Labour force survey in the acceding countries : methods and definitions : 2002.
Date: 2004-10-16
Institutions: Eurostat
Subjects: EU acceding countries, EU statistics, data collection, labour force, sample survey, statistical method, working population

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Labour force 
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acceding countries

Methods and definitions – 2002

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THEME 3
Population 
and social 
conditions

E U R O P E A N
C O M M I S S I O N

 
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Preface 

The present report describes the main characteristics of the Labour Force Surveys in the thirteen EU Acceding and 
Candidate Countries in 2002.  

All but one of the Acceding and Candidate Countries are providing Eurostat with LFS data for publication. Due to legal 
considerations  Turkey  has  not  been  able  to  deliver  micro-data  to  Eurostat.  Turkey  is  however  set  to  start  data 
transmission in 2004, including historical data. The aim of this report is to provide users with the means to accurately 
interpret the LFS results by providing information regarding the technical features of the Labour Force Surveys carried 
out  in  these  countries.  A  similar  report  on  the  Labour  Force  Surveys  in  central  and  east  European  countries  was 
published in 2000. 

The Acceding and Candidate Countries have all in common that their Labour Force Surveys are relatively young. The 
first country to survey the labour market using international standards was Turkey in 1988 and Hungary and Poland in 
1992.  The  last  country  to  start  carrying  out  a  Labour  Force  Survey  was  Malta  in  2000.  The  countries  also  have  in 
common  a  high  degree  of  conformity  with  the  European  Union  Labour  Force  Survey,  as  the  national  surveys  were 
generally organised with the aim of achieving comparable information with the rest of Europe. In 2002 eight countries 
had moved to a continuous survey with Hungary and Bulgaria planning to implement the survey in 2003 and Cyprus 
and Malta in 2004. 

The  main  characteristics  of  the  national  practices  are  presented  herein.  The  information  is  organised  on  the  same 
lines as the methodological data accompanying the main results of the European Labour Force Survey, see European 
social  statistics.  Labour  force  survey  results  2002.  This  will  enable  users  to  evaluate  the  degree  of  comparability 
achieved.  For  more  detailed  information  on  the  common  practices  and  definitions  of  the  European  Labour  Force 
Survey see The European Union Labour Force Survey, Methods and Definitions, 2001. 

The information necessary for preparing this publication was mainly collected in early 2003. Eurostat wishes to thank 
the experts responsible for the national labour force surveys in the Candidate Countries for their help in compiling the 
methodological information presented in this publication. 

1 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CONTENTS 

PREFACE ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 1 

BASIC CONCEPTS AND DEFINITIONS .................................................................................................................................... 3 
EMPLOYMENT.................................................................................................................................................................................. 3 
UNEMPLOYMENT ............................................................................................................................................................................. 4 
DEFINITIONS AND NOTATIONS PECULIAR TO THIS DOCUMENT.......................................................................................................... 5 
CHARACTERISTICS OF NATIONAL SURVEYS IN 2002....................................................................................................... 6 
CZECH REPUBLIC ....................................................................................................................................................................... 6 
ESTONIA ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 7 
CYPRUS......................................................................................................................................................................................... 8 
HUNGARY .................................................................................................................................................................................... 9 
MALTA ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 10 
LATVIA ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 10 
LITHUANIA ................................................................................................................................................................................ 11 
POLAND ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 12 
SLOVENIA .................................................................................................................................................................................. 13 
SLOVAKIA.................................................................................................................................................................................. 14 
BULGARIA.................................................................................................................................................................................. 15 
ROMANIA ................................................................................................................................................................................... 16 
TURKEY ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 17 
TABLES........................................................................................................................................................................................... 19 
TABLE 1 – SAMPLE DESIGN............................................................................................................................................................ 19 
TABLE 2 – IMPLEMENTATION OF THE HOUSEHOLD CONCEPT.......................................................................................................... 20 
TABLE 3 – DATA COLLECTION AND DATA PROCESSING.................................................................................................................. 21 
ANNEX I. STATISTICAL REGIONS OF THE ACCEDING AND CANDIDATE COUNTRIES ....................................... 22 

2

 
 
 
Basic concepts and definitions 

The main statistical objectives of the Labour Force Survey is to divide the population of working age (15 years and 
above)  into  three  mutually  exclusive  and  exhaustive  groups  -  persons  in  employment,  unemployed  persons  and 
inactive  persons  -  and  to  provide  descriptive  and  explanatory  data  on  each  of  these  categories.  Respondents  are 
assigned to one of these groups on the basis of the most objective information possible obtained through the survey 
questionnaire, which principally relates to their actual activity within a particular reference week. 

The section 'EU list of questions' together with the explanatory notes show how the survey questioning is organised. 
Most  questions  apply  to  selected  groups  only.  A  filter  based  on  information  already  obtained  specifies  who  should 
answer a particular question. 

The definitions of employment and unemployment used in the Community Labour Force Survey closely follow those 
adopted by the 13th International Conference of Labour Statisticians. 

Employment 

A person is considered as having an employment if he or she did any work for pay or profit during the reference week 

"Work" means any work for pay or profit during the reference week, even for as little as one hour. Pay includes cash 
payments or "payment in kind" (payment in goods or services rather than money), whether payment was received in 
the week the work was done or not. Also counted as working is anyone, who receives wages for on-the-job training, 
which  involves  the  production  of  goods  or  services  (ESA  11.13  f).  Self-employed  persons  with  a  business,  farm  or 
professional practice are also considered to be working if one of the following applies: 

(1)  A person works in his own business, professional practice or farm for the purpose of earning a profit, even if the enterprise is 

failing to make a profit. 

(2)  A  person  spends  time  on  the  operation  of  a  business,  professional  practice  or  farm  even  if  no  sales  were  made,  no 
professional  services  were  rendered,  or  nothing  was  actually  produced  (for  example,  a  farmer  who  engages  in  farm 
maintenance activities; an architect who spends time waiting for clients in his/her office; a fisherman who repairs his boat or 
nets for future operations; a person who attends a convention or seminar). 

(3)  A  person  is  in  the  process  of  setting  up  a  business,  farm  or  professional  practice;  this  includes  the  buying  or  installing  of 
equipment, and ordering of supplies in preparation for opening a new business. An unpaid family worker is said to be working 
if  the  work  contributes  directly  to  a  business,  farm  or  professional  practice  owned  or  operated  by  a  related  member  of  the 
same household. 

Self-employed persons 

If self-employed persons are absent from work, then they are regarded as in employment only if they can be said to 
have a business, farm or professional practice. This is the case if one or more of the following conditions are met: 

(i)  Machinery  or  equipment  of  significant  value,  in  which  the  person  has  invested  money,  is  used  by  him  or  his  employees  in 

conducting his business, an office, store, farm or other place of business is maintained. 

(ii)   There has been some advertisement of the business or profession by listing the business in the telephone book, displaying a 

sign, distributing cards or leaflets, etc.  

Person who works on their own small agriculture farm, who do not sell their products, but produce only for their own 
consumption 

The  classification  as  employment  of  persons  who  works  on  their  own  small  agriculture  farm,  who  do  not  sell  their 
products, but produce only for their own consumption depends on whether it falls within the production boundaries. 
When this production is included in national accounts, underlying employment must be identified. This depends on the 
relative quantitative importance of the production of agricultural products for own consumption in relation to the total 
supply of these products in a country (ESA 3.08) 

3

 
Conscripts  

Conscripts who performed some work for pay or profit during the reference week should not be considered in employment. 

