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Dissemination Standards Bulletin Board
Special Data Dissemination Standard
(AS PROVIDED TO THE IMF BY THE RESPECTIVE COUNTRY)
 
Flag of Netherlands Netherlands
Labor market: Wages/Earnings
Last Posted: Nov-10-2009
Last Certified: Jan-5-2009
Last Updated: Nov-10-2009

Contact Person(s)
        
Printer Friendly Page
 
Ms. M. Hartog-van der Toorn,
Statistics Netherlands,
P.O. Box 24500,
The Hague, The Netherlands 2490 HA
 Phone :31 70 3375493
 Email :MTRN@CBS.NL 

Dissemination Formats
Summary Methodology

Access National Summary Data Page

Cross-country comparisons: access the DSBB metadata query facility

The Data: Coverage, Periodicity, and Timeliness
Coverage characteristics

5.1.1 Statistical presentation

Data are disseminated on an index (2000=100) of hourly wages of all employees in all economic activities.

The wages used refer to gross basis wage rates for hours normally worked including guaranteed allowances. The indices are mainly based on information laid down in collective labour agreements. The "statistical units" are formed by a large number of well-defined points in the wage scales of these agreements. These points represent a contractual pay level for a certain function group, often combined with indications for seniority, age or skill. For the selection of the points, a special establishment survey has been conducted to determine the structure in the base year.

The data cover about 250 labor collective agreements (25% of total) covering about 80% of all employees in 2000.  All collective agreements that account for at least 2500 employees are included.

The basic data are derived from official records: laws, regulations, and collective agreements.
The reference date of the data is the end of the month.

The data are not seasonally adjusted.

Periodicity

4.1.1 Periodicity

Monthly
Timeliness

4.1.2 Timeliness

Within one week after the end of the reference month.
Access by the Public
Advance dissemination of
release calendar

5.1.3 Advance release calendar

The figures are published on the first Thursday of each month.
Simultaneous release to all
interested parties

5.1.4 Simultaneous release

The data are released simultaneously to all interested parties through publication in 'Statistisch Bulletin', a weekly publication of Statistics Netherlands, and on the Internet site of Statistics Netherlands (http://www.cbs.nl).

Integrity
Dissemination of terms and
conditions under which
official statistics are
produced, including those
relating to the confidentiality
of individually identifiable
information

0.1.1 Responsibility for collecting, processing, and disseminating statistics

Statistics Netherlands

In the Netherlands, Statistics Netherlands is responsible for delivering official statistical data to national users (ministries, researchers, etc.) and international users (Eurostat, OECD, etc.).

Statistics Netherlands is fully independent in terms of its statistical operations with respect to methodology and publications. Independence was granted by the Royal Act of 1899 and reconfirmed by law in 1996 and 2003.

The Law of 2003 established the Central Bureau of Statistics (Statistics Netherlands or CBS) and the Central Commission for Statistics (CCS). In section 6 the management bodies of Statistics Netherlands are mentioned: “The CBS shall have two management bodies, first the Director General, as referred to in section 8 and second, the CCS, as referred to in section 20”.

The Central Commission for Statistics (CCS) is an independent administrative body without corporate rights that, under the Act on the Central Bureau of Statistics (Statistics Netherlands) of 2003, is assigned a number of tasks related to the Statistics Netherlands and the provision of official statistics for central government.

The Commission consists of a maximum of eleven members (including the chairman) who are appointed by the Minister of Economic Affairs on recommendations by the Commission. The Commission convenes at least four times a year, in the presence of the Director General of Statistics. The Secretary to the Commission is an employee of Statistics Netherlands, designated by the Director General.

The CCS evaluates and approves the multi-annual work programme of Statistics Netherlands. In practice, this comes down to the evaluation of the coherence and relevance of the intended programme in relation to society’s need for information and the financial and organisational restraints.

The CCS is involved in drawing up the budget and the annual accounts of Statistics Netherlands. The Director General approves both of these “in agreement with the CCS”. Moreover, the annual report of Statistics Netherlands must be approved by the CCS.

The CCS also has a number of supervisory tasks with respect to Statistics Netherlands:

It supervises work done by Statistics Netherlands for third parties, in order to avoid competition with private providers of similar services, which is not desirable from the point of view of free market processes;

It supervises the collection of information, to make sure that the administrative burden ensuing from this collection is as small as possible for companies and institutions.

