1) Statistics Netherlands (CBS)

1) team Justice and Security, sector SQS

1) CBS

    Henri Faasdreef 312

    2492 JP The Hague

    The Netherlands

1. Introduction

This metadata information is provided by Dutch authorities to ensure compliance with the requirements of Articles 5 and 7 of Regulation 862/2007 on Community Statistics on Migration and International Protection.

As required by Article 9 of the Regulation 862/2007, Member States must report to Eurostat on the data sources used, the reasons for the selection of these sources and the effects of the selected data on the quality of the statistics. Member States shall provide it with all the information necessary to evaluate the quality, comparability and completeness of the statistical information.

The reference terms for the assessment of quality compliance are provided by Eurostat in the EIL technical guidelines applied for 2014 and 2021 reference period (See section 3.4 Statistical concepts and definitions from the EIL ESMS file).

2. General description of the statistical domain at national level

In compliance with the Regulation, The Netherlands submits to Eurostat the mandatory EIL tables Y1, Y2, Y3 (annually) and Y5, Y6 (quarterly). 

 The Netherlands was granted the following derogations : 

    - of two years for the country of destination in table Y6.1 and table Y6.2, data submitted in February 2023 

    - of three years for unaccompanied minors in table Y5.2 and table Y6.2,  data will be submitted in  February 2024 at the latest. 

There is a break in the time series from 2020 to 2021, these are flagged in the relevant Eurostat tables. This is explained in section 2.4. 

Legal national framework relevant for EIL statistics

The Schengen Borders Code (SBC) is the legal framework for border control in The Netherlands, as well as the Eurosur regulation and Visa code.

National legislation is laid down in the Aliens Act 2000 (‘Vreemdelingenwet 2000’) and complements the SBC and other EU-regulations. National and EU-legislation is further operationalised and elaborated in the Aliens Decree 2000 (‘Vreemdelingenbesluit 2000’), the Regulation on Aliens 2000 (‘Voorschrift Vreemdelingen 2000’) and the Aliens Act implementation guidelines 2000 (‘Vreemdelingencirculaire 2000’).

Institutional infrastructure (list of the institutions involved in managing the EIL registers and the institutions involved in the production of the EIL statistics)

Data are compiled by the Ministry of Justice and Security, Directorate-General for Immigration, based on data from the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (INS), Royal Netherlands Marechaussee (RNM), National Police (NP, including Sea Port Police, SPP), Return and Departure Service (R&DS). 

 From reference year 2021 and onwards, major improvements were made in the data collection and data processing. When relevant, in each section the differences are explained. 

No other improvements foreseen.

General procedure for recording Non-EU citizens refused entry at the external borders

After detection at a Border Crossing Point (BCP) of a TCN with insufficient papers for entering the Schengen Borders a registration is made in VBS, the registration system of the RNM and the SPP.

General procedure for recording Non-EU citizens found to be illegally present

After detection of a illegally staying TCN during mobile security monitoring by the RNM a registration is made in VBS. When National Police detects an illegally staying TCN a registration is made in PSH-V. 

General procedure for recording Non-EU citizens ordered to leave:

• When the INS rejects an application of a TCN or repeals a permit a return decision is issued.
• Return decisions by the Police are issued when a TCN is found to be illegally present in the Netherlands. 
• The RNM mainly issues return decisions when a TCN is found to be illegally present when leaving the Netherlands at a border crossing point. 
• If a TCN receives multiple return decisions in a reference period, it is counted only once in the Eurostat tables.  

General procedure for recording Non-EU citizens returned following an order to leave

Return is registered by multiple partners, RNM, Police and R&DS. Each organization uses its own primary registration system. Each organization sends its data on to the Ministry of Justice and Security where the data is collected and processed in KMI+. 

3. Main problems that affect the quality of the data and what tables are concerned including the compliance status with the definitions from EIL Technical Guideline

(See metadata information including concepts and definitions from the EIL ESMS file)

The definition underlying our delivery for 2012 - 2016 is as follows.

 “Third country nationals (TCN) found to be illegally present are TCN who are found illegally present, did not apply for asylum and were ordered to leave or were immediately transferred over to a neighboring country”.

 Before 2012 a different definition was used.

