The bulletin of European statistics

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=E2 Statistical OTFTc e European Communities SIGMA SUMMER 1995

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Managing editor Fernando de Esteban

Chief editor Daniel Byk

Editorial adviser John Wright

Editor Jean Drappier

Published by Office for Official Publications of the European Communities

Layout Made by Sams - Luxembourg

Catalogue number CA-AB-95-003-EN-C One area where Statistics Finland reckon they are © ECSC-EC-EAEC Brussels · Luxembourg 1995 ahead of other Member States is register statistics. Printed in Luxembourg Their statistical system uses 33 administrative regis• Views expressed in Sigma are those of the authors, not necessarily those of the ters. Pictured here is the man in charge, Pekka European Commission Myrskyla. The Finns are also producers of high-qual• Sigma is available free of charge from:

Eurostat ity publicity material for their statistics, which explains Press & Communications Team Room B3/079 the background to the picture. See Page 26 for our Jean Monnet Building L-2920 Luxembourg special feature on Statistics Finland. Tel 352 4301 33012/34654

SIGMA Summer 1995 CONTENTS

Sigma comment The acid test for European statistics by Yves-Thibault de Silguy

Sigma theme Focus on CMFB Statistics and EMU 1. A key player by Alberto De Michelis 4

2. EMU 'the only way to go' Jean Drappier interviews Wolfgang Duchatczek 8

3. Don't mix apples and pears John Kidgell in conversation with John Wright

Statistics and the EMI by Gert Jan Hogeweg

Single currency - 'sooner the better' Eu rodear in conversation with Jean Drappier 20

Focus on Member States Profile of Statistics Finland 26

Agreement between Eurostat and German Statistical Office 34

Statistics in action in Ireland 35

Focus on The rough and the smooth 36 Eurostat of a Eurostat publication

The British at Eurostat 38

New name for Statistics Iceland 38

Eurostat centre stage in Paris 39

Eurostat news releases 40

SIGMA Summer 1995 SIGMA COMMENT SIGNA COMMENT BY YVES-THIBAULT DE SILGUY

beginning of this year Mr de Silguy has been the European Commissioner responsible for Eurostat

SIGMA Summer 1995 SIGMA COMMENT THE ACID TEST

There is no need to remind Calculation of the conver• consumer price index and its readers of Sigma of the rapid gence criteria in the Treaty is being to the highest profes• changes taking place in Europe essential to the continued con• sional standards. and thus of the increasingly vi• struction of a united Europe. tal need for high-quality statis• The passage to Stage 3 will tics - statistics that are perti• The Treaty clearly states that be judged according to the nent, impartial, accurate, reli• the Commission and the Euro• methodology of the present able, and regularly produced pean Monetary Institute are to ESA (European System of Na• within the set time limits, in or• report to the Council on "the tional Accounts). The new ESA der to meet the information progress made in the fulfilment data will be available from 1999 needs of both the public and by the Member States of their and will cover '98 with ex• economic and political deci• obligations regarding the tremely reliable and useful sion-makers. achievement of economic and data. In Stage 3 it will be ap• monetary union". To this end plied for the excessive deficit Such statistics cannot be Eurostat has started work procedure. produced and widely dissemi• within the European statistical nated without an effective Eu• system and also with the cen• Member States' assistance ropean statistical system the tral banks and the EMI to en• with all this is vital, as it is to quality of which is widely recog• sure that all necessary data are ensure the success of nised outside statistical circles. available within the time limits Eurostat's efforts to measure set by the Treaty. the degree of integration of the The key question addressed markets, and the balance of in this issue of Sigma is what is It is vital for the national sta• payments. at stake for European statistics tistical offices of Member States as we move to economic and to carry out the projects in I do not think it is an exag• monetary union. question to the highest possi• geration to say that the design ble standard, and that techni• and formulation of effective The first point is that we have cal difficulties and/or differ• mechanisms for producing both to complete our preparations ences of opinion on specific the principal and the second• for implementing the third matters give way to unity of ary indicators required for EMU phase provided for by the opinion and action. For ex• will be the acid test of the ef• Treaty on European Union to ample, I might stress the impor• fectiveness of the European extremely tight deadlines. tance of the Regulation on the statistical system.

SIGMA Summer 1995 STATISTICS AND EMU

BY ALBERTO DE MICHELIS

Over five years ago the EC Today it has become a cen• and intensify its action to meet Council was asked, on tral mechanism for cooperation the deadlines and cope with the Eurostat's initiative, to create between Eurostat and the EMI reliability and comparability the Committee on Monetary, (European Monetary Institute), control data requirements. Financial and Balance of Pay• on one side, and NSIs and cen• These will give all the institu• ments Statistics (CMFB). Aim tral banks on the other. tions involved and govern• was to enhance the coopera• ments the tools they need for tion between national statistical Eurostat remains at the cen• measuring the implementation, institutes and central bank stat• tre of the mechanism. It han• follow-up and control of the isticians with a view to imple• dles the secretariat and submits EMU objectives. menting statistical instruments papers dealing with statistical for the conception, follow-up policy as well as technicalities. CMFB's tasks, conducted in and the evaluation of economic close cooperation with the EMI, and monetary union. Making a success of EMU central bank partners and/or will require high-quality statis• NSIs, concern: At first the approach - as far tical follow-up. First of all, one as the definition of the statisti• has to make sure that the con• • methods of calculating pub• cal objectives was concerned - vergence criteria provided for lic debt and deficits to ensure was rather coolly received by by the Union Treaty are elabo• the greatest comparability some independently-minded rated in time and with the nec• parties. Step by step, however, essary comparability. • calculation of gross domes• CMFB managed to find its tic product and improving its place within the official statisti• The Commission gave reliability according to ESA (Eu• cal world. Eurostat a mandate to pursue ropean System of Accounts)

SIGMA Summer 1995 STATISTICS AND EMU

norms. This is presently a re­ Alberto De Michelis view process with completion studied economics at the expected in all countries by end of the current decade University of Florence and statistics at the IPSOA Insti­ • national and financial ac­ tute in Turin before joining counts ­ to produce them on a the price statistics unit of the comparable basis for all Mem­ Statistical Office of the Eu­ ber States; these statistics are ropean Communities in indispensable for the measure­ 1963. During his career he ment of economic policy con­ has worked in many sectors vergence of Eurostat and has been in­ • harmonisation of consumer volved in major international price indices to give results negotiations (GATT, Kennedy Round, ACP). After taking starting in 1997 (calculations for over the agriculture division in 1984 he became head of the the 1996 report being based unit entitled 'Planning, budget, relations with other Commu­ only on adjustment of national nity institutions and international organisations' in 1988. In price indices) December 1992 he became acting head of the Directorate entitled 'Economic statistics and national accounts, prices • long­term interest rates, and coordination relating to the single market'. In 1993 he which must serve as a refer­ became Director and this year the Directorate was renamed ence for the measurement of convergence in this area 'Economic statistics and economic and monetary conver­ gence'. • current balance of pay­ ments, where the harmonisa­ tion process has to go hand­in­ 1_ hand with implementation of concepts and definitions (ac­ cording to the fifth IMF manual) and with collection systems

• use of the ECU, especially its ■- *---' ~*^f^^\^..·-·■ \y /¡ι commercial use for inter­company or international transactions, and in the accounting practices of mul­ tinational concerns

• salary costs, which must Γ**"""—J^Ak 1 allow evaluation of the risks 1underlyin g inflation by the intro­ CMFB's June meeting in Luxembourg. The top table. From left duction of a harmonised salary to right: Roman, Glatze! and Kovarich (Eurostat), cost indicator by 1997. Duchatczek (Chairman), De Michelis (Eurostat), Carré and Louw (DG II, EC)

SIGMA Summer 1995 STATISTICS AND EMU

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E Zautzik (Banca d'Italia) Η van Wijk, Ρ Hofman Ρ Jensen (Danmarks Statistik) A Biagioli (UIC) (De Nederlandsche Bank) O I Nielsen G de Vries (CBS Nederland) (Danmarks Nationalbank)

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■' Round the delegations at the June CMFB meeting. All captions from left to right.

Ρ Beck, Ν Goffinèt , J E Chapron (INSEE) B Meganck (IML Luxembourg) \ B Enfrun, J Pecha (Banque Nationale de Belgique) G Schuller (STATEC) (Banque de France)

.

SIGMA Summer 1995 STATISTICS AND EMU

G Sifnigiannis, E Pantelidis 'R·Alvarez, A\Sapqtøz M Pinheiro (Banco de Portugal) (Bank of Greece) (Banco de España)' Ρ Dias (INE Portugal)

Η Lindblom M Suur­kujala (Statistics Finland) E Nesvadba (Statistics Sweden) E Ojanen (Centralbank) (Österreichische Nationalbank) I Kramer (ÖSTAT)

J Kidgell (C$OVK) Ρ Charleton R Seiler, Κ Hanau J Turnbull (Bank of England) (Central Bank of Ireland) (Deutsche Bundesbank) Β Keating (CSO, Ireland)

SIGMA Summer 1995 7 STATISTICS AND EMU EMU <3jfr 'THE ONLY WAY TO GO JEAN DRAPPIER INTERVIEWS WOLFGANG DUCHATCZEK

^ j Duchatczek (46) is Chairman of the Com• mittee on Monetary, Financial and Balance of Pi ments Statistics (CMFB). He is an Austrian and a ^P^tqnn^ocial and Economic Sciences. Early in his career ne moved io the pnv and in 1975 to the Österreichische Nationalbank. He joined the Office of the Governor in 1978 and became its Chief in 1982. In 1991 he was Chair- man of the EFTA Working Group on Monetary, Fi• nancial and Balance of Payments Statistics (EFTA- CMFB) and in T993 Vice-Chairman of the EEA- CMFB. He represented the Bank on the EC Inte• gration Committee of the Austrian Federal Govern• ment during 1993-94 and became CMFB Chairman this year.

