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CROS

Germany

Contact
Name of the microdata access service
Statistisches Bundesamt
Postal address
Gustav-Stresemann-Ring 11 D-65189 Wiesbaden (Germany)
Contact
forschungsdatenzentrum@destatis.de
Microdata access website
http://www.destatis.de
Microdata access conditions
General conditions

Data can be accessed by researchers from recognised research and higher education institutions based in Germany.

Conditions for non-resident researchers

Non-resident researchers may access public use files, and may use scientific and secure use files at the safe centres of the statistical office (Forschungsdatenzentrum, FDZ). They cannot receive delivery of scientific use files outside Germany.

Conditions for students

PhD students based in German Universities are eligible at the same conditions as confirmed researchers. All other students are eligible at more restrictive conditions (access to a maximum of five data sets; no bespoke data preparation).

Legal framework

Statistical law, BStatG 1987

How to apply & modes of access
Public Use Files

Public use files (fully anonymised records) are available for a limited number of datafiles. These files can be requested via form and are delivered on CD-Rom. Destatis also offers CAMPUS files which can be used for free at universities for teaching purposes, but which are not suitable for research. They can be freely downloaded from the web.

Scientific Use Files

Delivery on CD-ROM or similar format for off-site use of Scientific Use Files (de facto anonymised records) is allowed at research institutions which are governed by German law. Non-resident data users may not receive these files in their countries, but can work with confidential data via the secure remote execution system or at the safe centres of the statistical office, FDZ.

Secure Use Files

Detailed microdata can be analysed in safe centre (FDZ) and through secure remote execution system.

Details & practical information
How long does it take to obtain data?

For a national request for microdata the procedure usually takes 2 weeks from the application to the decision whether or not the institution is eligible. For international researchers it might take longer, caused by the investigation on a foreign institute, but not longer than 4 weeks.

How much does it cost?

CAMPUS files are free. Public use files and other modes of access: 250€ per dataset per year per mode of access, plus any extra costs in case of bespoke data preparation. Students pay a discounted fee of 95€ per project (with a maximum of five datasets).
Information: http://www.forschungsdatenzentrum.de/nutzung/fdz_nutzungsbedingungen.pdf (in German)

Information on access

For further details http://www.forschungsdatenzentrum.de/en/datenzugang.asp

Other

The different modes of access may be combined: For instance, parts of a data analysis project may take place at the onsite safe centre, while other analyses of that same dataset may be performed via remote execution.
A request form is available on line and can be used for all data and all modes of access.
English version: http://www.forschungsdatenzentrum.de/en/nutzung/fdz_application_access_m... version: http://www.forschungsdatenzentrum.de/nutzung/fdz_nutzungsantrag.docx (.docx format), http://www.forschungsdatenzentrum.de/nutzung/fdz_nutzungsantrag.doc (.doc format).

Update date
15/09/2021

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