Article 1 Subject matter
This Regulation establishes a common framework for the systematic production of Community statistics in the field of education and lifelong learning.
Article 2 Definitions
For the purpose of this Regulation: (a) ‘Community statistics’ shall be defined as in the first indent of Article 2 of Regulation (EC) No 322/97; (b) ‘production of statistics’ shall be defined as in the second indent of Article 2 of Regulation (EC) No 322/97; (c) ‘national authorities’ shall be defined as in the third indent of Article 2 of Regulation (EC) No 322/97; (d) ‘education’ means organised and sustained communication designed to bring about learning ( 13 ) ; (e) ‘lifelong learning’ means all learning activity undertaken throughout life, with the aim of improving knowledge, skills and competences within a personal, civic, social and/or employment-related perspective ( 14 ) ; (f) ‘micro-data’ means individual statistical records; (g) ‘confidential data’ means data which allow only indirect identification of the statistical units concerned, in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 322/97 and Regulation (Euratom, EEC) No 1588/90.
Article 3 Domains
This Regulation shall apply to the production of statistics in three domains: (a) Domain 1 shall cover statistics on education and training systems; (b) Domain 2 shall cover statistics on the participation of adults in lifelong learning; (c) Domain 3 shall cover other statistics on education and lifelong learning, such as statistics on human capital and on the social and economic benefits of education, not covered by Domains 1 and 2. The production of statistics in those domains shall be carried out in accordance with the Annex.
Article 4 Statistical actions
1. The production of Community statistics in the field of education and lifelong learning shall be implemented by individual statistical actions as follows: (a) the regular delivery of statistics on education and lifelong learning by the Member States, within specified deadlines for Domains 1 and 2; (b) the use of other statistical information systems and surveys, to provide additional statistical variables and indicators on education and lifelong learning, corresponding to Domain 3; (c) the development, improvement and updating of standards and manuals on statistical frameworks, concepts and methods; (d) the improvement of data quality, in the context of the quality framework, to include: — relevance, — accuracy, — timeliness and punctuality, — accessibility and clarity, — comparability, and — coherence. Available capacities within the Member States for data collection and the processing and development of concepts and methods shall be taken into account by the Commission. Where appropriate, special attention and consideration shall be given to the regional dimension of the data collected. Where appropriate, data shall be systematically broken down by gender. 2. Whenever possible, the Commission (Eurostat) shall seek cooperation with the UIS, the OECD and other international organisations with a view to ensuring international comparability of data and to avoid duplication of effort, in particular as regards the development and improvement of statistical concepts and methods and the delivery of statistics by the Member States. 3. Whenever significant new data requirements or insufficient quality of data are identified and before any data collection, the Commission (Eurostat) shall institute pilot studies to be completed on a voluntary basis by the Member States. Such pilot studies shall be carried out in order to assess the feasibility of the relevant data collection, taking into consideration the benefits of the availability of the data in relation to the collection costs and the burden on respondents. Pilot studies shall not necessarily lead to corresponding implementing measures.
Article 5 Transmission of micro-data on individuals
When necessary for the production of Community statistics, Member States shall transmit confidential micro-data resulting from sample surveys to the Commission (Eurostat) in accordance with the provisions on the transmission of data subject to confidentiality set out in Regulation (EC) No 322/97 and in Regulation (Euratom, EEC) No 1588/90. Member States shall ensure that the transmitted data do not permit the direct identification of the statistical units (individuals).
Article 6 Implementing measures
1. The following measures designed to amend non-essential elements of this Regulation by supplementing it, including measures to take account of economic and technical developments concerning the collection, transmission and processing of the data, shall be adopted in accordance with the regulatory procedure with scrutiny referred to in Article 7(3) with a view to ensuring the transmission of high quality data: (a) the selection and specification of subjects covered by the domains and their characteristics in response to policy or technical needs; (b) the breakdowns of characteristics; (c) the observation period and deadlines for transmission of results; (d) the quality requirements, including the required precision; (e) the quality reporting framework. If these measures lead to a requirement for a significant enlargement of existing data collections or for new data collections or surveys, implementing decisions shall be based on a cost-benefit analysis as part of a comprehensive analysis of the effects and implications, taking into account the benefit of the measures, the costs for the Member States and the burden on respondents. 2. The measures referred to in paragraph 1 shall take account of the following: (a) for all Domains, the potential burden on educational institutions and individuals; (b) for all Domains, the results of the pilot studies referred to in Article 4(3); (c) for Domain 1, the latest agreements between the UIS, the OECD and the Commission (Eurostat) on concepts, definitions, data collection format, data processing, periodicity and deadlines for transmission of results; (d) for Domain 2, the results from the Adult Education Pilot Survey performed between 2005 and 2007 and further development needs; (e) for Domain 3, the availability, suitability and the legal context of existing Community data sources after an exhaustive examination of all existing data sources. 3. If necessary, limited derogations and transition periods for one or more Member States, both to be based upon objective grounds, shall be adopted in accordance with the regulatory procedure referred to in Article 7(2).
Article 7 Committee
1. The Commission shall be assisted by the Statistical Programme Committee. 2. Where reference is made to this paragraph, Articles 5 and 7 of Decision 1999/468/EC shall apply, having regard to the provisions of Article 8 thereof. The period laid down in Article 5(6) of Decision 1999/468/EC shall be set at three months. 3. Where reference is made to this paragraph, Article 5a(1) to (4) and Article 7 of Decision 1999/468/EC shall apply, having regard to the provisions of Article 8 thereof.
Article 8 Entry into force
This Regulation shall enter into force on the 20th day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union .