8 SIGMA Summer 1995 STATISTICS AND EMU

"We have got to achieve, produce and deliver some• thing. Statisticians have a tremendous responsibility in this process!"

This is Wolfgang Duchatczek on EMU talking on his way to chair• ing the CMFB meeting in Luxem• bourg in June. He knows time is now of the essence.

"From the very beginning", he explains, "we in Austria wel• comed the concept of the inter• nal market and we have been very grateful that it was made open to the EFTA countries. Up to the point of joining the EU, "Statisticians have considerable power" of course, we had the info, po• "I also have to deal with in• competences. But this problem litically, on what was going on. stitutional changes on the cen• has now been solved in a very Now we also have to deal with tral banks side, where we are workable way. policy strategies and a lot of moving from the old Committee technical details. of Governors in Stage 1 to the "Naturally, the central banks present EMI, which is prepar• side has responsibility for the "For me, chairing the CMFB ing the ground for the ECB, to banking statistics, and in the is a very challenging job. which full monetary policy balance of payments area the competences will be trans• responsibilities are shared. "I very much appreciate the ferred - the full process and the CMFB, with participants from confidence shown in me, al• full powers. the national side, the NSIs and though my country only re• central banks, is a place for real cently became a member of "That is why I am putting cooperation." the'club'... strong emphasis on being in touch with the users of statis• So, for him, what is the main NOTA tics, so that they are getting issue for statisticians in Stage 2? exactly what they need, and on STATISTICIAN making sure we don't divert our "Definitely laying the data• "I am not a statistician", he work into too many areas." base foundation for the assess• adds immediately. "But nor• ment of convergence. Accord• mally I don't interfere with 'the / ask about division of labour ing to the Treaty two pillars are business'. I leave that to the within the several institutions responsible for this assess• professionals who know what involved. ment: one is the EMI, the other is going on. I see my function is the Commission. more as steering the ship, now with "At the beginning a rather a very heavy time component. tough issue, touching on

SIGMA Summer 1995 9 STATISTICS AND EMU YARDSTICKS "Moving to Stage 3, you need yardsticks to assess the degree of convergence. This is a process to take place not only in the old statistical sphere (the NSIs, linked to Eurostat). The central banks are also obvi• ously involved - at national lev• els they have a statistical re• sponsibility. But they do not have a counterpart like Eurostat. And this makes their approach sometimes more In conversation with Mr K Hanau, Director, Deutsche complicated." Bundesbank, CMFB Executive Body Member and Chairman of the EMI Working Group on Statistics Does the "Green Book" help on this point? "A couple of months ago we "It is no longer an issue for reached an agreement on how debate." "The 'Green Book' launches to achieve this database. Of a discussion process on the course, even with the same What, I want to know, about scenario - how we should han• database one can still come up Stage 3? What should statisti• dle the change to Stage 3. with different judgements; but cians handle first? What I think can be excluded you have to use the same da• is the 'big bang' scenario - ex• tabase otherwise the public will "My thinking goes in this di• pecting that from the very first be completely confused. rection: what statistics need to day everything will be changed. be in operation on the very first Rather it will be a change-over day of Stage 3? What statistics in steps. TIME IS do we really need to run our common monetary policy prop• "In the area of convergence/ PRESSING erly on Day 1 ? I am expecting centralisation/decentralisation/ "We are now really in a hurry", the secretariat (ie Eurostat for subsidiarity we need some sort he goes on. 'The first assessment CMFB) to draw up a paper on of harmonisation procedures. If exercise is due to take place at the this issue. This is very time-sen• you can rely on your neigh• June summit next year. This sitive, too. Even if '97 is a more bours operating on the same means that the database has to unlikely date for transition than basis as you, you don't need to be there by March 1996 - a very '99, it then means only three- centralise these activities. short time-span. and-a-half years for a very lengthy process involving 'This harmonisation process "This database is presently be• changes in data definition, col• is the real medium-term per• ing developed by Eurostat, DGII of lection, dissemination etc. spective for statistics. the Commission and the EMI in close cooperation.

10 SIGMA Summer 1995 STATISTICS AND EMU

"We need to proceed on the "In every respect, we'll have "Today is very different from harmonisation elements and to rely strictly on the conver• the 40 years after the war when then give countries a chance to gence criteria... you established a system and implement various procedures then simply had to adjust it - and data in an harmonised way. "Let's say, on a stability-ori• basically, administer it. Then you get really compara• ented interpretation of the con• ble views. vergence criteria. Statistics play "The challenge now is a po• a key-role in this process. litical challenge: a challenge of "But this will take time. In change. between we must handle prob• "The managerial challenge lems in a very pragmatic way. is there: for Eurostat, for the "WE ARE NOT REPAIRING NSIs, and for the EMI and the A BOAT IN ROUGH SEA: WE "As everybody knows, the central banks. It is much more HAVE TO TURN A YACHT real problem might appear af• than an administrative job: it is INTO A SPEEDBOAT IN ter we have moved to Stage 3. clearly a political job. ROUGH SEA. The internal market is spread across the EU, and if you have "You have to motivate your one monetary zone within an staff. You have to explain to WE MUST internal market which is larger them what you are doing", em• you have to be very careful to phasises Mr Duchatczek. "As SUCCEED preserve the concept of the in• Chairman of CMFB, I attended "I OFTEN HEAR STATISTI• ternal market itself. But the the DGINS conference in CIANS COMPLAIN THAT problem-solving capacity of Meersburg recently and I got THEIR WORK IS NOT European politicians has the impression that the problem POLICY-RELATED. I THINK proved itself and I am rather is now clearly addressed. THEY ARE DOWNPLAYING IT optimistic we can succeed. A BIT. IT IS POLICY-RE• "As far as the European in• LATED. THEY HAVE CONSID• stitutions are concerned, I am ERABLE POWER, DRAWING MANAGERIAL very confident that - with all the THE ATTENTION OF POLICY• key players we have on board MAKERS TO THE FACTS. IT CHALLENGE CMFB - we can reach our IS A VERY IMPORTANT "If we cannot, the whole of goals. FUNCTION. Europe will suffer: it will be a major setback. So we have to "My main message to all do everything to make this European statisticians is: project fly and run and come please realise that your job is into being. This is a very strong very important and that if you commitment. With a carefully do not succeed, this will impact developed database you will on your future - your 'business' know where you are moving; you will become an empty shell... will know what degree of conver• gence you have reached; and "YOUR RESPONSIBILITY then you can make the political HAS PROBABLY NEVER decisions and know on what you BEEN AS GREAT AS IT IS are deciding. TODAY."

SIGMA Summer 1995 11 STATISTICS AND EMU

12 SIGMA Summer 1995 STATISTICS AND EMU

John Kidgell thinks that "for John Kidgell (51) is an easy because of quite substan• statisticians it's largely an ex• eminent UK national account• tial national differences, hous• tension of the single market". ant. His present post is Head ing costs in particular." of the Economic Accounts He says: "There have al• Division of the United King• What exactly do we mean by dom Central Statistical Office. ready been significant moves harmonisation? He is the first non-central towards harmonisation of eco• bank Vice-President of nomic statistics to support the (CMFB). As such, his ap• Kidgell replies: "It's back to moves towards economic un• pointment was regarded as the old adage of statisticians ion. For example, we have very important for the national adding apples and pears. We common systems for Prodcom statistical institutes. He was must make sure everybody and Intrastat, and all Member also a founder member of the measures apples. Essentially IMF Balance of Payments States are starting to construct I am talking about definitions. Statistical Committee. Mr their national accounts accord• Kidgell is an economics We must use common defini• ing to the revised European graduate of St Andrew's Uni• tions and, more than that, com• System of Accounts (ESA). For versity and has a master's mon quality. I think this is monetary union we need simi• degree in statistics from the something we often tend to for• lar harmonised statistics." London School of Econom• get within our European discus• ics. His first job was in eco• sions: that the quality of differ• nomic forecasting with the What, I ask, are the sort of National Institute of Eco• ent countries' statistics can be things we are talking about nomic and Social Research vastly different. measuring in EMU? in London. He later did sta• tistical work for Gallup Poll. "Our existing statistics are a "Money supply - very much In 1972 he joined the UK starting point. Within the na• Government Statistical Serv• a central bankers' prerogative; tional accounts area there is a ice and has served in the lot of similarity between what similarly banking statistics. Treasury, the Department of Then we move into the grey the Environment and the each Member State collects, area of balance of payments Property Services Agency as because we are all signed up and financial statistics. There's well as the CSO. to the European System of Ac• a strong feeling in the EMI and counts. I think convergence the national central banks that He is well qualified to talk of definitions will become closer balance of payments statistics about the statistical implica• and closer in the next five to ten are needed for running mon• tions of economic and mon• years as we adapt to the new etary policy. etary union, which he did in systems being introduced. an interview with Sigma's JOHN WRIGHT... "I think there is a need for fi• "Another group of statistics nancial accounts as back• is the monetary/banking area - ground to monetary policy - to Bank to do it is to strive for price not my territory. I think the cen• provide an indication of flows stability. Rightly or wrongly the tral bankers have been work• between the sectors and be• consumer price index has been ing really very quickly towards tween the EU and non-EU chosen as the indicator. And, harmonisation, first through the members. And, of course, we of course, there are 15 differ• Committee of Governors in mustn't forget prices. If there's ent CPIs. So there's a major Basle and now in EMI." one thing the Maastricht Treaty effort going into creating har• instructs the European Central monised consumer prices - not

