STATISTICAL OFFICE OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
Research and Development in Statistics
EPROS – The European plan for Research in Official Statistics
An overview
Version 2000.1 – 28 March 2000
1
EUROSTAT
Directorate A: Statistical information systems; research and data analysis; technical cooperation with Phare and Tacis countries
Unit A4: Research and development, methods and data analyses
R&D sector
Jean Monnet Building
L-2920 Luxembourg
Tel. (352) 4301-34862, Fax (352) 4301-34149
E-mail: estat-rd-in-statistics@ cec.eu.int
More information on Eurostat R&D:
Eurostat expresses its appreciation for the generous assistance provided by the National Statistical Institutes and the academic community in the development of EPROS over the past two years.
VERSION 2000.1 - 28 March 2000
Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged.
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EPROS – An overview
Table of Contents
1.Introduction
2.Overview of EPROS
2.1.The challenges
2.2.Principles that underlie EPROS
2.3.The actions and the key actors
2.4.The structure of EPROS
2.4.1.R&D into generic statistical tools and methods
2.4.2.Statistical Applications
2.4.3.Statistical Indicators for the New Economy (SINE)
2.4.4.Transfer of technology and know-how initiative (TTK)
2.4.5.Supporting activities
3.EPROS implementation
3.1.Framework programmes
3.2.The IST programme
3.3.Key-rules for participation
3.4.Help-desk, information and website
3.5.Actions and measures planned in the IST programme
4.Project funded under the first call for proposals
1.Introduction
For the last 10 years, efforts have been made to improve practices and to provide and stimulate the production of new concepts, methods, tools and applications for the benefit of the statisticians and the European Statistical System. So far, more than 100 research and development projects have been supported. The European Commission has provided funding close to 50 million EURO. Appreciable results have been achieved, and more than 50 projects are still ongoing.
Since 1999, with the implementation of the 5th Framework Programme, statistics have been recognised as essential to the information society. Consequently Eurostat and DG Information Society, who is responsible for the IST (Information Society Technologies) theme, have included statistics in the research programme. The inclusion has been in consultation with policy makers, National Statistical Institutes, research communities, and private sector companies that are the users and the developers of new tools, methods and concepts.
This document is intended to give an overview of EPROS, the European Plan for Research in Official statistics, and of its implementation under the 5th Framework Programme (FP5) of the European Union, during the year 2000.
Other documents give details about the main parts of EPROS:
- EPROS – Research in Statistical Tools and Methods,
- EPROS - SINE: Statistical Indicators of the New Economy,
- EPROS - TTK: Transfer of Technology and Know-How.
These background documents provide a list of needs and research themes, in order to clarify the relevant issues. However it is for researchers themselves to determine the content of their projects. It is important to be aware that the only legal and binding document for the selection of projects remains the call for proposals linked with the IST 2000 workprogramme.
2.Overview of EPROS
2.1.The challenges
As the European Statistical System (ESS) enters the new millennium, it shares the great challenges facing the information society of which statistics are an integral part. These include:
The strategic EU policies, such as Completion of the Internal Market, Monetary Union and the Stability Pact, Enlargement, etc, which have been intensifying the pressures for more timely and reliable statistics. Recently, the new eEurope initiative (An Information Society for All) reinforced the need for better knowledge on the accessibility to the IST technologies;
A very dynamic global environment coupled with the digital revolution, which requires traditional statistical concepts, measures and technologies to adapt continuously in order to retain their relevance and effectiveness for users. In particular when it comes to measure the fast growing parts of the New Economy;
The various actors in the Union, who want more and more information, of higher and higher quality, faster and faster, more and more comparable, at lower and lower cost;
Constant pressure to lighten the burden on data providers and to protect confidentiality;
Advances in information technologies, which have resulted in a huge increase in the number and scale of statistical databases but not a commensurate increase in knowledge.
2.2.Principles that underlie EPROS
In response to these challenges, the EPROS documents have been drafted after consultation with the ESS and the wider research in statistics community, in particular the “tools & methods” part. Hence it has been agreed that research should:
Have a clear and appreciable R&D content i.e. be innovative on the basis of the Frascati principles, that either the creation of new knowledge is intended or new applications of existing knowledge will result;
Reflect the needs of the ESS and other producers/users of official statistics;
Be both:
technology-driven, in the sense of customising generic advances in technology for statistical developments;
user-driven, which might mean NSIs (National Statistical Institutes) commissioning specific software developments to provide a better service to customers.
Have an actual or an identifiable potential application, with a clear exploitation plan in terms of:
prototyping and demonstration;
"real life" trials and transfer of technology and know-how to other NSIs and other bodies.
