Today marks the 20^th anniversary of the European Statistics Code of Practice

Eurostat and the national statistical authorities of all the EU and EFTA countries form a partnership called the European Statistical System (ESS). Together, we produce European statistics in accordance with a common quality framework.

Twenty years ago, on 24 February 2005, the European Statistics Code of Practice (the Code) was adopted, becoming the cornerstone of the common quality framework of the ESS and ensuring the quality of European statistics.

The European Statistics Code of Practice: a reason for trusting European statistics

Quality is a multi-faceted concept that affects all aspects of an institution’s operations. Quality in official statistics covers not only the statistical outputs, but also the statistical processes that produce them and the institutional environment in which the statistical authorities operate. This three-pronged approach is reflected in the Code, which consists of 16 principles and 84 indicators that set the standards for developing, producing and disseminating European statistics. All statistical authorities of the ESS commit to adhering to the Code.

The Code aims to ensure that statistics produced within the ESS are relevant, timely and accurate, and that they comply with principles such as professional independence, impartiality and objectivity. The ultimate aim of the Code is to ensure the high quality of European statistics, so that they merit the trust of their users.

To ensure continuous improvement and for European statistics to remain relevant in the fast-evolving data environment, the Code has been reviewed twice, in September 2011 and in November 2017. The most recent revision introduced several key updates, such as the incorporation of the Quality Declaration of the ESS in the preamble, and changes that enhance professional independence and the coordination and cooperation roles of national statistical institutes and Eurostat. Elements of modernisation were also added to various principles and indicators concerning access to and the use of multiple data sources (including administrative and other data such as privately held data).

Building on fact-based data

What are the reasons behind such a comprehensive quality framework for creating European statistics?

Governments and policy makers need to base their policies on sound data. Businesses need accurate data to make fact-based decisions and investments. Researchers and academia need high-quality data for their research into societal phenomena and in-depth analyses of policies and their results. Journalists need reliable and timely statistics to produce reports that reflect reality. And citizens need correct data to shape their decisions and opinions based on facts.

The Code, as part of a comprehensive ESS common quality framework, ensures that European statistics are of high quality, credible and trustworthy. The flow of instant information and data that are not quality-assured risks undermining democracy and trust.

The trust in and use of European statistics can safeguard society from being influenced by disinformation.