1. Dissemination Working Group Luxembourg, 19-20 May 2009
18/05/2009
Dissemination Policy Charter for the European Statistical System (ESS) Draft for discussion
Dissemination Working Group
Luxembourg, May 2009

2. The sources
Existing practices, as surveyed by questionnaire on data dissemination conditions (Oct. 2008):
On: free of charge or not, customer-specific extractions, microdata, conditions of use and redistribution, …
35 NSIs, including Eurostat (100% response rate!)
Main conclusion: unexpectedly much common ground
European Statistics Code of Practice, especially
Principle 6: Impartiality and objectivity
Principle 15: Accessibility and clarity
Existing national policy documents

3. The objectives of the Charter
A kind of ‘constitution’
Short and simple, ideally one page only
As a support for dissemination activity of NSIs, against political-institutional and resource limitations
As a common basis for more elaborate national policy documents
Ensuring that all NSIs have some statement of the principles under which they disseminate

4. The 7 principles Equal and free access to statistics
Equal and free access to explanations of statistics
Respect for privacy
Announced and simultaneous release
Free use of statistics
Free transmission or commercialisation of statistics
Free access to microdata for research

5. Equal and free access to statistics
Statistics are public good financed by taxes
All citizens and organisations have equal right to them
For free
Statistics may be charged, but only as an exception and with justification, if they
were created for private and particular use only
require resources over and above what should be publicly financed

6. Equal and free access to explanations of statistics
Statistics must be explained properly (otherwise they are meaningless)
Explanations must be
unbiased and objective
adapted to the level of users
Explanations must address
collection and calculation methods
the status and meaning of statistical results
limitations and possible misinterpretations

7. 3. Respect for privacy
No data relating to individual persons or entities must be disclosed
In compliance with confidentiality and data protection laws

8. 4. Announced and simultaneous release
Important data releases must be announced via release calendar
Release must respect the calendar and be punctual
Release must be simultaneous and under equal conditions for all
Appropriate channels should be used
Releases should be sufficiently publicised, if necessary via press release

9. 5. Free use of statistics
Statistics can be used without restrictions and at no charge IF
Data integrity is respected
The source is properly acknowledged

10. Free transmission or commercialisation of statistics
18/05/2009
Free transmission or commercialisation of statistics
Statistics can be transmitted or commercialised without restrictions and at no charge IF
Data integrity is respected
The source is properly acknowledged
These requirements are passed on to third parties
Both the principle and its conditions remain valid whether or not value has been added to the original statistics

11. 7. Free access to microdata for research
Only for statistical or research purposes
To users giving guarantees they will respect data integrity and confidentiality (contract)
At no charge, unless requiring resources over and above what should be publicly financed

12. Your questions and comments?
Are principles sufficiently clear and distinct?
Are principles general enough, yet still meaningful choices?
Is every aspect covered?
Agreements / disagreements ?