Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament AND to the Council on the independence, integrity and accountability of the national and Community statistical authorities
Date: 2005-05-25
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU statistics, Eurostat, budget policy, economic policy, governance, national statistics

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 25.5.2005 
COM(2005) 217 final 

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN 
PARLIAMENT AND TO THE COUNCIL 

on the independence, integrity and accountability of the national and Community 
statistical authorities 

RECOMMENDATION OF THE COMMISSION 

on the independence, integrity and accountability of the national and Community 
statistical authorities 

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COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN 
PARLIAMENT AND TO THE COUNCIL 

on the independence, integrity and accountability of the national and Community 
statistical authorities 

1. 

INTRODUCTION 

On  22  December  2004,  the  Commission  adopted  a  Communication  to  the  Council  and  the 
European Parliament entitled 'Towards a European Governance Strategy for Fiscal Statistics'. 
In  that  Communication,  a  consistent  strategy  was  proposed  for  strengthening  the  European 
Union’s governance of fiscal statistics along the following three lines of action: building up 
the  legislative  framework,  improving  the  operational  capacities  of  the  relevant  Commission 
services,  and  establishing  European  standards  on  the  independence  of  the  national  and 
Community  statistical  authorities.  On  17  February  2005,  the  Council  (ECOFIN  meeting) 
welcomed this overall strategy and, in particular, the work that was already in progress on a 
code for European standards for the statistical authorities. 

In  order  to  implement  this  strategy,  the  Commission  presented  a  proposal  for  a  Council 
Regulation amending Regulation (EC) No 3605/93 as regards the quality of statistical data in 
the context of the excessive deficit procedure1. This proposal was adopted by the Commission 
on 2 March 2005 and is currently under examination by the legislative authority. The proposal 
reinforces  and  clarifies  the  role  of  Eurostat  as  the  statistical  authority  in  the  context  of  the 
statistics  related  to  the  excessive  deficit  procedure.  The  practical  modalities  for  the 
implementation of the Regulation, and in particular for the conduct of the envisaged in-depth 
monitoring visits, will be specified once the Regulation is approved. 

Regarding the reinforcement of the operational capacity of the Commission services, and in 
addition to an increased mobilisation of the existing expertise as provided for in the proposal 
for  a  Regulation,  the  Commission  has  already  taken  a  number  of  measures.  For  instance,  a 
new  unit  specifically  dealing  with  the  validation  of  economic  and  fiscal  accounts  has  been 
created in Eurostat. Furthermore, Eurostat has conducted an internal redeployment of staff in 
order to reinforce the activities linked to the validation of economic and fiscal accounts. 

This  Communication  on  the  independence,  integrity  and  accountability  of  the  national  and 
Community  statistical  authorities,  including  the  accompanying  Recommendation  of  the 
Commission,  corresponds  to  the  third  action  line  of  the  strategy  announced  by  the 
Commission.  It  constitutes  the  response  to  the  invitation  sent  on  2  June  2004  to  the 
Commission  by  the  Council  to  put  forward  a  proposal,  by  June  2005,  to  develop  minimum 
European standards, and also to the Council’s invitation of 17 February 2005 to enhance the 
independence  of  Eurostat  in  the  performance  of  its  tasks.  Indeed,  both  aspects  reflect  the 
selfsame issue of the production of statistics for Community policy purposes.  

As a whole, the European Statistical System operates efficiently and in a satisfactory manner, 
and satisfies to a great extent the requirements of independence, integrity and accountability. 

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COM(2005) 71. 

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The massive quantity and variety of statistics produced and disseminated by the national and 
the Community statistical authorities within that System, covering statistics well beyond the 
fiscal field, complies with strict requirements on quality and reliability. 

The  Code  of  Practice  on  European  Statistics,  presented  in  this  Communication,  as  a  self-
regulatory  instrument  containing  standards  for  the  independence  of  the  national  and 
Community statistical authorities provides a further guarantee for the good functioning of the 
European  Statistical  System  and  the  production  of  high  quality  and  reliable  statistics.  The 
Communication also presents proposals related to the monitoring of the implementation of the 
Code and considerations about the usefulness of an effective external advisory body for the 
European  Statistical  System.  It  also  considers  the  need  for  setting  statistical  priorities,  in 
particular with the objective of reducing the regulatory burden on statistical respondents and 
outlines  a  number  of  guiding  principles  for  a  rebalancing  of  these  priorities.  Finally,  it 
includes  a  Recommendation  aimed  at  promoting  the  Code,  both  in  the  Member  States  and 
inside the Commission, through its political endorsement. 

2. 

INDEPENDENCE,  INTEGRITY  AND  ACCOUNTABILITY  OF  THE  NATIONAL  AND 
COMMUNITY STATISTICAL AUTHORITIES 

2.1. 

Background and purpose of the Code of Practice 

The  Code  is  a  self-regulatory  instrument,  as  it  was  prepared  and  endorsed  by  the  principal 
producers  of  European  statistics,  namely  the  national  statistical  institutes.  In  fact,  an  initial 
outline  of  principles  was  discussed  on  17  November  2004  with  the  Member  States  in  the 
Statistical Programme Committee (SPC). Subsequently, a working group was entrusted by the 
SPC with the task of finalising a proposal for a Code, which was unanimously endorsed by 
the SPC on 24 February 2005, thus expressing its attachment to the Code as a self-regulatory 
instrument. 

The Code of Practice consists of 15 principles to be applied in connection with the production 
of  Community  statistics.  It  has  a  dual  purpose:  on  the  one  hand,  to  improve  trust  and 
confidence  in  the  statistical  authorities  by  proposing  certain  institutional  and  organisational 
arrangements and, on the other hand, to reinforce the quality of the statistics they produce and 
disseminate, by promoting the coherent application of best international statistical principles, 
methods and practices by all producers of official statistics in Europe. 

The Code represents, in its substance, the response to the invitation of 2 June 2004 from the 
Council  and,  in  certain  respects,  exceeds  the  required  minimum  standards.  Member  States 
should therefore be invited to acknowledge the importance of the Code of Practice and to take 
the  measures  required  to  ensure  its  correct  implementation  by  the  relevant  authorities 
concerned, as well as to promote it among users and data providers. The Commission likewise 
intends to make sure that these principles are respected as far as Eurostat is concerned. Lastly, 
this  paper  proposes  measures  aimed  at  monitoring  and  reviewing  the  implementation  of  the 
standards of the Code. 

