European Social Survey
What kind of survey is it?
The European Social Survey (ESS) identifies the social structure of European countries and people’s living conditions, and analyses the attitudes, beliefs, and behaviour of people in relation to the development of institutions.
Who commissions the survey?
The survey is funded by the Ministry of Education and Research, the Ministry of Social Affairs, and the University of Tartu.
Why are the data needed?
The aim of the European Social Survey is to bring together high-quality data to study the development of societies and people's behaviour. It is an international social science survey, the results of which are used in many fields. Data have been collected since 2002. To date, the data of nearly 500,000 people from 35 countries have been pooled. In order to compare the data between countries, strict rules are to be followed when conducting the survey.
How often is the survey conducted?
The survey is carried out every two years. Statistics Estonia last conducted the survey in 2022.
How are the participants selected?
The survey sample is drawn at random from the population register. The name and address of the person interviewed is known only to the interviewer and interviewers supervisor. The data collected are used in an aggregated form, no individual data are examined. Statistics Estonia ensures the protection of all respondents' data in accordance with the Official Statistics Act and the Personal Data Protection Act.
How are the data collected?
Before the survey starts, a notification is sent to all the people in the sample, explaining the purpose of the survey and how they will be contacted. The notification is sent to the sampled person at the email address indicated in the population register. If no email address is available, a letter is sent by post to the address in the population register.
Data are collected through a face-to-face interview.
Where are the results published?
The results of the European Social Survey are available on the website of the University of Tartu Institute of Social Sciences (only in Estonian).
How can I make sure that it is a survey by Statistics Estonia?
The interview is conducted by a specially trained interviewer. The names of Statistics Estonia's interviewers can be checked here. An individual who has been included in a survey can ask for the interviewer's proof of employment. If you have any questions, please contact our customer support by phone at +372 625 9300 or by e-mail at klienditugi [at] stat.ee (klienditugi[at]stat[dot]ee).