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DRAFT REPORT (COM(2023)0402 – C90246/2023 – 2023/0237(COD))

On the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 on European statistics

ECON-PR-754703

Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs · Rapporteur: Johan Van Overtveldt

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The rapporteur's draft report sets out Parliament's first-reading position on the Commission proposal to amend Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 on European statistics. It adopts the position and tables 26 amendments. The amendments add safeguards for privately held data, require anonymisation, and limit access to national statistical institutes and the Commission (Eurostat). They require Eurostat to publish serious quality concerns and breaches of the European statistics Code of Practice, and to consult Eurostat on statistical methodologies. They strengthen cooperation and confidential data exchange between the European Statistical System and the European System of Central Banks, and give researchers access to databases with private-source data. The report also calls on the Commission to refer the matter to Parliament again if it substantially amends its proposal.

Committee position. The rapporteur supports the Commission proposal and tables 26 amendments to improve enforcement of Eurostat statistics as a quality label, increase efficiency of the European Statistical System through enhanced exchange with the ESCB, and strengthen the legal base for requesting private data.

Key points

  1. Parliament adopts its first-reading position on the proposal to amend Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 on European statistics.
  2. The Commission should refer the matter to Parliament again if it replaces, substantially amends or intends to substantially amend its proposal.
  3. The citation should include the European Central Bank's opinion of 28 September 2023, requested by the Council on 20 July 2023.
  4. Privately held data should be made anonymous in compliance with Article 89 of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 and Article 13 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1725.
  5. The Commission (Eurostat), national statistical institutes and other national authorities should provide access to their databases and supporting metadata using up-to-date technologies.
  6. Close cooperation is required between the European Statistical System and the European System of Central Banks, including exchange of confidential data, without prejudice to Council Regulation (EC) No 2533/98.
  7. Data lawfully available to the public should not be considered confidential when used for statistical purposes or for disseminating statistics obtained from that data.
  8. Union bodies and agencies should systematically consult Eurostat on statistical methodologies and data quality when developing new statistics.
  9. The European Data Protection Supervisor delivered an opinion on 6 September 2023.
  10. Member States should report on data quality including concerns about accuracy; Eurostat should publish serious concerns and breaches of the European statistics Code of Practice.
  11. The secure infrastructure and data sharing should use technologies designed to comply with Regulations (EU) 2016/679 and (EU) 2018/1725, and processing should be without prejudice to Directive 2002/58/EC.
  12. The Commission should adopt a delegated act defining categories of personal data that may be requested from private data holders and their sources; researchers should have access to databases with private-source data.

Who is affected

  • National statistical institutes and other national authorities: access to privately held data limited to them and the Commission (Eurostat).
  • The Commission (Eurostat): must publish quality concerns and breaches of the Code of Practice, and adopt a delegated act.
  • European System of Central Banks members: share data with the European Statistical System without prior agreement of the data holder where necessary.
  • Private data holders: data sharing based on compliant technologies; informed about researcher use and can deny access.
  • Researchers: access to databases constituted by the Commission including microdata from private sources.

Figures and deadlines

  • 28 September 2023: date of the European Central Bank's opinion.
  • 20 July 2023: date of the Council's request for the ECB's opinion.
  • 6 September 2023: date of the European Data Protection Supervisor's opinion.
  • Five years: period for which the power to adopt delegated acts is conferred on the Commission.
  • Nine months: deadline before the end of the five-year period for the Commission's report on the delegation of power.
  • Three months: deadline before the end of each period for Parliament or the Council to oppose extension of the delegation.

Legal basis: Article 294(2) and Article 338(1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.