SIGMA Summer 1995 13 STATISTICS AND EMU

RIGHT DIRECTION lems - and, of course, it could "However, in Stage 3 there So, I ask, how is it all going? become very political in coun• could be some EU members tries with strong deregulation in and some out of monetary policies. union - MUMS and non-MUMS, "I think things are moving in as we call them. In such cir• the right direction. Possibly one cumstances, it would be sensi• of the most difficult areas is "There could be resist• ble for the ECB to be responsi• prices. I am optimistic that we ance from politicians and ble for dissemination of money can reach some sort of agree• and banking statistics for the ment on the national accounts businesses to systems they MUMS' totals. area - including balance of pay• perceive more burdensome. ments. Indeed, the European insti• "Member States will con• tutions themselves could be tinue to put out their own na• "Here I should mention that very vocal in objecting to tional figures. CMFB has been a great suc• cess over the last four years in further collection burdens bringing together central bank• placed upon businesses. "There is an important ers, national accountants and debate as to whether, if national statistical office offi• "One difficulty is we now there is monetary union, we cials to exchange views in the have two very powerful institu• same forum. need balance of payments tions in Europe driving towards data for individual Member their own goals which require "We all want to use the same States. As a national ac• statistics to support them - data but each of us wants to Eurostat and the EMI. With• countant, my view is, yes, use it for different purposes. out painting too glowing a pic• We have begun to understand you will, because they are ture of CMFB's achievements, through CMFB what other in• a component of the domes• the committee has not only stitutions' problems are, and tic national accounts. brought countries together but this has enabled us to drive to• it has also encouraged the wards a common goal. The thinking of these two bodies development of a spirit of co• "I don't see any risk to Mem• towards a common goal." operation has been quite ex• ber States' powers to publish traordinary and has made me their own figures, and I think much more optimistic about the DISSEMINATION that for many years they will prospects of statistical harmo• / ask about the dissemina• continue to produce and dis• nisation. tion of statistics harmonised for seminate the same range of EMU. statistics they produce now." "I am strongly in favour of the harmonisation of outputs, but "European statistics are al• Do individual countries know much less convinced of the ready published by Eurostat. I best? need to harmonise collection would hope that in the third systems. This would mean stage of monetary union the "Maybe. I hope so. Intrastat major expense for govern• European Central Bank would is a warning that we should not ments and respondents. And have some responsibility for dis• try to impose upon countries a not just in the UK. Many Mem• semination of European mon• collection system that is the ber States would have prob• etary and banking statistics. same across all 15 countries

14 SIGMA Summer 1995 STATISTICS AND EMU and which ignores institutional touched on some of the dan• allow public scrutiny and criti• differences between these gers but actually I am in favour cism of the progress of EMU. countries. Intrastat is not pro• of producing consistent figures; People will use the data to ducing consistent figures within indeed, why stop at the Euro• comment on the ECB's per• the Union. Exports are 5% pean boundaries? If we could formance, just as much as more than imports; clearly they all produce statistics of a simi• national statistics are used to should not be and this is wor• lar nature across the world it comment on the perform• rying. I believe countries know would make international com• ance of governments in run• best - and this is subsidiarity, parisons much easier." ning economies. isn't it? - how to collect statis• tics within their own territory. "Quality is now very much on QUALITY IS VITAL And - at the risk of repeating the agenda of CMFB. We must myself - I would be very un• What will be the main pur• not drive towards harmonisa• happy to see powers of collec• pose of statistics within EMU? tion at the expense of quality. tion handed to the European They have to go hand in hand. institutions that enabled them 'Obviously, a key role will be for to require countries to collect the making and monitoring of "I believe that all the in• statistics in particular ways. policy. But a very interesting de• stitutions can work together bate has been emerging in CMFB. given the right people and "There is one very good ex• Central bankers traditionally have the right will. But if people ample of how it should work: all produced statistics for use within countries produce national ac• their own institutions whereas na• stick too rigidly to institu• counts data for Eurostat on the tional statistical institutes are look• tional and legal require• basis of the European System ing to these statistics for wider pur• ments there's a danger that of Accounts (ESA). Most coun• poses. We are beginning to ac• we could get caught up in tries do their best to comply, commodate these two different even though this is largely on approaches. unnecessary wrangles. the basis of a gentleman's CMFB has done a lot to agreement. It works well. Even "Part of the strength of the overcome such problems." so we are currently discussing data will lie in their ability to the details of a regulation that will in future oblige Member States to provide Eurostat with national accounts on the basis of ESA but not necessarily col• lected in the same way."

WHY STOP AT EUROPE? Is he optimistic about the fu• ture of statistics within EMU?

"As European union be• comes closer, the need for harmonised statistics becomes ever more apparent. I have

SIGMA Summer 1995 15 STATISTICS AND EMU STATISTICS AND THE EMI GERT JAN HOGEWEG answers some key questions

IB SIGMA Summer 1995 STATISTICS AND EMU

What is the EMI s mission So how are the several It follows that statistical agencies - especially in the statistical European institutions pres• working at the European level must area - relating to Stage 2 of ently involved cooperating in consult and cooperate as they EMU and preparation of paving the way towards the need to do at a national level. Stage 3? single currency, especially in the statistical area, and is It is just as important that sta• The EM I's objectives are set Eurostat doing enough? tistical preparations for mon• out in the Treaty on European etary union should be closely Union. They include strength• coordinated. Especially in the ening the coordination of mon• SPECIFIC DUTY balance of payments and finan• etary policies in Stage 2 with a Coordinating monetary poli• cial accounts there is a large view to ensuring price stability; cies and assessing conver• area of common interest be• preparing for the establishment gence requires access to a tween the EMI (and in the fu• of a European System of Cen• wide range of financial and eco• ture the ECB) and other users tral Banks (ESCB) and for the nomic data. While much of the and producers of statistics. conduct of the single monetary information comes from central Moreover, it is essential that the policy in Stage 3; and oversee• banks - especially in the areas statistics for monetary union ing the development of the ECU. of banking and monetary sta• are developed within the ac• tistics, balance of payments counting framework provided I should also note that the and financial statistics more by the SNA and the ESA. Pre• Treaty requires both the Com• broadly - data are also provided serving consistency requires a mission and the EMI independ• by government statistical of• high degree of cooperation. ently to report to the Council in fices and at EU level by 1996 on the state of conver• Eurostat. Moreover, the Com• The EMI is mainly con• gence. On the basis of these mission has a specific duty un• cerned with macroeconomic reports the decision will be der the Treaty to provide the statistics, both as a user and as made whether or not to pro• statistics required for the as• a potential producer. The other ceed to monetary union at the sessment of convergence. organisation principally con• earliest possible date. cerned at the European level is The EMI therefore depends the Commission - both as a pro• These tasks imply that in the on others for information that it ducer (Eurostat) and as a user statistical field the EMI needs needs to perform its functions. of macroeconomic statistics. to ensure that it has the statis• Furthermore, much statistical tical material available to en• work done in national central The EMI Statistics Division able it to carry out its role of banks and the EMI relates to and Eurostat already enjoy coordinating monetary policies statistical work done else• good cooperation through vari• in Stage 2. With respect to where. ous means: the CMFB, the Stage 3, the EMI has the task EMI's Working Group on Sta• of establishing a statistical in• FEW AREAS OF STATIS• tistics (WGS), various other frastructure for the conduct of TICS STAND ALONE: MOST working parties and task forces the single monetary policy. In ARE PART OF THE FRAME• reporting to these bodies, particular this involves promot• WORK ESTABLISHED FOR membership of international ing the harmonisation of statis• NATIONALAND FINANCIAL statistical committees and bilat• tics within its field of compe• ACCOUNTS. eral contact. tence.

SIGMA Summer 1995 17 STATISTICS AND EMU

Mr Hogeweg presented a conference on the future of the single European currency at Eurostat in Luxembourg in June. He is pictured here being congratulated by Yves Franchet, Director General of Eurostat (on his left). Also in the picture are Mr Stefanidis of DG IX of the Commission (on his right) and Mr De Michelis of Eurostat.

