1. Last developments of the EHS project
SDG meeting, July 3, 2008
EUROSTAT –Unit F3 Living conditions and social protection statistics
Last developments of the EHS project
Two main long term regular households/individuals surveys have been put in place at Community level, for specific purposes linked to the Union’s policies: LFS focusing on employment and SILC focusing on income and living conditions. Both surveys offer an annual possibility of specific ad-hoc modules, allowing for a limited number of additional variables to be collected, providing these variables are related to the main purpose of the surveys.
Other general population data collections either have been, are being or will be established with greater or lesser degrees of harmonisation at EU level, like the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) household survey, the Adult Education Survey (AES), the Household Budget Survey (HBS), the Time Use Survey (TUS) and the Health Interview Survey (EHIS). Two of these data collections (HBS and TUS) have already existed for some time, but most of them have been recently implemented (ICT) or they are still in a development phase (AES, EHIS).
At the same time, requests for new data collections are emerging and it is likely that they will increase in the future.
There is consequently a need to look at possibilities to rationalise the data collection system and at the same time to create a flexible tool to quickly answer to new policy demands or existing policy demands which are not yet fulfilled. This is the reason why Eurostat has been, since 2005, working on the development of a new instrument, the EHS (European Household Survey or European System of Social Statistical Survey Modules). The system should have flexibility as a key characteristic aiming at improving timeliness and responsiveness.
Several Commission DGs (in particular DG EMPL, SANCO, EAC, JLS) have already expressed a strong interest for this project. 1

2. The EHS: basic requirements and characteristics
Maximum average interview duration: 45 min
Minimum achieved sample size of each module: 135,000 interviews (over a 2-year period for the EHIS minimodule and possible for some NCN)
ICT module fieldwork period: 2nd quarter (current fieldwork period)
Inclusion of AES on a 5-year basis
Core module linked with every module
Special populations (elderly people, disabled people, young people, women ….) are considered for some NCN modules

3. Recent developments of EHS
Contacts with DGs
3 candidates modules for : culture/consumer protection/disabilities;
Need for data about targeted populations: e.g migrants, early school leavers, elderly or disabled people…
Drafting of a concrete proposal (not compulsory) for the EHS structure.
Work on sample size allocation.
Estimation of costs/funding.
Contacts with countries  need for a legal basis (to be developped from 2010 onwards).

4. NCN modules considered 2010-2012
Consumer protection (2010 or 2011) → short module on consumer empowerment carried out on general population 15+ (DG SANCO)
Culture (2010 or 2011)→ short NCN module on cultural participation & intercultural dialogue carried out on general population 15+ (DG EAC)
EDSIM (2012) → long module on disabilities, carried out on general population 15+ (DG EMPL)
Currently: contacts with DG EMPL in order to check if EDSIM is appropriate to fulfil their needs

5. The schema proposal (not compulsory)

6. The above-proposed schema has several advantages:
It fulfils the requirements of the existing modules and the double purpose of rationalisation and flexibility[1] of the tool;
One of its advantages is moreover the possibility given to countries to add national questions almost every year if they wish.
However, it implies that the sample size is increased by 67,500 every year compared to the previously considered serial schema (except on year 4). Thus, the whole yearly sample size considered is not 270,000 any more, but 337,500 interviews on years 2, 3 and 5 (and 270,000 on year 4).
For the first year of the project, only one NCN module will be implemented (see table 1), which leads to a sample size of 202,500.
The increase of the sample size on year 2, 3 and 5 has of course an impact in term of costs[2].
[1]This structure seems to ensure a great flexibility, both in term of content and of implementation (especially for the long NCN)
[2] See point 8 of the agenda, working document Doc Eurostat/TF_EHS/2008/01/10
Nota:
The 3 subsamples are independent
flexibility in term of sample sizes, and, for the 3rd subsample, there is a possibility to work on special populations (disabled people, elderly people…) – feasibility study in progress (mainly sampling and cost issues)
Possibility to include the comprehensive EHIS later on in this structure (instead of a NCN L) feasibility to be further discussed
No NCNL in 2010
(gradual implementation)

7. Sample size allocation:
Country
Sample
Sampling rate
AT Austria
4,195
0.599
BE Belgium
4,492
0.511
BG Bulgaria
4,133
0.622
CY Cyprus
2,895
4.531
CZ Czech Republic
4,496
0.510
DE Germany
10,493
0.148
DK Denmark
3,725
0.840
EE Estonia
3,018
2.641
ES Spain
7,906
0.208
FI Finland
3,714
0.849
FR France
9,068
0.176
GR Greece
4,618
0.482
HU Hungary
4,452
0.521
IE Ireland
3,526
1.026
IT Italy
9,002
0.177
LT Lithuania
3,403
1.195
LU Luxemburg
2,832
7.281
LV Latvia
3,209
1.635
MT Malta
2,819
8.299
NL Netherland
5,183
0.387
PL Poland
7,345
0.229
PT Portugal
4,520
0.504
RO Romania
5,821
0.319
SE Sweden
4,291
0.567
SI Slovenia
3,156
1.825
SK Slovakia
3,742
0.827
∑fi
135,000
0.324
Sample size allocation:

