1. The new ESS Metadata and Quality Reporting Handbook
Joint DIME / ITDG Plenary meeting
24 February 2015, Luxembourg
The new ESS Metadata and Quality Reporting Handbook
Zsuzsanna Kovács
European Commission, DG Eurostat – D4. Government Finance Statistics – Risk and quality management

2. Content Introduction, context
The ESS Handbook for Quality Reports (EHQR) –
The original, 2009 edition
The first update: 2014 edition
The new ESS Metadata and Quality Reporting Handbook (EMQH) –
Need for a more extensive Handbook
Next steps
First project outlines

3. Introduction, context
Elaboration of the Single Integrated Metadata Structure (SIMS) and the 2014 edition of EHQR: outcomes of the work of the ESS Task Force (TF) on Quality Reporting
Mandate: to streamline and rationalise quality reporting in the ESS, by taking forward the recommendations of the Sponsorship on Quality (SoQ)
Sub-group of the WG on Quality, with the participation of EE,FI,FR,DE,IT,NL,SI,UK
3 physical meetings and electronic way of working
With these results: recommendations of the Sponsorship on Quality are considered as implemented

4. EHQR – the original, 2009 edition
Prepared by 2 external experts in contractual arrangements: Michael Colledge and Jörgen Dalén
Main achivements of the Handbook
Describes a detailed information on quality and structures it in line with the different quality criteria
Provides a coherent reporting structure for all quality reports of the ESS
Distinguishes 6 types of statistical processes and provides specific quality reporting guidelines to each of them
Provides concrete examples and explanations, illustrations 4

5. EHQR – the first update: 2014 edition
Objectives were
To actualise the content on quality and quality reporting
To include the latest achievements in this field (updated quality indicators, SIMS, etc)
To make the examples and illustrations more up-to-date
To give a better readability to the text
Approved at the joint DIME/ITDG meeting of March 2014
014.pdf 5

6. EMQH – need for a more extensive Handbook
Proposal of the 2nd update was also approved at the DIME/ITDG meeting
Time-frame suggested: 2-3 years' time
Scope and objectives identified:
To extend the scope of the Handbook by including the ESS reference metadata reporting
To fully align the content and the structure with SIMS, and therefore
To transform it in an extensive "ESS Metadata and Quality Reporting Handbook"
To include international references, where relevant

7. EMQH – next steps
Considering the volume and complexity of the EHQR + the objectives planned => the second, more thourough update
Will be an important exercise
Whose modalities have to be clearly defined and agreed upon from the very beginning: involvement, roles, responsibilities, outsourcing or not, etc
A close co-operation of the Quality and Metadata WGs is the key element of this project
First consultations
Metadata TF on 7-8 October 2014 and
Quality WG on 2 December 2014

8. EMQH – first project outlines
To be launched in the second half of 2015
Drafting of the Handbook to be outsourced and the Terms of Reference to be drafted by a joint Metadata - Quality TF
The deliverables at the different stages of the contract to be verified and approved by the TF and a Eurostat Review Group, composed of the representatives of the ESS.VIP projects concerned and some statistical domains
Project linked to / forming part of ESS.VIP.QUAL / work package on quality reporting

9. If you have questions / comments to share with us, please contact Thank you for your attention!