It supervises the Director General’s authority to make microdata-files available for the purpose of statistical and other research.

Tasks related to the provision of statistical information to central government include the advancement of official statistics that meet the demands of users for the purposes of practice, policy and science, and the advancement of accuracy and completeness of statistics published by the government.

The collection of information is described in sections 33 through 36 of the Statistics Netherlands Act of 2003, the use of information gathering in sections 37 and 38 and the dissemination of results in sections 39 through 42. The acquisition of data is described in section 33 as follows.

  • “1. The Director General is authorised to use, for statistical purposes, data from registers that are maintained in connection with the performance of a statutory duty by:
    • a. institutions and departments of:
      • 1°. central government;
      • 2°. provinces;
      • 3°. local authorities;
      • 4°. water boards;
      • 5°. public bodies established pursuant to the Joint Regulations Act.
    • b. public bodies as referred to in Section 134 of the Constitution;
    • c. autonomous agencies at the level of the central government.
  • 2. The Director General is further authorised to use, for statistical purposes, data from registers that are maintained by legal persons designated by Order in Council, in consultation with the CCS, which carry out a task regulated by or by virtue of the law or which are wholly or partially financed, directly or indirectly, from funds provided by the State or from the proceeds of levies imposed by or by virtue of the law.
  • 3. In so far as the methods of acquiring data referred to in the first and second subsections fail to yield the necessary data the director general is authorised to request, for statistical purposes, data designated by Order in Council, in consultation with the CCS, from the categories of companies, independent professionals, institutions and legal persons designated in that Order in Council.
  • 4. On request by the director general the institutions, departments, bodies and autonomous agencies referred to in the first subsection, the legal persons referred to in the second subsection and the companies, independent professionals, institutions and legal persons referred to in the third subsection shall provide the data referred to in those subsections free of charge within a period to be stipulated by Order in Council. In such cases no duty of confidentiality may be invoked, unless this duty is based on international regulations.
  • 5. In so far as the data referred to in the third subsection relates to the Dutch banking sector and they are collected by De Nederlandsche Bank NV as part of its duties these data shall be acquired after consultation with and through the mediation of De Nederlandsche Bank NV. Other data relating to the Dutchbanking sector shall be acquired in consultation with De Nederlandsche Bank NV

0.1.2 Data sharing and coordination among data producing agencies

Statistics Netherlands

The Netherlands has one and only one independent organization for official statistics. Statistics Netherlands has two establishments, one in Voorburg (near The Hague where all ministeries are located) and one in Heerlen (the southeast of the Netherlands).

Close cooperation exists between Statistics Netherlands and the Central Bank (DNB), which, on the one hand, receives foreign trade data for balance of payments compilation from Statistics Netherlands and, on the other hand, delivers financial data and balance of payments data for purposes of National Accounts compilation.

0.1.3 Confidentiality of individual reporters' data

Statistics Netherlands

The Law on Statistics Netherlands of November 2003 stipulates in article 37 to 42a that data received from respondents should be kept confidential.

The general policy is that the privacy of respondents (households and companies) is guaranteed, since data shall solely be used for statistical purposes and only compiled data are published. In addition, the individual data are only available to persons charged with carrying out the duties of the Statistics Netherlands. Hence all new employees sign a confidentiality contract, which ensures that micro data remain confidential.

0.1.4 Ensuring statistical reporting

Statistics Netherlands

Section 3 of the Law of 2003 that established the Central Bureau of Statistics and the Central Commission for Statistics, states: “The task of the CBS is to carry out statistical research for the government for practice, policy and research purposes and to publish the statistics compiled on the basis of such research”.

Public and private entities are obliged to provide data to the Statistics Netherlands. Due to efficiency measures taken the past few years, the collection of data has become less time-consuming for respondents. Measures to encourage response are formulated in part 4 of Chapter 5 of the Statistics Netherlands Act of 2003, “Administrative fine and order for periodic penalty payments” (sections 43–52).

