Administrative procedures for microdata access at

SURS

October 2013

Who can obtain microdata

In Slovenia, the entities entitled to obtain the statistically protected microdata include: Registered research institutions Registered researchers Researchers of government offices

Statistically protected microdata

The statistically protected microdata: Modified in a way which prevents the

identification of the unit to which they refer Containing the variables on the basis of which it

is possible to carry out statistical analysis in the same way as this can be done with individual data

Intended use (1)

The purposes for which the statistically protected microdata can be obtained are: Statistical-analytical purposes Scientific research purposes, where the analysis

involves a public benefit or something positive for the people of Slovenia

Intended use (2)

Statistically protected microdata cannot be obtained for non-statistical purposes: Administrative purposes (where dissemination of

microdata would have a direct administrative consequence for a citizen or a company)

Tax purposes Judicial or business purposes

How to obtain microdata

The users are requested to fill in the Form for obtaining statistically protected microdata for scientific research purpose with information on: The statistical analysis/research paper The researcher carrying out the statistical

analysis

Procedure at SURS The requests for microdata are submitted to the

Data Protection Committee (the advisory body of the Director-General)

The Data Protection Committee produces the proposal of the decision for the Director-General Board

Weekly sessions

Contract, declaration Research institutions and independent researchers sign

the contract for access to the microdata Researchers sign the declaration on data protection as

well Templates available at:

http://www.stat.si/eng/drz_stat_mikro.asp The contract validation is usually 2 years or for the time

of the duration of the project The possibility to prolong the contract

Access to microdata The statistically protected microdata are

available for researchers: in a "secure room" at SURS by the "remote access" DVD (only few sample surveys)

"Secure room" (1) The computers have no link with the external

environment, no external unit (diskette, DVD, USB, etc.) and no possibility of printing

Entries to the secure room are allowed only to the entitled individuals

Researchers receive the identification card to register the presence at SURS

"Secure room" (2) 3 computers owned by SURS Researchers should announce their arrival to the

»secure room« by e-mail 4 computers owned by research

institutions/researchers (no need for announcement)

Researchers should not bring into the »secure room« any e-devices which would facilitate the extraction or export of data

"Remote access" The data are stored on a special SURS server,

separated from the production servers Researchers access the data on a server via

Internet connection to the HKOM network The provider of the HKOM network is the

Administrative Processes Directorate within the Ministry of the Interior

There is no possibility of printing and saving the files

Output checking The output is checked according to the data

confidentiality rules Researchers receive the output by e-mail

Available software

ACCESS MS OFFICE SOFTARE OTHER SOFTWARE

REMOTE ACCESSMS Office Excel 2010 Adobe Reader 7.0MS Office PowerPoint 2010 NotepadMS Office Word 2010 Stata9

SECURE ROOM

MS Office 2010 Internet Explorer MS Office 2003 Adobe Reader  Notepad  Stata9  SPSS 21  R!  SPSS 20

Microdata users 45 contracts for the secure room, remote access

at the moment 70 researchers (39 in the secure room, 13 by

the remote access, 18 for both accesses) Most researchers are from faculties and

research institutions Researchers are not active all the time

Archiving The microdata and files created in the “secure

room“ or by “remote access“ are archived after the end of the project

Researchers can reactivate the access if needed later

Research analyses on microdata

Selected examples of research analyses on microdata provided by national statistics available on:http://www.stat.si/eng/drz_stat_mikro.asp

Thank you for you attention!

natasa.zidar@gov.si