REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL on the quality of fiscal data reported by Member States in 2011
Date: 2012-04-13
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU Member State, European accounting system, Eurostat, budget deficit, disclosure of information, economic statistics, public debt, public finance, publication of accounts

EUROPEAN COMMISSION 

Brussels, 13.4.2012  
COM(2012) 170 final 

REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND 
THE COUNCIL 

on the quality of fiscal data reported by Member States in 2011 

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REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT 
AND THE COUNCIL 

on the quality of fiscal data reported by Member States in 2011 

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

1. 

2. 

Background .................................................................................................................. 3 

Main findings on the 2011 reporting of government deficit and debt levels ............... 3 

2.1. 

Timeliness, reliability and completeness ..................................................................... 3 

2.1.1.  Timeliness .................................................................................................................... 3 

2.1.2.  Reliability ..................................................................................................................... 4  

2.1.3.  Completeness of tables and supporting information .................................................... 4 

2.1.4.  Supplementary tables relating to the financial crisis.................................................... 5 

2.1.5.  Questionnaire on intergovernmental lending……….. ................................................. 6 

2.2. 

Compliance with accounting rules and consistency of statistical data......................... 6 

2.2.1.  Exchange of information and clarifications ................................................................. 6 

2.2.2.  Dialogue and methodological visits ............................................................................. 6 

2.2.3.  Specific advice by Eurostat .......................................................................................... 7 

2.2.4.  Recent methodological issues ...................................................................................... 8 

2.2.5.  Consistency with underlying government accounts..................................................... 8 

2.3. 

Publication.................................................................................................................... 8 

2.3.1.  Publication of headline figures and detailed reporting tables ...................................... 8 

2.3.2.  Reservations on the quality of data .............................................................................. 9 

2.3.3.  Amendments to the reported data................................................................................. 9 

2.3.4.  Publication of metadata (inventories) ........................................................................ 10 

3. 

Conclusions ................................................................................................................ 10 

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1. 

BACKGROUND 

Article 8(3) of Council Regulation (EC) No 479/2009 (amended by Regulation (EC) 
No 679/2010), on the application of the Protocol on the excessive deficit procedure 
annexed  to  the  Treaty  establishing  the  European  Community1  requires  the 
Commission  (Eurostat)  (hereinafter  referred  to  as  “Eurostat”)  to  report  regularly  to 
the European Parliament and to the Council on the quality of the actual data reported 
by Member States. This annual report provides an overall assessment of compliance 
with  accounting  rules,  completeness,  reliability,  timeliness  and  consistency  of  the 
data. The previous report (on the 2010 notifications) was adopted by the Commission 
on 11 April 2011. 

Eurostat regularly assesses the quality of the actual data reported by Member States 
and  of  the  underlying  general  government  sector  accounts  compiled  in  accordance 
with Council Regulation (EC) No 2223/96 of 25 June 1996 on the European system 
of  national  and  regional  accounts  in  the  Community  (ESA95)2.  The  assessment  is 
mainly  based  on  data  regarding  the  general  government's  budget  execution  and 
general government assets and liabilities. This work concentrates on the factors that 
explain  the  general  government  deficit/surplus  and  the  change  in  the  general 
government  debt.  Member  States  send  this  information  to  Eurostat  twice  per  year. 
This also includes supplementary information such as the “Questionnaire relating to 
the EDP notification tables” and bilateral clarifications by Member States. Eurostat 
also  undertakes  regular  EDP  dialogue  visits  in  each  Member  State  to  maintain  a 
continuous dialogue with Member States.  

This report is based on the main findings and results of the EDP reporting in 2011, 
focusing  on  the  latest  (October  2011)  reporting  exercise.  Where  appropriate, 
comparisons  are  made  with  the  April  2011  reporting,  as  well  as  with  the  2010 
reporting. 

2. 

MAIN  FINDINGS  ON  THE  2011  REPORTING  OF  GOVERNMENT  DEFICIT  AND  DEBT 
LEVELS 

2.1. 

Timeliness, reliability and completeness 

2.1.1.  Timeliness 

Member  States  are  required  to  report  their  planned  and  actual  budget  and  balance 
sheet data to the Commission twice per year, before 1 April and 1 October3. During 
2011,  the  EDP  reporting  covered  the  years  2007  to  2011.  The  figures  for  2011  are 
those planned by the national authorities, while the 2007 to 2010 figures are actual 
data (this means final, semi-finalised, provisional or estimated figures). 