2.2. 

The scope of the Code 

The  Code  deals  primarily  with  the  production  of  official  statistics  within  the  European 
Statistical System (ESS). The ESS refers to the existing partnership comprising Eurostat, the 
national statistical institutes and other national statistical bodies responsible in each Member 

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State for producing and disseminating statistics necessary for the performance of the activities 
of the European Union. The statistics covered by the Code are those referred to in the Council 
Regulation  on  Community  Statistics2,  i.e.  statistics  produced  and  disseminated  by  national 
statistical  authorities  and  the  Community  statistical  authority  (Eurostat)  in  conformity  with 
Article 285(2) of the EC Treaty. It is important to underline that the Code covers the whole 
spectrum of statistics produced at Community level, going far beyond the sphere of economic 
and fiscal statistics. 

However,  it  should  also  be  borne  in  mind  that  a  number  of  other  institutions  and  bodies 
outside  the  ESS  provide  official  statistics  at  European  level.  For  instance,  the  European 
System  of  Central  Banks  (ESCB)  produces  a  wide  range  of  European  statistics  in  the 
economic  and  monetary  field.  The  European  Central  Bank  (ECB),  assisted  by  the  national 
central  banks,  collects  either  from  the  competent  national  authorities  or  directly  from 
economic agents the statistical information which is necessary for the tasks of the ESCB. The 
collection of statistical information by the ECB is governed by a specific Council Regulation3. 

Although the standards contained in the Code are meant to be a source of inspiration for all 
institutions  and  bodies  producing  official  statistics,  whether  or  not  they  belong  to  the  ESS, 
they  do  not  affect  the  existing  rules  that  relate  to  these  institutions  or  bodies.  Although  the 
Code’s  title  covers  the  wide  range  of  “European  statistics”  as  being  those  defined  as 
Community statistics in the current legal framework, at the same time it signals the ambition 
to move towards Europe-wide standards. 

2.3. 

The principles laid down by the Code 

The document is structured around 15 principles. These principles mirror to a large extent the 
existing  international  standards,  such  as  the  Fundamental  Principles  of  Official  Statistics 
adopted by the United Nations Statistical Commission, in its Special Session of 11-15 April 
1994. 

The  principles  are  grouped  in  three  sections  addressing  respectively  the  institutional 
environment,  the  statistical  processes  and  outputs.  A  mechanism  of  peer  reviews  based  on 
indicators has also been included. 

2.3.1.  The principle of independence 

In the statistical  sector,  independence has first and foremost an operational dimension. That 
means  it  essentially  governs  the  way  statistical  authorities  function  or  operate  for  the 
production and dissemination of statistics. 

The principle of scientific independence is enshrined in the Treaty (Article 285(2)) and refers 
to objectivity in the statistical production process. Article 10 of Council Regulation (EC) No 
322/97  specifies  that  "impartiality  is  an  objective  and  independent  manner  of  producing 
Community  statistics,  free  from  any  pressure  from  political  or  other  interest  groups, 
particularly as regards the selection of techniques, definitions and methodologies best suited 
to the attainment of the objectives as set out (…)". 

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Council Regulation (EC) No 322/97 of 17 February 1997 on Community statistics (OJ L 52, 22.2.1997, 
p. 1). 
Council  Regulation  (EC)  No  2533/98  of  23  November  1998  concerning  the  collection  of  statistical 
information by the European Central Bank (OJ L 318, 27.11.1998, p. 8). 

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The  Code  takes  the  principle  of  independence  further  by  introducing  the  concept  of 
professional independence, which refers specifically also to dissemination and availability of 
statistics.  The  Code  establishes  the  principle  of  professional  independence  in  the  following 
terms: "the professional independence of statistical authorities from other policy, regulatory 
or administrative departments and bodies, as well as from private sector operators, ensures 
the credibility of European Statistics". Indicators to monitor the application of this principle, 
which  is  also  applicable  to  Eurostat,  include  (i)  the  specification  in  law  of  the  elements  of 
independence,  (ii)  the  status  and  the  functional  responsibilities  of  the  heads  of  statistical 
authorities,  including  the decisions on  statistical methods, standards and procedures (iii) the 
decisions on the content and timing of statistical releases and (iv) the publication of statistical 
work programmes. 

The  existing  legislation  satisfies  the  scientific  independence  requirement,  i.e.  the  functional 
requirements  for  the  production  of  high-quality  statistics.  The  introduction  of  additional 
considerations  on  professional  independence  by  the  Code  further  reinforces  the  overall 
legal  and 
independence  whilst  respecting 
administrative  arrangements  in  the  Member  States,  as  an  expression  of  their  respective 
political and cultural traditions. Through the enhancement of this independence, it is expected 
that trust and public confidence in official statistics will increase. 

the  different  and  sometimes  diverging 

2.3.2.  The issues of integrity and accountability 

The issues of integrity and accountability are fundamentally of a horizontal nature. They do 
not  constitute  specific  statistical  principles,  explicitly  recognised  in  the  Code;  however, 
integrity  is  supported  by  such  underlying  concepts  as  legality,  legitimacy,  justification  and 
equity. Integrity and accountability of both national and Community statistical authorities are 
reinforced by the surveillance mechanisms provided for in the Code, which result in increased 
transparency. 

The  Code  includes  monitoring  indicators  for  every  single  principle.  These  indicators  cover, 
for example, the exclusive responsibility of the heads of statistical bodies for the production 
and methodology of statistics (under professional independence - see Principle 1). The use of 
external experts to review the key statistical outputs (under Principle 4), the user satisfaction 
surveys  (under  Principle  11)  and  the  requirement  to  take  due  account  of  the  users'  needs 
(under  Principle  13)  are  additional  elements  of  integrity  and  accountability.  Moreover, 
integrity and accountability are also strengthened through peer reviews, which are envisaged 
as part of the monitoring arrangements. 

2.4. 

Implementing the Code and monitoring its implementation 

The Commission has adopted a Recommendation in order to increase the impact of the self-
regulatory  character  of  the  Code.  To  balance  such  an  endorsement  with  the  requirement  of 
accountability,  the  Commission  will  monitor  adherence  to  the  Code  within  the  ESS.  The 
Commission  will  set  up  a  reporting  system  based  on  information  to  be  provided  by  the 
Member States. To this end the Commission will co-ordinate the development of appropriate 
instruments,  benchmarking  and  peer  reviews  based  on  indicators,  while  ensuring  that  the 
proportionality principle is respected. 

