Risk Analysis at Statistics Finland Ari Tyrkkö Eurostat WS 8 - 9 December 2009 1

Contents Organisation and process of statistical production Risk analysis Means and practices to control risks Practical example: How do we try to control risks for the quality of statistical production in a situation where resources are cut? Supervisory and Control for NA 9 December 2009 2 2

Operational Process Source Statistics National Accounts Users of Statistics Supervisory and Control for NA 9 December 2009 3 3

Director General Secretariat of Director General Management Services Advisory Board of Statistics Finland Scientific Advisory Board Advisory Board of the Library of Statistics Co-operation Committee Secretariat of Director General Popu- lation Statistics Social Statistics Prices and Wages Econo- mic Statistics Business Trends Business Struc- tures Management Services Information Services Library of Statistics Customer Relations and Marketing Interview and Survey Services IT and Statistical Methods Statistical Research and Development Supervisory and Control for NA 9 December 2009 4

Objective How can we effectively control and command risks for statistical quality in a national process of statistics production? Analysis of risk is mainly implicit (no general framework available). Supervisory and Control for NA 9 December 2009 5 5

Statistical quality / EU Statistical Law Article 12 Relevance Accuracy Timeliness Punctuality Accessibility and clarity Comparability Coherence Supervisory and Control for NA 9 December 2009 6 6

Relevance Strategy for Economic Statistics (of Statistics Finland) Compiled in co-operation with economic statistics 2007 Based on a comprehensive survey on needs of EU- and national users of economic statistics Includes a Development Programme for economic statistics Strategic Co-operation Group for economic statistics Follows and co-ordinates work with the Development Programme (discuss priorities) Members from all economic statistics (Second main task: work on coherence) Supervisory and Control for NA 9 December 2009 7 7

Accuracy, timeliness, punctuality Co-operation at the operational level - how we make sure that the needs of NA are reflected in the source data Service level agreements with other main producers of economic statistics in Finland (Board of Custom, Bank of Finland) - signed at DG level annually Annual planning meetings with macro-economic statistics division and business statistics divisions Co-operation group with NA and source statistics (adjustments meetings during the calculation of NA) Standardised feedback reports from NA to source statistics Supervisory and Control for NA 9 December 2009 8 8

Accuracy, timeliness, punctuality 2 Co-operation group with NA and business statistics on data collection from large enterprises Development programmes for economic statistics Programme on effects of globalisation Programme on data collection from enterprises Programme on price and volume Supervisory and Control for NA 9 December 2009 9 9

Accessibility and clarity Annual Work Programme of Statistics Finland Annual Release Calendar of Statistics Finland Supervisory and Control for NA 9 December 2009 10 10

Coherence, Comparability Co-operation Committee with main users of National Accounts Members Ministry of Finance, Bank of Finland, Board of Custom, main economic research institutes Co-operation Committee for Foreign Trade Statistics Members Bank of Finland, Board of Custom, Statistics Finland Supervisory and Control for NA 9 December 2009 11 11

Availability of resources Annual formal Agreement between director of department and the Director General on production and development of statistics and services (yearly plan, budget) Co-operation group on statistical production to co-ordinate common projects and use of common resources (IT, dissemination services) Members: Deputy DG, directors of statistical departments Other means to guarantee transferring of knowledge (mentoring, improving documentation, etc.) Supervisory and Control for NA 9 December 2009 12 12

Plan for emergency situations Every government institutions has to build a continuity plan for emergency situations (e.g.catastrophes) Based on a risk analysis (risk classified into six categories according to the importance and size) Defines priorities in the production of statistics and statistical services (all the statistics are classified into three categories according to their importance) National Accounts first priority Supervisory and Control for NA 9 December 2009 13 13

Thank you! Supervisory and Control for NA 9 December 2009 14 14