Quality

The multi-annual work programme establishes the financial envelope for European statistics for the period concerned. A key component of the preparation of the annual and multi-annual statistical programmes is an assessment of the resources required. In particular, the annual work programme contains information on the source of resources for new work under each statistical theme. The annual programme is adopted by the Commission together with the corresponding financial decision. The multi-annual programme is approved by the European Parliament and the Council.

A number of actions are under way that contribute to enhancing the quality of human resources:

• Reviews of the allocation of resources between core statistical tasks and horizontal activities
• Improved training provision for statistics
• More regular programs of external recruitment of statistically qualified staff
• Annual system of re-allocating a proportion of existing posts to areas with higher statistical priorities
• Temporary secondment of staff by Eurostat and the National Statistical Institutes
• Enhanced participation of Eurostat staff in European statistical training programmes

In addition, efficiency targets are being developed as inputs to a new human resource allocation initiative for 2010 onwards.

The decisions regarding the scope and detail of European statistics are defined in the legislation passed for different statistical areas. The proposed legislation is first carefully prepared and discussed with the partners in the European Statistical System before being submitted to the European Statistical System Committee (ESSC) for its opinion. The ESSC also gives its opinion on the Commission's annual statistical work programmes.

An important input to the discussions on user needs comes from the European Statistical Advisory Committee, comprising 24 members who represent users, respondents and other stakeholders of European Statistics. This committee plays an important role in ensuring that user requirements as well as the response burden on information providers and producers are taken into account in developing the statistical work programmes.

Eurostat has established an annual priority setting mechanism that involves dialogues with the producers and users of statistics. This is based on a strategy driven approach that results in a list of negative priorities.

The European Statistical System Committee assesses demands for new statistics, taking into account their priority with regard to policy needs, financial constraints and the expected burden on respondents.

In accordance with European Statistical Law, the impact and cost of European statistics are taken into account in an assessment of the statistical activities proposed in the multi-annual programme (ex-ante evaluation).

In the preparation process leading to the adoption of legislative proposals in the field of statistics, roadmaps are prepared and submitted to the Commission central services in charge of impact assessment. For the multi-annual European Statistical Programme 2013-2017 a formal impact assessment was required for and submitted to the Impact Assessment Board of the Commission.

The European Statistical Advisory Committee (ESAC) is consulted at an early stage in the preparation of the European statistical programme about the proposed activities and in particular their relevance and their related costs. Eurostat must report annually how it has taken the ESAC opinion into account.

In order to enhance the communication with users, stakeholder dialogues at top management level have been introduced (ECB, EP and Commission DGs, including ECFIN, REGIO, AGRI and RTD)

The multi-annual statistical programme defines the framework for the development, production and dissemination of European statistics for a period of up to 5 years. It is prepared in discussion with the users and identifies the priorities regarding the statistical needs at an EU level.

The European Statistical Advisory Committee (ESAC) is consulted at an early stage in the preparation of the European statistical programme about the proposed activities, including the balance regarding priorities and resources between the different statistical activities planned. Eurostat must report annually how it has taken the ESAC opinion into account. In addition, meetings with the policy Directorates General of the European Commission and with the European Central Bank provide an opportunity to assess the continuing need for specific European statistics. Furthermore, the need for specific European statistics is also assessed as part of Eurostat's internal evaluation of all its statistical processes.

Eurostat has established an annual priority setting mechanism that involves dialogues with the producers and users of statistics. This is based on a strategy-driven approach that results in a list of negative priorities.

The introduction of sunset clauses in new legislation will be systematically considered in order to reinforce its systematic review. It will also prevent the creation of perpetual collections of statistics which are no longer fit for purpose and not in line with users' needs.