0.2.1 Staff, facilities, computing resources, and financing

Statistics Netherlands

In the sections 14 – 19 of the Law of 2003 it is described that Statistics Netherlands will draw up once every five years a multi-annual programme and (related to this) every year a work programme for the following year. These programmes are sent to the CCS for adoption. The multi-annual programme is sent by the CCS to the Minister of Economic Affairs. The Minister shall notify the Director General, the CCS and the House of Representatives of the States General of his views concerning the financial and organisational conditions that have to be met to carry out the multi-annual programme, determined in concurrence with the views of the cabinet, within six months of receipt of the programme. He shall publish notice of his views in the Government Gazette.

The system BISNIS monitors on which projects the worked hours by the staff are spent. Periodically, summary reports from BISNIS are made for the management.

There are two separate R&D departments. One R&D department (DMK) deals with general statistical methodology, organizing statistical processes and quality management. The other R&D department (MOO) is responsible for developing new methodologies for macro-economic statistics (including GFS). See also 0.4.3.

New staff is mostly educated by training on the job. Further, Statistics Netherlands has a wide range of internal courses among which a two week course in National accounts. Participation to external courses like accounting rules for local government is part of the individual training plan of new staff. Also participation to international courses is stimulated by the management. The enumeration of the staff is in accordance with the collective labour agreement for (State) civil servants. 

Illness of employees is regularly monitored by the Human Resource Department. Further, both locations do have a company doctor and a social worker. The working places (climate control, lights and so on) comply with the national health and safety regulations for employers ('ARBO'). The employees' satisfaction with respect to Statistics Netherlands as employer is frequently monitored by a survey.

All employees have own computers and have got access to e-mail and internet. They work in shared directories. For all files and databases on the network, back ups are frequently made by automatical procedures. Access to directories is only for the specialists involved to avoid deleting files by unauthorized persons and to restrict confidential information to the staff involved. The network of Statistics Netherlands is secured by an extensive system of fire walls and other measures to prohibit viruses and to prevent access of unauthorized persons to the network.

Office XP (among which Word, Excel, Power point, Access) is the standard software package used. For most processes, tailor made software has been developed and maintained by the ICT department. All software and hardware have to obey the general guidelines which are set by the ICT department. Data in databases cannot be directly modified by individuals without permission by the product manager involved. The department of National accounts has also some ICT specialists for ad hoc ICT support.

All general and technical services such as ICT are described in unilateral documents (so-called Standard Service Level (SSL)) by the department that provides the service. If a SSL doesn't suffice, a mutual agreement (so-called Service Level Agreement (SLA)) between the providing department and the department that needs the services should be made

0.2.2 Ensuring efficient use of resources

Statistics Netherlands

Statistics Netherlands is financially dependent on the Ministry of Economic Affairs, therefore an efficient use of resources is of importance. The current financial constraints and increasing demand of efficient use of resources are strategic objectives of Statistics Netherlands. The policy intentions of Statistics Netherlands are stated in general terms in the budget of the Ministry of Economic Affairs. Statistics Netherlands is also accountable through a series of performance indicators. These are included in the annual report 2006 in the margins of the texts on the subjects to which the indicators refer. The 14 performance indicators are listed below.

  1. Number of internal audits
  2. Result for the financial year
  3. Response Labour Force Survey
  4. Reducing the administrative burden caused by surveys
  5. Validity of economic growth estimates
  6. Response to international trade survey
  7. Validity of international trade
  8. Coverage of press releases
  9. Timeliness of press releases
  10. Use of StatLine
  11. StatLine punctuality
  12. Statistics Netherlands in parliamentary documents
  13. Customer satisfaction
  14. Delivery on time to Eurostat

During recent years, the budget of Statistics Netherlands was cut down for several times. And also in the future, more cutting down may be expected. Therefore, management and the CCS have paid special attention to the efficiency of statistical processes and the user needs. This resulted into an extensive internal audit programme and into a big project to revise the compilation process of National accounts (and more wide-ranging, its relations to source statistics). The main aim of the project is to ensure a more efficient use of resources, besides improving the transparancy of the compilation process.

Every year the manager makes work arrangements with its staff members. The realization of these arrangements by staff members are assessed by the manager at the beginning of the subsequent year. Excellent work can then be rewarded with an extra renumeration.

The collaboration and the mutual agreements (so-called Service Level Agreements)on the internal data deliveries between the departments of Financial Institutions and Government and National account are frequently evaluated by the department managers and the group managers.

