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The data collection provides information and comparable measurements on the different aspects of the quality of life in cities. 

Data is collected for the following spatial levels: 1) City; 2) Greater City; 3) Functional Urban Area; 4) National level.

Italy’s Urban Audit database has undergone major revisions: the dataset has been integrated with new statistical information; where necessary, time series have been revised; in general, the data has been organised in relation to the revised spatial units' list.

The Urban Audit universe was infact revised in 2016 following the criteria presented in the Methodological manual on city statistics.

Cities and their FUAs were redefined according to the 2011 population grid and to the commuting flows based on the 2011 population census.

Data availability and the relevant metadata are presented in the file "Italy_metadata_2018".

Eurostat developed a specific classification and coding system for the Urban Audit spatial units and variables.

With regards to the spatial units, the coding used reflects the spatial hierarchy: CC-Country Code; CCxxxLa-Functional Urban Area (FUA); CCxxxKb-Greater City; CCxxxCc-City.

In the case of Italy, the country code is IT. The universe is composed of 92 Cities, 84 Functional Urban Areas, 2 Greater Cities (formerly Kernel).

As far as variable codes are concerned, the first two digits identify the different domains (DE for Demography, SA for Social Aspects, EC for Eonomic activities etc.), while the last digit ‘V’ means ‘Variable’.

Data is available for almost every domain. Variables are provided for: 1.1 Demography; 1.2 Nationality; 1.3 Household Structure; 2.1 Housing; 2.2 Health; 2.3 Crime; 3.1 Labour Market; 3.2 Economic Activity; 5.1 Education and Training Provision; 5.2 Educational qualifications; 6.3 Water; 6.4 Waste; 7.1 Travel Patterns; 9.1 Culture and Recreation; 9.2 Tourism.

The only domain that is not covered is 3.3 Income Disparities and Poverty.

In order to guarantee the harmonization goals, Istat has strictly followed the variables' definitions presented in the Methodological manual on city statistics.

For a small group of variables it was necessary to slightly deviate from the offical definition in order to supply the data. These cases are reported in the file "Italy_metadata_2018".

With regards to the spatial levels, Istat identified Cities, Greater Cities and Functional Urban Areas on the basis of the EC-OECD definition.

Data is collected at municipality level. Italian Cities represent a selection of municipalities (LAU2s) presenting specific characteristics, while Greater Cities and Functional Urban Areas represent aggregations of municipalities. The Functional Urban Area consists of the city and its commuting zone, while Greater Cities are defined when the urban centre stretches far beyond its boundaries. The criteria for identifying cities, FUAs and Greater Cities are specified in the Methodological manual on city statistics.

Most data in the Urban Audit database refers to the resident population. In some cases it refers to other types of populations (i.e. cars registered, museum visitors, students etc.).

The list of Italian cities that are part of the Urban Audit universe was revised in 2016 according to the criteria presented in the Methodological Manual (based on the EC-OECD city definition). Cities and their FUAs as well as Greater Cities were redefined according to the 2011 population grid and to the commuting flows based on the 2011 population census. In Italy there are now 92 Cities, 84 FUAs and 2 Greater Cities.

The length of time series varies depending on the variable.

Most demographic variables are disseminated from 2007/2008 to the last year as requested in the Grant.

Some survey based data (i.e. museum visitors) is availble for specific years only.

Data from sources different from Istat may also be available for specific years only (i.e. students in higher education).

The unit of measurement varies from variable to variable. Pease refer to the file "Italy_metadata_2018".

Most variables are updated on an annual basis. Please refer to the file "Italy_metadata_2018".

The Urban Audit data is supplied on a voluntary basis. Terms and conditions are defined in the Grant agreement.

Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2009 on European statistics.

The deadlines for the data trasmission are fixed in the Grant. The data is disseminated by Eurostat at http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/cities/data/database

Updates are available at http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/cities/data/database

Direct access to the data is available at http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/cities/data/database

Most data is collected and released annually.

Italy's data is available at http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/cities/data/database

To display data for the Italian spatial units, it is possible to filter the code by writing "IT" in the cities window.

Microdata may be requested at https://www4.istat.it/it/prodotti/microdati

The methodology is presented in the Methodological manual on city statistics. Please also refer to the file "Italy_metadata_2018".

The procedures for ensuring high data quality are explained in the Methodological manual on city statistics.

The precedures for ensuring high quality data are explained in the Methodological manual on city statistics.

The precedures for ensuring high quality data are explained in the Methodological manual on city statistics.

Urban Audit users are researchers, students, policy makers and more in general all those who are interested in city statistics. 

The Methodological manual on city statistics aims at supporting users in understanding and interpreting the meaning of the data for their own purposes. Users may also refer to the file "Italy_metadata_2018".

Users satisfaction is not assessed yet.

Data availability differs from domain to domain. In the file "Italy_metadata_2018" it is possible to have an overview of the available data.

Data quality reflects the quality of national official statistics. 

The sampling error for variables based on the Labour Force Survey is reported in a dedicated file (see Annexes).

Timeliness depends on the specific variables. Please refer to the file "Italy_metadata_2018".

Data provision follows the deadlines fixed in the Grant agreement.

The aim of the Urban Audit database is to enable an assessment of the state of individual EU cities and to provide access to comparative information from other EU cities.

Time series have been revised and integrated in relation to the revised spatial units, with the aim of ensuring their comparability over time.

Urban Audit data is coherent with the data collected in the context of the European Statistical System.

Internal coherence (e.g. between spatial levels and between indicators) is ensured through the application of multivariate and univariate validation controls.

The data collection is mainly based on census data, survey data and administrative data that is already available. There are no direct cost for the National Statistical Institutes.

Data from year 2007 to 2011 regarding the population (total, male, female, age classes) has been revised and substituted with the intercensus population.

Where nationally collected data is revised, the Urban Audit data is revised accordingly.

In some specific cases (i.e. municipal waste generated) the last year published is provisional. The definitive data is uploaded when available. 

Data delivered in the ambit of the Grant agreement is collected by ISTAT -  the National Statistics Institute of Italy. Most of the data delivered derives from: administrative sources, the population census, surveys.

Some variables (i.e. employed and unemployed persons) are the result of estimates. 

All sources used to deliver the variables agreed in the Grant are presented in the file "Italy_metadata_2018".

The Urban Audit data is being collected and released annually. 

Data is collected by the National Urban Audit coordinator of Italy. 

Most data is collected at LAU2 level in order to aggregate data at Functional Urban Area and at Greater City level. In some cases, data is avaliable only for NUTS3 capitals and, as a consequence, Urban Audit data can be delivered only for those Cities that are NUTS3 capitals. The calculations always take into consideration the impact of the annual administrative variations on the overall Urban Audit universe. The data collection is done in close collaboration with the different Services of the institute in order to guarantee timeliness, data quality and to explore ways to gain new data.

The main data source is ISTAT. A limited number of variables are based on other sources. Centrally collected variables are managed by Eurostat. Please refer to the metadata file.

The validation procedures are listed in the Methodological manual on city statistics.

The Urban Audit data delivered in the ambit of the Grant agreement is based on census data, administrative sources and surveys. Please refer to the metadata file.