1. Provisions of totals and zero records (point for decision)
Anna BIAŁAS-MOTYL
2-3 April 2009
Meeting of the Working Group on Rail Transport Statistics
Agenda point: 7.2 Doc Rail

2. Provision of ‘0’ records The current data provision – a mixture of approaches
Some countries have been providing zero records and some have not
‘0’ record not provided (e.g. when no transport takes place) – ‘:’ is generated by the system and disseminated
Example of dissemination table (no ‘0’ records provided)
2-3 April 2009
Meeting of the Working Group on Rail Transport Statistics
Agenda point: 7.2 Doc Rail

3. Provision of ‘0’ records Data provision according to the Regulation (and the Guidelines)
‘0’ records provided (e.g. when no transport takes place) – it is
the declaration (‘0’ has a statistical meaning) and confirmation of being in line with the Regulation
Example of dissemination table
Clear situation for rail data users
2-3 April 2009
Meeting of the Working Group on Rail Transport Statistics
Agenda point: 7.2 Doc Rail

4. General information on the audit
Rail database should be as complete as possible in order to disseminate the data correctly
Dimensions and tables concerned by the correction of totals and missing values (regarded as zero records)
Missing values (zero records) – variables and tables concerned:
“Type of transport”: datasets A1, A6, A7, A8, B1, C1 and C3
“Type of accident”: datasets H1, H3 and H4
“Category of persons”: datasets H3 and H4
“Type of goods”: dataset A2
“Type of dangerous goods”: dataset A4
“Type of consignment”: dataset A5
“Type of transport unit”: dataset A6
2-3 April 2009
Meeting of the Working Group on Rail Transport Statistics
Agenda point: 7.2 Doc Rail

5. General information on the audit
Rail database should be as complete as possible in order to disseminate the data correctly
Dimensions and tables concerned by the correction of totals and missing values (regarded as zero records)
Addition/correction of missing totals – variables and tables concerned:
“Type of transport”: datasets A1, A6, A7, A8 and B1
“Type of accident”: datasets H1, H3 and H4
“Category of persons”: datasets H3 and H4
2-3 April 2009
Meeting of the Working Group on Rail Transport Statistics
Agenda point: 7.2 Doc Rail

6. Audit of the rail database Completion of the missing values
“0” records
Detection of the missing positions for the various dimensions of each dataset
Insertion of the related “0” records for each dimension where missing positions were detected
Totals
Detection of the missing totals and insertion of the calculated total (on the basis of the detailed data available)
Detection of the totals not corresponding to the sum of the detailed data and analysis to find the explanation for the difference (rounding issues, contact with the reporting countries for clarification … )
Audit exercise to be repeated – irrespectively which proposal approved
2-3 April 2009
Meeting of the Working Group on Rail Transport Statistics
Agenda point: 7.2 Doc Rail

7. Proposals for future data provision and related consequences (1/2)
1st proposal
Countries provide all the positions of the dimensions (totals and zero records)
Eurostat’s data processing
2nd proposal
Countries provide the minimum
(totals and zero not required)
Eurostat’s data processing
Check that the figures are provided for all positions for each dimension
Check that the “total” figures match the sum of the detailed figures
Detection of the missing ‘0’ records
and insertion of these records
Calculation of the missing totals on the basis of the detailed figures and insertion of these records
If no problem:
application of the usual
validation rules
1. importation in the rail production database complete set of data
2. dissemination of the data with zero records and totals
If problems:
countries contacted for
clarification/corrections
Report on added records and calculated totals
provided to the countries for validation
Application of the usual
validation rules
2-3 April 2009
Meeting of the Working Group on Rail Transport Statistics
Agenda point: 7.2 Doc Rail

8. Proposals for future data provision and related consequences (2/2)
2nd proposal
Countries provide the minimum
(totals and zero not required)
1st proposal
Countries provide all the positions
of the dimensions (totals and zero records)
Data provision by the countries
Provision of records for all positions for each dimension (tables A1, A2, A4, A5, A6, A7, A8, B1, C1, C3, H1-H4)
Provision of the “total” figures (tables A1, A6, A7, A8, B1, H1, H3 and H4)
Records provided only in the case where certain dimension (e.g. type of transport, type of good, etc.) is registered
“total” figures not provided
Advantages
Complete set of data provided – no intervention needed (neither from Eurostat’s side (addition of records, calculation of totals) nor from country’s side (validation of report on zero records added and calculated totals)
Datasets in line with the Regulation (as concerns zero records and totals in Annex H)
“Reduction ?” of burden for some countries – as concerns data provisions
Drawbacks
Datasets not fully in line with the Regulation
Additional interventions in the datasets (Eurostat);
Validation of the report and dataset with zero records added and calculated totals (countries)
“Increase ?” of the burden for some countries
2-3 April 2009
Meeting of the Working Group on Rail Transport Statistics
Agenda point: 7.2 Doc Rail

9. Thank you for your attention !
2-3 April 2009
Meeting of the Working Group on Rail Transport Statistics
Agenda point: 7.2 Doc Rail