0.3.1 Monitoring user requirements

Statistics Netherlands

Contacts between Statistics Netherlands and the main users of official statistics are established via seven advisory boards. These are the following.

  1. Advisory Board for Society and Economics;
  2. Advisory Board for Economic Statistics;
  3. Advisory Board for Social Statistics;
  4. Advisory Board for Price Statistics;
  5. Advisory Board for Macro-economic Statistics;
  6. Advisory Board for Methodology and Information Technology and
  7. Advisory Board of the Director General.

The advisory boards convenes at least two times a year. The secretary of the advisory board is an employee of Statistics Netherlands. In the advisory boards, the main users of statistics comment and advise on the multi-annual programmes and the annual work programme of Statistics Netherlands. The seventh advisory board consists of the chairs of the other six advisory boards together with the directors of the four planning agencies in the Netherlands.

These planning agencies are the Netherlands Institute for Spatial Research, the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, the Social and Cultural Planning Office of the Netherlands and the Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis. The members of the other advisory boards are scientists from several universities in the Netherlands, representatives from enterprises, firms, banks, unions, consumer associations, research institutes, ministries and so on.

0.4.1 Quality policy

Statistics Netherlands

Statistics Netherlands has been engaged in quality assurance within its organization for a number of years now. A separate central sector for quality assurance was founded in the year 2000.

Recently a project is initiated with statistical output, i.e. the products Statistics Netherlands supplies to its users, as the starting point. In the coming years, the required quality of the output will be laid down in a set of statistical standards. All statistical output will ultimately have to comply with these standards, although accents may differ between statistics or statistical processes. To this end a risk analysis for statistics most important for the corporate image has started in 2006. This analysis gives an insight into the risks with respect to quality of the figures on aspects such as accessibility, accuracy, punctuality, timeliness, coherence, relevance and reproducibility of the output.

This process of quality assurance is intended to create transparency of both the quality of the products and the way they are made: the processes and how they interact in the production chain. The chain from survey to output often crosses the borders between the divisions in the organisation. This means that the way the chain is embedded in the organisation must receive ample attention. Recently a method which pays attention to both the quality of the product and the process characteristics, including consistency within the production chain, was applied within the quality assessment study of economic statistics, and this method worked well.

Statistics Netherlands has decided to improve the efficiency and quality of its statistics by implementing a model based on the EFQM-model (European Foundation for Quality Management). The EFQM-model is linked to the Code of practice, which ensures the quality of data and complies with the general accepted standards.

In 2007, a start is made with the implementation of the model in order to ensure the efficiency and effectiveness of the quality of constraints.  The aim of the model is to reduce the administrative burden, improve the statistical data especially on a quarterly basis and coordinate the statistical output. In the coming years, the required quality of the output will be laid down in a set of statistical standards. All statistical output will ultimately have to comply with these standards, although accents may differ between statistics or statistical processes.

A risk analysis for statistics, which are most important for the corporate image, Has been initiated. This analysis should give an insight into the risks with respect to quality of the figures on aspects such as accessibility, accuracy, punctuality, timeliness, coherence, relevance and reproducibility of the output.

This process of quality assurance is intended to create transparency of both the quality of the products and the way they are made: the processes and how they interact in the production chain. The chain from survey to output often crosses the borders between the divisions in the organisation. This means that the way the chain is embedded in the organisation must receive ample attention.

The input from statistical methodology and process methodology is essential in this respect. Lessons learnt from the above-mentioned approach will be the basis for a broader quality policy for statistical production, with attention for organisational aspects. Moreover, nine product quality and process quality audits are conducted (see par 0.2.2 performance indicator 1) to establish whether processes were actually carried out in 2006 as they are described, and whether this leads to the required results.

