Principle 1: Professional independence
Professional independence of statistical authorities from other policy, regulatory or administrative departments and bodies, as well as from private sector operators, ensures the credibility of European Statistics.
Indicator 1.1: The independence of the National Statistical Institutes and Eurostat from political and other external interference in developing, producing and disseminating statistics is specified in law and assured for other statistical authorities.
More Less In accordance with the new Regulation 223/2009 on European statistics (
European Statistical Law), which came into force in April 2009, Eurostat ensures that European statistics are produced according to agreed rules and statistical principles. In particular, Eurostat is responsible for decisions on statistical methods, standards and procedures to be used for European statistics. These decisions may be incorporated into European legal acts which are adopted through a process involving consultation with national authorities, with other European Commission services, and with other EU institutions.
The Director-General of Eurostat reports directly to the European Commissioner for Taxation and Customs Union, Audit and Anti-Fraud. Details of the
working arrangements with the Commissioner's office in Brussels are regularly reviewed and are published on Eurostat's website.
Moreover, the European Statistical Governance Advisory Board (
ESGAB) provides an independent overview of Code of Practice compliance in the European Statistical System. ESGAB is composed of seven members and Eurostat as an observer. ESGAB’s work aims at enhancing professional independence, integrity and accountability of the European Statistical System as well as at enhancing quality of European statistics.
In April 2011 the Commission adopted Communication (COM) 211 which announces the revision of the Statistical Law aiming at reinforce professional independence as well as the revision of Commission Decision 97/281/EC on the role of Eurostat as regards the production of Community statistics.
Eurostat decides on the content and timing of release of statistical information to the public.
Indicator 1.2: The heads of the National Statistical Institutes and of Eurostat and, where appropriate, the heads of other statistical authorities have sufficiently high hierarchical standing to ensure senior level access to policy authorities and administrative public bodies. They are of the highest professional calibre.
More Less As a Director-General within the European Commission, the head of Eurostat ranks among the highest level of Commission staff.
Under the Commission's personnel recruitment policy the procedure to appoint a Director-General can be carried out by selection following external and/or internal publication of the post or by transfer of a senior official from another post within the Commission. Selection is according to the Commission's guidelines on senior manager appointment procedures. The Commission policy is to appoint senior managers with the highest qualifications and merit and with a good track record in management at the appropriate level. Key requirements for a Director-General of Eurostat are high professional standing and credibility as Chief Statistician of the European Union, within the European and international statistical community.
Indicator 1.3: The heads of the National Statistical Institutes and of Eurostat and, where appropriate, the heads of other statistical authorities have responsibility for ensuring that statistics are developed, produced and disseminated in an independent manner.
More Less The Director-General of Eurostat reports directly to the European Commissioner for Taxation and Customs Union, Audit and Anti-Fraud. Details of the
working arrangements with the Commissioner's office in Brussels are regularly reviewed and are published on Eurostat's website). Working arrangements ensure consistency with the
European Statistical Law and the
Code of Practice.
Indicator 1.4: The heads of the National Statistical Institutes and of Eurostat and, where appropriate, the heads of other statistical authorities have the sole responsibility for deciding on statistical methods, standards and procedures, and on the content and timing of statistical releases.
More Less In the European Statistical System, standards, methods and procedures are defined and agreed through consultation with the National Statistical Institutes of Member States. Eurostat chairs the
European Statistical System Committee, which is composed of the Heads of Member States' National Statistical Institutes who are officially nominated as national coordinators of the statistical systems in Member States. This Committee provides professional guidance relating to the development, production and dissemination of European statistics. Quality is the main driver for decision making. Eurostat decides on the content and timing of release of statistical information to the public.
The Director General of Eurostat acts as Chief Statistician of the European Union. In this function he is responsible for the coordination of development, production and dissemination of European Statistics.
Indicator 1.5: The statistical work programmes are published and periodic reports describe progress made.
More Less Eurostat prepares a European
multi-annual statistical programme for the development, production and dissemination of European statistics for a period of up to 5 years. This programme is adopted by the European Parliament and the Council.
Under the
European Statistical Law, Eurostat must present an intermediate progress report and a final evaluation report to the European Statistical System Committee and then to the European Parliament and to the Council.
Also each year, before the end of May, Eurostat presents to the Member States a first draft of its
annual work programme for the following year. An annual work programme is also prepared for the Programme for the Modernisation of European Enterprise and Trade Statistics (
MEETS). An annual report on MEETS implementation is transmitted to the European Parliament and Council. The current annual and multi-annual work programmes are both published on the
Eurostat website.
Indicator 1.6: Statistical releases are clearly distinguished and issued separately from political/policy statements.
More Less Statistical releases are published by Eurostat according to a pre-specified schedule and never include political statements. Statistics published by Eurostat, including online data as well as online or paper publications, are clearly distinguished by the Eurostat logo.
Indicator 1.7: The National Statistical Institutes and Eurostat and, where appropriate, other statistical authorities, comment publicly on statistical issues, including criticisms and misuses of statistics as far as considered suitable.
More Less Under Eurostat's
Protocol on Impartial Access to Eurostat Data for Users, Eurostat reserves the right to respond in an impartial manner to any misunderstandings or misleading interpretations of its outputs.
Indicator 1.8: The appointment of the heads of the National Statistical Institutes and Eurostat and, where appropriate, of other statistical authorities, is based on professional competence only. The reasons on the basis of which the incumbency can be terminated are specified in the legal framework. These cannot include reasons compromising professional or scientific independence.
More Less The current Director General was recruited through an external selection procedure. Eurostat high-level managers are often recruited through an external selection procedure. Removal of the Director-General from office is possible only by a decision of the Commission as the Appointing Authority and in accordance with the Staff Regulations.