Since the economic environ• NCBs and EMI staff and is MUCH EFFORT ment and policy needs are sub• chaired by the head of the So what is the state of EMI/ ject to change, the cooperation Bundesbank's statistics depart• Eurostat cooperation? will have to be worked at and ment. The two task forces re• kept fresh by all concerned. I porting to the WGS are chaired Much effort in recent months am confident that it will be. by the heads of the relevant has gone into defining the sta• sections at the EMI and include tistical functions of the ECB, What about the EM Is rela• both EMI and NCB staff. discussing respective roles with tions with Member States' Eurostat and developing a co• national central banks as we EMI statisticians meet NCB operative relationship. The aim move to a single currency? colleagues at CMFB and other is to meet the needs of users - international meetings and are and we here at the EMI must Staff of the EMI Statistics in frequent personal and tel• look ahead to the needs of the Division (who at present ephone contact with them. Dis• ESCB in Stage 3 - as efficiently number fewer than 20 people) cussions relate both to current as possible, at least cost to the work closely with statisticians statistical needs and to the institutions concerned and to from national central banks preparation for Stage 3. In this the economic agents who pro• (NCBs). The WGS comprises context it may be worth adding vide data in the first place. both heads of statistics in the that most of the staff of the EMI

18 SIGMA Summer 1995 STATISTICS AND EMU statistics division, like most of So, whereas - looking ahead some cases in close coopera• the other professional staff of to Stage 3 - the ECB will un• tion with Eurostat). the EMI, are on secondment doubtedly take the lead in sta• from NCBs. tistical matters relating to the But the conduct of monetary policy needs of the ESCB, we policy requires also a wide STATISTICAL expect that the ECB will rely on range of economic data, includ• the NCBs in many aspects of ing data on costs and prices, FRAMEWORK statistical work. government financial positions, At present discussions are national income and expendi• mainly about conceptual issues ROLE OF ture and the labour market. For and what one might call the sta• these I would expect the ECB tistical framework. The EMI EUROSTAT to rely on Eurostat at the Euro• does not collect statistics from Finally, what role will pean level. economic agents and compiles Eurostat have in the provi• very few itself. sion of statistics for the con• I would not, however, expect duct of the single monetary the ECB to be a passive user. In some areas at least I would SO FAR AS WE CAN SEE policy In Stage 3? expect the ECB to seek an ac• AT THE MOMENT THE tive role in influencing the pro• ECB WILL HAVE QUITE A Banking and monetary sta• vision of statistics. LARGE ROLE IN tistics, certain balance of pay• COMPILING MONETARY ments statistics and some other INDEED, THE ECB AND AND BANKING financial statistics are likely to EUROSTAT WILL STATISTICS, BALANCE continue to be supplied by the PROBABLY COOPERATE OF PAYMENTS DATA AND central banks and in Stage 3 CERTAIN OTHER FINAN• they will be compiled at mon• CLOSELY ACROSS A CIAL AGGREGATES FOR etary union level by the ECB (in WIDE RANGE OF STATIS• TICAL WORK. MONETARY UNION. ¡te NEVERTHELESS WE DO NOT EXPECT THE ECB TO COLLECT STATISTICS FROM ECONOMIC AGENTS.

The ESCB's statute envis• ages decentralisation of func• tions where possible and col• lection of data is a function that, in our view, is most efficiently performed at a national level. We also expect the NCBs to continue to be a source of wis• dom and experience in all as• pects of statistical work.

SIGMA Summer 1995 13 STATISTICS AND EMU SINGLE CURRENCY -'SOONER THE BETTER'

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CO -ï S α 20 SIGMA Summer 1995 STATISTICS AND EMU

One of the first signals that The conversion process will Executives of the world's the market will be watching for affect both international issues carefully in the switch to a Eu• largest international securi• and domestic debt instruments, ropean currency is whether ties clearance and settle• including - but certainly not lim• new government bond issues ment organisation, Brus• ited to - government bonds is• are denominated in the new sels-based Euroclear, ex• sued by EU countries. money. These include public plain to Sigma's JEAN debt instruments placed by DRAPPIER how statistics The international aspect is a governments in both domestic can help both the operators key characteristic of the secu• and international markets, such rities business and will become and the authorities in man• as treasury bills and govern• even more so as the volume of aging smoothly the unprec• ment notes. cross-border investment con• edented transition to a sin• tinues to increase. Let us as• When a single currency is gle currency... sume that a Japanese com• introduced for interbank trans• pany has borrowed DMs in the actions a number of debt instru• issues will arise that might af• Eurobond market and an ments will remain outstanding fect trading, securities market American investor has pur• denominated in the various EU liquidity, settlement of transac• chased them. On maturity the currencies. A series of complex tions and custody of securities. Japanese company will have to EMU AND EUROCLEAR With a 72% market share, the Euroclear system is the world's largest international secu• rities clearance and settlement organisation - followed by Cedei in Luxembourg.

The ease with which EMU is accomplished is vital for a system that includes all the EU currencies (and the basket ECU itself), securities from all EU countries, and participants from 70 countries all over the world.

The Euroclear system was established more than 25 years ago at the early stage of the Eurobond market. Today each user of the system (brokers, dealers, custodian and invest• ment banks and an increasing number of central banks located all over the world) may become a shareholder. Over 2,200 of the 2,700 Euroclear clients, called "participants", are such shareholders, so the market really owns and controls the system. Out of the 2,700, 1,700 are based in EU countries.

Over 55,000 different securities are eligible for settlement in Euroclear whose '94 turnover was a cash equivalent of $22 trillion with European currencies accounting for some 70%.

Up to five or six years ago the US dollar accounted for some two-thirds of the turnover; today it has dropped to 20% with the DM taking around 47% of the total.

The amount of securities impacted by EMU will be huge. In the Euroclear system some $600 billion of securities are currently denominated in EU currencies, accounting for more than 16,000 different issues.

SIGMA Summer 1995 21 STATISTICS AND EMU

Pierre Slechten (35) is a man• aging director of Morgan Guaranty Trust Company of New York, Brussels Office, the operator of the Euroclear system. He joined Euroclear ten years ago after completing an economics degree at Brussels University. Until 1991 he was an operations manager in the settlements and securities lending department, and was then appointed head of the new issues and custody department. In 1994 he was put in charge of the do• mestic instruments department. Since May this year he has headed the international instru• ments department. repay in the single currency and "Today we are probably big• since we can supply the mar• the American will receive not ger suppliers than users of ket with turnover figures per the DMs he had placed years statistics", answers Pierre type of instrument and cur• before but again the single cur• Slechten. "As a user we need rency. Those statistics provide rency. statistics for planning: to try and a complete view of the market determine the volume of trans• activity in Euro instruments EMU will involve profession• actions we are going to liqui• (Eurobonds, Euro Commercial als of the securities industry date in various markets in the Paper, Euro Medium Term (and, by extension, the bank• years and months to come. We Notes...). ing industry) from countries are very interested in all avail• both inside and outside Europe. able public debt statistics that "For domestic instruments, can indicate how states are fi• the view we provide with our So it is interesting to look at nancing themselves. We try to statistics is only a part of the a market where - to a certain find out, for instance, what are total picture since a big part of extent - the future already ex• the financing programmes for the settlement activity contin• ists but where statistics are states whose debt instruments ues to settle in the respective badly missing... are accepted into the Euroclear local clearing systems outside system. the control of Euroclear.

IN ADVANCE "But the role Euroclear could "But - probably much more Euroclear is a supplier and play as a supplier of statistics interesting - we can also pro• user of statistics. I ask how, as is much more important. We vide figures for individual is• supplier, they compare with are much in advance when sues. We can (and we do) pro• national statistical systems? compared to national systems, vide central banks with regular

22 SIGMA Summer 1995 STATISTICS AND EMU data about the liquidity aspects Could today's figures be rency. How many 'market play• of certain issues. This is very easily extrapolated? ers' are in this situation? No• sensitive information when it body knows..." comes to making some politi• Mr Slechten: "We would cal decisions..." need more detailed information Could you identify who owns on the nature of the transac• what in terms of securities in Where, I want to know, are tions themselves: what are fi• the present currencies? statistics most badly needed? nancing trades, what is retail trade, what is pure professional "We have no problem in sup• Anne Swaelus answers. trading, what are securities bor• plying statistics on turnover. But "We have a rather good idea of rowing and lending etc? One when it comes to identifying how figures are spread and clear trend is that financing who owns what, of course we how many holders own what. trades are playing an increas• have difficulties since we are But we have to try and find out ing part in the business we bound by bank confidentiality who is going to be impacted by clear and settle. There is much rules. Leading brokers/dealers/ the conversion and where. in progress when compared to placers would not want the When we say that 1,700 par• pure trading business. market to be able to identify ticipants own EU-denominated how largely (or closely) they securities in our books we know have placed such and such an that each of them - maybe a LIKE IT OR issue. So there we would have large bank or a large profes• problems in providing statistics. sional broker or dealer - owns NOT? They might be interesting, them on account for hundreds "Let's assume the DM is con• though! Also in most cases we or even thousands of sub-hold• verted", explains Mrs Swaelus. do not know who the beneficial ers all over the world. There we On Day 1 the DM disappears. owner is. Indeed such securi• have no figures. Where are The Bundesbank, which has ties are usually held through they? Most likely with the cus• borrowed and issued DM de• one or several intermediaries." todian banks. But we have no nominated bonds, will no longer access to them. But provided be in a position to repay them in But won't your system be each party in the chain man• DMs. Nor will the investor (he able to provide a kind ofinstant ages its part of the conversion, may be Japanese, American etc) "photograph" of what lies where it should not be a problem." be able to get back the DMs he on D-day, simply because the disbursed years ago. De facto, conversion process will have a You have a very rich statisti• at maturity date, both are im• direct impact on your books? cal series though, going back pacted: both will see their con• 25 years? tract 'liquidated' in the single cur• Anne Swaelus: "Let's keep rency. Do they like it or not? this in mind: on D-day curren• . "Yes and no", replies Pierre cies - not countries - join the Slechten. "Statistics per type of "Assuming the 'strongest' club. If one currency joins the instrument, for example, were currencies were converted first, club and securities denomi• only developed in the early if - for any reason - the market nated in that currency are nineties. Before that all turno• did not trust the new currency being held in a country that ver figures were aggregated." too much, holders of DM bonds does not join, that country will would be forced anyway to nevertheless be affected by the switch to the European cur• conversion.

