EUROSTAT
Directorate B: Methodology, corporate statistical and IT services
Unit B-1: Methodology and corporate architecture
ESTAT/B1/WGM(16)1
Available in EN only
1stmeeting of the
Working Group on Methodology (WGM)
Luxembourg, 7 April 2016
Eurostat building BECH, Room Quetelet
Start:7 April2016, 9:30
End: 7April 2016, 17:00
Item 1.3Statistical disclosure control (SDC) projects
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Statistical disclosure control (SDC) projects
1.Objective
In the new governance structure for methodology in the ESS the Working Group (WG) on Methodology is responsible for the activities related to statistical disclosure control (SDC) and more broadly to statistical confidentiality and microdata access.
The objective of this document is to present the state of affairs regarding the above mentioned activities to the WG on Methodology.
The WG on Methodology is invited to take note of thisbackground information on the on-going work and envisaged projects. Any questions may be addressed to Eurostat at the meeting (no presentation is foreseen).
2.SDC projects
Statistical confidentiality is one of the fundamental principles of European statistics enshrined in the Treaty[1] and exhaustively described in the Regulation on European statistics[2]. The members of the European Statistical System (ESS) are obliged to take all necessary measures to ensure physical and logical protection of confidential data. SDC projects currently undertaken in the ESS aim at the development of methods and tools that can be used efficiently by all ESS members. Here below the most important activities in this field are presented. Some of the projects are co-financed by Eurostat via a Framework Partnership Agreement on SDC.
2.1.Projects undertaken via framework partnership agreement on SDC
In October 2014 Eurostat signed with seven national statistical institutes (NSI) and one national statistical authoritythe framework partnership agreement on SDC. The objective of the agreement was to bring together SDC experts from different countries and to develop methodological solutions common to the whole ESS and for different statistical domains. Methodological as well as technical solutions related to SDC are to be the outcomes of the framework partnership agreement[3].
The framework partnership agreement (FPA) is implemented by means of specific grant agreements signed with all or some of the FPA members. The potential SDC subjects that could be realized by these specific grants were discussed with the Expert Group on SDC and the WG on Statistical Confidentiality in 2014 and 2015. The following priority areas were defined (in the order of importance):
- User support for and maintenance of SDC tools
- Harmonized methodology for public use files and scientific use files
- Harmonized protection of CENSUS data in the ESS (development of the approach to protection of confidential cells for the next CENSUS round)
- Efficient approach to output checking (control of results produced by researchers)
- Investigation on the agreements of statistical units to decrease the share of confidential data in the business statistics
- Statistical confidentiality in trade statistics
- Confidentiality on the fly
The project on harmonized methodology for public use files (for EU-SILC and EU-LFS data) was the first project launched in the framework of the FPA in December 2014. Its results are described in the document for item 1.1 of the agenda.
The following projects are to be launched in 2016:
user support for and maintenance of SDC tools
harmonized protection of census data in the ESS
The WG on Methodology will be kept informed about the progress and outcomes of these SDC related projects.
2.2.Thework of the Expert Group on SDC (EGSDC)
The Expert Group on SDC (EGSDC) was established in 2009 and brings together experts from 11 countries and from the European Central Bank. The EGSDC meets once a year and discusses the SDC issues of interest to the whole ESS. The group validates the results of the methodological projects related to SDC, makes recommendations and maintains a repository of good practices for SDC (see mandate[4]).
The EGSDC is also a steering group for SDC tools[5].
In 2015 the EGSDS was involved in the following activities:
Development of the public use files for EU-SILC and EU-LFS
Development of a confidentiality charter for animal production statistics
Discussion on the governance structure for SDC open source software
Discussion on the sufficient level of dominance thresholds in business statistics
Discussion on the content of the self-study material for microdata users.
All documents reflecting the work of the EGSDC can be found on the dedicated CIRCABC site[6].
3.Projects related tothe provision of access to confidential data for scientific purposes
Researchers may be granted access to confidential data for scientific purposes in line with the rules specified in Regulation 557/2013[7]. In this particular field there are ongoing projects aiming at improved access to microdata (confidential data). The outline of ongoing activities in this field can be found in the report presented to European Statistical System Committee in September 2015[8].
TheESS network on statistical confidentiality(the members of the former WG on Statistical Confidentiality)may be consulted in written (by e-mail), especially on issues related with access to confidential data for scientific purposes[9].
4.DIGICOM project
DIGICOM stands for Digital communication, User analytics and Innovative products. The project’s goal is to create new, innovative dissemination products, tools and services for ESS statistics (see more part 4 of the agenda). Developments of PUFs and activities related tothe provision of access to confidential data for scientific purposes are closely related to the objectives of DIGICOM. Progress in these fields will be considered as an input to the DIGICOM project.
5.The next steps
Eurostat will continue to inform the WG on Methodology about on-going activities in SDC and microdata access for research purposes. The outcomes of the projects will be made available to the WG on CIRCABC and other relevant platforms.
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[1]Article 338 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union says that: The production of Union statistics shall conform to impartiality, reliability, objectivity, scientific independence, cost-effectiveness and statistical confidentiality; it shall not entail excessive burdens on economic operators.
[2]Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 on European Statistics.
[3] The following partners have signed the agreement: Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek, (CBS, Netherlands, project coordinator), StatistischesBundesamt (DESTATIS, Germany), Institut National de la Statistique et des Etudes Economiques (INSEE, France), Statistics Finland (SF, Finland), Statistics Austria (STAT, Austria), Hungarian Central Statistical Office (HCSO, Hungary), Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia (SURS, Republic of Slovenia, and Groupe des EcolesNationalesd'Economie et Statistique (GENES, France).
[4]The mandate of the EGSDC can be found in the annex to the document for item 4.2 "EGSDC" of the 7th meeting of the Working Group on statistical confidentiality:
[5]See the document for item 4.3 "Governance for SDC tools" of the 7th meeting of the Working Group on statistical confidentiality:
[6]TheEGSDC CIRCABC site: /CircaBC/ESTAT/WGSC/Library/Expert Group on Statistical Disclosure Control, url:
[7]Regulation (EU) No 557/2013 on access to confidential data for scientific purposes.
[8]See the document for item 2.1 "ESSC document on microdata access" of the 7th meeting of the Working Group on statistical confidentiality:
[9] In order to consult the network, please contact: