Statistics Belgium

Thematic Direction Demography

Statistics Belgium

North Gate - Koning Albert II-laan 16 

1000 Brussel

BELGIUM

Data and metadata are transmitted to Eurostat by the Member States in the framework of the Unified Demographic Data Collection which is in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 862/2007 and Regulation (EU) No 1260/2013 and their implementing regulations.

This Euro SDMX Metadata Structure is used for the purpose of quality reporting. The definition of the quality concepts and guidelines are described in the European Statistical System Handbook for Quality Reports..

Immigrations and emigrations, changes in citizenship, births and deaths, population based on the Belgian Population Register

The regional breakdown of the Member States in the regional demographic tables is done under the most recent NUTS classification. There are agreements between Eurostat and Candidate countries as well as between Eurostat and EFTA countries, for which statistical regions have been coded in a way that resembles NUTS.

For more information on the versions in force, please see: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/nuts/.

National level.

Individual level data.

Data on population, migrations, live births, deaths, marriages and divorces are available at national and regional level of geographical detail.

The population register is continuously updated – Statistics Belgium receives weekly updates.

Not applicable.

Data is collected at unit (person) level.

The reference date for population data is the end of the reference period (midnight of 31 December).
The reference period for vital and dual events data is the calendar year in which the events occurred. The reference period for migration flow data is the calendar year in which the migration occurred.

Law of 4 July 1962 on official statistics (ammended by the Act of 1 August 1985 on tax and other measures, the Act of 21 December 1994 on social and other provisions, the Law of 2 January 2001 on social provisions, Budget and miscellaneous and by the program law of 22 December 2008).

Not available.

Law of 4 July 1962 on official statistics (amended by the Act of 1 August 1985 on tax and other measures, the Act of 21 December 1994 on social and other provisions, the Law of 2 January 2001 on social provisions, Budget and miscellaneous and by the program law of 22 December 2008).

In accordance with the law of 4 July 1962 on official statistics.

Data is made available on a national level at time T + 6 months.

Not available.

Access to coded individual level data on demand via the Belgian Data Protection Autority.  

Annual.

Annual press release.

No paper publications are distributed.

Dissemination of OLAP cubes via website.

See 8.3.

Not available.

See http://statbel.fgov.be/ in general.

Not available.

Validation procedure at Statistics Belgium – peer validation by power users.

Eurostat is the main user for European concepts and definitions.

Not available.

Not available.

The Belgian population register is of good quality. Certain (relative “not available” is small) subpopulation (e.g. illegals) might be absent in the population figure and the figures for the other events.

"Unknowns" in breakdowns occur when the information is not available in the Belgian National Register.

According to Article 4(2) of the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 205/2014, each year Member States shall provide the Commission (Eurostat) with data at national and regional level as described in Annex II and related standard reference metadata (In the metadata structure definition defined for the Euro SDMX Metadata Structure) for the reference year within 12 months of the end of the reference year. According to Article 3(2) of the Commission Regulation (EC) No 862/2007, Statistics on international migration, usually resident population and acquisition of citizenship shall be supplied to the Commission (Eurostat) within 12 months of the end of the reference year.

Not available.

Not available.

The total (usual residence) registered population  transmitted by the national statistical offices to Eurostat may differ from those available in National Accounts, Labour Force Survey or in the survey on Income and Living Conditions. The difference is given by the population coverage (see metadata specific to each domain). Also statistics on migration differ from those nationally published, due to conceptual differences in the definitions in place (e.g. in National Statistics asylum seekers are not taken in consideration).   

Residence Permits Statistics and International Migration Statistics are not comparable. Persons who are subject of pending applications for international protection are not covered by Residence Permit Statistics. Refugees and persons benefiting from subsidiary protection are covered from the date of issuance of the residence permit.

Not available.

Relatively limited costs – collection on basis of administrative aim. No respondent burden.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Continuously – Statistics Belgium receives weekly updates.

Data collection is done by Belgian municipalities. Harmonisation is done by the Belgian Population Register: http://www.ibz.rrn.fgov.be/.

See http://www.ibz.rrn.fgov.be/.

See http://www.ibz.rrn.fgov.be/.

Not available.

Not available.