Report on the implementation of Regulation (EU) No 1260/2013 on European demographic statistics

Summary:

On 14 December 2018 the European Commission presented a report on the implementation of Regulation (EU) No 1260/2013 on European demographic statistics.

Further information:

Regulation (EU) No 1260/2013 establishes a common legal framework for the development, production and dissemination of European statistics on population and vital events.

Member States had previously submitted such data voluntarily for a number of years but, as these were based on their varying demographic definitions, concepts and methods, there were risks of heterogeneity, incomparability, inconsistency and lack of timeliness.

The common framework was intended to meet the need for the highquality annual demographic statistics considered fundamental for formulating and evaluating a wide range of policies, with particular regard to social and economic issues, at national and regional level.

Article 11 of the Regulation requires the Commission to submit a first report on the implementation of the Regulation by 31 December 2018. This report:

• gives an overview of European demographic statistics and in particular of the requirements of the Regulation and the related implementing measure adopted by the Commission
• takes stock of how the Regulation has been implemented, with reference to the established quality criteria for European statistics, including comparability and the burden on data providers and respondents in the Member States
• describes the data collection and estimation methods used, including those used to estimate total population
• reports on the main results of the feasibility studies on the definition of ‘usual residence’ and its implementation by Member States
• takes a forward look at issues to be considered with a view to improving the common framework.