Harmonised European time use surveys : 2008 guidelines

This publication presents an updated version of the guidelines on the Harmonised European Time Use Surveys (HETUS). The first version, finished in 2000, was based on the recommendations of the final report on Time Use pilot surveys and on the discussions carried out with experts of the National Statistical Institutes. The project was also actively supported by the Economic Commission for Europe. The 2000 HETUS guidelines have been the cornerstone of the European Time Use harmonisation process. As a major example stands the web-tool making for flexible and easy database tabulation for fifteen European countries. It was developed by Statistics Finland and Statistics Sweden with financial support of the European Commission. Based on experience gained, countries requested an update subject to two principles: comparability with previous guidelines and simplification. A task force was established by the Time Use Survey working group in June 2005, and a consultation process with national statistical bodies on the scope of revision and on the national practices was launched. The proposals of the Task Force were discussed by the Time Use Survey working group at its meeting of April 2008 and, later, by written procedure. The current document is the result of those discussions.