REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL AND THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT on the implementation of Council Regulation (EC) No. 577/98

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Article 1 - Frequency of the survey

Article 2 - Units and scope of the survey, observation methods

Article 3 - Representativeness of the sample

Article 4 - Survey

Article 5 - Conduct of the survey

Article 6 - Transmission of the results

Article 7 - Reports

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1. Introduction

This is the second in a series of three-yearly reports which the Commission is required to submit under article 7 of Council Regulation (EC) No. 577/98 on the organisation of the labour force sample survey (LFS) in the Community. The first report was submitted by the Commission in 2000 and covered the period 1998-1999.

This report documents the progress made by Member States, Candidate and EFTA countries with respect to the provisions of the Council Regulation and the associated Commission Regulations during the period 2000-2002. The content of the report is based upon quality reports, data and other information received from the countries concerned, in addition to analyses of the national questionnaires. The report also includes details of LFS projects for which the Commission provided financial support.

2. Main points

The situation regarding the progress made in implementing specific aspects of Council Regulation (EC) No. 577/98 is described in more detail below, with references to the relevant articles.

Implementation of continuous surveys - Article 1 amended

In October 2002, Regulation 1991/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council was adopted. This requires all Member States to implement a continuous quarterly survey during a transitional period ending in 2002. Two countries received derogations extending the transitional period: Italy (until the end of 2003) and Germany (until the end of 2004). However, although Austria should have a continuous survey from 2003, it will not be implemented until 2004.

Survey characteristics - Article 4(1)

Most Member States are still not providing a full set of the mandatory variables, restricting the comparability of the data.

Annual programme of ad hoc modules - Article 4(1)

The annual programme of ad hoc modules provided results on the transition from school to working life (2000), the length and patterns of working time (2001), and disabled people's employment (2002).

Changes to the survey variables - Article 4(3)

During the period covered by this report, minor changes to the codification of the survey variables were introduced: in 2000 relating to labour status and search for employment, and in 2002 relating to education and training. More substantial changes were also discussed with Member States during this period, concerning additional quarterly variables and annual structural variables. The resulting proposal was submitted to the European Parliament and to the Council in March 2003, outside the period covered by this report. In 2000, a common definition of unemployment was agreed between Member States, along with the principles to adopt for formulating questions on labour status.

Timeliness of data transmission - Article 6

There has been an improvement in the timeliness of the quarterly data since the last report. Quarterly data are now transmitted by most Member States within the 12-week transmission period.

3. Conclusion

There has been good progress within Member States and EFTA countries in a number of important areas since the last report to the Council. The implementation of the LFS in Candidate Countries is particularly encouraging.

The agreement to move to a continuous quarterly LFS in all Member States represents a welcome improvement to the implementation of the LFS. In addition, the faster transmission of data has improved the usefulness of the quarterly results. Countries have directed national resources to test and introduce technical improvements to their surveys, in some cases with the financial support of the Commission, and this has increased the comparability of the data.

However, the Commission is concerned that not all mandatory variables are being transmitted by Member States.

The Member States must fulfil their obligations under this Regulation and the Commission will continue to work closely with Member States, Candidate and EFTA countries to achieve full implementation of its provisions.

REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL AND THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

on the implementation of Council Regulation (EC) No. 577/98

Article 1 - Frequency of the survey

1.1 The survey is a continuous survey providing quarterly and annual results.

In the case of a continuous survey, the reference weeks are spread uniformly throughout the whole year. The following table shows the present and future situation in terms of the continuity of the survey in the different Member States.

Regulation 1991/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 8 October 2002 amending Council Regulation (EC) No 577/98 on the organisation of a labour force sample survey in the Community introduces a deadline (end of 2002) for the period of transition given to the Member States to introduce a continuous quarterly survey.

Two countries had received a derogation : Italy (2003) and Germany (2004, under the condition of providing quarterly substitute estimates for the main labour force sample survey aggregates as well as annual average estimates for some specified labour force sample survey aggregates).

Due to legal problems, Austria is not able to conduct the quarterly continuous survey from 2003 as foreseen. Data for the spring survey (March) and for the quarters 2 to 4 (in fact data for the months of June, September and December) based on the micro-census will be provided instead covering the complete set of variables.

Table 1 Countries having a continuous survey (blank cells)

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In terms of the survey providing quarterly results the situation is as follows:

Table 2 Countries having a quarterly survey (blank cells)

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(1) Germany will provide quarterly substitute estimates for the main labour force sample survey aggregates. Quarterly micro-data will be provided only from 2005 onwards

Work conducted by the Member States and funded by the European Commission

2000 France: Pilot survey for the continuous survey with a sub-sample and with a short questionnaire

Austria: Preparatory work for the implementation of the continuous survey

Finland: Statistical study on the observed effects of transition from a fixed reference week to continuous reference week in the employment and unemployment data

2001 Germany: 1. Providing quarterly data for the main labour indicators under the Regulation 1991/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 8 October 2002 2. Pilot survey for the passage to a continuous survey

Italy: Change in the design of the sample, questionnaire and data collection method in order to implement the continuous survey

France: Running the traditional yearly LFS in parallel with a continuous survey, from July onwards, in order to estimate the possible breaks that the continuous survey could possibly introduce in the employment/unemployment time series (part 1)

Austria: Development of an electronic questionnaire for the implementation of the continuous survey

2002 France: Running the traditional yearly LFS in parallel with a continuous survey in order to estimate the possible breaks that the continuous survey could possibly introduce in the employment/unemployment time series (part 2)

Italy: Conduction in parallel of the traditional quarterly LFS with a continuous survey in order to estimate the possible breaks that the continuous survey could possibly introduce in the employment/unemployment time series

Situation in the Candidate and EFTA countries:

In 2002, 11 of the 12 Candidate Countries providing LFS data to Eurostat had quarterly surveys. Cyprus is the only country which still has an annual survey conducted in the 2nd quarter with the weeks of reference spread uniformly throughout the quarter. In 2004 Cyprus plans a quarterly continuous survey.

In the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania Slovenia and Slovakia the survey is continuous, meaning that the reference weeks are spread uniformly throughout the whole year. Bulgaria and Malta have a single week of reference for the whole quarter and Hungary has a single week of reference per month.

Turkey is also conducting a monthly LFS providing quarterly and yearly results but its existing statistical law does not allow the transmission of micro-data to Eurostat. A draft of a new law has been produced and Eurostat expects to start receiving LFS individual data from 2004 onwards.

Norway has a quarterly continuous survey.

In Iceland the survey was organised twice a year, in 2nd and 4th quarter with a single week of reference in each quarter but it has become continuous in 2003.

Switzerland has a yearly survey organised in the 2nd quarter and with the weeks of reference spread uniformly throughout the quarter.

1.2 In the case of a continuous survey the interview normally takes place during the week immediately following the reference week. The reference week and the date of the interview may not be more than 5 weeks apart, except in the third quarter.

In most cases the interview takes place in the week after the reference week. The following table shows, for the countries having a continuous survey, the percentage of interviews that took place more than 5 weeks after the week of reference. The results are presented for first, second and fourth quarters. For some countries it is impossible to provide the information because the week of survey was not coded.

Situation in the Candidate and EFTA countries

Both in Candidate Countries and EFTA countries, the interview takes place in the week after the reference week in the majority of the cases.

In Malta the interviews take place within 2 weeks from the reference week. In Turkey, the reference period of the survey is the seven days preceding the day of the survey. In none of the countries did the interviews take place more than 5 weeks after the reference week.

In Norway, the week of survey was not coded.

Table 3 % of interviews that took place more than 5 weeks after the week of reference

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(1) Information on the week of interview not provided

(2) Does not have a continuous survey

1.3 In the case of a continuous survey the reference quarters and years are respectively groups of 13 or 52 consecutive weeks.

