Transcript Presentation

Reflections on the UN Fundamental
Principles based on EU experience
UNSC High Level Forum
New York, 21. Feb. 2011
Walter Radermacher, Eurostat
Changes since the Fundamental Principles
were first adopted (1994)
 The role of statistics and statistical offices has
evolved e.g. the coordination role involving different
data providers
 Sources of official statistics have become more
diverse, moving from statistical surveys to
administrative data
 Increasing demand for professional independence
and accountability in the field of official statistics
Walter Radermacher
2
Preconditions for trust in Official Statistics
Integrity
Principles
Impartiality
and
Objectivity
Professional
Independence
Confidentiality
Trust in
Official Statistics
Walter Radermacher
Quality Commitment
⇩
Process Quality
⇩
Output Quality
Trust in
Administrative
Authorities
3
EU Experience: Self-regulation
 2004 – Concerns about government deficit and debt
data led to demand for minimum standards in statistical
authorities relating to:
independence
integrity
accountability
 2005 – European Statistics Code of Practice was
published with standards for:
– institutional independence/ integrity/ accountability
– statistical processes
– statistical outputs
 Indicators of good practice to measure compliance with
the Code
Walter Radermacher
4
EU Experience: Legal instruments
 2008 – European Statistical Governance Advisory Board
was established to oversee implementation of the Code
of Practice
 2009 – new Statistical Law reinforced the statistical
principles and the independence, integrity and
accountability of statistical authorities
 2010 – new law provided audit powers to Eurostat in the
context of government finance statistics (Excessive
Deficit Procedure)
 2010 – November ECOFIN Council requested the
reinforcement of professional independence in official
statistics
Walter Radermacher
5
Code of Practice / UN Fundamental Principles
Statistical processes
Statistical output
UN
Fundamental Principles
3
UN
Fundamental Principles
5, 9, 10
Code
of
Practice
Institutional environment
UN
Fundamental Principles
1, 2, 4, 6, 7
8
Walter Radermacher
6
Evolution of the Quality Assurance in the ESS
Before the 2004 crisis: Quality recommendations
ESS
NSI
NSI
Eurostat
NSI
NSI
Walter Radermacher
7
Evolution of the Quality Assurance in the ESS
Government
After the 2004 crisis:
ESS
NSI
NSI
Administrative data
sources
Eurostat
NSI
NSI
CoP
Walter Radermacher
8
Evolution of the Quality Assurance in the ESS
Government
After the 2009 crisis:
ESS
NSI
NSI
Administrative data
sources
Eurostat
NSI
NSI
CoP
Walter Radermacher
9
Parameters for European Statistics
 Decision-making is increasingly evidence-based
 Greater demand for evidence
 More administrative data needed
Evidence-based decision-making
Stability and
Growth Pact
Walter Radermacher
EU 2020
Indicators
Economic Governance
Package
10
New challenges identified for the ESS
What is the appropriate degree of professional
independence with regard to official statistics?
– EU law sometimes includes elements of statistical
methods decided by the European Parliament and Council
– Statistical programmes and priorities are not fully in the
hands of statistical authorities
– Fixing standards for concepts may go beyond purely
technical considerations (poverty levels, weights for
composite indicators etc.)
Walter Radermacher
11
Recommendations for the revision of the UN
Fundamental Principles (1)
 Include in the preamble
– The role of statistics and statistical offices has changed in
the last 20 years with an increasing use of administrative
data instead of survey data
– The principles should apply to all official bodies producing
statistics
– Recognition of the role played by parliament in democratic
societies regarding statistical methods and work
programmes
Walter Radermacher
12
Recommendations for the revision of the UN
Fundamental Principles (2)
 Reinforce the principles with good practice indicators as
in the Code
 Introduce a quality assurance framework to reinforce the
good practice indicators (taking forward the current
NQAF project)
 Emphasize the importance of professional
independence by recommending the inclusion of
professional independence in statistical law
 Consider the inclusion of the appointment and dismissal
procedures for heads of national statistical offices
Walter Radermacher
13
Recommendations for the revision of the UN
Fundamental Principles (3)
 Emphasize the principle of impartiality
 Be more explicit about what is meant by statistical
quality (for example the ESS Quality Declaration)
 Ensure appropriate use of metadata, quality profiles and
labelling to inform users about data reliability
Walter Radermacher
14
Recommendations for the revision of the UN
Fundamental Principles (4)
 Introduce a system of regular assessment,
monitoring and reporting to identify progress and
areas for further improvement
– self assessments based on a common questionnaire
– peer reviews
– annual monitoring
Key message:
Countries are responsible for putting in place
robust statistical institutions that function
independently
Walter Radermacher
15