Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union

F3: Labour market

2920 Luxembourg LUXEMBOURG

This ad-hoc module "transition from work to retirement" aimed at answering the following main questions:

• how people leave the labour market,
• why they left the labour market,
• why they did not stay longer and,
• how long the active population, aged 50 to 69, expects to be in the labour market.

The EU-LFS results are produced in accordance with the relevant international classification systems. The main classifications used are NACE Rev. 2 for economic activity, ISCO 88 (COM) and ISCO 08 (from 2011) for occupation and ISCED 1997 for the level of education. Actual coding in the EU-LFS may deviate to some extent from those general standards; for more details on classifications, levels of aggregation and transition rules, please consult EU-LFS (Statistics Explained) - Methodology.

Not applicable

Target population of the survey

The LFS ad hoc module for 2012 includes those persons who live in private households, are aged 50 – 69 and who are either a) working at the time of the survey or b) not working at time of the survey but who did work after the age of 50. This group will be referred to as the target population of the survey.

Some of the questions in the survey were limited further, thus dealing with sub-groups of the survey. See detailed information on each table published in the paragraphs below:

Online tables

Persons who receive a pension (PENSION/COL. 197)

This table shows (in thousand persons) the size of the groups of persons who receive a pension and who do not receive a pension. It also, as the only table in this set, shows how many persons were not in the target population of the survey (this being the ‘non applicable’ group, available by country). The results are distributed by 5-year age groups, by sex, and by being employed or not employed.

Persons who receive a pension, by types of pensions (PENSTYPE/COL. 198-205)

The table shows the percentage of those receiving a certain type of pension in the target population of the survey. Three breakdowns are available: persons receiving any type of pension, those receiving an old-age pension irrespectively of the type of old-age pension and those receiving statutory old-age pensions only.

Age at which the person first received an old-age pension (AGEPENS/COL. 207-208)

This table shows mean and median ages (expressed in years) at which persons received an old-age pension for the first time. Results are available by sex.

Early retirement among persons who receive an old-age pension (EARLYRET/COL. 206)

The table shows the proportion of persons who used an early retirement scheme among those who receive an old-age pension. The proportion of those who did not use an early retirement scheme as well as the proportion of those not answering the question is provided as well. Results are broken down by sex. Results for Germany and Norway are suppressed due to high non-response.

Persons who reduced their working hours in a move towards retirement (REDUCHRS/COL. 211)

The question was asked to two different sub-populations: 1) employed persons and 2) economically inactive persons who receive a pension. Please note that the target population is different from the other questions in the survey, thus presenting the population aged 55 – 69. The table shows those who reduced their working hours in a gradual move towards full retirement, as percentage of the respondents to this question. Results are provided by sex and employment status. Results for Ireland and the UK are suppressed due to incomplete data collection.

Economically inactive persons who receive a pension who would have wished to stay longer in employment (WORKLONG/COL. 210)

This variable gives information on how many persons, among those who receive a pension and at the same time are economically inactive, would have wanted to stay longer in employment at the time of leaving employment. Results are expressed in percentage and provided by sex.

Main reason for persons who receive a pension to continue working (STAYWORK/COL. 212)

This table shows the reasoning behind staying in employment, for persons already receiving a pension. In the cases when more reasons applied, only the main reason was selected. Results are provided by current working arrangement (full-time or part-time).

Main reason for economically inactive persons who receive a pension to quit working (REASNOT/COL. 209)

Economically inactive persons who receive a pension were asked for the main reason for why they left employment. They were provided with eight different answering options. Results are provided by sex.

Methodology notes:

For more details on the defintions and concepts in the EU-LFS, please consult EU-LFS (Statistics Explained) - Methodology.

Detailed information on the relevant methodology for the ad-hoc module (including the Commission regulation and explanatory notes) as well as to national documentation (national questionnaires and interviewers instructions) can be found on EU-LFS (Statistics Explained) - Ad-hoc modules.

The statistical units consist of persons living in private households.

The target population of the survey consisted of persons aged 50 – 69 who also are either a) working at the time of the survey or b) not working at time of the survey but who did work after the age of 50.

European Union, Euro area, the 28 EU-Member States, three EFTA countries (Iceland, which at the same time is a candidate country, Norway and Switzerland). Data for Cyprus refer only to the areas of Cyprus controlled by the Government of the Republic of Cyprus. Data for France do not include the overseas departments (DOM).