A list of the weeks making up a given quarter was defined in Commission Regulation N° 1571/98 of 20 July 1998 as follows:

- First quarter of reference of 1998 started on 29 December 1997 and consisted of 13 weeks

- The next quarters of reference of 1998 were formed by blocks of 13 weeks and the last week of 1998 was not covered

- The first quarter of 1999 started on 4th January 1999 and the next quarters consisted of consecutive blocks of 13 weeks

This definition of the quarters was applied by all the countries except Ireland and United Kingdom which use seasonal quarters. In practice, the distribution of the interviews in 2000, 2001 and 2002 was as shown in Table 4 (grey cells show 2nd and 4th Quarter).

Table 4 Distribution of the interviews by reference week (% of the interviews done in each country in 2000)

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Table 5 Distribution of the interviews by reference week (% of the interviews done in each country in 2001)

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Table 6 Distribution of the interviews by reference week (% of the interviews done in each country in 2002)

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Situation in the Candidate and EFTA countries

For the countries having a quarterly continuous survey (CZ, EE, LV, LT, PL, RO, SI, SK and NO) the definition of the quarters is fully applied with minor deviations for Latvia, Romania and Slovenia (where the telephone interviewing is extended for some weeks in order to improve the response rate).

Article 2 - Units and scope of the survey, observation methods

2.1 The survey shall be carried out in each Member State in a sample of households or of persons residing in the economic territory of that State at the time of the survey.

The sampling unit is the household in 7 countries (BE, DE, EL, IE, IT, NL, LU), the dwelling or the address in 5 countries (ES, FR, AT, PT, UK) and the individual in 3 countries (DK, FI, SE).

Situation in the Candidate and EFTA countries:

In Bulgaria, Estonia, Lithuania, Malta and Switzerland the sampling unit is the household. In Latvia the household is the sample unit in rural areas, and the person in urban areas. In Cyprus, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Turkey the sampling unit is the dwelling. In Slovenia and Iceland the sampling unit is the individual and in Norway it is the family.

2.2 "The principal scope of the survey consists of persons residing in private households on the economic territory of each Member State. If possible, this main population of persons living in private households, is supplemented by persons living in collective households.

Wherever possible, collective households are covered by means of samples specially drawn to permit direct observation of the persons concerned. If this is not possible, then persons in these groups who continue to have an association with a private household are included in connection with that household."

Collective households are sampled by the LFS in 5 Member States (DK, DE, SE, FI and UK). In the UK only some collective households are sampled such as Health, Hospital Authority/Trust accommodation.

In Denmark, Sweden and Finland, as the sample unit is the individual and the survey base is the population register, persons living in collective households are surveyed as well as those living in private households. In Ireland, small non-private households (such as residential religious communities) are surveyed with a code added to distinguish them from private households.

In Spain, France, Italy and Portugal information on persons living in collective households is obtained via their members of the family living in private households. Belgium and Luxembourg also cover persons living in collective households via the members of their family living in private households but not in a systematic way.

Greece, the Netherlands and Austria do not sample collective households or collect any information on the persons living in a collective household via other members of the family living in private households.

Situation in the Candidate and EFTA countries

Collective households are sampled by the LFS in Estonia, Lithuania and Norway.

In Iceland, as the sample unit is the individual and the survey base is the population register, persons living in collective households are surveyed as well as persons living in private households.

Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia do not sample collective households. Nevertheless, in Romania information on persons living in collective households is obtained via members of their family living in private households; the same applies for Bulgaria but only if the person is absent from the private household for a period less than 6 months, is a student at a military school or is a conscript. Hungary also cover persons living in collective households via members of their family living in private households but only if they contribute economically to the household. In Slovakia, only information on students living in hostels is obtained via other members of the family living in the private household. In Poland information on persons living in collective households is obtained via their members of the family living in private households but only very limited information is covered (age, sex, level of education) about persons living more than 2 months in collective households. In the Czech Republic, conscripts on military service who are temporarily out of their family household are also surveyed for basic demographic data and are recorded as absent from this household. Similarly, students living in colleges are surveyed in the dwelling where they have permanent residence.

Cyprus, Malta, Slovenia and Turkey neither sample collective households nor collect any information on the persons living in a collective household via other members of the family living in private households.

In Latvia, the information on persons living in collective households (less than 1 year) is obtained via the members of their family living in private households.

2.3 The variables used to determine labour status and underemployment must be obtained by interviewing the person concerned, or, if this is not possible, another member of the household. Other information may be obtained from alternative sources, including administrative records, provided that the data obtained are of equivalent quality.

In most of the countries all the information is collected by interview with percentages of proxy interviews that vary from less than 5% (mainly in the case of surveys with the individual as sample unit) to more than 50%.

Denmark, Sweden and Finland use population registers for providing demographic information and highest educational level attained. In the Netherlands, in 2000 and 2001 the information concerning actual working hours is partly incorporated from establishment and enterprise surveys but since 2002 this information is obtained by interview. In France and in Sweden, the business register is used as a source of information on the NACE classification of the employer.

Table 7 Percentage of proxy interviews

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Situation in the Candidate and EFTA countries

In Iceland and Switzerland the percentages of proxy interviews are less than 1% and in Norway and Estonia around 15%. In Turkey the range is 50-60% and in the other Candidate Countries it varies between 25% and more than 50%. Iceland and Norway use several registers to input information, e.g. the population register for demographic information and composition of the household, the register of employment offices for information on registration on a public employment office and the register of education for information on educational attainment.

In Czech Republic, Cyprus, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Switzerland all the information is collected by interview.

2.4 Regardless of whether the sampling unit is an individual or a household, information is usually collected for all individuals of the household. However, if the sampling unit is an individual, the information concerning the other members of the household.

- may exclude the characteristics listed under g, h, i and j of paragraph 1 of Article 4,

- and may be collected from a sub-sample defined in such a way that:

- the reference weeks are uniformly distributed throughout the whole year;

- the number of observations (individuals sampled plus the members of their household) satisfies, for the annual estimates of levels, the reliability criteria defined in Article 3.

No data on the composition of the household were provided by Denmark, Finland and Sweden until 2001. In 2002 these 3 countries developed a methodology to collect information on the composition of the household and their main characteristics. This methodology mainly involves keeping a sample based on individuals; the information for each individual of the household is provided as a proxy by interviewing the individual belonging to the sample. This information is collected only for the last wave. Data on households where all the members are more than 75 years old are not covered in Sweden, Denmark and Finland because the sample comprises individuals aged 15 to 74 years. Finland completes the sub-sample with another sample of households where all the members are aged 75 years and older, but only demographic information is available for these persons; thus they are considered as economically inactive.

The regulation requires that information on characteristics listed under demographic background, labour status, employment characteristics of the main job, hours worked, second job, visible under-employment and the technical items relating to the interview should be provided for all member of the household in this sub-sample. Nevertheless, not all of these characteristics are completely provided by Denmark (only labour status and main status are provided) and Finland.

Work conducted by the Member States and funded by the European Commission:

2001 Finland - Pilot data collection for household data composition

Sweden - Pilot data collection for household data composition

Denmark - Pilot data collection for household data composition

2002 Finland - Implementation of the household data collection using a sub-sample (last wave)

Situation in the Candidate and EFTA countries:

Data on the household composition are provided in general by the Candidate Countries.

No data on household composition are provided by Norway, Iceland and Switzerland. In Norway and Iceland similar projects to those developed in Denmark, Finland and Sweden are ongoing and household data will be provided soon.

In Bulgaria although all members of the household were interviewed, the necessary variables for household analyses were not provided in 2000. Nevertheless, the problem was solved from 2001.

In Poland the composition of the household is provided but no weights are calculated for children under 15 years old.

Article 3 - Representativeness of the sample

3.1 For a group of unemployed people representing 5% of the working age population the relative standard error for the estimation of annual averages (or to the spring estimates in the case of an annual survey in the spring) at NUTS II level does not exceed 8%. Regions with less than 300,000 inhabitants shall be exempt from this requirement.

The following table gives some information on the precision of results at regional level. Figures in bold show where the limits laid down by the regulation were exceeded.

Table 8 Relative standard errors for population of unemployed representing 5% of working age population by Member State and region

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Situation in the Candidate and EFTA countries:

In Latvia and Slovakia, according to calculations made for 2001, the relative standard error for the population of unemployed representing at least 5% of the working age population is less than 8% in all regions corresponding to the NUTS 2 classification. The same can be said for Estonia and Czech Republic in the period 2000-2002 and for Cyprus concerning 2002.

