1. Statistical Societies
Conference of European Statistics Stakeholders, Budapest, 20–21 October 2016
Enhancing
statistical culture –
the potential role of
Statistical Societies
Margit Epler, Josef Richter October

2. Contents The notion of statistical culture
Conference of European Statistics Stakeholders, Budapest, 20–21 October 2016
Contents
The notion of statistical culture
Means for enhancing statistical culture: Legal acts, codes and standards
Governance
Principles - Missing elements
The role and mission of Statistical Societies
Conclusions
Margit Epler, Josef Richter October

3. The notion of (statistical) culture
Conference of European Statistics Stakeholders, Budapest, 20–21 October 2016
The notion of (statistical) culture
The term ‘culture’ is used with different meanings and contexts.
According to a standard dictionary definition ‘Culture is a word for people's 'way of life', meaning the way groups do things. Different groups of people may have different cultures’.
‘Statistical culture’ stands for the way statistical information is produced, made available to users and perceived by stakeholders and its underlying environment.
‘Statistical culture’ is an important element of the ‘political culture’ of a country.
Margit Epler, Josef Richter October

4. The notion of (statistical) culture
Conference of European Statistics Stakeholders, Budapest, 20–21 October 2016
The notion of (statistical) culture
In the European Union
official statistics should be produced in a similar way in all Member States.
The ‘statistical culture’ has to be comparable and reproducible.
European statistics constitute an essential contribution to building the information capacity required to sustain the EU's strategic objectives and the underlying policies and supporting instruments (Vision paper, 2009).
For the reputation of European statistics it is crucial to reach a high level of ‘statistical culture’.
Margit Epler, Josef Richter October

5. Conference of European Statistics Stakeholders, Budapest, 20–21 October 2016
Means for enhancing (official) statistical culture: Legal acts, codes and standards
Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics adopted by the United Nations (1991).
European Statistical law (Regulation 223/2009 on European statistics).
European Statistics Code of Practice (2005, 2011).
Quality Assurance Framework of the European Statistical System with its focus on quality, statistical processes, and output (2011).
Margit Epler, Josef Richter October

6. Conference of European Statistics Stakeholders, Budapest, 20–21 October 2016
Means for enhancing (official) statistical culture: Legal acts, codes and standards
European statistics have become increasingly important for the development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of EU policies but also for operational purposes.
As a consequence, the European Statistical System is to a high degree governed by legal provisions.
The legal framework includes a diversity of principles aiming at a high ’statistical culture’.
Margit Epler, Josef Richter October

7. Conference of European Statistics Stakeholders, Budapest, 20–21 October 2016
Principles
Key principles according Article 2 of Regulation (EC) No 223/2009, the European Statistical law
Professional independence
Impartiality
Objectivity
Reliability
Statistical confidentiality
Cost effectiveness
Margit Epler, Josef Richter October

8. Principles Code of Practice
Conference of European Statistics Stakeholders, Budapest, 20–21 October 2016
Principles
Code of Practice
Statistical authorities, comprising the Commission (Eurostat), National Statistical Institutes and other national authorities responsible for the development, production and dissemination of European statistics, together with governments, ministries and the European Council, commit themselves to adhere to the Code.
Principles:
Professional Independence
Mandate for Data Collection
Adequacy of Resources
Commitment to Quality
Margit Epler, Josef Richter October

9. Principles Code of Practice Principles (continued):
Conference of European Statistics Stakeholders, Budapest, 20–21 October 2016
Principles
Code of Practice
Principles (continued):
Statistical Confidentiality
Impartiality and Objectivity
Sound Methodology
Appropriate Statistical Procedures
Non-excessive Burden on Respondents
Cost Effectiveness
Relevance
Accuracy and Reliability
Timeliness and Punctuality
Coherence and Comparability
Accessibility and Clarity
Margit Epler, Josef Richter October

10. Conference of European Statistics Stakeholders, Budapest, 20–21 October 2016
Governance
The existence of detailed legal provisions and agreed standards must be seen as a necessary but not sufficient criterion.
Compliance with them has to be monitored.
For this purpose, inter alia
two rounds of Peer Reviews in all Member States have been carried out by Eurostat and
a European Statistical Governance Advisory Board (ESGAB) has been established 2008.
The main task of ESGAB is to provide an independent overview of the ESS as regards the implementation of the European Statistics Code of Practice.
Margit Epler, Josef Richter October

11. Governance Main results of these efforts
Conference of European Statistics Stakeholders, Budapest, 20–21 October 2016
Governance
Main results of these efforts
The focus of the first round of Peer Reviews ( ) was laid on the principles dealing with the institutional environment and the dissemination policy of the NSIs and Eurostat (principles 1-6;15).
The reviews resulted in a number of recommended improvement actions for each NSI.
The progress made was subject of an annual monitoring by Eurostat and ESGAB.
In 2011 more than 60% of all recommended improvement actions (> 650; among them 66 for Eurostat) were completed, but 275 remained open.
Margit Epler, Josef Richter October

12. Governance Main results of these efforts
Conference of European Statistics Stakeholders, Budapest, 20–21 October 2016
Governance
Main results of these efforts
The second round of Peer Reviews ( ) was audit- inspired and covered all principles and indicators of the Code of Practice as well as coordination aspects.
Therefore, a number of other national authorities responsible for producing European statistics were assessed, also.
Again the assessments were conducted by independent peer reviewers, with Eurostat being reviewed by ESGAB.
The Peer Reviews led to 707 recommendations, an average of 21 per country/Eurostat.
9 % (65) of the recommendations refer to major cases of non- compliance with the Code of Practice such as impartiality, dissemination, professional independence.
Margit Epler, Josef Richter October