Differences between countries: either second quarter 2012, or first to fourth quarter 2012, or first and second quarter 2012

Not applicable.

Commission Regulation (EC) No 365/2008 adopting the programme of 2010 to 2012 of ad hoc modules to the labour force sample survey provided by Council Regulation (EC) No 577/98

Commission Regulation (EC) No 0249/2011 adopting the specifications of the 2012 ad hoc module on transition from work to retirement provided by Council Regulation (EC) No 577/98

No international agreements for data sharing.

Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 on European statistics (recital 24 and Article 20(4)) of 11 March 2009 (OJ L 87, p. 164), stipulates the need to establish common principles and guidelines ensuring the confidentiality of data used for the production of European statistics and the access to those confidential data with due account for technical developments and the requirements of users in a democratic society.

EU-LFS micro data as received by Eurostat from the national statistical institutes does not contain any administrative information such as names or addresses that would allow direct identification. Access to this micro data is nevertheless strictly controlled and limited to specified Eurostat staff. After data treatment, records are aggregated for all further use.

For more information on publications guidelines and thresholds, please consult: EU-LFS - Data and publications.

LFS data for ad-hoc modules are released after the end of the reference period once data processing and validation is terminated. This is not scheduled in a release calendar.

Not applicable

In line with the Community legal framework and the European Statistics Code of Practice Eurostat disseminates European statistics on Eurostat's website (see item 10 - 'Dissemination format') respecting professional independence and in an objective, professional and transparent manner in which all users are treated equitably. The detailed arrangements are governed by the Eurostat protocol on impartial access to Eurostat data for users

Not applicable.

The evaluation report summarizes the main definitions and findings of the 2012 LFS (Labour Force Survey) ad hoc module on ‘transition from work to retirement’. To access the report, please consult EU-LFS (Statistics Explained) - Ad-hoc modules.

Please consult free data on-line or contact ESTAT-LFS-USER-SUPPORT@ec.europa.eu.

EU-LFS anonymized microdata are available for research purposes. Please consult access to microdata.

Not applicable

For information on the 2012 LFS (Labour Force Survey) ad hoc module on 'transition from work to retirement', please consult EU-LFS (Statistics Explained) - Ad-hoc modules.

For a detailed description of methods and concepts used, as well as for other documents related to the EU-LFS, for general information please consult the EU-LFS (Statistics Explained) webpage. 

The EU-LFS also disseminates publications on the methodology of the survey. For more information please consult: Quality reports and methodological publications.

Please consult the evaluation report at EU-LFS (Statistics Explained) - Ad-hoc modules.

The concern for the quality of labour statistics in general and of the Labour Force Survey in particular has been expressed in Regulations, reflected in harmonised definitions and discussed in Working groups (such as the Labour Markey Statistics Working Group and its predecessor the Employment Statistics Working Group), workshops and seminars within the European statistical system.

Concerning the Labour Force Survey, major milestones in the improvement of its quality have been the adoption of Council Regulation (EC) No 577/98 on the organisation of a continuous, quarterly sample survey in the Community; the adoption of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1897/2000 concerning the operational definition of unemployment and the 12 principles for formulating questions on labour status; the adoption of Regulation (EC) No 1991/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council making the continuous survey mandatory from 2003 onwards (except Italy from 2004 and Germany from 2005) and the adoption of Regulation (EC) No 2257/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council extending the survey characteristics and introducing the distinction between structural and quarterly variables.

Eurostat and the Member States have continuously worked also on a voluntary basis to improve the quality of the Labour Force Survey. Annual quality reports were introduced in 2002 and quarterly accuracy reports were introduced in 2004. Standards and rules for preparing ad hoc modules were adopted in 2004. At the initiative of Member States, a programme of annual LFS workshops was started in 2005.

The overall quality of LFS statistics is considered as high. LFS surveys are considered as reliable sources applying high standards with regard to the methodology. However, the LFS, like all surveys, is based upon a sample of the population. The results are therefore subject to the usual types of errors associated with random sampling. Based on the sample size and design in the various Member States, Eurostat implements basic guidelines intended to avoid publication of figures that are unreliable or to give warning of the unreliability of the figures.

Eurostat analyses the outcome of the survey.  The results are published in the final evaluation report. Please consult EU-LFS (Statistics Explained) - Ad-hoc modules.