In Hungary this requirement is met in general for the period 2000-2002 although for some regions the relative standard error is slightly higher than 8%.

In 2000, in Switzerland this requirement is not met in any of the regions equivalent to NUTS 2.

3.2 In the case of a continuous survey, the sample design should guarantee that for sub-populations which constitute about 5% of the population of working age, the relative standard error at national level for the estimate of changes between two successive quarters, does not exceed 2% of the sub-population concerned. For Member States with a population of between one million and twenty million inhabitants, this requirement is relaxed so that the standard error for the estimate of quarterly changes does not exceed 3% of the sub-population concerned. Member States whose population is below one million inhabitants are exempt from these precision requirements concerning changes.

Table 9 Relative standard error at national level for the estimate of changes between two successive quarters for populations representing 5% of working age - 2000, 2001 and 2002

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Situation in the Candidate and EFTA countries:

In Slovakia, the standard error at national level for the estimate of changes between two successive quarters (1st and 2nd, 2001) for populations representing 5% of working age is under 3%.

Czech Republic and Hungary also meet this requirement.

3.4 Where non-response to certain questions results in missing data, a method of statistical imputation shall be applied where appropriate.

Table 10 Item no-response (situation in the 2001 survey)

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Situation in the Candidate and EFTA countries:

Among the Candidate Countries, imputation of non-response is only conducted in Romania, in Slovenia (using the hot-deck method) and in Estonia (for hours worked). The average of the group with the same sex, ISCO 1-digit group and full/part time job are used for imputation.

In Malta, imputation for non-response is done for wages only. The wages are imputed according to the average salary of the group within the same ISCO 1 digit and NACE 2 digit. Other imputations for the rest of the variables are done by basing the imputed value on other respondents with similar characteristics.

Norway also uses the hot deck method for imputation.

Iceland uses a multiple regression for imputation of usual hours and actual hours worked in first and second jobs for independent variables (mainly): Sex, ISCO- 1 digit, fulltime/part time distinction.

No imputation of non-responses is conducted in Switzerland.

3.5 The weighting factors are calculated taking into account the probability of selection and external data relating to the distribution of the population being surveyed, by sex, age (five-year age groups) and region (NUTS 2 level), where such external data are held to be sufficiently reliable.

The weighting factors are calculated with very different levels of complexity according to the countries. The following table shows the variables used for the calculation of the weighting factors.

Table 11 Variables used to calculate weighting factors in 2002

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(1) Since 2002 Spain has implemented a reweighting procedure that adjusts the sex and five-years age group by NUTS 2.

The same weighting factor for all the members of the household, calculated with an iterative process, is applied in Greece, Spain, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Austria and Portugal. In the sub-sample for household data in Denmark, Finland and Sweden all members of the household have the same weighting factor.

Work conducted by the Member States and funded by the European Commission:

2001 Spain - Re-calculation of the weighting factors from 1976 taking into account the variables Sex, Age group and NUTS 3 region.

Situation in the Candidate and EFTA countries:

Variables used to calculate the weighting factors:

BG - Age (15-24, 25-49, 50+), sex and region

CY - Age, sex and region

CZ - Age, sex and region-NUTS4

EE - Age (5 year age groups), sex and region

HU - Age, sex and region

LT - Age, sex and region

LV - Age, sex and region (NUTS 4)

MT - Age (0-15, 16-24, 25-34, 35-54, 55-64, 65+), sex and region (NUTS 4)

PL - 12 age groups, sex and six categories of place of residence (5 classes of urban areas depending on the number of citizens and rural areas)

RO - Age (10 year age groups), sex, urban/rural area and region (equivalent to NUTS3)

SI - Age (8 age groups), sex and region (on NUTS 3 level - 12 regions)

SK - Age, sex and region

TR - Age (5 year age groups), sex, urban/rural area and region

IS - Age and sex

NO - Age, sex and region (equivalent to NUTS 2)

CH - Age (5 year age groups), sex and region (equivalent to NUTS 2)

The same weighting factor for all the members of the household, calculated with an iterative process, is applied in Hungary and Romania.

3.6 Member States shall provide the Statistical Office of the European Communities (hereinafter called "Eurostat") with whatever information is required concerning the organisation and methodology of the survey, and in particular, they shall indicate the criteria adopted for the design and size of the sample.

This has been done for the 2000, 2001 and 2002 survey. A summary of this information has been published yearly in the LFS results publication. In addition, a quality report was provided by all Member States except Luxembourg, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

Situation in the Candidate and EFTA countries:

The LFS results publication also contains information on the methodology of the national LFS in Iceland, Norway and Switzerland.

The description of the methodology of the 2001 LFS has been provided by all the Candidate Countries as a chapter of the quality report except by Malta, Poland and Turkey which did not prepare this report. Turkey has provided a publication describing the methodology of their survey.

Article 4 - Survey

4.1 Data shall be provided on:

(a) demographic background:

- sequence number in the household,

- sex,

- year of birth,

- date of birth in relation to the end of the reference period,

- marital status,

- relationship to reference person,

- sequence number of spouse,

- sequence number of father,

- sequence number of mother,

- nationality,

- number of years of residence in the MemberState,

- country of birth (optional),

- nature of participation in the survey (direct participation or proxy through another member of the household);

(b) labour status:

- labour status during the reference week,

- reason for not having worked though having a job,

- search for employment for person without employment,

- type of employment sought (self-employed or employee),

- methods used to find a job,

- availability to start work;

(c) employment characteristics of the main job:

- professional status,

- economic activity of local unit,

- occupation,

- number of persons working at the local unit,

- country of place of work,

- region of place of work,

- year and month when the person started working in current employment,

- permanency of the job (and reasons),

- duration of temporary job or work contract of limited duration,

- full-time/part-time distinction (and reasons),

- working at home;

(d) hours worked:

- number of hours per week usually worked,

- number of hours actually worked,

- main reason for hours actually worked being different from person's usual hours;

(e) second job:

- existence of more than one job,

- professional status,

- economic activity of the local unit,

- number of hours actually worked;

(f) visible underemployment:

- wish to work usually more than the current number of hours (optional in the case of an annual survey),

- looking for another job and reasons for doing so,

- type of employment sought (as employee or otherwise),

- methods used to find another job,

- reasons why the person is not seeking another job (optional in the case of an annual survey),

- availability to start work,

- number of hours of work wished for (optional in the case of an annual survey);

(g) search for employment:

- type of employment sought (full-time or parttime),

- duration of search for employment,

- situation of person immediately before starting to seek employment,

- registration at public employment office and whether receiving benefits,

- willingness to work for person not seeking employment,

- reasons why person has not sought work;

(h) education and training:

participation in education or training during previous four weeks:

- purpose,

- level,

- type,

- total length,

- total number of hours,

- highest successfully completed level of education or training,

- year when this highest level was successfully completed,

- non-tertiary vocational qualification obtained;

(i) previous work experience of person not in employment:

- existence of previous employment experience,

- year and month in which the person last worked,

- main reason for leaving last job or business,

- professional status in last job,

- economic activity of local unit in which person last worked,

- occupation of last job;

(j) situation one year before the survey (optional for quarters 1, 3, 4)

- main labour status,

- professional status,

- economic activity of local unit in which person was working,

- country of residence,

- region of residence;

(k) main labour status (optional);

(l) income (optional);

(m) technical items relating to the interview

- year of survey,

- reference week,

- interview week,

- Member State,

- region of household,

- degree of urbanisation,

- serial number of household,

- type of household,

- type of institution,

- weighting factor,

- sub-sample in relation to the preceding survey (annual survey),

- sub-sample in relation to the following survey (annual survey),

- sequence number of the survey wave

The following variables were not provided for the countries and years identified:

Belgium

Usual number of hours of training per week in 2000

Denmark

Sequence number of spouse or cohabiting partner in 2000 and 2001

Sequence number of father in 2000 and 2001

Sequence number of mother in 2000 and 2001

Interview week in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Having obtained a (non tertiary) vocational qualification in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Germany