 “TCN found to be illegally present are TCN who were without legal stay and were held in custody with the purpose of removal or return”.

 This definition is not used anymore because it does not encompass the TCN who are found to be illegally present but are not held in custody, and so is incomplete.

 Now the redefinition of the EIL indicators is complete we use the new definition.

The ESS and international standards are followed. 

In case that countries no longer exist, such as Yugoslavia or Serbia and Montenegro, the nationality is qualified as 'unknown'. 

Not applicable

Table Y1 Third-country nationals refused entry at the external border (annual data)

Data sources:

· Royal Netherlands Marechaussee (RNM)

· Sea Port Police

Remarks: 

· The Netherlands doesn't have a Schengen land border.  

Table Y2 Third-country nationals found to be illegally present (annual data)

Data sources:

· Royal Netherlands Marechaussee

· National Police

Remarks: 

· There is a break in the time series from 2020 to 2021: Before 2021, the number of TCNs found to be illegally present was based on the number of return decisions issued by the RNM and Police. Starting from 2021, data was added on TCNs encountered in the border regions with Belgium or Germany (RNM) and TCNs encountered by the Police.   

Table Y3.1 Third-country nationals ordered to leave (annual data) (voluntary table) 

Data sources:

· Immigration and Naturalization Service

· Royal Netherlands Marechaussee

· National Police

Table Y3.2 Third-country nationals returned following an order to leave (annual data) (voluntary table) 

Data sources:

· Royal Netherlands Marechaussee

· Return and Departure Service

Remarks: 

· There is a break in the time series from 2020 to 2021. Before 2021, due to technical limitations of the database, no distinction could be made between TCN's who returned after an order to leave and TCN's who left the Netherlands without an order to leave. The data contained for example also Dublin transfers.  

· Type of return and destination country is derived from the return registrations of the RNM and the R&DS. In November 2021 the return registrations were adjusted. This causes a minor break in the type of return & assistance received

· The annual total is slightly lower than the sum of the quarterly data, because each TCN is counted only once in each reporting period. 

· In the Netherlands a distinction is made between verifiable and non-verifiable return (return is assumed because the TCN is for example no longer present at his residential address). The EIL data only refers to verifiable return.   

Table Y5.1 Total third-country nationals ordered to leave (Quarterly)

Data sources:

• Immigration and Naturalization Service
• Royal Netherlands Marechaussee
• National Police

Table Y5.2 Total third-country nationals unaccompanied minors ordered to leave (Quarterly)

Not yet available (ref. 2.1)

Table Y6.1 Third-country nationals returned following an order to leave  (Quarterly)

Data sources:

• Royal Netherlands Marechaussee
• Return and Departure Service

Remarks: 

• There is a break in the time series from 2020 to 2021. Before 2021, due to technical limitations of the database, no distinction could be made between TCN's who returned after an order to leave and TCN's who left the Netherlands without an order to leave. The data contained for example also Dublin transfers.  
• Type of return and destination country is derived from the return registrations of the RNM and the R&DS. In November 2021 the return registrations were adjusted. This causes a minor break in the type of return & assistance received
• The annual total is slightly lower than the sum of the quarterly data, because each TCN is counted only once in each reporting period.    

Table Y6.2 Third-country nationals unaccompanied minors returned following an order to leave (Quarterly)

Not yet available (ref. 2.1)

person

In accordance with the EIL guidelines

The Netherlands (the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

In accordance with the EIL guidelines

not applicable

-

The data sources for the EIL tables are the following registrations: 

Ministry of Justice and Security, DG Migration

• KMI+ ,  datawarehouse collecting and processing data from INS, RNM, NP, SPP, R&DS  and other migration agencies

Immigration and Naturalisation Service

• INDIGO, system for the registration of applicants, applications and the decisions on the applications

Royal Netherlands Marechaussee

• VBS, Aliens Basic System (Vreemdelingen Basis Systeem)

National Police (except Sea Port Police)

• PSH-V, system for the Dutch National Police 

Sea Port Police

• VBS, Aliens Basic System (Vreemdelingen Basis Systeem)

Return and Departure Service

• ISTV, database for the registration of returns

All source data are collected and processed continuously. In order to submit the data to Eurostat, compilations of the data are made on a quarterly or annual base.

