Assessment of Quality in Statistics

1. Mirela Kadic, Project Manager atStatistics Department, ICON InstituteSarajevo, 8 October 2018 • Assessmentof Quality in Statistics • GLOBAL ASSESSMENTS, PEER REVIEWS AND SECTOR REVIEWS IN THE ENLARGEMENT AND ENP COUNTRIES

2. Introduction • Therearemanytoolsavailablefor national authoritiesanddevelopmentpartnerstousetoassessthecapacityof national statisticalsystems in order tofocusimprovementefforts. • Type A. Tools used by national authorities to inform national statistical planning/strategies (NSDSs) • Type B. Tools for development partners who want to “invest” in statistics to inform project design and monitoring • Type C. Tools for monitoring statistical performance internationally • Type D. Tools to assess quality and/or compliance with statistical codes of practice

3. Overview • The European statistics Code of Practice (CoP) sets the standards for developing, producing and disseminating European statistics for all members of the European statistical system (ESS). • ESS’s quality assurance framework (QAF) describes the tools and procedures put in place to ensure that statistics that are produced are of high quality. It serves as guidance on how to implement the CoP. • Assessments form the essential elements of evaluation within the overall quality assurance framework.

4. What are Global Assessments? • Broad strategic reviews of statistical systems, covering: • - Institutionalenvironment • - Engagement with users and also respondents • - Practice in individual statistical domains • - Whether resources are efficiently used, and well directed • Main objective : • To evaluate the level of conformity with European and international standards, incorporating: • -the European statistics Code of Practice, • -the UN Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics • -the Eurostat Statistical Requirements Compendium.

5. Whyshould GA bedone? • GA intends to obtain the picture of the current health of official statistics in a country, in order to: • Better direct system strengthening efforts • Assess quality of process compared to international standards in selected domains • Support the NSI in strengthening its position and coordinating role in the NSS • Promote official statistics and the need for good quality statistics in the country • A way to strengthen culture of continuous quality assessment in your country

6. Howthe GA isdone? • A GA is not imposed on a country. It is only done at the request of the NSI of the country. • Expert selection. Flexible and highly consultative approach, external experts are selected in agreement with the country • SAQ – country completes a self-assessment questionnaire and provides key documents • Mission 1. First expert mission clarifying and preparing a first draft report • Revision of the report by the expert team, NSI and Eurostat • Mission 2. Consolidatinginfoandagreeing on therecommendations • Final reportpublished • Annual monitoringoftheimplementationoftherecommendations • -

7. Whatare PRs andwhy do them? • Qualitative assessments of how compliant a country's statistical system is with the European Statistics Code of Practice. • Focus on the national statistical authority plus some selected other national statistical authorities (ONAs) • To assess compliance of the reviewed national statistical authority and some other national statistical authorities (ONAs) with respect to all Principles of the Code of Practice • To evaluate the coordination role of the national statistical authority within the statistical system; • To highlight transferable practices suitable to foster compliance with the Code of Practice; • To recommend actions needed to comply fully with the CoP

8. How PRs areconducted? • They are conducted upon request from a country. • SAQ. Used also for ONAs (audit like approach: answers supported with suitable evidence) • Experts. A team of independent experts ( statisticians ) conduct the review • Single mission • The report. Structured around issues - governance, efficiency, impact and contains recommendations • The improvement actions are formulated by the national statistical authorities.

9. Whatare SRs andwhy do them? • Detailed analysis of the statistical production processes in specific sectors • Specifically tailored to countries that aim to align important sectors of statistics with European standards. • Sector reviews: Why do them? • To assess the administrative and technical capacity of the reviewed statistical systems to produce statistics in the sector concerned; • To assess the statistical production in the relevant sector; • To assess the statistical production against the EU acquis; • To review the medium and long-term planning within the sector;

10. RESULTS • GA: • A comprehensive overview of the NSS • A setofrecommendations • Some proposals for possible improvement actions that could be considered • Peer reviews: • An evaluation of the compliance with the CoP • a set of recommendations, followed by improvement actions proposed by NSIs, the implementation of which is followed up and monitored • Sectorreviews: • A detail analysis of a statistical sector • a list of recommendations to be undertaken in order to improve the data delivery and functioning of the sector under review

11. Whatto do withtheresults? • Some ideas to use the results: • Develop a picture of areas most in need of improvement • Use final report as a basis for internal reflection on improvement actions and monitoring of improvement actions • Changes to resource use (human and financial) how resources are aligned to priority statistical tasks ; • Changes to working arrangements internally and with key partners.

12. Summary

13. Summary (cont.)

14. Some GA, PR and SR implementedby ICON, ENP countries

15. Thankyouforyourattention! • mirela.kadic@icon-institute.de