Country of birth in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Nature of participation in the survey en 2000

Wish to work usually more than the current number of hours in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Number of hours that the person would like to work in total in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Interview week en 2000

Shift work in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Evening work in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Night work in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Saturday work in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Sunday work in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Greece

All variables were provided

Spain

Shift work only available in Q1 in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Evening work only available in Q1 in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Night work only available in Q1 in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Saturday work only available in Q1 in in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Sunday work only available in Q1 in 2000, 2001 and 2002

France

Sequence number of spouse or cohabiting partner in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Sequence number of father in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Sequence number of mother in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Number of hours that the person would like to work in total in 2000 and 2001

Occupation of last job in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Looked for land, premises or equipment in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Type of instruction in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Year when highest level of education or training was successfully completed in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Ireland

Region of place of work in 2000

Number of hours that the person would like to work in total in 2000 and 2001

Usual number of hours of training per week in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Having obtained a (non tertiary) vocational qualification in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Economic activity of local unit in which person was working one year before survey in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Number of persons working at the local unit in 2000

Working at home in 2000

Professional status in last job in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Situation immediately before person started to seek employment in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Registration at a public employment office in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Type of instruction in 2000 and 2001

Level of this education or training in 2000 and 2001

Purpose of this education and training in 2000 and 2001

Total length of this education or training in 2000 and 2001

Situation with regard to activity one year before survey in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Professional status one year before survey in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Shift work in 2000

Evening work in 2000

Night work in 2000

Saturday work in 2000

Sunday work in 2000

Italy

Sequence number of spouse or cohabiting partner in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Sequence number of father in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Sequence number of mother in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Nationality in 2000, 2001 and 2002 (the data are provided to Eurostat but Italy consider it unreliable)

Country of birth in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Wish to work usually more than the current number of hours in 2000 and 2001

Number of hours that the person would like to work in total in 2000 and 2001

Having obtained a (non tertiary) vocational qualification in 2001 and 2002

Economic activity of local unit in which person was working one year before survey only available in Q2 in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Country of residence one year before survey only available in Q2 in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Region of residence (within Member State) one year before survey only available in Q2 in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Situation with regard to activity one year before survey only available in Q2 in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Professional status one year before survey only available in Q2 in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Luxembourg

Shift work in 2000

Evening work in 2000

Night work in 2000

Saturday work in 2000

Sunday work in 2000

The Netherlands

Occupation of last job in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Having obtained a (non tertiary) vocational qualification in 2002

Economic activity of local unit in which person was working one year before survey in 2002

Country of residence one year before survey in 2002

Region of residence (within Member State) one year before survey in 2002

Situation immediately before person started to seek employment in 2002

Level of this education or training in 2002

Total length of this education or training in 2002

Situation with regard to activity one year before survey in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Professional status one year before survey in 2002

Year when highest level of education or training was successfully completed in 2002

Austria

Professional status one year before survey in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Economic activity of local unit in which person was working one year before survey in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Portugal

Evening work in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Sweden

Sequence number of spouse or cohabiting partner in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Sequence number of father in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Sequence number of mother in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Region of place of work in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Economic activity of the local unit in which person last worked in 2001 and 2002

Occupation of last job in 2001 and 2002

Having obtained a (non tertiary) vocational qualification in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Finland

Sequence number of spouse or cohabiting partner in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Sequence number of father in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Sequence number of mother in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Economic activity of local unit in which person was working one year before survey only available in Q2 in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Country of residence one year before survey in Q2 only available in Q2 in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Region of residence (within Member State) one year before survey only available in Q2 in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Situation with regard to activity one year before survey only available in Q2 in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Professional status one year before survey only available in Q2 in 2000, 2001 and 2002

United Kingdom

Total duration of temporary job or work contract of limited duration in 2000, 2001 and 2002 but provided for Q2

Number of hours per week usually worked not provided in Q1 and Q4 in 2000 and Q1 in 2001

Usual number of hours of training per week not provided in Q1, Q3 and Q4 in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Having obtained a (non tertiary) vocational qualification not provided in Q1, Q3 and Q4 in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Economic activity of local unit in which person was working one year before survey only available in Q2 in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Country of residence one year before survey in Q2 only available in Q2 in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Region of residence (within Member State) one year before survey only available in Q2 in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Number of persons working at the local unit only available in Q2 in 2000

Working at home only available in Q2 in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Type of employment sought only available in Q2 in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Situation immediately before person started to seek employment only available in Q2 in 2000

Type of instruction only available in Q1 and Q2 in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Level of this education or training only available in Q2 in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Purpose of this education and training only available in Q1 and Q2 in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Total length of this education or training only available in Q1 and Q2 in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Situation with regard to activity one year before survey only available in Q2 in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Professional status one year before survey only available in Q2 in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Shift work only available in Q2 in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Evening work only available in Q2 in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Night work only available in Q2 in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Saturday work only available in Q2 in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Sunday work only available in Q2 in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Year when highest level of education or training was successfully completed in 2000, 2001 and 2002

The serial number of household should remain the same for all waves. The countries keeping an unchanged serial number for the households in the different waves are EL, ES, IE, T, AT, PT, and UK. As no household data were provided for DK, FI and SE, this is not applicable.

Luxembourg does not have a rotation pattern so this is not applicable neither. In BE, DE, NL and FR, the serial number for each household changes from one wave to the next.

Work conducted by the Member States and EFTA countries funded by the European Commission:

2000 Spain: Pilot survey in order to introduce the necessary changes in the questionnaire in order to fulfill the Commission Regulation n° 1897/2000 on the operational definition of unemployment.

Portugal: Adapting and testing questionnaire in order to fulfill unemployment and time-related underemployment definitions.

Finland: Adapting and testing questionnaire in order to fulfill unemployment and time-related underemployment definitions.

2001 Belgium: Comparison between different sources to evaluate the quality of data on wages from the LFS.

Spain: Changes in the questionnaire in order to fulfill the Commission Regulation n° 1897/2000 on the operational definition of unemployment.

2002 Greece: Combining data from the LFS on net earnings with administrative sources in order to produce exhaustive statistics on earnings by gender and sector of activity.

Spain: Laboratory tests and pilot survey for the data collection of information on wages and salaries using the LFS.

Ireland: Pilot survey on using LFS to collect information on wages and salaries.

Austria: Testing data collection on wages and salaries in the LFS.

Portugal: Testing different question formulation on wages and salaries using the LFS and the resulting non-response.

Finland: 1. Laboratory tests made cognitive interviews on questions on wages and salaries.

2. Organisation of a Nordic meeting for the harmonisation of the data collection on household composition.

Norway: To link information on wages coming from administrative sources with the individual answers in the LFS.

Situation in the Candidate and EFTA countries:

The following variables were not provided for the countries and years indicated:

Czech Republic

Sequence number of spouse or cohabiting partner in 2000 and 2001

Sequence number of father in 2000 and 2001

Sequence number of mother in 2000 and 2001

Years of residence in this Member State in 2000 and 2001

Country of birth in 2000 and 2001

Wish to work usually more than the current number of hours in 2000 and 2001

Number of hours that the person would like to work in total in 2000 and 2001

Degree of urbanisation in 2000 and 2001

Usual number of hours of training per week in 2000 and 2001

Education or training received during previous four weeks in 2000 and 2001

Having obtained a (non tertiary) vocational qualification in 2000 and 2001

Country of residence one year before survey in Q2 in 2000 and 2001

Region of residence (within Member State) one year before survey in 2000 and 2001

Type of instruction in 2000 and 2001

Level of this education or training in 2000 and 2001

Purpose of this education and training in 2000 and 2001

Total length of this education or training in 2000 and 2001

Shift work in 2000 and 2001

Evening work in 2000 and 2001

Night work in 2000 and 2001

Saturday work in 2000 and 2001

Sunday work in 2000 and 2001

Year when highest level of education or training was successfully completed in 2000 and 2001

