European statistics: how the European Statistical System works

KEY POINTS

Statistics are important for the performance of European Union (EU) activities. With this regulation, a set of rules is laid out to better manage the statistical process.

Statistical governance is exercised by the following bodies:

• Eurostat (see summary), a directorate-general of the European Commission, is the authority responsible for coordinating statistical activities in the bodies of the EU;
• EU Member States designate national statistical institutes (NSIs) to serve as the national contact points for Eurostat.

Meanwhile, the European Statistical System (ESS) is a partnership between Eurostat, NSIs and other national authorities. The ESS also cooperates closely with the European System of Central Banks.

Under this regulation, the ESS Committee is established, which is composed of NSI representatives and is chaired by Eurostat. It works with the Commission on, among other things, the European statistical programme (see summary), issues concerning statistical confidentiality and the further development of the European Statistics Code of Practice (which is also updated by the ESS Committee).

Eurostat, the NSIs and other national authorities disseminate European statistics so as to guarantee a wide and impartial access to all users.

Unless certain conditions apply (e.g. access by researchers for scientific purposes), confidential data can only be used for statistical purposes. Confidential data can be transmitted by an authority of the ESS to another authority of the ESS or to a member of the European System of Central Banks as long as this is recognised as being necessary for the development, production or dissemination of European statistics.

Regulation (EU) 2015/759 amended this regulation by strengthening:

• the role of the NSIs in coordinating statistical activities;
• the professional independence of the heads of the NSIs and Eurostat’s director-general; and
• the implementation of the code of practice.

Regulation (EU) 2024/3018 further amends this regulation by:

• allowing Eurostat, in cooperation with NSIs, to launch urgent statistical actions during recognised EU crisis situations;
• enabling NSIs and Eurostat to request access to data held by private entities when necessary for the production of European statistics;
• strengthening access to administrative and public sector data, including EU-level databases;
• introducing a new category of statistics under development to support innovation;
• facilitating the sharing of non-confidential data within the ESS and with the European System of Central Banks;
• allowing Eurostat to publish national statistics as soon as they are released nationally; and
• clarifying conditions for access to confidential data by researchers.