Compliance  with  the  reporting  deadlines  is  usually  very  good.  In  the  second 
reporting in 2011, 26 Member States reported their data before the legal deadline of 1 

1 
2 
3 

OJ L 145, 10.6.2009, p. 1. 
OJ L 310, 30.11.1996, p. 1. 
Article 3 (1) and (3) of Regulation (EC) No 479/2009, as amended. 

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October.  The  Greek  authorities  sent  their  notification  on  7  October.  In  the  April 
reporting  exercise,  all  Member  States  reported  their  figures  before  1  April  2011, 
except Greece (on 1 April) and France which sent the planned data for the year 2011 
on 7 April. 

2.1.2.  Reliability 

Many  Member  States  revised  their  reporting  after  the  first  submission.  In  October 
2011,  29  revised  submissions  were  sent  by  18  countries,  compared  to  April  2011 
when 36 revised submissions were sent by 20 countries. Member States sent most of 
the revised submissions in response to comments, technical questions or remarks by 
Eurostat, and they concerned corrections of minor errors, internal inconsistencies or 
inappropriate recording within tables.  

The  data  were  revised  by  more  than  0.1  percentage  points  (pp)  of  GDP  during  the 
assessment  periods  for  Greece,  Portugal,  Slovenia  and  Slovakia  in  April  and  for 
Germany4, Austria, Romania and Slovakia in October.  

The Irish statistical authorities provided an updated set of EDP notification tables on 
24  November  2011,  in  order  to  correct  an  identified  error  in  the  consolidation  of 
general government debt (there was no impact on the recorded government deficit). 
Eurostat clarified the revisions and published the new data. 

2.1.3.  Completeness of tables and supporting information 

The submission of the reporting tables is a legal obligation and is essential if Eurostat 
is  to  monitor  the  quality  of  the  data  properly.  Article  8(2)  of  Regulation  (EC) 
No 479/2009 as amended, specifies that Member States must provide Eurostat with 
the relevant statistical information, which 

“(…) in particular (…) means:  

(a) 

data from national accounts; 

(b) 

inventories; 

(c)  EDP notification tables; 

(d) 

additional questionnaires and clarification related to the notifications.” 

The EDP notification tables consist of four main (sets of) tables. The submission of 
EDP tables 1 to 3 is a legal obligation, whereas reporting of EDP table 4 was agreed 

4 

The revisions to the German EDP data concerned year 2010 and were caused by the amendments to the 
source data for FMS Wertmanagement -a defeasance structure of Hypo Real Estate (HRE); classified 
inside the general government sector- for deficit: up by 0.9 pp of GDP mainly due to the revaluation of 
the bad assets transferred to it by HRE; and for debt: down by 1 pp of GDP due to the correction of the 
presentation of cash collaterals in its balance sheet. 

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by  Member States5.  Tables  1 and 2A (central government) cover the years 2007 to 
2011, whilst the other tables cover the years 2007 to 20106. 

Most  Member  States  complete  all  EDP  notification  tables7.  Some  Member  States 
however could improve on completeness. In the October 2011 reporting for example, 
for EDP Tables 2, five Member States either did not provide full details on the link 
between  the  working  balance  and  the  EDP  surplus/deficit  for  all  the  sub-sectors  or 
for all the years, or reported working balances equal to the EDP surplus/deficit. 

For EDP Table 3, not all Member States provided all the breakdowns. In particular 
the details requested for the items 'loans' and 'equity' were not always reported.  

The fact that in EDP tables 2 and 3 certain data are missing for a number of Member 
States reduces the possibility for Eurostat for checking the reliability of the bottom 
line figures on government deficit and debt. This in turn leads to a greater need for 
checking such details in the course of visits to the Member States. 

All Member States submitted replies to the “Questionnaire relating to the notification 
tables”8.  Although the  coverage and quality  of answers improved compared to  past 
years, some countries did not report all the details requested in the questionnaire. 

2.1.4. 

