CCSA Conference on Data Quality The European Statistical System Peer Reviews: Results, experiences and lessons learnt CCSA Conference on Data Quality Rome, 7-8 July 2008 Martina Hahn, Eurostat

ESS Peer reviews Objectives monitoring of the implementation of the Code of Practice to boost quality, to enhance credibility of European statistics identification of ESS benchmarks and common difficulties sharing of ESS best practices and knowledge transfer Scope 27 EU MS + 4 EFTA MS + Eurostat institutional environment and dissemination practices co-ordination role of NSI

High overall ESS compliance levels

High diversity across ESS; lack of transparency in some cases Strengths of the ESS sufficient legal mandate for NSI, practical difficulties to use admin. data Strong in practice, legislation to be supplemented in some SAs to reinforce independence High diversity across ESS; lack of transparency in some cases Strong legal basis, impressive safeguards across the ESS; excellent practices in micro-data access

Areas of improvement for the ESS High service orientation; modern dissemination channels; some SAs need to improve metadata and accessibility Broadly satisfactory resources, some severe exceptions and risks for meeting future demands Lowest compliance levels compared to other principles, improvements needed on the ESS- wide scale

ESS best practices for compliance with the Code of Practice by other national producers of European Statistics (not the NSI) Statistical law covering all actors at national level delineation of the statistics function co-ordinated community (recruitment, training, ethical standards) common dissemination platform labelling/certification mechanism

Experiences CoP as assessment framework Suitability of PR methodology 4 indicators fully met by (almost) all “not met” limited to 5 indicators overlaps, precision of concepts Suitability of PR methodology quality assurance by Eurostat validity of results confirmed by quantitative analysis importance of qualitative High investments Peers: 31 peers from 18 countries + 18 from Eurostat + 2 from IOs NSIs: about 600hrs in total learning curve

Lessons learnt successful exercise, benefits going beyond objectives adequate scope – future domain specific reviews? evolution of the Code of Practice (new benchmarks, modification of indicators) quantitative and qualitative results limit number of peers improvement of user satisfaction survey methodology good practices – more guidance

Thank you for your attention! http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/quality