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Motivation
The NUTS subnational geographic classification used by Eurostat is based upon the national geo classifications of Member States, but is synchronized to them only once every three years. Hence, it is possible (but rare) that the same subnational indicator reported by a national source and by Eurostat will have divergent localizations. Because the two geo classifications are usually identical, Data Buffet is able to use a single taxonomy of geo codes to represent both sources, but we also need to indicate exceptional circumstances.
Such a circumstance has recently arisen in Germany with two adjacent third-level kreise areas, Cochem-Zell and Rhein-Hunsrück-Kreis, which underwent a boundary shift. The geo codes assigned by the German national source (the Federal Statistical Office, FSO) are unchanged, but those assigned by Eurostat differ between NUTS 2013 and NUTS 2016.
Our response, for FSO-sourced data
Upon further consideration, we have reversed our handling of this situation only for datasets published by FSO. Our initial response (July 2017) created pairs of series with partial history, which impedes analysis. Our amended response (December 2017) preserves a single continuous series, but with a notation of the definitional break.
Before:
- We split impacted series and assigned a special geo code to one member of each pair. That is, values reported until 2013 are stored in one discontinued time series with a exceptional geo code, and values from 2014 are stored in a second active series with the standard geo code.
- IDEU_07135_2013 / IDEU_07135
- IDEU_07140_2013 / IDEU_07140
After:
- We use a single continuous time series, but alert users with a notation in the "source"metadata, namely: "[Break in boundaries from 2014]"
- IDEU_07135
- IDEU_07140
For example:
- VSQMIGDMBTTUA.IDEU_07135 = still exists, with full history
- VSQMIGDMBTTUA.IDEU_07135_2013 = has been deleted
Our amended policy supersedes these articles:
Our response, for Eurostat-sourced data
Conversely, for subnational datasets published by Eurostat we will use paired geo codes. (The pertinent datasets currently use NUTS 2013, and none have transitioned to NUTS 2016, so the break isn't yet applicable.) For example:
- EUEVSQPBFUA.IDEU_07140_2013 = Population at 1st January by sex and age - Females - Total, (#) - for 2000 to 2016
- EUENAGDPP_E95UA.IDEU_07135_2013 = Gross domestic product (GDP) at current market prices, (Mil. PPS) - for 1995 to 2011
- EUECSQBDP551UA.IDEU_07135_2013 = Tourism accommodations - Hotels and similar accommodation, (#) - for 1990 to 2011
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