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.
Data collection on Dublin statistics contains statistical information based on the Article 4.4 of Regulation (EC) No 862/2007 on Community statistics on migration and international protection.
Incoming ‘Dublin’ requests by submitting country (PARTNER), type of request, legal provision, sex and type of applicant (RI)
Outgoing ‘Dublin’ requests by receiving country (PARTNER), type of request, legal provision, sex and type of applicant (RO)
Incoming ‘Dublin’ requests based on EURODAC by submitting country (PARTNER), type of request, legal provision, sex and type of applicant (REDACI)
Outgoing ‘Dublin’ requests based on EURODAC by receiving country (PARTNER), type of request, legal provision, sex and type of applicant (REDACO)
Pending ‘Dublin’ incoming requests by submitting country (PARTNER), type of request, sex and type of applicant (RPENI)
Pending ‘Dublin’ outgoing requests by receiving country (PARTNER), type of request, sex and type of applicant (RPENO)
Incoming ‘Dublin’ requests for information by submitting country (PARTNER), legal provision, sex and type of applicant (RINFI)
Outgoing ‘Dublin’ requests for information by receiving country (PARTNER), legal provision, sex and type of applicant (RINFO)
Incoming responses to ‘Dublin’ requests for information by submitting country (PARTNER), legal provision, duration of response, sex and type of applicant (RESI)
Outgoing responses to ‘Dublin’ requests for information by receiving country (PARTNER), legal provision, duration of response, sex and type of applicant (RESO)
Unilateral ‘Dublin’ decisions by partner country, type of decision, sex and type of applicant (DUNI)
Decisions on incoming ‘Dublin’ requests by submitting country (PARTNER), type of decision, type of request, legal provision, sex and type of applicant (DI)
Decisions on outgoing ‘Dublin’ requests by receiving country (PARTNER), type of decision, type of request, legal provision, sex and type of applicant (DO)
Decisions on incoming ‘Dublin’ requests based on EURODAC by submitting country (PARTNER), type of decision, type of request, legal provision, sex and type of applicant (DEDACI)
Decisions on outgoing ‘Dublin’ requests based on EURODAC by receiving country (PARTNER), type of decision, type of request, legal provision, sex and type of applicant (DEDACO)
Incoming ‘Dublin’ transfers by submitting country (PARTNER), legal provision, duration of transfer, sex and type of applicant (TI)
Outgoing ‘Dublin’ transfers by receiving country (PARTNER), legal provision, duration of transfer, sex and type of applicant (TO)
Pending incoming ‘Dublin’ transfers by submitting country (PARTNER), sex and type of applicant (TPENI)
Pending outgoing ‘Dublin’ transfers by receiving country (PARTNER), sex and type of applicant (TPENO)
3.2. Classification system
See table 3.2. in annex ‘Quality report tables Dublin 2025’.
3.3. Coverage - sector
Migration and asylum – Dublin statistics.
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
See table 3.4. in annex ‘Quality report tables Dublin 2025’.
3.5. Statistical unit
The text of Art.4 of the Statistics Regulation (asylum statistics) refers in general to statistics based on the number of persons and not on the number of applications. However, the respective Article dealing with Dublin statistics (Art. 4.4) refers to statistics based on number of requests.
3.6. Statistical population
See table 3.6. in annex ‘Quality report tables Dublin 2025’.
3.7. Reference area
Slovak Republic
3.8. Coverage - Time
See table 3.8. in annex ‘Quality report tables Dublin 2025’.
3.9. Base period
Not applicable.
Dublin statistics (Art.4.4) refers to statistics based on the number of requests. Commission services recommend that Art.4.4 (more precisely 4.4.a, 4.4.c and 4.4.d) is interpreted as referring to the number of persons concerned by each request, decision and transfer.
The reporting unit convention of the Dublin statistics follows two main principles:
1. Each person is to be reported individually i.e. in case a request/re-examination request/decision covers several family members each family member shall be reported individually
2. Each submitted or received request/re-examination request/decision and transfer concerning the same person during the same reference year shall be reported. This implies that one person can be reported more than once during the reference year by the same Member State in the same dataset.
