EU LFS annual results - reliability limits for 1998 to 2010
 
25.11.2011
 
The EU Labour Force Survey, like all surveys, is based upon a sample of the population. The results are therefore subject to the usual types of errors associated with sampling techniques. Based upon the sample size and design in the various Member States, Eurostat implements basic guidelines intended to avoid publication of figures which are statistically unreliable. These guidelines are summarised below.

  YEAR
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
LIMIT_A LIMIT_B LIMIT_A LIMIT_B LIMIT_A LIMIT_B LIMIT_A LIMIT_B LIMIT_A LIMIT_B LIMIT_A LIMIT_B LIMIT_A LIMIT_B LIMIT_A LIMIT_B LIMIT_A LIMIT_B LIMIT_A LIMIT_B LIMIT_A LIMIT_B LIMIT_A LIMIT_B LIMIT_A LIMIT_B
COUNTRY 8000 . 8000 . 8000 . 8000 . 8000 . 8000 . 6000 . 6000 . 6000 . 6500 . 6500 . 6500 . 6500 .
EU
EURO_AREA 8000 . 8000 . 8000 . 8000 . 8000 . 8000 . 5000 . 5000 . 5000 . 5000 . 5000 . 5000 . 5000 .
BE 2500 4500 2500 4500 2500 4500 2500 4500 2500 4500 2500 4500 2500 4500 2500 4500 2500 4500 2500 4500 2500 4500 2500 4500 2500 4500
BG . . . . 3500 6000 3500 6000 3500 6000 3500 6000 3500 6000 3500 6000 3500 6000 3500 6000 3500 6000 3500 6000 3500 6000
CZ 700 . 700 . 700 . 700 . 700 . 700 . 700 . 700 . 700 . 700 . 700 . 700 . 700 .
DK 2000 3500 2000 3500 2000 3500 2000 3500 2000 3500 2000 3500 2000 3500 2000 3500 2000 3500 2000 3500 2000 3500 2000 3500 2000 3500
DE 8000 . 8000 . 8000 . 8000 . 8000 . 8000 . 5000 8000 5000 . 5000 . 5000 . 5000 . 5000 . 5000 .
EE 1250 2500 1250 2500 1250 2500 1250 2500 1250 2500 1250 2500 1250 2500 1250 2500 1250 2500 1250 2500 1250 2500 1250 2500 1250 2500
IE 2500 4500 2500 4500 2500 4500 2500 4500 2500 4500 2500 4500 2500 4500 2500 4500 2500 4500 2500 4500 2500 4500 2500 4500 2500 4500
GR 2500 4500 2500 4500 2500 4500 2500 4500 2500 4500 2500 4500 2500 4500 2500 4500 2500 4500 2500 4500 2500 4500 2500 4500 2500 4500
ES 2000 4000 2000 4000 2000 4000 2000 4000 2000 4000 2000 4000 2000 4000 2000 4000 2000 4000 2000 4000 2000 4000 2000 4000 2000 4000
FR 3500 8500 3500 8500 3500 8500 3500 8500 3500 8500 3500 8500 3500 8500 3500 8500 3500 8500 3500 8500 3500 8500 3500 8500 3500 8500
IT 1500 3500 1500 3500 1500 3500 1500 3500 1500 3500 1500 3500 1500 2500 1500 2500 1500 2500 1500 2500 1500 2500 1500 2500 1500 2500
CY . . 500 1500 500 1500 500 1500 500 1500 500 1500 500 1500 500 1500 500 1500 500 1500 500 1500 500 1500 500 1500
LV 2500 4000 2500 4000 2500 4000 2500 4000 1200 2000 1200 2000 1200 2000 1200 2000 1200 2000 1200 2000 1200 2000 1200 2000 1200 2000
LT 4000 7500 4000 7500 4000 7500 4000 7500 4000 7500 4000 7500 4000 7500 4000 7500 4000 7500 4000 7500 4000 7500 4000 7500 4000 7500
LU 500 1500 500 1500 500 1500 500 1500 500 1500 500 1500 500 1500 500 1500 500 1500 500 1500 500 1500 500 1500 500 1500
HU 2000 3500 2000 3500 2000 3500 2000 3500 2000 3500 2000 3500 2000 3500 2000 3500 2000 3500 2000 3500 2000 3500 2000 3500 2000 3500
MT . . . . 1500 3000 1500 3000 1500 3000 1500 3000 1500 3000 1500 3000 1500 3000 1500 3000 1500 3000 1500 3000 1500 3000
NL 4500 10000 4500 10000 4500 10000 1500 4500 1500 4500 1500 4500 1500 4500 1500 4500 1500 4500 1500 4500 1500 4500 1500 4500 1500 4500
