1. Goals and objectives of Work package 2 of the ESSnet on Consistency of concepts and applied methods of business and trade-related statistics
Norbert Rainer, Statistics Austria
Workshop Survey Frames and Feedback
Gresham Hotel, Dublin, 23 and 25 April 2012

2. Content Consistency ESSnet on Consistency Work package 2
The issue of consistency
European Statistics Code of Practice
Requirements of consistency
ESSnet on Consistency
Work package 2
Main objectives
Roles of the business register
Survey frames, interaction and survey feedbacks

3. The issue of consistency
European statistics are compiled in accordance with Community legislations, which has developed over years
European legislation as well as concepts, manuals and hand-books
“Costs” of inconsistencies:
Lack of coherence/comparability
Higher costs of statistical production
Higher response burden
How to increase consistency within the areas of business and between business statistics and trade statistics

4. European Statistics Code of Practice (1)
Principle 14 of the European Statistics Code of Practice concern coherence and comparability (new version): “European Statistics are (old version: should be) consistent internally, over time and comparable between regions and countries; it is (old version: should be) possible to combine and make joint use of related data from different sources.”

5. European Statistics Code of Practice (2)
Five indicators (new version)
14.1: Statistics are internally coherent and consistent
14.2: Statistics are comparable over a reasonable period of time
14.3: Statistics are compiled on the basis of common standards with respect to scope, definitions, units and classifications in the different surveys and sources
14.4: Statistics from the different sources and of different periodicity are compared and reconciled
14.5: Cross-national comparability of the data is ensured within the European Statistical System through periodical exchanges between the European Statistical System and other statistical systems. Methodological studies are carried out in close co- operation between the Member States and Eurostat

6. Requirements for consistency:
Horizontal consistency:
Comparability between various statistical domains
Statistical units
Target population
Frame
Classifications
Definitions
Reference period/time
Vertical consistency:
Comparability between the sum of Member States data and the European aggregate

7. Three Work packages Concepts Implementation in the MS
Statistical units
Target population
Frames
Reference period
Classifications and their application
Characteristics and definitions
Implementation in the MS
WP1
WP2
WP3
WP1+2+3

8. Organizational structure of ESSnet on Consistency
Work packages
Coordinator
Partners
Time schedule
WP 1: Statistical Units IT
AT, FR, IE, LV
January December 2012
WP 2: Target population, frames, reference period, classifications and their applications AT
DE, IE, IT, LT, LV, SE,UK
January December 2013
WP 3: Characteristics and definitions SE
CH, DE, EE, IE, GR, IT, SI,
May 2012 – December 2013

9. External study
“External study on detail evaluation of the legal acts in the areas of statistics which were identified by member states as areas to revision” by Josef Richter, Christian Engelage and Peter Thomas Submitted to Eurostat July 2010

10. Main objectives Inputs Main objectives External Study
Inventory of the implementation of the concepts in the member states
Eurostat and National experts
Identification of inconsistencies
Inquiry
Evaluation and assessment of inconsistencies
Study visits
Workshops
Proposals for adjustments
Further: ° Cooperation with other ESSnets
° Dissemination

11. Roles of the Business register
Link to administrative data
Frame for statistical surveys
Survey support
Statistical database
Other statistical use (e.g. business demography statistics)
Survey documentation and response burden
Documentation
of classification
codes
Register
cooperation
w.o. statistical
institutions
Non-statistical
uses
statistik.at

12. Survey Frames and Feedback:
Topic of the Workshop
Survey Frames and Feedback:
How the Business Register works with Survey Areas
Business register as basis for sample frames
Coordinated sampling
Survey feedback

13. European legal situation
Business register regulation
Statistical domain regulations
SBS
FATS
Energy
FDI
R&D
etc.
STS
PRODCOM
Job vacancy
ICT
Statistical business register
Statistical units
Variables
Entries and removals at least annually
Frequency of updating depending on kind of unit, etc.
No reference to business register
No specific frame requirements

14. “Running” versus frozen frames
Sample for survey 1
Sample for survey 2
Sample for survey n
live BR
Sample for all surveys in year x
live BR

15. Statistical business register
Survey feedback
Respondents
Register maintenance
Statistical business register
Statistical domains
SBS
FATS
Energy
FDI
R&D
etc.
STS
PRODCOM
Job vacancy
ICT ?
Name, address, legal form
Economic activity
Other variables
Missing units
Other feedback

16. Questions/issues
How is the BR updated witch respect to survey requirements?
How does the BR support survey execution?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of frozen frames?
What are alternatives to frozen frames?
How are changes in the live register considered in the survey process?
What type of feedback from surveys goes to BR and how is it organised?
etc.

17. Thank you for your attention!
Norbert Rainer
Guglgasse 13, 1110 Vienna
phone: +43 (1)
fax: +43 (1)