1.1. Contact organisation
Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union
1.2. Contact organisation unit
E2: Environmental statistics and accounts; sustainable development
1.3. Contact name
Confidential because of GDPR
1.4. Contact person function
Confidential because of GDPR
1.5. Contact mail address
European Commission
Eurostat – Statistical Office of the European Union
L-2920 Luxembourg
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
2 April 2025
2.2. Metadata last posted
29 May 2024
2.3. Metadata last update
2 April 2025
The indicator is part of the EU Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) indicator set. It is used to monitor progress towards SDG 16 on peace, justice and strong institutions, which is embedded in the European Commission’s Priorities under ‘A new era for European Defence and Security’ and ‘Protecting our democracy, upholding our values’.
SDG 16 calls for peaceful and inclusive societies based on respect for human rights, protection of the most vulnerable, the rule of law and good governance at all levels. It also envisions transparent, effective and accountable institutions, which promote non-discriminatory laws and policies, combat corruption, bribery and organised crime and prevent violence, terrorism and crime.
The indicator can be considered as part of the global SDG indicator 16.1.2 "Conflict-related deaths per 100,000 population, by sex, age and cause".
On 24 July 2020, the European Commission set out an EU Security Union Strategy for the period from 2020 to 2025. As a core component of the strategy, the Commission defined a new way forward on internal security with actions in key areas: organised crime; terrorism and the prevention of violent radicalisation; resilience of our critical infrastructures and public spaces; cybercrime, including fighting child sexual abuse; law enforcement cooperation and information exchange; and research and innovation
Safety is a crucial aspect in people’s lives. Insecurity of any kind is a source of fear and worry, which negatively affect quality of life. Physical insecurity includes all the external factors that could potentially put the individual’s physical integrity in danger. Criminal actions are one of the most obvious abuses of insecurity. Analyses of physical insecurity usually combine both subjective and objective aspects – the subjective perception of insecurity and the objective lack of safety as measured by crime statistics. As such, the indicator contributes to the understanding of the security of society.
4.1. Data description
The indicator measures the standardised death rate of homicide and injuries inflicted by another person with the intent to injure or kill by any means, including ‘late effects’ from assault (International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes X85 to Y09 and Y87.1). It does not include deaths due to legal interventions or war (ICD codes Y35 and Y36).
Data on causes of death (COD) refer to the underlying cause which - according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) - is "the disease or injury which initiated the train of morbid events leading directly to death, or the circumstances of the accident or violence which produced the fatal injury". COD data are derived from death certificates. The medical certification of death is an obligation in all Member States.
The data are presented as standardised death rates, meaning they are adjusted to a standard age distribution in order to measure death rates independently of different age structures of populations. This approach improves comparability over time and between countries. The standardised death rates used here are calculated on the basis of the standard European population referring to the residents of the countries.
4.2. Unit of measure
Number per 100 000 persons
4.3. Reference Period
Calendar year
4.4. Accuracy - overall
The indicator is produced according to the high-level quality standards of European Statistics. Details on accuracy can be found in the metadata of the source datasets (see link to related metadata).
4.5. Source data
4.5.1. Source data - Organisation
ESS
4.5.2. Source data - Comment
Data source: European Statistical System (ESS)
Data provider: Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, based on data reported by the countries.
5.1. Frequency of dissemination
5.1.1. Frequency of dissemination - Grade
Every year5.1.2. Frequency of dissemination - Comment
Indicator is updated annually. Complete and updated ESS data release information can be accessed via Eurostat release calendar.
5.2. Timeliness
5.2.1. Timeliness - Grade
> T+2 years5.2.2. Timeliness - Comment
New data points are disseminated within three years after the reference year at latest.
Commision Regulation (EU) No 328/2011 allows countries to transmit statistics on the causes of death up until 2 years after the end of the reference year. Eurostat and countries make efforts to increase the timeliness by putting in place a voluntary data transmission deadline at 18 months after the reference year. Eurostat also disseminated all statistics that can be calculated as soon as possible after a country has transmitted their data. The time needed by countries to process the deaths certificates and to have the data ready for national publication differs quite a lot but usually it lasts from 6 months to 26 months.
Eurostat usually disseminated all indicators in the first quarter of the year two years after the reference year.
6.1. Reference area
6.1.1. Reference Area - Grade
All EU MS6.1.2. Reference Area - Comment
Data are presented for all EU Member States plus Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, the United Kingdom (until 2018), Serbia and Türkiye.
6.2. Comparability - geographical
6.2.1. Comparability - geographical - Grade
All EU MS6.2.2. Comparability - geographical - Comment
Data comparable between all EU Member States respectively other presented countries.
6.3. Coverage - Time
6.3.1. Time Coverage - Grade
> 10 years6.3.2. Time Coverage - Comment
Presented time series (including EU aggregates) starts in 2002.
6.4. Comparability - over time
6.4.1. Comparability - over time - Grade
> 4 data points6.4.2. Comparability - over time - Comment
Length of comparable time series without methodological break is longer than 4 data points.
There is a break in series in 2011, when Commission regulation No 328/2011 entered into force and some concepts were revised (place of occurrence/residence and age groups). Additionally, before 2011 different classification systems for coding the cause of death could be used.
7.1. Dissemination format - Publications
Analysis of indicator is presented in Eurostat's annual monitoring report on Sustainable development in the EU (progress towards the SDGs in an EU context).
7.2. Dissemination format - online database
See table sdg_16_10
7.3. Dissemination format - other
Eurostat dedicated section on SDGs: Eurostat overview.
Copyrights: Eurostat Copyright/Licence Policy is applicable.
