Critique Submitted on the Proposed European Regulation for Population and Housing Statistics
In an effort to address social and economic inequalities arising from a lack of data collection and use, the European Commission has proposed a regulation aimed at creating more relevant, consistent, and comparable data for population and housing statistics across the European Union (EU).
The proposed regulation, laid out in Regulation (EU) 2019/1700, establishes a common framework for European statistics relating to persons and households. This framework is designed to harmonize and standardize the collection and analysis of data across EU Member States, ensuring comparability and coherence in population and housing statistics.
By setting technical specifications and requirements, the regulation aims to create a unified statistical system that reduces gaps in data collection and supports more equitable access to reliable statistical information across Europe. This approach aligns with the European Commission’s broader digital and data strategies, including ensuring consistent and high-quality use of data in policymaking, as well as facilitating the EU's Digital Decade targets.
However, the regulation does not currently explicitly address the issue of the data divide, which refers to disparities in data availability and quality between member states. The Commission is encouraged to consider the implications of the data divide when shaping the regulation, and to include provisions for addressing this critical issue.
The Center for Data Innovation, a think tank focused on digital policy, has commended the European Commission for its efforts to improve statistical data in the EU. The organization believes that the proposed regulation will help in understanding and addressing various socioeconomic issues in the EU, such as demographic change, socioeconomic cohesion, resource allocation, and the demand for goods and services.
However, the Center for Data Innovation has also highlighted the potential unintended consequences for "hard to reach" groups if the data divide is not explicitly addressed. The regulation creates an EU-level framework to update and harmonize data collection and analysis of demographic, housing, and family statistics. However, it does not currently have a clear definition for "hard to reach" groups, and the Commission is encouraged to clarify this definition in the proposed regulation.
In summary, the Commission's approach to addressing the data divide primarily involves enforcing a harmonized legal framework for population and housing statistics that ensures consistent, comparable data collection and use across all EU Member States. This is a crucial step in bridging disparities in data availability and quality, and supports better decisions and outcomes for the EU.
- The European Commission's proposed regulation, laid out in Regulation (EU) 2019/1700, aims to address the data divide by establishing a unified statistical system that reduces gaps in data collection, a key issue in addressing socioeconomic issues like demographic change and resource allocation.
- The regulation, while aligning with the European Commission’s broader digital and data strategies, does not currently have a clear definition for "hard to reach" groups, a potential unintended consequence if the data divide is not explicitly addressed.
- The Center for Data Innovation, a think tank focused on digital policy, believes that addressing the data divide is crucial for understanding and addressing various socioeconomic issues in the EU, and commends the Commission's efforts to improve statistical data.
- To ensure equitable access to reliable statistical information across Europe, the proposed regulation sets technical specifications and requirements, and aims to create a common framework for European statistics relating to persons and households, while also highlighting the need for provisions to address the data divide.
