The European Statistical System (ESS) consists of Eurostat (the Statistical Office of the European Union), national statistical offices of all Member States (different National Statistical Institutes) and other national authorities responsible in each Member State for the development, production and dissemination of European statistics. This partnership includes also the European Economic Area (EEA) and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries.
The ESS guarantees that the European statistics compiled in all Member States are reliable, following common criteria and definitions and data are compiled in an appropriate way, so that they are always comparable between various countries of the EU. Eurostat´s role is to determine in close cooperation with the national statistical institutes, the methods of harmonization of statistics.
Eurostat coordinates its cooperation with the National Statistical Institutes within the European Statistical System and at European level with the other Commission services, agencies, the European Central Bank, international organisations, such as the OECD, the UN, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.
The legislation that currently applies to the ESS is enshrined in the so-called European Statistical Actw, adopted in 2009 as the Regulation (EC) 223/2009 of the European Parliament and the Council on European statistics. The European Statistical Act was amended by the Regulation (EU) 2015/759 of the European Parliament and the Council amending the Regulation No 223/2009 on European statistics.
The ESS and the European System of Central Banks are involved in the production, compilation and dissemination of European statistics.
List of National Statistical Institutes and other national authorities responsible for the development, production and dissemination of European statistics as designated by the Member States.
Help