Seasonal workers  

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.  

Maternity and paternity leave 

Maternity  leave  is  first  given  to  the  mother  (but  may  include  the  leave  of  the  father  in  the  case  of  a  transfer  of  the 
entitlements) and corresponds to the compulsory period of the leave stipulated by national legislation to ensure that 
mothers  before  and  after  childbirth  have  sufficient  rest,  or  for  a  period  to  be  specified  according  to  national 
circumstances. People in maternity leave should always be considered in employment. 

Parental leave 

Parental leave can be taken either by the mother or the father and is the interruption of work in case of childbirth or to 
bring up a child of young age. It corresponds to the period when parents receive “parental leave benefit”. People in 
full-time parental leave should be treated as a case of long term absence from work. 

Unpaid family workers 

The  unpaid  family  worker  can  be  said  to  have  a  job  but  not  be  at  work  if  there  is  a  definite  commitment  by  the 
employer  (a  related  household  member)  to  accept  his/her  return  to  work  and  the  total  absence  does  not  exceed  a 
period of 3 months. In this point Eurostat diverges from the ILO recommendation. 

Lay-offs 

A person on lay-off is one whose written or unwritten contract of employment, or activity, has been suspended by the 
employer  for  a  specified  or  unspecified  period  at  the  end  of  which  the  person  concerned  has  a  recognised  right  or 
recognised expectation to recover employment with that employer.  

Lay–offs  are  classified  as  employed  if  they  receive  ≥  50%  of  their  wage  or  salary  from  their  employer  or  have  an 
assurance of return to work within a period of 3 months. 

Long-term absence from work.  

If the total absence from work (measured from the last day of work to the day on which the paid worker will return) 
exceeds  three  months  then  a  person  is  considered  to  have  a  job  only  if  he/she  continues  to  receive  ≥  50%  of  the 
wage or salary from their employer (ESA 11.14a).  

Unemployment 

(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. 

4

 
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. 

(1)  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). 

(2)  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. 

(3)  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). 

Definitions and notations peculiar to this document 

A survey round is the instance when the survey is carried out, or in case of continuous quarterly survey, the quarter.  

Rotation  scheme  is  denoted  in  the  format  R-(R)[-R]  where  R  stands  for  the  number  of  consecutive  survey  rounds 
(quarters for all the countries in this report with the exception of Cyprus) with the number in parenthesis denoting the 
number of survey rounds skipped. The rotation scheme 2-(2)-2 means that in 6 consecutive quarters the person or 
household will be interviewed in the first two quarters but not in the third and fourth quarter and finally the person or 
household will be interviewed in the fifth and sixth quarters. The notation 6-(0) is equivalent to six consecutive survey 
rounds with none skipped. 

Response  rate  is  given  as  the  number  of  responding  households  divided  by  the  number  of  eligible  households. 
Eligible households are all households initially selected into the sample less the households that are not in the target 
population.  When  the  final  sampling  unit  is  the  dwelling,  response  rate  is  nevertheless  calculated  in  this  way,  thus 
disregarding  the  over-coverage  created  by,  e.g.,  vacant  dwellings.  Ideally  the  response  rate  should  be  calculated 
before substituting a non-responding household/dwelling with another sampling unit. 

5

 
Characteristics of national surveys in 2002 

CZECH REPUBLIC 

General 

The survey has been conducted since December 1992 as a continuous quarterly survey, going over from seasonal 
quarters to calendar quarters by the end of 1997. 

The survey covers the whole country. Only private households are surveyed. 

Participation in the survey is voluntary. 

The target population comprises all persons living usually in the households of the selected dwellings. The temporarily 
absent persons (for not more than 1 year) and domestic servants are included. People in student or worker’s homes 
are included if satisfying this rule. Lodgers are considered as independent budget keeping households. People living 
abroad are excluded. Conscripts are surveyed for demographic background only. 

Sampling Plan 

The sampling plan is stratified two-stage probability sample of dwelling units. 

The strata consist of 77 districts with Prague considered one district. 

The primary sampling units are census areas that are sampled (by randomised systematic sampling) with probability 
proportional to size, i.e. the number of dwellings per census area. 

In the second stage, dwelling units are selected from the initial sample by simple random sampling. 

The initial sample of PSUs is 5 650 census areas, while the approximate final sample size is 25 000 dwelling units, 
constituting an overall sampling fraction of 0.6%. 

Each  quarterly  sample  consists  of  five  panels  interviewed  for  five  quarters  consecutively  until  rotated  out  of  the 
sample. 

Weighting Procedure 

The weights are produced by extrapolating a posteriori to the population in 12 age groups, sex and the 77 districts. 
The demographic figures for individual quarters 2002 were interpolated according to the final result of Census 2001 
taking into account the definitive demographic data for end-of-year of 2001 and 2002. 

Data Collection 

Data are collected in first visits with face-to-face interviews, with repeated interviews usually made by telephone.  In 
the  2nd  quarter,  when  ad  hoc  module  is  surveyed,  all  interviews  are  face-to-face.  In  2002  all  interviews  were 
conducted with the aid of electronic questionnaires with few exceptions. 

All persons aged 15 years and older living in the sampled dwellings are interviewed. 

The number of field workers was 127 in 2002. The response rate was 76-77%. 

Harmonisation with the European Labour Force Survey 

In 2002 the questionnaire and variable definitions were brought completely in line with The European Union Labour 
Force Survey, Methods and Definitions, 2001. 

The definition of unemployment and the construction of the questionnaire follow the guidelines set in the Commission 
Regulation (EC) No 1897/2000. 

6

 
ESTONIA 

General 

The  Estonian  Labour  Force  Survey  started  in  1997  as  an  annual  survey.  Since  2000  the  Estonian  LFS  has  been 
organised as a continuous quarterly survey. 

The survey covers the whole country. Both private and collective households are surveyed.  

Participation in the survey is voluntary. 

The target population comprises all persons aged 15-74 years with permanent residence in Estonia, i.e. the people 
who have lived or intend to live in Estonia for more than one year. 

The household is made up either of persons living alone or of two or more persons who share a household budget 
and usually occupy the same dwelling. 

Sampling Plan 

The sample size per quarter is approximately 2 200 households. 

The sampling design is a stratified systematic two-phase sampling of individuals, whose households are included in 
the sample. 

The 15 counties of Estonia and the capital Tallinn are divided into four strata, according to size. The small strata have 
higher sampling probability than the larger strata. 

The  sampling  frame  is  based  on  the  2000  Population  and  Housing  Census  database,  comprising  all  registered 
persons  aged  15-74  years.  In  the  first  phase  the  sample  is  selected  by  systematic  sampling  inside  strata  and  the 
information on the size of sampled households is collected. In the second phase the sample is grouped by the number 
of  persons  aged  15-74  years  in  the  household  of  the  sampled  individual.  The  final  sample  is  then  selected  by 
systematic  sampling  from  each  size  group  with  inclusion  probability  inverse  to  the  size.  This  yields  an  equal 
probability sample of households (and its 15-74 years old members) inside strata. All persons aged 15-74 years in the 
households of the final sample are interviewed. 

