EUROSTAT
Directorate A: Cooperation in the European Statistical System; International cooperation; Resources
RDG 2014/8/EN
1st Meeting of theESS ResourceDirectors Group
Luxembourg, 13thJune 2014
Roadmap for the extension of the
European statistical programme 2013-17
Item 8of the Agenda
Eurostat A.TFIP1RDG 2014/8/ EN
Roadmap for the extension of the European statistical
programme 2013-17
1.Recommendation for action by the RDG
The purpose of the document is to inform the RDG on the preparation of the follow up to the European statistical programme (ESP) 2013-17.
2.Background and brief history
In accordance with Article 13(1) of Regulation (EC) No 223/2009, the European Statistical Programme provides the framework for the development, production and dissemination of European statistics. It lays down priorities concerning the needs for statistical information and also defines the financial envelope. Main characteristics of the statistical programmes are described in annex 1.
Article 15 of the Regulation establishing the ESP 2013-17 foresees that “no later than 31 December 2016, the Commission may, on the basis of the intermediate progress report(…), and after consulting the ESSC, submit to the European Parliament and to the Council a proposal for the extension of the programme for the period from 2018 to 2020, while complying with the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2014 to 2020”. Moreover, the Commission proposed in its amendment proposal for Regulation No 223/2009 on European statistics that the duration of the ESP correspond to that of the MFF.
The synchronisation of European statistical programmes with the MFF was also recommended by the European Court of Auditors (ECA Special Report N°12/2012) and the European Parliament (recommendation on the 2011 discharge).
3.Policy context
3.1 Context regarding the content of programme
When elaborating the Programme the following developments will need to be taken into account:
- Outcome of the Task Force Vision 2.0,
- Evolution of user needs,
- Resource constraints of statistical producers in Member States and Eurostat.
3.2 Constraints regarding the roadmap
According to the current practice at least 18 months should be reserved for the ordinary legislative procedure which applies for the adoption of the new programme. The Commission proposal needs to be accompanied by an Impact Assessment (approximate duration 1 year).
The mid-term progress report of the ESP 2013-17 will be available by June 2015.
Term of office of the European Parliament: July 2009 – June 2014; the next term will start in July 2014 and finish in June 2019.
Term of office of the current Commission: February 2010 – December 2014; the next term will start in 2015 and will finish in 2019.
4.Consequences for the NSIs
The consequences for National statistical Institutes will be examined during the impact assessment. In accordance with Article 13(4) of Regulation (EC) No223/2009, the Commission shall submit the draft European statistical programme to the ESS Committee for prior examination. The ESSC and Directors’ Groups will be consulted at the main stages of the preparation of the proposal.
NSIs should act as national coordinators in this consultation and provide comments on behalf of all national producers of European statistics in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 223/2009.
5.Outstanding problems
The document only focuses on the roadmap; all other issues will be dealt with in the next steps.
6.Risk assessment
Non adoption of a follow up programme to the ESP 2013-17 would mean that no financial framework would be ensured for the production of European statistics from 2018 onwards.
7.Next steps
Eurostat will elaborate the proposal in two main phases, the next steps below also indicate the various steps in which the DGINS/ESSC/Directors’ Groups will be consulted:
1. Preparation of the legal act and proposals for methods of production and partnership (objectives II and III) as soon as the ESS Vision 2020 is available:
In the DGINS meeting, discussion on strategic guidelines in light of the ESS Vision 2020: September 2014
First draft legal act and of objectives II and III to ESSC: November 2014
2. Preparation of the list of statistical outputs (objective I), based on the assessment of user needs; this should be done as late as possible to take into account the evolution of user needs and the timing of the elections of the European Parliament and appointment of the new Commission:
Collect user needs: October 2014 - February 2015
ESAC meeting: November 2014
Analysis of user needs: March - May 2015
Discussion in Directors Group: April - October 2015
First draft of objective I to ESSC: May 2015
The impact assessment will run from October 2014 to October 2015 and will be based on the work mentioned above and on the mid-term progress report on the ESP 2013-17.
3. The draft Commission proposal will be submitted to the ESSC in autumn 2015.
Annex 1: Main characteristics of the statistical programmes(background information)
Annex 2: Draft roadmap for the programme extension (separate file)
Annex 1: Main characteristics of the statistical programmes[1] (background information)
Pursuant to Article 1 of the Regulation on European statistics (Regulation 223/2009), European statistics are determined in the European statistical programme (the programme). Pursuant to Article 13(1) and (2) of that Regulation, the programme provides the framework for the development, production and dissemination of European statistics, the main fields and the objectives of the actions envisaged for a period not exceeding five years, as well as it lays down priorities concerning the needs for information for the purpose of carrying out the activities of the Union.
The European Statistical Programme 2013-2017[2] provides the legislative framework for the development, production and dissemination of European statistics over the period 2013 to 2017. It also defines the Union financial envelope for the implementation of the programme: EUR 57,3 million for 2013 and EUR 234,8 million for 2014 to 2017. It defines objectives and statistical outputs. The Commission shall, after consulting the European Statistical System Committee (ESSC), submit an intermediate progress report and a final report on the implementation of the programme to the European Parliament and to the Council.
Given the fact that the programme is a multiannual programme covering a period of five years, and that the ESS aims to maintain its role as a key player in the statistical field, the programme is ambitious in terms of scope and objectives, but the implementation of the programme follows a step-wise approach (via annual work programmes). The development of an effective priority-setting and simplification mechanism is an objective of the programme.
Eurostat will further develop a statistical information infrastructure, prepared for the wide and intensive use of various applications. For the infrastructure to fulfil this role it has to be designed according to a sound conceptual framework, which, on the one hand, ensures fitness for a range of purposes and, on the other hand, allows flexible adaptation to evolving users' needs in the years ahead. The infrastructure of statistical information is presented below:
Pyramid layers
Title / Description in ESP 2013-2017 Statistical AnnexINDICATORS / Statistical needs linked to EU and global policies. An indicator is a summary measure related to a key issue or phenomenon and derived from a series of observed facts. Indicators can be used to reveal relative positions or show positive or negative change. Indicators are usually a direct input into Union and global policies. In strategic policy fields they are important for setting targets and monitoring their achievement.
Accounting systems / Accounting frameworks and harmonized statistical system for the production of indicators. Accounting systems are coherent and integrated accounts, balance sheets and tables based on a set of internationally agreed rules. An accounting framework ensures a high profile of consistency and comparability; statistical data can be compiled and presented in a format that is designed for the purposes of analysis and policy-making.
Primary
Data
& Indicators / Information compiled by national statistical authorities, on the basis of traditional statistical activities (sample surveys, censuses, etc.) and data from other sources that are re-used for statistical purposes. This information is tailored to serve needs in specific policy areas, e.g. the labour market, migration or agriculture.
The term also includes data collected for administrative purposes but used by national statistical authorities for statistical purposes (usually referred to as data from administrative sources).
These are statistics to be used as input for the accounting systems.
Within this overarching scheme, the programme will further distinguish three pillars of statistical information:
- Business;
- People's Europe; and
- Geospatial, Environmental, Agricultural and Other Sectoral Statistics.
Eurostat A.TFIP1RDG 2014/8/ EN
[1]
[2] Regulation (EU) No 1383/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 amending Regulation (EU) No 99/2013 on the European statistical programme 2013-17