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.
[LU1] National Institute for Statistics and Economic Studies (STATEC) (Luxembourg)
STATEC
1.2. Contact organisation unit
Unit SOC3 Population and housing
1.3. Contact name
Confidential because of GDPR
1.4. Contact person function
Confidential because of GDPR
1.5. Contact mail address
STATEC BP. 304 L-2013
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
9 December 2025
2.2. Metadata last posted
9 December 2025
2.3. Metadata last update
9 December 2025
3.1. Data description
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) 862/2007 and Regulation (EU) 1260/2013 and their implementing regulations.
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 Eurostat NUTS.
3.3. Coverage - sector
Not applicable.
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
3.4.1 Statistical concepts and definitions used in the statistics transmitted to Eurostat
One of the following definitions is used by a country when explaining the statistical concepts:
Usually resident population means all persons having their usual residence in a Member State at the reference time; for more information see the Article 2 of Regulation (EU) 1260/2013.
Legal residence population is composed of those persons who are entitled to be settled in the country at the reference date, either by holding the national citizenship or by other authorization issued by national authorities.
Registered residence population is composed of those persons who are listed on one or more registers owned by national authorities at the reference date. Each registered person shall be counted only once.
See the table 3.4.1 in the annex POPSTAT_UNIESMS_A.
3.4.2 Statistical concepts and definitions used in the statistics disseminated in the National Statistical Institute's website
See the table 3.4.2 in the annex POPSTAT_UNIESMS_A.
3.5. Statistical unit
Number of persons.
3.6. Statistical population
See the table 3.6 in the annex POPSTAT_UNIESMS_A.
3.7. Reference area
Population, live births and deaths data are available at national and regional level of geographical detail.
3.8. Coverage - Time
Annually.
3.9. Base period
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 during which the migration occurred.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
Statistical law settles the issue of data confidentiality (article 16): Art. 16. Le STATEC garantit la non-divulgation de données à caractère confidentiel lors de la diffusion de résultats statistiques, à l’exception de la statistique du commerce extérieur. Pour cette dernière, les données détaillées qui permettent l’identification indirecte d’un exportateur ou d’un importateur résidant ne sont rendues confidentielles qu’à la demande de l’opérateur économique concerné, adressée au STATEC.
The statistical law is only available in French.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
Manual checks are done to be sure that the data can be published.
See the table 11.2.2 in the annex POPSTAT_UNIESMS_A.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
Not available.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
Not available.
12.3. Completeness
Not available.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
Overall accuracy and special cases (inclusion/exclusion of asylum seekers and refugees, persons living on unauthorised or irregular basis, international students, persons who do not register/deregister, etc.).
See the table 13.1 in the annex POPSTAT_UNIESMS_A.
13.1.1 Accuracy - unknown values
See the table 13.1.1 in the annex POPSTAT_UNIESMS_A.
13.2. Sampling error
See the table 13.2 in the annex POPSTAT_UNIESMS_A.
13.3. Non-sampling error
See the table 13.3 in the annex POPSTAT_UNIESMS_A.
14.1. Timeliness
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 (EU) 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.
14.2. Punctuality
Not applicable.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
Totally comparable.
15.2. Comparability - over time
See the table 15.2 in the annex POPSTAT_UNIESMS_A.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
Completely coherent because same population in all sources.
Concerning the differences between Residence Permits Statistics and Migration Statistic, the main explanations are:
Duration of stay: the residence permits refer to a criteria of minimum 12 months. Concerning the migration, we take the concept of 12 months of residence and the intention to stay for the next 12 months;
There is no residence permit for the EFTA countries but they are counted in the immigration of non-EU citizens;
The Asylum seekers are counted in the immigration but it’s not sure that they are counted in Residence Permits Statistics, especially if they have not reached 12 months of ‘real’ residence.
15.4. Coherence - internal
Completely coherent.
Not available.
17.1. Data revision - policy
No revisions in principle but population data may be revised after census if data from census differs from estimates. We did not do any. Post-census revisions for 2011 as our estimates were very close to the enumerated population.
Since 1 January 2017 we use the population register and no revision is planned.
17.2. Data revision - practice
Not available.
18.1. Source data
See the table 18.1 in the annex POPSTAT_UNIESMS_A.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Monthly or annually depending on the different events.
18.3. Data collection
Population is extracted from the Population Register.
Municipalities transmit a subset of micro-information of births, deaths and marriages to the INS.
Data on divorces are provided by the Tribunals of Justice.
Migration data are extracted from the Population Register.
Acquisitions of citizenship are provided by the Ministry of Justice.
18.4. Data validation
As for population data validation we contact all the municipalities and ask for feedback.
18.5. Data compilation
Natural events are coded and then entered in a specific software. After that we treat the data with SPSS to do coherency checks and publish the results. For migration data we receive an extract of the Population Register.
18.6. Adjustment
Since 2016, an adjustment appears in our statistics.
This adjustment reflects all statistical inaccuracies in the natural and migratory components.
There is a break in series concerning the stock of population between 2016 and 2017.
Indeed, until 2016 the population was estimated with the natural and migratory balance.
Since 1 January 2017, the population is derived from the population register.
A statistical adjustment also appears in 2016 to link the new and old methodologies.
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) 862/2007 and Regulation (EU) 1260/2013 and their implementing regulations.
3.4.1 Statistical concepts and definitions used in the statistics transmitted to Eurostat
One of the following definitions is used by a country when explaining the statistical concepts:
Usually resident population means all persons having their usual residence in a Member State at the reference time; for more information see the Article 2 of Regulation (EU) 1260/2013.
Legal residence population is composed of those persons who are entitled to be settled in the country at the reference date, either by holding the national citizenship or by other authorization issued by national authorities.
Registered residence population is composed of those persons who are listed on one or more registers owned by national authorities at the reference date. Each registered person shall be counted only once.
See the table 3.4.1 in the annex POPSTAT_UNIESMS_A.
3.4.2 Statistical concepts and definitions used in the statistics disseminated in the National Statistical Institute's website
See the table 3.4.2 in the annex POPSTAT_UNIESMS_A.
Number of persons.
See the table 3.6 in the annex POPSTAT_UNIESMS_A.
Population, live births and deaths data are available at national and regional level of geographical detail.
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 during which the migration occurred.
Overall accuracy and special cases (inclusion/exclusion of asylum seekers and refugees, persons living on unauthorised or irregular basis, international students, persons who do not register/deregister, etc.).
See the table 13.1 in the annex POPSTAT_UNIESMS_A.
13.1.1 Accuracy - unknown values
See the table 13.1.1 in the annex POPSTAT_UNIESMS_A.
Data is collected at unit (person) level.
Natural events are coded and then entered in a specific software. After that we treat the data with SPSS to do coherency checks and publish the results. For migration data we receive an extract of the Population Register.
See the table 18.1 in the annex POPSTAT_UNIESMS_A.
Annually.
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 (EU) 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.
Totally comparable.
See the table 15.2 in the annex POPSTAT_UNIESMS_A.