Every sampled household is interviewed four times according to the rotation pattern 2-(2)-2. 

Weighting Procedure 

The  weighting  procedure  includes  computation  of  the  weights  that  are  inversely  proportional  to  the  inclusion 
probability  in  each  strata,  adjustment  for  non-response  and  calibration  by  sex,  5-year  age  groups  and  place  of 
residence  using  a  method  known  as  the  ‘raking  ratio’.  The  calibration  is  based  on  the  distribution  of  the  Estonian 
population by sex, age and county as of 1st January of the survey year.  

Data Collection 

The data are collected with face-to-face interviews, using paper questionnaires. The response rate in 2002 was 85%. 

Harmonisation with the European Labour Force Survey 

Data are available on all the variables defined by the Commission Regulation (EC) No 1575/2000. 

The definition of unemployment and the construction of the questionnaire follow the guidelines set in the Commission 
Regulation (EC) No 1897/2000. 

7

 
CYPRUS 

General 

The Cypriot Labour Force Survey started in 1999 as an annual survey, covering all the weeks of the second quarter 
uniformly. 

The  survey  covers  only  the  areas  of  Cyprus  controlled  by  the  Government  of  the  Republic  of  Cyprus.  Only  private 
households are covered. 

Participation in the survey is compulsory. 

The resident population comprises persons who usually reside in Cyprus or intend to stay in Cyprus for at least 12 
months.  It  excludes  Cypriot  students  studying  abroad  as  well  as  foreign  armed  forces  and  foreigners  who  work  in 
embassies or diplomatic missions. 

The private household is made up either of persons living alone or of two or more persons, whether or not of the same 
family, usually occupying the same dwelling and sharing a joint budget.  

Sampling Plan 

The sampling plan is a stratified two-stage probability sampling of dwelling units. 

The variables used for stratification are the Districts and the urban/rural areas within each district. 

The primary sampling units (PSUs) in each stratum are the enumeration areas in urban areas and the villages in rural 
areas as specified in the Population Census of 1992. The selection of  PSUs is based on probability proportional to 
size sampling. The size refers to the number of households enumerated in the Population Census of 1992.  

The  secondary  sampling  units  (SSUs)  are  the  dwelling  units  selected  systematically  from  a  list  of  all  dwellings 
belonging  to  the  selected  PSUs.  This  list  was  updated  by  a  new  enumeration  in  1998.  Refusals,  non-contacts 
(households  absent  for  more  than  one  month)  and  households  unable  to  respond  are  substituted  by  the  next 
household on the sampling frame. 

The  sample  size  per  year  is  approximately  4 500  dwelling  units  containing  approximately  3 600  households,  which 
represents an average sampling rate of 1.6%. 

Each household is interviewed for four years consecutively before being rotated out of the sample. 

Weighting Procedures 

The results are weighted a posteriori to the population in each district by sex and five-year age groups. No urban/rural 
weighting is carried out. 

Data Collection 

Data are collected with face-to-face interviews by 15 field workers using CAPI. The response rate before substitution 
in the second quarter of 2002 was 99.4%. 

Harmonisation with the European Labour Force Survey 

Data are available on all the variables defined by the Commission Regulation (EC) No 1575/2000. 

The definition of unemployment and the construction of the questionnaire follow the guidelines set in the Commission 
Regulation (EC) No 1897/2000. 

8

 
HUNGARY 

General 

The  Hungarian  Labour  Force  Survey  started  in  1992  as  a  quarterly  survey.  Starting  from  May  1998,  some  main 
results of the LFS are published monthly as moving averages of data of the last three months. The reference week is 
the week containing the 12th of the month. 

The survey covers the whole country. Only private households are surveyed. 

Participation in the survey is voluntary. 

The data cover the population aged 15-74 years. Included are household members temporarily absent and persons 
residing  abroad  if  they  have  consumption  in  common  with  the  surveyed  household.  The  institutional  and  unsettled 
population  is  excluded,  as  well  as  conscripts.  Demographic  and  educational  information  is  collected  on  persons 
younger than 15 years and older than 74 years. 

Sampling Plan 

The sampling plan is a stratified multi-stage probability sampling of dwelling units. 

The sampling frame or address register of the LFS covers 751 settlements of the country, with the stock of addresses 
of 12,775 enumeration districts (EDs) of the 1990 census, which includes about 626,000 addresses. 

All  settlements  with  15 000  inhabitants  or  more  are  included  in  the  sample,  or  self-represented  (SR).  Other 
settlements  constitute  the  non  self-representing  part  (NSR).  Each  SR  settlement  can  be  regarded  as  a  stratum  in 
itself. The NSR settlements are stratified by counties and the size categories of settlements. 

The  sampling  of  the  dwelling  units  in  the  SR  settlements  proceeds  in  two  stages.  The  EDs  constitute  the  primary 
sampling units, which are selected systematically with probability proportional to size. The dwellings units are selected 
with simple systematic sampling with random start. 

For  the  NSR  part  the  sampling  is  a  three-stage  process.  The  primary  sampling  units  are  settlements  and  the 
secondary  sampling  units  are  EDs.  Both  are  sampled  systematically  with  probability  proportional  to  size,  while  the 
dwelling units are sampled using simple systematic sampling. Each stratum sample contains at least two settlements. 

All households residing in the selected dwelling units are surveyed. 

The overall sampling fraction is 0.9%, yielding 38 487 dwellings per quarter or around 32 000 households and 65 000 
individuals aged 15-74 years. 

All households are surveyed for six consecutive quarters, before being rotated out of the sample. 

Weighting Procedure 

The  weighting  procedure  comprises  two  steps.  In  the  first  step  each  sampling  unit  is  allocated  the  inverse  of  the 
inclusion  probability  of  each  stratum.  In  the  second  step,  adjusted  final  weights  are  computed  with  a  posteriori 
stratification by 20 geographical units, sex and 10 age groups. The adjusted final weights are assigned to the dwelling 
units. 

Data Collection 

Some  500  field-workers  using  paper  questionnaires  collect  data  throughout  the  year.  The  first  interview  is  face-to-
face, while the repeated interviews are carried out by telephone when feasible. 

The response rate in 2002 was 82.9%. 

Harmonisation with the European Labour Force Survey 

Data are available on all the variables defined by the Commission Regulation (EC) No 1575/2000 with the exception 
of column 176. 

9

 
The definition of unemployment and the construction of the questionnaire follow the guidelines set in the Commission 
Regulation (EC) No 1897/2000. 

MALTA 

General 

The survey started in 2000 with two survey rounds in June and December. From 2001 the survey has been carried 
out quarterly with one reference week per quarter in March, June, September and December. 

The survey covers the whole country. Only private households are surveyed. 

Participation in the survey is obligatory. 

The residence population comprises all persons residing in the Maltese Islands and eligible to vote in Local Council 
elections as well as their dependants. 

A household is defined as one or more persons who live together and share expenses. A person who is abroad during 
the reference week and who visits Malta on a regular basis i.e. at least 2 times a year, is considered to be part of the 
household. Children or any other members who are living in another dwelling or institution are excluded. 

