- “And we will incorporate the digital transformation elements, like, for example, data economy into the set of macroeconomic indicators. The plan is to adopt the Commission proposal for updating the current regulation on European statistical accounts by the end of 2026, and we will arrive, I guess, here in the committee in order to discuss the proposal of the commission. Let me move to. Yes. Okay. Let me move quickly to mention just a few areas. I will do it quickly. Price statistics where we have two goals to improve the timeliness of price indices, but also to advance the research agenda on integrating the owner occupied housing in the inflation index. Then let me just mention a few horizontal priorities one. The improvement of dissemination and communication of statistics has always been high on our agenda. The challenges to make now are statistics discoverable Available by a and then at the end, let me just mention the topic because you mentioned this in the previous dialogue with Mr. Camilleri, the professional independence of statistical offices. I just wanted to inform you it's published on Eurostat site. I am glad that Commissioner Dombrovskis, immediately after his appointment as Commissioner for for Eurostat, signed a working arrangement with us, uh, which is his commitment to ensure that Eurostat operates in a professional environment. Thank you very much for your support. We stay committed not only to do our job, but to have a constant dialogue with you. And now I am ready to answer to your questions.”
EU Supervision of the Rule of Law · Transparency requirements of EU institutions · Digitalization of public governance & administration
- “Thank you very much. Yes. Commercial real estate has many aspects. And thank you very much for bringing short term, uh, real market. Yes. Uh, we are currently collecting information from, uh, short term accommodations. It's not in this, uh, regulation because it's already existed. But of course, this is an important aspect which has to be taken into account. And then during the debates, we we could show to you what we have and we see what is the link with the current proposal.”
EU regulation of short-term rentals
- “We are also working on addressing the methodological differences which you mentioned between the national accounts definition of defense, what what it currently captures on NATO definition, and also how to accommodate in the definition in the measurements, new instruments like safe instrument. And we will come up by the summer with a clear guidelines, how these different definitions stand to each other and what will be what will be covered in the reporting. So that really, as you said, everybody transparently could see that what is reported is comparable. Uh, it's reported in the same way in each member states, and that it's really expenditures which invest in capabilities that they are to. Maybe I shouldn't say that, uh, like that, but to avoid defense washing in public finance, another big project for us, a key project in the coming years is the update of the European System of National Accounts. You refer to this, Madam Chair, because in March, just a few months ago, the United Nations adopted the new global standard for accounts, which is the basis for calculating gross domestic product and a number of macroeconomic indicators. We need to update the European framework in order to make it compatible, comparable with the data which we produced with the of by the rest of the world and especially our key partners. Um, but we also need to do this update because the changes which will be done will reflect better well-being and sustainability issues.”
Relations with NATO · Defence spending · Military emissions reporting
- “Thank you very much. I will answer in English as well. Um, so, um, a number of, uh, very pertinent questions, but maybe not for director general of Eurostat. Uh, because our role you touched several policy areas. Our role is to provide the solid, comparable, timely data on which analysis, uh, which will answer to questions like you raised could be could be taken and policy decisions could be taken in that respect as concerns the, uh, ref, as you mentioned, uh, you have one have to make a difference between, uh, the the work which is done by our colleagues in the commission to assess the milestones in doing the reforms and disbursement of the funds. Eurostat is we just record the expenditures, uh, we record when it has happened. And, um, we are let's say we are not policy DG which decides on decide on the success of the, uh, of the using of RF. If I understood your question correctly in that respect as well, uh, when you speak about price stability and you mentioned ECB, uh, concerning the policy, the question has to be, uh, let's say made to ECB. What is our role is to ensure that price statistics is robust, is relevant and capture all the elements. Therefore, in addition to our regular business, there were previous questions and you actually raised a question about inflation, whether we are sure in the quality of inflation data and how we ensure that yes, we are.”
ECB monetary policy · Transparency requirements of EU institutions · Discharge of EU institutions and agencies
- “These are the tables which the member states have to submit. And this will be the way to practically to include we are working with the statistical offices tomorrow. Actually, I'm chairing a committee in Luxembourg with the heads of statistical offices, where this will be one of the hot potatoes, because of course, the member states have to implement to be able to submit this data. And there comes one of the key question is resources for the statistical offices. Some of the people who are doing national accounts and GDP, they always say to me when we go to national parliaments or the European Parliament. When you say we need money to do population census. Everybody gives us money. When we go and say we have to update national accounts and to do such a big transition to start to calculate new indicators. They say, oh, it's technical work. You could do it with existing resources. So what is important and we will discuss this when the proposal will be tabled here. We need really support to the national statistical authorities to implement the changes. Because you said I want this data fast and I couldn't agree more with you. In order to get them fast, the statistical offices should be able to do that in a limited period of time, really to have resources in order to implement that. And Commissioner Dombrovskis, how he will do it. He is regularly asking me where we are with that. And he has been a big supporter to Eurostat in terms of, uh. Believing in the in the importance of our work. Thank you very much.”
