CBS Multi-annual Programme 2024-2028

Dear reader,

As I write this, the COVID-19 pandemic has left its mark and there is uncertainty about possible resurgences of the COVID virus. The war in Ukraine has dragged on for months, there are major concerns about energy supplies and inflation has surged to new highs. These major changes and uncertainties make dependable statistics essential. That demands greater flexibility on the part of CBS so that we can provide fast, reliable information that explains what is happening around us and what the impacts are. In this way, we can provide a policy and implementation framework in which measures can be developed to meet the challenges.

It is against this background that CBS has considered its plans for 2024-2028, a period which still seems a long way off and which, now at least, looks unclear. Fortunately, we have been able to base our plans partly on the views of many parties around us, including the ministries, public policy and research institutes and major data suppliers. They have provided us with themes which they expect to be relevant in the planning period and for which no or insufficient statistical information is currently available. Statistical contributions are required particularly on those themes and we are immensely grateful for their input. I would also like to thank my CBS colleagues, many of whom contributed ideas and input for the creation of this Multi-annual Programme 2024-2028, which charts the course for CBS over the planning period.

Partly on the basis of the external and internal consultations, CBS has adopted three strategic objectives for the planning period:

1. CBS aims to become more flexible in order to make statistical contributions to meet a number of major societal challenges such as housing, subversive crime, climate and sustainability. We will place these societal challenges at the centre of our programming. We aim to enter into data alliances with other operators to manage information on specific themes as fully and clearly as possible. How we will do this is set out in our annual plans. We will then have the flexibility to respond to events as they arise.
2. We will increase the accessibility and hence use of our data. To this end, we are improving our services via Remote Access and StatLine/open data. We will also enable others to use or learn to use data effectively and, where necessary, we will seek access to new data sources ourselves in order to guarantee the quality of statistics in the future.
3. We will maintain our high quality, which underpins our reliability. In order to maintain our leading position and prepare our organisation for the future, we will invest in our staff, processes and IT in the forthcoming planning period. Where possible and necessary, we will accelerate the provision of statistical information. Given the increase in digitisation and cybercrime, maintaining the security of our data is essential. In performing its tasks, CBS aims to excel in the protection of personal data and the security of its information. That is our “licence to operate”.

By focusing on the three strategic objectives, CBS makes choices and thus creates agility and flexibility. Constant innovation and continuous improvement of our processes, our organisation and our employees are essential in this regard. That is a challenge, but we are convinced that these choices will help ensure that the Netherlands can continue to count on reliable, relevant and factual information in the future.

Angelique Berg

October 2022

Greater demand for reliable data

The demand for reliable data has increased steadily in recent years. Government organisations, enterprises and citizens alike want to know what is happening in the world, where they stand and whom and what they can trust.

Government organisations and enterprises want data to support and account for policy, management and decision-making, for which CBS statistics provide a valuable basis. Citizens require transparent, factual information. Scientists use data constantly as a basis for their research. In some cases more data are required. But, often, what is actually needed is a clear view of the available data, as people can sometimes no longer see the wood for the trees.

In accordance with European directives, CBS conducted an external consultation among its users to identify their needs and wishes for the Multi-annual Programme. In addition, the various CBS users’ councils have been actively involved in the development of the programme. CBS employees have also contributed to this new Multi-annual Programme by participating in various reflection teams. Their wishes have been included in this Multi-annual Programme (see work programme section) in order to explain the choices made within the specified financial parameters.

Greater supply of data

In addition to the growing demand for reliable data, the amount of data available in society is increasing. As digitisation accelerates, data are all around us and are increasingly detailed and real-time. Examples include social media, sensors, smart devices and the use of the internet for all kinds of applications. Citizens, enterprises and government organisations are also storing and using growing volumes of data, consciously or unconsciously.

Data opportunities and threats

Although the opportunities presented by data previously seemed endless, in recent years there have been growing concerns about ethics, privacy protection and information security. The government is also paying more attention to data and increasing the accessibility of data through government-wide initiatives. Opportunities certainly exist, but so too do concerns and threats. What information is really necessary, what information can be trusted and, above all, how well protected is the privacy of my own data? Justified concerns. Digitisation will only increase the risks of cybercrime and data incidents in the years ahead. At the same time, awareness of data, security and privacy has grown in recent years. With the introduction of the General Data Protection Regulation, many organisations have looked critically at the collection and exchange of data and a dialogue has now begun about the use of data.

CBS evaluation and peer review

The external evaluation of the efficiency, effectiveness and independence of CBS over the 2016-2020 period conducted by the external research firm KWINK shows that CBS is effective, that its efficiency has developed positively and that its internal governance functions well and provides sufficient safeguards. KWINK recommends increasing the transparency of the work programme, disclosing details in the work programme of statistics that were not produced, and making clear that the statistics provided as additional statistical services are also socially relevant and no less important. Recommendations were also made with regard to the development of knowledge management, IT investments, and the strengthening of the owner-client-CBS triangle. Another recommendation concerns the free capacity needed for CBS to produce and innovate new statistics on its own initiative and to produce statistics for which there is no obvious funding source or for which public sector buyers have insufficient purchasing power.

CBS was the subject of a peer review by the European Statistical System (ESS) in July 2022. The peer review focused on the extent to which the Netherlands complies with the European Statistics Code of Practice. The result was positive. The peer review team concluded that CBS has a strong focus on quality, plays an active role in the international community and is a pioneer in exploring and using new methods and data sources. The recommendations relate to the statistical process (including a comprehensive metadata system), communication (with regard to, among others, forthcoming publications and pre-release arrangements) and HR matters (including the introduction programme).

CBS takes the recommendations of the evaluation and peer review to heart and has incorporated them in this Multi-annual Programme. It has already begun to implement the recommendations.

Mission and core values

Statistics Netherlands (CBS) occupies a unique position in the dynamic environment outlined above. Its mission is to compile and publish reliable, coherent statistical information which meets the needs of Dutch society. CBS’ core values are derived from this mission. It seeks to be reliable, objective and society-oriented. This position and mission are based on the statutory task set for CBS: creating an independent and objective map of society by producing reliable statistics, reporting on its findings and performing its work efficiently and accurately.

The statistics produced by CBS are a public good; public access is therefore a fundamental element of its statistics. As also prescribed by the European Statistics Code of Practice, CBS actively publishes all results of its statistical research on its website. Open data are made available on the CBS open data portal and interactively through StatLine. In line with the Open op Orde action plan (aimed at improving central government information management and transparency), CBS is also investing in public access to its administrative information so as to be able to respond promptly to requests from citizens and enterprises.

Data access

In order to produce reliable statistics while simultaneously reducing the administrative burden for citizens and enterprises, CBS has been granted access to government data by law. Data that have already been collected by other government organisations can therefore be reused and consolidated for statistical purposes by CBS. CBS also collects information through surveys of enterprises, institutions and individuals. A complicating factor is that the societal reality is changing and new data sources needed to describe the changes are not always accessible to CBS.

