Statistics Netherlands

In Dutch it is known as the Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek (Central Agency for Statistics), often abbreviated to CBS.

Its independent legal status enables the reliable collection and dissemination of information to support public debate, policy development and decision-making.

This independent board must ensure the impartiality, independence, quality, relevance, and continuity of CBS, according to the relevant legislation (Law on the CBS (Wet op het Centraal bureau en de Centrale commissie voor de statistiek) 1996 and 2003).

CBS was established in 1899 in response to the need for independent and reliable information that advances the understanding of social issues and supports public decision making.

The office in Heerlen was located there by the government in 1973 to compensate the area for the loss of ten of thousands of jobs because of closing the coal mines.