Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2007-10-22-Speech-1-199"
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"en.20071022.18.1-199"2
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"Mr President, this decision concerns the setting up of the European Statistical Governance Advisory Board. Statistics are used by Member States, by the EU, internationally and by many other stakeholders for a variety of purposes. They are used, for example, by the European Central Bank, for economic analysis; the Commission, through Eurostat, produces statistics that are compiled from data produced by Member States.
A few years ago questions arose over the credibility of statistics being provided by some Member States to the EU institutions, and it was clear that some kind of quality control was needed. As the Commissioner has said, in response, a Code of Conduct on statistical procedures was compiled. In order to provide a check for consistency and adherence to the Code of Practice, each national statistical office is checked by peer review which involves another Member State and Eurostat. As a further check, it was also proposed to introduce an independent, high-level advisory board. It is that board, now called the European Statistical Governance Advisory Board, which is the subject of this proposal.
It is fair to say that there is a high degree of sensitivity on all sides about how intrusive the role of the Board can be. I am grateful to the current Portuguese Presidency, and, before them, the German Presidency, and also to the Commission for being frank with me about these sensitivities. Parliament, of course, was determined that the Board had to be more than a rubber stamp for the Commission’s report. However, we have achieved agreement around a balanced and workable proposal which includes most of Parliament’s amendments in some form or another. I am particularly pleased that we have been able to agree with the Council that dialogue should be encouraged, not only between the Board and this Statistical Programme Committee and the European Statistical Advisory Committee, but also with Member States’ stakeholder bodies.
The Board will report to Parliament and the Council and will include in its report an assessment of their implementation of the Code of Practice in the European Statistical System as a whole. The Board will also advise the Commission on appropriate measures to facilitate implementation of the Code of Practice as it relates to Eurostat and to the European Statistical System as a whole. It will further advise on communicating the Code of Practice to users and data providers and on updating the Code of Practice. Measures to ensure the independence of the Board and involving the Parliament in the appointments have also been included. So, after consulting the Commission, the Council selects and the European Parliament approves the nomination of the chairperson of the Board. Parliament and the Council each appoint three members of the Board. The chairperson is not to be a current member of a national statistical office, or of the Commission, or to have held such a post within the last two years. We considered similar exclusions on all members but that is not really practical. However, we have added a requirement that the Board provide a range of complementary skills and experience. Just in case we have not got the balance right, the Board itself should be in a position to know whether it has been frustrated or not, so there is a review clause after three years. This will give sufficient time for the Board and others to be able to indicate whether the procedures are working and effective or whether there are changes that are necessary, and this must be a serous review.
Parliament, the Portuguese Presidency and the Commission have had a very effective dialogue on this dossier, and I thank them. I am pleased to be in a position to be able to lead this proposal through in a single reading with the support from shadow rapporteurs, whom I also thank."@en1
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