Financial parameters

The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy provides the basic budget for the performance of CBS’ statutory duties (see also the Finance chapter). The activities that CBS will carry out are outlined in the Multi-annual Programme. These activities fulfil CBS’ statutory duties and fit within the financial and organisational parameters.

Increased flexibility

The world around us has grown more complex. Developments move fast and are sometimes unpredictable. Examples are the COVID-19 pandemic, rising energy prices, the war in Ukraine and shortages in the labour market. These often result in an unexpected, acute need for statistical information. CBS aims to respond with reliable, objective information, providing the insight that the government and society require. That demands a high degree of flexibility. The societal challenges that the Netherlands faces now and in the future require coherent, cross-domain information. CBS performs its public duties with the aim of providing reliable and objective, factual information on current societal developments. CBS uses its administrative and innovative strength to contribute to the public debate through statistics and the provision of data. Our data can provide a foundation for policy in these areas.

CBS conducts statistical (mostly multi-annual) research at the request of government organisations. These statistics are financed partly by the basic funding from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy and partly directly by interested government organisations. All these statistics are an integral part of CBS’ work programme and do not differ in terms of their societal value. Quality requirements and publication conditions are clearly stated and do not depend on the financing method. The importance of the information is key in determining whether or not requests will be fulfilled; financial revenues are never a motive for CBS. CBS strives for broad, multi-annual funded statistical programmes for government organisations with scope to address relevant ad hoc questions. CBS remains cautious with regard to requests that fall outside such programmes and could also be fulfilled by commercial operators. CBS leaves third-party requests to the market as far as possible.

Cooperation with others

CBS will of course carry out its regular work programme during the planning period. This consists of statistical research for the European Union and (central) government, which is compiled and published on a regular basis. The work programme section in this Multi-annual Programme provides an exhaustive overview of the regular work programme. Based on the external consultation conducted in order to assess the need for statistical information, CBS will focus on major societal challenges in the forthcoming planning period. CBS is actively pursuing collaboration with other parties to meet the information needs relating to these challenges. The substantive issues involved play a central and determining role. The necessary financing must then be found. As far as CBS is concerned, any development costs should not be an obstacle to the compilation of the information.

Single point of information

Good factual information is indispensable in order to address societal challenges effectively and efficiently: it provides a specific picture of problems and a means of targeting measures and resources. CBS aims to create a single point of information for a range of challenges jointly with knowledge partners, thereby providing a clear set of key figures for policymaking. An example is the State of Public Health and Care. CBS has a great deal of statistical information and can compile further information on request. But even then the information jigsaw will still not be complete. Other organisations may also have other types of valuable information that is needed for such a single point of information.

Several steps are necessary to obtain a clear and coherent picture, starting with a survey of the required information. Together with responsible policy departments and knowledge partners, CBS first determines what information is needed to create a joint single point of information relating to the identified societal challenges. On this basis, it examines what information is already available, either within CBS or within knowledge partners, and which parties will be able to compile which information. This analysis shows what else is required, in terms of sources, partners and financial resources. CBS enters into partnerships to jointly meet the overall need for factual information on a societal challenge. It thus builds on existing initiatives such as the Criminal Justice System Data Alliance and the Woonopgave (a central government target to tackle the housing shortage). Various sources must be made accessible and data must be securely combined and processed into statistical outcomes. CBS aims to use its knowledge of data, data storage, processing and related standards in such collaborations and can play a coordinating role in consultation with the parties.

Focus on challenges

Meeting the need for coherent statistical information that provides insight into societal challenges is the first strategic objective. To this end, CBS will develop new information and present existing information more coherently. Based on the external consultation, CBS has chosen within this strategic objective to focus its attention and administrative and innovative power initially on the following challenges:

Housing

The availability of a suitable home is a primary necessity of life that is increasingly under pressure. The Netherlands has had to contend with a shortage of (affordable) housing for some time now. Prices have risen sharply and the supply is limited, so first-time buyers and households with modest incomes are barely able to find a suitable home. The housing theme is diverse and complex and is often subdivided into smaller segments to keep it manageable. The interplay between the sale market and the social and private rental market and themes such as affordability, construction, contraction and growth regions, sustainability and gentrification are inextricably linked. CBS aims to make core statistical information available.

Climate and sustainability

Climate change and the transition to a sustainable energy system are one of the major challenges facing the current generation. CBS is actively involved in the European Green Deal. The European Green Deal provides a solid and coherent basis for addressing themes such as energy transition and consumption, biodiversity, nitrogen, land use, acidification, circular economy, well-being and the sustainable development goals. Monitoring the energy transition with reliable and objective statistical information can help provide a clear picture of the challenge.

Digitisation, knowledge and economy

Innovation and digitisation have brought changes to production and services, communication and societal processes. They often make things simpler, faster, cheaper, easier or better, but sometimes also more complicated or more problematic: enterprises have to reinvent their revenue model, markets are shaken up by new types of players, and dominant, globally active digital platforms can make it harder for firms to compete. This all has a major impact on the economy. Correct answers to policy questions require knowledge, for example of innovation activities, research & development, intellectual property rights, connectivity, the platform economy, online trading, ICT use and investments, supply-use/input-output of digital products and services, value of data, and cyber security.

Globalisation & value chains

Due to the increasing internationalisation of the production of goods and services, national economies are becoming increasingly interconnected. That applies particularly to an open economy like the Netherlands. The process of economic globalisation is characterised by growing international trade, foreign direct investment and the increased importance of multinationals. The other side of the coin is that globalisation leads to dependencies, with less influence on the quality and security of supply of services and goods, such as raw materials, than in the case of production close to home.

Inequality & poverty

Inequality has various causes, such as educational attainment and the housing and work situation. The socioeconomic position also largely determines the degree of inequality between groups and the opportunities they have for full participation. Poverty in particular is an impediment to participation. High inflation, caused in part by the sharp rise in energy prices, exacerbates the risk of poverty. Not being able to participate – or not being able to participate sufficiently – causes inequality of opportunity and a risk of poverty. This has a major social and societal impact. A good understanding of these societal phenomena and the associated developments requires a statistical description that also covers the relationships between inequality, poverty and social participation.

Demographic development

The Dutch population is constantly changing. Themes such as population ageing, migration and health characteristics differ in terms of the population composition. Increasing pressure on facilities due to a rapidly growing population in one region contrasts with a shrinkage in another region. Demographic trends have a direct impact on the other themes in this Multi-annual Programme.

Security & subversive crime

Crime and feelings of insecurity affect quality of life and have an impact on various aspects of our daily existence. Ensuring greater security is therefore one of the major challenges our country faces. Subversive crime, in which criminals use legal enterprises, service providers and citizens, is a societal problem. This form of crime undermines our rule of law and has impacts on society. CBS aims to address this challenge by making even more data available on various aspects of security.