AT 2000 . 2000 . 2000 . 2000 . 2000 . 2000 . 3000 6000 3000 6000 3000 6000 3000 6000 3000 6000 3000 6000 3000 6000
PL 5000 15000 5000 15000 5000 15000 5000 15000 5000 15000 5000 15000 5000 15000 5000 15000 5000 15000 5000 15000 5000 15000 5000 15000 5000 15000
PT 4500 8000 4500 8000 4500 8000 4500 8000 4500 8000 4500 8000 4500 . 4500 . 4500 . 4500 . 4500 . 4500 . 4500 .
RO 2000 . 2000 . 2000 . 2000 . 2000 . 2000 . 6500 11500 6500 11500 6500 11500 6500 11500 6500 11500 6500 11500 6500 11500
SI 500 4000 500 4000 500 4000 500 4000 500 4000 500 4000 500 4000 500 4000 500 4000 500 4000 500 4000 500 4000 500 4000
SK 2000 3000 2000 3000 2000 3000 2000 3000 2000 3000 2000 3000 2000 3000 2000 3000 2000 3000 2000 3000 2000 3000 2000 3000 2000 3000
FI 2500 4500 2500 4500 2500 4500 2500 4500 2500 4500 2500 4500 2500 4500 2500 4500 2500 4500 2500 4500 2500 4500 2500 4500 2500 4500
SE 2000 . 2000 . 2000 . 2000 . 2000 . 2000 . 2000 . 2000 . 2000 . 2000 . 2000 . 2000 . 2000 .
UK 6000 . 6000 . 6000 . 6000 . 6000 . 6000 . 6000 . 6000 . 6000 . 6000 . 6000 . 6000 . 6000 .
IS 1000 . 1000 . 1000 . 1000 . 1000 . 1000 . 1000 . 1000 . 1000 . 1000 . 1000 . 1000 . 1000 .
NO 5000 . 5000 . 5000 . 5000 . 5000 . 5000 . 5000 . 5000 . 5000 . 5000 . 5000 . 5000 . 5000 .
CH 3000 10000 3000 10000 3000 10000 3000 10000 2000 5000 2000 5000 2000 5000 2000 5000 2000 5000 2000 5000 2000 5000 2000 5000 2000 5000
HR . . . . . . . . 2500 20500 2500 20500 2500 20500 2600 21000 2600 21000 2600 21000 2600 21000 2600 21000 2600 21000
MK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1000 10500 1000 10500 1000 10500 1000 10500 1000 10500
TR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2000 . 2000 . 2000 . 2000 . 2000 .

Values for groups of countries are calculated as the maximum of the values of the countries belonging to the group. EU values are calculated for 15 countries (until 2003), 25 countries (from 2004 to 2006) and 27 countries (from 2007) respectively. EURO_AREA values are calculated for 11 countries (until 2000), 12 countries (from 2001 to 2006), 13 countries (in 2007), 15 countries (in 2008), 16 countries (from 2009 to 2010) and 17 countries (from 2011) respectively.
 
Figures less than those in column A above should not be published; by convention, a dot or full stop is used instead. When applicable, figures less than those given in column B but greater than those in column A, should only be published with a warning concerning their reliability. By convention, they appear between brackets.
 
In most cases, data released by Eurostat will conform to these rules. In some circumstances, figures may be provided to researchers without the modifications described above. This is done to enable them to develop their own aggregated tables during the course of their analysis. When these aggregations have been finalised, the guidelines outlined above should again be observed. Compliance with this principle is to be considered as a condition of the release of data in this form.
 
.
The csv-file Reliability_limits.csv contains all quarterly, annual and ad-hoc-module limits.