1. Methodological Database MARS
Berthold Feldmann
June 1997 Amsterdam Treaty

2. The history 2000: Collection of meta data in candidate countries
Published in 3 books
Should be extended to old MS
Should be updated
Should be a user friendly web product

3. The history (2) Achievements in 2003/2004
Creation of a web based database
Loading content of the 3 books into the database MARS (=Methodological Database for Regional Statistics)
Started a questionnaire to old and new Member States in order to update the content
Abandoned for contractual reasons

4. Now..
New contract under way to create questionnaires to all Member States and 4 candidate countries
Runs November 2005 – September 2006
Will increase transparency of methods used and comparability of regional data

5. Classification of subjects in MARS
Institutional information
Administration - Organisation
Regionalisation of organisation
Person responsible
Legal base
Current legal base
Obligation for data supply
Access to administrative data
Changes of legislation planned
National Classifications
Regional breakdown
Other classifications
Data sources
Register
Type of data collection (survey/administrative data/census)
Statistical units
Periodicity
Data flow

6. Classification of subjects in MARS
Compilation
Methods of compilation
Confidentiality requirements
Expected changes
Quality
Past experience
Future plans
Production database
Type of database
Access to database
Dissemination
Dissemination on paper in local language
Electronic dissemination (web and other)
Dissemination in English (paper and electronic)

7. Your cooperation is needed!
Please fill in the questionnaire as complete as possible when it arrives
Cooperate in further questions
Thanks a lot