Pandemic preparedness

The coronavirus crisis has shown that the availability of up-to-date, reliable information in such a health crisis is indispensable to enable the government to act decisively. It is therefore important that access to data is regulated and that CBS becomes more agile so that it can provide relevant information quickly in a crisis situation. Attention also needs to be focused on effective and secure exchanges of data with partners and optimal facilitation of research by others within the applicable parameters.

Labour market

The labour market is constantly evolving. Periods of unemployment alternate with shortages in occupational groups, the labour market is becoming increasingly flexible and population ageing is leading to a decrease in the supply of labour. There are currently major shortages in the labour market, with clear economic effects. At the same time new groups are entering the labour market, for example as a result of labour migration. New forms of work and services are leading to the appearance and simultaneous disappearance of occupational groups and hence a need for continuous learning.

The focus on the above challenges is intended to serve as a starting point for the early years of the planning period. The past planning period taught us more than ever about the need for agility. In its annual plans, CBS will describe the specific objectives it is pursuing in the relevant year with regard to the challenges. The current needs of society may also result in CBS prioritising a new challenge and deferring work on a challenge that is less urgent at that time. Strategic objective 3 of this Multi-annual Programme is aimed at increasing CBS’ flexibility by investing in IT and modernising its processes, so that it can respond even more effectively to the latest events and new societal challenges.

As part of strategic objective 1, CBS has prioritised the introduction of more subdivisions within the societal challenges. It aims to produce more regional versions of statistics, so that local and regional authorities can also access key figures relating to government policy in their field. Attention will also be focused on cross-border issues. The availability of regional and cross-border statistics contributes to higher-quality decision-making and implementation, which is increasingly required at a local and regional level in a context of decentralisation. CBS is also working to improve the findability, accessibility and interpretability of regional and cross-border statistics.

Improving the availability and use of data

There is increasingly wide recognition of the power of data for policymaking, monitoring and implementation. CBS will improve access to and availability of its data and will make its knowledge and experience available to support other government organisations in the responsible use of data. It will thus increase the societal added value of the data.

As part of this strategic objective, CBS has formulated the following ambitions:

1. Increasing the accessibility and use of data and microdata

CBS has a wealth of data, obtained from enterprises, citizens, government  and other organisations. It considers the information that it compiles on this basis to be a public good. To enable even greater and better use of this information, for example in combating disinformation, CBS will invest in improving the accessibility of data during the planning period.

In the first place, it will make it easier to find information through its website. Dashboards are being designed for as many subjects as possible. During the planning period, CBS will renew StatLine, its online database, in consultation with users, to make the information easier to find and more useful. It will also devote attention to the accessibility of information on its working methods, such as method descriptions, privacy and data protection measures and publication schedules, so as to be more transparent about the production of statistics and the guarantees that CBS provides.

More and more operators are using the open data that CBS makes available; users are therefore increasingly calling for support. CBS also accesses open data from other government bodies. This also requires attention and time. CBS will therefore increase its open data services in the forthcoming period. It also notes that a lot of valuable data is available in other organisations that is not (yet) always made publicly accessible. CBS wishes to use its knowledge and experience in initiatives aimed at maximising the amount of government data available as open data.

Access to secure CBS microdata meets an important need on the part of researchers and contributes to greater societal use of CBS data. The use of this facility has increased sharply in recent years, bringing new wishes and challenges. Users need better services than CBS is currently offering. CBS is aware of the perceived obstacles to the use of secure microdata and will make investments in the years ahead to improve its services without compromising on the current level of security. A familiar impediment, particularly for less wealthy organisations, is the cost. CBS considers that microdata access is a public facility and that accessibility should not be impeded by high costs. Secure microdatasets are currently provided on a limited scale. This entails more security risks than working by means of remote access. CBS is investing to improve the user-friendliness and functionality of the remote-access facility to limit the provision of microdatasets as far as possible. CBS aims to phase out the provision of microdatasets by the end of the planning period, while keeping the level of user access to such microdata unchanged. In all cases, CBS guarantees information security and privacy protection.

2. Encouraging and facilitating working with data

CBS has a great deal of knowledge of data and what is needed to use it responsibly. This includes storing, processing and accessing data, data networking, information security and privacy protection. It also has a great deal of experience and expertise in the field of metadata (information on the content of a database, such as a description of the variables) and standards (definitions of variables, classifications, quality descriptions, file formats, etc.). CBS is happy to make this knowledge available to government organisations and the scientific community on request.

CBS aims to support government organisations and the scientific community with its knowledge and experience of working with data, fulfilling an advisory and facilitating role. This increasingly means that CBS contributes knowledge rather than statistical products. It does so by improving access to CBS data and its own services relating to advice, training, and participation in broad working groups. In this way, CBS contributes to government-wide programmes, such as the intergovernmental data strategy. Within this intergovernmental data strategy, ministries, executive agencies and umbrella organisations of local and regional authorities aim to outline opportunities relating to the government’s ability to make effective use of data to tackle societal challenges. Specific attention is devoted to case law, technology, and what is socially and ethically desirable.

Government organisations and scientific institutions look to CBS for help in opening up access to the data held by these organisations. This wish was also explicitly stated in the external consultation, as CBS has the knowledge and infrastructure required to do so safely. At the request of government authorities, CBS can make data available to these authorities for statistical purposes, even if CBS itself does not need the data for its own statistical programme. This is consistent with CBS’ statutory duty to promote the provision of statistics by the government and the accuracy and completeness of the statistics. In doing so, CBS fulfils a frequently stated wish and contributes to responsible data use.

In all these activities, data can only be used for statistical or scientific research. It is essential to ensure at all times that results cannot be traced back to individual persons, institutions or enterprises. Data use for decisions at an individual level, for example for supervision, enforcement or detection, is never permitted.

Metadata is an important means of improving the findability and usability of both statistical data and microdata for internal and external users. CBS is therefore developing a (harmonised) metadata database that will be used as standard for all data processed by CBS. This will allow better use of CBS data and increase access to our data.

Standards are essential for correct use and interpretation of data. Data can only be combined and interpreted when it is clear which groups and which phenomena the data relate to, how variables are defined, what the quality of the data is, how data are processed etc. CBS is highly regarded nationally and internationally in the field of standards, metadata, classifications, quality descriptions and the like. CBS therefore actively promotes standards and their use within government and assists government organisations in developing and implementing standards.

3. Gaining access to necessary private data sources

CBS is always looking for new data sources in order to describe the changes in society, to meet requirements for statistical information and to limit the administrative burden. The necessary data sources are increasingly available only from private operators. By law, CBS can access all government records without charge, but this does not apply to private operators’ data sources.

