1. United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
Regional Workshop on the 2010 World Programme on Population and Housing Censuses
Minsk, 8-12 December 2008
Overview of the Conference of European Statisticians Recommendations for the 2010 Censuses of Population and Housing
Paolo Valente
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
Statistical Division

2. Conference of European Statisticians Recommendations for the 2010 Censuses

3. Purpose of the CES recommendations:
To provide guidance and assistance to CES countries in the planning and conducting of their population and housing census
To improve the comparability of the data through the selection of a core set of census topics and the harmonization of definitions and classifications

4. Conference of European Statisticians Recommendations for the 2010 Censuses
Regional version prepared since 1960 round
Reflect reality and specific needs of CES countries
New CES Rec. prepared in
Joint effort of over 100 national experts
Adopted by CES in 2006
Reference standard for EU census programme
Preparation of the Recommendations requested by the Conference of European Statisticians (CES)
First regional recommendations adopted by CES in 1959 for the censuses of the 1960 round
Other regional recommendations prepared for 1970, 1980, 1990 and 2000 census rounds
The CES Recommendations for the 2010 censuses mark the 50th anniversary of the regional recommendations
Work promoted by UNECE in cooperation with Eurostat
Overall coordination by the Steering Group on Population and Housing Censuses (membership: 12 countries + UNECE and Eurostat)
Text of the different chapters drafted by 11 Task Forces
In total, about 100 experts contributed, from 30 NSIs and 9 International Organisations
Work conducted through meetings of the Task Forces, as well as by , teleconferences and audioconferences

5. Relation between CES Rec. and Principles and Recommendations/Rev. 2
Prepared in parallel
Interaction of the two processes
General consistency of the two sets
Principles and Rec.: Broader in scope
CES Rec.: More specific, focus on CES countries
 2 sets can be used in complementary manner
Principles and Rec./Rev. 2 (UNSD): Broader in scope
- Census organization
- Census management
Tabulation program
CES Rec. Focus on regional level: Reflect reality and specific needs of CES countries
Therefore, CES Rec. may adopt more detailed approach (place of usual res.)

6. Conference of European Statisticians Recommendations for the 2010 Censuses
Content of CES Census Recommendations:
Census methodology (NEW)
Emerging census technology (NEW)
POPULATION census topics
HOUSING census topics
Not covered:
Planning, organization and management
Census outputs
Tabulation programme

7. Content of the 2010 census rec.
Sections
CES Rec.
Princ. & Rec.
Census methodology
 NEW (alternative) 
Planning, organisation and management
Census technology
NEW (emerging)
 (traditional)
Population topics
Housing topics
Tabulation programme
Appendices
APPENDICES:
Alternative approaches to census taking
The fundamental principles of official statistics in the context of population and housing censuses
Quality assurance framework and implementation
Methods of census evaluation
The scope and design of consultation programs
Implementation of a publicity and information campaign

8. New appendices introduced in 2010 CES Recommendations
Alternative approaches to census taking
Fundamental principles of official statistics in the framework of the Census
Quality framework
Census evaluation
Consultation programmes
Publicity and information campaign

9. New chapters on Census methodology and technology
Presentation of selected methodological approaches or technology emerging across the region
Purpose of these sections and related appendix is not to recommend a specific approach but rather to inform and guide countries, presenting pros and cons of various approaches
Census methodology: review of alternative methodological approaches:
Register based census
Decennial count with annual update of characteristics
Registers + surveys or complete enumeration
Rolling census
Emerging technology for data collection:
Internet census
Hand held devices

10. Population and housing topics in the CES rec
Population and housing topics in the CES rec.: Presenting topics more substantively
Describe the issues in the context of a national statistical system
Develop the conceptual framework and related definitions (i.e. migration, economic char., housing)
List of topics
Core topics: highly recommended for inclusion
Non-core topics: suggested topics for interested countries

11. Relation between CES Rec. and Princ. and Rec. /Rev
Relation between CES Rec. and Princ. and Rec./Rev. 2 Example 1: Type of population count
Principles and Recommendations/Rev. 2
Broad scope  Choice of 3 types of pop. count:
Present population count: People are counted at the place where they are present at census time
Usual resident population count: People are counted where they actually “live” (are “usual resident”)
Better information for planning and policy purposes
More complex
Service population count: People are counted where they “use” services
Ex: Daytime population, working population
Usually considered as additional output
Concept of place of usual residence quite easy to apply for the majority of the population.
The problem is how to define the place of usual residence for people who move between different places, especially those who do so frequently.
For these people there is the need to define a time threshold, the minimum time a person needs to live in a place in order to be considered as usual resident in that place
The threshold identifies how "permanent" a person needs to be in one place in order to be defined as usual resident in that place (3, 6, 12 months).

12. More specific, for CES countries:
Relation between CES Rec. and Princ. and Rec./Rev. 2 Example 1: Type of population count
CES Recommendations
More specific, for CES countries:
Usual resident population count is recommended
Best count for policy and planning purposes
Best count for international comparison of census results
Concept of place of usual residence quite easy to apply for the majority of the population.
The problem is how to define the place of usual residence for people who move between different places, especially those who do so frequently.
For these people there is the need to define a time threshold, the minimum time a person needs to live in a place in order to be considered as usual resident in that place
The threshold identifies how "permanent" a person needs to be in one place in order to be defined as usual resident in that place (3, 6, 12 months).

13. Relation between CES Rec. and Princ. and Rec. /Rev
Relation between CES Rec. and Princ. and Rec./Rev. 2 Example 2: Definition of « Place of usual residence »
For definition of Place of usual residence same general concept in the two sets of recommendations, based on:
Time threshold of 12 months
Concept of “Intention of staying” for persons who changed residence shortly before the census
Concept of place of usual residence quite easy to apply for the majority of the population.
The problem is how to define the place of usual residence for people who move between different places, especially those who do so frequently.
For these people there is the need to define a time threshold, the minimum time a person needs to live in a place in order to be considered as usual resident in that place
The threshold identifies how "permanent" a person needs to be in one place in order to be defined as usual resident in that place (3, 6, 12 months).

14. Relation between CES Rec. and Princ. and Rec. /Rev
Relation between CES Rec. and Princ. and Rec./Rev. 2 Example 2: Definition of « Place of usual residence »
Principles and Recommendations/Rev.2 Two alternative approaches presented:
The place at which the person has lived continuously for most of the last 12 months (that is, for at least six months and one day) … or intends to live for at least six months;
The place at which the person has lived continuously for at least the last 12 months, or intends to live for at least 12 months.
not including temporary absences for holidays or work assignments,

15. Relation between CES Rec. and Princ. and Rec. /Rev
Relation between CES Rec. and Princ. and Rec./Rev. 2 Example 2: Definition of « Place of usual residence »
CES Recommendations Approach (b) recommended:
Place where a person has lived for a continuous period of at least 12 months before census day OR
Place where a person has arrived during the 12 months before census day with the intention of staying for at least 12 months
Intention of staying will be covered more in detail in my presentation for next session, as well as other cases where there are some differences between the two sets of recommendations.