Reference metadata describe statistical concepts and methodologies used for the collection and generation of data. They provide information on data quality and, since they are strongly content-oriented, assist users in interpreting the data. Reference metadata, unlike structural metadata, can be decoupled from the data.
Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union
1.2. Contact organisation unit
Unit F3: Labour market
1.3. Contact name
Confidential because of GDPR
1.4. Contact person function
Confidential because of GDPR
1.5. Contact mail address
2920 Luxembourg LUXEMBOURG
1.6. Contact email address
Confidential because of GDPR
1.7. Contact phone number
Confidential because of GDPR
1.8. Contact fax number
Confidential because of GDPR
2.1. Metadata last certified
14 February 2022
2.2. Metadata last posted
14 February 2022
2.3. Metadata last update
14 February 2022
3.1. Data description
The data collection 'LFS - specific topics, household statistics' covers a range of statistics on number, characteristics and typologies of households, based on the European Union Labour Force Survey (EU-LFS). The data collection also encompasses some labour market indicators broken down by household composition. Only annual data are available.
General information on the EU-LFS can be found in the ESMS page for 'Employment and unemployment (LFS)', see link in related metada. Detailed information on the main features, the legal basis, the methodology and the data as well as on the historical development of the EU-LFS is available on the EU-LFS (Statistics Explained) webpage.
3.2. Classification system
The EU-LFS results are produced in accordance with the relevant international classification systems. The main classifications used are NACE Rev.1 (NACE Rev.1.1 from 2005) and NACE Rev. 2 (from 2008) for economic activity, ISCO 88 (COM) and ISCO 08 (from 2011) for occupation, ISCED 2011 (from 2014) for the level of education and ISCED-F 2013 for the field of education is in use since 2016, replacing the former ISCED 1997 codes. Actual coding in the EU-LFS may deviate to some extent from those general standards; for more details on classifications (including the comparability between the revised classifications), levels of aggregation and transition rules, please consult EU-LFS (Statistics Explained) - Documentation >> classifications
3.3. Coverage - sector
As a general rule the EU-LFS covers all economic sectors.
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
The definitions of employment and unemployment, as well as other survey characteristics follow the definitions and recommendations of the International Labour Organisation. The definition of unemployment is further precised in Commission Regulation (EC) No 1897/2000.
The EU-LFS results cover the total population usually residing in Member States, except for persons living in collective or institutional households. While demographic data are gathered for all age groups, questions relating to labour market status are generally restricted to persons in the age group of 15 years or older. For more details and exceptions, please consult: EU-LFS (Statistics Explained) - Methodology.
Household statistics related to labour market status are restricted even to adults according the HHPERS household variable (HHPERS definition can be found in the LFS User Guide on the EU-LFS (Statistics Explained) - Methodology.
3.7. Reference area
European Union, Euro area, EU-Member States, the United Kingdom and four candidate countries (Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey). For the EFTA countries participating in LFS, Iceland and Switzerland: no household data is available until 2021; Norway: available from 2021 onwards. Data for Cyprus refer only to the areas of Cyprus controlled by the Government of the Republic of Cyprus. Since 2014, data for France include also the French overseas departments (Guadeloupe, Martinique, Guyane, La Réunion), with the exception of Mayotte.
3.8. Coverage - Time
Data are available from 2006 onwards.
3.9. Base period
Not applicable.
Most indicators measure number of persons or households (thousands). Some indicators are reported as rates (employment, unemployment rates).
Please refer to the ESMS page on 'Employment and unemployment (LFS)' (see link below in section 'related metadata').
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
Please refer to the ESMS page on 'Employment and unemployment (LFS)' (see link below in section 'related metadata').
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
Not applicable.
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
Please refer to the ESMS page on 'Employment and unemployment (LFS)' (see link below in section 'related metadata').
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
Please refer to the ESMS page on 'Employment and unemployment (LFS)' (see link below in section 'related metadata').
8.1. Release calendar
The release of EU-LFS household data is not bound by an advance release calendar.
8.2. Release calendar access
Not applicable.
8.3. Release policy - user access
Please refer to the ESMS page on 'Employment and unemployment (LFS)' (see link below in section 'related metadata').
For a detailed description of methods and concepts used, as well as for other documents related to the EU-LFS, please consult the EU-LFS (Statistics Explained) webpage.
Please refer to the ESMS page on 'Employment and unemployment (LFS)' (see link below in related metadata section).
11.2. Quality management - assessment
Please refer to the ESMS page on 'Employment and unemployment (LFS)' (see link below in related metadata section).
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
EU-LFS results are used by the DG Employment and a number of other Directorates of the Commission mainly for measurement and monitoring of policy agendas purposes. Key users include NSI's, international organizations, news agencies and researchers which use of various aspects of EU-LFS data for international or intra EU comparisons. Finally, LFS data are used by Eurostat for compiling detailed regional indicators, for estimates on current education and education levels, higher education and research, and for accurate estimates of labour input of national accounts.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
Please refer to the ESMS page on 'Employment and unemployment (LFS)' (see link below in related metadata section).
12.3. Completeness
Please refer to the ESMS page on 'Employment and unemployment (LFS)' (see link below in related metadata section).
13.1. Accuracy - overall
The overall accuracy is considered as high. Please refer to the ESMS page on 'Employment and unemployment (LFS)' (see link below in related metadata section).
13.2. Sampling error
Please refer to the ESMS page on 'Employment and unemployment (LFS)' (see link below in related metadata section).
13.3. Non-sampling error
Please refer to the ESMS page on 'Employment and unemployment (LFS)' (see link below in related metadata section).
14.1. Timeliness
Data are released approximately 6 months after the end of the reference period.