For the information it needs to perform its statutory duties, CBS therefore depends on voluntary provision by private operators. This situation does not sufficiently guarantee the completeness of the information and the quality and continuity of the statistics. Additional regulations could offer clarity to all parties with regard to the need to provide these data. This does not mean that CBS wants unlimited access to data from private data source owners; it only wants information necessary for the production of statistics. This currently includes public transport data, data from smart meters, test and vaccination data related to COVID-19, data concerning energy contracts and data concerning mobile telephony. To some extent, developments in the countries around us are more advanced than in the Netherlands; it is important to ensure that CBS does not fall behind.

In many cases, datasets at group level will be sufficient. The relevant data source owner can compile these at the request of and with the help of CBS, so only that information is provided. This is preferable for various reasons. The principle of data minimisation is that no more data are provided than are necessary. Moreover, privacy risks are limited when information is not provided at an individual level.

4. Ethical handling of data issues

CBS provides statistical information on societally relevant themes. This also requires ethical awareness: not everything CBS is permitted or able to do is also desirable from an ethical perspective. CBS has an Ethics Committee that advises on ethical issues.

CBS is increasingly finding that requests to use data or produce statistics raise ethical questions. The Ethics Committee considers whether the social benefits of a study outweigh the burden. This concerns questions such as: what is the effect of certain information on vulnerable and other groups in society, can sound conclusions be linked to the expected outcomes of a study, what does the data collection method mean in terms of the strain and emotional burden on respondents and how does all this relate to the societal value of research results? CBS expects data ethics to take on greater importance over the planning period. CBS is mindful of the ethical aspects of a study and may decide not to conduct it for ethical reasons.

The increasing need for information may lead to a tendency to collect and experiment with data indiscriminately, but that is not permitted. A clear societal need for information is always paramount for CBS. A targeted search can then be made for data sources that are necessary to meet the need. Innovative applications require some room for experimentation, precisely in order to provide clarity within the foreseeable future about the purpose for which data will be collected. CBS therefore never engages in unlimited and indiscriminate data collection.

As the statistical office of the Netherlands, CBS has acquired a solid reputation worldwide when it comes to standards and the quality of statistics. At a time when facts are in doubt and figures are often open to debate, the high-quality information from CBS is essential for proper conduct of the public debate. CBS therefore strives to maintain and, where possible, further improve the quality of statistics in order to do justice to its reputation as a supplier of reliable factual information and to continue to enable high-quality research. This is the third strategic objective for the planning period.

However, quality is not the same as accuracy. In some cases, an up-to-date figure is important for users to respond quickly and a less accurate figure may suffice; in other cases, the emphasis is on accuracy. This requires CBS to produce figures that are optimally applicable and thus able to meet such differing needs. CBS aims to provide greater insight into the various quality aspects so that users can take these into account when applying the information.

In order to maintain the high quality of our statistics and respond to all societal and technological developments, CBS invests in personnel, IT and processes, and targeted innovations are required.

Within this strategic objective, CBS therefore has the following ambitions:

1. Investing in high-calibre personnel

The organisation must be flexible and agile in order to achieve our organisational objectives, to remain an attractive employer and to enable our own staff to develop. CBS will therefore invest heavily in the development of its own staff during the planning period so that employees are deployed according to their qualities. This organisational development

Includes a number of elements:

Having and retaining the best people

The evaluation of CBS found that CBS is developing increasingly into a knowledge institution. CBS wishes to further expand its reputation as a knowledge institution with high quality standards. In order to maintain its optimum performance in the future, CBS aims to attract and retain the best people, taking into account the changing demands in society. Staff departures and population ageing mean that continuous and targeted effort is required to project our profile in the labour market and attract and retain experts. This requires CBS to remain an attractive employer, with adequate remuneration, but particularly also good fringe benefits, a pleasant working environment, an open atmosphere, a culture that stimulates personal and professional development and room for a good work-life balance. Clear career paths provide a basis for staff development.

Trainee programme

CBS is launching its own trainee programme. This will give talented entrants to the labour market the opportunity to get to know CBS, gain work experience in a societally relevant knowledge institution and develop themselves.

Making the workforce a reflection of society

CBS is at the heart of society and contributes in a transparent and unbiased way to greater knowledge and understanding of relevant societal themes. In order to continue improving its statistics, CBS aims to be an organisation that reflects society. CBS therefore strives for diversity in its workforce. The conviction that diversity strengthens cooperation is a guiding principle in the recruitment of new employees.

Developing everyone's talent in a learning organisation

The priorities require an environment in which all CBS colleagues count and can give the best of themselves. The organisation constantly challenges itself to improve through a learning organisational culture. Our management is talent-driven and development-oriented: employees are motivated in their work, receive constructive feedback and are coached where necessary. The organisation continuously trains and develops all layers of management.

Collaboration and flexibility

CBS is outward-looking, so we can respond appropriately and, if necessary, rapidly to changing demands in society. Issues are becoming increasingly complex and integrated and often involve multiple statistics and areas of expertise. This means that internal specialist capacity must increasingly be deployed in teams and that multidisciplinary collaboration is becoming important.

This requires more flexible use of our workforce. Employees will be challenged to grow with the technical and professional developments so that they can be deployed more widely. Mobility and growth will be stimulated to an even greater extent. In the case of new employees, the principle is that they will transfer to another division after three years. The organisation will monitor any friction losses in its output.

Further development of the CBS Academy

The CBS Academy has recently developed into a fully-fledged internal CBS training centre. The CBS Academy will continue this development and support employees in order to maintain professionalism, but also to continue developing personal skills. CBS will focus more than before on its role and task of helping the government to increase the accessibility of data and will develop training and education in the use of data and statistics for our government partners.
In line with the recommendation from the CBS evaluation, the CBS Academy therefore aims to collaborate with other educational institutions of government partners, such as the National Academy for Finance and Economics.

2. Investing in IT and processes

IT: keeping the base in order

CBS is an IT-intensive organisation and, like many other government organisations, faces a major challenge in keeping the base in order. A secure IT work environment is a paramount requirement for CBS. Enterprises and citizens provide a great deal of information, much of it privacy- and business-sensitive, trusting that it is in safe hands at CBS. If that trust is damaged, for example by a security breach, enterprises and citizens will no longer be willing to supply their data and CBS will no longer be able to perform its statutory duties. An extremely important development is therefore the sharp increase in cyber threats. In order to continue coping with these threats, CBS must continually raise the level of its IT security. This means the organisation will be strengthened substantially in this area.

The changing user requirements and CBS’ ambitions to maintain high quality are also leading to growing complexity in its own IT environment. The organisation requires more and increasingly advanced software, different IT environments for different types of work and adjustments to the technical infrastructure for the use of secure cloud services.

The increase in the amount of data also requires an expansion of storage capacity as well as the associated management, and fallback options that are necessary in order to restore the most essential services sufficiently quickly in the event of a disaster. Additional resources are required to manage standard software and security measures.