Estonia

All variables were provided

Cyprus

All variables were provided

Latvia

Year in which person started working in 2000

Month in which person started working in 2000

Sequence number of spouse or cohabiting partner in 2000 and 2001

Sequence number of father in 2000 and 2001

Sequence number of mother in 2000 and 2001

Nationality in 2000

Years of residence in this Member State in 2000 and 2001

Country of birth in 2000 and 2001

Wish to work usually more than the current number of hours in 2000

Number of hours that the person would like to work in total in 2000

Degree of urbanisation in 2000 and 2001

Usual number of hours of training per week in 2000 and 2001

Education or training received during previous four weeks in 2000 and 2001

Having obtained a (non tertiary) vocational qualification in 2000 and 2001

Economic activity of local unit in which person was working one year before survey in 2000

Country of residence one year before survey in Q2 in 2000 and 2001

Region of residence (within Member State) one year before survey in 2000 and 2001

Took a test, interview or examination in 2000 and 2001

Looked for land, premises or equipment in 2000 and 2001

Awaiting the results of an application for a job in 2000 and 2001

Waiting for a call from a public employment office in 2000 and 2001

Awaiting the results of a competition for recruitment to the public sector in 2000 and 2001

Number of persons working at the local unit in 2000 and 2001

Working at home in 2000 and 2001

Type of employment sought in 2000

Situation immediately before person started to seek employment in 2000 and 2001

Type of instruction in 2000 and 2001

Level of this education or training in 2000 and 2001

Purpose of this education and training in 2000 and 2001

Total length of this education or training in 2000 and 2001

Situation with regard to activity one year before survey in 2000

Professional status one year before survey in 2000

Shift work in 2000 and 2001

Evening work in 2000 and 2001

Night work in 2000 and 2001

Saturday work in 2000 and 2001

Sunday work in 2000 and 2001

Year when highest level of education or training was successfully completed in 2000 and 2001

Lithuania

Sequence number of spouse or cohabiting partner in 2000 and 2001

Sequence number of father in 2000 and 2001

Sequence number of mother in 2000 and 2001

Wish to work usually more than the current number of hours in 2000

Degree of urbanisation in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Economic activity of local unit in which person was working one year before survey in 2000

Country of residence one year before survey in Q2 in 2000

Region of residence (within Member State) one year before survey in 2000

Looking for another job and reasons for doing so in 2000

Situation with regard to activity one year before survey in 2000

Professional status one year before survey in 2000

Hungary

Nationality in 2000

Main reason for hours actually worked during the reference week being different from the person's usual hours in 2000

Degree of urbanisation in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Malta

Sequence number of spouse or cohabiting partner in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Sequence number of father in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Sequence number of mother in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Date of birth in relation to the end of the reference period in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Ask friends, relatives and trade unions etc for 2000, 2001 and 2002

Studied advertisement in newspapers or journals for 2000, 2001 and 2002

Awaiting the results of an application for a job for 2000, 2001 and 2002

Waiting for a call from a public employment office for 2000, 2001 and 2002

Awaiting the results of a competition for recruitment to the public sector for 2000, 2001 and 2002

Degree of urbanisation for 2000, 2001 and 2002)

Poland

Sequence number of spouse or cohabiting partner in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Sequence number of father in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Sequence number of mother in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Nationality in 2000

Years of residence in this Member State in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Country of birth in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Region of place of work in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Number of hours per week usually worked in 2000

Main reason for hours actually worked during the reference week being different from the person's usual hours in 2000

Number of hours that the person would like to work in total in 2000

Wish to work usually more than the current number of hours in 2000

Degree of urbanisation in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Usual number of hours of training per week in 2000

Education or training received during previous four weeks in 2000

Having obtained a (non tertiary) vocational qualification in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Economic activity of local unit in which person was working one year before survey in 2000

Country of residence one year before survey in Q2 in 2000

Region of residence (within Member State) one year before survey in 2000

Studied advertisements in newspapers or journals in 2000

Took a test, interview or examination in 2000

Looked for land, premises or equipment in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Awaiting the results of an application for a job in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Waiting for a call from a public employment office in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Awaiting the results of a competition for recruitment to the public sector in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Working at home in 2000

Situation immediately before person started to seek employment in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Type of instruction in 2000

Level of this education or training in 2000

Purpose of this education and training in 2000

Total length of this education or training in 2000

Situation with regard to activity one year before survey in 2000

Professional status one year before survey in 2000

Shift work in 2000

Evening work in 2000

Night work in 2000

Saturday work in 2000

Sunday work in 2000

Year when highest level of education or training was successfully completed in 2000

Slovenia

Sequence number of spouse or cohabiting partner in 2000 and 2001

Sequence number of father in 2000 and 2001

Sequence number of mother in 2000 and 2001

Interview week in 2000 and 2001

Degree of urbanisation in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Country of residence one year before survey in Q2 in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Region of residence (within Member State) one year before survey in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Awaiting the results of a competition for recruitment to the public sector in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Slovakia

Year in which person started working in 2000

Month in which person started working in 2000

Sequence number of spouse or cohabiting partner in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Sequence number of father in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Sequence number of mother in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Years of residence in this Member State in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Country of birth in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Number of hours that the person would like to work in total in 2000

Wish to work usually more than the current number of hours in 2000

Degree of urbanisation in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Usual number of hours of training per week in 2000 and 2001

Year in which person last worked in 2000

Month in which person last worked in 2000

Having obtained a (non tertiary) vocational qualification in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Economic activity of local unit in which person was working one year before survey in 2000

Country of residence one year before survey in Q2 in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Region of residence (within Member State) one year before survey in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Studied advertisements in newspapers or journals in 2000

Took a test, interview or examination in 2000

Looked for land, premises or equipment in 2000

Awaiting the results of an application for a job in 2000

Waiting for a call from a public employment office in 2000

Awaiting the results of a competition for recruitment to the public sector in 2000

Working at home in 2000

Situation with regard to activity one year before survey in 2000

Professional status one year before survey in 2000

Shift work in 2000

Evening work in 2000

Night work in 2000

Saturday work in 2000

Sunday work in 2000

Year when highest level of education or training was successfully completed in 2000 and 2001

Bulgaria

Year in which person started working in 2000

Month in which person started working in 2000

Sequence number of spouse or cohabiting partner in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Sequence number of father in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Sequence number of mother in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Years of residence in this Member State in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Country of birth in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Permanency of the job in 2000

Total duration of temporary job or work contract of limited duration in 2000

Main reason for hours actually worked during the reference week being different from the person's usual hours in 2000

Number of hours that the person would like to work in total in 2000

Wish to work usually more than the current number of hours in 2000

Professional status (in the second job) in 2000

Economic activity of the local unit (in the second job) in 2000

Number of hours actually worked during the reference week in the second job in 2000

Degree of urbanisation in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Usual number of hours of training per week in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Education or training received during previous four weeks in 2000

Having obtained a (non tertiary) vocational qualification in 2000

Economic activity of local unit in which person was working one year before survey in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Country of residence one year before survey in Q2 in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Region of residence (within Member State) one year before survey in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Took a test, interview or examination in 2000

Awaiting the results of a competition for recruitment to the public sector in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Number of persons working at the local unit in 2000

Working at home in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Looking for another job and reasons for doing so in 2000

Type of employment sought in 2000

Registration at a public employment office in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Type of instruction in 2000

Level of this education or training in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Purpose of this education and training in 2000

Total length of this education or training in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Situation with regard to activity one year before survey in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Professional status one year before survey in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Shift work in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Evening work in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Night work in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Saturday work in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Sunday work in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Year when highest level of education or training was successfully completed in 2000

Romania

Year in which person started working in 2000 and 2001

Month in which person started working in 2000 and 2001

Years of residence in this Member State in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Country of birth in 2000 and 2001

Region of place of work in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Total duration of temporary job or work contract of limited duration in 2000 and 2001

Number of hours that the person would like to work in total in 2000 and 2001

Degree of urbanisation in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Having obtained a (non tertiary) vocational qualification in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Country of residence one year before survey 2000 and 2001

Region of residence (within Member State) one year before survey in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Took a test, interview or examination in 2000, 2001