Calendar year
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
When compiling Dublin statistics, Dublin Unit follows Eurostat Guidelines on Dublin statistics - v. 3.1 which depicts in detail the data provisions Member States are bound to supply Eurostat with.
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
Data sharing between Migration Office and Bureau of Border and Alien Police operates on the basis of a common information system (IS MIGRA) which both authorities have access to as it is the system owned by the Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic under which both authorities fall.
There are no additional agreements related to data sharing and exchange between data producing agencies within the national statistical system as Migration Office itself (Dublin Unit itself for Dublin Statistics) is responsible for producing statistics from its own data registered in the above-mentioned system (MIGRA).
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
All employees dealing with data are bound by European and national legislation regarding the data protection. Moreover, all employees must sign confidentiality affidavit before having access to such data. System is also secured with only specific employees having access.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
All employees dealing with data are bound by European and national legislation regarding the data protection. Moreover, all employees must sign confidentiality affidavit before having access to such data. System is also secured with only specific employees having access. Regarding statistical data there is restricted number of people processing statistics and having access to statistical reports.
Dublin statistics are not disseminated in any form by the Slovak authorities. Dublin statistics publication - Publications - Eurostat (europa.eu)
10.3. Dissemination format - online database
Dublin statistics are not disseminated in any form by the Slovak authorities. Eurostat database - Database - Eurostat (europa.eu)
10.3.1. Data tables - consultations
Not applicable.
10.4. Dissemination format - microdata access
Not applicable
10.5. Dissemination format - other
Dublin Unit disseminates mandatory data to Eurostat once a year via standardized tables. Some data is also provided to European Union Agency for Asylum regarding requests based on Regulation 604/2013 via designated channels.
10.5.1. Metadata - consultations
Not applicable
10.6. Documentation on methodology
There are no national-level guidelines regarding the statistical process. Data processing is in accordance with the Eurostat Guidelines on Dublin statistics - v. 3.1. This ensures the consistency, comparability, and reliability of statistical data.
10.6.1. Metadata completeness - rate
Not applicable.
10.7. Quality management - documentation
Not available
11.1. Quality assurance
MIGRA IS is joint information system of the Migration Office (MO) and Bureau of Border and Alien Police of the Presidium of the Police Forces (BBAP), which integrates all data concerning illegal migration and international protection into one single information system.
BBAP is in charge of giving permission to enter the personal information and data about the third-country national. The initial information recorded by BBAP is also available to MO.
Dublin Unit is entitled to make changes concerning personal information (date of birth, citizenship, nationality). Dublin Unit is entitled to conduct Dublin procedure. Dublin Unit is responsible for correctness, quality, accuracy and complexity of input data.
The Organisational and Legal department is entitled to enter the applicant´s data regarding the appeal process (before a court) within Dublin procedure.
MO employees dealing with asylum statistics are the only people entitled to provide the asylum data to the third parties.
They are bound by confidentiality and GDPR as well as all employees of MO.
All newcomers at MO (new system users) are instructed and trained how to work with MIGRA IS. They cannot work with the system unless aforementioned confidentiality and GDPR statements are signed and verified.
MO has a technical (user's) guideline to MIGRA IS, which includes comprehensive description of particular working procedures within the MIGRA IS information system.
Quality assurance by the Head of the Unit also takes place on the case-to-case basis when reviewing the cases.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
Good quality of data. Data are accurate to the best of knowledge.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
The statistics collected under Regulation (EC) 862/2007 are used by a wide range of users at national, European and International level to cover various user's needs.
Users of Dublin statistics :
The main users of Dublin statistics are Eurostat and EUAA. The statistics are used in several publications of the Commission, as well as in the preparation of regular reports, policy proposals and analysis. The statistics also provide an input to the EMN studies and reports that address specific issues of current policy importance.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
Not available
12.3. Completeness
See table 12.3. in annex ‘Quality report tables Dublin 2024’.
Main sources of measurement error consist of incorrect data input and errors in process of filtering data.
In order to prevent measurement error there are several data checks not only by one person as well as cross checking between different sources of the same datasets. The same applies to actions taken to correct those errors - multi-level checks of results.