8. Short NCN modules: main characteristics
For countries which will adopt the proposed schema:
One questionnaire with
{core variables+ ICT variables + NCNs variables}
 Carried out only during the 2nd quarter (April/June)
For countries which will not adopt the schema:
 Two questionnaires
{core variables+ ICT variables}
{core variables+ NCNs variables}
Possible shortcoming: seasonal effect to be tackled… but important asset: results are available at the end of the year of the data collection

9. Feedback from the TF meeting (1-2 July)
NCN module on consumer protection probably more adapted to a LONG NCN module?
Possibility to study specific populations with the 3rd subsample but national specificities (data sources, legal framework…) to be taken into account, probably not within the TF (DSS?)
Current burnig issue at policy level (EU and national): migration (need for data, wide area)
 need to better define the needs in this area and the feasibility

10. Pending issues
Inclusion of other 5-year regular modules? (rationalisation)
EHIS, victimisation...
If inclusion of EHIS, issues to be tackled:
Population living in institutions
Sample size
Mean interview duration (45’ maximum in EHS vs 60’ in the EHIS regulation)
In any case: reconciliation between EHIS minimodule and comprehensive EHIS to be tackled
AES:
Timetable (some countries may postpone the fieldwork to 2012)
Will the ICT variables in AES be dropped?
To develop in future NCN module on targeted population or to stick to the general population aged 15+?

11. Recent feedback from the DSS (1)

12. Recent feedback from the DSS (2)

13. Cost and funding

14. Estimation of the cost (per minute of interview) of EHS on the basis of existing data collections
Sources:
EU-SILC (year 2005 mainly)
LFS (AHM 2006)
ICT (2006)
2 recent or ongoing Eurobarometers (Eurobarometer special 252 "Consumer protection in the Internal Market“ and Flash Eurobarometer on “The expectations and wishes of European citizens regarding social reality in 20 years' time).
Methodology:
For each survey, information was collected on:
Mean interview duration (if not available: estimation)
Achieved sample size
Total cost of the survey

15. For EHS, hypothesis of a mean cost of: 1.31 euros per minute
Results:
SILC:
LFS AHM 206: €1.35/minute
ICT 2006: € 1.24/minute (€ 1.14 in case of separate surveys, € 1.41/minute in case of survey embedded in another data collection, e.g. LFS or omnibus)
Eurobarometers: €1.31/minute
For EHS, hypothesis of a mean cost of:
1.31 euros per minute

16. Detailed costs and funding of NCN modules
Short NCN module (15’ – 135, 000 interviews)
Cost: € 2,6 M
EU Funding: € 2,4 M (90%)
Long NCN module (if maximum 35’ duration - 135, 000 interviews)
Cost: € 6,2 M
EU Funding: € 5,6 M (90%)
Long NCN module (if 20’ duration - 135, 000 interviews)
Cost: € 3,5 M
EU Funding: € 3,2 M (90%)
EDSIM module (if 20’ duration – 270, 000 interviews)
Cost: € 7 M
EU Funding: € 6,4 M (90%)

17. Costs and funding estimates
Capacity building phase ( )
2010:
Cost: ~ € 10 M ( to be revised if inclusion of a long module instead of a short)
EU-funding: ~ € 6, 2 M (DG INFSO/ DG SANCO or EAC/DG ESTAT)
2011 (year of integration of AES)
Cost: ~ € 17,4 M (including
EU-funding: ~ € 11, 2M
2012:
To be determined (depending on EDSIM’s sample size)
2013
Cost: € 15, 7 M
EU-funding: € 11, 5 M
Including the current funding of ICT (1, 250,000)
Including the current funding of ICT (1, 250,000) and of AES (3, 800, 000 euros)
Current or planned AES and ICT funding will continue

18. After 2013
Funding for core variables and minimodule EHIS will stop
NCN modules will be funded 90% on a permanent basis
Maximum cost (if duration long NCN = 35’): € 17,9 M
funding: € 9, 2 M

19. Next steps
Presentation to the DSS in September 2008 for opinion (document including concrete proposal for NCN 2010, details of costs and funding, possibility for some long NCN modules to be designed for specific populations)
Presentation to the SPC in September 2008 for information
Decision taken on implementation in the SPC meeting of February 2009 (following Eurostat Directors meeting opinion at the end of November 2008).
SDG= strategic development group (TF of a reduced number of DSS, chaired by Eurostat)
DSS September 2008: adoption of the schema and of themes of NCN for 2010 (maybe 2011)