International Seminar on Modernizing Official Statistics:
Meeting Productivity and New Data Challenges
Tianjin, People’s Republic of China
24 - 26 October 2013
Modernization of official statistics:
European Statistical System experience
Mariana Kotzeva, Advisor Hors Classe, Eurostat
ESTAT
Eurostat
This presentation :
• Describes the ESS vision for modernizing EU statistical production;
• Shares the results achieved and lessons learned so far;
• Outlines challenges ahead and next steps in the implementation
of the Vision.
All that having in mind the specificity of
the ESS construction:
modernisation in the supranational
context of the EU.
modernisation as in any other
production system of statistics.
Mariana Kotzeva, Eurostat
ESTAT
Eurostat
Background:
• The Communication of the European Commission 2009 (404):
introduces the Vision calling for efficiency gains through
standardisation and industrialisation of statistical production;
• A number of internal Eurostat Vision Implementation
Projects (VIPs) and ESSnets (collaborative projects with
Members States) were launched to implement the Vision;
• The ESS.VIP Programme, started in 2012, consolidates the
efforts and focuses on a limited number of projects to achieve
efficiency gains in the production of European statistics;
• The European Statistical Programme 2013-2017 includes
concrete actions and projects for Vision implementation.
Mariana Kotzeva, Eurostat
ESTAT
Eurostat
Modernization of
EU statistical production:
from pre to post-industrialisation.
Mariana Kotzeva, Eurostat
ESTAT
Eurostat
Industrialisation ?
Multiple
sources
Data
integration
Mariana Kotzeva, Eurostat
ESTAT
Eurostat
Multiple
purposes
Modernisation of Statistics includes also:
• Change in the set of products and services;
• Change in the organisation and management of the
statistical production;
• Adjustment of the quality framework;
• Implementation of technical and statistical standards;
• Making up the HR strategy an integral part of the
modernisation strategy.
Mariana Kotzeva, Eurostat
ESTAT
Eurostat
Census 2011: Example of a modern design
of statistical production
• Combines different sources: administrative registers,
geographical data, sample survey data;
• Employs mixed mode data collection (CAWI, CATI);
• Uses output quality orientation with emphasis on the
validation at the beginning of the production chain.
Mariana Kotzeva, Eurostat
ESTAT
Eurostat
Modernisation of the production chain
in the context of the EU
Development
Vision for
modernization of EU
statistics
Data acquisition
 National solutions
based on
subsidiarity
principle
Dissemination
 Coordinated
common solutions
when cost-effective
and compatible
Data validation
Shared :
 Information
 Infrastructure
 Services
 Costs
among ESS partners
Mariana Kotzeva, Eurostat
Data processing,
integration
and analysis
Shared :
 Information
 Infrastructure
 Services
 Costs
among ESS partners
ESTAT
Eurostat
 National solutions
based on
subsidiarity
principle
 Coordinated
common solutions
when cost-effective
and compatible
Statistics on intra-EU trade (SIMSTAT project)
= example of modern design of statistics
Re-uses available information by making microdata on export
of other Member State available;
Thus:
• opening up the possibility of gradually replacing the import
survey by data on export provided by the other Members
states;
• providing opportunities for improving quality of import flow,
i.e. through using as far as possible sampling surveys for
quality assurance.
Mariana Kotzeva, Eurostat
ESTAT
Eurostat
SIMSTAT requires:
• Physical Networks
such as EDAMIS, CCN-CCI;
• Shared services accompanying
data exchange;
• Application software and hardware
at both national and European level;
• Standards for data exchange (SDMX and DDI)
and appropriate legal frameworks.
Mariana Kotzeva, Eurostat
ESTAT
Eurostat
Key changes in the statistical processes
Data acquisition:
• Integrating data from different sources;
• Mixed mode data collection;
• Digital data capture and new data sources (big data).
Data validation:
• Verifying the quality of raw data;
• Verifying the quality of processes;
• Output orientation of quality assurance.
Mariana Kotzeva, Eurostat
ESTAT
Eurostat
Data integration and reusability
• Use generic software solutions;
• Shared infrastructure and new forms of data exchange;
• Data warehousing around clusters of statistics
(i.e. households and enterprises).
Data
Processing
MS1
Transform
Data
Disseminate
Transmission
Processing
Database
Extract
Staging
Warehouse
MS2
Load
Data
Warehouse
Report
Report
Cube
Cube
Source: Gartner
Mariana Kotzeva, Eurostat
ESTAT
Eurostat
Data dissemination
• Updating mix
of disseminated products
and services;
• Micro data dissemination;
• Visualisation tools and
communication of statistics;
• Combining geographic
and statistical information.
Mariana Kotzeva, Eurostat
ESTAT
Eurostat
Where we are with the implementation
of the Vision ?
?
?
Mariana Kotzeva, Eurostat
ESTAT
Eurostat
Which of the aspects of the Vision have been
covered by VIPs and ESSnets so far
 SDC
 Access to microdata
 SDMX
 CORA
 CORE
Access to
Microdata
 Culture  Energies
 Health  SILC
 Tourism  ICT
ESS
nets
Sectoral
Standards
 Standardisation
and
architecture
Methodology
 Small Area
Estimation
 Data Integration
 Multimode Data
Collection
MEETS
 MEETS
programme
Mariana Kotzeva, Eurostat
ESTAT
Eurostat
Where we are: conclusions
• A lot has been achieved in terms of setting legal frameworks,
ESS governance and redesigning concrete statistical domains;
• The projects undertaken so far have addressed individual
aspects of the Vision, however, not all aspects have been
equally covered;
• IT strategy needs to be incorporated as a key element of
modernisation of statistical production;
• The role of modern organisation methods and new cooperation
models (i.e. matrix organisation and Centres of Competences)
are still to be explored.
Mariana Kotzeva, Eurostat
ESTAT
Eurostat
Are we too ambitious?
Challenges ahead
and lessons learned
Mariana Kotzeva, Eurostat
ESTAT
Eurostat
Lesson learned:
• Transform the Vision into reality;
• Clear governance and allocation of responsibilities of all
stakeholders;
• Modernisation is a long-term process that benefits from
small but consistent steps;
• Leadership and mobilisation of skills and expertise are crucial;
• Setting priorities and sequence the Redesign projects;
• Monitoring of the progress towards the goals.
Mariana Kotzeva, Eurostat
ESTAT
Eurostat
Thank you for your attention!
 mariana.kotzeva@ec.europa.eu
 http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat
ESTAT
Eurostat