The  monitoring  of  the  Code’s  implementation  shall  follow  a  gradual  approach  over  three 
years. During the first year of implementation, initial self-assessment reports will be produced 
by  both  the  Member  States  and  Eurostat.  These  reports  will  be  transmitted  to  the  SPC. 

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Furthermore, Member States will be encouraged to develop some methods and best practices, 
which  will  be  taken  into  account  during  the  ensuing  stages.  During  the  second  year  of 
implementation, interim self-assessment reports will be prepared in a more structured format, 
following  more  specific  guidelines  established  by  Eurostat  and  the  SPC  on  the  basis  of  the 
experience  gained  during  the  first  year.  Lastly,  final  self-assessment  reports  will  have  to  be 
presented by the Member States and Eurostat during the third year of implementation of the 
Code. These reports will follow a common format and will be complemented by peer review 
assessments  carried  out  with  the  assistance  of  a  Task  Force  composed  of  representatives  of 
NSIs and possibly by an external advisory body (see point 2.5 below). Finally, they will be 
transmitted to the SPC and possibly this external advisory body and made public. The reports 
transmitted  by  the  statistical  authorities  should  be  produced  under  the  responsibility  of  the 
Head of the statistical authority. 

Taking  into  account  the  outcome  of  the  combined  self-assessment  and  peer  review  process, 
the Commission will report on the implementation of the Code by the Member States and by 
Eurostat  respectively.  Three  years  after  the  adoption  of  this  Recommendation  and  after 
consulting  the  SPC  and  possibly  the  external  advisory  body  (see  point  2.5  below),  it  will 
present  a  report  to  the  European  Parliament  and  the  Council  on  the  progress  of  the 
implementation and, where necessary, include appropriate proposals. 

2.5. 

The  need  for  an  active  role  by  an  external  advisory  body  to  enhance 
independence, integrity and accountability of the European Statistical System 

In  view  of  reinforcing  the  governance  of  the  European  Statistical  System,  in  line  with  the 
principles set in the Code of Practice and the elements contained in this Communication, an 
external advisory body would be useful. Such body could enhance the credibility of the efforts 
undertaken  to  strengthen  the  independence,  integrity  and  accountability  of  the  national 
institutes,  Eurostat  and  the  ESS,  for  the  accomplishment  of  their  mission  and  as  far  as 
Community statistics are concerned, as called for by the ECOFIN Council.  

In particular, such body could provide the Commission with useful input in carrying out the 
mandate  assigned  to  it  by  the  Treaty,  namely  the  monitoring  of  the  observance  of  the 
fundamental statistical principles as laid down in Article 285(2) of the EC Treaty, and restated 
by  the  Code  of  Practice.  Accordingly,  this  body  could  be  entrusted  with  an  active  role  to 
oversee how the Code is implemented by the ESS as a whole, as well to provide advise on 
statistical priorities consistent with the principles presented in point 2.6 below.  

This external advisory body should be composed of high-level personalities. The total number 
of members should be limited to a level that ensures an operational and effective body. One 
group  of  members  would  be  appointed  by  the  Council,  from  among  persons  having  a  well-
established qualification or interest in the field of statistics and representing civil society (e.g. 
scientific  community,  business  associations,  unions,  etc.),  with  account  being  taken  of  the 
need to ensure adequate coverage of the various statistical domains. Other members would be 
drawn  from  EU  institutions  and  bodies  (European  Parliament,  Council,  Commission, 
European  Central  Bank,  Statistical  Programme  Committee)  and  be  directly  appointed  by 
them. The chairman will have to be an eminent, highly regarded person. 

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At present there is a Committee, the European Advisory Committee on statistical information 
in  the  economic  and  social  spheres  (CEIES)4,  which  at  least  partly  fulfils  this  role5.  Such 
Committee, which assists both the Council and the Commission, was set up in 1991 to voice 
the  interests  of  the  users,  thus  ensuring  that  user  requirements  and  the  costs  borne  by  the 
information  producers  are  taken  into  account.  While  this  body  has  proven  useful,  its  role, 
mandate, compositions and procedures could be revisited6, in order to contribute optimally to 
the objectives of the European Statistical System. 

A reformed CEIES could play the role envisaged for external advisory body. In that case, its 
current  assignments  and  responsibilities  including  giving  its  opinion  on  the  statistical  work 
programmes, would be extended. The Commission is ready to consider proposing a reform of 
the CEIES along these lines. 

2.6. 

Principles for a rebalancing of statistical priorities 

Producing statistics of high quality and reliability requires to balance data requirements with 
the resources made available to the statistical authorities and the burden on the respondents. 
Principle 9 of the Code provides that statistical authorities should set targets for the reduction 
of  the  burden  on  respondents  over  time.  A  number  of  indicators  are  specified  in  order  to 
ensure that the reporting burden is not excessive for respondents. This includes in particular 
the use of best estimates and approximations, access to administrative sources or data sharing 
within statistical authorities.  

Freeing up capacities would then allow statistical authorities to concentrate all their efforts on 
statistical activities clearly identified as a priority. Indeed, the ECOFIN Council concluded in 
February  2005  that  “national  statistical  offices’  capacity  to  meet  high  statistical  standards 
depends  crucially  on  the  ability  to  prioritise  the  burden  from  EU  statistical  requirements  on 
authorities.  Priority  setting  in  this  respect  would  also  need  to  be  conducive  to  a  reduced 
regulatory  burden  on  respondents.  Therefore,  and  in  line  with  the  ECOFIN  Council 
conclusions  of  2  June  2004,  ministers  are  looking  forward  to  discussing  in  June  2005 
proposals  by  the  Economic  and  Financial  Committee  on  the  rebalancing  of  statistical 
priorities”. 

Priority  setting  may  also  lead  to  simplified  legislation.  In  that  respect,  it  has  to  be  recalled 
that, on the basis of suggestions from the Member States to identify EU legislation that might 
benefit  from  simplification,  the  Council  (Competitiveness  meeting)  identified  in  November 
2004, 15 priorities for simplification. 

