The European Commission has denied suggestions that it wants to include questions about women's sexual history in its proposed harmonisation of censuses across the EU.
The UK Independence Party had claimed the census included questions about the beginning of sexual union.
The commission says the term is an error of translation and that the topic refers to co-habitation, not sex.
The European Parliament's Committee on Employment and Social Affairs has already recommended the removal of that topic.
The Commission proposal, which would require the approval of the Parliament, is unlikely to be debated in a full session this year.
It covers topics to be addressed in national censuses, but does not specify questions.
Critics have been saying that the census regulation includes demands for unnecessary personal information.
Defenders of the census proposal say international, European and national institutions need to be in possession of sufficiently reliable information on the EU's population and housing situation.
The commission already collects data on many aspects of EU life through its statistical office, Eurostat.
It is now arguing that is needs more central control to help its work through accurate statistics to help formulate policy.
The EU-wide census rules would ensure compatible data on everything from personal and family details to education, occupation, hours worked, and marital status, including dates of (all) legal marriage(s).
