Meeting Of The European Directors of Social Statistics Common strategy on potential breaks in time series Item 4.1 of the draft agenda Meeting Of The European Directors of Social Statistics Luxembourg, 4-5 October 2016 Eurostat

Overview Background Potential breaks in time series Actions taken Communication strategy Feedback from DSSB and LAMAS (June 2016) Next steps Eurostat

1 - Background 23/24 February 2016: first discussion in the DSS April 2016: Written consultation of the DSS on: Main sources of potential breaks in time series Actions to be taken Planned communication strategy with a focus on LFS, SILC and ICT-HH All 28 MS answered

2 – Potential breaks in time series Changes in: LFS SILC ICT-HH Definitions, variables, questionnaire, classification 44 10 3 Data sources 4 Sampling, weighting, imputation 20 31 5 Fieldwork 28 18 12 Law 1 TOTAL 97 70

2 – Potential breaks in time series Changes linked to IESS: LFS SILC ICT-HH Definitions, variables, questionnaire, classification 41/44 4/10 2/3 Data sources 4/4 0/10 Sampling, weighting, imputation 9/20 8/31 2/5 Fieldwork 9/28 2/18 2/12 Law 0/1 1/1 TOTAL 63/97 15/70 6/20

3 - Actions taken Source specific Country specific Including pilot study, introduction of an independent sample run in parallel, gradual implementation, application of a mathematical model  Follow-up at Working Group level

4 – Communication strategy Before change implemented After change implemented Initial user consultation process Detailed description in meta-data, quality report and user guides on national website External experts involved in methodological side of the project Footnotes in tables / flag data when published User seminar Press information notice/release/conference Methodological papers/methodological note/groups with central users Correct past series Convene a new labour market and demography liaison group

5. Feedback from DSSB and LAMAS (June 2016) General support (but challenging) Common sources of breaks in time series to be addressed combined with a positive communication strategy coordinated at EU/national levels) Issues to be tackled include combination of national/IESS breaks; three-year moving average used for the MIP Scorboard Diverging views on use of parallel samples for LFS

6. Next steps December 2016: LAMAS discussion on a more detailed proposal Variables to be covered Variants Past experience from countries June 2017: LAMAS proposal on the strategy Autumn 2017: decision by DSS

DSS is invited to give views/agree on the Eurostat proposal that: Common strategy at European level is limited to changes in the employment and unemployment definitions and to the introduction of flow chart in the LFS Is proposed by the LAMAS Working Group Is defined by end 2017 taking results of feasibility studies into account