| Country | Provision of access | Application procedure and access restrictions | Data dissemination practice and support by social science infrastructure |
| Austria | Optional | Application to statistical office Specificaton of research purpose No access to samples of population censuses | National soc. science service available (WISDOM) Supports use of official microdata (disseminates ready-to-use files after approval by statistical office) |
| Belgium | Optional | No standard procedure Access difficult | No national science service in operation Mediation through Belgium Ministry for Scientific Research |
| Czech Republ. | Optional | Order to statistical office; user-tailored files | No national science service in operation |
| Denmark | Optional | Application to statistical office
Specification of research purpose and data needs Use limited to security area
of the statistical office Accepted users are to be sworn in
Special situation because of the extensive use of register data instead of survey data |
National social science service available (DDA) Supports users in their applications (no dissemination of data allowed) |
| Finland | Optional | Application to statistical office (research pro-posal and data needs) Linkage of information from registers possible | National social science data archive in phase of foundation |
| France | Optional | Non-members of CNRS: Order to INSEE Members of CNRS: LASMAS No access to samples of population census | National social science service available, but brokerage established outside the service CNRS/LASMAS provides centralized support for members of CNRS |
| Germany | Optional; but limited to applicants resident in Germany |
Application to statistical office
Specification of research purpose, duration and of required variables
Special protection measures mandatory (admission lists, etc.) |
National soc. science service available
(GESIS) Only general support, but no data brokerage allowed
Prohibition to disseminate anonymised microdata to (non-German) reseachers abroad is derived from the general principle that German law is not valid outside of Germany |
| Greece | Optional | Request to statistical office; decision taken by a specialised committee of the office. | No national social science data archive available |
| Great Britain | Mandatory | Application to ESRC Social Science Data Archive; Specificaton of variables Access to microdata of population census limited to members of ESRC organizations | National economic and social science services available Provision of ready-to-use files by ESRC data archive; Wide variety of services for enhanced use of official microdata (MIDAS etc.) |
| Hungary | Optional | Order to statistical office Public use files and user-tailored files Access to samples of population censuses | National social science service available (TARKI), but no brokerage established |
| Ireland | Optional | Order to statistical office Standard files No access to samples of the population census | No national social science service available |
| Italy | Mandatory | Application to statistical office;
Specification of research purpose and duration Standard files Evaluation of
request by a special committee based on published criteria
No access to samples of population censuses |
No national social science service available (initiative running) |
|
The Nether-lands |
Optional | Application to statistical office
Specification of research purpose and duration Standard files (WSA) resp.
user-tailored files (CBS) Evaluation of application by special committee
Special situation: increased use of administrative sources (population census discontinued) |
National social science service available, but brokerage established outside this service Special agreements between statistical office (CBS) and Dutch Research Council Dissemination of standard files by an infrastructural unit of the national research council (WSA) |
| Norway | Optional | Application to national social science services (NSD) Specification of research purpose and duration Standard files Evaluation of request by NSDl Access to small samples of the population census possible | Dissemination of ready-to-use standard files by NSD |
| Poland | No access | Law on official statistics, issued 29 June 1995, Art. 38 | No national social science service established |
| Portugal | Optional | Application to statistical office Specification of research purpose User-tailored files Access, in principle, to all surveys | No national social science service available |
| Spain | Optional | Order to statistical office Provision of public use files Access to small sample of population censuses possible | No national social science service available |
| Sweden | Optional | Application to statistical office
Specificaton of research purpose, duration and data needs User-tailored files
Special situation: extensive use of administrative data instead of surveys |
Direct dissemination (National social science service available, but no brokerage established) In special cases work in secure area of the office |
| Switzerland | Optional | Application to statistical office;
Specification of purpose and variables
Access to small sample of population survey possible |
Direct dissemination (National social science service available, but no brokerage established) |