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Council  Decision  91/116/EEC  of  25  February  1991  setting  up  the  European  Advisory  Committee  on 
statistical information in the economic and social spheres (OJ L 59, 6.3.1991, p. 21). 
There  exists  also  another  body,  the  Statistical  Programme  Committee  (composed  of  the  Directors-
General of the statistical institutes of the Member States), which assists the Commission in the general 
coordination  of  the  multi-annual  statistical  programmes  and  is  consulted  extensively  by  the 
Commission  on  a  wide  range  of  issues  (Council  Decision  89/382/EEC,  Euratom  of  19  June  1989, 
establishing  a  Committee  on  the  Statistical  Programmes  of  the  European  Communities  -  OJ  L  181, 
28.6.1989, p. 47). 
There  is  anyway  a  need  to  reform  the  CEIES,  arising  from  a  number  of  factors,  including  the 
enlargement  of  the  European  Union  (applying  the  existing  rules  would  make  the  CEIES  “non-
operational”), recent developments related to the functioning of the ESS, more effective involvement of 
all the stakeholders, the need for an increased efficiency. 

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At  the  same  time,  the  setting  of  statistical  priorities  should  not  prevent  the  European 
Commission  to  propose  statistical  measures  necessary  for  the  performance  of  any  of  the 
activities  of  the  Community,  as  foreseen  by  the  Treaty.  In  this  context,  the  Commission 
considers  that  some  general  principles  can  be  followed  for  the  precise  identification  of 
‘positive’ and ‘negative’ priorities in defining the statistical programmes. 

The  first  category  of  principles  would  relate  to  users’  needs.  The  benefits  of  European 
statistics  are  to  be  mainly  derived  from  their  relevance  for  policy-making  at  the  European 
level. Purely national needs cannot be a reason to continue with statistics at Community level. 

The second category of principles would relate to cost assessment. The question of the cost of 
statistical  activities  is  a  very  complex  one,  and  proposals  need  to  be  examined  with  the 
greatest care. In most cases the burden of implementation will fall on the Member States. 

The  third  category  would  cover  specific  issues.  The  re-balancing  process  should  take  into 
account  the  trade-off  between  timeliness  and  quality:  high-frequency  data  should  cover  the 
main  breakdowns,  while  more  details  would  be  provided  at  a  lower  frequency.  The 
prioritisation process could also investigate whether efficiency gains are possible by focusing 
more  strongly  on  the  European  aggregates  or,  for  data  considered  of  lower  priority  and  not 
pertaining  to  fiscal  surveillance,  by  differentiating,  as  far  as  reporting  obligations  are 
concerned, between Member States with high and low weights in the aggregate. 

3. 

THE RECOMMENDATION 

3.1.  Why a Recommendation? 

In  the  December  2004  Communication  on  a  European  Governance  Strategy  for  Fiscal 
Statistics, it was announced that various possible legal instruments would be examined when 
addressing the issue of minimum standards for the institutional set-up of statistical authorities. 
From  that  examination,  which  also  revealed  a  wide  variety  of  institutional  set-ups  of  the 
statistical  authorities  in  the  Member  States,  it  appears  that  proposing  a  legally-binding 
instrument  would  not  be  appropriate  for  the  moment.  Therefore,  and  in  the  light  of  the 
achievements of the statistical authorities in adopting a Code as a self-regulatory instrument, 
the  Commission  considers  that  adopting  a  Recommendation  is  the  appropriate  and 
proportionate instrument at this point in time. 

However,  this  does  not  exclude  the  possibility  of  other  instruments  being  envisaged  in  the 
future.  On  the  basis  of  what  is  achieved  and  the  experience  that  is  acquired  through  the 
implementation of the Code, the Commission may consider a proposal for a legally binding 
instrument, for instance in the form of a directive, at a later stage. 

3.2. 

Purpose of the Recommendation 

The  Recommendation  has  a  dual  purpose.  On  the  one  hand,  the  aim  is  to  recommend  to 
Member  States  that  they  acknowledge  the  importance  of  the  Code  and  take  the  measures 
required  to  ensure  that  it  is  correctly  implemented  by  the  relevant  authorities,  as  well  as  to 
promote  it  among  users  and  data  providers.  On  the  other  hand,  the  Commission  will  take 
appropriate  actions,  in  particular  to  monitor  observance  of  the  Code  within  the  European 
Statistical System. 

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Additionally,  the  Commission  intends  to  take  similar  measures  within  its  own  sphere  of 
competence and to enhance the independence of Eurostat in the performance of its tasks by 
ensuring  that,  as  the  Community’s  statistical  authority,  it  likewise  adheres  to  the  standards 
contained in the Code. The independence of Eurostat in the fulfilment of its mission is already 
formally  established.  A  Commission  Decision  of  21  April  1997  on  the  role  of  Eurostat  as 
regards  the  production  of  Community  statistics7  was  aimed  at  implementing  the  above-
mentioned  Council  Regulation  (EC)  No  322/97  (the  so-called  ‘Statistical  Law’)  within  the 
internal  organization  of  the  Commission.  That  Decision  defines  the  role  and  the 
responsibilities  of  Eurostat,  as  the  Community  statistical  authority,  and  in  particular  the 
technical  autonomy  enjoyed  by  Eurostat  in  the  performance  of  its  tasks.  According  to  the 
same  text,  Eurostat  fulfils  a  coordinating  role  within  the  Commission  for  the  production  of 
statistics.  A  further  positive  indication  of  Eurostat’s  functional  independence,  which  is 
enshrined in legislation, is the fact that Eurostat officials enjoy a privileged status compared to 
other  Commission  officials  in  that  they  alone  can  access  confidential  statistical  data8.  The 
implementation  of  the  Code  by  Eurostat  and  the  measures  the  Commission  may  take  to 
facilitate  and  monitor  this  implementation  will  certainly  contribute  to  reassert  and  further 
enhance the independence of the Community statistical authority. 

The objective of this Recommendation is therefore to promote the standards contained in that 
Code  and  to  recommend  to  take  appropriate  actions  with  a  view  to  ensuring  effective 
implementation  of  these  standards  by  both  the  national  and  the  Community  statistical 
authorities. 

Furthermore,  the  Commission  intends  this  Recommendation  to  be  followed  by  supporting 
measures  to  facilitate  the  implementation  of  the  Code.  These  measures  will  include,  where 
necessary, detailed protocols or guidelines and a broader consultation of stakeholders. These 
activities will also further improve the quality of statistics at European level, while taking into 
account  cost-effectiveness  considerations  as  well  as  the  burden  on  respondents.  To  this  end 
initial  findings  will  be  gathered  in  the  framework  of  the  Principal  European  Economic 
Indicators  (PEEI).  Lastly,  the  Commission  takes  note  that  the  users  to  whom  the  Code  is 
addressed need to be able to recognise statistical information that is produced in accordance to 
the  principles  of  this  Code.  The  Commission  will  therefore  launch  appropriate  measures 
which will allow the identification of official European statistics, thus improving transparency 
and quality of data dissemination. 

