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 2024’.
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 2024'.
3.5. Statistical unit
The text of Art.4 of the Regulation (EC) 862/2007 on Migration and international protection refers in general to statistics based on the number of persons and not on the number of applications. However, the article describing the '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.
3.6. Statistical population
See table 3.6. in annex ‘Quality report tables Dublin 2024’.
3.7. Reference area
Switzerland.
3.8. Coverage - Time
See table 3.8. in annex ‘Quality report tables Dublin 2024’.
3.9. Base period
Not applicable.
Number of persons.
Calendar year.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
Public statistics are based on the Swiss constitution. In the vote held on 18 April 1999 the Swiss electorate approved a total revision of the constitution, which now includes a statistics article (Art. 65) concerning the commissioning and competence of statistics.
Article 65: «1 The federal authorities shall obtain the necessary statistical data concerning the current status and changes in the population, the economy, society, education, research, spatial development and the environment in Switzerland. 2 They shall be authorized to issue regulations with regard to the harmonization and management of official registers with a view to minimizing the work needed for obtaining such information.»
Data Collection under Art.4.4 of Regulation (EC) No 862/2007 (Dublin Statistics) of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 July 2007 on Community statistics on migration and international protection.
In collaboration with the Federal Statistical Office, the SEM draws up periodic statistics on the basis of the data recorded in ZEMIS as part of the performance of its statutory duties.
Under no circumstances may the statistics be used to cross-check personal data.
It provides the authorities of the Confederation, the cantons and the communes with the statistics they need to carry out the tasks prescribed by the LEI, the LAsi, the LN, the Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons with the EC and the Convention establishing EFTA, as well as the Schengen and Dublin association agreements.
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
The Federal Data Protection Act (DPA; RS 235.1) sets out the conditions under which personal data may be collected or collated. It stipulates that the persons concerned must be informed, regulates data processing and defines the cases in which it is possible to give access to data and when it must be deleted, anonymised or archived. In accordance with art. 16 of the DPA, the SEM is responsible for ensuring compliance with data protection provisions in the performance of its statutory duties.
Any processing of data constitutes a violation of personality.
A distinction must be made here between the current definition of the term ‘processing’ and its legal meaning, which refers to any operation relating to personal data, in particular the collection, storage, use, modification, communication, archiving or destruction of data (cf. art. 3, letter e, DPA). All data processing is governed by the following principles. 5/22 a) Lawful collection and legal basis Personal data may only be collected lawfully (art. 4, para. 1, DPA). The collection of personal data is deemed unlawful if it has been obtained by force, trickery, threat or deception. Federal bodies may only process data if a legal basis authorises them to do so (art. 17, para. 1, DPA). Sensitive data may only be processed if expressly provided for by law (art. 17, para. 2, DPA). The legal bases are found in particular in art. 96 ff of the Asylum Act (LAsi; RS 142.31), 101 ff of the Federal Act on Foreign Nationals and Integration (LEI; RS 142.20), 44 ff of the Swiss Nationality Act (LN; RS 141. 0) and 7 et seq. of the Federal Law on the joint information system for foreign nationals and asylum (LDEA; RS 142.51).
Good faith
Under the terms of art. 4, para. 2, LPD, all data processing must be carried out in accordance with the principle of good faith. This means, on the one hand, that the data subject must be able to expect that data will be collected about him or her and, on the other hand, that the data processing must be carried out in a way that is recognisable to the data subject. This principle is violated when a data subject is not informed - or is incorrectly informed - of the purpose of the data processing, or if there is no legal basis for the data processing. Violations include unauthorised telephone tapping, surveillance of e-mail exchanges and secret data collection.
Proportionality
Only personal data that is necessary and appropriate to fulfil the legal tasks may be processed (art. 4, para. 2, DPA). The impact on personal data must be as minimal as possible. Data no longer required will be deleted, anonymised or archived.