Rest on clear cross-national and multidisciplinary partnerships, with European value-added, to establish it, spread knowledge of it as widely as possible and to facilitate institution-building;
Take account of what has already been done. The aim will be to meet the new challenges while capitalising on past and current investments in statistical research;
Recognise that any IT oriented research must be an ongoing activity in order to keep abreast of rapidly changing technologies;
Be subject to rigorous ex-ante and ex-post evaluation and to periodic review according to predefined criteria.
2.3.The actions and the key actors
The implementation of EPROS will involve the following groups:
Official and academic statisticians with theoretical and domain expertise from national and international institutions;
Computer scientists and information managers;
Where relevant, other disciplines, e.g, economists, in multidisciplinary teamwork;
Users and producers of information technologies, such as software houses;
Data providers, such as business in connection with data transfer via EDI;
Professional trainers in statistics;
It would be ideal for some or all of the above groups to work in multidisciplinary teams
2.4.The structure of EPROS
EPROS consists of five parts:
Research & Development into generic statistical tools, techniques, methodologies and technologies;
The use of statistics in support of research within other Commission’s programmes, including research undertaken under the aegis of FP5;
Statistical Indicators for the New Economy (SINE);
Transfer of technologies and know-how in the ESS (TTK);
Supporting activities.
2.4.1.R&D into generic statistical tools and methods
The substance of the research into generic statistical tools, techniques, methodologies and technologies covers the whole statistical production process. Hence it encompasses the definition of concepts and methods through to the analysis and dissemination of statistics, as defined in the NORIS (Nomenclature of Research in Official Statistics) classification. There is particular emphasis on achieving the highest standards of data quality; on automating data collection, capture, interchange, editing, imputation and dissemination. This should be achieved through the use of latest IT developments; by maximising access to micro-data; by exploiting new forms of data that arise as a by-product of technological applications in trade and commerce; by improving access, analysis, visualisation of large, distributed databases.
In some cases, it might be possible to develop and validate generic methodologies in the context of specific subject-matter applications, such as social exclusion or business registers. Such research could be in this part of EPROS provided the focus is on methodology.
This action is an open-ended, flexible programme that will be adjusted and updated annually on a rolling basis.
A specific document details this generic research, based on the NORIS classification (“EPROS – Research in Statistical Tools and Methods” available at
2.4.2.Statistical Applications
The aim here is the use of statistical tools, techniques, methods and technologies in support of domain research activities in other Commission’s programmes, including FP5. Although such support activities could be undertaken using existing tools and techniques, they would require a degree of innovative handling and organisation in order to ensure that they are properly fulfilling their service role.
2.4.3.Statistical Indicators for the New Economy (SINE)
Recent trends in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) together with the evolution of Globalisation have led to the emergence of what is called nowadays the “New Economy”. This new situation originated from the world-wide acceptance of the free trade principles and the emphasis on digital and network technology, typical products of which were the Internet and e-commerce. It is observed that in this New Economy an essential characteristic is the long-term structural shift from the industrial economy towards the services and the information economy.
A problem that arises, then, is what Statistical Indicators are needed in order to help policy makers to manage the New Economy to track this structural transformation. This task has been, and remains, an ESS priority. It is likely that conventional concepts, and classifications (e.g. NACE) will be inappropriate. Hence there should be considerable emphasis on innovative, forward-looking indicators relating to emergent or emerging activities. To this end an issues paper has been produced aimed at identifying R&D topics in SINE.
The strategy is to encourage:
research on statistical methodologies for generating statistical indicators;
Use of existing statistics when available, to describe the New Economy;
Collection and provision of new statistics, on a pilot basis.
A specific document presents the SINE issues paper, based on preliminary work and workshops (“EPROS – SINE: Statistical Indicators of the New Economy” available at
2.4.4.Transfer of technology and know-how initiative (TTK)
A key objective of the R&D activities is to achieve transfer of technology and know-how in the European Statistical System (ESS) and other relevant organisations and institutions. The knowledge and tools developed within EU research, either steered by the Commission, by national R&D programmes or by NSIs themselves, should benefit all those involved in official statistics.
In September 97, the SPC (statistical programme committee) asked Eurostat to play an active role in identifying needs and providers and in promoting the use of established new tools and techniques. To date, a number of important steps have been taken in that direction:
Elaboration of a inventory of the R&D carried out at the national and international level [1];
Annual organisation of the ETK seminar (Exchange of Technologies and Know-How), since 1999. ETK aims to provide a forum at which key actors in official statistics can discuss the following:
results of past efforts and research, their relevance and their transferability;
methods for efficient and effective technology transfer;
strategies for future actions;
Joint creation with the Joint Research Centre of the European Union, of the European Statistical Laboratory (ESL) based in Ispra (Italy), “to support the dissemination and the exploitation of research results relevant to official statistics and to facilitate collaborative work amongst its partners”.
A specific document (“EPROS – TTK Transfer of Technology and Know-How” available at gives hints about how to engage in technology transfer activities while making best use of existing infrastructures (such as ESL) and of the 5th Framework Programme instruments.