A multiannual ad hoc module programme is agreed between Eurostat, the National Statistical Institutes and the main policy users (basically Commission services).

EU-LFS results are used mainly by the DG Employment and a number of other Directorates of the Commission for measurement and monitoring of policy agendas purposes. Key users include National Statistics Institutes (NSIs), international organisations, news agencies and researchers, which use of various aspects of EU-LFS data for international or intra EU comparisons. Finally, LFS data are used by Eurostat for compiling detailed regional indicators, for estimates on current education and education levels, higher education and research, and for accurate estimates of labour input of national accounts.

Eurostat does not carry out any satisfaction survey targeted at users of labour markets statistics. All new requests for labour market statistics are subject to scrutiny by the national experts and representatives of the NSIs and in particular for major topics of interest, for social research the instrument of ad hoc modules is used. The main institutional users other than the Commission are also known to the unit for Labour Market Statistics. Many of them are frequently consulted on various aspects of development and dissemination of labour force statistics.

Even if otherwise adhering to the EU-regulations on the EU-LFS, countries do not always provide data for all the variables. This can be for various reasons, such as assessment that the variable in question is irrelevant to the labour market situation in the country or (temporary) inability to implement the variable in the national questionnaire.

Some NSIs implement the full set of questions only in the spring or to a certain survey wave. For more details see evaluation report at EU-LFS (Statistics Explained) - Ad-hoc modules.

The overall accuracy is considered as high. The LFS covers persons aged 15 years and over, living in private households, to ensure a comparable coverage for all countries. The sampling designs in the LFS are chosen on a country by country basis (sampling rates vary between 0.2 % and 1.6 % ). Most of the National Statistics Institutes employ multi-staged stratified random sample design, especially those that do not have central population registers available. As the results are based on a sample of population they are subject to the usual types of errors associated with sampling techniques and interviews.

For the sample size per country see evaluation report at EU-LFS (Statistics Explained) - Ad-hoc modules.

Not available.

According to Commission Regulation (EC) No 365/2008 of 23 April 2008 adopting the programme of ad hoc modules, covering the years 2010, 2011 and 2012, the deadline for the transmission of results of the AHM 2012 was 31 March 2013. The release of EU-LFS data is not bound by an advance calendar of publication.

All 31 participating countries (EU28 + IS, NO, CH) delivered the data on time, namely before 31 March 2013. Several countries sent revisions after the initial transmission. Initial validation of the data sets was finished in May 2013.

For details on comparability see evaluation report at EU-LFS (Statistics Explained) - Ad-hoc modules.

Not applicable.

Other datasets on this topic are not available.

Published estimates stemming from the LFS are considered fully internally coherent, since arithmetic and accounting identities in the production of LFS datasets are observed.

LFS data for ad-hoc modules, once released, are not usually revised, unless major errors are identified in the data delivered or in their processing. Exceptional revisions may happen e.g. after new estimates of population from a population census.

Not applicable.

The source of the data is the European Union Labour Force Survey (EU LFS). The EU LFS is a rotating random sample survey of persons in private households. It is organised in thirteen modules, covering their demographic background, labour status, employment characteristics of the main job, hours worked, employment characteristics of the second job, time-related underemployment, search for employment, education and training, previous work experience of persons not in employment, situation one year before the survey, main labour status, income, and technical items relating to the interview. An additional so-called ad-hoc module can be added to address specific subjects that change from year to year. For details see Council Regulation (EC) No 577/98 of 9 March 1998 on the organisation of a labour force sample survey in the Community (OJ No L 77/3).

Data collection is quarterly or annually.

The data is acquired by interviewing the sampled individuals directly. For the sample design and rotation patterns applied in each country, please consult the EU-LFS (Statistics Explained) webpage.

Prior to the dissemination of national data, LFS results are validated by the Member States and checked for plausibility by Eurostat.

EU and Euro area aggregates are calculated on the basis of quarterly population totals. The aggregates  for the results "persons who reduced their working hours in a move towards retirement (REDUCHRS) are without Ireland and the United Kindgdom (see also 3.4). For the data expressed in absolute values for each quarter (i.e. number of persons) no weighting is used - aggregate figures are calculated by adding up all the national data series.

Rates/Ratios are subsequently calculated from the data expressed in absolute values (i.e. number of persons).

No adjustments.