CBS has started migrating to a standard application platform to control development and management costs. The provision of a modern, controlled and secure environment for application development and further training and knowledge-sharing on modern best practices in that field contributes to the further professionalisation of CBS’ IT organisation in the field of software development.

All this requires structurally higher IT expenditure. CBS is therefore in a position to invest heavily in IT during the planning period, partly thanks to additional financial resources made available for this purpose by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy.

Robust, flexible and future-proof processes

CBS’ first strategic objective is to provide information on major societal challenges. These are not static, but evolve over time. The war in Ukraine, rising energy prices and shortages in labour markets demonstrate that not everything can be anticipated. Flexibility is therefore required on the part of both the organisation and the employees of CBS and that requires production processes that are easily to adapt and maintain. CBS is therefore working on a redesign of its statistical production processes.

It is developing and implementing a fundamentally new process for economic statistics. The input data are brought together and linked from the various sources at the earliest possible stage. Checking and correction is mainly done automatically and data are made available through a central data library. Standardised processes, methods, data and IT resources are used for this purpose. CBS is thus creating a more efficient and flexible process, which provides room for innovation. Flexibility and agility make an important contribution to CBS’ ambition to accelerate the production of new information responding to the latest economic developments.

For social statistics, CBS is developing a standardised process to incorporate register information. This will replace the existing processes that involve many different methods, IT solutions and processes. This will reduce the management burden, generate quality gains and allow room for innovation. The development time for new statistics is also falling, so here too there are increasing opportunities to respond quickly to changing needs.

3. Privacy and data protection

Society must have confidence that all data received by CBS will be used solely to produce statistics and that this will never result in disclosure of information about individuals, households, enterprises or institutions. CBS therefore not only seeks to comply with privacy legislation, but also aims to excel in that area.

Privacy protection is never complete: it is a dynamic process that must cope with increasing threats, including in the field of cybercrime, and must adapt to changing societal insights, technological developments and changed legislation and regulations.

CBS has therefore taken numerous technical and organisational measures to ensure privacy, often on the basis of the Statistics Netherlands Act and the European Statistics Code of Practice. This means among other things that CBS removes directly identifying data (citizen service number, name, address and place of residence etc.) as soon as possible on receipt, that CBS researchers are only given access to the data they need for the relevant research and that everything that CBS publishes is carefully checked for disclosure risks. The data must only be used for the purposes of statistical and scientific research. This means that data use for decisions at an individual level, such as enforcement and detection, is by definition excluded. CBS also invests in innovations to continue to exploit the power of data while protecting privacy to the fullest extent possible. In addition, an external auditor has been conducting privacy audits at CBS since 2015. On the basis of these audits, CBS has been awarded the “privacy-proof” certificate in accordance with NOREA's Privacy Control Framework.

In short, data protection is a top priority for CBS. CBS remains vigilant in this regard to ensure that the search for new opportunities for careful and efficient use of data is not compromised. It is very important that CBS retains its “social licence” so that it can continue to perform its duties legitimately with sufficient cooperation from society as a whole and from the individual citizen. Communication and transparency therefore require constant attention. Particularly in the case of complex methods and techniques, it is very important that CBS involves society and properly explains what it is doing, why it is necessary and how it safeguards privacy.

4. Administrative burden

The production of statistics naturally requires data. Although CBS seeks to use government records and innovative data collection methods as much as possible, requesting data by means of surveys remains indispensable. CBS will continue to take explicit account of the burden caused by data requests and aims to limit the increase in the administrative burden as much as possible. CBS puts enterprises at the centre of its data collection. Good services, predictable requests, easy submission and reuse of business data are essential aspects. Existing solutions such as the automatic importing of business records will be expanded in the years ahead. In order to limit the perceived administrative burden and maintain the quality of response, CBS provides a business portal to help enterprises provide the requested data correctly and in a timely manner. This makes it clear when each questionnaire must be completed. Where possible, CBS adapts the questionnaires to make submissions easier and shorten the completion time. It is also investigating the potential to make innovative use of new data sources jointly with partners in order to limit the number of questionnaires. As a last resort, CBS deploys its enforcement tools where necessary. Compliance with the survey obligations by businesses increases the response. CBS therefore aims to make appropriate use of enforcement in cases of statistics where the provision of data by businesses is mandatory. Enforcing survey obligations against enterprises that do not comply is fairer for enterprises as a whole and ultimately limits the administrative burden.

Attention is focused not only on the mandatory surveys for enterprises but also on the ever diminishing participation in surveys of individuals. This is a worrying development, since a quantitatively and qualitatively high level of response is needed to maintain the quality of the results. CBS is introducing new forms of data collection, improving the questions and providing targeted incentives to facilitate participation and thus increase the response rate.

Multi-annual contribution

The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy provides the basic budget for the performance of CBS’ statutory duties. Every five years, the Director General of Statistics draws up a Multi-annual Programme outlining the main activities that CBS will perform. These activities fulfil CBS’ statutory duties and fit within the financial and organisational parameters.

The multi-annual contribution from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy is intended to fund CBS’ regular programme over the 2024-2028 period. This multi-annual contribution does not yet take into account wage and price compensation received during the year in question for increased wage costs and increased material costs. Additional contributions for new European statistical obligations have similarly not yet been taken into account. The amounts include the one-off contribution received in 2022 for the structural strengthening of ICT, of which an annual amount of €3.25 million can be allocated to the years 2024 to 2028 inclusive. The multi-annual contribution for the planning period is an average of around €172 million per year (in 2024 €172.2 million, in 2025 €170.6 million, in 2026 €170.7 million, in 2027 €172.8 million and in 2028 €172.8 million).

The starting position in 2024 is that most of the basic budget is required to produce European statistics. The remainder of the basic budget can be used to meet additional statistical requirements. The Multi-annual Programme 2024-2028 is based on the premise that the statistics financed from the basic budget of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy in 2023 will be continued.

Financial risks

For this Multi-annual Programme it is assumed that pay rises and pension contribution increases under collective labour agreements in 2024 and subsequent years will be compensated in full by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy. In addition, less than full compensation for wage increases agreed in collective labour agreements, pension costs, price rises or new tasks cannot be absorbed without consequences for the statistical programme. In such circumstances, CBS will consult the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy to reach appropriate solutions.

In addition to funding from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy, CBS expects requests for statistical information, in particular from government authorities, to generate more than €50 million per year in revenues in the new multi-annual period. If these revenues fall short, the fixed personnel costs will continue, which may have financial consequences. It was agreed in the working agreements between CBS and the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy that in the event of a substantial reduction in additional statistical services the Ministry would be jointly responsible for absorbing the losses. However, this will only apply in the event of a substantial problem caused by exogenous circumstances and not in the case of policy decisions initiated by CBS. Moreover, CBS cannot reasonably bear the consequences itself.

