5 Statistics
| (26595)
9461/05
COM(05) 217
| Commission Communication on the independence, integrity and accountability of the national and Community statistical authorities
Commission Recommendation on the independence, integrity and accountability of the national and Community statistical authorities
|
| Legal base | Article 211 EC; —; —
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| Document originated | 25 May 2005
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| Deposited in Parliament | 3 June 2005
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| Department | HM Treasury |
| Basis of consideration | EM of 20 June 2005
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| Previous Committee Report | None; but see footnote
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| To be discussed in Council | November 2005
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| Committee's assessment | Politically important
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| Committee's decision | Not cleared; further information requested
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Background
5.1 In 2004 Greek budgetary statistics underwent significant revisions.
Earlier this year our predecessors considered Commission Communications
about issues arising from that situation, the second of which
discussed possible improvements in the production of fiscal statistics
and outlined proposals in three areas:
· legislation
to improve the quality of statistical data used in the context
of the Excessive Deficit Procedure,[14]
including supplementing the existing legislation so as to give
the Commission, through Eurostat, power to monitor government
accounts directly;
· improving
the operational capacity of the Commission (Eurostat and the Directorate-General
for Economic and Financial Affairs), including systematic planning
of in-depth verification missions and use of national expertise
in support of Eurostat; and
· establishing
Europe-wide standards to reinforce the independence, integrity
and accountability of the national statistical authorities.
[15]
5.2 Our predecessors also considered a draft Regulation
which is designed to address both the quality of statistical data
used in the context of the Excessive Deficit Procedure and the
operational capacity of the Commission — the first two of
the areas in which the Commission had proposed action. They said
they regarded the proposed legislation as a disproportionate response
to the problem, which breached the principle of subsidiarity,
and they urged the Government to resist strongly the adoption
of the proposal. That proposal remains under scrutiny. [16]
The document
5.3 In this Communication and Recommendation the
Commission addresses the third area for action — establishing
Europe-wide standards to reinforce the independence, integrity
and accountability of national statistical authorities. The Communication
reports that a code of practice drawn up by a task-force of statisticians
has been endorsed by the Statistical Programme Committee (an advisory
body composed of representatives of the statistical institutes
of Member States and chaired by the Commission). The code establishes
15 principles to be applied in the production of Community statistics
and proposes a number of indicators for considering whether these
principles have been fulfilled. The principles largely mirror
existing international standards, such as the Fundamental Principles
of Official Statistics adopted by the United Nations Statistical
Commission in 1994. They are divided into three groups:
· institutional
environment, dealing with such matters as professional independence
and adequacy of resources;
· statistical
processes, dealing with such matters as sound methodology and
non-excessive burden on respondents; and
· statistical
output, dealing with such matters as relevance, accessibility
and clarity.
The code is to apply not only to national statistical
institutes but also to Eurostat. The Communication also makes
a case for a high-level advisory body to assist the Commission
in monitoring implementation of the code of practice.
5.4 In its Communication the Commission also makes
a case for a rebalancing of statistical priorities. It notes that
an improved setting of priorities would help reduce the regulatory
burden on respondents, free up resources for new statistical activity
and perhaps lead to simplified legislation. The Commission suggests
that the benefits of European statistics should be assessed in
terms of their relevance for policy-making at the European level,
of costs and of such more specific matters as the trade-off between
timeliness and quality.
5.5 In its Recommendation the Commission asks Member
States to adopt the code of practice as a self-regulatory instrument
to be monitored through a peer-review process. The Recommendation
also records the Commission's decision to apply the code to Eurostat
and its intention to consider further the proposal for a high-level
advisory body, possibly in the shape of a reformed European Advisory
Committee on Statistical Information in the Economic and Social
Spheres (CEIES).[17]
The Government's view
5.6 The Financial Secretary to the Treasury (John
Healy) says the Government believes the code of practice, which
is consistent with existing practices in the UK, will be useful
in promoting best practice in the European statistical system.
But he adds that the practical details of the Recommendation need
to be discussed further, particularly in relation to the proposed
high-level advisory body. The Government believes its remit should
be limited to Eurostat. Any oversight of Member States' national
statistical institutes would breach the subsidiarity principle.
5.7 The Minister also says that the Government wants
to accelerate progress on rebalancing statistical priorities,
which would contribute to a reduced burden on respondents, simplified
legislation and the freeing up of resources for new statistical
developments. It would help remove some of the obstacles to implementing
the recent recommendations of a review of statistical requirements
for monetary and wider economic policymaking in the UK (the Allsopp
Review).[18]
Conclusion
5.8 The code of practice seems unexceptional.
However before considering the document further we wish to hear
from the Minister about the outcome of the Council's consideration
of the proposal for a high-level advisory body, particularly in
relation to the subsidiarity principle. Meanwhile we do not clear
the document.
14 Action, in relation to the Stability and Growth
Pact, under Article 104 EC and the relevant Protocol on an excessive
government deficit. Back
15
(26193) 15553/04 + ADD 1; see HC 38-iv (2004-05), para 15 (19
January 2005) and (26253) 5049/05; see HC 38-vii (2004-05), para
12 (2 February 2005). Back
16
(26419) 6924/05; see HC 38-xv (2004-05), para 8 (6 April 2005). Back
17
CEIES was established in 1991 "to assist the Council and
the Commission in the coordination of the objectives of the Community's
statistical information policy, taking into account user requirements
and the costs borne by the information producers". Back
18
See http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/consultations_and_legislation/allsop_review/consult_allsopp_index.cfm. Back
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