What is Statistics Netherlands and what does it do?

CBS employees in a meeting in Heerlen
© CBS
Statistics Netherlands (known in Dutch as ‘Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek’ or CBS) is a name that the majority of Dutch people are familiar with. Research shows that people know CBS from the media as the organisation that collects data and publishes figures. Researchers, academics and data providers usually have a good idea of what CBS’ work involves and they value what CBS does. Meanwhile the general public has a broad idea of what CBS does, but more detailed knowledge of its tasks and methods is often lacking. In this article, therefore, we would like to provide more detail.

Facts about what is happening in our society

CBS is a government organisation with over 2000 employees. It has three locations – in The Hague, Heerlen and Bonaire. Established in 1899, CBS carries out around 600 different surveys and studies every year across a wide range of subjects. These include population growth, inflation, crime, imports and exports, and so on. The facts and figures that CBS publishes provide a detailed picture of what is happening in our society and economy, in a completely objective and impartial manner. In a world where the amount of information available is growing exponentially (including misinformation and disinformation), it is essential that people can access reliable, factual data. One of CBS’s primary functions is to be the leading independent source of authoritative, societally relevant statistical data and information. This provides society with valuable insights, so that decisions can be made in a well-informed, fact-based manner. CBS’s figures also provide input for societal debate and the development of new policies.

What does Statistics Netherlands do?

CBS’s statutory task is to compile statistics on a wide range of themes that are important to society, and to make its results publicly available. In order to do this, CBS gathers data from individuals and businesses. Once collected, that data is processed into statistics. CBS uses several methods to collect data. Firstly, it carries out surveys among individual citizens and businesses. This is mainly done digitally, but sometimes written surveys or face-to-face interviews are still used. Secondly, in recent decades, CBS has increasingly begun to make use of existing administrative sources, such as the Personal Records Database or the registers maintained by the Dutch Chamber of Commerce. And in addition to government records, CBS has also begun to use business data – such as data from supermarket checkouts – in order to calculate price movements. The main advantage of using existing data sources is that CBS no longer has to contact individuals and businesses as often, which makes the process less intensive and time-consuming for all parties involved.

CBS employees in a meeting in The Hague
© CBS

Safeguarding privacy is a constant priority

One important factor when collecting data from individuals and businesses is ensuring that it remains confidential. Privacy protection is therefore a constant priority at CBS, and the organisation regularly invites external experts to assess the various privacy measures that are in place and – where necessary – to make improvements. One of these privacy measures is that CBS encrypts all the data it receives straight away, making it impossible to trace data back to a particular individual or company. Similarly, CBS never publishes data from which an individual could be identified, or provides such data to external parties. CBS carries out its statistical research using the encrypted version of the data. It goes without saying that CBS also adheres to all the relevant legislative requirements in order to safeguard data privacy. These include the General Data Protection Regulation (AVG), the CBS Act (CBS-wet), the European Statistics Code of Practice and the Statistical Law (European Regulation 223/2009). Finally, CBS has its own code of conduct which includes strict privacy provisions.

Where can CBS’s figures be found?

CBS has a statutory duty to make all its results publicly available to everybody at the same moment in time. This is set out in the European Statistics Code of Practice. The publication dates for statistical research are made known in a publication programme, which everybody can view on the CBS website. News releases, background articles, methodological descriptions, tables and so on can also be found on the website. Users can access all of this material freely. CBS also has a collection of historical statistical materials which it also makes available. A separate website has been created for that purpose, which includes data on censuses from 1795–1971, business surveys, occupational surveys and housing surveys.

International cooperation

International comparability has become a key concept in statistics over recent decades. To facilitate international comparisons, statistics must be compiled in a consistent manner in the various European countries – including the Netherlands. The European Union provides guidelines for exactly this purpose. CBS also participates in the European Statistical System (ESS), which brings together the national statistics agencies of all 27 EU member states, along with the European Union’s statistical office, Eurostat. And CBS is also active in a variety of international bodies, both inside and outside Europe. Cooperation in various areas – not only with other statistical offices and governments but also, for example, with the United Nations (UN) and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) – is therefore another essential aspect of CBS’s work.

Related items