SIGMA Summer 1995 23 STATISTICS AND EMU

Anne Swaelus (39) is a vice- president of Morgan Guaranty Trust Company of New York, Brussels Office. She joined the bank 15 years ago after obtain• ing a commercial engineering degree from the Solvay Busi• ness School in Brussels. After early experience in systems development, she joined stra• tegic research and product management where she is now responsible for the settle• ment infrastructure strategy. She is also involved in prepar• ing for conversion to the sin• gle currency.

"Let's say Germany is the "THE THING WE REALLY Mrs Swaelus: "A positive first country to join: you can't NEED IS A DATE ON THE aspect - to me - of the conver• say that on D-day only Ger• CALENDAR, PLEASE!" sion is that today investors are many will be impacted. taking an exposure on a cur• Might Euroclear's profits be rency before taking it on an is• "All investors - be they German negatively affected by the con• suer. When the several EU cur• or not - who are holding 'present' version, as a series of curren• rencies disappear, and there• or future' DMs on that date, be they cies disappear as well as a se• fore the exchange risk, the only cash-DMsorsecurities-DMs, held ries of exchange transactions? remaining risk will be that on in Holland, USA, wherever...will be the issuer. This means more impacted." "The impact on us" - Mr focus will be put on the issuer Slechten goes on - "will be rating as a key criterion influ• more or less activity in the mar• encing the investment deci• ANTICIPATION kets. The more liquid the mar• sions. How is today's market antici• kets, the larger the amount of pating conversion? transactions settled with us. "Another interesting thing, in The impact would be negative this scenario, is the responsi• "The market has not anticipated for us, for instance, if the liquid• bility of the 'information ven• the conversion yet", says Mrs ity of the DM bond market were dors' (Reuters, Bloomberg and Swaelus. "It first needs a formal shrinking because of the con• such like) who will have to decision by the responsible authori• version. To watch the liquidity make sure they quote prices ties on the date for the first conver• aspects of the markets...there which correctly reflect the mar• sion and a description of the con• we use statistics intensively - ket past and future trends. version scenario. There are no from both internal and external There again, no statistics, no such signs yet. sources." trends..."

24 SIGMA Summer 1995 STATISTICS AND EMU

MONETARY CLEARANCE AND STORMS SETTLEMENT Your statistics cover many In the securities business "clearance" means exchange of past years. Are you in a posi­ securities A against securities Β (in Euroclear they can be tion to understand from their denominated in up to 29 different currencies). Usually, the transaction leaves a balance to be "settled", again in any cur­ analysis what really happened rency as determined by the parties. during past 'monetary storms'? Just one clearing system like Euroclear performs with se­ "I doubt if we can draw such curities balances and cash balances on a worldwide basis lessons", says Mrs Swaelus. what hundreds of bank clearing houses perform in the bank­ "But I am convinced that some ing system with cash balances only in their own territory. speculators today can counter The way Euroclear "participants" will be impacted by the central banks' initiatives. EMU process all over the world can be compared to the way any holder of cash balances denominated in any converted "FOR THIS REASON ALONE EU currency will be impacted after Day 1 all over the world. THE SOONER WE MOVE TO ONE SINGLE CURRENCY THE As most securities are held through custodian banks and BETTER." international as well as domestic central securities depositar­ ies, the conversion will require a well-defined scenario and coordination between the parties involved. It is very important So you do have statistics on that all parties follow the same conversion. 'currency storms'. Might you be in a position to provide them? Incidentally, in 1994 roughly 5% of 16.6 trillion dollar equiva­ Could they be available on a lent of securities denominated in European currencies settled in real-time basis? Euroclear were already basket-ECU denominated securities - among which was a substantial amount of UK Treasury bills... Anne Swaelus: "We are just THE START, PERHAPS, OF THE a link in the chain. Settlement "CONVERSION SCENARIO"? is often delayed by up to seven days from the date of transac­ tion. But the idea is in the air. AFINAL ent sources in different coun­ tries. And they often compare "The EC's Investment Serv­ apples and pears. ice Directive (ISD) sets report­ WORD... ing requirements per trade. Pierre Slechten: "The "WE NEED A NEUTRAL Such requirements now need amount of statistics collected in SOURCE AT EUROPEAN to be implemented in each our markets is certainly too LEVEL TO PROVIDE country, but to our knowledge small. We need more and we HARMONISED STATISTICS TO most of these are considering could provide more provided OPERATIONS LIKE OURS end-of-day reporting. Such in­ confidentiality is guaranteed. AND TO THE BANKING SYSTEM AS A WHOLE. WE formation might bring light to NEED MORE EUROSTAT the market, the central banks "We need consolidated and FIGURES. AND EUROSTAT and the EC." harmonised sources. Today we NEEDS TO PRODUCE MORE mainly rely on too many differ­ OF THEM."

SIGMA Summer 1995 25 FOCUS ON MEMBER STATES

SECOND IN OUR PROFILES OF NATIONAL STATISTICAL OFFICES OF THE NEW EU MEMBER STATES. JOHN WRIGHT VISITS STATISTICS FINLAND...

For a start, their swish new with smiling blonde on recep- Then there's the Director- offices in Helsinki are more like tion. There is much talk of General, Timo Relander - the headquarters of a multina• pleasing the client and raising surely one of the tallest men in tional company than a govern• the international profile of Fin• Finland? He spent 12 years ment department, complete land through statistics. with the Confederation of

26 SIGMA Summer 1995 FOCUS ON MEMBER STATES

Finnish Industries, nine as Di• You sense a keen desire to the second most expensive EU rector-General, before going as ensure Finnish statistics play capital. But this was out of DG to Statistics Finland in their part on the international date. Prices are much lower 1992. After seven months he stage. now. If it is reported that Fin• was chosen to head the Prime land is expensive for tourists, Minister's office, returning to Relander: "A week ago a then that's a disaster for us. Statistics Finland earlier this Finnish newspaper asked why Data must be accurate and year after the change of gov• the Economist magazine didn't timely." ernment. So clearly he knows use our statistics. I have writ• what's what. ten to the Economist to ask THE why. We want to be in all inter• In his absence Heikki Salmi national comparisons. It is ex• INFORMATION both held the fort and extended tremely important that the inter• its boundaries. Now he's the national media recognise we SOCIETY dynamic No 2. are in the EU. The role of Innovation is also in the air. Eurostat is crucial in this re• Says Relander: "Histori• spect. For our part we must be Salmi again: "Under our cally, Finland has been a re• ready to publish relevant data new government we have just mote northern country. This in the relevant form." started a very important project must change. But we have al• to show in statistics how our ways been a Western Euro• But there are dangers - high• information society works. We pean country: we have never lighted by Salmi: "We must are discussing with our ADP had problems with this although monitor how Finnish data are companies how to describe the others may have. used and reported overseas. real substance of their exports For example, a recent Eurostat - not just the hardware but the "We have had big political cost-of-living report (see story information flow and programs, changes in Finland in the last on Page 36) gave Helsinki as which may be enormous. 20 or 30 years and attitudes are completely different from be• fore. The general attitude is now extremely positive to West• ern Europe and the EU."