Sampling Plan 

The sampling plan is a one-stage stratified systematic random sample of households from the Electoral Register.  

The strata are defined by the localities. The sample is 2 500 households, with an effective sampling rate of 2%. 

Each quarter the sample includes a sub-sample of 600 households which is carried over from previous quarter. 

Weighting Procedure 

The results are weighted by a posteriori stratification at one level by sex, six age groups and six districts. 

Data Collection 

Data are collected with face-to-face interviews by 80-100 trained interviewers. All persons in the household aged 15 
years and over are interviewed. The average response rate in 2002 was 82.3%. 

Harmonisation with the European Labour Force Survey 

Data are available on all the variables defined by the Commission Regulation (EC) No 1575/2000 with the exception 
of columns 15, 56/57, 87, 89, 93, 94, 95, 132/139, 148/155, 156/163. 

The definition of unemployment and the construction of the questionnaire follow the guidelines set in the Commission 
Regulation  (EC)  No  1897/2000.  However,  two  active  search  methods—”Asked  friends,  relatives,  trade  unions,  etc.” 
and “Studied advertisements in newspapers or journals”—are not asked for in the Maltese questionnaire. 

LATVIA 

General 

The Latvian Labour Force Survey started in November 1995, producing results in May and November each year. In 
2002 the survey was redesigned as a continuous survey. 

The survey covers the whole country. Only private households are surveyed. 

Participation in the survey is voluntary. 

10

 
The target population includes all the residents aged 15 to 74 years, with permanently residence in Latvia. Persons 
who are temporarily absent for one year or more are excluded. 

A household is defined as a group of two or more persons living together in a house or a part of a house and share 
expenses for common living and eating. The person stating that he/she does not belong to any household and that 
he/she lives on his/her own budget is considered as a single person household. 

Sampling Plan 

The sampling plan is a two-stage stratified probability sample. 

The strata are defined by degree of urbanisation (Riga, six other largest towns, towns and rural areas). 

The census counting areas constitute the primary sampling units with few exceptions. These are selected from each 
stratum using systematic sampling with probability proportional to size. 

The final sampling units are 2 574 households selected from the PSUs by a simple random sampling method.  

Each household is interviewed three times with a six months interval. 

Weighting Procedure 

The initial weights are calculated according to the sample design, with all persons within the same PSU having equal 
design weights. These initial weights are then adjusted with a posteriori stratification using urban and rural population 
data broken down by 14 age groups and sex. 

Data Collection 

Data  are  collected  throughout  the  year  by  43  trained  interviewers,  with  face-to-face  interviews  using  paper 
questionnaires. 

The response rate in 2002 was 82.7%. 

Harmonisation with the European Labour Force Survey 

Data  are  available  on  all  the  variables  defined  by  the  Commission  Regulation  (EC)  No  1575/2000  except  columns 
122/123. 

The definition of unemployment and the construction of the questionnaire follow the guidelines set in the Commission 
Regulation (EC) No 1897/2000. 

LITHUANIA 

General 

The Lithuanian LFS started in April 1994 as a semi-annual survey with one reference week in the second and fourth 
quarter each. In 2002 the survey was also carried out in the first quarter and from the third quarter on the LFS was 
redesigned as a continuous survey. 

The survey covers the whole country. Both private and collective households are surveyed. 

Participation in the survey is voluntary. 

The  target  population  covers  all  residents  aged  15  years  and  over.  Persons  living  abroad  are  included  if  they 
contribute to the common income / consumption. 

A  private  household  comprises  either  persons  living  alone  or  two  or  more  persons,  whether  they  are  of  the  same 
family or not, who usually occupy the same dwelling and share a common budget. 

11

 
Sampling Plan 

The  sampling  plan  is  a  one-stage  simple  random  sample  of  4 000  individuals  aged  15  years  and  over,  using  the 
Population Register as a sampling frame. All persons in the household of the sampled individual are also surveyed, so 
that  the  total  sample  is  approximately  12 600  individuals  per  quarter,  constituting a sampling fraction of 0.4%. As a 
result  of  this  sampling  method  the  inclusion  probability  of  each  household  is  directly  proportional  to  the  number  of 
persons aged 15 years and over in the household.  

Each household is surveyed for four quarters according to the rotation pattern 2-(1)-2. 

Weighting Procedure 

The  weighting  method  for  the  Lithuanian  LFS  is  based  on  the  generalised  calibration  method  introduced  by  Deville 
and Särndal in 1992. The initial household design weights are adjusted by the use of auxiliary information relating to 
population data on the intersection of 13 age-groups, sex and 10 NUTS III (counties) as well as data from the National 
Labour  Exchange  on  the  number  of  registered  unemployed  persons.  Each  member  of  the  household  receives  the 
same weight as the household. 

The calculation of the calibrated weights is carried out with the use of the SAS macro program CLAN, developed by 
Statistics Sweden. 

Data Collection 

The data are collected by face-to-face interviews in the first wave and by face-to-face or telephone interviews using 
paper questionnaires. 

The field staff comprises 168 persons. The response rate in 2002 was 85.5%. 

Harmonisation with the European Labour Force Survey 

Data are available on all the variables defined by the Commission Regulation (EC) No 1575/2000. 

The definition of unemployment and the construction of the questionnaire follow the guidelines set in the Commission 
Regulation (EC) No 1897/2000. 

POLAND 

General 

The Polish Labour Force Survey started in May 1992 as a quarterly survey, using one reference week per quarter. A 
rotation  scheme  was  introduced  in  the  second  quarter  of  1993.  A  continuous  survey  design  was  introduced  in  the 
fourth quarter of 1999. 

The survey covers the whole country. Only non-institutional households are covered. 

Participation in the survey is voluntary. 

The  target  population  covers  all  persons  15  years  and  older  with  usual  residence  in  Poland.  Persons  living  in 
institutional households (army, hospital, prison etc.) and students living away from home for a total period exceeding 
two months are excluded from the survey. The same applies to persons living permanently or temporarily (for more 
than two months) in other countries. 

The  household  is  a  group  of  relatives  or  other  people  living  together  and  maintaining  a  joint  unit.  Persons  not 
belonging  to  any  household  and  living  and  managing  the  household  all  by  themselves  are  considered  as  single 
person households. 

Sampling Plan 

The sampling plan for the Polish LFS is a two-stage stratified probability sampling of dwelling units. 

12

 
The sampling frame for both stages of the sample is based on the Domestic Territorial Division Register. The primary 
sampling units refer with few exceptions to census clusters in towns and enumeration districts in rural areas. 

The primary sampling units are stratified by urban/rural division of voivodships (provinces), as well as division within 
voivodships  depending  on  the  size  of  the  place,  with  rural  areas  included  in  the  smallest  ones.  PSUs  are  sampled 
within strata with sampling probability proportional to the number of dwellings in a PSU. 

In the second stage a total of 24 700 dwelling units per quarter are sampled from each PSU stratified by size of the 
municipality. The overall sampling fraction is 0,14% of private households. 

The sample is divided into four panels, using the rotation scheme 2-(2)-2. 

Weighting Procedure 

The weights are computed using a four-step procedure. 

