1. A legal framework for Urban Audit – Next steps
Gunter Schäfer
Head of Unit: Regional Statistics and Geographic Information
Working Group on Regional and Urban Statistics

2. Current situation of Urban Audit
The Urban Audit project has been started more than 10 years ago in successive data collection rounds
Ambitious objective to provide a comprehensive statistical picture of urban life in more than 350 cities with over 300 indicators
The Urban Audit data has been intensively used in EU Policy contexts and analyses
Urban Audit has been very useful in defining harmonised concepts for core cities, larger urban zones and sub-city districts
Currently the 4th data collection is ongoing. Data dissemination to be expected in 2011.
Working Group on Regional and Urban Statistics

3. Issues related to Urban Audit
Availability of data for the variables
Heterogeneity of the availability
Strong need to estimate a lot of data
Comparability of indicators across cities and countries
Quality of the data
Complex structure of data collection in Europe (different set up of partners in Member States)
Communication of results and use by national bodies, cities and citizens
Working Group on Regional and Urban Statistics

4. Need for consolidation
Urban Audit has a long tradition but it is still a pilot project
Need for particular attention to quality aspects (coverage, reliability, comparability, etc.)
No formal basis but a lot of good will from all participants
No clear mandate or structure of responsibility in many Member States
Some worrying signs of waning support for Urban Audit within the ESS
Difficult issue of financing the data collection in Member States
Working Group on Regional and Urban Statistics

5. Difficult context
Severe resource constraints in Member States and Eurostat
The economic crisis has let to a re-focusing of priorities in statistics (Economic governance, Europe 2020, Stiglitz Report)
The importance of Urban Audit for EU policy making and national policy is not fully accepted in the ESS governing boards
Working Group on Regional and Urban Statistics

6. Initiative towards a legal basis
Discussion of the subject in the Working Group meeting of 2009
Creation of a Task Force with delegates from Germany, Greece, France, United Kingdom and DG REGIO
Draft concepts for:
Regulation with a selection of key variables
Gentlemen‘s Agreement for voluntary indicators and proposal for financing
Working Group on Regional and Urban Statistics

7. Position of Eurostat management
Clear signs that there is not sufficient support from Member States
Need for putting the subject of Urban Audit into a larger context
Eurostat unit E4 was requested to draft a concept/ strategy paper covering:
Regional Statistics
Urban Statistics
Spatial statistics
Broad discussions with Member States and Commission bodies prior to submission to the ESSC
Working Group on Regional and Urban Statistics

8. Where are we now? Set-back for legal base in near future
Need for a consistent and convincing concept/strategy to sub-national statistics
Need to show clearly the added value of Urban Audit within the larger context of statistics, EU policy and national policy
Need to implicate National Statistical Offices in the debate on sub-national statistics
Current data collection round is assured and progressing
Timeframe of about 2 years to succeed
Working Group on Regional and Urban Statistics

9. Some personal conclusions
Not ideal situation but no disaster either
The general need for Urban Statistics is not put into question
The work done by the Task Force is not lost – Selection of key indicators is very useful
Continuous need to rethink the way Urban Statistics are prepared in terms of:
Organisation
Indicators
Presentation
Cooperation between actors needs particular attention
Working Group on Regional and Urban Statistics

10. Thank you for your attention
Comments?
Working Group on Regional and Urban Statistics