Abstract

On February 2025 the European System of Central bank has launched a pilot to make available for the first time two Euro Area wide statistical micro data sets. The pilot aims at drawing evidences on the feasibility and cost of a longer-term arrangement and should give rise to an internal report after 18 months of implementation. Selected researchers access data in the five Research Data Centers participating in the project (Bundesbank, Banco de Espana, Banca d’Italia, Banco de Portugal, Oesterreichische Nationalbank). The selection process, the customization of data sets and metadata as well as the operations related to access largely on Research Data Centers experience in sharing national data sets with researchers, based on Article 8.1c of Council Regulation 2533/98. At the same time, the pilot permitted to build common processes and share common tools, including a website to communicate with the public.
The paper communicates first lesson learned. The pilot showed a wide interest from academics in accessing granular information on banks balance sheets and interest rates, also from researchers out of the euro area.