Supplementary tables relating to the financial crisis 

Eurostat has been collecting a set of data on the financial crisis in a supplementary 
table  since  15  July  2009.  Part 1  of  the  supplementary  table  relates  to  data  on 
transactions  which  are  recorded  in  the  revenue/expenditure  account  of  government 
and  have  an  actual  impact  on  the  EDP  deficit/surplus.  Part 2  of  the  supplementary 
table  relates  to  data  on  stocks  of  financial  assets  and  liabilities  arising  from  the 
support  for  financial  institutions.  It  distinguishes  between  activities  which  have 
actually  contributed  to  government  liabilities  (included  in  government  debt)  and 
activities which may potentially contribute to government liabilities in the future, but 
are for now considered as contingent on future events  (not included  in government 
debt).These  tables show  government interventions directly related to the support of 
financial  institutions.  Support  measures  for  non-financial  institutions  or  general 
economic support measures are not included. 

The  data  collected  in  2011  referred  to  the  period  2007  to  2010.  20  Member  States 
report various interventions undertaken by government in the context of the financial 

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8 

See the statements to the Council minutes of 22 November 1993. 
Provision of planned data in EDP tables other than table 1 and 2A is not explicitly requested in Council 
Regulation (EC) No 479/2009, as amended. 
A  detailed  description  of  the  content  of  these  tables  can  be  found  on  Eurostat’s  website.  See: 
http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page?_pageid=2373,58110711&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTA
L. 
This  questionnaire  comprises  thirteen  sections  requesting  quantitative  and  sometimes  qualitative 
information  in  several  areas,  such  as  transactions  in  taxes  and  social  contributions  and  with  the  EU, 
acquisition  of  military  equipment,  government  guarantees,  debt  cancellations,  capital  injections  made 
by government into public corporations, Public-Private Partnerships, etc. 

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crisis.  Eurostat  published  a  note  alongside  its  EDP  Press  Releases  analysing  these 
data9  

2.1.5.  Questionnaire on intergovernmental lending 

Starting  from  the  April  2011  notification,  the  Member  States  also  provide  data  on 
intergovernmental lending. The EDP News Release includes this information, which 
allows  the  analysis  of  loans  Member  States  grant  for  support  operations  to  other 
Member States (in 2010, mainly to Greece).  

Such intergovernmental lending increased substantially in the context of the financial 
crisis  and  has  to  be  subtracted  from  the  EU27  and  euro  area  aggregates  of  the 
Maastricht  debt,  both  of  which  are  calculated  on  a  consolidated  basis.  Due  to  this 
consolidation,  the  EU27  and  euro  area  aggregates  are  not  equal  to  the  arithmetical 
sum of Member States’ debt (i.e. the lending between governments is not included, 
to avoid double-counting). 

The figures reported in the questionnaire do not yet include any amounts in relation 
to the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF) as they refer to the period 2007-
2010. For 2011, these figures will be collected from the EFSF. 

2.2. 

Compliance with accounting rules and consistency of statistical data 

2.2.1.  Exchange of information and clarifications 

During  the  assessment  period  between  the  reporting  deadline  of  1  October  and  the 
publication of the data on 21 October 2011, Eurostat contacted the national statistical 
authorities  in  every  Member  State  to  request  further  information  and  to  clarify  the 
application  of  the  accounting  rules  on  specific  transactions.  This  process  involved 
several  rounds  of  correspondence  between  Eurostat  and  the  national  authorities.  A 
first round of requests for clarification was sent to all countries before 9 October. A 
second round of requests was sent to 14 countries and a third round to one country. 
For some countries, Eurostat asked for revised notification tables10.  

2.2.2.  Dialogue and methodological visits 

Regulation  (EC)  No  479/2009  as  amended,  makes  provision  for  dialogue  and 
methodological visits. Dialogue visits to Member States are conducted regularly with 
the  aim  of  reviewing  reported  data,  examining  methodological  issues,  discussing 
statistical  sources  and  assessing  compliance  with  the  relevant  accounting  rules,  for 
example  on  the  delimitation  of  general  government,  the  time  of  recording  and  the 
classification of government transactions and liabilities.  

Methodological  visits  are  undertaken  only  where  Eurostat  has  identified  significant 
risks  or  problems  with  respect  to  the  quality  of  the  data,  especially  relating  to  the 

9 

10 

See: 
http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/government_finance_statistics/documents/Backgroun
d_note_fin.crisis_Oct.2011_final.pdf 
See section 2.1. 

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methods,  concepts  or  classifications  used.  In  2011  no  methodological  visits  were 
carried out. 