CONCLUSION 

The  Recommendation  and  the  attached  Code  focus  on  Europe-wide  standards  with  the 
objective  of  reinforcing  the  independence,  integrity  and  accountability  of  the  statistical 
authorities.  They  represent  the  response  to  the  invitation  addressed  by  the  Council  to  the 
Commission to make proposals in this area. The Recommendation constitutes a further step in 
the continuing process of enhancing statistical governance in Europe. 

7 
8 

OJ L 112, 29.4.1997, p. 56. 
Council Regulation (Euratom, EEC) No 1588/90 of 11 June 1990 on the transmission of data subject to 
statistical confidentiality to the Statistical Office of the European Communities (OJ L 151, 15.6.1990, 
p. 1). 

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RECOMMENDATION OF THE COMMISSION 

on the independence, integrity and accountability of the national and Community 
statistical authorities 

(Text with EEA relevance) 

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Having  regard  to  the  Treaty  establishing  the  European  Community,  and  in  particular 
Article 211 thereof, 

Whereas: 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

(4) 

(5) 

Official  statistics  play  a  central  role  in  democratic  societies  as  they  provide  public 
authorities,  policy  makers,  economic  and  social  actors  as  well  as  all  citizens,  with 
objective and impartial information, on the basis of which informed decisions may be 
taken and issues openly debated. 

In  order  to  fulfil  that  role,  official  statistics  must  be  produced  and  disseminated 
according  to  common  standards  guaranteeing  compliance  with  the  principles  of 
impartiality,  reliability,  objectivity,  scientific  independence,  cost-effectiveness  and 
statistical confidentiality; 

At the same time the role of European statistics is becoming increasingly important in 
the context of a relaunched Lisbon strategy9 and the Integrated Guidelines for Growth 
and Jobs (2005-2008)10; high-quality statistics are also needed in order to monitor and 
review the implementation of other key policy initiatives at European level such as the 
sustainable development strategy, the common immigration and asylum policy, etc. 

In that context, the specific role of fiscal data and government accounts is even more 
essential  for  economic  and  monetary  surveillance  and  the  proper  implementation  of 
the Stability and Growth Pact; in particular, statistical data used in the framework of 
the excessive deficit procedure are to be of the highest quality possible. 

On 22 December 2004, the Commission adopted a Communication to the Council and 
the European Parliament entitled ‘Towards a European governance strategy for fiscal 
statistics’11,  proposing  a  consistent  strategy  for  strengthening  the  European  Union’s 
governance of fiscal statistics along three lines of action. 

(6) 

First,  and  following  the  invitation  made  by  the  Council,  monitoring  by  the 
Commission of the quality of reported fiscal data has to be reinforced; to that effect, a 

9 
10 

11 

COM(2005) 24, 2.2.2005 : Working together for growth and jobs – A new start for the Lisbon strategy. 
COM(2005)  141,  12.4.2005:  Integrated  Guidelines  for  Growth  and  Jobs  (2005-2008)  including  a 
Commission Recommendation on the broad guidelines for the economic policies of the Member States 
and the Community and a Proposal for a Council Decision on guidelines for the employment policies of 
the Member States. 
COM(2004) 832. 

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proposal for a Council Regulation amending Regulation (EC) No 3605/93 as regards 
the  quality  of  statistical  data  in  the  context  of  the  excessive  deficit  procedure12  was 
adopted by the Commission on 2 March 2005 and is currently under discussion. 

Second, the operational capacities of the Commission in the statistical field have to be 
strengthened  ;  in  the  specific  context  of  statistical  monitoring  under  the  excessive 
deficit  procedure,  regular  dialogue  visits  and  in-depth  monitoring  visits  are  required 
and all existing expertise has to be mobilised, including at national level. 

Third, there is a need to establish Europe-wide standards as regards the independence, 
integrity  and  accountability  of  the  national  statistical  institutes  in  response  to  the 
invitation addressed to the Commission by the Council on 2 June 2004 to present by 
June 2005 a proposal to develop minimum European standards for the institutional set-
up  of  statistical  authorities,  which  reinforce  the  independence,  integrity  and 
accountability of the Member States’ national statistical institutes. 

In response to this invitation, on 17 November 2004 the Member States discussed in 
the Statistical Programme Committee the basic principles to be developed in a Code of 
Practice, and agreed to study the principles further and to establish indicators allowing 
the implementation of the Code to be monitored. 

(7) 

(8) 

(9) 

(10)  A working group was subsequently entrusted by the Statistical Programme Committee 
with the task of finalising a proposal for a code of practice on European statistics. 

(11)  The  resulting  Code  of  Practice  was  unanimously  endorsed  by  the  Statistical 
Programme Committee on 24 February 2005, thus demonstrating that the principles it 
contains  are  shared  by  all  the  statistical  institutes,  which  should  then  be  invited  to 
follow the Code as a guiding instrument. 

(12)  The existing institutional set-up of the statistical authorities varies significantly across 
Member  States,  owing  to  the  different  and  sometimes  diverging  legal  and 
administrative  arrangements  in  the  Member  States,  which  reflect  their  respective 
political and cultural traditions. 

(13) 

In  the  light  of  the  achievements  made  by  the  statistical  authorities  through  the 
adoption of the Code as a self-regulatory instrument and the expectation that they will 
implement  it,  it  is  considered  that  this  Recommendation  is  appropriate  and 
proportionate. 

(14)  This Code of Practice has the dual purpose of, on the one hand, improving trust and 
confidence 
institutional  and 
in  statistical  authorities  by  proposing  certain 
organisational  arrangements  and,  on  the  other  hand,  reinforcing  the  quality  of  the 
statistics they produce and disseminate, by promoting the coherent application of best 
international  statistical  principles,  methods  and  practices  by  all  producers  of  official 
statistics in Europe. 

(15)  Member States should therefore be recommended to recognise the importance of the 
Code of Practice and take the measures required to ensure its correct implementation 

12 

OJ C , p. . 

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11 

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by the relevant authorities  concerned,  as well as  to promote it among  users and data 
providers. 

