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.
Enforcement of immigration legislation data (EIL statistics) contain statistical information based on Article 5 and 7 of the Regulation (EC) No 862/2007 as amended by the Regulation (EU) 2020/851 with reference to third-country nationals:
refused entry at the external border,
found to be illegally present,
ordered to leave,
returned following an order to leave.
3.2. Classification system
See table 3.2. in annex ‘Quality report tables EIL 2024’.
3.3. Coverage - sector
Migration and asylum – Enforcement of Immigration Legislation statistics
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
See table 3.4. in annex ‘Quality report tables EIL 2024’.
3.5. Statistical unit
Number of persons.
3.6. Statistical population
See table 3.6. in annex ‘Quality report tables EIL 2024’.
3.7. Reference area
Luxembourg
3.8. Coverage - Time
See table 3.8. in annex ‘Quality report tables EIL 2024’.
3.9. Base period
Not applicable.
Number of persons.
Calendar quarter and calendar year.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
The Commitee for official statistics of STATEC* coordinates the statistical programs of the different national authorities, Ministries, public institutions and observatories. The General Department of immigration, being in possession of the data, is directly providing the data.
*STATEC is the national statistical authority that coordinates the national statistical system, and represents it on the international level.
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
On national level, data concerning returns is shared with STATEC, the national statistical authority that coordinates the national statistical system, and represents it on the international level.
On European level, data concerning EIL is shared with IRMA, Frontex and EUAA
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
The legal framework and the conceptual framework for confidentiality is the Regulation 223/2009 on European statistics is applied.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
In order to guarantee confidentiality and to protect the concerned persons, when publishing press releases on national level, the General department of immigration applies the rule to not share any personal data.
8.1. Release calendar
No specific release calendar. Statistics are published during the month following the reference time.
For ESTAT, statistics are released 2 to 3 months after the reference period
8.2. Release calendar access
Not applicable
8.3. Release policy - user access
As long as data is not released officially, it should not be publicly shared.
Quality is assured by manual ad-hoc controls. Data in the Eurostat tables is cross-checked with the data in the national database.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
Not applicable
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 EIL statistics : EUROSTAT, Immigration office, EUAA, FRONTEX, UNHCR, IRMA.
Unmet user needs (on statistics) and reasons why these needs cannot be satisfied (at national and international level) : not available.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
Not available
12.3. Completeness
See table 12.3. in annex ‘Quality report tables EIL 2024’.
12.3.1. Data completeness - rate
Not applicable.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
The overall accuracy of EIL statistics is good as they are mostly directly generated from the database of the General Department of immigration. The only reason for incompleteness may be due to human error in handling the data.
13.2. Sampling error
Not applicable.
13.2.1. Sampling error - indicators
Not applicable.
13.3. Non-sampling error
Not applicable
13.3.1. Coverage error
See table 13.3.1. in annex ‘Quality report tables EIL 2024’.
13.3.1.1. Over-coverage - rate
Not applicable.
13.3.1.2. Common units - proportion
Not applicable.
13.3.2. Measurement error
The only errors can come from recording errors (erroneous variable or missing data).
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
Not applicable
13.3.5. Model assumption error
Not applicable.
14.1. Timeliness
In general, data is available in real time, but it can sometimes happen that we get the information with some delay. However, data may be processed with a certain delay due to updates of the data collection tools (tables, specifications) by Eurostat and technical adjustments to be carried out
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 EIL 2024’.
14.2.1. Punctuality - delivery and publication
Not applicable.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
Data is coherent across the territory.
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 EIL 2024’.
15.2.1. Length of comparable time series
Not applicable.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
See table 15.3. in annex ‘Quality report tables EIL 2024’.
15.3.1. Coherence - sub annual and annual statistics
Annual data is more complete than quarterly data.
15.3.2. Coherence - National Accounts
Not applicable.
15.4. Coherence - internal
No internal incoherence noticed.
Not applicable
17.1. Data revision - policy
No such policy exists
17.2. Data revision - practice
See table 17.2. in annex ‘Quality report tables EIL 2024’.
17.2.1. Data revision - average size
Not applicable.
18.1. Source data
See table 18.1. in annex ‘Quality report tables EIL 2024’.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Database is updated on daily basis
18.3. Data collection
Most of the data is extracted from the national database, no collection needed.
Exception : Table Y1 is collected once a year from the Border Police.
18.4. Data validation
Data is controlled and validated monthly when data is extracted.
Enforcement of immigration legislation data (EIL statistics) contain statistical information based on Article 5 and 7 of the Regulation (EC) No 862/2007 as amended by the Regulation (EU) 2020/851 with reference to third-country nationals:
refused entry at the external border,
found to be illegally present,
ordered to leave,
returned following an order to leave.
14 April 2025
See table 3.4. in annex ‘Quality report tables EIL 2024’.
Number of persons.
See table 3.6. in annex ‘Quality report tables EIL 2024’.
Luxembourg
Calendar quarter and calendar year.
The overall accuracy of EIL statistics is good as they are mostly directly generated from the database of the General Department of immigration. The only reason for incompleteness may be due to human error in handling the data.
Number of persons.
Not availble
See table 18.1. in annex ‘Quality report tables EIL 2024’.
Monthly
In general, data is available in real time, but it can sometimes happen that we get the information with some delay. However, data may be processed with a certain delay due to updates of the data collection tools (tables, specifications) by Eurostat and technical adjustments to be carried out
Data is coherent across the territory.
See table 15.2. in annex ‘Quality report tables EIL 2024’.
