Statistics and confidentiality
- the Portuguese case
Work session on statistical confidentiality
Geneva, 9 - 11 November 2005
Ana Dulce Pinto
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Statistics and confidentiality - the Portuguese case
1. Cross legal references concerning confidentiality
G
E
N
D
A
2. Organization of the Portuguese Statistical System
– INE (NSI) Statistics Council (SC), other public
bodies
3. Definition, importance and boundaries of
confidentiality in the system
4. The future of statistical confidentiality: what
exists, what may be improved, what can be done
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

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Council Regulation 1588/90 - Transmission of Confidential
Statistical Data from INE to Eurostat
Statistical Law – Council Regulation CE/322/97
Commission Regulation 831/2002, Access of scientific researchers
to Confidential European Statistics
---------------------------------------------------------------------------The Personal Data Directive – 95/46/EC
 National Statistical Law - nº 6/89
 Law 294/2001 – access, collection and processing personal data obtained
through administrative sources
Personal Data Protection Law

Law 67/98
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
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 INE – three main purposes:
• Statistical production:
dissemination
data
collection,
processing
and
• Statistical training
• Statistical cooperation with other countries mainly in Europe
and Africa
 SC – supervision and coordination of the statistical system:
includes requests and decisions about confidentiality matters.
Other public bodies – same purposes as INE
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 Definition: the privacy of data providers, the confidentiality of the
information they provide and its use only for statistical purposes must
be absolutely guaranteed (European Statistics Code of Practice)
Importance: keeping the confidence of respondents assuring that
the information they provide will be used only for statistical purposes.
Boundaries: main rule that denies the transmission of information
related to individual units by INE, as well as the access to individual
statistical data by any public authority.
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 What exists?
Specific limitations of the law concerning access to confidential
statistical data:
1 – To preserve the competition among businesses;
2 – To guarantee respondents trust in the system;
3 – To assure that required statistical information refers only to
juridical persons;
4 – To assure that requested information will only be used for planning
and coordination purposes or international economical relations.
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 What may be improved?
How to conciliate the increasing demands for confidential statistical
data with the need to preserve respondents’ trust in statistical
institutions?
• Taking advantage of international benchmarking;
• Assuring efficient co-ordination between the statistical services and
the public body which takes the responsibility for personal data
protection and control;
• Increasing the use of data obtained through administrative sources.
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 What can be done?
•Harmonised statistical methods for confidentiality treatment, resulting from
different combined approaches such as statistical, juridical, methodological and
administrative.
•Special unit for providing integrated proposals and solutions relating to
confidentiality matters, which could function as a link between INE and SC.
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 What can be done?
• New legal solution to provide a good communication between INE and
National Data Protection Commission.
• New legal purposes to be considered as exceptions to statistical
confidentiality, such as scientific research, public health or criminal
investigation.
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Obrigada!
Thank you for your attention!
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