1. Using the Spatial Reference for Official Statistics in Germany Joint Working Party meeting on "Geographical Information Systems for Statistics" on March 3-4, 2005 in Luxembourg

2. Agenda Initial situation Framework conditions Results obtained
Current activities
Outlook

3. Initial situation
The general value added of spatial reference has been recognised by politics, businesses and the society in Germany and is already used in many areas.
By the official statistics in Germany the spatial reference is so far used only for cartographic presentations. Major reasons of this are organisational and legal framework conditions.

4. Framework conditions Legal framework conditions
There are stringent regulations regarding the protection of data of individual businesses and persons.
Addresses are not used for spatial reference but only as auxiliary characteristics for census data and as organisational characteristics for business data.
Adresses of persons must be separated from the census data as early as possible and must be destroyed after using.
Using spatial reference of statistical data is possible only at the level of administrative units and of so-called "Blockseiten". Blockseiten are areas of street segments which are located between two crossroads.
Politische Gremien: IMAGI, GIW
Öffentliche Datenanbieter: GDI-DE, Länder-GDI, Verwaltungsdaten einzelner Gemeinden und Regionen

5. Framework conditions Organisational framework conditions
Using data of official statistics is organised in a federal manner.
Statistical data are successively aggregated from NUTS 5 to NUTS 1 level. Thus explicit spatial reference will irreversibly be lost for analyses from level to level.
Within the federal statistical system, the “Blockseiten” are used mainly to organise the survey. Only sometimes they are used by local statistical offices which are responsible for statistics at NUTS 5 level.
Politische Gremien: IMAGI, GIW
Öffentliche Datenanbieter: GDI-DE, Länder-GDI, Verwaltungsdaten einzelner Gemeinden und Regionen

6. Results obtained Cartography Geo-referencing and spatial analysis
Interactive presentation of regional statistical data at NUTS 3 level
Geo-referencing and spatial analysis
Pilot study "business register"
Testing of geo-referencing methods
Exemplary spatial referenced examinations
At present a productive application of a geo-referenced business register is not intended
Methodological development
Statistical confidentiality in grid maps

7. Results obtained
Interactive presentation of regional statistical data (NUTS 3)

8. Results obtained
Pilot study "business register": Example of application
Flooded areas in August 2002
Business locations within the flooded areas
Business locations outside the flooded areas

9. Results obtained Statistical confidentiality in grid maps
Primary confidentiality Applying national confidentiality rules for tables to grid maps. Thereby every grid cell is considered as a table with a regional breakdown.
Rule of minimum case
Rule of dominant case
...
Secondary confidentiality Classification of grid cell values as a first approach.

10. Current activities Studies and methodological development
Study on improving processes and products of the official statistics using the spatial reference
Study on changes required in legal and organisational framework conditions for using the spatial reference
Continuing the methodological development regarding statistical confidentiality in grid maps
Cartographical presentation
Using the Internet Map Server technology
Register of municipalities
Foreign trade statistic
Elections for the German “Bundestag”

11. Outlook Medium-term aims Geo-referencing of the next population census
The political, legal and organisational bases have not been set up yet.
Geo-referencing of the business register
What is required for an effectiv use is the completely declaration of the location addresses of the individual businesses.

12. Thank you very much for your attention