DS ESS > Governance bodies> ESF EN REVAMP

Creation

In 2013, the European Statistical Forum (ESF) was created by a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the Cooperation between the Members of the European Statistical System and the Members of the European System of Central Banks. 

Set-up

The ESF is made up of one representative from each EU country from the ESSC as well as from the statistics committee of the ESCB (STC). 

The ESF is co-chaired by the chairs of the ESSC and the STC.

The ESF is assisted by a bureau, which prepares its meetings and monitors its activities. The bureau is made up of:

  • 2 co-chairs, the chair, and the vice-chair of the Committee on Monetary, Finance and Balance of Payment statistics (CMFB, the operational platform of the ESF)
  • 2 members representing the national statistical institutes
  • 2 members representing the national central banks

The ESF elects the last 4 bureau members.

The forum meets once every 2 years, alternately between Luxembourg and Frankfurt. 

Responsibilities

The ESF provides strategic guidance in the relationship between the European Statistical System (ESS) and the European System of Central Banks (ESCB).

Cooperation on the MIP procedure

In November 2016, an MoU on the quality assurance of statistics underlying the Macroeconomic Imbalance Procedure  (MIP) was signed between Eurostat and the ECB-DG Statistics.

This marks a milestone in the cooperation between the 2 systems and lays the groundwork for their cooperation in the areas of balance of payments and financial accounts statistics in line with the European Semester.