NUTS Pilot studies Torbiörn Carlquist Eurostat - unit E4 / GISCO Bech D3/707 +(352) 4301-35453 e-mail: torbioern.carlquist@.cec.eu.int Introduction Subject of the presentation is to outline the role of thematic maps in the framework of a GIS system in an organizational context and the existing difficulties. My presentation has three parts: 1st part dealing with GIS and related problems from a general point of view 2nd part dealing with GISCO objectives and the identified activity areas 3rd part dealing with the functionalities of maps and our vision

Overview Background - NUTS 5 units Three pilot studies in 2000 02/17/98 Overview Background - NUTS 5 units Three pilot studies in 2000 Specifications How made? Findings Improvements 3

Background 1 - NUTS Link geography - statistics: NUTS code 02/17/98 Background 1 - NUTS Link geography - statistics: NUTS code 100 000 communes (NUTS 5) in EU-15 Harmonised coding system Update of codes difficult High frequency of changes in some Member States Nomenclature management system (NPS) 8

Background 2 - CONC/MODA 02/17/98 Background 2 - CONC/MODA Report changes to local units (NUTS 5) Annual reports to Eurostat CONC/MODA format required since 1992 Non-compliance: different formats used Extra work for Eurostat Slightly revised format in 2000 Affected NUTS3 units now required 8

Background 3 - SABE GISCO has geographic boundaries NUTS5 02/17/98 Background 3 - SABE GISCO has geographic boundaries NUTS5 Source: SABE Seamless Administrative Boundaries for Europe (EuroGeographics) Three versions: 1991, 1995, 1997 28 countries in 1997 version Problem: assign updated NUTS codes 8

Three pilot studies Three voluntary pilots This meeting in Dec 1998 02/17/98 Three pilot studies Three voluntary pilots This meeting in Dec 1998 Kick-off: June 2000 United Kingdom Next pilot: Germany 8

Status Finland: final report E/GIS/38 (2000) 02/17/98 Status Finland: final report E/GIS/38 (2000) The Netherlands: report E/GIS/37 Rev. (2000) United Kingdom: report E/GIS/43 (2001) Germany: will start soon 8

02/17/98 Specifications Analyse difference CONC/MODA - national management system Create a conversion program Make sure that the change info is transferred to Eurostat regularly Update the BOUndaries report of 1994/96 Investigate if geometry data for changes can be delivered on the segment level 8

UK: Complex administrative structure 02/17/98 UK: Complex administrative structure 4 countries (Eng., Wales, Scot., N.Ire.) Government Office Regions (NUTS1) 2-tier system or Unitary areas (UAs) Counties (upper tier) still in some areas Districts or UAs (NUTS4) Electoral wards (NUTS5) Enumeration Districts (90-200 households) 8

Change management until 2001 02/17/98 Change management until 2001 Local Government Commission in England “Statutory Instruments” loaded into: “Boundary Management System” at ONS Enumeration Districts reclassified Population from 1991 re-aggregated to districts (NUTS4) Boundaries of ED:s updated manually Preparation for next population census 8

Change management 2001- NMA (OS) will supply boundaries 02/17/98 Change management 2001- NMA (OS) will supply boundaries Grid reference of addresses Re-aggregation of 2001 census data using GIS Large number of changes in NUTS5 foreseen from 2002 onwards (40% of wards) 8

CONC/MODA output Boundary Management System 02/17/98 CONC/MODA output Boundary Management System Extractions of CONC/MODA files in Excel Annual, complete NUTS5 lists also in Excel Reported several duplicate records in CONC/MODA Main problem: only England and Wales covered by ONS 8

Findings 1 Large volume of changes (100 to 1200 per year) 02/17/98 Findings 1 Large volume of changes (100 to 1200 per year) 80% of all local authorities had a change since 1991 in England 100% of local authorities affected in Wales (and Scotland too) 8

02/17/98 Findings 2 Difficult to differentiate territorial changes from non-territorial changes Re-division of wards inside a district Some wards remain unchanged but receive new national codes Re-aggregation of census data is important use of change info for ONS 8

Small area transfers and NUTS3 02/17/98 Small area transfers and NUTS3 Small changes on level 5 affecting NUTS 3 Very common in the past Link to change on NUTS 3 not automatic Difficult to report in time for CONC/MODA GIS-based solution in future No threshold for significant change Risk of running out of codes 8

02/17/98 Improvements Launch a separate pilot study with Scotland 8

BOUndaries report - update 02/17/98 BOUndaries report - update UK: Revision of administrative division (NUTS1-4) in 1995-98 List of products revised Slightly revised chart with boundary change process 8

Link to geometry Required in future: 02/17/98 Link to geometry Required in future: Transmission of changed segments only UK: will know which addresses are transferred between wards UK will not have changed segments 8

Future CONC/MODA still the requirement of Eurostat 02/17/98 Future CONC/MODA still the requirement of Eurostat Automatic transfer, i.e. without requests NUTS Regulation requires transmission of changes to Local Administrative Units More pilot studies ? Accession countries 8