Looked for land, premises or equipment in 2000, 2001

Awaiting the results of an application for a job in 2000 and 2001

Waiting for a call from a public employment office in 2000 and 2001

Awaiting the results of a competition for recruitment to the public sector in 2000 and 2001

Number of persons working at the local unit in 2000 and 2001

Working at home in 2000, 2001

Situation immediately before person started to seek employment in 2000, 2001

Type of employment sought in 2000

Registration at a public employment office in 2000 and 2001

Type of instruction in 2000 and 2001

Level of this education or training in 2000 and 2001

Purpose of this education and training in 2000 and 2001

Total length of this education or training in 2000, 2001

Shift work in 2000, 2001

Evening work in 2000, 2001

Night work in 2000, 2001

Saturday work in 2000, 2001

Sunday work in 2000, 2001

Year when highest level of education or training was successfully completed in 2000 and 2001

Iceland

All variables were provided

Norway

Interview week in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Degree of urbanisation in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Having obtained a (non tertiary) vocational qualification in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Took a test, interview or examination in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Year when highest level of education or training was successfully completed in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Apart from these all other variables were provided on the second quarter, nevertheless the following variables were missing in the 1st, 3rd and 4th Quarter:

Sequence number of spouse or cohabiting partner in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Sequence number of father in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Sequence number of mother in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Reason for not having worked at all though having a job in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Wish to work usually more than the current number of hours in 2000

Existence of previous employment experience in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Year in which person last worked in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Month in which person last worked in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Economic activity of the local unit in which person last worked in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Occupation of last job in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Usual number of hours of training per week in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Education or training received during previous four weeks in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Economic activity of local unit in which person was working one year before survey in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Working at home in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Looking for another job and reasons for doing so in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Main reason for leaving last job or business in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Professional status in last job in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Type of employment sought in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Situation immediately before person started to seek employment in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Registration at a public employment office in 2000

Type of instruction in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Level of this education or training in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Purpose of this education and training in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Total length of this education or training in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Situation with regard to activity one year before survey in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Professional status one year before survey in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Shift work in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Evening work in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Night work in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Saturday work in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Sunday work in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Switzerland

Sequence number of spouse or cohabiting partner in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Sequence number of father in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Sequence number of mother in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Years of residence in this Member State in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Country of birth in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Region of place of work in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Wish to work usually more than the current number of hours in 2000

Degree of urbanisation in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Having obtained a (non tertiary) vocational qualification in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Economic activity of local unit in which person was working one year before survey in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Country of residence one year before survey 2000, 2001 and 2002

Region of residence one year before survey in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Took a test, interview or examination in 2000

Waiting for a call from a public employment office in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Awaiting the results of a competition for recruitment to the public sector in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Type of instruction in 2000

Purpose of this education and training in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Total length of this education or training in 2000, 2001 and 2002

Professional status one year before survey in 2000, 2001 and 2002

4.2 A further set of variables, hereinafter referred to as an "ad hoc module", may be added to supplement the information described above in paragraph 1. A programme of ad hoc modules covering several years shall be drawn up each year.

In the period 2000-2002 the following ad hoc modules were conducted in the Member States:

2000 - Transition from school to working life (Commission Regulation N° 1925/1999)

2001 - Length and patterns of working time (Commission Regulation N° 1578/2000)

2002 - Disabled people's employment (Commission Regulation N° 1566/2001).

In 2000 only Germany did not conduct the module on transition from school to working life. The Netherlands and the United Kingdom did not provide the information on some of the variables.

All countries conducted the 2001 ad hoc module (on "Length and patterns of working time") and 2002 ad hoc module (on "Disabled people's employment") but some variables were optional for Germany.

Work conducted by the Member States and funded by the European Commission:

2000 module

Grants were allocated to Belgium, Denmark, Spain, Greece, France, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden, Finland and United Kingdom

2001 module

Grants were allocated to Denmark, Spain, France, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden, Finland and United Kingdom

2002 module

Grants were allocated to Belgium, Denmark, Greece, Spain, France, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Sweden, Finland and United Kingdom.

Situation in the Candidate and EFTA countries:

The 2000 ad hoc module was conducted in CZ, HU, LV, LT, MT, RO, SI and SK but not in BG, CY, EE, PL, IS, NO and CH.

The 2001 ad hoc module was conducted in CZ, HU, EE, LV, LT, MT, RO, SI, SK, NO and CH but not in BG, CY, PL and IS.

The 2002 ad hoc module was conducted in CZ, CY, HU, EE, LT, MT, RO, SI, SK and NO but not in BG, LV, PL, IS, and CH.

4.3 The definitions, the edits to be used, the codification of the variables, the adjustment of the list of survey variables made necessary by the evolution of techniques and concepts, and a list of principles for the formulation of the questions concerning the labour status, are drawn up according to the procedure laid down in Article 8.

Commission Regulation (EC) N° 1897/2000 of 7 September 2000 states the operational definition of unemployment and the principles for the formulation of the questions on the labour status. The definition of unemployment stated in this regulation is the following:

1. In accordance with the ILO standards adopted by the 13th and 14th International Conference of Labour Statisticians (ICLS), for the purposes of the Community labour force sample survey, unemployed persons comprise persons aged 15 to 74 who were:

(a) without work during the reference week, i.e. neither had a job nor were at work (for one hour or more) in paid employment or self-employment;

(b) currently available for work, i.e. were available for paid employment or self-employment before the end of the two weeks following the reference week;

(c) actively seeking work, i.e. had taken specific steps in the four week period ending with the reference week to seek paid employment or self-employment or who found a job to start later, i.e. within a period of at most three months.

For the purposes of point 1(c), the following are considered as specific steps:

- having been in contact with a public employment office to find work, whoever took the initiative (renewing registration for administrative reasons only is not an active step),

- having been in contact with a private agency (temporary work agency, firm specialising in recruitment, etc.) to find work,

- applying to employers directly,

- asking among friends, relatives, unions, etc., to find work,

- placing or answering job advertisements,

- studying job advertisements,

- taking a recruitment test or examination or being interviewed,

- looking for land, premises or equipment,

- applying for permits, licences or financial resources.

2. Education and training are considered as ways of improving employability but not as methods of seeking work.

Persons without work and in education or training will only be classified as unemployed if they are 'currently available for work' and 'seeking work', as defined in points 1(b) and (c).

3. Lay-offs are classified as unemployed if they do not receive any significant wage or salary (significant is set at >= 50 %) from their employer and if they are 'currently available for work' and 'seeking work'. Lay-offs are treated as a case of unpaid leave initiated by the employer -- including leave paid out of government budget or by funds (16th ICLS). In this case, lay-offs are classified as employed if they have an agreed date of return to work and if this date falls within a period of three months.

4. During the off-season, seasonal workers cannot be considered as having a formal attachment to their high-season job-- because they do not continue to receive a wage or salary from their employer although they may have an assurance of return to work. If they are not at work during the off-season, they are classified as unemployed only if they are 'currently available for work' and 'seeking work', as defined in points 1(b) and (c).

Table 12 Application of definition of unemployment and eventual deviations

>TABLE POSITION>

These remaining deviations will disappear as Member States adapt their surveys to the new definitions.

Austria and France are adapting their surveys in 2003. Italy is adapting in 2004 and the Netherlands and Sweden in 2005. Spain and the United Kingdom have not indicated a date by which the definition of unemployment will be fully implemented.

Table 13 shows the different principles for the formulation of the questions on the labour status and its application on the countries.

Table 13 Principles for the formulation of the questions on the labour status (p= partially)

1. The questions on the labour status according to the ILO definition (employed, unemployed or inactive) are in general the first questions in the individual questionnaire, immediately following the questions on the demographic characteristics of the household members. In particular, they are not preceded by questions on the main or the usual activity (student, housekeeping, retired, etc.) or on the administrative status of a registration at the public employment office to claim unemployment benefits, where this would prejudice the response to the questions on the ILO labour status.

In the case of dependent interviewing in later waves and when the labour status as an employed or inactive person is apparently permanent or stable, their labour status can be quickly verified with reference to their status in the previous wave.