(16) 

It  has  to  be  noted  that  the  Commission  intends  to  take  similar  measures  in  parallel 
within  its  own  sphere  of  competence  and  in  particular  to  monitor  observance  of  the 
Code of Practice, within the European Statistical System, 

I. HEREBY RECOMMENDS THAT MEMBER STATES: 

A.  recognise  in  the  attached  Code  a  common  set  of  standards  at  European  level  for  the 
statistical authorities; 

B.  ensure  that  the  principles  of  the  Code  are  respected  by  their  statistical  authorities  with  a 
view to producing and disseminating high- quality, harmonised Community statistics and to 
contributing in general to the proper functioning of the European statistical system as a whole; 

C. ensure that their statistical services are professionally organised and resourced to produce 
Community statistics in a manner that guarantees independence, integrity and accountability, 
on the basis of the guidelines provided by the Code; 

D. raise awareness of the existence of this Code and its contents among statistical respondents 
and  data  providers,  as  well  as  all  users  of  statistics,  using  appropriate  information  and 
dissemination channels; 

E. promote an extensive exchange of information and expertise within the European statistical 
system, based on the experience gained through the implementation of the Code; 

F. support, and intensify where necessary, the wide-ranging co-operation between statistical 
authorities  within  the  European  Statistical  System,  as  well  as  with  statistical  authorities  of 
international bodies and organisations; 

G. provide the information necessary to enable the Commission to monitor adherence to the 
principles laid down in the Code. 

II.  RECOGNISES  IN  THE  ATTACHED  CODE  A  COMMON  SET  OF  STANDARDS  AT 
EUROPEAN  LEVEL  FOR  THE  STATISTICAL  AUTHORITIES  AND  IN  THIS 
CONTEXT: 

A.  will  ensure  that  the  principles  of  the  Code  are  respected  by  Eurostat  with  a  view  to 
producing  and  disseminating  high-quality,  harmonised  Community  statistics  and 
to 
contributing in general to the proper functioning of the European statistical system as a whole; 

B.  will  ensure  that  Eurostat,  as  the  statistical  authority  of  the  European  Union,  is 
professionally  organised  and  resourced  to  produce  Community  statistics  in  a  manner  that 
guarantees independence, integrity and accountability, and will take the appropriate measures 
accordingly, on the basis of its own internal organisation powers; 

C. will take appropriate measures to facilitate the implementation of the Code in the European 
Statistical  System,  in  particular  towards  developing  official  Community  statistics  so  that 
information produced in observance of this Code can be recognised by the users. 

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III. FURTHERMORE INTENDS: 

A.  to  develop  tools  for  improving  at  European  level  the  quality  of  Community  statistics, 
taking into account their cost-effectiveness; 

B.  to  set  up  a  reporting  system  to  monitor  adherence  to  the  Code  within  the  European 
Statistical System in line with the proportionality principle; 

C. to consider proposing an external advisory body, possibly a reformed European Advisory 
Committee  on  Statistical  Information  in  the  Economic  and  Social  Spheres,  with  a  view  to 
conferring  on  that  body  an  active  role  in  monitoring  the  implementation  of  the  Code  and, 
consequently,  the  enhancement  of  independence,  integrity  and  accountability,  and  in 
expressing opinions on the balancing of the priorities of the statistical programmes; 

D.  to  present  to  the  European  Parliament  and  to  the  Council,  within  three  years  of  the 
adoption  of  this  Recommendation  and  after  consultation  of  the  Statistical  Programme 
Committee and possibly of the external advisory body mentioned above, a report on progress 
in the implementation of this Code in the European Statistical System, based in particular on 
self-assessments  and  peer  reviews  and  including,  where  necessary,  proposals  to  enhance 
independence, integrity and accountability. 

Done at Brussels,  

For the Commission 

The President

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EUROPEAN STATISTICS CODE OF PRACTICE 

adopted by the Statistical Programme Committee on 24 February 2005 

Definitions: 

For the purpose of this document: 

Preamble 

European  Statistics  shall  mean  Community  Statistics  as  defined  in 
Council regulation (EC) No 322/97 of 17 February 1997 on Community 
Statistics,  produced  and  disseminated  by  national  statistical  authorities 
and  the  Community’s  statistical  authority  (Eurostat)  in  conformity  with 
Article 285(2) of the Treaty. 

The  Statistical  Authority  shall  mean,  at  national  level,  the  National 
Statistical  Institute  (NSI)  and  other  statistical  bodies  in  charge  of 
producing  and  disseminating  European  Statistics  and,  at  Community 
level, Eurostat. 

The European Statistical System, hereinafter referred to as the ESS, shall 
mean  the  partnership  comprising  Eurostat,  National  Statistical  Institutes 
and other national statistical bodies responsible in each Member State for 
producing and disseminating European Statistics. 

In  coherence  with  the  Treaty  establishing  the  European  Community,  and  in  particular 
Article 285(2) thereof, with the Council regulation (EC) No 322/97 of 17 February 1997 
on  Community  Statistics,  and  with  the  Fundamental  Principles  of  Official  Statistics 
adopted  by  the  United  Nations  Statistical  Commission  on  14  April  1994,  the  present 
Code of Practice has the dual purpose of:  

–  Improving  trust  and  confidence  in  the  independence,  integrity  and  accountability  of 
both National Statistical Authorities and Eurostat, and in the credibility and quality of 
the statistics they produce and disseminate (i.e. an external focus); 

–  Promoting  the  application  of  best  international  statistical  principles,  methods  and 
practices  by  all  producers  of  European  Statistics  to  enhance  their  quality  (i.e.  an 
internal focus). 

The Code is addressed for implementation to: 

–  Governance  authorities  (i.e.  Governments,  Ministries,  Commission,  Council)  -  to 
provide  guidelines  for  them  to  ensure  that their  statistical services  are professionally 
organised  and  resourced  to  produce  credible  European  Statistics  in  a  manner  that 
guarantees independence, integrity and accountability; 

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–  Statistical authorities and their staff - to provide a benchmark of statistical principles, 
values and best practices that should help them in producing and disseminating high 
quality, harmonised European Statistics. 

It is addressed for information to: 

–  Users - to show that European and national statistical authorities are impartial and that 
the statistics they produce and disseminate are trustworthy, objective and reliable; 

–  Data  providers  -  to  show  that  the  confidentiality  of  the  information  they  provide  is 

protected, and that excessive demands will not be placed on them. 