Accuracy, purpose and transparency
Personal data must be accurate and up to date. Inaccurate data must be corrected (art. 5 LPD). Personal data may only be processed for the purpose indicated at the time of collection, which is provided for by law or which is apparent from the circumstances (art. 4, para. 3, LPD). In addition, the collection of personal data and, in particular, the purposes for which it is processed must be recognisable to the data subject (art. 4, para. 4, DPA). This transparency is essential to enable the data subject to assert his or her right of access under art. 8 of the DPA (see section 2.2.4).
8.1. Release calendar
Statistical information is published in accordance with an approved release calendar.
8.2. Release calendar access
The calendar is placed on the Official Statistics Portal of SEM.
Statistical information is clearly identifiable as a product of official statistics. Statistical agencies shall only publish statistical information that meets quality standards.
Accessibility
Statistical information shall be made available in a suitable form to meet the needs of the various users. Statistical information shall be published in a clear and understand[1]able form.
Punctuality and simultaneity
Regular statistical information shall be published according to a pre[1]announced schedule. Statistical information shall be disseminated in such a way that it is made available to all users simultaneously. A limited and clearly defined group of users may receive advance information under embargo. This group of users is made public.
Monthly: The SEM publish monthly the following statistics: 7-50 Dublin: Requests for take-back, completions and transfers Asylstatistik
The quality of Data is insured by Statistical Service of SEM (DSTAT).
11.2. Quality management - assessment
Data quality is assessed by SEM Experts in Dublin procedure.
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 usersʼ needs.
Users of Dublin statistics : Media, researchers, politicians, refugees associations, etc.
Unmet user needs (on statistics) and reasons why these needs cannot be satisfied (at national and international level) : None.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
Not available.
12.3. Completeness
See table 12.3. in annex ‘Quality report tables Dublin 2024’.
12.3.1. Data completeness - rate
Not applicable.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
The accuracy of all Dublin tables is high, which means about 100 % accuracy. The reported statistics measure accurately the target population, as foreseen by Regulation (EC) 862/2007 (as amended by Regulation (EU) 2020/851) and as defined in the Technical Guidelines for Dublin statistics.
The target population, i.e the third country nationals submitting an application of asylum under the Dublin III Regulation, is very accurately represented in the datawarehouse of SEM (ZEMIS) and validated compilations of these data are made to fill the mandatory Dublin tables. The bias is zero.
13.2. Sampling error
Not applicable.
13.2.1. Sampling error - indicators
Not applicable.
13.3. Non-sampling error
There are no coverage errors, no measurement errors and no nonresponse errors. Processing errors sometimes occur in extracting the table from ZEMIS, sometimes in the method of extracting, but mostly in the format of the table.
13.3.1. Coverage error
The coverage error, which is the discrepancy from the Eurostat target population, is 0 %.
13.3.1.1. Over-coverage - rate
Not applicable.
13.3.1.2. Common units - proportion
Not applicable.
13.3.2. Measurement error
There are no measurement errors: all individual data records concerning 'Dublin' (an incoming Dublin request, an incoming decision from a partner country, a decision made by the national authority) is registered within 1 to 2 days in ZEMIS (Central Migration Information System). From SEM datawarehouse based on ZEMIS, all mandatory Dublin tables are yearly extracted, checked and validated. There is no bias in the outcome, and the population, definitions and breakdowns are according to the Eurostat technical guidelines.
13.3.3. Non response error
Not applicable.
13.3.3.1. Unit non-response - rate
Not applicable.
13.3.3.2. Item non-response - rate
Not applicable.
13.3.4. Processing error
Processing errors sometimes occur in extracting the table from ZEMIS, sometimes in the method of extracting, but mostly in the format of the table.
13.3.5. Model assumption error
Not applicable.
14.1. Timeliness
Data supply to Eurostat is in accordance with the Regulation and the Technical Guidelines, also concerning the timeframe of sending data to Eurostat.
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 : 80 days
Reasons for possible long production of the first/preliminary data and plans to improve the situation : We produce the reports within the agreed deadlines.
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 2024’.