0.4.2 Quality monitoring

Statistics Netherlands

i.  The process of statistical auditing

Statistics Netherlands conducts statistical audits since 2000. Statistical audit procedures are aimed at assessing the quality of the final output of the statistical process against Eurostat quality components. Briefly, the audit procedure follows the steps:

  1. Make an annual audit plan. The Quality Assurance unit (QA) invites the statistical departments to make proposals for audits for the next year. The board of directors of Statistics Netherlands decides which audits will be planned for the next year. A minimum of six audits are agreed each year with the Department of Economical Affairs as performance indicator.
  2. Make an audit assignment. QA proposes an assignment after consultation of the statistical departments. The deputy secretary signs the assignment.
  3. Perform the audit. QA manages the audits with support of fellow workers in the statistical departments.
  4. Make a report. The audit team leader makes an audit report. QA reviews this report. The audit report will be presented to the deputy general of Statistics Netherlands.
  5. Decide on recommendations. The deputy secretary decided which recommendations will be adopted.
  6. Make a plan. The auditee makes a project plan to carry out the recommendation.
  7. Follow-up. QA performs a follow-up audit the next year. Are all recommendations carried out?

In the auditing procedure, the auditors adopt standards and guidelines developed and yearly updated by the QA unit. These guidelines are approved together with the annual audit plan by the board of directors. The QA unit offers templates for the audit assignment and for the audit report.

ii.  The process of the Respondent and user survey of Statistics Netherlands

The main purpose of the Respondent and user satisfaction survey is to measure the general opinion of external parties involved in making and using Statistics Netherlands’ products. The resulting respondent and user satisfaction index is one of the steering variables for the autonomous organisation form Statistics Netherlands now takes. To compile such a general index, three component satisfaction surveys were conducted. These three component surveys also contained supplementary questions on the quality of the services and products supplied.

Statistics Netherlands measured the satisfaction of three groups of respondents and users in 2005, namely respondents to the Production Survey (SBS), respondents to the Labour Force Survey (LFS) and customers of the Information Services (IS). As the 2005 survey was the first one to be conducted, the results cannot be compared with those for previous years.

The overall mark out of 10 given by respondents and users, the index of respondent and user satisfaction, is the average of the three marks as awarded in the component surveys.

Participants in the three component surveys awarded Statistics Netherlands the following marks:

  • 6.51 (SBS)
  • 7.50 (LFS)
  • 7.39 (Information services)
The overall mark given by respondents and users, the index of respondent and user satisfaction with Statistics Netherlands in 2005 is 7.13.

0.4.3 Quality planning

Statistics Netherlands

The division Methodology and Quality (DMK) is responsible for knowledge development, the development of a general framework, the coherence and the standardization of the statistical processes and the implementation of the frameworks for general statistical methods, quality assurance and process development.

The division DMK is of importance for ensuring the continuous process renewal by providing methodological support to renewal projects, providing content and maintenance of the business and information structure of Statistics Netherlands. In addition, the division supports the statistical divisions with conducting business analyses. 

Furthermore, the division of Macro-economic statistics which includes the National accounts department (MNR), has an own department for research and development (MOO). Thus, it is ensured that capacity for research and development is available without endangering the regular statistical output. For example, the quarterly sector accounts were developed by this department in close corporation with the departments of Financial Institutions and Government and National Accounts.

1.1.1 Impartiality of statistics

Statistics Netherlands

The CBS places a high premium on its impartiality, as evidenced in the Statistics Act, which established the CBS as an autonomous agency, under the aegis of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, on January 3, 2004. For impartiality point 2 under section 2 of the Statistics Netherlands Act of 2003 is important “The CBS shall possess legal personality”.

The Act also affirmed new rules concerning the acquisition, use, and provision of data in the context of the supply of statistical information domestically and internationally. The CBS has two management bodies: a Director-General of Statistics (DGS) and the Central Commission for Statistics (CCS). By law, the DGS cannot be a civil servant subordinated to the Minister of Economic Affairs. Among others section 11 states that “The Director General shall not hold any secondary appointments which are undesirable from the perspective of the proper performance of his function or preserving his independence or trust in that independence”.

The CBS has adopted a Code of Practice based on the European Statistics Code of Practice, where the main focus is on promoting trust and confidence in the independence of the CBS. The impartiality of the CBS in producing statistics is safeguarded in the code, which states that:

“The statistical information Statistics Netherlands produces is intended to contribute to the effectiveness of public debate on a wide range of topics. Not only must this information be accessible and available to all parties in society, but everyone must have access to the same information at the same moment in time. Statistics Netherlands remains impartial with regard to the various interested parties in society.

Statistics Netherlands also applies the principle of ‘impartiality’ to specially requested tasks: the results of work requested and paid for by third parties are not made available exclusively to these third parties. To guarantee its impartiality, Statistics Netherlands publishes release dates for information well in advance.”