>TABLE POSITION>

2. The sequence of the questions on employment consists of at least two separate questions: one question on currently working and another question on having a job when being temporarily absent from work (persons on leave). The question on being at work must precede the question on having a job so that the contrast between both questions contributes to a complete identification of the temporarily absent.

The identification of lay-offs (unpaid leave initiated by the employer) and their classification as employed (or unemployed) persons depend on two conditions of a formal job attachment: an assurance of a return to work after the end of the contingency and the short duration (<=3 months) of the suspension of the labour contract. Both conditions are determined by a question following the question about the reason for their temporary absence or the reason why they did not look for a job in the previous four weeks or by response categories in these questions.

>TABLE POSITION>

3. The questions on employment and job search must contain a cue for the identification of persons with a minor job of just a few hours or even one hour.

>TABLE POSITION>

4. The questions on employment must contain a cue for the identification of unpaid family workers. Alternatively, they are identified by a separate question about being at work.

>TABLE POSITION>

5. The questions on employment must clearly indicate that only work for pay or profit is considered as an economic activity within the ILO framework.

>TABLE POSITION>

6. The reference period of employment must be clearly specified. The question on employment refers as a rule to the last week, defined as 'from Monday to Sunday', giving the exact date. The reference periods of job search and availability must be clearly specified. The two questions on job search and job search methods refer to the past four weeks including the reference week and the question on availability to the period until the end of the two weeks following the reference week.

>TABLE POSITION>

(1) yes since 2002

7. All persons who were asked the questions on employment and were identified as having no job are asked the question on job search. No other filter question precedes this question. In the case of dependent interviewing in later waves and when the labour status as an employed or inactive person is apparently permanent or stable, their labour status can be later verified with reference to their status in the previous wave.

>TABLE POSITION>

8. The question on job search must refer to any effort, even irregular, by the respondent to find a job or to establish her/his own business. The wording of the question must avoid indicating that only a continuous search throughout the entire reference period is considered as a sufficient condition of job search.

>TABLE POSITION>

9. The question on job search methods must contain active and passive search methods. The following are considered as active search methods:

- having been in contact with the public employment office to find work,

- having been in contact with a private agency to find work,

- applying to employers directly,

- asking among friends, relatives, trade unions, etc., to find work,

- placing or answering job advertisements,

- studying job advertisements,

- taking a recruitment test or examination or being interviewed,

- looking for land, premises or equipment,

- applying for permits, licenses of financial resources.

>TABLE POSITION>

(1) yes since 2002

10. The 'contact with the public employment office to find work' is a two-way contact. It can be initiated by the registered unemployed person or by the employment office. This contact must be included as the first (response category in the) question on job search methods. It is distinct from the administrative renewal of a registration to claim unemployment benefits (when this was not preceded by a spell of employment or inactivity). It is also distinct from the assistance provided by the employment office to improve the employability of the registered unemployed person. The 'contact with the public employment office to find work' as an active step only involves:

- putting the respondent's name in the employment office file for the first time (after a spell of employment or inactivity),

- finding out about possible job vacancies, or

- 'at the initiative of the employment office a suggestion of a job opportunity', which may be accepted or refused by the job searcher.

>TABLE POSITION>

11. Job search methods are enumerated until at least three active methods have been mentioned.

>TABLE POSITION>

12. Persons who are currently not employed and who are not looking for a job because they have already found a job which will start later, i.e. within a period of at most three months must be identified as a separate category.

>TABLE POSITION>

(1) yes since 2002

Situation in the Candidate and EFTA countries:

Application of the unemployment definition:

In Bulgaria, Poland and Slovakia full application of the unemployment definition is expected from 2003.

Bulgaria

Differences exist in treating people, who are registered in the employment offices (registration itself is regarded as active method of job search) and in the treating of unpaid leave initiated by the employer. Studying advertisements is not considered as an active step to find a job. A person on partially paid or unpaid child care leave is considered as not in the labour force regardless of searching and availability for work. Since 2001, only the treatment of persons registered in the employment offices does not follow the definition of unemployment.

Cyprus

No deviations

Czech Republic

No deviations

Estonia

No deviations

Hungary

No deviations

Latvia

No deviations

Lithuania

No deviations

Malta

No deviations

Poland

Lay-offs are always classified as employed regardless of the date of return to work and of the fact that no significant salary is received.

Romania

No deviations (since 2002).

Slovakia

Unemployment includes persons who have already found a job to start work within 1 month.

Slovenia

Lay-offs, independently of the duration are considered as employed.

Turkey

Lay-offs are not identified. All persons who are absent from work are classified as employed regardless of the duration of absence, if their job connection still exists. There is no upper age limit for unemployed persons. A three-month period is not asked for persons who are currently not employed and who are not looking for a job because they have already found a job, which will start later. These persons are defined as unemployed if available to start work within 15 days.

Switzerland

No deviations

Iceland

Unemployment is restricted to persons aged 16-74 years old. Persons not looking because they have already found work are considered unemployed if the work starts within four weeks. The question on taking a recruitment test or examination or being interviewed is not asked in the Icelandic questionnaire.

Norway

Unemployment is restricted to persons aged 16-74. Persons without a job are only asked about search for work if they express that they would like to have a job. Lay-offs are always classified as unemployed, regardless of an agreed date of return to work within three months. The availability for work is specified as in the next two weeks after the interview (not after the reference week). Persons who have been seeking work during previous 8 weeks, and who are awaiting an answer from an employer, are classified as unemployed if they are currently available for work. About search methods, only a single, open question is asked, without specifying all the possible methods as separate questions (just a list for the interviewer for recording the answer).

Article 5 - Conduct of the survey

5.1 The Member States may make it compulsory to reply to the survey. They shall endeavour to ensure that the information requested is provided truthfully within the periods specified.

The survey is compulsory in 6 countries (BE, EL, ES, FR, IT, PT). In Germany and Austria the LFS is largely part of the Mikrocensus which is compulsory; the answers to some questions, which are not part of the Mikrocensus, are voluntary. In Finland, Denmark, The Netherlands, United Kingdom, Ireland, Sweden and Luxembourg the survey is not compulsory.

Situation in the Candidate and EFTA countries:

In the Czech Republic, Estonia, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Slovenia, Iceland and Switzerland the survey is not compulsory.

The LFS is compulsory in Cyprus, Norway and Malta. The LFS is also compulsory in Turkey, however there is no sanction for those who refuse to take part in the survey.

Article 6 - Transmission of the results

6.1 Within twelve weeks of the end of the reference quarter in the case of a continuous survey (and within nine months of the end of the reference period in the case of a survey in the spring), the Member States shall forward to Eurostat the results of the survey, duly checked, for each person questioned, without indication of name or address

According to this article LFS data should be forwarded in June for the 1st quarter of the year, in September for the 2nd quarter, in December for the 3rd quarter and in March of the year following the survey for the last quarter. For countries still conducting a single spring survey the deadline is February of the year following the year of reference of the survey.

Quarterly data are now transmitted in time by most of the Member States. Some problems seem to remain in Belgium and the Netherlands although the delays have nevertheless been reduced in recent quarters. Austria is also having problems in meeting the deadlines, the implementation of the continuous survey in 2004 will hopefully reduce the delays in the data transmission. Ireland only provided second quarter data until 2003. Between June and August 2003 the previous other quarters were sent. The following table shows the expected date and the date of reception of 2000, 2001 and 2002 data.

Table 14 Respect of the deadlines for the data transmission

>TABLE POSITION>

Situation in the Candidate and EFTA countries:

In general, although there were some delays in the years 2000 and 2001, all Candidate Countries have sent LFS data in time for the reference year 2002. Data are also sent in time from the EFTA countries.

Article 7 - Reports

A report on the implementation of this regulation shall be submitted by the Commission to the Parliament and the Council every 3 years, beginning in the year 2000. This report shall evaluate in particular the quality of the statistical methods envisaged by the Member States to improve the results or to lighten the survey procedures.