Size of EU budget · Cohesion and rural funding
- “Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Honourable members, I will try to find the balance between speaking slowly because of interpreters. They are not many statistical terms in my speech. Don't worry. But also to to stick to the time so that we have opportunity for questions and answers. Thank you very much for the opportunity to engage with you in this year's statistical dialogue. Um, in today's world, as, uh, already several people mentioned, this information and information can travel faster than ever. Uh, and public trust is as precious as it is fragile in our, uh, very dynamic and turbulent world. Therefore, more than ever, Europe needs a point of reference, a trustworthy point of reference for data and statistics. Statistics that are trusted, independent and easily accessible. Statistics that are provided by the institutions that uphold the integrity of that data against misuse, misinterpretation, or political politics. Uh, therefore, uh, our main ambition in Eurostat is exactly this to be the trustworthy point of reference for data and statistics on Europe, to provide statistics and data which underpin solid decision making, public debate, and that we contribute to the fight against disinformation. This is also the same ambition of our partners, the national statistical authorities in the member States in realising this ambition. Question. We have always felt strongly supported by the European Parliament and especially by Economy Committee, and we are very grateful for this support. Eurostat work touches every EU policy area. Just to mention something which is closely related to Eurostat, data have been fundamental for the EU's economic governance for informing critical instruments such as European Semester, the Stability and Growth Pact, the European Green Deal, the Recovery and Resilience Facility.”
European Semester (social dimension) · Transparency requirements of EU institutions · Discharge of EU institutions and agencies
- “But when we mentioned that we aim to enrich business statistics, you could afraid that we will reduce the burden on enterprises asking for more and more data. And this is not the case. The basic approach which we would like to follow is actually to connect through micro data linking already collected business statistics in order to provide these new insights and statistical information which is necessary. Just to mention that the first implementation dialogue of Commissioner Dombrovskis, the Commissioner who is responsible for Eurostat, among many other things, will be with businesses. It will take place on 27th of June, and it will be our opportunity to have a direct dialogue with the businesses and to see how we could continue simplifying and facilitating statistical report data reporting while we still stay relevant and we provide necessary, high quality official statistics. Another key priority for Eurostat, and this was obvious that this is a priority for for the committee is related to statistics, which are necessary for strengthening the union's defence capabilities. Um, What? I go immediately to the point. Uh, as you mentioned in in already today, uh, for the implementation of the national escape clause and to provide flexibility, a fiscal space for the member states to invest in defence, Eurostat, in cooperation with National Statistical Institute, started and will be able to advance the transmission of defence data because, as you mentioned, currently, Mr. Faber mentioned this, they are coming 11 months after the end of the period. Now we are working with statistical offices so that they will deliver already in October notification when all the data on uh, fiscal data are reported to Eurostat to already have the defence, uh, data based on Cofog classification.”
Defence spending · EU fiscal rules and oversight of national budgets
- “Okay. I will try to be short. Thank you very much for the excellent questions Um, on the defense, uh, differences between the I this is Eurostat definition and NATO definition. They are two major source of differences. One is related to the scope. What kind of elements fit in. Uh, and the second one refers to the time of recording of the operations because, uh, the national accounts and all the indicators which are used currently for fiscal surveillance are based on a cruel principle, while NATO definition is based on cash when you just do the payment. So, uh, in order to do consistent decisions, when you measure defense as part of the total budget, you have to have the same principle, the same way of recording. And that's why our starting point is the definition. But what we are doing now, we are looking at NATO definition in order to see whether the NATO definition contains. Something more. What is not in vogue, but what importantly, are expenditures which increase capabilities? You know that they really are investment in the capabilities. And we will do this bridge table what you are talking about. And we are we our ambition is to do it in the summer, because the member States need to have this definition in order to report in October.”
Relations with NATO · Defence spending · EU competences on defence
- “Eurostat has a solid record of adapting swiftly and responding to emerging information needs, as was the case with recent Covid 19 crisis and the energy crisis, which was caused by the Russian military aggression against Ukraine. A comprehensive overview of Eurostat work activities These achievements in the last year, you could consult yourself with Annual Activity report of Eurostat, which will be published in the coming days on the website of the European Commission. Therefore, today, ladies and gentlemen, the honourable members, I would like just to focus on a few key initiatives that might be of most relevance to you in the coming years as part of our dialogue. A key priority for us is to revamp European business statistics. What does it mean? We need to look critically at what we are doing in business statistics, and to ensure that we provide the data that are needed for policies which aim to boost the competitiveness and productivity of European businesses. Our ambition there is to enrich the statistics and to provide deeper statistical insights into important industrial sectors. They are supply chains, including crucial critical raw materials. They are dependent on the materials. They are global position in trade and foreign investment. We also seek to shed light on diffusion of digital technologies, which is becoming a question of security and the uptake of e-commerce and artificial intelligence across European businesses. And in doing this, we would like to have a specific focus on SMEs and mid-cap enterprises.”
