CIMES - Lithuania

Access to microdata for scientific purposes 

in European countries

Access to microdata for scientific purposes in Lithuania

flag of lithuania

Contact

Name of the microdata access service

Valstybės duomenų agentūra / State Data Agency (Statistics Lithuania)

Postal address

Gedimino Ave. 29,
01500 Vilnius, Lithuania

Email

info@stat.gov.lt

Website

https://osp.stat.gov.lt/pradinis

Access conditions

General conditions

Respondent-level statistical data can be made available in two forms. Highly anonymised data from some social surveys, that allow neither direct nor indirect re- identification of statistical units (public use files), are available to all for use. Other microdata, with direct identifiers removed, are available exclusively for scientific purposes; only researchers with an employment contract with higher education or research institutions as identified in Lithuanian law, can apply.
Statistics Lithuania currently carries out a project which will allow scientific institutions to work with microdata via secure Internet connection. After certain procedures (checking of the institution, signing of a contract, etc.), the microdata requested are prepared and uploaded to a special server. Users can receive only tabular results, previously inspected by the specialists of Statistics Lithuania.

Conditions for non-resident researchers

Non-resident researchers, whose institutions qualify as Higher Education or Research Institutions, may have access under the same conditions as national researchers.

Conditions for students

Doctoral students preparing their thesis may have access under the same conditions as confirmed researchers; undergraduate and postgraduate (master's) students are allowed to access only public use files and cannot apply for research-use data.

Legal framework

Law on Official Statistics and State Data Governance of the Republic of Lithuania, 1993 No I-270 (valid version 2024): https://e-seimas.lrs.lt/portal/legalAct/lt/TAD/TAIS.5592/asr 

Law on the Right to Obtain Information from State and Municipal Institutions and Agencies of the Republic of Lithuania, 2000 No VIII-1524 (valid version 2024): https://e-seimas.lrs.lt/portal/legalAct/lt/TAD/TAIS.94745/asr 

Law on Science and Studies of the Republic of Lithuania, 2009 No XI-242 (valid version 2024): https://e-seimas.lrs.lt/portal/legalAct/lt/TAD/TAIS.343430/asr 

How much does it cost?

Preparation of files (whether for public or scientific use) is chargeable at a price that depends on time spent on it, at an average hourly rate annually approved by the Director General of Statistics Lithuania (in 2024, EUR 29).

Price of services rendered by the State Data Agency is calculated in accordance with the legislation in force, based on the currently applicable hourly rate and additional preparation costs. The price depends on the complexity of data production and the resources used. In order to receive more accurate information on the currently valid prices, we recommend contacting the State Data Agency directly or familiarizing yourself with the following documents: the Description of the Procedure for Calculating Remuneration for the Work Performed by the State Data Agency and the Work Performance Rates, approved by the Order of the Director General of the State Data Agency.

How long does it take to obtain data?

Access to public use files is immediate. Access to scientific files, which requires an application and contract to be signed, takes more time. After a user has submitted an application, the State Data Agency makes a decision. It can take a few days or several weeks; the duration between the request for access and the first use of data depends on the following factors: 

  • Quality of the request (is all relevant information correct and available).
  • Requested data (datasets from standard supply are faster available than project-specific processing).
  • Current workload at the State Data Agency.
  • Time needed to draft a contract and, if applicable, to produce data.
  • Time necessary for the institution to return a signed contract.

Once the contract is in place, the user has 30 days to make any payment required.

Information on access

For further details: https://osp.stat.gov.lt/

Other

Open Statistical Survey Data: https://open-data-ls-osp-sdg.hub.arcgis.com/pages/statistiniai-tyrimai 

Law on Official Statistics and State Data Governance of the Republic of Lithuania: https://e-seimas.lrs.lt/portal/legalAct/lt/TAD/TAIS.5592/asr 

Types of microdata available for Lithuania

Public Use Files (PUF)

Public use files are available free-of-charge, and under no pre-condition, from the website of Statistics Lithuania. Public use files may also be made on demand (but the preparation service is chargeable); once prepared, the files are made available freely to the public from the web.

Scientific Use Files (SUF)

The prospective user must submit a written application detailing the intended purpose of data use; description of data requested; names of all persons involved in the analysis; and timing. The application must be signed by the head of the institution of the researcher, or an authorized representative. The application is then received by the dissemination section of Statistics Lithuania and, if it is approved, a contract is prepared which specifies the conditions, timing and mode of the data release, price to be paid, and obligations of the parties. The contract is signed by Statistics Lithuania & a representative of the institution of the researcher(s). The latter must also sign a pledge, with a commitment to protect the confidentiality of the data, not to release data to third parties, to use the data only for the agreed purposes, and to destroy the data after completion of the project. Once the agreement is in place and the contract has been signed, the data can be released, usually on CD-ROM.

Secure Use Files (SecUF)

The possibility of a secure mode of access is being considered.

Access to microdata by type of person

 

Public Use Files

Scientific Use Files

Secure Use Files

Public

Yes

No

N/A

Students

Yes

No

N/A

PhD students

Yes

Yes

N/A

Researchers

Yes

Yes

N/A

Foreign researchers

Yes

Yes

N/A

Modes of access by microdata type

 

Public Use Files

Scientific Use Files

Secure Use Files

Online access

Yes

No

N/A

For download

Yes

No

N/A

Onsite access

No

Yes

N/A

Remote access

Yes

Yes

N/A

Remote execution

N/A

Yes

N/A

 

Microdatasets available for Lithuania

Other access points in Europe

Disclaimer

The pages above provide information on microdata disseminated at the national level by the statistical institutes in the European countries and on microdata disseminated by Eurostat.  The pages describe the data and the procedures for requesting access as well as the available types of microdata files (Public Use Files, Scientific Use Files, and Secure Use Files).

This information was initially collected by CASD/GENES for the CIMES database developed for Data without Boundaries project (funded by the 7th Framework Programme, the EU's research funding programme between 2007 and 2013). CIMES stands for Centralising and Integrating Metadata from European Statistics. Various organisations (ADP, CED, CNRS-Réseau Quetelet, FORS, GESIS, RODA, ONS, and UL) contributed to the creation of CIMES by collecting and structuring the metadata for the period of the Data without Boundaries project (2011-2015). In 2021, Eurostat moved the CIMES database to the CROS platform to facilitate updates of countries' information. Eurostat would like to thank all CIMES developers, especially CASD, for sharing the CIMES database and for all efficient collaboration.