1. High-level Working Group on Statistical Confidentiality
Inclusion of statistical data collection on use of ICT in households and by individuals in Regulation 831/2002
Albrecht Wirthmann – Information society statistics
23 Oct 2009
High-level Working Group on Statistical Confidentiality

2. Structure of the presentation
Background
Legal base
ICT usage in households and by individuals
Inclusion of data collection in Regulation 831/2002
23 Oct 2009
High-level Working Group on Statistical Confidentiality

3. High-level Working Group on Statistical Confidentiality
Background
Renewed Lisbon Strategy for economic growth and employment
I2010 strategy as successor to eEurope 2005
Single European Information Space
Inclusive European information society
I2010 benchmarking framework (April 2006)
Annual European Information Society progress report
Aim to adopt post i2010 benchmarking framework at i2010 High Level Group meeting on 9 Nov 2009
23 Oct 2009
High-level Working Group on Statistical Confidentiality

4. I2010 benchmarking framework (1)
Monitoring the European Information Space
Development of broadband
Advanced services
Security (Special Module)
Monitoring of Inclusion, public services and quality of life
Digital Inclusion
Digital Divide
Digital Literacy
Impact of ICT on society
23 Oct 2009
High-level Working Group on Statistical Confidentiality

5. I2010 benchmarking framework (2)
Specific modules
Households and Individuals
eGovernment (2006)
Skills and digital literacy (2007)
Advanced services (2008)
e-Commerce and trust (2009)
Security (2010)
eSkills (2011)
Renewal of benchmarking framework in 2009
23 Oct 2009
High-level Working Group on Statistical Confidentiality

6. Eurostat ICT usage surveys
Legal base
Framework regulation 808/2004 concerning Community statistics on the information society
2 Modules
Enterprise module
Households / Individuals module
Annual Commission Regulations
Subjects and characteristics
Coverage
Breakdowns, background characteristics
Reference periods
Deadlines for transmission of results
23 Oct 2009
High-level Working Group on Statistical Confidentiality

7. Eurostat ICT usage surveys
Legal base
Amended Framework Regulation
Mandatory transmission of individual data records
Harmonisation of socio-economic background variables within project of introduction of core social variables
Legal process has been finished, text is waiting for publication
23 Oct 2009
High-level Working Group on Statistical Confidentiality

8. High-level Working Group on Statistical Confidentiality
Household module
Scope
Households, Individuals with age 16-74
Sample size
ca households, ca individuals in 2008
Social-demographic background variables
Age, gender, educational level, employment situation, occupation, household composition, household income, urbanisation, region
ca. 120 collection variables + 11 background variables
Variables can change annually
23 Oct 2009
High-level Working Group on Statistical Confidentiality

9. High-level Working Group on Statistical Confidentiality
Household module
Questions on a wide range of issues:
Access and connectivity
e.g. Internet at home? Broadband at home?
Computer use
e.g. frequency and location of use, computer skills, …
Internet use:
e.g. frequency, location of use, Internet skills
e.g. Internet activities (e-government, e-learning,
e-shopping, Internet banking, …)
23 Oct 2009
High-level Working Group on Statistical Confidentiality

10. Household module: Socioeconomic background variables
Households
Household type and composition
1, 2, >2 persons, with or without children < 16 years
Regions
NUTS level 1 (mandatory), NUTS level 2 (voluntary)
Degree of urbanisation
Urban, intermediate, rural areas
Type of region
Convergence, non-convergence region
Household income
Quartiles
23 Oct 2009
High-level Working Group on Statistical Confidentiality

11. Household module: Socioeconomic background variables
Individuals
Age
<16 (opt), 16-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-54, 55-64, 65-74, >74 (opt)
Gender
Female, male
Educational attainment level according to ISCED
Low, medium, high
Employment situation
employed or self-employed, unemployed, student, retired or otherwise economically inactive
Household type and composition:
1, 2, >2 persons, with or without children
Occupation according to ISCO
manual, non-manual workers, ICT professionals, non-ICT professionals
23 Oct 2009
High-level Working Group on Statistical Confidentiality

12. Access to individual data records
New Regulation 223/2009 on European Statistics
Recital (29) Access to confidential data by researchers for scientific purposes should […] be improved without compromising the high level of protection that confidential statistical data require
Art 23 Access to confidential data which only allow for indirect identification of the statistical units may be granted to researchers carrying out statistical analyses for scientific purposes […] the approval of the NSI or other national authority which provided the data is required
Art 19 Data on individual statistical units may be disseminated in the form of public use file consisting of anonymised records which have been prepared in such a way that the statistical unit cannot be identified, either directly or indirectly, when account is taken of all relevant means that might reasonably be used by a third party
23 Oct 2009
High-level Working Group on Statistical Confidentiality

13. Access to confidential data for scientific purposes
Eurostat asks for:
Inclusion of Information society statistics to Regulation 831/2002
Art 5: Access to confidential data on Eurostat premises
Art 6: Access to anonymised micro data
Production of public use files
The Working Group on Statistical Confidentiality is requested to discuss and express its opinion about granting microdata access to Community Statistics on the Information Society, Module 2: Individuals, households and information society microdata.
23 Oct 2009
High-level Working Group on Statistical Confidentiality

14. High-level Working Group on Statistical Confidentiality
Process
Meeting of Committee on Statistical Confidentiality 5/12/2008)
Flexibility of Survey
Voluntary transmission of micro data
Information note by Eurostat on 29 April 2009
ISS working Group 6-7 Oct 2009
Working Group on Statistical Confidentiality
Final adoption by ESSC
23 Oct 2009
High-level Working Group on Statistical Confidentiality

15. High-level Working Group on Statistical Confidentiality
Process
Specific contract to
assess disclosure risk,
define criteria for anonymisation of micro data
prepare anonymised data sets
Discussions in ISS working group meetings (March 2009, October 2009)
Discussions in ISS households and individuals Task Force
Final agreement in written consultation of NSIs
23 Oct 2009
High-level Working Group on Statistical Confidentiality