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.
Thematic Direction Society - Department of Demographic Statistics
1.3. Contact name
Confidential because of GDPR
1.4. Contact person function
Confidential because of GDPR
1.5. Contact mail address
Statistics Belgium
North Gate - Koning Albert II-laan 16
1000 Brussel
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
31 August 2018
2.2. Metadata last posted
31 August 2020
2.3. Metadata last update
9 August 2023
3.1. Data description
Total usually resident population for the purposes of qualified majority voting in the Council.
3.2. Classification system
Not applicable.
3.3. Coverage - sector
Total usually resident population at national level.
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
The usually resident population figure is the population figure at midnight 31 December of each year. To determine the population figure, Statistics Belgium receives raw data from the Belgian population register, which is a harmonised and exhaustive integration of all Belgian municipal population registers. There is comprehensive legislation on registration of citizens and migrants, and practical guidelines for municipal administrations exist. Asylum seekers are included.
3.5. Statistical unit
Person.
3.6. Statistical population
Belgian population.
3.7. Reference area
Data are available at national level.
3.8. Coverage - Time
Not applicable.
3.9. Base period
Not applicable.
Person.
The reference date for population data is the end of the reference period (midnight of 31 December).
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
Loi du 4 juillet 1962 relative à la statistique publique (modifiée par la loi du 1er août 1985 portant des mesures fiscales et autres, la loi du 21 décembre 1994 portant des dispositions sociales et diverses, la loi du 2 janvier 2001 portant des dispositions sociales, budgétairs et diverses et par la loi programme du 22 décembre 2008).
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
Not applicable.
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
Loi du 4 juillet 1962 relative à la statistique publique (modifiée par la loi du 1er août 1985 portant des mesures fiscales et autres, la loi du 21 décembre 1994 portant des dispositions sociales et diverses, la loi du 2 janvier 2001 portant des dispositions sociales, budgétairs et diverses et par la loi programme du 22 décembre 2008).
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
Conform the law in 7.1.
8.1. Release calendar
Data are made available at T + 6M.
8.2. Release calendar access
Not applicable.
8.3. Release policy - user access
Access to coded individual level data on demand via the Belgian commission for the protection of privacy.
Annual.
10.1. Dissemination format - News release
Annual press release.
10.2. Dissemination format - Publications
No paper publications are distributed.
10.3. Dissemination format - online database
Dissemination of olap cubes via website.
10.4. Dissemination format - microdata access
See 8.3
10.5. Dissemination format - other
Not applicable.
10.6. Documentation on methodology
See the information in the Annex file.
10.7. Quality management - documentation
Not applicable.
11.1. Quality assurance
Validation procedure at Statistics Belgium - peer validation by power users.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
1. Nationals
Please indicate the type of duration of stay when counting a person with national citizenship as an usual resident with a minimum duration of stay of 12 months according to Art. 2(d) of Reg. 1260/2013.
1. Actual
2. Intended
3. Actual and intended
4. Other. Please specify below:
Yes
No
No
No
2. EEA Citizens
Please indicate the type of duration of stay when counting a person with EEA citizenship as an usual resident with a minimum duration of stay of 12 months according to Art. 2(d) of Reg. 1260/2013.
1. Actual
2. Intended
3. Actual and intended
4. Other. Please specify below:
No
Yes
No
No
3. NON-EEA Citizens
Please indicate the type of duration of stay when counting a person with non-EEA foreign citizenship as an usual resident with a minimum duration of stay of 12 months according to Art. 2(d) of Reg. 1260/2013.
1. Actual
2. Intended
3. Actual and intended
4. Other. Please specify below:
No
Yes
No
No
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
Data requested in Art. 4.1 of Reg. 1260/2013.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
Not applicable.
12.3. Completeness
Data transmitted as requested in Art. 4.1 of Reg. 1260/2013.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
Certain subpopulation (illegals) might be absent in the population figure.
13.2. Sampling error
Not applicable.
13.3. Non-sampling error
Not applicable.
14.1. Timeliness
For the purposes of qualified majority voting in the Council, Member States shall provide the Commission (Eurostat) with data on the total population at national level at the reference time, in accordance with Article 2 ( c ), within eight months of the end of the reference year.
14.2. Punctuality
Not applicable.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
Not applicable.
15.2. Comparability - over time
Not applicable.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
The total usually resident population transmitted by the national statistical offices to Eurostat in the framework of the Usually Resident Population data collection 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).
15.4. Coherence - internal
The total usually resident population transmitted by the national statistical offices to Eurostat in the framework of the Usually Resident Population data collection may differ from those available in the rest of the Demographic domain. The difference is given by the population definition (see metadata specific to each domain).
Relatevely limited costs - collection on basis of administrative aim. No respondent burden.
Input validation: (1) the Belgian population register provides validated data at Statistics Belgium. (2) Statistics Belgium performs a second validation, by validating the completeness of the datasets. In addition the present variables and variable values are checked. Output validation: the consistency of the results is studied. In addition, the data are validated by our user community working on the data.
18.5. Data compilation
Statistics Belgium calculates the usually resident population figure by determining the population that resides in a Belgian municipality at midnight 31 December.
Total usually resident population for the purposes of qualified majority voting in the Council.
9 August 2023
The usually resident population figure is the population figure at midnight 31 December of each year. To determine the population figure, Statistics Belgium receives raw data from the Belgian population register, which is a harmonised and exhaustive integration of all Belgian municipal population registers. There is comprehensive legislation on registration of citizens and migrants, and practical guidelines for municipal administrations exist. Asylum seekers are included.
Person.
Belgian population.
Data are available at national level.
The reference date for population data is the end of the reference period (midnight of 31 December).
Certain subpopulation (illegals) might be absent in the population figure.
Person.
Statistics Belgium calculates the usually resident population figure by determining the population that resides in a Belgian municipality at midnight 31 December.
Belgian Population Register.
Annual.
For the purposes of qualified majority voting in the Council, Member States shall provide the Commission (Eurostat) with data on the total population at national level at the reference time, in accordance with Article 2 ( c ), within eight months of the end of the reference year.
