EU LFS quarterly results - reliability limits for 1998 to 2011
 
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 2011
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 LIMIT_A LIMIT_B
COUNTRY 10000 . 10000 . 10000 . 10000 . 10000 . 10000 . 10000 . 20000 . 20000 . 20000 . 20000 . 20000 . 20000 . 20000 .
EU
EURO_AREA 8000 . 8000 . 8000 . 8000 . 8000 . 8000 . 7500 . 20000 . 20000 . 20000 . 20000 . 20000 . 20000 . 20000 .
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 2500 4500
BG . . . . 5500 10000 5500 10000 5500 10000 5500 10000 5500 10000 5600 12700 5600 12700 5600 12700 5600 12700 5100 11500 5100 11500 5100 11500
CZ 1000 . 1000 . 1000 . 1000 . 1000 . 1000 . 1000 . 750 4500 750 4500 750 4500 750 4500 750 4500 750 4500 750 4500
DK 3500 7500 3500 7500 3500 7500 3500 7500 3500 7500 3500 7500 3500 7500 3500 7000 3500 7000 3500 7000 3500 7000 3500 7000 3500 7000 3500 7000
DE 8000 . 8000 . 8000 . 8000 . 8000 . 8000 . 5000 8000 20000 . 20000 . 20000 . 20000 . 20000 . 20000 . 20000 .
EE 1500 3000 1500 3000 5000 10000 5000 10000 5000 10000 5000 10000 5000 10000 6800 15200 6800 15200 6800 15200 5100 11800 5400 12500 5400 12500 5000 11500
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 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 5000 2500 5000 2500 5000
ES 2500 5000 2500 5000 2500 5000 2500 5000 2500 5000 2500 5000 2500 5000 2500 5000 2500 5000 2500 5000 2500 5000 2500 5000 2500 5000 2500 5000
FR 3500 8500 3500 8500 3500 8500 3500 8500 3500 8500 7000 21000 7000 21000 7000 21000 7000 21000 7000 21000 7000 21000 7000 21000 7000 21000 7000 21000
IT 3500 7500 3500 7500 3500 7500 3500 7500 3500 7500 3500 7500 3500 7500 3500 7500 3500 7500 3500 7500 3500 7500 3500 7500 3500 7500 3500 7500
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 500 1500
LV 2500 4500 2500 4500 2500 4500 4500 7500 2500 4500 2500 4500 2500 4500 4500 7500 4500 7500 4500 7500 2200 3600 2200 3600 4100 6800 4100 6800
LT 5000 . 5000 . 5000 . 5000 . 5000 . 5000 . 5800 23000 5700 22700 7400 29300 4700 18600 5900 23500 5000 18000 5000 18000 5000 18000
LU 500 1500 500 1500 500 1500 500 1500 500 1500 500 1500 500 1500 500 1500 500 1500 1000 3000 1000 3000 1000 3000 1000 3000 1000 3000
HU 2500 4500 2500 4500 2500 4500 2500 4500 2500 4500 2500 4500 2300 4000 2800 4800 2600 4800 2600 4800 2600 4800 2600 4800 2600 4800 2600 4800
MT . . . . 1500 3000 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 4500 10000 4500 10000 4500 10000 4500 10000 4500 10000 4500 10000 4500 10000 4500 10000 4500 10000 4500 10000 4500 10000
AT 2000 . 2000 . 2000 . 2000 . 2000 . 2000 . 4000 8000 4000 8000 4000 8000 4000 8000 4000 8000 4000 8000 4000 8000 4000 8000
PL 5000 20000 5000 20000 5000 20000 5000 20000 5000 20000 5000 20000 5000 20000 5000 20000 5000 20000 5000 20000 5000 20000 5000 20000 5000 20000 5000 20000
PT 7500 15000 7500 15000 7500 15000 7500 15000 7500 15000 7500 15000 7500 . 7500 . 7500 . 7500 . 7500 . 7500 . 7500 . 7500 .
RO 2000 . 2000 . 2000 . 2000 . 2000 . 2000 . 6500 11500 6500 11500 6500 11500 6500 11500 6500 11500 6500 11500 6500 11500 6500 11500
SI 1000 10500 1000 10500 1000 10500 1000 10500 1000 10500 1000 10500 1000 10500 1000 10500 1000 10500 1000 10500 1000 10500 1000 10500 1000 10500 1000 10500
SK 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 2500 4500
FI 2500 4500 2500 4500 2500 4500 2500 4500 2500 4500 2500 4500 2500 4500 2000 4000 2000 4000 2000 4000 2000 4000 2000 4000 2000 4000 2000 4000
SE 9000 . 9000 . 9000 . 2500 . 2500 . 2500 . 2500 4500 3000 5000 3000 5000 3000 5000 3000 5000 3000 5000 3000 5000 3000 5000
UK 10000 . 10000 . 10000 . 10000 . 10000 . 10000 . 10000 . 10000 . 10000 . 10000 . 10000 . 10000 . 10000 . 10000 .
IS 1000 . 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 . 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 2000 5000
HR . . . . . . . . 2500 20500 2500 20500 2500 20500 2600 21000 2600 23000 4000 36000 4200 38000 4200 38000 4200 38000 4200 38000
MK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1000 10500 1000 10500 1000 10500 1000 10500 1000 10500 1000 10500
TR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2000 . 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.
 
NOTE: reliability limits may vary slightly from quarter to quarter due to e.g. transition to other survey structures. For this quarterly extraction the SPRING values are used - a complete list of all limits is also available:
The csv-file Reliability_limits.csv contains all quarterly, annual and ad-hoc-module limits.