The  Code  of  Practice  is  based  on  15  Principles.  Governance  authorities  and  statistical 
authorities in the European Union commit themselves to adhering to the principles fixed 
in this code and to reviewing its implementation periodically by the use of Indicators of 
Good Practice for each of the 15 Principles, which are to be used as references. 

The  Statistical  Programme  Committee  established  by  Council  Decision  89/382/EEC  of 
19  June  1989  will  regularly  carry  out  peer review  monitoring  of  the  implementation  of 
the present Code. 

Institutional Environment 

Institutional  and  organisational  factors  have  a  significant  influence  on  the  effectiveness 
and credibility of a statistical authority producing and disseminating European Statistics. 
The relevant issues are professional independence, mandate for data collection, adequacy 
of resources, quality commitment, statistical confidentiality, impartiality and objectivity.  

Principle 1: Professional Independence - The professional independence of statistical 
authorities  from  other  policy,  regulatory  or  administrative  departments  and  bodies,  as 
well as from private sector operators, ensures the credibility of European Statistics. 

Indicators 

–  The  independence  of  the  statistical  authority  from  political  and  other  external 

interference in producing and disseminating official statistics is specified in law. 

–  The  head  of  the  statistical  authority  has  sufficiently  high  hierarchical  standing  to 
ensure  senior  level  access  to  policy  authorities  and  administrative  public  bodies. 
He/She should be of the highest professional calibre. 

–  The head of the statistical authority and, where appropriate, the heads of its statistical 
bodies  have  responsibility  for  ensuring  that  European  Statistics  are  produced  and 
disseminated in an independent manner. 

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–  The head of the statistical authority and, where appropriate, the heads of its statistical 
bodies have the sole responsibility for deciding on statistical methods, standards and 
procedures, and on the content and timing of statistical releases. 

–  The statistical work programmes are published and periodic reports describe progress 

made. 

–  Statistical releases are clearly distinguished and issued separately from political/policy 

statements. 

–  The  statistical  authority,  when  appropriate,  comments  publicly  on  statistical  issues, 

including criticisms and misuses of official statistics. 

Principle  2:  Mandate  for  Data  Collection  -  Statistical  authorities  must  have  a  clear 
legal mandate to collect information for European statistical purposes. Administrations, 
enterprises  and  households,  and  the  public  at  large  may  be  compelled  by  law  to  allow 
access  to  or  deliver  data  for  European  statistical  purposes  at  the  request  of  statistical 
authorities. 

Indicators 

–  The  mandate  to  collect  information  for  the  production  and  dissemination  of  official 

statistics is specified in law. 

–  The statistical authority is allowed by national legislation to use administrative records 

for statistical purposes. 

–  On the basis of a legal act, the statistical authority may compel response to statistical 

surveys. 

Principle 3: Adequacy of Resources - The resources available to statistical authorities 
must be sufficient to meet European Statistics requirements. 

Indicators 

–  Staff, financial, and computing resources, adequate both in magnitude and in quality, 

are available to meet current European Statistics needs. 

–  The scope, detail and cost of European Statistics are commensurate with needs. 

–  Procedures  exist  to  assess  and  justify  demands  for  new  European  Statistics  against 

their cost.  

–  Procedures exist to assess the continuing need for all European Statistics, to see if any 

can be discontinued or curtailed to free up resources. 

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Principle 4: Quality Commitment - All ESS members commit themselves to work and 
co-operate according to the principles fixed in the Quality Declaration of the European 
Statistical System. 

Indicators 

–  Product quality is regularly monitored according to the ESS quality components.  

–  Processes  are  in  place  to  monitor  the  quality  of  the  collection,  processing  and 

dissemination of statistics. 

–  Processes  are  in  place  to  deal  with quality  considerations, including  tradeoffs  within 

quality, and to guide planning for existing and emerging surveys. 

–  Quality  guidelines  are  documented  and  staff  are  well  trained.  These  guidelines  are 

spelled out in writing and made known to the public. 

–  There  is  a  regular  and  thorough  review  of  the  key  statistical  outputs  using  external 

experts where appropriate. 

Principle  5:  Statistical  Confidentiality  -  The  privacy  of  data  providers  (households, 
enterprises, administrations and other respondents), the confidentiality of the information 
they provide and its use only for statistical purposes must be absolutely guaranteed. 

Indicators 

–  Statistical confidentiality is guaranteed in law.  

–  Statistical authority staff sign legal confidentiality commitments on appointment. 

–  Substantial  penalties  are  prescribed 

for  any  wilful  breaches  of  statistical 

confidentiality.  

–  Instructions and guidelines are provided on the protection of statistical confidentiality 
in  the  production  and  dissemination  processes.  These  guidelines  are  spelled  out  in 
writing and made known to the public. 

–  Physical and technological provisions are in place to protect the security and integrity 

of statistical databases. 

–  Strict  protocols  apply  to  external  users  accessing  statistical  microdata  for  research 

purposes. 

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Principle  6:  Impartiality  and  Objectivity  -  Statistical  authorities  must  produce  and 
disseminate  European  Statistics  respecting  scientific  independence  and  in  an  objective, 
professional and transparent manner in which all users are treated equitably. 

Indicators 

–  Statistics are compiled on an objective basis determined by statistical considerations. 

–  Choices of sources and statistical techniques are informed by statistical considerations.  

–  Errors discovered in published statistics are corrected at the earliest possible date and 

publicised. 

–  Information  on  the  methods  and  procedures  used  by  the  statistical  authority  are 

publicly available. 

–  Statistical release dates and times are pre-announced.  

–  All users have equal access to statistical releases at the same time and any privileged 
pre-release access to any outside user is limited, controlled and publicised. In the event 
that  leaks  occur,  pre-release  arrangements  should  be  revised  so  as  to  ensure 
impartiality. 

–  Statistical releases and statements made  in Press Conferences are objective and non-

partisan.  

Statistical Processes 

European and other international standards, guidelines and good practices must be fully 
observed in the processes used by the statistical authorities to organise, collect, process 
and  disseminate  official  statistics.  The  credibility  of  the  statistics  is  enhanced  by  a 
reputation  for  good  management  and  efficiency.  The  relevant  aspects  are  sound 
methodology,  appropriate  statistical  procedures,  non-excessive  burden  on  respondents 
and cost effectiveness. 

Principle 7: Sound Methodology - Sound methodology must underpin quality statistics. 
This requires adequate tools, procedures and expertise.  