13.3.3. Non response error
Not available
13.3.3.1. Unit non-response - rate
Not available
13.3.3.2. Item non-response - rate
Not available
13.3.4. Processing error
There are no significant processing errors as there are measures to prevent or later correct potential measurement errors as mentioned in the point 13.3.2. of this section before the final data is being sent.
13.3.5. Model assumption error
Not applicable
14.1. Timeliness
Number of days (on average) after the end of the reference period at which the country is able to report the first/preliminary data, at the earliest: 60 days
Reasons for possible long production of the first/preliminary data and plans to improve the situation:
double - checking provided data in system and comparing the data with other available sources of data due to absence of advanced information system.
14.1.1. Time lag - first result
Not applicable
14.1.2. Time lag - final result
Not applicable
14.2. Punctuality
See table 14.2. in annex ‘Quality report tables Dublin 2025’.
14.2.1. Punctuality - delivery and publication
Not applicable
15.1. Comparability - geographical
Not available
15.1.1. Asymmetry for mirror flow statistics - coefficient
Not applicable
15.2. Comparability - over time
Slovak Dublin Unit processes the statistics according to relevant Technical Guideline therefore since 2014 the Dublin statistics are comparable over time.
15.2.1. Length of comparable time series
2014-2025
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
Statistics are reconcilable with those obtained through other data sources however with more time and effort needed as it is mainly done manually.
15.3.1. Coherence - sub annual and annual statistics
Not available
15.3.2. Coherence - National Accounts
Not applicable
15.4. Coherence - internal
Statistics are consistent within a given data set.
Since the system is not as automatic as needed and the data input still must be cross-checked with other sources of data and the discrepancies in the outcome must be individually checked in the system, the burden of the processing of the statistics is high. The person who compiles the statistics must devote at least 2-3 months to come up with the final statistics ready to be officially transmitted.
Describe all the means taken to minimise burden:
Information system MIGRA used for collecting data has been updated in some minor ways in order to be able to receive data directly from the system without the need of manual collection.
Member States must apply the initial validation checks of the Dublin statistics before providing data to Eurostat. These validation checks shall ensure the internal consistency of the datasets at the level of each aggregation, consistency of data between relevant tables as well as consistency of the data between different reporting periods.
The contain validation is meant to check the value inside of the file and eventually to make comparison with historical data (credibility checks).
A common issue triggered by ConVal is the detection of the errors in total consistency present in the file. It is expected that an aggregate (a total) to be consistent with its components. For example, the EU Aggregate is expected to reflect the sum of all EU Member States, else an error is triggered.
17.2. Data revision - practice
See table 17.2. in annex ‘Quality report tables Dublin 2025’.
17.2.1. Data revision - average size
Not available
18.1. Source data
See table 18.1. in annex ‘Quality report tables Dublin 2025’.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Frequency of data collection is continuous.
18.3. Data collection
The data are registered in MIGRA IS either manually (by filling in the predefined items - personal information, information about the case) or electronically (uploading the pictures, copies of ID/travel/other documents).
Some data are extracted from MIGRA and cross-checked with the data entered manually in the Excel table throughout the year. Some of the data must be extracted manually from other sources (Excel table, registration diary, physical files). All data are double checked and cross-checked. The final numbers are then inserted into Excel templates provided by Eurostat and transformed into csv. format. Finally, the csv. files are transmitted via Edamis to Eurostat.
18.4. Data validation
The Migration Office in cooperation with Bureau of Border and Alien Police of the Presidium of the Police Forces directly performs regular second level checks of all data inputs into the system in terms of correctness, accuracy and complexity of input data. Logical checks of statistical outputs from this system are performed. There are checks of data uploaded to MIGRA IS at the national level being done in the end of the reference period or throughout the year.
Functionality and accuracy of statistical outputs from MIGRA IS are monitored continuously. The checks of the data are aimed to eliminate all registered defects made during the data uploading for specific time. Defects are identified and corrected individually.
Data from the system are checked with the data in the physical registry diary.
18.5. Data compilation
Data are collected from one institution - Dublin Unit of the Migration Office of the Ministry of the Interior of the Slovak Republic where all data is examined and processed before transmitted to Eurostat.
Data collection on Dublin statistics contains statistical information based on the Article 4.4 of Regulation (EC) No 862/2007 on Community statistics on migration and international protection.
