Confidentiality in the European statistical system
Abstract
Confidentiality and data protection are the counterparts of the obligation for response and the cornerstone for confidence building between the national statistical services and the respondents. On this common principle the various national statistical systems among the 15 (and other) European states have been established. There is great concern at national and international level on statistical confidentiality. The respect of privacy has led national authorities to develop ad-hoc legislation which, inter alia, prevents national statistical institutes transmitting confidential data to Eurostat.
Full text
Q¨
UESTII ´
O, ol. 21, 1 i 2, p. 219-220, 1997
CONFIDENTIALITY IN THE EUROPEAN
STATISTICAL SYSTEM
PHOTIS NANOPOULOS
Eu os a
Con iden iali y and da a p o ec ion a e he coun e pa s o he obliga ion o es-
ponse and he co ne s one o con idence building be ween he na ional s a is ical
se ices and he esponden s. On his common p inciple he a ious na ional s a is i-
cal sys ems among he 15 (and o he ) Eu opean s a es ha e been es ablished.
The e is a g ea conce n a na ional and in e na ional le el on s a is ical con iden-
iali y. The espec o p i acy has led na ional au ho i ies o de elop ad-hoc legisla ion
which, in e alia, p e en s na ional s a is ical ins i u es ansmi ing con iden ial da a
o Eu os a . The e ec on he quali y and comple eness o Eu opean s a is ics has
been disas ous. Because o his impo an p oblem Eu os a unde ook a se ies o
ac ions some o which a e as ollowed:
In he legal amewo k, a egula ion was p oposed o he Council o he Union
which se s ou he condi ions o da a ansmission om na ional adminis a ions o
Eu os a . The egula ion was adop ed in 1990. On he 17 h Feb ua y 1997 he Council
app o ed a new egula ion which comple es and enla ges ha p e iously on s a is ical
con iden iali y.
Eu os a launched in pa allel in e na ional semina s on con iden iali y which b ough
oge he s a is icians, academics and o he o icials and se he miles ones o in e na-
ional co-ope a ion in ha a ea. The i s semina was o ganised in 1992 in Dublin in
co-ope a ion wi h he ISI (In e na ional S a is ical Ins i u e). The nex one was held
in 1994 in Luxembou g and his hi d in Slo enia in Oc obe 1996.
*Pho is Nanopoulos. Di ec ion A: Sys `emes d’in o ma ion s a is ique; eche che e analyse des donn´ees;
coop´e a ion echnique a ec les pays Pha e e Tacis. Eu os a . L-2920 Luxembou g.
–A icle ebu l’oc ub e de 1996.
–Accep a el eb e de 1997.
219
Me hodological wo k also was encou aged. Th ough he ou h Eu opean a-
mewo k p og am on esea ch and de elopmen , inancial suppo was gi en o a
mul ina ional eam o he de elopmen o a so wa e o con ol s a is ical disclosu e
o bo h mic o and abula da a (Waal, Willenbo g, 1995).
Eu os a made an in en o y o exis ing me hods and s a ed in 93 o explo e new
echniques in he subjec o he mic oagg ega ion.
The e o s in his di ec ion will con inue in a mo e in ensi e way. I is plan-
ned o launch o he p ojec s o he s a is ical disclosu e con ol, especially in he
ield o mic oagg ega ion, o explo e cogni i e aspec s o con iden iali y and gene a-
lly o p omo e esea ch aimed a pe mi ing access o he da a wi hou jeopa dising
con iden iali y.
220