First the initial design weights are calculated for each dwelling unit, i.e., the reciprocals of the selection probabilities 
for the final sampling units in each strata. Secondly the weighted response rates for each sampling unit are calculated 
stratified a posteriori by six categories of place of residence. Thirdly, the initial weights are adjusted by the response 
rates. The final step consists of modifying the adjusted weights by the population estimates stratified a posteriori by 
the urban-rural division, sex and 12 age groups. 

Data Collection 

The  data  are  collected  by  1 100-1 200  field  workers  with  face-to-face  interviews  using  paper  questionnaires. 
Repeated interviews are sometimes carried out by telephone. 

The response rate in 2002 was 80.5%. 

Harmonisation with the European Labour Force Survey 

Data are available on all the variables defined by the Commission Regulation (EC) No 1575/2000 with the exception 
of columns 4/5, 6/7, 8/9, 17/18, 19/20, 21/22, 38/39, 91, 93, 94, 95, 99, 111 and 176. 

The definition of unemployment and the construction of the questionnaire follow in the main the guidelines set in the 
Commission Regulation (EC) No 1897/2000. Layoffs are, however, always classified as employed regardless of the 
date of return to work and the fact that no significant salary is received. 

SLOVENIA 

General 

The Slovenian Labour Force Survey started in 1993 as an annual survey, using four weeks in May as the reference 
period.  Since  the  second  quarter  of  1997  the  LFS  has  been  conducted  as a continuous survey, providing quarterly 
results.   

The survey covers the whole country. Only private households are surveyed. 

Participation in the survey is voluntary. 

Members  of  the  household  temporary  absent  for  a  period  exceeding  6  months  (army,  hospitals,  prisons,  student’s 
homes) and persons living in other countries were excluded from the survey. Foreign nationals are included, if they 
correspond  to  the  criteria  of  household.  For  the  household  members  up  to  15  years  only  very  few  questions  are 
collected. 

A household is a single person or a group of persons, who live together and share expenses related to common living 
and eating.  

13

 
Sampling Plan 

The basis of sampling frame is the Central Population Register. 

The sampling method is a one-stage stratified simple random sampling of individuals aged 18 years and older, whose 
households are selected. The selection probability of each household or household member is thus proportional to the 
number of persons aged 18 years or older in the household. 

Strata are defined by region and six types of settlement, according to the settlement size and proportion of farmers. 
Stratum allocation is proportional to the population distribution, but adjusted by previous non-response by stratum. 

Each  household  is  interviewed  five  times  according  to  the  rotation  pattern  3-(1)-2.  Each  quarter  the  sample  is 
renewed by selecting a new wave of 2 000 new households. 

Weighting Procedure 

The  individual  records  are  weighted  for  unequal  probability  of  selection,  non-response  and  stratified  a  posteriori 
according  to  12  regions,  8  age  groups,  sex  and  wave.  Annual  weights  are  computed  as  the  arithmetic  mean  of 
quarterly weights. 

Data Collection 

The data are collected by approximately 50 field workers with face-to-face interviews using electronic questionnaires. 
All repeated interviews are carried out by telephone if the household has a telephone. 

The number of households responding in 2002 was approximately 6 500 per each quarter. 

Harmonisation with the European Labour Force Survey 

Data are available on all the variables defined by the Commission Regulation (EC) No 1575/2000. 

The definition of unemployment and the construction of the questionnaire follow the guidelines set in the Commission 
Regulation (EC) No 1897/2000. 

SLOVAKIA 

General 

The Slovakian Labour Force Survey started 1993 as continuous quarterly survey using seasonal quarters. In 2000 the 
Slovakian LFS moved to calendar quarters. 

The whole country is covered. Only private households are surveyed. 

The target population of the survey is every person aged 15 and over, living in the household of the selected dwelling 
without regards to permanent, temporary or unregistered stays. Data for the students living in hostels, schoolchildren 
living in boarding schools and persons living temporarily in worker homes are collected within the households to which 
they belong. Inmates of prison or mental institutions, foreign citizens with temporary stay and domestic servants are 
not surveyed. Since the first quarter of 1997 the conscripts on compulsory military service are included in the LFS. 

A household is a group of persons sharing common accommodation and house keeping. Persons living on their own 
constitute one-person households. 

Sampling Plan 

The  sample  selection  method  is  based  on  a  stratified  two-stage  probability  sampling  design.  Each  stratum 
corresponds  to  a  district  (79).  The  sample  frame  for  the  first  stage  of  sampling  consists  of  the  register  of  the 
municipalities. For the second stage of selection the sample frame is based on the list of dwellings from Population 
Census conducted in 1991. 

14

 
For  the  first  sampling  stage,  the  municipalities  in  all  districts  are  selected.  The  selection  probability  of  each 
municipality  is  proportional  to  its  population  number.  In  the  second  sampling  stage  the  dwellings  are  selected  from 
each  municipality  selected  on  the  first  stage.  The  selection  is  performed  by  interviewers  on  basis  of  the  list  of 
dwellings from 1991 Population Census. Five dwellings are chosen within each selected municipality. The interviewer 
chooses randomly the number, which assigns the first dwelling selected from the list, and then he chooses the other 
four dwellings from the same list using a step of ten. 

The sample size is about 10 250 dwellings every quarter, representing 0.6% of all permanently occupied dwellings. 

Every selected dwelling remains in the survey for five consecutive quarters.  

Weighting Procedure 

Data  from  survey  are  weighted  with  a  posteriori  stratification  using  demographic  data  on  population  according  to  8 
regions, sex and 14 age groups. 

Data Collection 

The data are collected by face-to-face interviews using paper questionnaires. In most cases the repeated interviews 
are carried out via telephone using paper questionnaires. 

The field staff comprises 48 persons. The response rate in 2002 was 91.7%. 

Harmonisation with the European Labour Force Survey 

Data are collected on all the variables defined by the Commission Regulation (EC) No 1575/2000 with the exception 
of columns 4/5, 6/7, 8/9, 19/20, 21/22, 111, 120/121, 122/123 and 176. 

The definition of unemployment and the construction of the questionnaire follow in the main the guidelines set in the 
Commission Regulation (EC) No 1897/2000. The definition of unemployment,  however, includes persons who have 
already found a job to start within one month. 

BULGARIA 

General 

The survey started in 1993, providing quarterly results from 2000 based on a single reference week in March, June, 
September and December.  

The survey covers the whole country. Only private households are included. 

Participation in the survey is voluntary. 

The resident population includes all persons usually residing in Bulgaria, including persons temporarily abroad (less 
than  one  year).  The  survey  covers  all  the  members  of  the  selected  households  including  conscripts  and  people 
absent from home due to: business trip, seasonal or temporal work, tourism, temporary (less than 6 months) stay in 
hospitals or other health institutions for medical cure and other. Members of collective households are surveyed if they 
maintain a relationship with the selected household. 

A household is defined as a group of two or more people living together in a house or a part of a house and having 
common budget. The person stating that they do not belong to any household and that they live on their own budget is 
considered as a single person household. 

Sampling plan 

The sampling plan is a stratified two-stage probability sampling of household units. 

The sampling frame is based on the 2001 Population Census. 

The strata consist of areas of residence (urban/rural) and 28 regions. 

