Discussant Walter Radermacher, Director-General, Eurostat 94th DGINS Conference 25-26 September 2008 Session I Statistical methods and tools to tackle response burden on enterprises and individuals Discussant Walter Radermacher, Director-General, Eurostat

Common views Burden = Units x Time x Cost (x Frequency) Quality = f (Units, Items, Redundancy,…) Approaches Process Optimisation = Burden less, Quality equal Quality Changes = Reduced Coverage in Intrastat or even Singleflow, European Sampling Scheme, … Facts = Measurement of Burden and Burden Reduction Communication = Return to the Respondents Reprioritisation = Review of the (Old) Settings from Decision Making Processes 25/09/2008

Experiences in burden reduction since 15 yrs Paper 1 “General principles of reducing respondents’ burdens in agricultural statistics” Hungarian Central Statistical Office Experiences in burden reduction since 15 yrs High percentage of smallest farms in Hungary New provisions of agricultural statistics do not always result in a reduction of response burden Methodological handbook “Indicator system of respondents’ burden” (16 indicators) “Calendar” for data providers of agricultural statistics 25/09/2008

European sampling scheme (optimal allocation) Paper 2 “Potential for reduction of the burden of businesses through European sampling approaches” Eurostat European sampling scheme (optimal allocation) Compared to classical surveys, European sampling schemes with rotation have reduction potential of 30%, without rotation (centralised) of 60% Better timeliness, quicker implementation of regulations and improved quality European sample plans are a valuable alternative for reductions 25/09/2008

French strategy on burden reduction: Paper 3 “French methods and practices regarding the statistical burden” INSEE, France French strategy on burden reduction: Choice of sampling methods User-friendliness (Time to fill in questionnaires) Weight given to administrative data: Projects RESANE (Administrative data) SIRENE (Business register) Concrete decisions on reductions to be taken on political side 25/09/2008

Proposals INE Plan of Action: Paper 4 “The response burden in business statistics. The Spanish experience.” INE, Spain National goal: 30% reduction of survey burden in business statistics Proposals INE Plan of Action: Reduce objective burden (Rational use administrative sources) Reduce subjective burden Basic questionnaire common to all surveys Close examination of NACE, SBS, STS 25/09/2008

Paper 5 “The Dutch approach to reducing the real and perceived administrative burden on enterprises caused by statistics” Peter Oomens and Gérard Timmermans, Statistics Netherlands 4 P`s Programme Process Partners Perception Common business taxonomy (Statistics NL, Chamber of Commerce, Tax authorities) 25/09/2008

How to achieve 25% reduction of burden of official statistics by 2010? Paper 6 “Response burden – how to reduce it by 25 percent” Statistics Denmark How to achieve 25% reduction of burden of official statistics by 2010? INTRASTAT Introduction single-flow-system Clear indication of future requirements with additional burden: FATS and Job Vacancy Digitalisation (System to system solutions) Internet portal www.virk.dk Strict compliance with demands of European Statistical multi-annual programme 25/09/2008

Critical issues Sharp increase demand of information on current economic and social situation  high burden Decrease of budget Limited possibilities of reducing statistical programme Over-regulation business statistics (too many legal acts) Considerable discrepancy perceived ↔ actual (real) burden 25/09/2008

How to reduce burden  Improved contact to data providers Close contact and feed back to respondents/data providers Survey calendar Personalised survey plan 1 single contact (service) point Statistical holidays Council of respondents Information material/channels Early information about incoming surveys 25/09/2008

How to reduce burden  Improved questionnaires Electronic questionnaires (+ electronic usability) No duplications/overlapping in questionnaires/variables User-friendliness Standardized and simplified variables in survey forms Improved design of the survey documents Pre tests/ pilots Control of the time needed to fill in questionnaires Comparative analyses of questionnaires Simplified questionnaires for small enterprises Adaptation of questionnaires to the available information in enterprises Different questionnaires for different economic sectors Multiple-use questionnaires 25/09/2008

How to reduce burden IT solutions and better technology XML-structure Online surveys Business taxonomy (XBRL) Using the electronic systems of enterprises Digitalisation (digital communication with enterprises) System to system solutions  Improved sampling methods European sampling plans Improved sampling management Exemption of small enterprises (random sampling/derogations) Optimised samples 25/09/2008

How to reduce burden  Better survey design (design phase) Avoiding overlapping of surveys Rotation of units Checking of frequency Cut-off limits  Better survey monitoring (collection phase) Better co-ordination of the time of surveys Better management of data collection (monitoring) Website with information of all statistical operations Estimation of results 25/09/2008

How to reduce burden  Co-ordination between data producers Partnership Cooperation between Institutions Consolidated questionnaires Combining surveys Common projects 25/09/2008

How to reduce burden  Use of administrative registers and existing data sources National projects Auxiliary systems of information variables from administrative data sources Creation of statistical registers Chances but also risks (e.g. quality of registers, coherence –data do not fit together, data confidentiality )  Better Regulation INTRASTAT Agricultural statistics § 25/09/2008

Conclusions There is no “one cure for all” Many different approaches Focuses set differently Harmonisation and co-ordination of the approaches will be necessary global strategy? Reviewing the traditional system Entry of new actors and methods in the future Working on statistical processes Communication is a challenge 25/09/2008

Questions to the authors 25/09/2008

Where do you see the perspectives for reducing burden on European level in the area of agricultural statistics? Are agricultural statistics atypical with regard to statistical burden compared to other statistical areas? How do you assess quantitatively the potential of burden reduction by further improving the agricultural registers? 25/09/2008

You speak of „reliability at EU level“ - is there still not a trade off between quality and quick results? European sampling approaches are used for short-term statistics and will be used for structural business statistics. What other domains might be most suitable for applying this approach? How do you want to overcome scepticism about the MS European sample schemes? 25/09/2008

Could you give a quantitative assessment of the success of the national measures you describe in your paper? Please verify your thesis “as far as large units are concerned burden reduction could only be achieved by a larger use of administrative data” Could you describe the role of politics in burden reduction as you see it? 25/09/2008

Could you imagine to harmonise action plans (burden) in the EU? Could you explain why you name co-ordination and cooperation as the most important pillars of burden reduction? Which time horizon would you set for a “global strategy” 25/09/2008

Could you specify how you want to measure perceived burden? In the period 1994-2006, Statistics NL reduced burden on enterprises by 70 %. - What was the main element of this success? Could you specify how you want to measure perceived burden? How is your opinion with regard to the trade off between quality and reduction of response burden in the area of INTRASTAT? 25/09/2008

Would it not be first of all important to work on perceived burden, as statistics account for such a negligible part of administrative burden? Is it only INTRASTAT that can help us or in addition a wide range of tools, as you mention it at the end of the document? – in other words: should we only concentrate on INTRASTAT? Where do you see the reasons that people accept electronic reporting so slowly? You tell us that only 3 % is reported electronically so far! 25/09/2008

Questions to the Audience Toolbox I: Do we understand how information society (web2.0) will change our profession (options, risks, quality, burden)? Toolbox II: Do we have a vision and a strategy for the adjustment of our methodology (development, production, communication)? Toolbox III: Do we have a management system (institutional set-up, management processes, controlling) to realise our strategy? 25/09/2008

Questions to the Audience (continued) Monitoring: Should statistical offices actively contribute? Perception: Do we know the facts? Can we improve our communication? Development: Statistical programmes emerge from democratic decision processes. Do we have enough participation of the civil society? 25/09/2008