In 2001, Eurostat and the Member States started discussing the possibility of not surveying all the variables every quarter. Some variables for which it would be sufficient to have the information on an annual basis could be limited to a sub-sample with reference to all 52 weeks of the year, in order to estimate the true annual average. The sub-sample could be limited to one quarter, assuming that there is no seasonal variation. This procedure would lighten considerably the response burden, improve the quality of the information without loss of crucial information. The Statistical Programme Committee of November 2002 agreed in general with this proposal.

The implementation of this approach would imply solving several methodological and technical problems. Therefore an initial Task Force, composed of representatives from Spain, France, Sweden, United Kingdom and Slovenia met in Madrid in December 2002 to analyse the question and to make an inventory of the possible problems to be solved. Furthermore another Task Force, composed of the same countries plus Greece, the Netherlands and Finland, met in Luxembourg in May 2003 to continue the work. This Task Force will go on working on the subject during 2003 and 2004. In parallel, countries could request grants to help them conduct tests and methodological studies during 2003 on this issue.

During 2002, Denmark and Portugal conducted some methodological studies on this area and their work was partially funded by the Commission in the form of grants.

A draft regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Regulation N° 577/98 on the organisation of the LFS, makes it possible to distinguish "structural variables from among the survey characteristics ... which need to be surveyed only as annual averages " and is now on the point of adoption.

Furthermore, in the period 2000-2002 the following improvements were implemented by the Member States:

Belgium

Two main actions were taken in the period 2000-2002:

- Finer calibration methods (integrating an individual's social security and/or household information with the individual's demographic data) have been tested, but the files sent to Eurostat still use the post-stratified coefficients.

- In 2000, 200 households were interviewed using CAPI (Blaise program) as a test. This experiment has not been repeated since.

Denmark

In 2000 the questionnaire was revised - questions on underemployment were introduced and the questions to classify the unemployed were revised. In 2001 the age limits for the interview population were expanded to 15-74. In 2002 questions concerning the labour status of the other household members were introduced (the questions were asked only to the respondents of one wave). Some methodological studies on calculating yearly averages from the weighted results of a sub-sample (a wave) were done in 2002 and the results are used in the production of data for the households.

Germany

In 2002 the questionnaire was modified in order to determine the employment status more precisely according to the ILO-Definition:

- In the case of parental leave and other absences persons are only regarded as having employment if the total absence from work does not exceed 3 months;

- People without a job who have found new employment are only considered as "unemployed" if the new job starts within three months.

Greece

Improvements in data collection since 2000 onwards:

- A face to face interview is now carried out for the 1st quarter of every year. In the other quarters the interview is carried out by telephone for the households which were in the sample of the previous quarter (5/6 of the sample). This has as advantages:

- Reduced time for fieldwork and reduced time for data collection (no need for new data entry) and finally faster data release;

- Reduced cost of the survey because the cost of telephone interviews is about 1/3 of face-to-face ones.

- Improvements to the questionnaire:

- Changes in the order of questions to make the questionnaires more efficient and to shorten the interview;

- Better formulation of questions in order to be in line with Eurostat's recommendations and to be more easily understood by interviewers and interviewees.

- Training of supervisors and data collectors. All staff participating in the survey, were trained in seminars in Athens and Thessaloniki which were also attended by the staff of local NSSG offices. The main purpose of these seminars was to illustrate the errors which usually occurred and how they could be avoided. After these seminars a serious improvement in data quality occurred.

- Up to 2001, when a household failed to respond, the next household on the list replaced it. This method introduced bias in the data (for instance more older people who are easier to find at home were interviewed). Since 2002, the replacement procedure was stopped and the calculation of weighting factors was improved taking into account non-response.

- Better organization of staff of the LFS section and staff of local statistical offices in order to better supervise interviewers work. This means that every clerk is responsible for 3-4 interviewers and a fully computerized system was established in the LFS section - in the framework of the Integrated Information System - which manages the different steps of data collection.

Summary of improvements in data elaboration since 2000 onwards:

- A new system of management of the production of data was introduced;

- A new form which is more user friendly for data entry established;

- Data collection conducted using CAPI and CATI;

- All the staff of the LFS section were trained to use the software.

Spain

Every quarter, population projections by age group (0-15 years and 16 years +) and NUTS 3 region are made. Projections by age and region are distributed by stratum in proportion to the population of each stratum. In each stratum, age group and region, the weighting is determined by the ratio of the projection to the sample size. Since 2002, the calibration method has been introduced regularly, in order to adjust the sample to the population distribution. The auxiliary information used is the population by sex, age and NUTS 2. A linear weighting method is used, in which each member of the household has the same weight.

France

The 2000 survey has been reweighted in 2001, using the 1999 census results.

Ireland

During the period in question the main new features added were:

- Gradual expansion of the data collection unit so that the quality of responses is better scrutinised and more timely data are received from the field;

- A more structured approach to questionnaire design, testing and field introduction in order to introduce new questions as effectively as possible;

- Deeper and more formalised interaction with the field force so that the quality of interviewing is improved.

Italy

No methodological innovation was introduced during the period 2000-2002.

Luxembourg

Questions about shift work, evening work, night work, Saturday work and Sunday work, left out in 1999 and 2000, were reintroduced in 2001 and 2002. Since 2001, the ISCO-COM classification has been used instead of ISCO-88. The codification of occupation in the main activity was extended to 3 digits instead of 2 and Nace Rev.1 codification was enlarged to 4 digits.

From 2001 onwards, the question about 'contact with the public employment office to find work' is distinct from the 'assistance provided by the employment office to improve employability of the registered unemployed' by introducing a further question. The implementation of the ILO-definition of unemployment is fully applied since 2001. Up to 2001, new CALMAR-inspired weighting-procedures were introduced.

Netherlands

The interviewers are no longer freelancers but have a permanent contract. Also managers are recruited for managing clusters of interviewers within regions. This will improve the quality of the data collection and increase the response rate.

Austria

For the survey of March 2002, the data editing and imputation program have been redefined in order to eliminate some distortions caused by the programs used before. These changes lead to breaks in time series. Most affected are data on overtime, the number of people having a second job and the number of people, wanting a different working time. Re-weighting to use census results is not yet undertaken, but underway.

Portugal

The LFS results since 1998 were re-weighted using the 2001 census results. In addition, a new master sample was defined. The sample for the LFS from 2003 onwards will be extracted from this master sample. The new master sample tries to avoid covering the same individuals as those in the present master sample, in order to reduce response burden. A quarterly quality survey is conducted and a report is produced containing several indicators on the quality of the interviewers' work.

Sweden

At the end of 1999 a new method of estimation was introduced, GREG-estimation. This method has been used since then, resulting in no changes during the period of this report but there were differences compared to previous years.

During 2001, people aged 15 or 65-74 were included in the sample on a continuous basis. During the same year the quarterly sample was gradually enlarged from 51,100 (16-64 years of age) to the present size 63,700 (16-64) plus a further 2,500 (15 and 65-74) persons. The enlargement was not equally distributed over the country but regionally distributed to make it possible to produce results with the same precision in all counties. Sub-samples (waves) are continuously used to varying degrees to cater for national needs of labour market related data.

Finland

The data collection of the LFS was revised with the introduction of a continuous survey week as of the beginning of 2000. The revision was implemented because of the EU Regulation 577/98 on labour force surveys. Previously the data were only collected for one week, usually the week containing the 15th day of the month. All the weeks of the year are represented in the survey today and the sample is divided evenly between them. The statistics now describe the whole month more comprehensively than before. The revision improves the quality of the statistics but challenges the continuity of the time series produced.

United Kingdom

In March 2001, computer assisted coding of industry was introduced with the new UK Standards Occupational Classification 2000 (SOC 2000). This should provide more reliable occupational data. The new SOC 2000 should also provide a more accurate mapping to ISCO and remove the problem with SOC 90 which, when converted to ISCO, produced estimates of the number of managers which were too high.

In 2002, re-weighted data from September/November 1998 to September 2001 were produced. Following the results of the 2001 census of population all databases back to 1984 will be re-weighted to take account of revised population estimates. These will be produced during 2004.