Recruitment and promotion of CBS staff is done exclusively based on relevant aptitude and/or expertise. CBS staff regularly and actively participate in seminars, courses, and workshops arranged by regional and international organizations to further their statistical knowledge in their field of expertise.

The CBS has a long-standing culture of professionalism in the workplace. This is evidenced by recognition of authors of research and methodological papers, organization of conferences and lectures, and peer review of statistical work. Staff from statistics offices in both developing and advanced economies often visit the CBS to learn from its practices and procedures. The CBS also participates actively in international working groups and some CBS staff are in key positions in international forums.

The Methodology and Quality Division (DMK) is responsible for research and analysis in the CBS. The work of this Division is also supported by research and development work done by the Development and Support Sector of the Macroeconomic Statistics and Publications Division (i.e., the division responsible for, among others, national accounts, price statistics, and GFS).

1.1.2 Selection of sources, methodology, and modes of dissemination

Statistics Netherlands

The CBS’s choices of data sources and statistical techniques and decisions about dissemination are informed solely by statistical considerations. According to Section 18 of the Statistics Act, the Director-General of Statistics shall determine the methods by which the studies included in the work program and multi-year program of the CBS will be carried out, and the manner in which the results of these studies will be published. Decisions on data dissemination are guided by international guidelines, such as the IMF’s SDDS and the regulations of the European Union.

Decisions about dissemination like time of publication and type of publication media are based on solely statistical considerations. For example, Statistics Netherlands presents its’ figures according to a predetermined schedule. See also section 5.1.3.

1.1.3 Commenting on erroneous interpretation and misuse of statistics

Statistics Netherlands

The CBS has internal guidelines that are available to all staff for appropriate procedures to be followed for acting (or not acting) on the erroneous interpretation and/or misuse of its statistics. The CBS monitors media coverage of its statistics, publications, and activities on a daily basis. Communications policy is handled by the Communication Division of the CBS.

1.2.1 Disclosure of terms and conditions for statistical collection, processing, and dissemination

Statistics Netherlands

In addition, the details of the Code of Practice are available at the website of Statistics Netherlands. Information regarding sources, definitions, publications can also be found at the website.

1.3.1 Guidelines for staff behavior

Statistics Netherlands

In chapter 4 of the Code of Practice the behaviour of Statistics Netherlands’ Staff is described. For each of the principles (1) impartiality, (2) reliability, (3) relevance, (4) cost effectiveness, (5) statistical confidentiality and (6) transparency the commitment of Statistics Netherlands’ staff is described.

Furthermore, at the Intranet site ‘the Integrity Policy of the Statistics Netherlands is available This Handbook contains all instructions about the theme “integrity” and the applicability of this policy within Statistics Netherlands. The roles and the responsibilities of management and other staff members, as well as, supporting structures are dealt with.

Furthermore, upon taking up one's duties employees should sign a declaration to observe secrecy. All new staff should submit a certificate of incorporation from the local police never to be involved in criminal matters. Besides that, a few months after commencement of employment all staff should take an oath (to be loyal to the Constitution etc.) before the Director General.

Identification of internal
government access to data
before release

1.2.2 Internal governmental access to statistics prior to release

Statistics Netherlands

The general policy of Statistics Netherlands is to publish statistical results by press releases or by articles and tables on the website. A public agenda stipulates the dates of publication of the most vital statistics. In principle, press releases are sent to subscribers at 9.30 h. and are accessible to the general public, since they are placed on the website of the Statistics Netherlands.

On the website of Statistics Netherlands the policy concerning the publication of statistics is provided (unfortunately this part of the website is in Dutch language only).

Here it is stated that some strategic relations of Statistics Netherlands, like ministries, are able to access relevant statistics prior to the public release(under embargo). In order to be granted prior access, the following conditions must be met:

  1. The strategic relationship must have a formal involvement to the subject of the statistic data;
  2. Pre-access is of crucial importance to the relationship, for example to prepare answers to possible questions about statistical results and
  3. The interests of other parties are not harmed.

The website also shows a list of (eight) categories of Statistics where prior access (under embargo) is granted. Furthermore, the organisations that have received prior access are stated and the time of access is specified.