During the year 2011, Eurostat carried out the following EDP visits: Portugal (17-18 
January,  14-15  April  and  19-20  September),  United  Kingdom  (26-28  January), 
Denmark  (31  January  –  1  February),  Latvia  (15-17  February  2011),  Spain  (17-18 
February), Slovakia (28 February–1 March), Greece (21-23 March, 26-27 September 
and  10-11  November),  Germany  (5-6  May),  Czech  Republic  (16-17  May), 
Luxembourg (19 May), Slovenia (23-24 May), Romania (8-10 June, 20-22 June, 11-
13  July  and  26-27  September),  Italy  (27-28  June),  Estonia  (4-5  July),  Poland  (5-6 
September), Finland (21-22 November), Bulgaria (28-30 November), Sweden (12-13 
December) and the Netherlands (12 December). 

Recurring issues discussed during the visits included the classification of units within 
or outside the general government sector (e.g. concerning public transport, television 
and radio, hospitals and universities), capital injections, Public-Private Partnerships, 
EU  flows  and  the  recording  of  guarantees.  Every  visit  leads  to  a  number  of  action 
points for the Member State visited. The implementation of these action points leads 
to improvements in data quality over time.  

Eurostat  has  also  started  to  implement  a  programme  of  "upstream"  EDP  dialogue 
visits to Member States, with a view to examining the quality and completeness of 
the  source  data  used  by  statistical  authorities  in  compiling  EDP  data,  and  to 
discussing  the  quality  management  arrangements  for  the  compilation  of  the  data. 
This  is  a  major  element  of  Eurostat's  work  in  implementing  the  strengthened 
verification powers granted in Regulation (EC) No 479/2009 as amended, according 
to  a  preventative  risk-based  approach  described  in  the  Communication  to  the 
European Parliament and Council entitled "Towards robust quality management for 
European  Statistics".11  Already  in  2011,  upstream  dialogue  visits  took  place  in 
Germany,  Romania  and  Bulgaria.  A  specialised  working  group  on  "quality 
management of Government Finance Statistics" is being put in place. 

2.2.3. 

Specific advice by Eurostat 

Member  States  regularly  consult  Eurostat  to  clarify  various  national  accounting 
issues in relation to future or past operations. Eurostat provides advice in accordance 
with  the  existing  guidelines.  To  comply  with  the  transparency  provision  in 
Regulation  (EC)  No  479/2009,  as  amended,  Eurostat  publishes  its  advice12,  unless 
the  Member  State  concerned  raises  an  objection.  Eurostat  published  the  following 
advice  in  2011:  the  treatment  of  debt  of  the  Austrian  railway  company  (Austria), 
changes in the pension system (Poland), the classification of a road network project 
run  by  the  Autonomous  Community  of  Aragon  (Spain),  the  classification  of  an 
irrigation network in Public Private Partnership run by the Autonomous Community 
of Navarra (Spain), the classification of a motorway in Public Private Partnership run 
by  the  Autonomous  Community  of  Navarra  (Spain),  the  treatment  of  infrastructure 

11 

12 

See:http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/quality/documents/COM-2011-
211_Communication_Quality_Management_EN.pdf 
See: 
http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/government_finance_statistics/methodology/advice_
member_states.  

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projects  (Romania)  and 
the  recording  of  restructuring  schemes  for  public 
corporations  with  accumulated  arrears  (Romania),  the  methodological  treatment  of 
foreign exchange derivatives linked to the EDP debt (Latvia), an ex-ante advice on 
the  statistical  recording  of  the  project  of  construction  and  operation  of  the  A1 
motorway  Tuszyn-Pryzowice  stretch  (Poland),  the  recording  of  EU  transfers  and 
national  co-financing  Jeremie  (Bulgaria),  two  pieces  of  advice  on  the  recording  of 
the repayment scheme of the Bulgarian Development Bank (Bulgaria) and an advice 
on a preliminary opinion of the Portuguese statistical office on the possible transfer 
of some assets and responsibilities of the banking sector's pension funds to General 
Government (Portugal). 

2.2.4.  Recent methodological issues 

As usual, Eurostat paid close attention to the application of the ESA95 rules and, in 
particular,  to  its  latest  decisions.  These  decisions  are  included  in  the  Manual  on 
Government Deficit and Debt, the latest version of which was published in October 
2010, and which is now subject to a regular update process.  

