1. Access to European Statistical System microdata
Aleksandra Bujnowska
Statistical confidentiality and microdata access, Eurostat Unit B1

2. Presentation outline Microdata as source and output type
Access to microdata in Eurostat (eligibility criteria, procedures, microdata available, some statistics)
Recent initiatives in microdata access services in Eurostat
Euromod project

3. European Statistical System (ESS)
Members of ESS
Eurostat
NSIs
other authorities producing EUROPEAN statistics
European statistics
statistics necessary for the performance of the activities of the Community;
defined in the statistical Work Programmes

4. Definitions
Confidential data: data which allow statistical units to be identified, either directly or indirectly, thereby disclosing individual information.
Microdata: sets of records (lines in the file) containing information on individual persons, households or business entities, i.e. statistical units. Each record represents information on individual.

5. Use of microdata Microdata confidential data for statistical purposes
national statistical production
secure data exchange (within ESS)
for scientific purposes
scientific use files
(pseudonymised datasets sent to researchers on DVD)
secure use files
(datasets accessed in Eurostat's Safe Centre, outputs checked for confidentiality)
public use files
(anonymised datasets; identification of statistical units is not possible)

6. Incentives (for statistical institutes) of granting access to microdata
In-depth analysis of the data (data linking, data matching, analysis of relationships, concentration, regressions, modelling)
Better use of the data collected
Feedback on data content and structure

7. Benefits of granting access to microdata
To answer questions in the fields of economic, social, environmental and political science
In the interest of scientific progress
Without compromising the high level of protection that confidential statistical data require

8. Why the access to microdata is restricted?
Risk of disclosure
Legal obligation of statistical institutes to use the data only for calculating aggregates (statistics)
Specific rules and protocols allow access to microdata for research purposes

9. Microdata access for scientific purposes at the EU level
Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council on European statistics
Commission Regulation (EU) No 557/2013 on access to confidential data for scientific purposes
Access safeguards:
Specific datasets
Recognition as research entity
Approved research project (specifying: names of researchers, access period, use of the data, security, publication of results)

10. ESS microdata for scientific purposes
European Community Household Panel
European Union Labour Force Survey
Community Innovation Survey
European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions
Structure of Earnings Survey
Adult Education Survey
European Road Freight Transport Survey
European Health Interview Survey
Continuing Vocational Training Survey
Community Statistics on Information Society
Micro-Moments Dataset
Household Budget Survey (since September 2016)
More microdata sets available at the national level!

11. Institutions eligible to request access to microdata (recognition criteria)
Reference to research in the purpose (mission, statute, objectives) of the entity;
List of scientific publications and research projects;
Independency in formulating scientific conclusions;
Adequate security safeguards.

12. Recognised research entities, by country

13. Recognised research entities, by entity type

14. Recognition of the research entity (institutional eligibility)
Step 1
Institutional level
(1 month)
Recognition of the research entity (institutional eligibility)
Is the entity doing research?
Step 2
Researchers
(2 months)
Is the access for scientific purposes?
Request for access to microdata
Request for access to microdata
Research proposals (Requests for access)
Eurostat
National statistical authorities
(4 weeks)

15. Research proposals received by data collections, 2013-2016

16. Types of microdata for scientific purposes
Scientific use files
Secure use files
Access
At researchers' workplace
In NSIs controlled environment (e.g. safe centre or via remote access)
Data preparation
Data anonymised (variables grouped together, rounded, swapped or suppressed)
Only direct identifiers removed
Identification
Possible but difficult
Possible

17. Topics of research
Adult learning, Children, Competitiveness, Consumption, Crisis, Culture, Debt, Demography, Deprivation, Disabilities, Discrimination, Distribution, Economy, Education, Employment, Environment, Family, Gender equality/inequality, Growth, Health, Housing, ICT, Income, Inequalities, Innovation, Labour market, Migration, Mobility, Pension, Savings, Social policies, Taxes, Transport, Unemployment, Wages, Well-being…

18. Recent initiatives: Self-study material for microdata users:
Household Budget Survey 2010 available for scientific purposes
Public use files for EU-SILC and EU-LFS (some MS in 2016, all MS in 2017)

19. Enhancing the use of microdata: some ideas for further development
Exploitation of research results
Table builder allowing tailored tabulations (confidentiality on the fly)
Collaboration with Council of European Social Science Data Archives - CESSDA (entry point for national microdata access systems)

20. EUROMOD: How Eurostat data underpin a key cross-national research project (1 of 2)
EUROMOD is a tax-benefit microsimulation model for the EU, celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2016!
Model is highly flexible, documented, validated and transparent
Purpose-built software: “tax-benefit modelling” language; user interface; “plug-ins” and “add-ons” for special purpose analysis
(Relatively) easy to simulate major reforms to policy structures (without programming skills); many types of application
Managed, maintained and developed by the University of Essex, the model is updated annually in collaboration with national experts from each EU member state, making use of micro-data from the EU-SILC
Since 2009, the project has been supported by the European Commission’s DG-EMPL

21. EUROMOD: How Eurostat data underpin a key cross-national research project (2 of 2)
Open access to model/software
Freely accessible for non-commercial use
Many users and stakeholders – provide quality assurance
Regular use of EUROMOD by the EC now established
(e.g.) to inform the European Semester process (JRC/DG-ECFIN & others); development of a method to provide flash estimates of income distribution (Eurostat)
Bridges the gap between academic research and policymaking
Controlled access to EU-SILC data
SILC data re-formatted and harmonised for use as input data in the model
Users wishing to use EUROMOD input data must meet standard Eurostat conditions (work at a recognised research entity and hold a current, approved research proposal)

22. Thank you for your attention!