Sourcing of critical raw materials · EU Single Market harmonisation
- “Few concluding remarks. Uh, more or less. As I say, uh, econ Committee is our home in the European Parliament. Uh, we always felt very supportive. What I miss due to the time constraint to say. But you mentioned this. We are really we believe that we could make a progress in statistics in terms of granularity and timeliness, and also in terms of, um, reducing the burden due to the recently changed basic regulation on European statistics, which was done with absolute support of Econ committee because they are innovations in this change, Namely that with with the law we have, for the first time in history of European statistics, the possibility to ask for even privately held data based on dialogue with the with the partners, with the private sector and based on sustainable partnership. Because otherwise we cannot have data today and not tomorrow because we have to have consistently access. So this gives opens a new page because in this way we could really do, uh, sometimes close to real time statistics. We could do more granular statistics on some on some events. We even cannot do the statistics otherwise because online platforms, for example, you could measure this only if you, uh, go to the privately held data of these platforms. And then also we have, uh, impetus there. So we included, for the first time in the law that Experimentation, research, publishing data without regulation, based on coalition of willing in cooperation of research which could come in advance, and not to wait for three years to adopt the regulation and then to start producing the data, is also included in the law. So this gives us an assurance that we could we have the framework. Now the question is to implement it. Thank you.”
Transparency requirements of EU institutions · Digitalization of public governance & administration
- “Because as Eurostat, together with our partners statistical offices, we set definitions, we set methods. We even include in the law some of the methods. And then we have our mechanism regularly to check whether data, when data are submitted to Eurostat, whether they are robust. But also in addition to that we have missions mechanism. We go uh, every two years to a country to have a profound mission, uh, about inflation data. And then we also, of course, ask the member states for quality reports for um, and we have questions and answers regularly to see that data are robust. So this is our role, our modest role. Uh, and then, uh, the other questions which concern the policy in my capacity as director general of Eurostat. And this is part of professional independence, by the way, and objectivity, I always refrain from going to political, uh, statements or giving political advices. Although I am a European citizen, I am passionate about European project. But our role is to be professional, objective and to provide the data. Thank you very much.”
Transparency requirements of EU institutions · Discharge of EU institutions and agencies
- “And of course, if you have NATO elements which need to be redone in cofog terms, you have to go from cash basis to accrual basis, which is a calculation, of course, which has to be done by statistical office under methodological guidance by Eurostat. But I use this opportunity to ask you that one or just to to draw your attention. One of the biggest issue is access to data, because understandably, all this uh, data are subject to defence secret. Therefore, we are working now with statistical offices. But to make a proposal to the ministers of finance and to Minister of Defence. How we could get the reasonable access while keeping confidentiality. Because without primary data, we cannot calculate the statistics. On the second part, on a real commercial estate, actually, as you mentioned, Madam Chair, the commission made a proposal for a regulation which is tabled. And I'm very pleased that you took the personal chair to be the personal responsibility to be the rapporteur, because this is a response of commission in brackets, Eurostat, to the request of a European systemic risk Board to establish a regulation to because we need comparable statistics. And I think we could work together to make this happen. Of course. Together with the council. Because without council we cannot do anything.”
Relations with NATO · Defence spending · Military emissions reporting
- “The second case, which you mentioned is the dual dual use when, for example, a bridge is used for, could be used for military purposes in case of the need, but in let's say Non-war times it could be used as a normal bridge. So this is where we have to go with more precise, uh, rules and recommendations, how to, um, how to record these operations, because they will be more and more and, uh, let's say we have general principles, general rules. But very often in government finance statistics, we need on specific cases to go further, what we call to have a specific guidance note. For example, this was the case when some years ago, there was a push for public investment and there were many public private partnerships, Townships for building, for example, infrastructure. We have a special handbook, a special guidance on this particular instrument. So this is what is going to happen on these dual cases. Again they are published on Eurostat website. They are done in cooperation with the member States so that everybody is clear and we don't have an ambiguity and we guarantee the comparability. And finally, the Ukraine support to Ukraine. And yes, I could just say this will be covered. But again, what is the key role of Eurostat is to have this public guidance, not on specific issues, so that everybody could report according to the rules. And of course, we come afterwards to check whether the definitions and the rules were implemented correctly. Thank you.”
State Aid · Defence spending · EU fiscal rules and oversight of national budgets
- “Thank you very much. The question is very professional because you already elaborated on specific issues. Thank you very much for that. Uh, as I say, the starting point is the definition. And from there we are looking at NATO and we see whether there are other elements which are not included. And we have to come with a clear paper which will be transparent and published and say, these are the elements, and this is the the breach of the link between Kosovo and NATO. Um, because it's very important, because you say it has to be transparent so that the Commission doesn't make unilateral decision. Our role as Eurostat is to provide this definition and explanations and bridge tables. This is a professional term so that everybody could look could, could see how it is done. And in this way you could keep, if you would like, commission accountable whether these definitions are taken further, when the analysis will be made based on our numbers, whether to to give flexibility with the national escape clause. Now about your specific you also also mentioned specific three cases, which is very important. And these are exactly the three cases. Uh, just to to repeat public contracts, which could be concluded now in the period when the national escape clause will be implemented. But the equipment, let's say, under this military contract could be delivered later. And this is according to the, to the current, uh, principles this will be taken into account regardless that the the equipment could come later.”
Relations with NATO · EU-Kosovo relations · EU fiscal rules and oversight of national budgets