Pilot project for research access to confidential statistical data
In a pilot project, the ECB is granting research access to anonymised data on individual banks in the euro area. The aim is to test the effectiveness and convenience of different access modes and to contribute to the potential establishment of a permanent infrastructure for research access to datasets managed by the ECB. More details on the background to this initiative are available in the corresponding news release.
Available datasets
Balance sheet information for all euro area banks
Balance sheet data are broken down by assets and labilities; loans, deposits and other financial instruments; stocks and transactions; counterpart area and counterpart sector. The dataset includes around 3000 institutions.
Bank interest rates and business volumes
The two datasets can be merged both with each other and with information on banks’ group affiliation. Data are collected monthly and will be made available for the time period up to December 2023. The dataset includes around 300 institutions.
Full description of dataset variables
Sample data (forthcoming)
- Bank balance sheets
- Bank interest rates
Application process
Researchers interested in participating in the pilot project are invite to apply as following:
Send an email to ECB_access.to.microdata@ecb.europa.eu with the subject line “Application to the pilot project for research access to confidential statistical data”;
Documents to submit in pdf format:
- Research Dataset Request form filled in electronically;
- Resume;
- Copy of ID card;
Deadline: Sunday 22 June 2025. Applications received after this date will not be considered eligible.
Research dataset request form with annexes
Selection process
Up to ten research projects will be supported as part of the pilot project. It is open to researchers who are affiliated with scientific research bodies accredited with Eurostat for microdata access. For further details, please consult the eligibility criteria for researchers.
Research projects will be selected based on the following criteria:
- Focus on research questions covering the entire euro area or cross-country comparisons
- Even representation of research projects from senior and junior scholars
- Even representation of research projects with and without data linking
- Relevance of the project for the research agenda of the European System of Central Banks
Selected projects will be requested to send signed confidentiality declaration and privacy statements for all researchers requesting access to the data.
Data access
Data access will be managed by research data centres hosted by euro area national central banks participating in the pilot project via on-site access, remote access, and remote execution:
Deutsche Bundesbank (remote execution, on-site access)
Banco de España (on-site access, remote access)
Banca d’Italia (remote execution, on-site access)
Oesterreichische Nationalbank (on-site access, remote execution)
Banco de Portugal (on-site access, remote access, remote execution)
Software available
Different software will be available in the different data access points:
- Deutsche Bundesbank: R upon agreement, Python upon agreement, STATA
- Banco de España: R, Python, STATA
- Banca d’Italia: R, STATA
- Oesterreichische Nationalbank: R, Python
- Banco de Portugal: R except for remote execution, Python except for remote execution, STATA, Julia except for remote execution.
The following table provides an overview of the types of access and software available by data access point: Types of access and software provided.
Research projects will be assigned to one of these data access points, taking into account – to the extent possible – the preferences of the applying researcher. Perturbated data will be provided to test scripts. Prior to publication, research results will be subject to confidentiality checks based on the agreed criteria for output control.
Questions regarding this project can be addressed to ECB_access.to.microdata@ecb.europa.eu with the subject line: “Question related to the pilot project for research access to confidential statistical data”.