UN-led demographic data harmonization in Europe: Achievements and limitations

The presentation concerns the harmonization of national micro-data sets during the past two decades, which was steered or conducted by the Population Unit (PAU) of the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) across the UNECE region (Europe and North America). UN and Europe are respectively used as shorthands for PAU/UNECE and the region. The focus is on the harmonization of data sets emanating from the Fertility and Family Surveys and the Generation and Gender Surveys, but also, to a lesser extent from the population and housing censuses of the 1990 round. Achievements, limitations and legacies, if any, of these projects are discussed. Attempts at drawing lessons from the projects are made.