General procedure for recording Non-EU citizens refused entry at the external borders:

After detection at a Border Crossing Point (BCP) of a TCN with insufficient papers for entering the Schengen Borders a registration is made in VBS, the registration system of the RNM and the SPP.

General procedure for recording Non-EU citizens found to be illegally present:

After detection of a illegally staying TCN during mobile security monitoring by the RNM a registration is made in VBS. When National Police detects an illegally staying TCN a registration is made in PSH-V. 

General procedure for recording Non-EU citizens ordered to leave:

• When the INS rejects an application of a TCN or repeals a permit a return decision is issued.
• Return decisions by the Police are issued when a TCN is found to be illegally present in the Netherlands. 
• The RNM mainly issues return decisions when a TCN is found to be illegally present when leaving the Netherlands at a border crossing point. 
• If a TCN receives multiple return decisions in a reference period, it is counted only once in the Eurostat tables.  

General procedure for recording Non-EU citizens returned following an order to leave:

Return is registered by multiple partners, RNM, Police and R&DS. Each organization uses its own primary registration system. Each organization sends its data on to the Ministry of Justice and Security where the data is collected and processed in KMI+. 

Description of the data validation system at national level

The following checks are performed in the systems:

 When there are more than one record for a person in the reference period (with identical foreignernumbers), these are deduplicated in KMI+.

 Plausibility checks are performed by comparing the data with previous periods. Deviating increases or decreases in numbers are investigated and explanations are sought, in order to ensure it is not caused by an omission or error in the data or query. 

 A check of consistency between Y2 and Y3 does not seem very useful in the Dutch context as most orders to leave/return decisions are issued when a application is refused or a permit is withdrawn.

 A quick check  of consistency between "TCNs subjects to an obligation to leave" and "TCNs who actually left the territory" is done. However, the two data sets do not form an cohort and there are other possible outcomes too (such as abscondment and issuance of a permit).

Estimations used: Details on the estimations done for EIL statistics (methodology applied and the concerned categories and tables)

Table Y 6.1:

The country of destination is sometimes not known although the type of return is assisted voluntary or forced return. In those cases, the destination country is assumed to be the country of citizenship. This annually applies to 10-20 returns.

In case of unassisted voluntary return, the country of destination is reported as unknown in the majority of cases.This is due to the process at the border, where country of destination is not registered. Efforts are made by the RNM and the Ministry to improve this process and decrease the number of unknown countries of destination.   

not applicable

Statistics Netherlands has implemented a.o. the European Statistics Code of Practice (CoP), the ESS Quality Assurance Framework (QAF), the CBS-law, and ISO-9001, and is regularly audited.

1. Description of the Quality management system at national level

Statistics Netherlands has implemented a.o. the European Statistics Code of Practice (CoP), the ESS Quality Assurance Framework (QAF), the CBS-law, and ISO-9001, and is regularly audited.

Third-country nationals refused at border:

Good quality

Third-country nationals found to be illegally present:

Before 2021: Sufficient quality

2021 and onwards: Good quality

Third-country nationals who are subject to an obligation to leave: 

Good quality

Third-country nationals effectively returned

Before 2021: Sufficient quality (Dublin cases were not excluded)

2021 and onwards: Good quality

• Good quality (extensive quality) - covers all quality requirements and substantial quality checks are performed and a very good cooperation exists between institutions.
• Sufficient quality (acceptable quality) - covers minimum requirements, but issues still exist and more information/validation is needed for a better quality assessment and acceptable cooperation issues exists.
• Poor quality (inadequate quality) - the data do not meet the minimum requirements or there is not enough information for quality assessment and important cooperation issues exists.

The data are conform the guidelines provided by Eurostat and are therefore relevant for the statistical system of the EU. 

Part of the data is published by Statistics Netherlands in Statline.

1. General aspects

The statistics collected under the Regulation 862/2007 are widely used in official publications and by a wide range of users at national, European and International level.

Main users of EIL statistics at national level
The users of EIL statistics produced are not registered. However, it is assumed that the data in Eurostat is used by national administrations, academic researchers and civil society groups working on a wide range of topics including the integration of immigrants, the development and monitoring of national asylum and immigration procedures, and the projection of the future population and labour force.

