ACCESS AND REQUEST FOR DATA AND FILES

Access and request for data and files

As a public consortium that develops research activities, the Institut Metròpoli is committed to the management and administration of scientific data, guaranteeing compliance with the requirements of funding bodies, as well as data protection and the FAIR guiding principle (findable, accessible, interoperable, reusable).

In this sense, you will find a lot of open information on the web through several ways:

• In the Research tab  you will find the results of the studies on the set of thematic areas of the Metropolis Institute.
• You can also access updated statistical information through the Barcelona Metropolitan Indicators System (SIMBA) and the AMB in figures.
• In the Publications tab  you will find copies of the Journal Papers or the Anuari Metropolità de Barcelona, as well as other articles and dissemination materials.

In addition, the Metropolis Institute makes available to you different types of research data. These are fully accessible as long as the required ethical, legal and technical conditions are met. Here, you will find detailed procedures for accessing or requesting access to these different types of research data:

1. Graphics, Tables and Data Protected by Image Rights.
2. Open microdata files for public use.
3. Confidential microdata files for scientific purposes.

Please follow the procedures indicated to ensure proper use of your data and respect for intellectual property rights and confidentiality.

If you need more information you can write to us at: cessio.dades@institutmetropoli.cat

1. Procedure for accessing Graphics, Tables and Data Protected by Image Rights

Some of our published assets, such as charts, tables, and other data, may be protected by image rights. To gain access to these resources, we ask that you follow the following procedure:

1. Please send a written request cessio.dades@institutmetropoli.cat  indicating the specific work (graphic/image/table, etc.) of your interest, a detailed explanation of how you will use these resources, and why you need to access them.
2. We will send you a document of assignment of intellectual property rights that you must return signed and we will contact the author.
3. Once your application is approved, we will provide you with access to the requested resources.

2. Procedure for Access to Open Data Files for Public Use

The Metropolis Institute makes open microdata files available to the public public. These files contain individual statistical data, duly anonymised (to preserve the confidentiality of information) and selected (to guarantee the precision requirements established by Eurostat and Idescat).

To access these files follow these steps:

1. Visit our website and navigate to the section “Surveys and Data Sources“.
2. Select the subject area or study you are interested in.
3. Download the data file and use it according to your needs.
4. If you do not find the information you want or it is not accessible at this time, write us an email at: cessio.dades@institutmetropoli.cat. Please include a brief introduction and interest in getting this information. We will contact you to inform you about the steps and procedures to follow.

3. Procedure for accessing confidential data files for scientific purposes

Research staff at research centres recognised by Idescat and Eurostat (listing), can access confidential data for their research, provided that the data does not allow the direct identification of the natural or legal persons involved (in accordance with current legislation on data protection and statistical secrecy).

These points summarise the procedure for requesting access to data:

1. Request for confidential data
2. Evaluation of the application
3. Delivery of confidential data
4. Destruction of confidential data

The different points of the procedure are explained below and the documentation required to access confidential data files for scientific purposes is described.

1. Request for confidential data

To formalize access to confidential data for scientific purposes, you must write to the Institut Metròpoli requesting access to these data and fill in the attached Application Form , which must contain detailed information on the following elements:

1. Identification details of the applicant and the research centre or institution
2. Context and objective of the research project
3. Physical and procedural guarantees for data processing

In addition to the application form already mentioned, a Guide for requesting access to confidential data for scientific purposes is also attached.

2. Assessment of the Confidential Data Request

Once the application has been accepted, the team of the Metropolis Institute will proceed with its evaluation. This may be rejected if any of the limits or restrictions regulated by law are violated and/or if the general criteria for the publication of data are not respected, which, in accordance with the precision requirements established by Eurostat and adopted by Idescat, consider that the data are reliable and can be published only when the cell estimate has a minimum of 20 sample observations and the table has a minimum of 60% in cells with valid values.

The issuance of copies, transposition to formats other than the original as well as data processing may be subject to economic compensation, which in no case will exceed the cost of the operation. In these cases, the service responsible for resolving the requests will inform you in advance of the approximate cost and the method of payment. You can check here the private prices for the dissemination of information in force at the Metropolis Institute. In any case, before delivery, the principal investigator must previously accept the costs derived from the processing of the confidential data that will be provided.

3. Delivery of confidential data for scientific purposes

Before submitting the data, the person identified as the principal investigator as well as the rest of the research staff, must sign an individual confidentiality commitment document.

4. Destruction of confidential data for scientific purposes

The principal investigator or research centre must destroy the data provided at the end of the period for their use. For this purpose, the Declaration of Destruction of Confidential Data for Scientific Purposes must be completed.

Clarification

For any other research that you want to carry out, with the same total or partial set of confidential data provided, you must make a new application and follow the same procedures exposed.

If you are not recognised by Eurostat or Idescat as a research centre, you must request and fill in a Form for recognition as a research organisation. The Idescat will examine the information and decide on its eventual approval.

You can adapt the application forms and documents to your convenience (provided the requested information is included) and you can use the text editing software of your choice. Please note that forms that are not properly completed may delay the processing process. Once completed, you need to convert the documents into PDF format, digitally sign them, and return them.

Regulations

The access, use and processing of confidential data for scientific purposes is regulated by Catalan and European legislation, and the main provisions in this regard are set out below.

Any breach of the established regulations by the research staff or research centre is subject to administrative responsibilities, without prejudice to the civil and criminal responsibilities that may be required before ordinary jurisdiction.

• Law 23/1998, of 30 December, on the statistics of Catalonia(External link: a new window will open)
• Law 5/2016, of 23 December, on the Statistical Plan for Catalonia 2017–2020 and amending Law 23/1998, on Statistics of Catalonia(External link: a new window will open)
• Decree 143/2010, of 19 October, on the Registration of statistical files and transfers of data subject to statistical secrecy (External link: a new window will open)
• ORDER ECO/99/2023, of 26 April, publicising the general fees of the departments of the Generalitat de Catalunya and the Department of Economy and Finance. (External link: a new window will open)
• Regulation (EC) 223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2009 on European statistics (External link: opens in new window)
• Regulation (EU) 2015/759 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2015 amending Regulation (EC) No 223/2009, on European statistics(External link: opens in new window)
• Regulation (EU) No. Commission No. 557/2013 of 17 June 2013 implementing Regulation (EC) No. 223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council on European statistics regarding access to confidential data for scientific purposes (External link: opens in a new window)
• European Statistics Code of Practice (third version approved by the European Statistical System Committee in November 2017)