13. Principles - Missing elements
Conference of European Statistics Stakeholders, Budapest, 20–21 October 2016
Principles - Missing elements
The provisions of the European Statistical law and the principles of the Code of Practice determine how European statistics should be produced and disseminated.
They can be seen as the perception of ‘statistical culture’ by the European legislators for the purpose of European statistics.
The question arises: Do these provisions and principles cover all relevant dimensions of ‘statistical culture’?
Need the statisticians and the academic world in general add other elements?
Do we need additional institutions to enhance ‘statistical culture’?
Margit Epler, Josef Richter October

14. Conference of European Statistics Stakeholders, Budapest, 20–21 October 2016
Missing elements
Statisticians should try to avoid unrealistic expectations
As a reaction to the obvious tendency of policy makers to formulate their political objectives in terms of precise target values and thresholds for statistical indicators statisticians should make clear which degree of comparability and accuracy of measurement can be accomplished.
The trade-off between timeliness and accuracy should not be neglected.
The characteristics of many statistical results do not allow ranking in a meaningful way.
Statisticians should resist the temptation that ‘everything goes’.
Margit Epler, Josef Richter October

15. Missing elements Correct labelling
Conference of European Statistics Stakeholders, Budapest, 20–21 October 2016
Missing elements
Correct labelling
For the adequate use of data it is of utmost importance to know whether the data was taken from the box labelled ‘facts’ or from the box labelled ‘model results’.
The main results of national accounts to be transmitted a few month after the reference period are of completely different nature compared to the final results of national accounts only available two years after the reference period.
‘Flash estimates’ and ‘Preliminary results’ provide information of a different character than final results.
Margit Epler, Josef Richter October

16. Missing elements Correct labelling
Conference of European Statistics Stakeholders, Budapest, 20–21 October 2016
Missing elements
Correct labelling
Principle 15 of the Code of Practice already asks for the provision of supporting metadata, but much more has to be done to inform users about the cognitive character of the data.
In a related manner much more information on the theoretical background of the concepts selected and the fact, that almost all concepts are (inevitably) ‘value laden’ need to be provided.
Margit Epler, Josef Richter October

17. The role of Statistical Societies
Conference of European Statistics Stakeholders, Budapest, 20–21 October 2016
The role of Statistical Societies
They can be instrumental in improving the essential communication between compilers and users of data.
“Somehow analysts of all stripes and in particular those active in the academic world have lost essential communication with the compilers and synthesizers of the data. As a consequence, popular discourse and policy making have suffered confusion” (EISNER 1989).
In general terms: Promotion of statistical literacy.
Margit Epler, Josef Richter October

18. The role of Statistical Societies
Conference of European Statistics Stakeholders, Budapest, 20–21 October 2016
The role of Statistical Societies
These roles are fully consistent with the Mission Statements of most
Statistical Societies such as the one of the Royal Statistical Society:
STATISTICS AND THE PUBLIC INTEREST
For statistics to be used effectively in the public interest, so that policy formulation and decision making are informed by evidence for the good of society. Giving users of statistics a voice.
EDUCATION AND STATISTICAL LITERACY
For society to be more statistically literate, so that people’s understanding of data, risk and probability can inform their daily decision making, leading to better outcomes.
Margit Epler, Josef Richter October

19. The role of Statistical Societies
Conference of European Statistics Stakeholders, Budapest, 20–21 October 2016
The role of Statistical Societies
These roles are fully consistent with the Mission Statements of most
Statistical Societies such as the one of the Royal Statistical Society
(cont.):
DEVELOPING THE PROFESSION
For a strong body of professional statisticians to maintain and develop the skills they need so that they can critically apply methodology, interpret results and communicate findings.
STRENGTHENING THE DISCIPLINE
For statistics as a discipline to thrive, so that methodology is advanced, applied and made accessible, leading to greater understanding of an increasingly complex world.
Margit Epler, Josef Richter October

20. The role of Statistical Societies
Conference of European Statistics Stakeholders, Budapest, 20–21 October 2016
The role of Statistical Societies
Pointing out that official statistics in Europe should meet the requirements of other stakeholders than European authorities, also.
Creating awareness about the political dimension of statistical results in the European Union among stakeholders.
In particular Statistical Societies should provide fora for the critical assessment and reflection of what is going on.
As soon as a legal act was passed, official statisticians in the EU have to execute legal provisions. Some flexibility is only granted with respect to the statistical processes to be applied.
Margit Epler, Josef Richter October

21. Conference of European Statistics Stakeholders, Budapest, 20–21 October 2016
Conclusions
On the track to a high level of ‘statistical culture’ much has been accomplished in the last decades.
A lot remains still to be done.
Statistical Societies have a very import role to play.
They have to stimulate the indispensable communication between statisticians, the academic world, stakeholders and all users.
Their field of activities should cover European statistics but has to go far beyond European statistics.
As independent scientific societies they should act as the advocates of a high professional standard and a maximum of transparency.
Margit Epler, Josef Richter October

22. Thank you for your attention
Conference of European Statistics Stakeholders, Budapest, 20–21 October 2016
Thank you for your attention
Margit Epler, Josef Richter October