Statistics Norway has a high level of compliance with the European Statistics Code of Practice
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Statistics Norway has a high level of compliance with the European Statistics Code of Practice. In some areas, we are considered to be innovative, and in others there is room for improvement. These are some of the findings of reports by European experts from a so-called Peer Review of Statistics Norway in 2014.
All statistical agencies in the European statistical cooperation including Eurostat (the statistical office of the European Union) will be evaluated in the period 2014-2015 in the same way. Peer Review is not about being “top of the class”, but about learning to be better.
The main report on Statistics Norway was recently published on Eurostat's website. In addition, a report was also published on cooperation and integration in the European Statistical System (ESS). Both of these reports can be found in a link in the right margin.
Statistics Norway’s strengths were given as its professional independence, equal treatment of users in the release of statistics, confidentiality, use of standardised solutions and quality commitment. The fact that we have a research department was viewed as a positive factor, so was the international cooperation.
The EDAG cooperation aimed at simplifying reporting by businesses and the cooperation on quality with owners of administrative registers that are used in the production of statistics were referred to as innovative.
The report contains 24 recommendations for improvement, including in relation to legal issues, central monitoring of other statistics producers, quality management, dissemination and resources/competence.
By 21 April, Statistics Norway shall submit proposals for an action plan that includes a timetable in response to the recommendations. After approval, the plan will be published by Eurostat. Implementation of the measures will be followed up with annual reports to Eurostat.
The Peer Review is conducted by an audit team for each country, reviewing an extensive self-assessment document from the relevant national statistics agency, and then visiting the agency for 1 week. The institution’s managers, various employees and external users, as well as other producers of European statistics are interviewed. The team prepares a main report, which includes an action plan, which is approved by Eurostat after the agencies have been given the opportunity to make corrections and provide comments. An additional report is also produced on integration and cooperation.