Main users of EIL statistics at European and International level
The main users of EIL statistics are Eurostat, DG Home Affairs 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.

2. EIL data publication at national level

Presentation of the EIL statistics published at national level

CBS has an open publication database Statline, which also includes data on EIL statistics: 

StatLine - Datasets via thema (cbs.nl)

Differences between the data provided to Eurostat and the data published at national level (Comparability of figures)

 EU-nationals and Dublin cases are included in the national statistics.

No user satisfaction surveys are conducted.

Completeness of the data provided based on Articles 5 and 7 Regulation 862/2007 (mandatory data provision) and justification of the missing mandatory breakdowns and completeness of the data provided on voluntary basis.

 All mandatory data and breakdowns are submitted, with the exception of the derogations (to be submitted before the derogation deadline). (Derogation of 2 year on Category of ‘country of destination’ in tables Y6.1 and Y6.2, derogation of 3 year on Category of ‘unaccompanied minors’ in tables Y5.2 and Y6.2)

[Not requested]

-

 (*) Third-country nationals effectively returned

• If registered, the country of destination is accurate (close to 100%)
• The type of return & assistance is influenced by the business rules that are applied to join the information of the RNM and the R&DS. Before reference period 2022, the accurate share of forced return might be slightly lower than reported and the share of voluntary return slightly higher.
• In november 2021, the registration of returns has changed and further standardised. This resulted in a decrease of the share of reported forced returns and an increase of the share of voluntary return. 

Procedures and classifications used in case of missing information (e.g. unknown citizenship, age, etc)

not applicable

[Not requested]

[Not requested]

[Not requested]

 *target population refers to the population that should be included (as it is specified in technical guidelines)

[Not requested]

Third country nationals refused at border: Before reference period 2021, one person could be counted more than once in each data set. The share was less than 1%. From 2021 and onwards, the data is deduplicated.

 Other data sets: The data is deduplicated (before and after 2021).

[Not requested]

[Not requested]

[Not requested]

[Not requested]

[Not requested]

[Not requested]

[Not requested]

[Not requested]

[Not requested]

Details related to the data revision policy and expected revisions of the data sent to Eurostat

The data send are the final versions, there is no revision policy. 

However, exceptions might occur, such as in case of technical obstacles or if we find an error in the data set after submission. In those rare cases, it might happen that the NL submits a revised data set.  

[Not requested]

Data supply to Eurostat is in accordance with the Regulation and the Technical Guidelines.

[Not requested]

[Not requested]

[Not requested]

Problems with data provision to Eurostat in due time and the impact of these problems on the data quality provided to Eurostat

The Netherlands submits the EIL data in due time in general, according to the deadlines set in the Regulation and in the Technical Guidelines. An important factor in a timely provision process is the priority given by the migration agencies to compiling and providing the EIL data. The data quality is not affected by this.  

Some tables have a derogation (Y5.2, Y6.1 and Y6.2), the complete data in these tables will be send within the derogation time limits, and have a good quality.

[Not requested]

-

-

1. Provision of data using the Eurostat EIL Technical Guidelines and exceptions applied

The statistics are comparable between all regions of the Netherlands, there is only one national system of accumulating and processing the data.

2. Details on categories of Non-EU citizens difficult to be classified using the reference definitions from EIL technical guidelines and the categories excluded from these reasons (excluded from the statistics reported)

No persons are excluded. In case that countries no longer exist, such as Yugoslavia or Serbia and Montenegro, the nationality is qualified as 'unknown'. 

3. Description of records related to "Unknown" country of citizenship category

In case that countries no longer exist, such as Yugoslavia or Serbia and Montenegro, the nationality is qualified as 'unknown'. 

4. Description of records related to "Unknown" age category

Happens very limitly, only if age is not/not correctly registered in the data source.

5. Description of records related to "Unknown" sex category

Happens very limitly, only if sex is not/not correctly registered in the data source. 

6. Establishing the reported ground in case of “multiple grounds” for the same refusal and the impact on double counting of the person in the same dataset

It is applied the methodological procedure of "one ground per refused person", as laid down in EIL Technical Guidelines (procedure of "higher” ground overrules the “lower” ground for refusal).

7. Type of "external border" applicable

Land boarder is not applicable. Sea border and Air border are applicable.

