Typology built upon the aggregation of NUTS 3 regions It will only be possible to produce indicators for rural, intermediate and urban areas if and only if NUTS 3 data is available Consequence: there is an extra need for NUTS 3 data 27-Sep-2010 TASK – a database at NUTS level 3

LFS at NUTS level 3 In the LFS, only NUTS level 2 estimates are foreseen Some Member States can provide NUTS level 3 Nevertheless, Eurostat asked the Member States to include the NUTS 3 code into the micro data Goal: aggregate micro data belonging to the same NUTS 3 will give a rough but, most probably, unreliable NUTS 3 estimate The issue with LFS at NUTS level 3 is, therefore, RELIABILITY. 27-Sep-2010 TASK – a database at NUTS level 3

Reliability of NUTS 3 estimates Computing the reliability of an aggregate of NUTS 3 regions is a huge methodological challenge Alternatives to measure the reliability of an aggregate were considered: Formulae for upper limits for the CV; Simulation Others Until now, no final conclusion. A lot of research is still needed 27-Sep-2010 TASK – a database at NUTS level 3

Reliability: a pragmatic solution Member States send to Eurostat the reliability thresholds each year The reliability thresholds are general and they are applied to all LFS estimate The pragmatic solution: use the reliability thresholds provided by the Member States 27-Sep-2010 TASK – a database at NUTS level 3

The pragmatic approach: Pros and Cons Easy to implement; Already available; Guarantee the quality of the estimate. Cons: Very conservative approach; Hypothetically, there will be several estimates reliable enough but still will be flagged as not reliable 27-Sep-2010 TASK – a database at NUTS level 3

Reliability thresholds 27-Sep-2010 TASK – a database at NUTS level 3

Results (1) 27-Sep-2010 TASK – a database at NUTS level 3

Results (2) 27-Sep-2010 TASK – a database at NUTS level 3

Results (3) 27-Sep-2010 TASK – a database at NUTS level 3

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Conclusions A big set of new indicators according to the rural / urban typology will be possible There is a pragmatic solution for tackling the reliability issues which can be put in action immediately Further research will probably allow to extend that set Including NUTS 3 code in micro data is just a very small cost (e.g., adapting the extractions procedures) but with a big revenue 27-Sep-2010 TASK – a database at NUTS level 3