1. National quality guidelines in Denmark
19th meeting in thé Working Group on Quality in Statistics
6th December 2016
Item 6b
Karin Blix, Statistics Denmark,

2. National quality guidelines
European statistics produced in Denmark
…by 21 ONA’s
The 15 principles and 82 indicators of CoP are “translated” into 21 guidelines in a Danish context
61 criteria follow the guidelines
Organised under the same headings as CoP:
Institutional environment
Statistical processes
Statistical output

3. Guidelines – example (1)

4. Guidelines – example (2)

5. Monitoring of compliance
Self-assessment questionnaire developed and presented for the ONAs in December 2015
Questionnaire was finalised and sent to the ONA’s in May 2016
ONAs filled in self-assessment in June 2016
Review team including representatives from two ONA’s and Statistics Denmark
Report ready for the Coordination committee on December 1st
General report, provides general indications - but also the need for further clarification

6. Evaluating (Danish ex.)
The 61 criteria following the 21 guidelines are ”translated” into 59 questions
Some of the questions (9) are related to mandatory criteria. For these, the answers can be:
Yes (fulfilled)
No (negative assessment – plan on how to reach ”yes”)
The rest of the questions are related to other criteria. For these, the answers can be:
Yes, partly (fulfilled – plan on how to reach ”yes”)
No (improvement possibility – plan on how to reach ”yes”)
Not relevant (arguments must be given)

7. Challenges – examples General indicators – professional independence
The head of the statistical unit having sole responsibility
Usually the statistical production is not the only task
General indicators – statistical confidentiality
Updating of access to confidential data
The access is updated, but not necessarily every 6 month
Questions marked “not relevant”
Publication calendar
Standard daily release of statistics
Equal access to statistics at the same time

8. Production processes for European Statistics
What part of 'production' has ONA’s responsibility?
How does the production of European statistics together with other statistical production?
Should it possibly. be more clearly how the guidelines relating to the different parts of the production process?

9. ... Some preliminary proposals to amend the questionnaire
Revise and possibly remove guidelines/issues that are not relevant an ONA perspective
Re-organise mandatory criteria/questions - so that they become 'easier' to answer
Some questions may be more clear
It could be considered whether to assign a short description to each answer that will make it easier to analyse the responses

10. Suggestions for the next step
Visit Round at the beginning of 2017 in all ONAs
increase mutual understanding of the guidelines / questions
increase Statistics Denmark’s insight into and understanding of the production of European statistics in the Danish ONAs
qualify an adjustment of the self-assessment questionnaire and possibly the guidelines
'Process Report' to Eurostat for 2016
Seminar during 2017 for all relevant employees in ONAs