Indicators 

–  The  overall  methodological  framework  of  the  statistical  authority  follows  European 

and other international standards, guidelines, and good practices. 

–  Procedures are in place to ensure that standard concepts, definitions and classifications 

are consistently applied throughout the statistical authority. 

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–  The business register and the frame for population surveys are regularly evaluated and 

adjusted if necessary in order to ensure high quality. 

–  Detailed concordance exists between national classifications and sectorisation systems 

and the corresponding European systems. 

–  Graduates in the relevant academic disciplines are recruited.  

–  Staff  attend  international  relevant  training  courses  and  conferences,  and  liaise  with 
statistician  colleagues  at  international  level  in  order  to  learn  from  the  best  and  to 
improve their expertise. 

–  Co-operation with the scientific community to improve methodology is organised and 
external reviews assess the quality and effectiveness of the methods implemented and 
promote better tools, when feasible. 

Principle  8:  Appropriate  Statistical  Procedures  –  Appropriate  statistical  procedures, 
implemented from data collection to data validation, must underpin quality statistics. 

Indicators 

–  Where  European  Statistics  are  based  on  administrative  data,  the  definitions  and 
concepts used for the administrative purpose must be a good approximation to those 
required for statistical purposes. 

–  In case of statistical surveys, questionnaires are systematically tested prior to the data 

collection. 

–  Survey  designs,  sample  selections,  and  sample  weights  are  well  based  and  regularly 

reviewed, revised or updated as required.  

–  Field  operations,  data  entry,  and  coding  are  routinely  monitored  and  revised  as 

required. 

–  Appropriate  editing  and  imputation  computer  systems  are  used  and  regularly 

reviewed, revised or updated as required. 

–  Revisions follow standard, well-established and transparent procedures. 

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Principle 9: Non-Excessive Burden on Respondents - The reporting burden should be 
proportionate to the needs of the users and should not be excessive for respondents. The 
statistical authority monitors the response burden and sets targets for its reduction over 
time. 

Indicators 

–  The range and detail of European Statistics  demands is limited to  what is absolutely 

necessary.  

–  The reporting burden is spread as widely as possible over survey populations through 

appropriate sampling techniques.  

–  The information sought from businesses is, as far as possible, readily available from 
their accounts and electronic means are used where possible to facilitate its return. 

–  Best  estimates  and  approximations  are  accepted  when  exact  details  are  not  readily 

available. 

–  Administrative  sources  are  used  whenever  possible  to  avoid  duplicating  requests  for 

information. 

–  Data  sharing  within  statistical  authorities 

is  generalised 

in  order 

to  avoid 

multiplication of surveys. 

Principle 10: Cost Effectiveness - Resources must be effectively used. 

Indicators 

–  Internal  and  independent  external  measures  monitor  the  statistical  authority’s  use  of 

resources. 

–  Routine clerical operations (e.g. data capture, coding, validation) are automated to the 

extent possible. 

–  The  productivity  potential  of  information  and  communications  technology  is  being 

optimised for data collection, processing and dissemination. 

–  Proactive efforts are being made to improve the statistical potential of administrative 

records and avoid costly direct surveys. 

Statistical Output 

Available statistics must meet users’ needs. Statistics comply with the European quality 
standards  and  serve  the  needs  of  European  institutions,  governments,  research 
institutions, business concerns and the public generally. The important issues concern the 

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extent  to  which  the  statistics  are  relevant,  accurate  and  reliable,  timely,  coherent, 
comparable across regions and countries, and readily accessible by users. 

Principle 11: Relevance - European Statistics must meet the needs of users. 

Indicators 

–  Processes are in place to consult users, monitor the relevance and practical utility of 
existing  statistics  in  meeting  their  needs,  and  advise  on  their  emerging  needs  and 
priorities. 

–  Priority needs are being met and reflected in the work programme. 

–  User satisfaction surveys are undertaken periodically. 

Principle  12:  Accuracy  and  Reliability  -  European  Statistics  must  accurately  and 
reliably portray reality. 

Indicators 

–  Source data, intermediate results and statistical outputs are assessed and validated. 

–  Sampling errors and non-sampling errors are measured and systematically documented 

according to the framework of the ESS quality components. 

–  Studies  and  analyses  of  revisions  are  carried  out  routinely  and  used  internally  to 

inform statistical processes. 

Principle 13: Timeliness and Punctuality - European Statistics must be disseminated in 
a timely and punctual manner. 

Indicators 

–  Timeliness meets the highest European and international dissemination standards. 

–  A standard daily time is set for the release of European Statistics. 

–  Periodicity  of  European  Statistics  takes  into  account  user  requirements  as  much  as 

possible. 

–  Any  divergence  from  the  dissemination  time  schedule  is  publicised  in  advance, 

explained and a new release date set. 

–  Preliminary  results  of  acceptable  aggregate  quality  can  be  disseminated  when 

considered useful. 

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Principle 14: Coherence and Comparability - European Statistics should be consistent 
internally,  over  time  and  comparable  between  regions  and  countries;  it  should  be 
possible to combine and make joint use of related data from different sources. 

Indicators 

–  Statistics  are  internally  coherent  and  consistent  (e.g.  arithmetic  and  accounting 

identities observed). 

–  Statistics are coherent or reconcilable over a reasonable period of time. 

–  Statistics  are  compiled  on  the  basis  of  common  standards  with  respect  to  scope, 

definitions, units and classifications in the different surveys and sources. 

–  Statistics from the different surveys and sources are compared and reconciled. 

–  Cross-national  comparability  of  the  data  is  ensured  through  periodical  exchanges 
between the European Statistical System and other statistical systems; methodological 
studies are carried out in close co-operation between the Member States and Eurostat. 

Principle 15: Accessibility and Clarity – European Statistics should be presented in a 
clear  and  understandable  form,  disseminated  in  a  suitable  and  convenient  manner, 
available and accessible on an impartial basis with supporting metadata and guidance. 

Indicators 

–  Statistics are presented in a form that facilitates proper interpretation and meaningful 

comparisons. 

–  Dissemination services use modern information and communication technology and, if 

appropriate, traditional hard copy. 

–  Custom-designed analyses are provided when feasible and are made public. 

–  Access  to  microdata  can  be  allowed  for  research  purposes.  This  access  is  subject  to 

strict protocols. 

–  Metadata are documented according to standardised metadata systems. 

–  Users are kept informed on the methodology of statistical processes and the quality of 

statistical outputs with respect to the ESS quality criteria. 

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