14.2.1. Punctuality - delivery and publication
Not applicable.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
The statistics are comparable between all regions of Switzerland; there is only one national system of accumulating and processing the data.
15.1.1. Asymmetry for mirror flow statistics - coefficient
Not applicable.
15.2. Comparability - over time
See table 15.2. in annex ‘Quality report tables Dublin 2024’.
15.2.1. Length of comparable time series
The Dublin statistics are comparable overall years.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
There are no coherence issues with other data sets.
15.3.1. Coherence - sub annual and annual statistics
The Dublin statistics are comparable overall years.
Monthly and annual statistics are not comparable, as they have different format.
15.3.2. Coherence - National Accounts
Not applicable.
15.4. Coherence - internal
All Dublin statistics are extracted from ZEMIS which is the registration system in which all administrative individual data records concerning 'Dublin' (requests, decisions, transfers) are registered. All Dublin statistics are coherent.
Not available.
17.1. Data revision - policy
Not available.
17.2. Data revision - practice
See table 17.2. in annex ‘Quality report tables Dublin 2024’.
17.2.1. Data revision - average size
Not applicable.
18.1. Source data
See table 18.1. in annex ‘Quality report tables Dublin 2024’.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
All source data are collected and processed continuously. In order to submit the data to Eurostat, compilations of the data are made on an annual base.
18.3. Data collection
Central Migration Information System (ZEMIS), is the sole source for the mandatory Dublin tables.
18.4. Data validation
During the process of monitoring end ensuring the quality of the resulting tables, a.o. the next checks are performed: an automatic check on integrality of the data within the datawarehouse; checking that the population coverage is accurate according to the definitions of the Technical guidelines; checking retrospectively a sample of the data in the register in order to confirm that they are accurate; comparing yearly the data with data of previous periods; checking for outliers.
18.5. Data compilation
Central Migration Information System (ZEMIS), is the sole source for the mandatory Dublin tables. It is an integral microdata registration of all requests, transfers and decisions, therefore there is no imputation, no adjustment to non-response and no weighting of records. Based on ZEMIS, for each table the required records are extracted, aggregated and counted, and tabulated into the table, according to the guidelines.
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)
1 May 2025
See table 3.4. in annex ‘Quality report tables Dublin 2024'.
The text of Art.4 of the Regulation (EC) 862/2007 on Migration and international protection refers in general to statistics based on the number of persons and not on the number of applications. However, the article describing the '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.
See table 3.6. in annex ‘Quality report tables Dublin 2024’.
Switzerland.
Calendar year.
The accuracy of all Dublin tables is high, which means about 100 % accuracy. The reported statistics measure accurately the target population, as foreseen by Regulation (EC) 862/2007 (as amended by Regulation (EU) 2020/851) and as defined in the Technical Guidelines for Dublin statistics.
The target population, i.e the third country nationals submitting an application of asylum under the Dublin III Regulation, is very accurately represented in the datawarehouse of SEM (ZEMIS) and validated compilations of these data are made to fill the mandatory Dublin tables. The bias is zero.
Number of persons.
Central Migration Information System (ZEMIS), is the sole source for the mandatory Dublin tables. It is an integral microdata registration of all requests, transfers and decisions, therefore there is no imputation, no adjustment to non-response and no weighting of records. Based on ZEMIS, for each table the required records are extracted, aggregated and counted, and tabulated into the table, according to the guidelines.
See table 18.1. in annex ‘Quality report tables Dublin 2024’.
Monthly: The SEM publish monthly the following statistics: 7-50 Dublin: Requests for take-back, completions and transfers Asylstatistik
Yearly: Annual Report for Eurostat.
Data supply to Eurostat is in accordance with the Regulation and the Technical Guidelines, also concerning the timeframe of sending data to Eurostat.
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 : 80 days
Reasons for possible long production of the first/preliminary data and plans to improve the situation : We produce the reports within the agreed deadlines.
The statistics are comparable between all regions of Switzerland; there is only one national system of accumulating and processing the data.
See table 15.2. in annex ‘Quality report tables Dublin 2024’.
