Item 2.2 of the Agenda Remote access to confidential data for researchers: possible actions under the 7th Framework Programme Pascal JACQUES Unit B 5 15 & 16 October 2007 IT Directors Group

2.2 Why access to confidential data Increasing needs to access microdata files from the Research Community Answer more and more political requests for new and more focussed analysis Improve quality of analysis Permit replication of results and peer-reviewing Lack of access to microdata push the research communities to conduct their own surveys, increasing response burden, increasing the cost reducing quality of results More access to microdata would allow Broaden use of data collected Allow more analysis of better quality Improve the return on data collection investments 15 & 16 October 2007 IT Directors Group

2.2 REMOTE ACCESS TO CONFIDENTIAL DATA IN 7TH FRAMEWORK PROGRAMME Topic: Research Infrastructures Objective : Integrating Activities provide a wider and more efficient access to and use of the existing infrastructures existing in the different Member States INFRA-2008-1.1.2.27: promoting European wide access to microdata sets of officials statistics for research and leading to a European statistical system open to researchers 3rd Call for proposal opening 20 November 2007 closing 20 February 2008 Budget : around 5/6 M€ for a 5 years project (I3 model) 15 & 16 October 2007 IT Directors Group

2.2 The proposed Integrated Infrastructure Initiative must combine Networking activities (Coordination and support action) The I3 model Trans-national access (Coordination and support action) Joint research activities (Collaborative project) 15 & 16 October 2007 IT Directors Group

The networking activities Definition of standards for accredited safe centres Common framework and guidelines for Output checking Training of staff Common procedures for approval of research centres and researchers Setting up secure connections between safe centres The trans-national access Access to the defined set of microdata for researchers The different safe centres included in the network could share components such as: Common EU datasets Common rules for data access nationally and EU level for research projects and researchers Common database of allowed researchers and ways to connect to DBs Shared database containing query log files to allow Output check controls and data linking disclosure control Common rules for input and output checks Joint research activities (common procedures and technological solutions ) Advanced SDC methods like disclosure risk assessment, output checking Data Access Protection and tracing Data Analysis facilities Virtual databases management Data archiving, indexing, and curation – Work on Metadata 15 & 16 October 2007 IT Directors Group

2.2 Remote Access Facilities (RAFs) Produce statistical outputs from microdata files through computer networks, without the researchers actually ‘seeing’ the microdata. Two basic types: Remote execution. The researcher writes analysis programs Submits them to the depositor who runs them off-line. Input and output controls are executed by the depositor on the queries sent and on the results. The results are then sent back to the researcher. Remote console. The researcher can perform remotely the analysis using a software granting him the access to the microdata. In this case, he has immediately, from home, the answer of his query on the screen. Conditions are such that the microdata itself cannot be downloaded and that only simple data manipulations are available due to software limitations like tabulation and simple analyses only. Output controls have to be performed before the researcher can use the produced analysis 15 & 16 October 2007 IT Directors Group

15 & 16 October 2007 IT Directors Group