2.4.5.Supporting activities
In 2000, these four main domains of action will be complemented by some other measures, designed to prepare, extend or disseminate the R&D and TTK projects. In particular, the following are expected:
Further steps in the direction of clustering of projects. When several projects are addressing the same theme, or overlap, the programme itself could benefit from projects working together. Several forms of synergies will be promoted, from the systematic exchange of results, to the achievement of common research efforts. An important focus is the progress that the projects can achieve in the definition of common standards and harmonisation of concepts;
Extension of the multidiscipline basis of the projects and of the geographical coverage of the participating countries, in particular towards the countries associated to the 5th Framework Programme (Cyprus, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Israel and Switzerland);
Continuation of the efforts made in the information and dissemination activity, before, during or after the projects, through accompanying measures (conferences, seminars etc.) and an information network;
Greater promotion of the assessment, evaluation and co-ordination of research results, to push forward research results; to issue guidelines and recommendations; and when possible standardisation. For instance:
Methodological co-ordination of SINE - there is a need to issue methodological guidelines on good practices designed to maintain coherence and to attain necessary harmonisation;
To enable more efficient functioning of the ESS by increasing skills in statistics, information technologies and closely related disciplines through a sustained programme of training;
To strengthen the statistical research infrastructures, including human resources, in a sustainable and cohesion-friendly way.
3.EPROS implementation
The 5th Framework Programme and in particular the IST specific programme provide the main implementation mechanisms of EPROS.
3.1.Framework Programmes
Since 1984, European Community research and technological development activities have been defined and implemented by a series of multi-annual framework programmes. The 4th RTD Framework Programme expired at the end of 1998.
The adoption of the 5th RTD Framework Programme, by the European Parliament and the Council, occurred on the 22nd of December 1998. This programme sets out the priorities for European Union RTD activities for the years 1998 to 2002.
The objectives of the 5th Framework Programme are to maintain and enhance, in the context of a genuine "European research area", the research potential of European laboratories, universities and companies and their ability to produce knowledge of the highest level and high-quality technologies; and to help ensure that European research serves the Union's economic and social objectives, in other words European research at the service of the citizen and European competitiveness in a global framework.
The 5th Framework Programme is organised into 7 Specific Programmes:
1.Improving the quality of life and the management of living resources
2.Creating a user-friendly information society
3.Promoting competitive and sustainable growth
4.Preserving the ecosystem (energy and environment)
5.International co-operation
6.Innovation and SMEs (Small and Medium Enterprises)
7.Improving human potential and the socio-economic knowledge base
Statistical Research comes essentially under the second specific programmes of the 5th framework programme. This specific programme is called "Creating a user-friendly information society" or “Information Society Technologies” (IST).
3.2.The IST programme
The IST is implemented through annual workprogrammes and covers four key actions :
1.Systems and services for the citizen
2.New methods of work and electronic commerce
3.Multimedia content and tools
4.Essential technologies and infrastructures
However, it is recognised that research topics will be associated with more than one key action, and so a number of cross programme actions has been envisaged. In 1999, R&D in statistics was included in the fourth cross-programme action (CPA4): New indicators and statistical methods.
In 2000, R&D in statistics is included in
CPA8: Statistical tools, methods, indicators & applications for the Information Society1
Objectives:To develop new statistical tools, methods and indicators exploiting information society technologies. To demonstrate and disseminate their use in information society applications while serving the needs of official statistics within the European Statistical System.
Focus:
-Statistical datamining, statistical modelling, representation and analysis of non-numerical data, the use of administrative data (particularly business registers) for statistical purposes, statistical disclosure control and improvements in quality and in timely and low-cost data production.
-Definition, measurement and exploitation of new socio-economic statistical indicators for the Information Society.
RTD work should aim to exploit best practice in software development and networked, distributed information systems.
Types of actions addressed:RTD, thematic networks, best practice actions, non-take-up accompanying measures.
Links with WP1999:Refocus of AL V.1.4 (CPA4) on “New Indicators and Statistical Methods”
1 This cross-programme action will be elaborated in co-ordination with Eurostat.
R&D in statistics as part of a Cross-Programme Action (CPA) cuts across the various IST key-action, and has strong links with them.
Two axes are defined in CPA8, the first one dealing with generic statistical tools, methods and application. Some priority areas have been defined, because of their importance for official statistics, because new technical possibilities exist or because these areas have not been covered enough in the previous calls. These do not preclude proposals being submitted in other areas - this is an open call.
The second axis deals with new indicators of the information society, and concerns not only conceptual research in that field, but also the measurement and exploitation of new indicators.
The type of actions addressed allows not only for RTD actions, but also for accompanying measures, which include studies, awareness actions, dissemination – that can be applied by proposers in the context of experimental data collection, or to promote the information or the results of RTD projects.