Central European Forum for Migration Research

MIMOSA: Modelling of statistical data on migration and migrant populations

Project Manager for the CEFMR part: Dorota Kupiszewska

The projest has been developed in response to the call for tenders 2006/S 100 106607/EN, Lot 2, for modelling of statistical data on migration and migrant populations. The proposal was submitted by the Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Institute (NIDI-KNAW) in co-operation with the following sub-contractors:

Central European Forum for Migration and Population Reseach;
Southampton Statistical Sciences Research Institute (S3RI), United Kingdom;
Université Catholique de Louvain, Belgium.

The aim of the project, abbreviated as MIMOSA (MIgration MOdelling for Statistical Analyses), is to develop appropriate methodologies to reconcile the differences in international migration statistics in European countries and to provide consultancy to both Eurostat and Member States of the European Union (EU) on the way to produce more reliable migration figures, to make all available figures more compatible (within each country) and more comparable (at EU-level) and to estimate missing data using all available data and expert opinions.

The project has the following objectives:

The development and application of statistical methodologies for estimating international migration statistics. The statistical tools will make best use of available data and aim at (a) comparable migration statistics by adjusting data based on national definitions to meet the common definitions contained in the forthcoming regulation, and (b) complete migration statistics by combining data from different sources and incorporating additional information when appropriate. The main source is Eurostat's migration database NewCronos. Complementary sources include the National Statistical Institutes and international organisations.
To assist the Member States in the use of estimation techniques in cases where appropriate data sources remain unavailable to meet the obligations of the forthcoming European regulation on migration statistics. The regulation will allow Member States to supply estimated results where appropriate data sources are not available to supply the statistics specified in the legislation. A close liaison will be developed with twelve Member States. In these states the authorities will be assisted in (a) identifying particular areas of migration statistics where the use of estimation techniques is appropriate and (b) implementing the estimation techniques to produce estimates of international migration.

The project started in January 2007 and will end in December 2009.