This document, based on country surveys carried out by the OECD, compares the experiences of OECD countries in dealing with confidentiality constraints in an effort to meet the demand for policy-relevant analysis using micro-data. It shows that countries have made significant efforts to implement confidentiality rules and practices which balance increasing demands for microdata for policy analysis with the protection of confidential information on individual firms or establishments. Country-specific descriptions of data sources for micro datasets, the legal framework, and conditions for access to and use of data are provided for Australia, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States ...
