Commission Regulation (EC) No 315/2006 of  22 February 2006  implementing Regulation (EC) No 1177/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning Community statistics on income and living conditions (EU-SILC) as regards the list of target secondary variables relating to housing conditions
Date: 2006-02-22
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU statistics, housing, income, living conditions, statistical method

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Official Journal of the European Union

23.2.2006

COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 315/2006

of 22 February 2006

implementing Regulation (EC) No 1177/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council
concerning Community statistics on income and living conditions (EU-SILC) as regards the list of
target secondary variables relating to housing conditions

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty
Community,

establishing the European

included every year in the cross-sectional component of
EU-SILC. For the year 2007, the list of target secondary
variables included in the module on housing conditions
should be laid down. This should be accompanied by the
provision of variable codes and definitions.

the
Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 1177/2003 of
European Parliament and the Council of 16 June 2003
concerning Community
and living
statistics on income
(EU-SILC) (1), and in particular Article 15(2)(f)
conditions
thereof,

(3)

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in
accordance with
Statistical
the
Programme Committee,

opinion

the

of

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

for

the

systematic

Regulation (EC) No 1177/2003 established a common
of
framework
Community statistics on income and living conditions,
encompassing comparable and timely cross-sectional and
longitudinal data on income, and on the level and
composition of poverty and social exclusion at national
and European Union levels.

production

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

The list of target secondary variables, the variable codes, and the
definitions for the 2007 module on housing conditions to be
included in the cross-sectional component of Community
statistics on income and living conditions (EU-SILC) shall be
as laid down in the Annex.

to Article 15(2)(f) of Regulation (EC) No
Pursuant
1177/2003,
implementing measures are necessary for
the list of target secondary areas and variables to be

Article 2

This Regulation shall enter into force on the 20th day following
its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

Done at Brussels, 22 February 2006.

For the Commission

Joaquín ALMUNIA
Member of the Commission

(1) OJ L 165, 3.7.2003, p. 1. Regulation as amended by Regulation (EC)

No 1553/2005 (OJ L 255, 30.9.2005, p. 6).

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ANNEX

For the purposes of this Regulation, the following units, modes of data collection, reference periods and definitions shall
apply.

1. Units

The target variables relate to two types of units:

— household (all variables except Change of dwelling)

— the household respondent (change of dwelling)

2. Modes of data collection

For all target variables the mode of data collection is personal interview with the household respondent or register.

3. Reference periods

The target variables relate to three types of reference periods:

— usual: an ordinary winter/summer, in the area where the dwelling is located (dwelling comfortably warm during winter

time. Dwelling comfortably cool during summer time)

— last two years (changed dwelling)

— current (all other variables)

4. Definitions

1. Shortage of space in dwelling

(a) Shortage of space: the variable refers to the respondent’s opinion/feeling about shortage of space in dwelling.

2. Dwelling installations and facilities

(a) Electrical installations: wiring, contacts, sockets and other permanent electrical installations in the dwelling.

(b) Plumbing/water installations: pipes, taps, drainage and outlets.

(c) Central heating or similar: a housing unit is considered as centrally heated if heating is provided either from a
community heating centre or from an installation built in the building or in the housing unit, established for
heating purposes, without regard to the source of energy. Fixed electrical radiators, fixed gas heaters and similar
are included. The heating shall be available in most rooms.

(d) Other fixed heating: a housing unit is considered heated by ‘other fixed heating’ when the heating is not

considered as ‘central heating/or similar’. It includes stoves, heaters, fireplaces and similar.

(e) No fixed heating: no fixed heating system or heating device. Portable heating.

(f) Air conditioning facilities: systems for controlling, especially lowering, the temperature and humidity of an
enclosed space; systems that keep air cool and dry. Simple fans are not considered as air conditioning.

(g) Adequate: sufficient to satisfy the general requirements/needs of the household. An installation which is
installations in
permanently out of order is considered as no installation. Inadequate installations can be:
bad condition, dangerous installations,
installations which are regularly out of order, where there is not
enough electrical power/pressure for the water to be used, the water is not drinkable, or there is limited
availability. Minor temporary problems such as a blockage in the outlet do not mean that the installation is
inadequate.

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3. Accessibility of basic needs

(a) Accessibility: this shall relate to the services used by the household having regard to the financial, physical,
technical and health conditions. The accessibility of the services is to be assessed in terms of physical and
technical access, and opening hours, but not in terms of quality, price and similar aspects.

(b) Grocery services: services which can provide most of the daily needs.

(c) Banking services: withdraw cash, transfer money and pay bills.

(d) Postal services: send and receive ordinary and parcel post.

(e) Public transport: bus, metro, tram and similar.