And Salmi: "A few years ago Finland - Finnish business - was a very closed community. But now it's important, for ex• ample, that London - Reuters etc - gets our data at the same time as Finnish users. Joining the EU - which means a new cultural, political and economic life here - gives this even more momentum." Heikki Salmi and Gabriel Rein, first Director-General of the Finnish Statistical Office (1865-67)

SIGMA Summer 1995 27 FOCUS ON MEMBER STATES

"Computers, word pro• research-type statistical office and grams, telecommunications, go dynamically to the market and business-to-business - we are nearer to the client. Now our staff one of the largest producers in understand this very well, although the world. This is a new and the change takes time. growing industry that we think makes us powerful and com• "Sixteen per cent of our rev• petitive. The market is free and enue comes from clients, 84% the system is working. But our from government. Our objec• success is something that we tive is not to make money as must try to measure. such but to use it to finance data dissemination and product "It's very difficult because First impressions count - development freely according when a society becomes more blonde receptionist to client needs. Client income and more complex you can't Christel Oldenburg is small but increasing while describe it with simple statis• government financing is de• tics. With statistics you try to hopefully go on to use our creasing, and this is giving us generalise everything. But the databases and publications. more freedom of action." world is not generalising - it's becoming more complex. "We have to develop prod• Salmi continues: "User ucts for businesses, enter• training is important. Statistics "For instance, working prises, government etc that are are no use if they are not used places in Finland are very mov• attractive and easy to use. and understood. We have able and flexible and society is That's the big thing now: to courses almost every week on very dynamic. This means that make more 'noise' and market how to use statistics: on the role here as in other countries we our products. And we have of women in society, for exam• have to develop new methodol• created rather good relations ple, or how to use the consumer ogy to describe the complexity. with the business community. price index or our regional data in the European context. "The second part of our mis• THE MISSION sion statement is TO AID GOV• "All our services have been "Let's look at our mission ERNMENT AND CORPORATE centred here for nearly two statement", says Mr Salmi. DECISION-MAKING and CRE• years. It's one of the best build• ATE CONDITIONS FOR SO• ings in Helsinki - Mr Franchet "First it says we must HELP CIAL AND ECONOMIC RE• (Director-General of Eurostat) CITIZENS TO FORM A RELI• SEARCH. says it is one of the best loca• ABLE PICTURE OF SOCIETY. tions for a statistical office he "To help, to aid...this is not has ever seen. Last year "This is very demanding. It bureaucratic language. 32,000 people visited us. Tel• means we have to get lots of ephone inquiries are around information in the press every "We have developed a vision 200,000 a year." day and make them see us as to be more helpful to the user. a credible source. In turn key The word client came to this Relander again: "We cover people in Finland know via the office in 1985. Then we started 75% of the public statistics in media what we're doing and to shed our image of a bureaucratic Finland. continued on Page 30

28 SIGMA Summer 1995 FOCUS ON MEMBER STATES FIRST STATISTICS A MILITARY SECRET

This {right) is taken from the u. tljuarc neu ύπιακι amai< q, of. ecb 70, - \~4>09MZSS7Ar e. Bodfvinner ecb Ungdom if ver ι ■ first recorded census in Fin­ 1 SP f. Barn under ι f. ir - - - land in 1749 and shows a r. 70. ecb 7<¡. - á.a. Fabiiqucurcr - - - - s. 7f. ecb go. · ^.ma. T77X population of just under b. Ungdom oeb Jrbetare ófver 15. ff. 8a ecb 8j\ - //£% 430,000 compared to over c. Barn nadir tf. ir - · - five million today. It was when t. 8f. ecb so, - JU. 7, a. Ämbets-ecb Handtyirks■-foli, //■ m Finland was part of Sweden. u. Spaer 90. ir - Ί0Λ h.GefàUer ------After over 20 years of war Summa eft. Kón. JMML c. LirogSjJar ófvcr I f. ¿r - - Summa against Russia the King J2W7T d. Dite under if. ir . - - 8. Ring/tre Borrcrfkap, Fórfv.irs-t wanted to know the exact Fårdels - A .¡"lar - - - - MANÌLÒN. OriNKON. j>. Ritten, Staters, Kyrh-ecb Stai. population of Finland. The par­ Betjänter . - - - - ish priests did the count and the io. a. Frißt inbjfes felkì S tiderne b. Dito Brikligt, dock e) I]of pit ai data were sent to Stockholm. Hjon - - -..------Δ. Gift Irti êüM:~ WaÉ However, the document from li. Re fandt och Främlingar - - ■ *.·> which this extract is taken was ia. Skeppare ecbfßfarit folk - - . E. Änklingar ecb m I}, Λ Handtvirkarrs och ringare Borger Jk Ankor - . immediately "classified" as a mili­ fits,fuml Betjänters Barn Sfvir 1 ç, tary secret: the population was #·- b. Dito under if, dr much less than thought and the C. Ogifte åfvrr -f/m. r>m if. ir - - 14. a. Samtingi Borririkapets ecbfiitjin Russians were not to know. tersTjinfiifoiX¿fytr it.it - - b. Dite under 1 r, ir - - - . " D. Barn under t wim små If. ir - - This was the beginning of if. Stom ocb minare S e min,int cr pi " Summaeft.K6n. WMÈÉÊÉÊÈËaSa Lundit ...... Finnish statistics. The fore­ Summa. id. a. Tùr/inrt med ut fidi - - - . runner of Statistics Finland " was established in 1865. By that time Finland had been well as Finnish and Swedish. Says Leskinen: "We have a part of Russia for 55 years. Today French has been re• very good collection of Rus­ For this reason the statistics placed by English as the main sian statistics in our library. were published in French as non-Nordic language of Finnish When we sent something statistics. there, they always sent some­ thing back. We also have a The first statistics were on trade good collection of Baltic and navigation 1856-1865 pub• States statistics from be­ lished in 1866. It was custom• tween the wars, so now they ary to send a luxury edition of have independence again the yearbook to the Czar in St they come to us for them." Petersburg. Archivist Juhani Leskinen is pictured left with the THIS AUTUMN yearbook for 1916, published in 1917. This never went to the STATISTICS FINLAND Czar, his interest in such mat• CELEBRATES ITS 130TH ters being terminated by the Revolution. ANNIVERSARY.

SIGMA Summer 1995 29 FOCUS ON MEMBER STATES

One of our main aims is to in• "How we achieve this is still power to coordinate all govern• crease it to perhaps 80-85%. I an open question. ment statistics. It makes it pos• have rather wide experience of sible, if necessary, to force the use of statistics in both the "User training is one way for• government and enterprises to public and private sectors. ward. Our Minister visited us give us information. There are problems in almost recently and suggested taking all countries. We aim to im• Parliament members group by "However, cooperation by prove both the quality of statis• group for statistical training. people and households is not tics and the publishing meth• They have the appropriate ter• obligatory: we have to motivate ods. Statistics are no use if the minals in the Parliament." them to respond. But we have user can't understand them and no census in the traditional make correct decisions from "This is a real challenge", sense. Such data are based them. This philosophy will be adds Salmi. on some 33 administrative reg• more and more important in our isters. This means we usually future work. Relander goes on: "Al• don't need to ask the people. though the general level of use "The use (or misuse) of sta• of statistics by politicians and "The law clearly states we tistics depends so much on the others is not very high (and I must have good relations with user's background. In the think other countries have the providers of primary data. We longer run we must get statis• same situation), straight mis• have to offer a quick response tics into basic education. My use doesn't happen very often. free of charge so they can see view has been reinforced by the If a Parliament or Cabinet mem• we are useful to them." behaviour of some Cabinet ber tries to misuse them some• Ministers with statistics. But I one soon says he's a liar." / want to know if the Govern• must say that our former Prime ment has the power to stop Minister was an excellent user n them issuing any particular sta• of statistics - he also had a LET THEM tistics? rather good assistant! But per• II haps we need some kind of sta• TRY! tistical assistant for Cabinet What, I ask, is the status of members or decision-makers - Statistics Finland? someone who will really try to identify the essential features of Salmi: "We have a very in• statistics and serve them up dependent status - a separate briefly. institute under the Finance Min• istry. We get a heap of money "I am not really satisfied with and we decide on the domes• the form in which statistics are tic and international needs for published. The figures are usu• statistics and how to meet ally too small and if you have a them. We see the EU as a new very busy decision-maker he or and very demanding client. she does not read small tables. So they must be in a different "In Finland we have a new Helander, a keen angler, is form - briefer, more compact. and very flexible statistical law keen to use statistics to keep that gives us considerable Finland green.

30 SIGMA Summer 1995 FOCUS ON MEMBER STATES

Salmi (firmly): "No." He unemployment, inflation, pro• explains: "We have defined duction etc. Also the social and IMPACT some five statistical series - economic changes because of unemployment, inflation, short- the recession - the conse• OF EU term indicators etc - that are quences which have not yet Finally, to Salmi: What im• very sensitive, which could af• come out. Our purpose is to pact has EU membership had fect the stockmarkets etc. Eve• produce lots of information and on Statistics Finland and its 800 ryone - from news media to the let the client orientate it. staff? Prime Minister - gets them at the same time: seven o'clock "As in many countries eco• "Work habits. We don't have in the morning. logical questions are important many internal working groups - what is happening to our on statistical development any "This system works. Four lakes, forests, rivers, fish... more: they are at Eurostat in years ago our Minister was able Luxembourg. There is a lot of to see them beforehand. But "We are trying to combine information exchange Finland is a small country and the measurement of economic Eurostat and EC directorates in the influence of statistics has and environmental areas - the Brussels ask for something increased with the freeing of the impact of economic activity on every day. This is more than market and other economic nature. Nature in Finland is we expected. Of course, we changes. We need that sort of very important to us and in are not uncritical - for example, regulation now." many ways we have a chance it does take Eurostat a long to avoid many of the environ• time to get our statistics into But the new Government mental problems of other coun• publications or databases. might try it on, I suggest. tries. So we must know what is happening. We have a good "More and more Finnish data Relander: "They can try!" environmental database - the are now available in Europe One feels they wouldn't get far. question is how to use it; this and European information He adds: "Independence from is also a political question." available here for companies the political process is one of and so on - and that's another the basic principles in this kind service we are developing. of work in all Western coun• There is much interest in short- tries." term economic indicators and industrial and business SHADES OF statistics. GREEN "THE EUROPEAN STATISTICAL SYSTEM IS What, I ask Relander, are If you go to Statistics the most important things to DEVELOPING VERY RAPIDLY Finland on business it may measure in Finland today? AND WE HAVE TO JUMP end with a sauna. Their in-house sauna is one of INTO IT." "Our general economic de• an estimated 1.7 million in velopment. We live in difficult Finland - one for every times and everyone follows three people, closely what is happening in and then a few.