CBS must include a liability for outstanding holidays in its financial statements. The bulk of the leave balance consists of savings leave hours, which are usually taken or paid out at the end of employment. Due to the increased leave options available under the new 2022-2024 central government collective labour agreement, the amount of outstanding leave is expected to increase sharply in the years 2024 to 2028 inclusive. This will put additional pressure estimated at €2-3 million per year on the financial result and equity. CBS will consult the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy to find appropriate solutions.

At the beginning of 2022, CBS conducted discussions with various external parties, namely:

• Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations (BZK)
• Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy (EZK)
• Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management (IenW)
• Ministry of Justice and Security (JenV)
• Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW)
• Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment (SZW)
• Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS)

• Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis (CPB)
• PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL)
• Netherlands Institute for Social Research (SCP)
• National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM)
• Netherlands Scientific Council for Government Policy (WRR)

• Tax and Customs Administration (Belastingdienst)
• De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB)
• Chamber of Commerce (KVK)
• Employee Insurance Agency (UWV)

Discussions were held at the beginning of 2022 in the CBS users’ councils, in which various representatives from science, business and government are represented:

• Communication Council
• Business economic Statistics Users’ Council
• Macroeconomic Statistics Users’ Council
• Methodology Advisory Board Microdata Users’ Council
• Social Statistics and Statistics of the Living Environment Users’ Council

After the external consultation, an internal consultation took place within CBS. A number of broadly composed reflection teams were created for this purpose. Specific groups, namely young CBS employees and novice managers, were also asked to reflect. All groups provided their comments and suggestions for the Multi-annual Programme.

The discussions and the input from our own organisation formed the basis for the further discussions of the Board of Directors of CBS in the spring of 2022. The Advisory Council was also consulted as part of this process. In September 2022, the users’ councils were informed in greater detail about the main points of the Multi-annual Programme.

Introduction

This section contains an overview of all the regular statistical output of CBS. The statistics are grouped under twenty themes. The work programme is described for each theme, together with new user requirements conveyed in the external consultation.

As explained earlier in this Multi-annual Programme, CBS can only meet requests for new statistics if they are financed by the parties that use them. If the statistics concern a more general public interest, CBS may also receive financing for them from the government or from other central parties.

This list was compiled in the first half of 2022. If the funding of multi-annual financial programmes is discontinued during the 2024-2028 period, it will not be possible to continue producing those statistics. CBS will give notice of any changes that have occurred in its portfolio of statistics in the annual work programmes.

1. Labour and social security

This theme includes statistics that describe the situation in the labour market. They include characteristics of the labour force, wages and labour costs, employment, unemployment, absenteeism, social security benefits, vacancies, jobs, and redundancies. Statistics are also published on jobs in the regions and commuting distances, labour migration (broken down by background characteristics), and the flexibilisation of the labour market. Multi-annual programmes cover topics such as persons receiving benefits, pension and statutory pension (AOW) entitlements, regional labour market projections, the use of the Social Support Act (WMO) in each municipality, detailed figures for the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations’ models for budgetary allocations to municipalities, the impact of reintegration programmes, statistics on trade unions, resumption of work by people who have been receiving unemployment benefit, information about labour, care, and child care.

New needs of users 2024-2028:

• Insight into the effects of digitisation on employment and output.
• Insight into scarcity and tightness in the labour market (including unused labour potential) and the position of self-employed persons in this labour market.
• Transfer data within education and between education and the labour market at regional level.
• Data on how education meets the demands of the labour market.
• Insight into the contribution of new schemes such as NOW and STAP.

2. Enterprises

The key statistics for this theme are the figures for the EU’s harmonised business register, which CBS uses to describe business demographics in the Netherlands. They also include sector-specific figures for revenue development, industrial revenue by product group, corporate revenue and expenditure, stocks, production indices, investments, use of ICT and research & development and innovation by enterprises. Multi-annual programmes concern detailed figures on business demographics and economic developments (more frequent and with a further breakdown by region). Figures for innovation in specific sectors, information about the economic impact of ICT and about the ICT sector. Development of revenue from online sales in the retail sector, purchases by consumers through international websites. Website cyber security, digital resilience of enterprises, internet platforms (Airbnb, Uber, etc.). The publication State of SMEs.

New needs of users 2024-2028:

• More detailed information about industries, for example regarding debt problems and the automation and digitisation of enterprises.
• Information about dependencies of enterprises, the medium-term effects of the coronavirus crisis and in particular the effects of the NOW and STAP schemes.
• Information about start-ups and scale-ups and the development of tech companies.

3. Population

This theme focuses on the current state and development of the population in the Netherlands due to births, deaths, immigration and emigration, trends in households, population ageing, changes of nationality, the formation and dissolution of relationships, urban development, projections for population growth and life expectancy (once every three years) and a population and housing census (once every ten years).

Multi-annual programmes concern Information about changes in the living situation, the Emancipation Monitor, relationships between parents and children, the consequences of flexible working relationships for the family, levels of education, the Migrant Monitor, immigration and integration.

New needs of users 2024-2028:

• More statistics regarding sex and gender and the Personal Records Database classification in relation to people's self-identification.
• Figures on migration and people’s religion and regional attachment.
• Information about specific groups such as people with a migration background and the LGBTI community.
• Demographic data and socioeconomic status and income. More specifically, insight into migration flows from East Slavic former Soviet countries and more detailed information on Indonesia. 
  Insight into polarisation in society, trust in each other and the rule of law and “dropouts”.

4. Construction and housing

The focus of this theme is statistics on the nature and size of the housing stock and changes in them. Information on granted building permits and construction costs, the productive hours per employee in residential and non-residential construction, price indices for existing owner-occupied homes, new-build homes, costs of home ownership, trade in real estate, production of homes, buildings and civil engineering. Details at district and neighbourhood level. Multi-annual programmes concern data about the housing market around gas extraction areas, the capacity of municipalities to raise revenues on the basis of the rateable values of properties (WOZ values), changes in the ownership structure of the housing stock, research into transformations. Additional detailed information on the housing market (the WoON survey), National Vacant Property Monitor (Landelijke monitor leegstand).

New needs of users 2024-2028:

• More extensive data on the housing market, such as developments in supply and demand.
• An extension of Woonbase with more information from land register data.
• Data concerning housing and hybrid working and data concerning the physical living environment.

5. Financial and business services

The core of this theme is formed by information about holding companies (production and group services), the finances of large enterprises and annual statistics on developments in the financial markets and among investment funds. Other statistics concern the development of the revenues of car dealerships and the wholesale, services and transport sectors. Multi-annual programmes are: The State of SMEs, multi-annual analyses of key financial figures and interest paid by care institutions and research into the Financial Relations Act.

