1. 1 The new legislative Framework for European statistics: Towards implementation in the areas of quality and confidentiality* Martina Hahn, Caroline Willeke European Conference on Quality in Official Statistics Helsinki, 4-6 May 2010 The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Eurostat or the ECB * The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Eurostat or the ECB

2. 2 Contents  Statistical legislation  ESS and ESCB quality architectures and implementation strategies  Issues related to statistical confidentiality  Way forward

3. 3 Treaty Commission ESCB/ECB Statute Other institutions Treaty Art. 285, and ESCB/ECB Statute (Art. 5) EP and Council Regulations incl. Regulation 223/2009 Commission’s Regulations Council Regulation 2533/98 as amended ECB Regulations or Guidelines EP and Council Directives Institutions: Legal acts: Statistical legislation

4. 4 ESSESCB Art. 338 TFEU (ex. Art. 285) Art. 5 ECB Statute EC Reg. 223/2009 EC Reg. 2533/1998 (as amended) ESGAB Eurostat annual reporting 2005-06 ESS self-assessments 2006-08 ESS peer reviews 2009-11 ESS Sponsorship on Quality ●Impartiality ●Reliability ●Objectivity ●Prof. independence (…) ●Impartiality ●Reliability ●Objectivity ●Prof. independence (…) ●Impartiality ●Reliability (…) Quality architecture European statistics

5. 5 Quality principles and implementation strategies  European statistics – different producers / common users  Consistent set of statistical principles  Some observations :  prof. independence, reliability, mandate, resources, quality commitment  Different implementation strategies  ESCB Public commitment  ESS Code of Practice: detailed standards, monitoring, reporting

6. 6 Statistical confidentiality  Key principle for both ESS and ESCB  Largely similar legal provisions on “statistical disclosure control” already in “old” framework regulations  One material difference: scope of use of confidential data  ESS: statistical purposes only  ESCB: exercise of the tasks of the ESCB  Non-statistical uses very limited; objective: contain response burden  Reporting agents are informed  Data received from ESS: statistical purposes only!

7. 7 Exchange of confidential data  Increased scope for sharing confidential statistical information  Mirroring provisions in Reg. 223 and Reg. 2533 regarding transmission between ESS and ESCB  Well-specified condition: Necessary… …for efficient development, production or dissemination of European statistics or for increasing their quality  Subject to strict confidentiality safeguards  Enabling clauses for inter-system data sharing: important milestone and big potential for increased cooperation

8. 8 Conclusions  New framework legislation on European statistics  Very similar convictions/approaches of ESS and ESCB regarding quality and confidentiality  Remaining differences due to different institutional setting  Excellent basis to further enhance cooperation  Further efforts needed to fully reap benefits  Practical implementation  Communication  Final objective: maintain confidence of users and producers

9. 9 Possible next steps  Knowledge transfer/sharing good practices  Develop few common elements/indicators for each quality principle  Joint declaration on quality principles  Common minimum standards for implementation of key principles and common quality mark  Establish systematic process for organising inter-system exchanges of confidential data  Common website on confidentiality issues