Brussels, 02/03/2005 (Agence Europe) - The draft Commission regulation on the quality of budget statistics includes reinforced inspections from Eurostat in Member States. Generally, the goal is to increase the credibility and reliability of budget statistics by improving Eurostat's operational means, as well as the human and financial resources. The underestimation of the Greek budget statistics for 1998-2003 revealed the problems in the European Statistical Office when it attempted to verify information from Member States. This has led finance ministers to call for a minimum body of rules for ensuring independence, autonomy, integrity and responsibility of national statistical institutes. This chapter will be tackled by June in a separate draft that is currently being discussed in a work group with Member States.
During the discussion that followed the Greek affair, there has been a strengthening of legal accounting capability as an appropriate means for obtaining reliable statistics from Member States but some countries like Germany did not want this. During the last Ecofin Council, finance ministers confirmed their agreement for reinforcing certain Eurostat powers, provided that this did not mean additional administrative costs (EUROPE 12 February p 7). Although an audit in the strict sense of national public accounts is not envisaged, the Commission proposal will allow Eurostat to organise random inspections at national statistical bodes and demand specific information if there are any doubts. During these inspections, Eurostat officials can be accompanied by experts from national bodies from other Member States, or from different Commission services.
The draft regulation also highlights transparency of the follow-up process by the national statistical bodies and demands that Member States publish data and lists of sources, as well as the methods used in accounting, as well as inspection reports. The text includes best practices for elaborating and declaring budgetary data in the excessive budget procedures. These elements were contained up until now in a simple code of practice of 1993.
Strengthened financial and human resources for Eurostat will take place gradually in modes proportions. Initially, five posts are planned for internal redeployment and in 2005-06 twelve new officials will join Eurostat, which currently employs around 650 in charge of evaluating accounts in 25 Member States. A financial extension of 400,000 euros is expected to be added to the 65 million in its annual budget.