Labor market: Wages/Earnings

There is no internal government access to the data before their release to the public.
Identification of ministerial
commentary on the occasion of
statistical releases

1.2.3 Attribution of statistical products

Statistics Netherlands

Ministerial commentary and data from Statistics Netherlands are fully separated.

All press releases and other publications are clearly recognized as products of Statistical Netherlands by using CBS logo, and reference to CBS in the first section or/and in the introduction chapter.

CBS publications website (under “copyright”) note that information may be quoted provided that the source is stated accurately and clearly, and that reproduction of materials for own/internal use is permitted. Data from Statistics Netherlands in ministerial reports and in the Budget Memorandum are identified as such by footnotes.

Any misuse might show up the monitoring of the Communication department and by statistical analysts since they frequently use ministerial reports. Misuse hasn't occurred up to now.

Provision of information
about revision and advance
notice of major changes in
methodology

4.3.1 Revision schedule

The data are provisional when first released. Final data are published no later than 5 months after the end of the reference year on the Internet site of Statistics Netherlands (http://www.cbs.nl), in Statistisch Bulletin and in Sociaal-economische trends.

1.2.4 Advance notice of major changes in methodology, source data, and statistical techniques.

Statistics Netherlands

At Statistics Netherlands website all major changes in statistical procedures are published. Besides of that, methodological changes are communicated in press releases and, as far as possible, consequences of these changes are pointed out.

When a benchmark revision is done, the CBS invites main users to the CBS to explain the reasons for the benchmark revision as well as the major changes in methodology and sources, and a separate publication on the magnitude of the revisions and methodology is issued.

The Code of Practice states under the heading “Transparancy” the folowing:

“Statistics Netherlands does what its says and says what it does. Its authority and reputation is based on its independent status and its scientific methods. Transparent procedures befit the organisation’s position as an autonomous agency in a democratic constitutional state, and also its scientific-methodological principles. Statistics Netherlands puts transparency into practice by at all times being willing to give account to society and at a scientific level, among other things by being able to reproduce the figures.

Statistics Netherlands aims to be clear in its communications. It uses simple language everyone can understand, examples that are relevant for the public, and avoids ‘small print’. Naturally more jargon is used in communication with experts.”

Labor market: Wages/Earnings

Major changes in methodology are announced in advance in the quarterly bulletin  Sociaal-economische trends.

Quality
Dissemination of
documentation on methodology
and sources used in preparing
statistics

5.2.1 Dissemination of documentation on concepts, scope, classifications, basis of recording, data sources, and statistical techniques

Notes on the methodology are published in the quarterly bulletin Sociaal-economische trends. An extensive methodological description is published in the former monthly bulletin Sociaal-economische-maandstatistiek (Socio-economic Statistics) 2003-7, available from the address http://www.cbs.nl/NR/rdonlyres/5CBD45C9-010D-4963-AF3E-2D48C3F58355/0/2003m07v4p030art.pdf



(See also summary methodology)
Dissemination of component
detail, reconciliations with
related data, and statistical
frameworks that support
statistical cross-checks
and provide assurance of
reasonableness

4.2.1 Internal consistency

Detailed figures on wages are published on the Internet site of Statistics Netherlands (http://www.cbs.nl). Less-detailed figures are published in the quarterly Sociaal-economische trends (Socio-economic trends) and the weekly bulletin Statistisch Bulletin.

 

Breakdowns are wage rates by economic activity and sector (private, subsidised and public sector). The end of the month data 2000=100 are available from 2000.

The published detailed data for a number of 2-digit (division) SIC-groups (NACE Rev 1.) The monthly time series (2000=100) are from 2000. Breakdowns are:

(1) Gross monthly wage rates including holiday allowance and other benefits.
(2) Gross monthly wage rates excluding holiday allowance and other benefits.
(3) Gross hourly wage rates including holiday allowance and other benefits.
(4) Gross hourly wage rates excluding holiday allowance and other benefits.
(5) Monthly contractual labour costs.
(6) Hourly contractual labour costs
(7) Contractual working hours of fulltime employees.

 
Footnotes
Last posted: Date IMF staff last posted an update to these metadata on the DSBB.
Last certified: Date subscriber last officially certified the accuracy of these metadata.
Last updated: Date subscriber last submitted an update of these metadata to the IMF.

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