8. The definition of “refused Non-EU citizens” applied

The Schengen Borders Code's refusal definition is applies for the Statistics reported to Eurostat

9. The correspondence between the national system of “grounds for refusal" classification and Schengen Borders Code classification.

The Schengen Borders Code classification is followed. 

10. The definition of “Non-EU citizens found to be illegally present” applied

The number of TCNs found to be illegally present is calculated as the number of return decisions issued by the RNM and Police, the TCNs encountered in the border regions with Belgium or Germany (RNM) and TCNs encountered by the Police.

11. The definition of “Non-EU citizens ordered to leave” applied

The number of Non-EU citizens that received one or more return decisions in the reference period. 

12. The definition of “Non-EU citizens returned following an order to leave” applied

The number of Non-EU citizens that were registered by the Dutch migration authorities as having left the Netherlands verifiable in the reference period, after receiving a return decision. 

[Not requested]

Methodological changes between the present reference year and previous year(s)

 The statistics are comparable over time, exceptions are described in 2.4 (breaks in time series)

Justification of the important changes in figures reported for the present reference year and previous year(s)

The statistics are comparable over time, exceptions are described in 2.4 (breaks in time series).

[Not requested]

1. Links between the statistics on refused Non-EU citizens and the statistics on Non-EU citizens found to be illegally present.

There is no overlap between the two data sets. 

2. Links between the statistics on Non-EU citizens found to be illegally present and the statistics on Non-EU citizens with obligation to leave.

There is a certain overlap, as the number of TCNs found to be illegally present is partly calculated as the number of return decisions issued by the RNM and Police (ref. 8.1)  

3. Links between the statistics on Non-EU citizens found to be illegally present and the statistics on Non-EU citizens with obligation to leave.

-

4. Coherence between the EIL statistics and Asylum statistics

When the INS rejects an asylum application of a TCN or repeals a permit a return decision is issued. 

5. Dublin cases included in EIL statistics and the impact on the totals provided 

Dublin cases are excluded. 

6. Inclusion of voluntary returned Non-EU citizens in the statistics on Non-EU citizens who actually left the territory 

They are included, as long as a migration agency is involved in the return. For example, if a non-EU citizen leaves before the validity period of the visa expires, no return decision is issued and the return will not be included in the statistics.   

Links between the EIL statistics and Asylum statistics and details related to the asylum applicant(s) case(s) included in EIL statistics. 

When the INS rejects an asylum application of a TCN or repeals a permit a return decision is issued.

[Not requested]

[Not requested]

1. Links and differences between the Non-EU citizens with obligation to leave and Non-EU citizens who actually left the territory

 The two data sets do not form a cohort. A return decision might be issued in another reporting period than the return takes place. Not all persons who receive a return decision do actually leave, as there are other possible outcomes too (such as abscondment or the issuance of a permit) 

2. Links and differences between the Non-EU citizens who actually left the territory and Non-EU citizens who left the territory to a third country

Non-EU citizens who left the territory to a third country are a subset of non-EU citizens who actually left the territory. 

-

The data are published by Eurostat and partly by Statistics Netherlands (Statline).

Statline publication: StatLine - Datasets via thema (cbs.nl)

SN Statline publication: StatLine - Datasets via thema (cbs.nl)

Presentation of the National online national database for EIL data accessible to the public and the accessibility procedure

Statistics Netherlands makes parts of the EIL data accessible to the public via the Statline publication: StatLine - Datasets via thema (cbs.nl). 

[Not requested]

[Not requested]

The data are send to Eurostat according to the Regulation, and partly published in Statline. 

The relevant Eurostat guidelines are used. 

Presentation of the available quality management - documentation

SN has implemented a.o. the ISO-9001 standards.

[Not requested]

[Not requested]

[Not requested]

-

[Not requested]

[Not requested]

The following classification is used for data availability at Eurostat level:

The term "not applicable" relates to the categories of permits which do not exist in national legislation/administrative procedures and therefore such statistics cannot be issued.

The term "not available" relates to categories of data that exist in the national legal/administrative system but cannot be delivered under EIL data collection for various reasons (e.g. data cannot exist, data exist but are not collected, data are unreliable, etc.).