15

 
The primary sampling units are enumeration districts. An initial sample of 655 enumeration districts in rural areas and 
1 345  enumeration  districts  in  urban  areas  is  selected.  The  sample  contains  enumeration  districts  from  each  of  the 
regions selected with probability proportional to size, the size being the population aged 15 years and over. 

The final sampling units are the households, selected systematically from each of the selected enumeration districts. 

Each quarter the final sample size is 24 000 households, representing 0.8% of the population. 

Each quarterly sample consists of four panels that are rotated out of the sample according to the pattern 2-(2)-2.  

Weighting procedure 

The results are extrapolated a posteriori to the population in each stratum by sex and four age groups. 

Data collection 

The data are collected with face-to-face interviews, using paper questionnaires. All persons in the household aged 15 
years and over are interviewed. 

The interviews are carried out by about 800 interviewers who are mainly the staff of the regional offices of NSI. The 
response rate in 2002 was 85-90%. 

Harmonisation with the European Labour Force Survey 

Information is not provided on optional variables (item k, l) and on item j of Article 4 of the Council Regulation (EC) No 
577/98  nor  the  following  columns  defined  by  the  Commission  Regulation  (EC)  No  1575/2000:  4/5,  6/7,  8/9,  19/20, 
21/22, 58, 95, 100, 104, 106, 107/8, 204, 205, 206, 207 and 208. 

The definition of unemployment and the construction of the questionnaire follow in the main the guidelines set in the 
Commission  Regulation  (EC)  No  1897/2000,  the  main  difference  being  the  treatment  of  the  registration  in 
Employment  offices.  Registration  itself  is  considered  as  active  method  of  job  search,  not  only  the  contact  with 
employment office to find a job.  

ROMANIA 

General 

The Romanian Labour Force Survey started in 1993 with a pilot survey, with two annual surveys in 1994 and 1995. In 
1996, a continuous LFS started, providing quarterly results. 

The whole country is covered. Only private households are surveyed. 

The target population includes all the Romanian citizens, resident in Romania. The survey covers all the members of 
the  selected  households  including  the  persons  absent  from  home  for  a  long  period  (over  6  months),  if  they  are 
preserving family relations with the household to which they belong, such as conscripts, pupils and students away for 
study, persons absent due to work, prisoners and persons temporarily in hospitals for medical cure. 

A household is defined as a group of two or more persons, usually living together, being generally relatives, managing 
the household in common, entirely or partly participating in income formation and spending. The person stating that 
he or she does not belong to any household, that he or she lives and manages the household all by him or herself is 
considered as a single person household. 

Sampling Plan 

The sampling plan is a two-stage probability sampling of clusters of housing units. 

In  the  first  stage,  a  random  sample  of  501  areas,  Primary  Sampling  Units  (PSUs),  was  designed  after  the  1992 
census.  This  is  the  Multifunctional  Sample  of  Territorial  Areas,  so  called  the  master  sample  EMZOT.  The  EMZOT 
sample has 259 PSUs selected from urban areas and 242 PSUs selected from rural areas. 

16

 
In the second stage, 6 012 clusters, composed of three housing units each, are systematically selected from the initial 
sample  of  PSUs.  The  final  sample  consists  of  18 036  dwelling  units.  All  households  within  each  sampling  unit  are 
included. 

Each sampling unit is observed for four quarters according to the rotation pattern 2-(2)-2. 

Weighting Procedure 

The  weights  are  calculated  in  three  steps.  The  first  step  assigns  the  inverse  of  the  selection  probabilities  to  each 
sampled dwelling unit. The second step adjusts for non-response, categorising the responding dwelling units by the 
following characteristics: county (NUTS3), urban/rural residency, occupational status of the head of household. The 
third  and  final  steps  consists  of  calibrating  the  secondary  weights  to  the  best  latest  available  population  totals  by 
county / urban-rural residency, sex and 8 age groups, using the raking-ratio method as supplied by the French SAS 
Calmar macro.  

Data Collection 

The data are collected by approximately 500 field workers with face-to-face interviews using paper questionnaires 

The response rate in 2002 was 94.7%. 

Harmonisation with the European Labour Force Survey 

Data are available on all the variables defined by the Commission Regulation (EC) No 1575/2000 with the exception 
of columns 19/20, 38/39, 111, 122/123 and 176. 

The definition of unemployment and the construction of the questionnaire follow the guidelines set in the Commission 
Regulation  (EC)  No  1897/2000.  In  the  case  of  the  self-employed  and  family  workers  in  agriculture,  however,  the 
threshold for employment is set at 15 hours in the reference week instead of 1 hour. 

TURKEY 

General 

Labour  Force  Surveys  in  Turkey  started  in  1966,  while  regular  annual  Labour  Force  Surveys  applying  ILO 
recommendations  started  in  October  1988.  The  Turkish  LFS  was  carried  out  in  April  and  October  each  year  from 
1989 to 1999 with major changes in design introduced in October 1994. From 2000 onwards the survey has produced 
quarterly results.  

The survey covers the whole country. Only private households are surveyed.  

The  population  surveyed  comprises  all  persons  in  the  country  excluding  persons  who  are  not  of  Turkish  origin  and 
residents  of  collective  households.  Villages  with  fewer  than  100  inhabitants  are  not  in  the  sampling  frame. 
Participation in the survey is compulsory. 

A household is one person or group of persons with or without a family relationship who live in the same house or in 
the same part of the house, who share their meals, earnings and expenditures and who take part in the management 
of the household and who render services to the household.  

Sampling Plan  

The Turkish LFS sample is based on a five-year master sampling plan starting in 2000. The sampling frame is based 
on  the  1995  Dwelling  Enumeration  Study.  The  total  number  of  eligible  households  each  quarter  is  approximately 
23 000. 

The sampling design is a two stage stratified probability clustered sample of addresses. 

The  strata  are  defined  by  7  geographical  regions  and  rural-urban  classification.  Moreover  each  of  the  9  province 
centres form a separate stratum. An urban area is a settlement with more than 20 000 inhabitants. 

17

 
In the first stage of sampling the primary sampling units are defined in urban areas and larger villages as blocks of 
addresses  containing  approximately  100  households.  These  are  selected  with  equal  probability  using  systematic 
sampling. Medium sized villages are sampled with probability proportional to size.  

The  final  sampling  units  are  addresses.  In  urban  PSUs  these  are  selected  with  equal  probability  using  systematic 
sampling.  In  medium  sized  villages  the  households  are  selected  with  probability  inversely  proportional  to  size.  The 
number  of  units  selected  from  each  PSU  is  determined  so  as  to  achieve  a  uniform  overall  sampling  rate.  All 
households within an address are taken into the sample.  

Villages too small to permit sub-sampling of households are selected directly with equal probability using systematic 
sampling and all households within them taken into the sample. 

Each household participates in the survey according to the rotation pattern 2-(2)-2. 

Weighting Procedure 

The results are weighted to the projections of the General Population Census 2000, using a three-stage procedure. 

In the first stage each sampling unit is assigned the design weights, which then are normalised to give an average 
weight of 1.0 per unit. In the second stage the initial weights are adjusted for non-response. These weights are also 
normalised. 

