Labour MEP Edward Scicluna’s report on the Quality Management of European Statistics was today approved with an overwhelming majority at the European Parliament plenary session in Strasbourg.
Prof. Scicluna’s main policy recommendations focused on improving the quality of European statistics by ensuring the independence of statistical agencies and the quality of upstream data collected especially from government sources. The report also looks at establishing stronger internal and external audits and a greater commitment by governments with respect to the accuracy of public finance data.
Prof Scicluna, who is deputy chairman of the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee said:
“With the EU’s new economic governance framework high quality statistics are especially important. The ‘six pack’ legislation together with the macro-economic scoreboards being set up for Eurozone member states require accurate and reliable statistics for their effective implementation.
“In any case, reliable statistics are the foundation for effective policy making. As we have seen during the current economic crisis, fraudulent statistics have led to a complete breakdown of trust by the international financial markets and institutions leading to an exacerbation of the European debt crisis.”
Prof. Scicluna has also recently been appointed Parliament’s rapporteur on the Statistical Framework Legislation for 2013-2017 and will publish his draft report next week.
“In these difficult economic times we also have to ensure reliable statistical production, be it through more efficient funding mechanisms and a bigger role for Eurostat.He said:
“I also want to look at how we can ease the compliance burden which falls disproportionately on smaller EU entities whether these are SMEs or countries like Malta.”
– timesofmalta.com, 13 March, 2012
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Scicluna report on European statistics overwhelmingly approved in plenary session
Labour MEP Edward Scicluna’s “Report on the Quality Management of European Statistics” was approved with an overwhelming majority at the European Parliament plenary session in Strasbourg this week.
Prof, Scicluna’s main policy recommendations focused on improving the quality of European statistics by ensuring the independence of statistical agencies and the quality of upstream data collected, especially from government sources. The report also looks at establishing stronger internal and external audits and a greater commitment by governments with respect to the accuracy of public finance data.
Prof, Scicluna, who is Vice-Chair of the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee, commented, “With the EU’s new economic governance framework high quality statistics are especially important. The ‘six pack’ legislation together with the macro-economic scoreboards being set up for eurozone member states require accurate and reliable statistics for their effective implementation.
“In any case, reliable statistics are the foundation for effective policy making. As we have seen during the current economic crisis, fraudulent statistics have led to a complete breakdown of trust by the international financial markets and institutions leading to an exacerbation of the European debt crisis.”
Prof. Scicluna was also recently appointed as the Parliament’s rapporteur on the Statistical Framework Legislation for 2013-2017 and will publish his draft report next week.
Prof. Scicluna added, “In these difficult economic times we also have to ensure reliable statistical production, be it through more efficient funding mechanisms and a bigger role for Eurostat. I also want to look at how we can ease the compliance burden which falls disproportionately on smaller EU entities whether these are SMEs or countries like Malta.”
– INDEPENDENT online, 18 March, 2012