Bruxelles nuove procedure statistiche

[FaGal]

Brussels strives to establish statistical reporting standard
news.ft.com - By George Parker in Brussels - March 2, 2005


New measures to improve the EU's economic statistics are to be proposed today by the European Commission, to prevent a repeat of the massive irregularities in deficit data provided by Greece.

Joaquin Almunia, EU monetary affairs commissioner, will table plans to increase the powers of Eurostat, the EU statistics agency, to check national figures. His proposals would allow Eurostat officials to carry out detailed inspections in member states, including talking to government officials.

But the plans still have to be approved by the EU's 25 member states, some of them reluctant to open their books to Eurostat. Britain, France and Germany are among those that say they have reliable and independent statistics services. They see no reason why they should endure more EU scrutiny. "If Eurostat is the answer, then what is the question?" a British finance ministry official said.

Eurostat was criticised for failing to raise the alarm about irregularities in Greek deficit figures. Its senior management was replaced after a fraud scandal.

The proposed EU regulation, published today, would allow for "in-depth monitoring visits . . . and the mobilisation of all the existing expertise in this field to assist the Commission in these visits".

The aim would be to enlist national statistical experts to help Eurostat verify economic data provided by some member states. The Commission would also ask for more money to check national accounts.

The need for improved economic statistics was illustrated this year when it emerged that Greece had under-reported its budget deficit since 1998, disguising the fact that it was in breach of the EU's stability pact. Questions have also been asked about statistics from Italy and Portugal.

"There is a need to establish European-wide minimum standards in the domain of statistics, which reinforce the independence, integrity and accountability of the National Statistical Institutes and of Eurostat," the paper says.