PURPOSE: to set up a European system of integrated protection statistics (ESSPROS).

LEGISLATIVE ACT: Regulation (EC) No 458/2007 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the European system of integrated social protection statistics (ESSPROS).

CONTENT: the purpose of this Regulation is to set up the “European system of integrated social protection statistics” (ESSPROS) by providing: i) a methodological framework based on common standards, definitions, classifications and accounting rules to be used for common statistics on a comparable basis and ii) time limits for the transmission of statistics compiled in accordance with ESSPROS.

The statistics relating to the ESSPROS core system will cover the financial flows on social protection expenditure and receipts. The data is to be transmitted at the level of the social protection scheme. For each scheme, detailed expenditure and receipts will be provided. The first year for which data will be collected is 2008. In addition to the ESSPROS core system, modules covering supplementary statistical information on pension beneficiaries and net social protection benefits will be added. The first year for which data is to be collected on pension beneficiaries will be 2008.

With a view to introducing a module on net social protection benefits, pilot data will be collected in 2005 and carried out in all Member States by the end of 2008. Based on a synthesis of the data thus collected and provided that the outcome of the pilot studies is positive, measures relating to launching of full data collections, will be adopted in accordance with the regulatory procedure with scrutiny. The launch of this data collection will take place no earlier than 2010.

Data will be sourced from: registers and other administrative sources; surveys; and estimates. On a final point the implementation of the Regulation will take account of a cost-benefit analysis related to the ESSPROS core system, the module on pension beneficiaries and the module on net social protection benefits. The Commission will be assisted by the “Statistical Programme Committee”.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: 20 May 2007.

The Council adopted at first reading, accepting all the amendments suggested by the European Parliament, a Regulation setting up the European system of integrated social protection statistics (ESSPROS).

The new system permits the production of harmonised data, by providing:

a methodological framework based on common standards, definitions, classifications and accounting rules to be used for compiling statistics on a comparable basis for the benefit of the Community; time limits for the transmission of statistics compiled in accordance with ESSPROS.

The European Parliament adopted a resolution drafted by Jan ANDERSSON (PES, SE), and made some largely technical amendments to the Commission’s proposals. (Please see the summary of 05/10/2006.)

The committee adopted the report by its chairman, Jan ANDERSSON (PES, SE), broadly approving the proposed regulation on the European system of integrated social protection statistics (ESSPROS). It adopted a number of mainly technical amendments - under the 1st reading of the codecision procedure - specifying inter alia that the first year for which data are collected shall be the calendar year following the year of publication of the regulation in the EU Official Journal. The committee also added a new definition: 'grouping of schemes', meaning "criteria to classify each social protection scheme, mainly, decision-making, legal enforcement, the establishment of entitlements, and the scope and level of protection". Each scheme would be classified into a single category per criterion.

Regarding the scope of the system, the report specified that the additional modules should cover supplementary statistical information on "pension beneficiaries and net social protection benefits", rather than the more vaguely worded "particular aspects of social protection". Lastly, MEPs wanted the arrangements for implementing the regulation to take into account the results of a cost-benefit analysis.

PURPOSE: to set up a European system of integrated social protection statistics (ESSPROS).

PROPOSED ACT: Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council.

CONTENT: the current proposal seeks to set up a legal framework for the recognition a “European System of Integrated Social Protection Statistics” (ESSPROS). The proposed Regulation will provide for the co-ordination and harmonisation of social protection data at an EU level. It is essential that an EU-wide information system is set up to support the open method of co-ordination relating specifically to social inclusion and to pensions. Such a move will improve the usefulness of current data collections in terms of timeliness, coverage and the comparability of data. It is being proposed within the context of the Lisbon European Council which gave impetus to a process of policy exchange among the Member States on the modernisation of social protection systems. ESSPROS is to act as a key indicator for the streamlining of open co-ordination in the field of social protection. In addition, it was agreed that an annual Joint Report on Social Inclusions and Social Protection will become the core reporting instrument. This report, particularly in the field of social inclusion and pension, will depend on data from ESSPROS.

Currently, ESSPROS data offers the lowest statistical common denominator to which the numerous variations in the national welfare system can be reduced. Annual data collection on social protection is done on a voluntary basis. There is now, however, a recognised need to improve the timeliness of data collections. The proposed Regulation will be supplemented by Commission implementing Regulations. To include, firstly a core system of both quantitative and qualitative information. The second, to include a module on pension beneficiaries. The module on net social protection benefits will be the subject of a Commission Regulation should the results of a feasibility study and pilot data collection prove to be positive. In introducing the new system of ESSPROS the Commission believes that the data collected will offer a better system with which to compare and analyse data relating to social protection.

PURPOSE: to set up a European system of integrated social protection statistics (ESSPROS).

PROPOSED ACT: Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council.

CONTENT: the current proposal seeks to set up a legal framework for the recognition a “European System of Integrated Social Protection Statistics” (ESSPROS). The proposed Regulation will provide for the co-ordination and harmonisation of social protection data at an EU level. It is essential that an EU-wide information system is set up to support the open method of co-ordination relating specifically to social inclusion and to pensions. Such a move will improve the usefulness of current data collections in terms of timeliness, coverage and the comparability of data. It is being proposed within the context of the Lisbon European Council which gave impetus to a process of policy exchange among the Member States on the modernisation of social protection systems. ESSPROS is to act as a key indicator for the streamlining of open co-ordination in the field of social protection. In addition, it was agreed that an annual Joint Report on Social Inclusions and Social Protection will become the core reporting instrument. This report, particularly in the field of social inclusion and pension, will depend on data from ESSPROS.

Currently, ESSPROS data offers the lowest statistical common denominator to which the numerous variations in the national welfare system can be reduced. Annual data collection on social protection is done on a voluntary basis. There is now, however, a recognised need to improve the timeliness of data collections. The proposed Regulation will be supplemented by Commission implementing Regulations. To include, firstly a core system of both quantitative and qualitative information. The second, to include a module on pension beneficiaries. The module on net social protection benefits will be the subject of a Commission Regulation should the results of a feasibility study and pilot data collection prove to be positive. In introducing the new system of ESSPROS the Commission believes that the data collected will offer a better system with which to compare and analyse data relating to social protection.