The Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union focused its work in the field of statistics on two key legislative proposals for: the Regulation on European Statistics on Population and Housing (ESOP) and the Regulation on Non-Financial Commercial Real Estate Statistics (CREI). Work also progressed on the implementation of the revised Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 on European statistics – the cornerstone of the European Statistical System.

The most significant success of the Polish Presidency was the political agreement reached on the ESOP proposal, whose negotiations had begun in November 2023. Thanks to intensive interinstitutional negotiations and constructive work within the Council Working Party on Statistics (CWPS), a compromise text was agreed during the trilogue with the European Parliament on 12 May 2025. The agreement was subsequently endorsed by the Committee of Permanent Representatives of the Governments of the Member States to the European Union (Coreper I, Council of the EU) and by the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL, European Parliament). Following formal adoption, the regulation will enter into force on 1 January 2028.

The ESOP Regulation sets out modern and coherent standards for collecting demographic and housing data – including for the census – in a way that is better aligned with the administrative, social, and legal contexts of Member States. It addresses, among other aspects, the presentation of population figures, the scope of mandatory estimates, and the structure for data transmission, with appropriate transition periods for newly introduced elements.

Based on discussions within CWPS and written consultations, the Polish Presidency also prepared a compromise text for the CREI proposal. This legislative initiative seeks to fill the long-standing information gap regarding commercial real estate markets in the EU. Work on the dossier will be continued by the incoming Danish Presidency as of 1 July 2025.

A  key event of the Presidency was the High-Level Meeting of the Heads of National Statistical Institutes, held in Warsaw on 10–11 April 2025. The meeting brought together the heads of national statistical institutes from EU and EFTA countries, Eurostat representatives, and experts from the private sector.

The discussions focused on the use of Privately Held Data (PHD) in official statistics – such as data from telecom operators, payment service providers or digital platforms – as a complement to traditional sources. This topic is addressed in the revised Regulation 223/2009, and the meeting served as a platform for sharing experiences and developing a coherent approach to its implementation. Participants emphasised the need for common standards, model agreements, and transparent mechanisms to ensure the secure, ethical, and proportionate use of privately held data in public statistics.

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