6. Health and welfare

This theme encompasses the health of persons, such as perceived health, the use of care (GP care, medicines, inpatient care, mental health care, specialist medical care etc.), lifestyle and causes of death. It also describes the health care sector by means of indicators such as the costs of care, employment in the health care sector and the revenues, costs and personnel of health care institutions and medical practices. Multi-annual programmes relate to subjects such as the use of facilities in the social domain, information for youth policy, the Youth Monitor, long-term care, persons with a disability, social cohesion and welfare, voluntary work, defaulters on health insurance premiums, standardised figures for mortality rates in hospitals, health surveys and social cohesion and welfare.

New needs of users 2024-2028:

• Coronavirus-related data, including data on the impact on public health and the economy, the labour market in health care and welfare, the effects of support policy, the role of delayed care in mortality, the medium-term effects on business activity, the way of working and COVID-19 vaccinations and infections.
• Mental consequences of increased working from home.
• Insight into the accumulation of issues, such as people with multiple problems.
• Insight into care outcomes.
• Data on allocation issues and broader, regional applications in the Monitor of Well-being.
• Sustainability and affordability of health care.
• Insight into how the growing need for health care can be met having regard to current developments in the labour market and the extent to which technology and innovation, such as robotisation of health care, can play a role.
• Data on the impact of technology and digitisation on people's lives.

7. Energy

The Dutch Energy Balance Sheet (extraction, imports, exports, stocks, conversion and consumption of energy per energy carrier), means of production of electricity, details of production and consumption of renewable energy, key figures for energy efficiency in homes, energy prices and turnover and annual financial figures of energy companies. The increasingly intensive EU energy policy and the changing energy system have led to a substantial expansion of the regular programme from the 2022 reporting year. New topics are hydrogen, batteries, faster statistics and more details of energy use in services and transport and from biomass, solar power and electricity production. Multi-annual programmes concern energy balance data for each sector and economic indicators for the Climate and Energy Outlook (KEV), regional data on energy consumption by households and enterprises, key figures on energy efficiency in enterprises, energy consumption by enterprises broken down by tax band and rate, more detailed energy prices and household energy bills. In the VIVET partnership (programme for improving the provision of information for the energy transition), projects are being conducted at the request of municipalities, provincial governments and energy regions to fill gaps in information provision at regional level with regard to the built environment and renewable energy.

New needs of users 2024-2028:

• Energy transition. This includes data on polarisation, the use of different energy sources, the need to accelerate sustainability while maintaining security of supply and the effects of this on business and society. The needs also arise from the objectives of the European Green Deal and the “Fit for 55” package and their translation into Dutch policy plans and objectives that require monitoring.

8. Income and expenditure

This theme covers statistics describing the status and development of the wealth of individuals and households, incomes in relation to living conditions and consumer spending by households, consumer confidence, the tax burden on incomes and economic independence. Multi-annual programmes concern the determination of purchasing power parities, a Poverty Monitor for various municipalities, the number of low-income households (for the purpose of allocating money from provincial and municipal funds), detailed data on poverty, welfare and quality of life, budget research.

New needs of users 2024-2028:

• Insight into income inequality and social inequality.
• Comparing various occupational groups in the public sectors in terms of income and expenditure data.

9. International trade

International trade in goods and services, details of international transport flows by mode of transport, statistics on international value chains, internationalisation and globalisation, socioeconomic effects of globalisation. Multi-annual programmes are the Internationalisation Monitor, with recent developments and analyses of international trade, international interconnectedness and globalisation. This Monitor provides facts and insights to support the public debate on internationalisation. Studies are also conducted on the following themes relating to globalisation and value chains: The Netherlands as a manufacturing or trading country, the relationship between imports and business performance, capital structure, economic interconnectedness and internationalisation and the impact of globalisation on employment.

New needs of users 2024-2028:

• Information on sustainability in relation to trade flows.
• Information about value chains and strategic dependencies due to the increasing importance of geopolitics.
• Financial interconnectedness with foreign countries.

10. Agriculture

This theme covers statistics on estimated crops, livestock herds, animal production, fisheries and aquaculture, organic farming and pesticides. It also includes information on the enterprise population and the agricultural labour force, the area under crops, the number of animals, types of business and economic scale. Multi-annual programmes focus among other things on financial information from farms and on agricultural commodities that contribute to deforestation. These primarily concern the production of timber, soya, palm oil, cacao and coffee. Sustainable production can prevent deforestation.

11. Macroeconomics

The core of this programme comprises national accounts, regional accounts, monthly indicators for the Dutch economy, figures on productivity and calculations of economic growth. Macroeconomic indicators in the national accounts include economic growth, the government deficit and the disposable income of households. The national accounts also provide data on consumption, investments, imports and exports and employment. Economic reports cover manufacturing output, bankruptcies, international trade, consumption, investments, owner-occupied homes, producer and consumer confidence, temporary employment agencies and the hospitality industry and the Business Cycle Tracer. Multi-annual programmes are the Business Survey Netherlands (COEN), which measures the expectations of businesses in order to gauge the business climate. Another publication is the Monitor of Well-being, which contains data on income and matters such as education, health and the environment. The Monitor is used among other things for the Accountability Debate in May.

New needs of users 2024-2028:

• More insight into heterogeneity in macroeconomics and into distinctions in groups, for example to describe wealth inequality.
• Continuing development of indicators for the Monitor of Well-being with greater regionalisation so that the Monitor can also be used for regional issues.
• Greater insight into value chains because of the importance of being able to monitor major transitions in energy, climate, sustainability and the circular economy.

12. Nature and environment

This theme covers information on sustainability and well-being, the costs and financing of environmental policy and environmental costs for enterprises. Statistics are also published on greenhouse gases, the use of pesticides in agriculture and by government authorities, water consumption and water bills, waste and material flows, as well as financial data on all these aspects. Multi-annual programmes on this theme focus on providing more specific information about the broad concept of well-being, the SDGs, quality assurance in the monitoring of nature for the purpose of international agreements, trends in indicators for species and biodiversity, manure statistics and nutrient budgets, emissions into water, the country’s natural capital and municipal waste.

New needs of users 2024-2028:

• Structural monitoring of sustainability and environmental indicators, including citizens’ perception of problems. Examples of required output are the materials monitor, footprint calculations, data on environmental damage and information on the circular economy. This includes information about the plastics chain, consumption relative to second-hand purchases, marketed textiles, waste from offices, shops and the service sector, as well as volumes of hazardous substances, biotic waste streams and information about new substances and products. This concerns not only the information itself, but also cross-links between the environment and other policy areas.
• With regard to the natural capital accounts, users need information on the North Sea.
• Figures in the field of climate adaptation are also required, as is information on water board levies in relation to investments in the duty of care and water quality.

13.  Education

This theme focuses on statistics concerning educational institutions, pupils and students, early school leavers, student careers, vocational education and training, lifelong learning, the financing of education and international comparisons of education.