Eurostat has also been consulted on the statistical recording of the measures taken at 
European level to address difficulties in the sovereign debt markets. In 2011 Eurostat 
has  published its  statistical view on the  EFSF13 and also a preliminary view  on the 
planned European Stabilisation Mechanism14. Eurostat has also published a guidance 
note on publicly owned "defeasance structures".15 

2.2.5.  Consistency with underlying government accounts 

The  notification  deadlines  of  1  April  and  1  October  set  by  Regulation  (EC) 
No 479/2009  as  amended,  were  introduced  in  order  to  ensure  consistency  with  the 
underlying annual and quarterly government sector accounts, as reported to Eurostat 
in  various  ESA95  transmission  tables.  Eurostat  systematically  analyses  the 
consistency  of  the  EDP  notifications  with  the  underlying  government  sector 
accounts.  For  example,  total  government  expenditure  and  revenue  should  be 
consistent with the reported deficit figure.  

The overall consistency of EDP data with the reported ESA95 government accounts 
has  become  increasingly  complete  in  recent  years,  though  it  is  still  better  for  non-
financial  than  for  financial  data.  In  October  2011,  GDP  and  debt  figures  were 
consistent  for  all  Member  States.  With  regard  to  the  figures  for  net  borrowing/net 
lending,  there  were  minor  differences  for  6  Member  States.  Minor  inconsistencies 
between  the  EDP  data  and  the  quartely  financial  accounts  appeared  in  the 
notifications of 14 Member States. 

13 
14 

15 

See:http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/cache/ITY_PUBLIC/2-27012011-AP/EN/2-27012011-AP-EN.PDF 
See: 
http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/government_finance_statistics/documents/Eurostat's
%20preliminary%20view%20on%20the%20recording%20of%20the%20futu.pdf 
See: 
http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/government_finance_statistics/documents/Eurostat%
20Guidance%20on%20accounting%20rules%20for%20EDP%20-%20Financia.pdf  

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2.3. 

Publication 

2.3.1.  Publication of headline figures and detailed reporting tables 

Article  14  of  Regulation  (EC)  No 479/2009  as  amended,  states:  “The  Commission 
(Eurostat)  shall  provide  the  actual  government  deficit  and  debt  data  for  the 
application  of  the  Protocol  on  the  excessive  deficit  procedure,  within  three  weeks 
after  the  reporting  deadlines  (…).  This  provision  of  data  shall  be  effected  through 
publication.” 

The  government  deficit  and  debt  data  were  published  on  26  April  and  21  October 
2011 together with all the reporting tables, as notified by the Member States.  

Eurostat  also  publishes  on  its  website  the annual  and  quarterly  government  finance 
statistics  that  underpin  the  EDP  data,  together  with  information  on  the  stock-flow 
adjustments16.  Eurostat  also  publishes  the  information  provided  by  Member  States 
concerning  government  interventions  in the  context  of  the  financial  crisis17  and  the 
data on intergovernmental lending. 

In accordance with Regulation (EC) No 479/2009 as amended, Member States shall 
make public their actual data on deficit and debt. Most Member States have reported 
to Eurostat that they publish all their reporting tables.  

2.3.2.  Reservations on the quality of data 

Eurostat expressed a reservation on the quality of the data notified by Romania and 
the  UK  in  the  April  2011  notification.  These  reservations  were  withdrawn  in  the 
November news release.  

Romania: Eurostat has withdrawn the reservation expressed on the data reported by 
Romania  in  the  April  2011  notification  due  to  uncertainties  on  the  impact  of  some 
public corporations on the government deficit, on the reporting of ESA95 categories 
"other accounts receivable and payable", on the nature and impact of some financial 
transactions  and  on  the  consolidation  of  intra-governmental  flows.  Eurostat  has 
confirmed that in the October 2011 notification the above mentioned items have been 
recorded according to ESA95 methodology and the related manuals. 

United  Kingdom:  Eurostat  has  withdrawn  the  reservation  expressed  on  the  data 
reported by the United Kingdom in the April 2011 notification due to uncertainties 
on the time of recording of military expenditure. Eurostat has confirmed that in the 
October  2011  notification  the  United  Kingdom  included  the  necessary  adjustment 
and is now recording military equipment expenditure on a delivery basis, as required 
by the relevant Eurostat decision of 9 March 2006. 

