1. The growing demand for statistics: challenges and opportunities Pilar Martin-Guzman Universidad Autónoma de Madrid

2. Significant increase in the demand for statistical information A challenging issue for official statisticians But every challenge is an opportunity

3. Statisticians have taken advantage of these opportunities Statistical information has improved A “silent revolution” (Domingo Solans) But, do current statistics satisfy the users?

4. The demand increases Traditional users grow and expand their fields of interest New users join in The scenario changes Users are more exacting on quality issues

5. Traditional users International organisations (IMF) Governments Market players and enterprises Researchers Public at large

6. Three groups of countries Well established democracies with market economies Countries in transition from non- democratic regimes with centrally planned economies Consolidating democracies

7. Some newcomers Supranational organisations (ECB) Decision makers at regional and local level

8. Changes in the scenario Globalisation The ICT revolution

9. Some challenges from globalisation Massive migration inflows Internationalisation of the markets New interest in remote countries

10. Some challenges from the ICT revolution New indicators are necessary Some of the present statistics become irrelevant Frequent up-dating of definitions and classifications

11. The elements of quality Relevance Coherence Timeliness Interpretability Accessibility Accuracy

12. Perception of the user Not necessarily coincident with the opinion of the producer It depends very much on expectations (statistical literacy) The impossibility to replicate surveys

13. Decision makers and market players Accuracy versus timeliness What is really important about accuracy is not so much increasing it as measuring it (Sir Claus Moser, 2003)

14. Researchers Consistency of time series Accessibility versus confidentiality Statistics used in new research fields: risks and opportunities.

15. Groups deserving special attention The new decision makers The media

16. Conclusions For a positive perception of the users, improving the statistical production is important: This is the task of official statisticians

17. Conclusions But improving the statistical liteacy of the users is also important And this is a task for all statisticians