Social protection: set up the European System of integrated Social Protection Statistics ESSPROS

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.