Multi-annual programmes are the Youth Monitor, Emancipation Monitor, contributions to the education in figures website, links between education and the labour market, educational disadvantages and cohort research.

New needs of users 2024-2028:

• Data on employee skills and their development.
• More insight into transfer data within education and between education and the labour market, particularly at regional level.
• Quality of education, equality of opportunity, digitisation and young people/new entrants as well as research and innovation.

14.  Government and politics

Statistics on this theme relate to the government finances. They cover income and expenditure, tax revenue by tax type, social benefits, social insurance data, expenditure by function, the government’s balance sheet, government debt and deficit (EMU criteria, EDP) for each tier of government. The theme also encompasses details of the budgets of municipalities, provincial governments and water boards. Multi-annual programmes relate to additional funding that local authorities and provincial governments can receive to implement specific central government policies. These are hypothecated payments. The spending of these funds is accounted for in the Single information, Single audit (SiSa) system. CBS provides the logistics for the required information.

New needs of users 2024-2028:

• Consequences of decentralisation of government tasks.
• Developments in the field of investment funds set up by the government.

15. Prices

Figures for the consumer price index and inflation, producer prices in industry, service prices, rent survey, average prices of energy for end-users, fuel prices, price indices for the cost of home ownership, price indices for new and existing owner-occupied homes, production of housing and other buildings, civil engineering and construction. Multi-annual programmes are European price comparisons and the determination of purchasing power parities (ESTAT ECP-PPP), developments in prices of inland shipping services.

New needs of users 2024-2028:

• More insight into the consequences of high energy prices and related inflation for various incomes/population groups, including the inhabitants of the Caribbean Netherlands.

16.  Security and justice

This theme focuses on information about registered crime and personal information relating to prosecution, trial, prison sentences, victim support, debt restructuring and legal aid. The statistics also record personal experiences of victims of crime and public perceptions of safety. This category also includes statistics on asylum and residence.

Multi-annual programmes concern contributions to research and publications on the subjects of security, detainees, juvenile delinquency and sub-regional data and open data relating to police figures and crime. This also includes information about youth protection and juvenile rehabilitation. Long-term research is also being conducted into the residence status and integration of asylum seekers and status holders and data is collected and analysed for the monitoring and evaluation of the new Civic Integration Act.

New needs of users 2024-2028:

• Subversive crime and its effects on society, the illegal economy and undeclared work and the risks associated with the further digitisation of society, such as cybercrime.
• Data concerning economic security, such as cyber security of individuals and enterprises.
• Data on less visible phenomena such as discrimination.

17.  Traffic and transport

Freight and passenger transport by mode, transport operations and traffic intensity, emissions from road traffic, the motor vehicle fleet, revenues of the transport sector, production statistics for transport companies. Multi-annual programmes are the National Travel Survey (ODiN) of mobility in the Netherlands; road length: basic information on goods transport; Vehicle Emission Shipment Data Interface (VESDI); container transport; circular economy; National Mobility Data Access Point (NTM) and inland shipping price movements.

New needs of users 2024-2028:

• Regionalisation of data and new statistics to track the transition to sustainable mobility.
• More and better insight into mobility, commuter flows, goods transport.
• Breakdowns between electric and hybrid vehicles and between new modes of transport in the light electric vehicle (LEV) and light electric freight vehicle (LEFV) categories.

18.  Recreation, culture and religion

Statistics on overnight accommodation, holidays taken by Dutch citizens, short-stay recreational and business trips abroad by Dutch citizens, sports accommodation, sports clubs and fitness centres. Multi-annual programmes are tourism accounts (contribution to GDP, employment, expenditure), recreational facilities, research into recreational activities, dashboard on trends in tourism, recreation and leisure activities, sports accounts, cultural accounts, statistics on cultural activities: museums, libraries and performing arts.

New needs of users 2024-2028:

• Data concerning festivals, the culture and media sector, migration and religion.

19.  Regional and spatial statistics

This theme focuses on information at district and neighbourhood level (CBSinUwBuurt.nl), statistics about proximity to amenities, key data broken down at different regional levels, grid square statistics, postcode statistics, statistics on rural and urban development; the urbanisation issue. Multi-annual programmes relate to spatial data for the standards in the Financial Relations Act, data on changes in land use in the Netherlands, the spatial effects of planning policy (Infrastructure and Spatial Planning Monitor (MIR), National Environmental Vision Document (NOVI) Monitor. Developing and providing access to regional economic indicators.

New needs of users 2024-2028:

• Regional, subregional and cross-border figures, partly as a result of decentralisation, for more targeted monitoring and control in the development and implementation of policy, including at regional level. For example, regional figures on the age profile, people’s attachments, commuting flows, data on investments and types of economic activities and further developments of well-being indicators.
• Number of people and economic value in areas outside dykes or areas behind primary and regional flood defences.

20.  Caribbean Netherlands

CBS publishes statistics on subjects such as population, labour, safety, prices, tourism, health and culture in the Caribbean Netherlands. Unlike the European Netherlands, no specific statistical obligations / regulations apply to the Caribbean Netherlands. The Multi-annual Programme is adopted every four years. Multi-annual programmes include the topics of gross domestic product, income, purchasing power and the income position of households in the Caribbean Netherlands compared to the social minimum benchmark set by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment, jobs and wages, a housing price index, a price level measurement, the Caribbean Netherlands Youth Monitor, and from 2022 also a Monitor of Well-being for the Caribbean Netherlands.

New needs of users 2024-2028:

• Regionalised information. In the case of the Caribbean Netherlands, this mainly concerns specific information about price developments and household incomes, for specific policy decisions concerning the minimum subsistence level.
• Kingdom-wide comparative information, for example with regard to prices, but also in the broad social context of the Sustainable Development Goals.
• Data and information concerning housing in the Caribbean Netherlands, for example on the housing stock.
• Support for the Country Packages, including a measure aimed at improving statistics.
• Insight into cross-links between the physical and social living environment.

21. Blaise: Advanced software for questionnaires

The final theme in this work programme concerns not statistics but an important tool for collecting survey information. Blaise is a software platform used to create and conduct questionnaires for official statistical processes with computer-assisted interviewing and methodological requirements. CBS developed Blaise 34 years ago to fulfil its own statutory duties. Blaise is used by national and regional statistical institutes, universities and research organisations around the world and thus contributes to international standardisation. Customers pay a cost-covering licence fee to CBS to use Blaise. New technological possibilities, new user wishes and increased requirements and information security make it necessary to continuously develop and maintain the Blaise software and to support users. Blaise thus contributes to effective and efficient data collection by CBS and more than a hundred statistical institutes around the world.

New needs of users 2024-2028:

• The use of so-called Smart Surveys relying on various data sources and external sensors in order to further reduce the administrative burden for citizens and enterprises and further increase the response rate.
• Further development work for surveys by various means (online, telephone, face to face, etc.).
• Further cloud integration.