16 

17 

The  Government  Finance  section  on  Eurostat’s  website  provides  public  access  to  information  on 
statistics for the excessive deficit procedure and the underlying government sector accounts, including 
data,  methodological  decisions  and  manuals,  together  with  findings  of  EDP  dialogue  visits: 
(http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/government_finance_statistics/introduction.  
See: 
http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/government_finance_statistics/documents/Backgroun
d_note_fin.crisis_Oct.2011_final.pdf 

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2.3.3.  Amendments to the reported data  

Eurostat’s EDP News Releases provide explanations concerning the amendments of 
notification data of the United Kingdom18.  

"Eurostat has amended the deficit and debt data notified by the United Kingdom for 
the years 2008 to 2010 (as well as for financial years 2008/2009 to 2010/2011). This 
has  been  done  to  ensure  compliance  with  the  Eurostat  guidance  note  of  16  March 
2011 on financial defeasance structures, with respect to Bradford & Bingley (B&B) 
and  Northern  Rock  Asset  Management  (NRAM).  The  reported  deficit  figures  have 
been increased by 360 mn GBP (0.03% of GDP) in 2008 (as well as in financial year 
2008/2009), by 571 mn GBP (0.04% of GDP) in 2009 (as well as in financial year 
2009/2010) and by 1 023 mn GBP (0.07% of GDP) in 2010 (as well as in financial 
year 2010/2011). The reported debt figures are increased by 32 374 mn GBP (2.26% 
of GDP) in 2008 (as well as in financial year 2008/2009), by 19 969 mn GBP (1.43% 
of  GDP)  in  2009  (as  well  as  in  financial  year  2009/2010)  and  by  56  821  mn  GBP 
(3.90% of GDP) in 2010 (as well as in financial year 2010/2011)". 

2.3.4.  Publication of metadata (inventories19) 

Regulation  (EC)  No  479/2009  as  amended,  specifies  that  the  EDP  inventories  are 
among the statistical information to be provided by Member States to allow Eurostat 
to  check  compliance  with  ESA95  rules.  Furthermore,  it  stipulates  that  national 
publication of these inventories is mandatory. Eurostat has published the inventories 
of  all  Member  States.  Except  for  Luxembourg  and  the  Netherlands,  all  Member 
States reported that they have published their EDP inventories nationally. 

Eurostat is in the process of introducing a new EDP inventory format which would 
involve structural changes and require more detailed information (for example, with 
respect  to  compilation  procedures,  delimitation  of  the  general  government  sector, 
specific transactions, quality management, and upstream data sources etc.).  

3. 

CONCLUSIONS 

Eurostat concludes  that  progress on the  quality of fiscal data continued in 2011. In 
general,  Member  States  have  provided  better  information,  both  in  EDP  notification 
tables and in other relevant statistical returns. Overall consistency of EDP data with 
the reported ESA95 government accounts is satisfactory, and there are improvements 
on the financial side. 

Reservations on the quality of the reported data were expressed in 2011 for Romania 
and  the  United  Kingdom  in  the  April  2011  notification.  These  reservations  were 
lifted  in  November  2011.  However,  an  amendment  has  remained  necessary  for  the 
UK. 

18 

19 

Under Article 15 (2) of Council Regulation (EC) No 479/2009 as amended, the Commission (Eurostat) 
may amend actual data reported by Member States and provide the amended data and a justification of 
the amendment where there is evidence that the actual data reported by Member States do not comply 
with the requirements of Article 8 (1). 
Inventories of the methods, procedures and sources used to compile actual deficit and debt data and the 
underlying government accounts. 

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In spite  of the recognised  improvements, some  issues nevertheless persist linked to 
the compliance with accounting rules and the completeness and consistency of some 
of  the  statistical  information  provided.  For  example,  some  Member  States  need  to 
improve  the  completeness  of  data  on  the  sub-national  government  levels  whilst 
others  could  improve  the  monitoring  of  the  public  financial  defeasance  structures 
which were established in the wake of the financial crisis.  

Eurostat  therefore  invites  Member  States  to  continue  investing  in  the  quality  of 
government  finance  statistics  with  a  view  to  achieving  further  the  desired  level  of 
quality as regards the compliance with the relevant accounting rules, completeness, 
reliability,  timeliness  and  consistency  of  government  data,  including  better  quality 
management of the upstream data flows that are the input to the EDP deficit and debt 
figures.  

EN 

11 

   EN