Background information: Official statistics in the EU

Some background informationabout official statistics in theEuropean Union (EU)

Martin Eiglsperger

European Central Bank – DG Statistics*

The 2008 World Congress on National Accounts andEconomic Performance Measures for NationsWashington D.C., 12-17 May 2008

* The views expressed in this presentation are those of the author

and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Central Bank.

•Produced by

–the European Statistical System (ESS), i.e.Eurostat (the Statistical Office of the EuropeanCommunities) and the national statisticalinstitutes of the EU

–the European System of Central Banks (ESCB),i.e. the European Central Bank (ECB) and thenational central banks of the euro area(=Eurosystem) + national central banks of EUcountries not participating in the MonetaryUnion

•Memorandum of Understanding

Official statistics in the EU (1)

Three prominent examples:

•Statistics produced by Eurostat and the ESS:Harmonised Indices of Consumer Prices

•Statistics produced by the ECB and theEurosystem/ESCB: Monetary aggregates

•Balance of payments statistics (b.o.p):

–ECB: compiles b.o.p. for the euro area

–Eurostat: focuses on aggregates for theEuropean Union

Official statistics in the EU (2)

Relevant for the ECB are in particular:

•Official statistics:

–Impartiality

–International statistical standards

–Well-established system of production andfurther development; involvement of mainusers, e.g. the ECB, in working groups, steeringgroups, committees etc.

–Comparability across countries

•Non-official statistics:in particular opinion surveys; often more timely

Official vs. non-official statistics

Focuses on “statistical outputs” (Giovannini, OECD):

•Relevance

•Accuracy

•Comparability

•Coherence

•Timeliness and punctuality

•Accessibility and clarity

Eurostat approach to statistical quality

•The ECB Statistics Quality Framework (SQF)combines the principles of good governance andquality of processes and outputs (similar to theIMF approach)

•Sets forth the main quality principles andelements guiding the production of ECB statistics→ internal processes + coordination with NCBs

•Addressees:

–Users of ECB statistics

–Data providers

–ECB staff working on statistics

ECB Statistics Quality Framework