In  the  final  stage  the weights are calibrated to the projected population distributions, using a three-step raking ratio 
method. The first step uses the distribution of 7 geographical regions; the second step the rural-urban by age group 
distributions and the final step the sex by age group distributions. The calibration is iterated until any relative changes 
in the weights are within a pre-specified range. The final weights are then inflated by an overall inflation factor, i.e., the 
projected population divided by the sample size. 

Data Collection 

The  data  are  collected  each  month  by  approximately  120  interviewers,  starting  on  the  8th  day  of  the  month  and 
finishing  within  15  days.  The  reference  week  is  a  moving  seven-day  period  immediately  preceding  the  day  of  the 
interview.  

The response rate for the year 2002 was 89.3%. 

Harmonisation with the European Labour Force Survey 

Data are available for all the main characteristics defined by the Commission Regulation (EC) No 1575/2000. 

The Turkish LFS questionnaire is not fully harmonised to  the guidelines set in the Commission Regulation (EC) No 
1897/2000. A major divergence is in the definition of unemployment. The Turkish LFS uses a period of job search of 
three months instead of four weeks in the EU Regulation. The question on methods of job search only enumerates 
active steps and two active methods—“Studied advertisements in newspapers or journals” and “Took a test, interview 
or examination”—are not asked for in the Turkish questionnaire. 

18

 
Tables 

Table 1 – Sample design 

CZ 

EE 

CY 

HU 

MT 

LV 

LT 

PL 

SI 

SK 

BG 

RO 

TR 

aged 15-74  15 years and 

aged 15-74  15 years and 

aged 15-74  15 years and 

Groups of population included: 
Target population 

Foreign nationals 

Institutional population 
Other collective households 
The sample 
Sample size per quarter 

Stages of sampling 
Final sample unit 
Basis of sampling frame 

15 years and 
over 
yes 

permanent 
residents 

no
no

yes
yes

over 
yes 

no
yes

yes 

no
no

25 000 
dwellings 
2
dwelling 
Census 

2 200 
households 
1 (2 phases) 
individual 
Census

4 500 
dwellings 
2
dwelling 
Census

Stratification 
Variables used for the 
stratification 

yes
region 

yes
region

yes
districts,
urban/rural 

over 
if eligible to 
vote in local 
council 
elections 
no
no

2 500 
households 
1
household
Electoral 
Register 

permanent 
residents 

no
no

over 
yes 

yes
yes

2 574 
households 
2
household
Census

4 000 
households 
1
individual
Population
Register 

yes
locality

yes
region,
urban/rural 

no
region, 
urban/rural 

no
1-(1)-1-(1)-1

no
2-(1)-2 

15 years and 
over 
permanent
residents 

15 years and 
over 
yes

15 years and 
over 
permanent
residents 

15 years and 
over 
permanent 
residents 

15 years and 
over 
permanent 
residents 

15 years and 
over 
no 

no
no

no
no

no
no

no
no

no
no

no
no

24 700 
dwellings 
2
dwelling
Census, 
Register of 
housing units
yes
region, 
urban/rural, 
size of the 
place of 
residence 
no
2-(2)-2

10 000 
households 
1
individual
Population 
Register 

yes
region, 
urban/rural 

10 250 
dwellings 
2
dwelling
Census  

24 000 
households 
2
household
Census 

yes
region

yes
region,
urban/rural 

18 036 
dwellings 
2
dwelling
Sample 
Master 
(census) 
yes
urban/rural

23 000 
households 
2
dwelling
Dwelling 
Enumeration 
Study 1995 
yes
geographical
regions, 
settlements, 
urban/rural 

no
3-(1)-2

no
5-(0)

no
2-(2)-2

no
2-(2)-2

no
2-(2)-2

38 487 
dwellings  
3
household
Address
Register 
(census) 
yes
counties, 
size 
categories of 
settlements 

Self weighting 
Rotation pattern 

no
5-(0) 

no
2-(2)-2 

yes
4-(0) 

no
6-(0) 

Weighting 
Main method of weighting 

Variables used for weighting 
calculation 

Post-
stratification 
district, age 
group, sex 

Raking ratio 

age group, 
sex, region 

Post-
stratification
districts, age 
group, sex 

Post-
stratification
age group, 
sex,  
geographical 
unit 

no
sub-sample 
carried over 
from 
previous 
round 

Post-
stratification
district, age 
group, sex 

Post-
stratification
age group, 
sex,  
urban/rural 

Generalised 
calibration 
age group, 
sex,  
urban/rural, 
regions, 
registered 
unemployed

Post-
stratification
age group, 
sex, 
urban/rural, 
size of the 
place of 
residence 

Post-
stratification
region, age 
group, sex, 
wave 

Post-
stratification
region, age 
group, sex 

Post-
stratification
region, 
urban/rural, 
age group, 
sex 

Raking-ratio 

Raking ratio

county, age 
group, sex,  
urban/rural 

region, age 
group, sex,  
urban/rural 

19

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Table 2 – Implementation of the household concept 
CY 

EE 

CZ 

Criteria for inclusion in private households: 
   common dwelling 
   common house keeping 
   budget 
   kinship relations 
Inclusion of related persons: 
    temporary absent persons 

yes
yes 

no

yes 
yes

no

yes
yes

no

no longer 
than 1 year 
absence 

depends on 
the economic 
relations, 
contribution 
to the 
household 

HU 

no
yes

no

depends on 
the economic 
relations, 
contribution 
to common 
budget 

" 
" 
as separate 
household 
no 

MT 

no
yes

no

yes 

yes 
yes 
yes 

no 

no longer 
than 1 year 

no 
no 
yes 

no 

   persons in student homes 
   persons in workers homes 
   domestic servants 

   lodgers 

" 
" 
yes 

no 

   conscripts 

yes 

   persons living in institutions 

no 

" 
" 
" 

" 

" 

" 

   persons living in other  
   countries 

no 

depends on
the economic 
relations, 
contribution 
to the 
household if 
< 1 year 

LV 

yes
yes

no

< 1 year, if 
they are 
preserving 
family 
relations with 
the 
household 
no 
no 
yes

depends on 
the economic 
relations, 
contribution 
to the 
household 
yes 

LT 

yes
yes

yes

yes 

yes 
yes 
yes

yes 

no 

PL 

yes
yes

no

SI 

yes
yes

no

SK 

yes
yes

no

BG 

yes
yes

no

RO 

yes
yes

no

TR 

yes
yes

yes

 < 6 months 

yes 

yes
yes
no

yes

no 
no 
no

depends on
the economic 
relations, 
contribution 
to the 
household 
no 

if the job 
requires it 
(regardless 
of the 
duration) or 
the duration 
≤ 2 months 
if ≤ 2 months
if ≤ 2 months
yes

yes

no, if more 
than 2 
months 

< 6 months 
or if they are 
preserving 
family 
relations with 
the 
household 
no
no
no

< 6 months 
or if they are 
preserving 
family 
relations with 
the 
household 
"
"
yes

< 6 months, 
if they are 
preserving 
family 
relations with 
the 
household 
no
no
yes

no

no

depends on
the criteria 
used for 
household 
definition 

yes 

no 

not 
applicable 

yes

yes

no 

depends on 
their 
contribution 
to common 
budget 

no 

" 

no 

if < 1 year 

no 

if < 1 year 

yes if they 
come home 
at least twice 
a year 

depends on 
their 
contribution 
to common 
budget 

" 

