1. Peer reviews DIME/ITDG Steering Group 15 February 2019 Claudia Junker
Head of Task Force "Peer reviews and quality", Eurostat
Eurostat

2. Overview Background information
Informal workshop on peer reviews, May 2018
Concept paper on peer reviews
ESS task Force on peer reviews
Outlook into the future
Eurostat

3. Background information
Last round of peer reviews
Reflection on the need to revise the European statistics Code of Practice, 2011 version –
Keep it stable as much as possible
Reflect new developments such as regulation 223/2009 and moving away from survey-orientation
Change of wording to reflect modernization and generalization
Revised European statistics Code of Practice adopted by the ESSC in Nov 2017
Reflections on monitoring the implementation of the new CoP
Eurostat

4. ES Code of Practice
Aim: to ensure public trust in European statistics by establishing how to develop, produce and disseminate European statistics in line with the statistical principles set out in Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 and best international statistical practice;
Self-regulatory, based on voluntary commitment but referred to in regulation on European Statistics;
Applies to Eurostat, to National Statistical Institutes of the ESS and to other national authorities producing European statistics;
16 principles and 84 indicators

5. Informal workshop on peer reviews
Discussions on objectives of the next round of per reviews, focus and scope, methodology, communication
Conclusions:
Peer reviews to demonstrate that the ESS is a principle-based system compliant with the CoP + to help improving the NSS with future-oriented recommendations, stimulating governments to support their implementation
Peer reviews to cover all principles of the ESCoP with flexibility (weighting, centralized/decentralized NSS, register- based/survey-based NSS, etc.) but no statistical domains
ONAs to be included
Communication to stakeholders during and after peer review
SAQ for NSI and ONA – shorter, less burdensome
Eurostat

6. Informal workshop on peer reviews (2)
Conclusions (cont):
Peer review teams with a good mix of skills and knowledge
Audit-like approach combined with peer-review approach
Consider alternative approaches (e.g. OECD)
Eurostat

7. Concept paper on peer reviews
Objectives confirmed (proof of principles-based system complaint with the ESCoP and support to NSIs to improve the NSS and get government support for improvements)
Scope confirmed (all principles but with a focus on new elements in the ESCoP and weighting the details of assessment based on the level of centralization, size,, prevailing method of data collection)
Coverage confirmed (NSI and ONAs, based on defined criteria)
Approach: combination of audit-like and peer review approaches and same approach to be applied for all MS
Eurostat

8. Concept paper on peer reviews (2)
SAQ – for NSIs covering all principles and indicators + for ONAs covering principles
SAQ – to be revised to reduce reporting burden and avoid duplications
SAQ to be developed with the help of the (still under revision) Quality Assurance Framework (QAF)
Composition of expert team: 3 or 4 but with an expert from Eurostat being involved as expert and at least one external expert
Costs for the peer reviews to be shared
Reports to be standardized as much as feasible to increase comparability (standard template including diverging views)
Eurostat

9. Concept paper on peer reviews (3)
Recommendations to be harmonized
Communication
Internal communication (before, during and after the peer reviews = informing and involving staff)
External communication (before, during and after the peer review = involve external stakeholders, in particular relevant government authorities)
Possible ESS wide communication activities/strategy
Eurostat

10. ESS Task Force on peer reviews
Requested at the ESSC meeting in October 2018
Mandate to be approved at the ESSC meeting in February 2019
Objectives: to support Eurostat in addressing strategic issues regarding the approach, the methodology, in designing a communication strategy and in deciding on criteria to select the peer review experts
Composition: chaired by Eurostat director, secretariat by Eurostat, composed of DG/DDGs from MS with a strategic view, experience in the NSS and knowledge of peer reviews (max 10) + ESGAB member
Eurostat

11. ESS Task Force on peer reviews (2)
Tasks
Detail the approach and the scope including on differentiation of peer reviews in different NSS
Decide on criteria for selecting ONAs for the peer review
Provide strategic orientation and input on the methodology
Develop a communication strategy
Accompany the process of peer reviews
Frequency of meetings – 2x in 2019, 1x in 2020, 1-2x in
Communication tools – meetings, s, CIRCABC
Reporting channels – to the ESSC, PG may be consulted
Eurostat

12. Outlook into the future – time table
Approval of the mandate of the ESS TF and nomination of members of the ESS TF: February – March 2019
Adoption of the QAF and monitoring report on improvement actions from the 2nd round of peer reviews: ESSC May 2019
Meetings of the ESS TF: April-May/July February- March 2020
Endorsement of the methodology: ESSC October 2019
Meetings of sub-group QWG to implement design work at technical level: September 2019-March2020
Endorsement of the full methodology package – ESSC May 2020
Peer review Eurostat: 2020, MS:
Eurostat

13. Thank you for your attention!
Eurostat