Incoming ‘Dublin’ requests by submitting country (PARTNER), type of request, legal provision, sex and type of applicant (RI)
Outgoing ‘Dublin’ requests by receiving country (PARTNER), type of request, legal provision, sex and type of applicant (RO)
Incoming ‘Dublin’ requests based on EURODAC by submitting country (PARTNER), type of request, legal provision, sex and type of applicant (REDACI)
Outgoing ‘Dublin’ requests based on EURODAC by receiving country (PARTNER), type of request, legal provision, sex and type of applicant (REDACO)
Pending ‘Dublin’ incoming requests by submitting country (PARTNER), type of request, sex and type of applicant (RPENI)
Pending ‘Dublin’ outgoing requests by receiving country (PARTNER), type of request, sex and type of applicant (RPENO)
Incoming ‘Dublin’ requests for information by submitting country (PARTNER), legal provision, sex and type of applicant (RINFI)
Outgoing ‘Dublin’ requests for information by receiving country (PARTNER), legal provision, sex and type of applicant (RINFO)
Incoming responses to ‘Dublin’ requests for information by submitting country (PARTNER), legal provision, duration of response, sex and type of applicant (RESI)
Outgoing responses to ‘Dublin’ requests for information by receiving country (PARTNER), legal provision, duration of response, sex and type of applicant (RESO)
Unilateral ‘Dublin’ decisions by partner country, type of decision, sex and type of applicant (DUNI)
Decisions on incoming ‘Dublin’ requests by submitting country (PARTNER), type of decision, type of request, legal provision, sex and type of applicant (DI)
Decisions on outgoing ‘Dublin’ requests by receiving country (PARTNER), type of decision, type of request, legal provision, sex and type of applicant (DO)
Decisions on incoming ‘Dublin’ requests based on EURODAC by submitting country (PARTNER), type of decision, type of request, legal provision, sex and type of applicant (DEDACI)
Decisions on outgoing ‘Dublin’ requests based on EURODAC by receiving country (PARTNER), type of decision, type of request, legal provision, sex and type of applicant (DEDACO)
Incoming ‘Dublin’ transfers by submitting country (PARTNER), legal provision, duration of transfer, sex and type of applicant (TI)
Outgoing ‘Dublin’ transfers by receiving country (PARTNER), legal provision, duration of transfer, sex and type of applicant (TO)
Pending incoming ‘Dublin’ transfers by submitting country (PARTNER), sex and type of applicant (TPENI)
Pending outgoing ‘Dublin’ transfers by receiving country (PARTNER), sex and type of applicant (TPENO)
5 June 2026
See table 3.4. in annex ‘Quality report tables Dublin 2025’.
The text of Art.4 of the Statistics Regulation (asylum statistics) refers in general to statistics based on the number of persons and not on the number of applications. However, the respective Article dealing with Dublin statistics (Art. 4.4) refers to statistics based on number of requests.
See table 3.6. in annex ‘Quality report tables Dublin 2025’.
Dublin statistics (Art.4.4) refers to statistics based on the number of requests. Commission services recommend that Art.4.4 (more precisely 4.4.a, 4.4.c and 4.4.d) is interpreted as referring to the number of persons concerned by each request, decision and transfer.
The reporting unit convention of the Dublin statistics follows two main principles:
1. Each person is to be reported individually i.e. in case a request/re-examination request/decision covers several family members each family member shall be reported individually
2. Each submitted or received request/re-examination request/decision and transfer concerning the same person during the same reference year shall be reported. This implies that one person can be reported more than once during the reference year by the same Member State in the same dataset.
Data are collected from one institution - Dublin Unit of the Migration Office of the Ministry of the Interior of the Slovak Republic where all data is examined and processed before transmitted to Eurostat.
See table 18.1. in annex ‘Quality report tables Dublin 2025’.
Yearly
Number of days (on average) after the end of the reference period at which the country is able to report the first/preliminary data, at the earliest: 60 days
Reasons for possible long production of the first/preliminary data and plans to improve the situation:
double - checking provided data in system and comparing the data with other available sources of data due to absence of advanced information system.
Not available
Slovak Dublin Unit processes the statistics according to relevant Technical Guideline therefore since 2014 the Dublin statistics are comparable over time.
