1. Overview of measures used by NSIs to reduce response burden Conference on Administrative Simplification in Official Statistics, SIMPLY 2010 Virginie Raymond-Blaess vm.blaess@cbs.nl

2. Conference on Administrative Simplification in Official Statistics, 2010 1 Outline Introduction Survey design Communication Instrument design Conclusion

3. Conference on Administrative Simplification in Official Statistics, 2010 2 Introduction Measures reported in the literature between 2005 and 2010 Reduction of response burden is a key issue for the European Commission and NSIs Measures can be assigned to three domains: Survey design Communication Instrument design

4. Conference on Administrative Simplification in Official Statistics, 2010 3 Survey design I: Using of Administrative sources The use of administrative sources is popular in most of the NSIs.

5. Conference on Administrative Simplification in Official Statistics, 2010 4 Survey Design II: Sampling and Estimation Optimization of the sample Coordination of the sample Negative and Positive Coordination Rotation of units Statistical holidays (ex. Osmotherly guarantee)

6. Conference on Administrative Simplification in Official Statistics, 2010 5 Survey Design III: Reduction of the Number of Surveys/ Variables Retraction of surveys (Elimination of overlaps in collection) Simplification of surveys Combine two questionnaires

7. Conference on Administrative Simplification in Official Statistics, 2010 6 Communication The respondent is the key point Descriptions of the statistics User-friendly environments Feedback to respondents Flexibility in deadlines Register or calendar of the surveys

8. Conference on Administrative Simplification in Official Statistics, 2010 7 Instrument Design I: Implementation of Electronic Surveys Electronic surveys Digital reporting

9. Conference on Administrative Simplification in Official Statistics, 2010 8 Instrument Design II: Use of Accounting System Data XBRL: eXtensible Business Reporting Language XML language Accountancy systems

10. Conference on Administrative Simplification in Official Statistics, 2010 9 Instrument Design III: Other methods Virtual questionnaires with information and nomenclatures Method to analyse and monitor different surveys (ex. ASIA) Pre-printing information Compilation of questionnaires for specific sectors of activity Electronic collection by telephone data entry

11. Conference on Administrative Simplification in Official Statistics, 2010 10 Conclusion The measures used are often the same Link between the different measures Reduction of burden often related to motivation There is almost no information on the results of the measures Only few empirical research project in this field

12. Conference on Administrative Simplification in Official Statistics, 2010 11 Administrative data Sampling Estimation Reduction number survey/ variables Communication Electronic Questionnaire Accounting Data Other Methods Australia XX Denmark XXXXX Finland XXXX France XX Germany X Hungary XXXX Ireland XXX Italy XX Lithuania XXXXXX Netherlands XXXXXX Norway XXXXXXX Slovenia XXXX Spain XXXXXXX Sweden X UK XXXXX USA (Census Bureau) X

13. Conference on Administrative Simplification in Official Statistics, 2010 12 REMARKS, SUGGESTIONS? More information on the BLUE-ETS conference: www.cbs.nl/blue-ets