(f) Primary health care services: general practitioner, primary health centre or similar.

(g) Compulsory schools: if more than one child in the household is in compulsory school the respondent should

refer to the one with the most difficulty.

4. Overall satisfaction with dwelling

(a) Overall satisfaction with dwelling: the variable refers to the respondent’s opinion/feeling about the degree of
satisfaction with the dwelling in terms of meeting the household needs/opinion on the price, space, neigh-
bourhood, distance to work, quality and other aspects.

5. Change of dwelling

(a) Family-related reasons: change in marital/partnership status. To establish own household. To follow partner/

parents. To obtain better school or care facilities for children or other dependants.

(b) Employment-related reasons: start new job or transfer of existing job. Looking for work or made redundant. To

be closer to work/easier to commute. Retirement.

(c) Housing-related reasons: desire to change accommodation or tenure status. Wanting new or better house/

apartment. Seeking better neighbourhood/less crime.

(d) Eviction/distraint: forced to move for legal reasons.

(e) Landlord did not prolong the contract: non renewal of contract, short-term contract.

(f) Financial reasons: problems paying rent/mortgage.

(g) Other reasons: to attend or leave college/university, health and other reasons.

(h) The reference period is ‘the last two years’. If there have been several changes of dwelling, the main reason for

the most recent change should be given.

5. Transmission of data to Eurostat

The target secondary variables on ‘housing conditions’ will be sent to Eurostat in the household data file (H) after the
target primary variables.

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AREAS AND LIST OF TARGET VARIABLES

Module 2007 Housing Conditions

Variable name

Code

Target variable

MH010

Shortage of space in dwelling

Shortage of space in dwelling

MH010_F

MH020

MH020_F

MH030

MH030_F

MH040

MH040_F

MH050

MH050_F

MH060

MH060_F

MH070

MH070_F

1

2

1

-1

1

2

1

-1

-2

1

2

1

-1

-2

1

2

3

1

-1

1

2

1

-1

1

2

1

-1

1

2

1

-1

Yes

No

Variable is filled

Missing

Dwelling installations and facilities

Adequate electrical installations

Yes

No

Variable is filled

Missing

N/a (No electricity/installations)

Adequate plumbing/water installations

Yes

No

Variable is filled

Missing

N/a (No running water/installations)

Dwelling equipped with heating facilities
Yes — Central heating or similar
Yes — Other fixed heating
No — No fixed heating

Variable is filled

Missing

Dwelling comfortably warm during winter time

Yes

No

Variable is filled

Missing

Dwelling equipped with air conditioning facilities

Yes

No

Variable is filled

Missing

Dwelling comfortably cool during summer time

Yes

No

Variable is filled

Missing

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Variable name

Code

Target variable

MH080

Overall satisfaction with dwelling

Overall satisfaction with dwelling

1

2

3

4

1

Very dissatisfied

Somewhat dissatisfied

Satisfied

Very satisfied

Variable is filled

-1

Missing

MH080_F

MH090

Accessibility of grocery services

Accessibility of Basic Services

1

2

3

4

1

-1

-2

1

2

3

4

1

-1

-2

1

2

3

4

1

-1

-2

1

2

3

4

1

-1

-2

With great difficulty

With some difficulty

Easily

Very easily

Variable is filled

Missing

N/a (Not used by household)

Accessibility of banking services

With great difficulty

With some difficulty

Easily

Very easily

Variable is filled

Missing

N/a (Not used by household)

Accessibility of postal services

With great difficulty

With some difficulty

Easily

Very easily

Variable is filled

Missing

N/a (Not used by household)

Accessibility of public transport

With great difficulty

With some difficulty

Easily

Very easily

Variable is filled

Missing

N/a (Not used by household)

MH090_F

MH100

MH100_F

MH110

MH110_F

MH120

MH120_F

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Variable name

Code

Target variable

Accessibility of basic services

MH130

Accessibility of primary heath care services

1

2

3

4

1

-1

-2

1

2

3

4

1

-1

-2

1

2

1

-1

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1

-1

-2

With great difficulty

With some difficulty

Easily

Very easily

Variable is filled

Missing

N/a (Not used by household)

Accessibility of compulsory school

With great difficulty

With some difficulty

Easily

Very easily

Variable is filled

Missing

N/a (No child in compulsory school)

Change of dwelling

Change of dwelling

Yes

No

Variable is filled

Missing

Main reason for change of dwelling

Family related reasons

Employment related reasons

Housing related reasons

Eviction/distrain

Landlord did not prolong the contract

Financial reasons

Other

Variable is filled

Missing

N/a (MH150 not = 1)

MH130_F

MH140

MH140_F

MH150

MH150_F

MH160

MH160_F