SIGMA Summer 1995 31 FOCUS ON MEMBER STATES

NO MISSING LINK Pekka Myrskyla (pictured far right with Jussi Melkas, Chief Information Officer) is in charge of register statistics. This is one area where the Finns reckon they are ahead of most countries.

There are 33 administrative Unemployment flows between year 1992 and year 1993 registers. The largest are the To where? Employed From where? population register, buildings and dwellings and enterprises

and establishments. Explains 271 036 Myrskyla: "We can compile *?·? Students «T ^ most of our statistics every year by using these three reg• Pensioners isters." ~bthers(housewifes, conscripts)

Death, emigrants Immigrants Statistics Finland Finns have the same identity number for all registers. This Above shows the sort of flow chart made possible by the link• makes the task of connecting ing of data from different registers. This type of thing is a use- ' the data much easier. Says fui tool for the Finns in identifying the social and economic Myrskyla: "We use registers consequences of the recent recession and the dynamic nature instead of censuses. We of their society have the right to get all admin• istrative data. Statistics subject to insider rules

► Monthly index oj'Votai Output ► Consumer Price Index 'Obviously this can be a sen• ► Volume Index of Industrial Production ► Producer Price Indices sitive area but we were lucky *■ Labour Pone Survey, monthly data to start early in the 60s and ► May influence the operation 70s so it is accepted by the of financial markets * Release date announced in advance The key indicators that not population. And we do have ► Before the release date, even the Prime Minister sees the data are available only strict security systems in force to specially designated persons before the 7am release time. to protect privacy." Others are published by other government depart­ ¡ψ Statistics Finland ments

32 SIGMA Summer 1995 FOCUS ON MEMBER STATES

News service

► Press releases, 250 a year ► Reuters, Telerate and Teletext statistical news ► Statistical News notice board, accessible through the Infotel menu service ► Press conferences, about 1 5 a year ► Internet-home page http://www.stat.fi

MOOD

12300

10000 ÍKC -; D00 «eco ; 000 ■j IMI 1969 1990 JM! _ 19S2 19« «99« 'sSJM0»s'nî7j'lîO«'u633'l«»!U9«

!ψ Statistics Finland

l=K/1 news release /4ùove; a puncheard machine operator in the 1950s and below ■ ■"■ «imelät EM •^mmmm^t^^^^^^^^^^^m· how it used to be: the machine room of the office around 1930 No MM 2β June 1995 EU ANNUAL INFLATION UNCHANGED AT 3.3% IN MAY

¡.»s SSA­ASIÌÌ^­JÌ^.­S^A: atAS.lirø«v?A™ij..^i=3) ■„.BÄSStÄSi ' ■ ijwj.it møiAnon m «wee« sn TÍ I a£gRfK Β?* IP« /mouw ΙΛ» í*v insumo int tm l ΙΧΙΑΗ3 tí­. &*%> Sriro* J.­. Î.J­­

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Above: their window on the world and how Eurostat en­ larges it

General information on society Services subject to charge free of charge ► Publications ς; * News service - About 450 titles, inch diskettes, - Mainly for the media, CD-ROM - Reuters - Internet ► Direct-access databases

► Special compilations, ••Telephone service interview surveys - Short inquiries an^^ãb ► Methodological and other consulting free of charge ^*ΉΗ services

► User training *■ Basic library services - Reading room ► Business Register - Borrowing

Free services and those am Stilistici Finland φ Statistics Finland charged for

SIGMA Summer 1995 33 FOCUS ON MEMBER STATES

ages, as well as reports on the Pacific region and the CFA LINK MADE (Communauté Financière Africaine) Franc Zone, a profile of the MERCOSUR (Brazil, Ar• STRONGER gentina, Uruguay, Paraguay) region. This summer saw the sign• The breadth of the reports ing of a cooperation agreement has grown progressively. From Up until now the inter-insti• between Eurostat, CESD occasional African, Caribbean tutional cooperation has been Communautaire and the Ger• and Pacific (ACP) country pro• on a loose, informal basis - but man Statistical Office (STBA) files with the European empha• an arrangement that confirmed on joint publications - a decla• sis on trade, the European the good working relations be• ration of intent to strengthen chapters now also cover the tween the institutions. Over the existing cooperation between crucial areas of development years the three bodies have the three institutions. assistance, foreign debt, for• made special efforts to put it on eign direct investment, eco• a more formal footing. This fi• The signing ceremony was nomic systems and structural nally became a necessity be• at STBA headquarters in adjustment. cause of the number of "play• Wiesbaden. Signatories were ers" involved in the reports and Mr Hans Günther Merk, STBA These chapters along with the increased output planned. President, Mr Yves Franchet, the STBA's analysis of the so• Director-General of Eurostat, cial, demographic and financial The cooperation agreement, and Marc Frant for CESD indicators of the country/region with its detailed publication Communautaire. under profile, now form the bulk programme augmented by a of the reports. The regional structured and fair division of For almost ten years joint spread has also extended be• working and budgetary respon• publication of specialised coun• yond the ACP frontiers and the sibilities for all main contribu• try/regional profiles, within the 1995/96 programme envis- tors, is the outcome. framework of the Länder• berichte series, has repre• Hans Günther Merk, sented an important instrument President of German of cooperation between Statistical Office, who was Eurostat and STBA. Recent retiring this autumn years have included in-depth analytical and statistical coun• try profiles of Togo, Namibia, Cameroon and Zimbabwe. A recent policy change to re• gional reporting saw the suc• cessful launch last December of a 200-page profile of the Maghreb countries.

34 SIGMA Summer 1995 FOCUS ON MEMBER STATES STATISTICS LfV beffarti

Inspectors of the Irish Health dents and inspection data. ers, workplaces and inspection and Safety Authority - which is Classification and coding of activities, using the Oracle re• responsible for promoting and accident variables follows the lational database management enforcing occupational health methodology proposed in system residing on a central and safety - have direct access Eurostat's 1992 report Method• saver in the HSA's Dublin head• to a statistics database via their ology for the harmonisation of quarters. PCs while working in the field. European accident statistics. Inspectors in the field and in One of the inspectors is pic• The application was imple• regional offices can access the tured here. mented a couple of years ago. central database over the pub• It consists of an intergrated da• lic telephone system. The Authority has an inte• tabase of information covering grated database of work acci• accidents, complaints, employ•

SIGMA Summer 1995 35 FOCUS ON EUROSTAT THE ROUGH AND THE SMOOTH Amid widespread cover• age in the news media, International Herald Tribune Eurostat published a book• 24th May 1995 let* giving cost-of-living com• Page 6 parisons for the capital cities of the European Union. It For Cheap Fun, Madrid's the Place was a case of taking the BRUSSELS — Madrid is the European Union's cheapest city for expatriate drinkers, eaters and smokers, according in rough with the smooth... Eurostat, the Union's statistics agency. Finland's capitai, Helsinki, is the most expensive place Tor First the smooth: food» drink and tobacco in the bloc. In a repon made public Tuesday, the Luxembourg-based Most of the extensive press agency said Copenhagen was the most expensive EU capital coverage was "straight" report• to live in, followed by Paris, Berlin and Vienna. ing of the facts given in the For cheapest capital, there was a tic. with Alliens and Lisbon taking the honors. booklet. It is interesting to note The survey, based on three years' worth of data, did nol that this included publications consider spending by locals, bul looked mainly at costs io such as the Economist, El Pais, foreign government and business officials '"with a relatively high standard of living." Financial Times and Interna• The cheapest place lo buy clothes and shoes was London; tional Herald Tribune who Paris was the most expensive. (Hcurers/ clearly appreciated that many businessmen etc receive simi• cíate the relevance of the data One positive outcome of all lar levels of remuneration to EC which were based on this publicity is that it led to brisk officials and thus would appre- Eurostat's work in the field of demand for the publication - cost-of-living adjustments to the and at the same time helped to Living in Europe salaries of EC officials. keep Eurostat in the public eye. Overall living costs, Brussels=100 70 80 90 100 110 120 The rough: Eurostat is intending to fol• Copenhaqen ^_ 1 Paris ^__ I A minority of the press took low up this publication with a Berlin £__ I companion booklet which will Vienna $ 1 us to task for spending money Helsinki J~ 1 on a booklet that was "irrel• relate to domestic consumers, London ^_ zi and thus will be more relevant Amsterdam ^__ j evant" to most EU citizens and, Stockholm i j in their view, simply highlighted to the man in the street - includ• Brussels Mi ing the Luxembourg street. Rome i the large salaries of EC bureau• Dublin £ ^ crats. Again, the data will come from Madrid £_ _| existing sources with no extra Lisbon I 1 Athens i | The Luxembourg press were collection involved. Source: Eurostat highly critical because there are Helsinki is the most expen­ no figures for Luxembourg. The interesting thing about sive capital in the European This is because the EC staff this exercise was the amount Union in which to eat, smoke of planning and coordination and drink, according to the regulations treat Luxembourg European Commission. Go to for staff salary purposes as if it with the EC Spokesman Serv• Madrid instead. But it is bet­ were Brussels. ice that went into it - to a level ter to be ill in Paris. way above the norm for Economist