" 

no 

no 

no 

no 

if they are 
preserving 
family 
relations with 
the 
household 

for less than 
one year 

20

if preserving
family 
relations with 
the 
household 
“ 

no 

 no

"

no

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Table 3 – Data collection and data processing 

General: 
Start of regular survey 

Start of continuous survey 

Frequency of results 
Reference week 

CZ 

EE 

December 
1992 
December 
1992 
quarterly 
evenly 
spread 

1997 

2000 

quarterly 
evenly 
spread 

CY 

1999

— 

annual 
evenly 
spread over 
2nd quarter 

HU 

MT 

LV 

LT 

PL 

SI 

SK 

BG 

RO 

1992

June 2000 

— 

— 

November
1995 
2002 

April 1994 

May 1992 

1993 

1993 

2002 (Q3) 

1999 (Q4) 

1997 (Q2) 

1993 

September 
1993 
— 

1994

1996 

TR 

1988

— 

quarterly 
1 week per 
month 

quarterly 
1 week per 
quarter 

quarterly
evenly 
spread 

quarterly
evenly 
spread 

quarterly
evenly 
spread 

quarterly
evenly 
spread 

quarterly
evenly 
spread 

letter 

no

letter

letter

letter

letter

Information to respondents in 
advance 

letter at 
disposal 
(rarely used) 

Sources of information: 
    actual interview 
    previous interview 

    register 
Mode of data collection: 
    face to face (paper, pencil) 
    face to face (CAPI) 
    telephone (paper, pencil) 

    telephone (CATI) 
    self administered 
Field staff: 
    Size of field staff 
    professional 
    ad hoc 
Training of field staff: 
    general 
    LFS specific 
Response and non-response: 
Response rate  
% of refusals in total non-
response 
% of proxy interviews 
item non-response imputation

yes 
no 

no

yes 
yes 
yes 

yes
no

127 
yes
no 

yes 
yes

76-77% 
75% 

45-50% 
no 

yes
yes (if 
confirmed) 

yes
only for 
checking 
data  

no

yes 
no 
no 

no
no

60 
yes
no 

yes
yes

85% 
38%

15% 
yes

no

no 
yes 
no 

no
no

15 
no
yes 

yes
yes

99% 
14%

45% 
no

yes
no 

no

yes 
no 
yes 

no
no

500 
yes
no 

yes
yes

83% 
29%

33% 
no

yes
only to
update for 
the following 
quarter 
no

yes 
no 
yes 

no
no

80-100 
yes
yes 

no
yes

82% 
22%

44% 
yes

yes
only for 
checking 
data  

no

yes 
no 
no 

no
no

43 
yes
yes 

no
yes

83%
30%

38%
no

21

letter &
leaflet with 
main LFS 
results 

yes
only for
checking 
data  

no

yes 
no 
yes (not in 
the first 
interview) 
no
no

1100-1200 
yes
yes 

yes
yes

81%
54%

yes
no

no

yes 
no 
yes 

no
no

168 
no
yes 

yes
yes

86%
12-16%

letter

letter

yes
demographic 
data 

yes
demographic 
data 

no

no 
yes 
no 

yes
no

50 
yes
no 

no
yes

—
—

no

yes 
no 
yes

no
no

48 
yes
no 

no
yes

92%
93%

54%
no

39%
no

40 - 42%
no

63%
yes

quarterly
single week 
in the last 
month of 
each quarter
letter

quarterly
evenly 
spread 

letter

quarterly
moving 7 day 
period at 
start of each 
month 
letter

yes
no

no

yes 
no 
no

no
no

800 
yes
yes 

no
yes

85-90%
20-22%

31-35%
no

yes
only for
checking 
data  

no

yes 
no 
no

no
no

500 
yes
no 

no
yes

95%
29%

28%
yes

yes
only for 
checking 
demographic 
data  
no

no 
yes 
no

no
no

120 
yes
no 

no
yes

89%
12%

50-60%
no

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Annex I. Statistical regions of the Acceding and Candidate Countries 

CODE 

REGION 

COUNTRY 

CZ 

CZ01 
CZ02 
CZ03 
CZ04 
CZ05 
CZ06 
CZ07 
CZ08 

EE00 

CY00 

LV00 

LT00 

HU00 

HU01 
HU02 
HU03 
HU04 
HU05 
HU06 
HU07 

MT00 

PL00 

PL01 
PL02 
PL03 
PL04 
PL05 
PL06 
PL07 
PL08 
PL09 
PL0A 
PL0B 
PL0C 
PL0D 
PL0E 
PL0F 
PL0G 

Praha 
Stredni Cechy 
Jihozapad 
Severozapad 
Severovychod 
Jihovychod 
Stredni Morava 
Moravskoslezsko 

Eesti 

CESKA REPUBLIKA 

EESTI 

Kypros / Kibris 

KYPROS / KIBRIS 

LATVIJA 

LIETUVA 

MAGYARORSZAG 

MALTA 

POLSKA 

Latvija 

Lietuva 

Kozep-Magyarorszag 
Kozep-Dunantul 
Nyugat-Dunantul 
Del-Dunantul 
Eszak-Magyarorszag 
Eszak-Alfold 
Del-Alfold 

Malta 

Dolnoslaskie 
Kujawsko-Pomorskie 
Lubelskie 
Lubuskie 
Lódzkie 
Malopolskie 
Mazowieckie 
Opolskie 
Podkarpackie 
Podlaskie 
Pomorskie 
Slaskie 
Swietokrzyskie 
Warminsko-Mazurskie 
Wielkopolskie 
Zachodniopomorskie 

22

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
COUNTRY 

SLOVENIJA 

SLOVENSKA REPUBLIKA 

BULGARIA 

ROMANIA 

TURKIYE 

CODE 

REGION 

SI00 

SK00 

SK01 
SK02 
SK03 
SK04 

BG00 

BG01 
BG02 
BG03 
BG04 
BG05 
BG06 

RO00 

RO01 
RO02 
RO03 
RO04 
RO05 
RO06 
RO07 
RO08 

TR00 

TR10 
TR21 
TR22 
TR31 
TR32 
TR33 
TR41 
TR42 
TR51 
TR52 
TR61 
TR62 
TR63 
TR71 
TR72 
TR81 
TR82 
TR83 
TR90 
TRA1 
TRA2 
TRB1 
TRB2 
TRC1 
TRC2 
TRC3 

Slovenija 

Bratislavsky 
Zapadne Slovensko 
Stredne Slovensko 
Vychodne Slovensko 

Severozapaden 
Severen tsentralen 
Severoiztochen 
Yugozapaden 
Yuzhen tsentralen 
Yugoiztochen 

Nord-Est 
Sud-Est 
Sud 
Sud-Vest 
Vest 
Nord-Vest 
Centru 
Bucuresti 

Istanbul 
Tekirdag 
Balikesir 
Izmir 
Aydin 
Manisa 
Bursa 
Kocaeli 
Ankara 
Konya 
Antalya 
Adana 
Hatay 
Kirikkale 
Kayseri 
Zonguldak 
Kastamonu 
Samsun 
Trabzon 
Erzurum 
Agri 
Malatya 
Van 
Gaziantep 
Sanliurfa 
Mardin 

23