1. Draft EP/Council Regulation for processes, standards and
metadata for the exchange and
dissemination of European statistics
A. Götzfried
Head of Unit B5

2. Background
The ESS is based on heterogeneous pieces of legislation linked to specific statistical business processes = stove-pipe legislation determining stove-pipe production processes.
Heterogeneity of legislation can cause additional costs for the ESS statistical authorities involved, due to different legal standards for certain process steps, e.g. for data transmission.
This situation should be improved with the creation of a new generation of statistical cross-cutting legislation, stimulating the harmonisation and integration of statistical business processes within the ESS (see also the joint ESS vision adopted by the ESSC of 05/2010).
There was also the specific request from the Sponsorship on Quality (recom /6.4.1) for a framework regulation on metadata (promoting a single metadata structure).

3. Business Statistics (FRIBS)
Accounting Frameworks
Business statistics infrastructure
- statistical unit
- common identifier
- business register
Overall legislative framework
Code of Practice Statistical law Multi annual statistical work programs
Methodological framework
Manual
Data/metadata cross-cutting legislation
Harmonised processes, standards and metadata
Data warehousing
Confidentiality
Classifications
Quality frameworks
Infrastructure legislation
Annual statistical work programs,
etc.
Business Statistics (FRIBS)
Agriculture
Geo-spatial
Environmental
Social Statistics
Soft law
Hard law
- reference manuals, definitions
- sources and methods
- best practices/guidances
Business statistics Infrastructure
Business Data Structures

4. The EP/Council Regulation on processes, standards and metadata for European statistics (version 1)
A first version of the cross-cutting legislation “EP/Council Regulation on processes, standards and metadata for European statistics” was drawn up and circulated to the ITDG, DIME and some competent working groups in November 2011.
This draft EP/Council Regulation (version 1) had the following main characteristics:

5. The EP/Council Regulation on processes, standards and metadata for European statistics (version 1 of 11/2011)
The main characteristics of version 1 (= old version):
Draft EP/Council Regulation to which implementing measures (i.e. Commission Regulations) need to be added;
The main aim: to establish harmonised processes for data/metadata exchange, harmonised exchange standards and harmonised metadata for increasing the efficiency of the ESS statistical business processes;
The use of the Single Entry Point is made obligatory;
SDMX as data/metadata standards has to be used for aggregated data; for micro-data the technical standard should be defined in secondary legislation (in a Commission Regulation);
Different types of structural and reference metadata are covered, often derived from the SDMX Content-oriented Guidelines;
Transitional periods can be granted for up to 5 years.

6. Proposal for an EP/Council Regulation on processes, standards and metadata for European statistics (version 1 of 11/2011)
We received around 25 reactions from Member states in 12/2011 and 01/2012, plus a reaction from the Sponsorship on Standardisation. Many countries were supportive to the basic ideas laid down in the draft regulation, but countries also had the following main concerns:
More clearness needed on the part of the business process to be regulated;
More clearness needed on the coverage of types of data and metadata (e.g. aggregate data, micro-data);
Technical and statistical standards should go into implementing regulations;
Consistency with the EP/Council Regulation 223/2009 and its upcoming amendment;
Problems of implementation with NSIs and other national statistical authorities producing European statistics should be better taken into consideration;
More commitment from Eurostat in terms of common ESS IT applications.

7. The EP/Council Regulation on processes, standards and metadata for the exchange and dissemination of European statistics (version 2, 03/2012)
In taking most of the concerns expressed into consideration we established version 2 of this EP/Council Regulation (by 03/2012):
The main changes are:
The draft EP/Council Regulation lays down ESS technical and statistical standards and does not cause direct obligations to use them; the latter will be done when these standards are referred to in domain specific legislation (exception Single Entry Point Services);
The business process regulated covers data/metadata exchange and dissemination and does not intervene into the national production processes;
The ESS technical and statistical standards are put into implementing measures;
The coverage of data and metadata is made clear (micro-data included);
Consistency is kept with the EP/Council Regulations 223/2009 and its upcoming amendment;
Flexibility (transitional periods/derogation) is introduced for the use of the Single Entry Point Services, in particular for other national statistical authorities producing European statistics.
In addition: the draft Regulation will only be submitted to the ESSC meeting in 09/2012.

8. The EP/Council Regulation on processes, standards and metadata (version 2, 03/2012)
We envisage the following implementing measures
(Commission Regulations):
Implementing measures
Description
Reference metadata
Commission Regulation (CR) related to the Euro SDMX Metadata Structure
Technical measures on the exchange process
CR related to the technical details of the Single Entry Point Services (to be elaborated at a later stage)
Technical measure on the exchange standard for aggregate data and reference metadata
CR related to SDMX as standard for the exchange of aggregate data and reference metadata

9. The EP/Council Regulation on processes, standards and metadata (version 2, 03/2012)
Implementing measures
Description
Structural metadata
CR related to harmonised structural metadata (code lists)
Technical measure on the exchange standard for micro-data
CR related to the technical standard to be used for the exchange of micro-data (to be elaborated in a later stage)
Quality reports
CR related to the ESS Standard Quality Report Structure
Process related metadata
CR might be needed at a later stage.

10. Community grants supporting the implementation of the EP/Council Regulation
The main details:
We are supporting the implementation of this EP/Council Regulation and the respective implementing measures with Community grants in 2012;
The budget planned for these Community grants is around 1,3 Mio €;
Main national actions which can be supported are: the implementation of the SDMX technical, statistical and IT standards; the implementation of the ESS metadata standards; national work on process integration, data validation, etc.;
A number of countries already showed interest on these grants;
The call for proposal is envisaged for the second half of 2012.

11. Time table
Version 2 of the draft EP/Council Regulation on processes, standards and metadata for the exchange and dissemination of European statistics was disseminated to the DIME meeting in 03/2012;
In April/May 2012 we received the written reactions from Member states;
Version 3 of the draft EP/EC Regulation is established in June/July 2012;
The draft EP/Council legislation will then be submitted to the ESSC in 09/2012 (for discussion);
We aim to start the formal legal procedure in the fourth quarter 2012, in transmitting the draft legal act to the European Parliament and the Council.

12. Conclusions
The draft EP/Council Regulation on processes, standards and metadata for the exchange and dissemination of European statistics responds to main objectives of the ESS vision; this draft legislation also implements the new Eurostat legislative strategy.
The version 2 of this draft EP/Council Regulation has been established and was discussed at the DIME in 03/2012. Version 3 will be sent to the ESSC meeting of 09/2012.
The time table for further handling of this legislation is established (transmission to the EP/Council in autumn 2012).
A series of implementing measures (Commission Regulations) linked to process, standards and metadata is planned.
Supporting Community grants are planned for the second half of 2012.
Consistency with other cross-cutting legislation (e.g. FRIBS) needs to be assured.