14.2. Punctuality
Please refer to the ESMS page on 'Employment and unemployment (LFS)' (see link below in related metadata section).
15.1. Comparability - geographical
Please refer to the ESMS page on 'Employment and unemployment (LFS)' (see link below in related metadata section).
The number of one-person households in Swedish household data is over-estimated due to proxy interviewing, non-response and questions not being perceived as intended by respondents. Please note that Sweden plans to review the method for calculation households to improve quality. Individual data in the Eurostat database may differ from those in the Swedish National database due to calculations that take into account additional characteristics for the production of data available in the Swedish national database while figures in the Eurostat database are based exclusively on microdata transmitted to Eurostat by Sweden.
15.2. Comparability - over time
Please refer to the ESMS page on 'Employment and unemployment (LFS)' (see link below in related metadata section).
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
Please refer to the ESMS page on 'Employment and unemployment (LFS)' (see link below in related metadata section).
15.4. Coherence - internal
EU-LFS estimates for a given reference period have full internal coherence, as they are all based on the same corpus of microdata and they calculated using the same estimation methods. Arithmetic and accounting identities in the production of LFS datasets are observed.
All reported errors (once validated) result in corrections of the disseminated data. Reported errors that are deemed to be significant are corrected in the disseminated data as soon as the correct data have been validated. Corrections for other errors are carried out in connection with the regular scheduled data dissemination.
Data are only published once they are deemed to be sufficiently complete for all data providers contributing to the aggregate.
Whenever new data are provided and validated, the already disseminated data are updated with next regular production cycle. New data are only used to update disseminated data in the case of reported errors, or in exceptional situations, such as after new population estimates have been defined based on a population census.
Annual data are updated with the same periodicity as quarterly data.
Please refer to the ESMS page on 'Employment and unemployment (LFS)' (see link below in related metadata section).
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Since early 2000's, the EU-LFS has quarterly periodicity, previously it was an annual survey run in spring. Since the survey became quarterly, it includes both quarterly variables and annual variables (i.e. collected only once a year). The variables on household composition, which are used to estimate the data in this collection, are collected annually.
18.3. Data collection
Please refer to the ESMS page on 'Employment and unemployment (LFS)' (see link below in related metadata section).
18.4. Data validation
Please refer to the ESMS page on 'Employment and unemployment (LFS)' (see link below in related metadata section).
18.5. Data compilation
EU and Euro area aggregates are calculated aggregating estimated population totals from Member States. For the data expressed in absolute values for each quarter (i.e. number of persons/households) no further Eurostat weighting is used. Rates/ratios are subsequently calculated from the data expressed in absolute values (i.e. number of persons/households).
18.6. Adjustment
No adjustments are made.
No notes.
employ_esms - Employment and unemployment (Labour force survey)
The data collection 'LFS - specific topics, household statistics' covers a range of statistics on number, characteristics and typologies of households, based on the European Union Labour Force Survey (EU-LFS). The data collection also encompasses some labour market indicators broken down by household composition. Only annual data are available.
General information on the EU-LFS can be found in the ESMS page for 'Employment and unemployment (LFS)', see link in related metada. Detailed information on the main features, the legal basis, the methodology and the data as well as on the historical development of the EU-LFS is available on the EU-LFS (Statistics Explained) webpage.
14 February 2022
The definitions of employment and unemployment, as well as other survey characteristics follow the definitions and recommendations of the International Labour Organisation. The definition of unemployment is further precised in Commission Regulation (EC) No 1897/2000.
The EU-LFS results cover the total population usually residing in Member States, except for persons living in collective or institutional households. While demographic data are gathered for all age groups, questions relating to labour market status are generally restricted to persons in the age group of 15 years or older. For more details and exceptions, please consult: EU-LFS (Statistics Explained) - Methodology.
Household statistics related to labour market status are restricted even to adults according the HHPERS household variable (HHPERS definition can be found in the LFS User Guide on the EU-LFS (Statistics Explained) - Methodology.
European Union, Euro area, EU-Member States, the United Kingdom and four candidate countries (Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey). For the EFTA countries participating in LFS, Iceland and Switzerland: no household data is available until 2021; Norway: available from 2021 onwards. Data for Cyprus refer only to the areas of Cyprus controlled by the Government of the Republic of Cyprus. Since 2014, data for France include also the French overseas departments (Guadeloupe, Martinique, Guyane, La Réunion), with the exception of Mayotte.
Please refer to the ESMS page on 'Employment and unemployment (LFS)' (see link below in section 'related metadata').
The overall accuracy is considered as high. Please refer to the ESMS page on 'Employment and unemployment (LFS)' (see link below in related metadata section).
Most indicators measure number of persons or households (thousands). Some indicators are reported as rates (employment, unemployment rates).
EU and Euro area aggregates are calculated aggregating estimated population totals from Member States. For the data expressed in absolute values for each quarter (i.e. number of persons/households) no further Eurostat weighting is used. Rates/ratios are subsequently calculated from the data expressed in absolute values (i.e. number of persons/households).
Please refer to the ESMS page on 'Employment and unemployment (LFS)' (see link below in related metadata section).
Annual.
Data are released approximately 6 months after the end of the reference period.
Please refer to the ESMS page on 'Employment and unemployment (LFS)' (see link below in related metadata section).
The number of one-person households in Swedish household data is over-estimated due to proxy interviewing, non-response and questions not being perceived as intended by respondents. Please note that Sweden plans to review the method for calculation households to improve quality. Individual data in the Eurostat database may differ from those in the Swedish National database due to calculations that take into account additional characteristics for the production of data available in the Swedish national database while figures in the Eurostat database are based exclusively on microdata transmitted to Eurostat by Sweden.
Please refer to the ESMS page on 'Employment and unemployment (LFS)' (see link below in related metadata section).
