The European System of Fiscal Statistics needs improvement

The Eurozone needs reliable statistics. It is important to know whether the policies implemented by Member State produce the intended effects. Since statistics may reveal policy failure, it is also important for the integrity of the system that statistical institutes are protected from political interference. In the recently recommended measures, regarding the independence, integrity and accountability of the national and Community statistical authorities, the Commission should have spelled out the meaning of independence in terms of the needed functional or institutional independence rather than refer to a vague "professional" independence.