Indicators for decision

making and policy

monitoring

Marleen De Smedt

Adviser to the DG Eurostat

EMOS Open Day

Eurostat, 21 April 2016

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Eurostat

Indicators – what's in a name

• Indicate (index finger, indicare..)

• Synthesize complex information and simplify reality

• Bring knowledge with themselves

• Reveal various phenomena to different users – policy makers, researchers, citizens, journalists, statisticians, specialists in different domains.

• Speak to various types of audiences

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Eurostat

Indicators – public dialogue

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Eurostat

Indicators – key questions

-What is the purpose ? What will I use the indicators for ?

-What do I want to know, which questions need an answer ?

-What needs to be indicated ?

-What is the context ? Policy, programme, domain?

-Who is my audience?

-What is the time - and geographical setting,?

-How detailed would the information need to be ? Dis-

aggregations ?

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Eurostat

Indicators – necessary elements

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Eurostat

Indicators at EU level

-Context: EU policies/programmes – EU in the world

-Target audience: EU institutions, Member States

-Geographical setting: EU, Euro-area, Member States, regions

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Eurostat

Indicators – necessary elements

1. Clear purpose and context (framework)

2. Robust methodology - typology

3. Quality assured statistical data

4. Core set - priorities

5. Good communication

6. Feedback loop – stability while improvement

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Eurostat

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• Robust methodological basement

• Clearly defined conceptual framework

• Structure clear and easy to communicate

Bridge between data producers and stakeholders

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Eurostat

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1. Indicator systems do not exist without a conceptual framework: A combination of a frame of reference - “what to measure” and of a typology ”how to measure”

The “real” world Indicator system Statistical data Sources: Van Gogh: www.kunstbilder-galerie.de; Klee: Wehrli, Ursus 2002: Kunst aufräumen. Verlag Kein & Aber, Königstein im Taurus

Marleen De Smedt

Eurostat

2. Methodology and indicator typology is useful to to reflect on the choice of indicators and to tell a story with them to justify the choice of indicators to address gaps in the measurement of a particular topic

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Response Impact State Pressure Drivers

e.g. the DPSIR Framework

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Eurostat

3. Quality: good basic statistics and accounts

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Indicators

Accounts

Basic Statistics

Eurostat

4. Be parsimonious with indicators

Core/headline

Dashboard (for overview)

Scoreboard (with targets)

Synthetic (same measuring unit)

Composite (different measuring units)

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Eurostat

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5. Communication Indicators convey knowledge They should always be interpreted according to their context. There is not only one truth! Communication is more than just dissemination. It's a two-way street.

Marleen De Smedt

Eurostat

6. Maintenance

Regular reviews are necessary

and should involve

the stakeholders concerned

policy makers (EC services)

ES Advisory Committee

(academici, citizens, social

partners, Council, EP….)

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Eurostat

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Statistics 4.0

Eurostat

Main Eurostat’s specific indicator initiatives

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Macroeconomic Imbalances Procedure

Eurostat

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Indicators and official statistics

Eurostat

Europe2020 indicators

1. Framework: Europe2020 strategy (2010), linked to Annual Growth

Survey (AGS)

2. Typology: pressure and impact indicators

3. European statistics (environment and social statistics)

4. Scoreboard: headline indicators with baseline + targets' 1 synthetic

indicator (AROPE)

5. Dissemination: dedicated (EC and Eurostat) websites – Eurostat

flagship publication 2013 (update in 2015)

6. Feedback loop: EESC, DGINS, ESAC, CoR, public consultation (2014)

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Eurostat

EU Sustainable Development indicators

1. Framework: EU SD strategy (2001/6), 2030 SDG agenda

2. Typology: pressure and impact indicators

3. European statistics (environment and social statistics)

4. Dashboard: 11 thematic areas with headline indicators + longer list;

evaluation long (since 2000/2) and short (since 2008/9) term with

weather symbols

5. Dissemination: Eurostat: dedicated website, bi-annual monitoring

reports (since 2009), citizens' guide, videos

6. Feedback loop: ESAC, EESC, CoR,

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Eurostat

Quality of life indicators

1.Framework: GDP and beyond communication

2.Typology: various

3.European statistics (mainly social statistics) + other

statistics as placeholders

4.Dashboard: headline indicators – but also longer list

5.Dissemination: dedicated Eurostat websites – Eurostat

publication

6.Feedback loop: ESAC, academics, OECD, Eurofound

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Eurostat

Eurostat's involvement on indicators

• To provide methodological support in the process of developing indicators.

• To liaise with other Commission DGs (and with other partners OECD and UNECE) in particular on the definition and choice of indicators).

• To produce and supply the relevant detailed statistical data as a common basis for various different sets of indicators - some cases through 'joint data collections' (OECD-UNECE).

• To ensure high quality standards for data - that is guaranteed through a Code of practice, a legal framework and a communication on quality of statistics.

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Eurostat

DGINS 2015 on «Indicators for decision making and monitoring»

Purpose

• Raise awareness

• Identify and discuss outstanding issues

• Pave the way forward

Participants

• Mainly official statisticians

• Policy-makers

• Academics

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Outcome document: Lisbon memorandum

• Adopted by ESSC

• 12 recommendations

Eurostat

Closer cooperation between policy-making and statistical spheres (LM point 1)

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http://www.forbes.com/sites/lizryan/2014/02/10/if-you-cant-measure-it-you-cant-manage-it-is-bs/

http://www.forbes.com/sites/lizryan/2014/02/10/if-you-cant-measure-it-you-cant-manage-it-is-bs/

Eurostat

Scaling-up research on the interaction between statistical indicators and public policies (LM point 6)

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Eurostat

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Need to move from the jungle to a zoo

Establishing a common understanding on indicators (LM points 7 and 10)

• Terminologies

• Typologies

• Aggregations

• Use

• Communication

Eurostat

Closing data gaps and improving timeliness (LM point 9)

Work already in progress… • Big data

• System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA)

• Geospatial information

• Poverty indicators

… but more is needed. Open questions: • Modelling, composite indicators?

• How to integrate new sources?

• How to ensure quality?

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Eurostat

Promoting statistical literacy (LM point 12)

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http://memespp.com/homer-gdp-meme-generator-gdp-what-is-gdp-ea675c-jpg-1327467092-jpg/assets.diylol.com*hfs*d39*9e2*f7e*resized*homer-gdp-meme-generator-gdp-what-is-gdp-ea675c.jpg1327467092.jpg/diylol.com*memegenerator*homergdp2*memes*gdpwhatisgdp3/

Eurostat

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Eurostat Action Plan (2015-2017) on indicators

1. Indicator methodology, policy use: i.e. Statistical standards, quality criteria, typologies and terminology – updating of guidelines/handbook

2. Indicator sets

i.e. Inventory of indicators, identification of gaps/overlap Monitoring and reporting

3. Communication and training i.e. ESAC Workshop – 11 May 2016- The Hague In-house meetings with other DGs (JRC) and

cooperation with agencies (EIGE)

Eurostat

European statistics and indicators - tools

Handbooks: 1. Handbook: Getting messages across using indicators (2014)

2. Manual

Part 1: Indicator typologies and terminologies (2014)

Part 2: Communicating with indicators (foreseen for mid-2016)

Part 3: Indicators in policy-making ? (foreseen for end 2016)

(Handbook on Composite indicators: OECD-JRC)

Infografics:

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Eurostat

European statistics and indicators - tools

Eurostat website start-page shows EU indicator sets

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Eurostat

http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat

Thank you for your attention!

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