36 SIGMA Summer 1995 FOCUS ON EUROSTAT

Eurostat news releases. Al• In addition to Athens and Lis• costs, Paris - health (85) and though there was some nerv• bon, the least expensive are Dublin (78) - leisure and enter• ousness about the "bloated Rome (94), Dublin (92) and tainment. bureaucrat" angle, the potential Madrid (88). for trouble should have been The survey has detailed ta• identified much more clearly. If Costs sans housing bles for each capital. it proves anything it is what an A separate index removes imprecise science relations the distorting effect of housing with the news media are - and - a large item in the typical fam• how capricious are the media. ily budget where "price" often With Brussels = 100 as the reference'eity. the most expensive EU behaves differently to other capital is Expensive Copenhagen products. On this basis, Co• As for the booklet itself, it penhagen is even more expen• shows that if you have relatively sive (126). So is Helsinki (114) high standard of living Copen• (although, as the Finns point cov^u« ^ With housing excluded, hagen is the EU's most expen• out in the article on Page 26 §|* the most expensive is sive capital city. this information is now out of data as inflation has abated). and the least expensive is Paris comes next. Cheapest But London becomes the are Athens and Lisbon. The refer• cheapest (89) after Madrid (85), ence city is Brussels = 100. Athens (82) and Lisbon (77). Backed by Member States The booklet is Eurostat's re• For overall living costs Co• In housing 132 percentage sponse to many inquiries on the penhagen is 120 and Paris 113. points separate the most ex• relative cost of living in Eu• Athens and Lisbon are both 80. pensive, London (198), and the rope's capitals. Brussels is actually ninth in the cheapest, Athens (66). In other "league table". In addition to individual categories, Copen• Eurostat believes its figures Copenhagen and Paris, Berlin hagen is the most expensive particularly valuable because and Vienna (both 111) plus when it comes to health (140), they... Helskini (109), London (107), transport and communication Amsterdam and Stockholm (135) and miscellaneous (146) • compare 3000 items, (both 103) are more expensive. costs. more than any other survey Helsinki is the most expen• sive for food, drink and tobacco • are authoritative, backed

COPENHAGEN (135) and household goods by Member States

1 Food, drink, tobacco (129) , Paris for clothing and

2 Clothing and footwear footwear (109) and Stockholm • are up-to-date: the entire

3 Housing for leisure and education (119). range of consumer spend• 4 Household goods ing is covered in a three- 5 Health Madrid is cheapest for food, year cycle, using detailed 6 Transport and communication drink and tobacco (82), London national price indices for 7 Leisure and education - clothing and footwear (60), the most recent; rent sur• 8 Other items Athens - housing (66) and veys are carried out annu• TOTAL 120 transport and communication ally in every city. TOTAL 126 EXCLUDING HOUSING (80), Lisbon - household goods (69) and miscellaneous (56) * Cost-of-living comparisons in the Euro• pean Union, published by Eurostat, price 8 ECU.

SIGMA Summer 1995 37 FOCUS ON EUROSTAT MADE IN E

Pictured here are experts ces; Ian Thorpe (ODA), Phare Ramprakash (ex-CSO/Depart- from the UK Government Sta• Programme; John Knight (CSO ment of Social Security), tistical Service seconded for a Newport), Coordination and Household Panel Surveys; and period to Eurostat in Luxem• Classifications; Richard Clare Keith Hayes (CSO London), bourg. From left to right: Phil (CSO London), GNP Monitor• GNP Monitoring. Not in the pic• Crook (from the Overseas De• ing; Eduard Kafka (Department ture - he took it - is John Wright velopment Administration - of Transport), Transport Statis• (CSO London), Eurostat Press ODA), working on ACP coop• tics Regulations; Mike Morris Adviser who, among other eration; Don Sellwood (CSO (CSO London), Purchasing things, works on Sigma. London), Consumer Price Indi• Power Parities; Deo NEW NAME FOR ICELAND NSI From May Statistics Iceland Hallgrimur Snorrason says: means a chamber or room, as replaced Statistical Bureau of "Although dating from 1913 it in the German stube - or even Iceland as the English version is still considered very apt. The an office. So a literal English of the Icelandic name. The Ice• first part of the word, Hag, re• translation of the Icelandic landic name, Hagstofa Islands, fers to economics or statistics, would be economics/statistical is unchanged. Director-General while the second part, stofa, chamber/office."

38 SIGMA Summer 1995 FOCUS ON EUROSTAT EUROSTAT CENTRE STAGE 01 Informatique, the IASC (In• • health and statistics ternational Association of Statis• • statistical training arid tical Computing) and Eurostat. education for industries and services STAT'expo attracted 36 ex• hibitors from eight countries. De• The exhibition was held in spite a notable absence of data Cité des Sciences et de suppliers, except from the pub• l'Industrie in Paris. lic statistics world, it was a larger than expected success. Organ• For Eurostat such an exhi• isers expected around 1,500 visi• bition was a useful sounding tors; some 3,800 came. board. Up to then we had been integrating ourselves into exhi• Various seminars were held bitions or demonstrations Data will be the new raw every hour or so, often attended centered on a theme. On this material for the 21st century. by around 100 visitors. In them occasion we dictated the theme The information market is Eurostat and its partners covered and other participants inte• growing fast. the following subjects: grated themselves into it. This • statistics at the service of has interesting implications for Recently in Paris Eurostat the user European statistics. sponsored the first exhibition of • surveys and soundings its kind to present state-of-the-art The exhibition included • political and electoral in information technologies - sta• stands representing the na• statistics tistics in particular - for users. tional statistical offices of Aus• • statistical information systems tria, Germany, Spain, Italy and Statistics cannot do without • integration of statistical and the United Kingdom as well as information technologies. Up to information softwares Eurostat. STAT'expo there had been no • industry and statistics forum where key players in de• • statistics and enterprise cision-making and data provi• competitiveness sion could meet. • services' quality To bridge these two worlds measurement was the objective of the exhibi• • geographic data models and tion, which was supported by decision-making INSEE (the French national sta• • application of statistics into tistical office), ADETEM (Asso• agro and genetic businesses ciation nationale du marketing), • statistical methods and client France Telecom, the magazine marketing

SIGMA Summer 1995 39 FOCUS ON EUROSTAT £ ^a%%%%%a%%%%%%a%%m eurostat talks to the world - simply

Eurostat news releases APRIL highlight new data judged most 6 EU unemployment -11% in February likely to interest Europe's news 20 EU migration "mainly of Europeans" media - and thus the general 27 EU annual inflation up in March - to 3.3%. public. So they are a key indi• MAY cator of important parts of our 4 EU industrial output up again in January - by 1.3% work. 4 Unemployment in EU regions 11 EU unemployment - down to 10.8% in March Main distribution is via the 12 15 3 billion ECU surplus in EU trade in '94 noon press conference at EC 16 Strong trade links between EU & EFTA Headquarters in Brussels. This 18 EU electricity production up in '94 - by 1.6% over 1993 is attended each day by sev• 22 EU annual inflation unchanged at 3.3% in April eral hundred journalists repre• 23 Most expensive (& cheapest) EU capitals senting all main world news 24 EU industrial output still rising - by 0.9% in December media - an ideal "shop window" to February for our releases. JUNE 1 Roads & the environment in the EU This is why we put a lot of 7 EU turns even "greener" - unleaded petrol deliveries effort into making them "user- in the EU friendly", with the emphasis on 12 EU unemployment - 11 % January to April clarity and simplicity. They are, 19 EU GDP up 2.7% in '94 - "unmistakable revival" if you like, the tempting hors 19 EU industrial output still rising -+1.1% in Q1 1995 d'oeuvre to the full menu of compared to Q4 '94 Eurostat statistics. 26 EU annual inflation unchanged at 3.3% in May

In a fairly short time the news JULY releases have done a great 6 Lone parents - 11.4% of all families in EEA deal to raise the international 10 EU unemployment - 10.9% February to May profile of Eurostat. The most 19 EU industrial output up 0.2% recent are listed here. Copies 25 EU annual inflation - 3.3% in June from Eurostat press office; call 25 Education in the EU: how males & females compare AUGUST Luxembourg 22 EU industrial output up 0.4% 352 4301 33012/34654 25 EU annual inflation falls to 3.1% in July

40 SIGMA Summer 1995 Venta · Salg · Verkauf · Πωλήσεις · Sales · Vente · Vendita · Verkoop · Venda · Myynti · Försäljning

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