About us > history intro EN REVAMP

The High Authority (1951-53)

The origins of Eurostat can be traced to 1951, when 6 countries – Belgium, France, West Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands -– met in Paris to sign the treaty establishing the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC). The treaty aimed to integrate the coal and steel industries in Western Europe after the end of the Second World War.

In 1952, after member states ratified the treaty, they set up an executive body named the ‘High Authority’ to ensure the treaty’s smooth implementation. The High Authority included 12 operational divisions, with 1 dedicated to statistics.

In 1953, the Statistics Division organised the first meeting of statisticians from the ECSC members. This division was the precursor of a future EU-wide statistical office.

The Statistical Office of the European Communities (1957-92)

Cooperation between the founding members of the ECSC grew, which led to the signing of the Treaty of Rome in 1957. Together with the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom), the treaty also established the Statistical Office of the European Communities, which was set up in 1958 and re-named 'Eurostat' in 1959.

The Statistical Office of the European Union (1992-today)

Text 

  1. 1952
    The Statistics Division is created within the 'High Authority', which is the executive body tasked with implementing the 1951 treaty establishing the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC). 
  2. 1953
    The Statistics Division organises the first meeting of statisticians from the 6 ECSC Member States.
  3. 1958
    The European Community is founded and the forerunner of Eurostat is established.
  4. 1959
    The name 'Eurostat' is adopted for the Statistical Office of the European Communities. The first publication on agriculture statistics is issued.
  5. 1960
    The first Community labour force survey takes place.
  6. 1970
    The European System of Integrated Economic Accounts (ESA) and the general industrial classification of economic activities (NACE) are established.
  7. 1974
    The first domain in the Cronos databank is installed.
  8. 1988
    The European Commission adopts a document defining the first policy for statistical information.
  9. 1989
    The Statistical Programme Committee is established and the first programme (1989-92) is adopted by the Council as an instrument for implementing statistical information policy.
  10. 1991
    Eurostat's role is extended as a result of the agreement on the establishment of the European Economic Area (EEA) and the adoption of the Maastricht Treaty.
  11. 1993
    The single market extends Eurostat's activities, for example Intrastat is established for statistics on intra-EU trade. Eurostat starts issuing regular news releases.
  12. 1994
    The first European Community household panel is held, analysing topics such as income, employment, poverty, social exclusion, households, and health.
  13. 1997
    Statistics is added for the first time to the EU treaties in the Treaty of Amsterdam and the Statistical Law is approved by the Council.
  14. 1998
    Eurostat issues the first set of Euro indicators related to the launch of the European Monetary Union (EMU).
  15. 2004
    Eurostat starts disseminating statistical data free of charge to the public.
  16. 2005
    The European Statistics Code of Practice is adopted.
  17. 2007
    The European Statistical Governance Advisory Body (ESGAB) is established to provide an independent overview of the European Statistical System (ESS) as regards the implementation of the Code of Practice.
  18. 2008
    The European Statistical Advisory Committee (ESAC) is established to assist the European Parliament, the Council, and the Commission in ensuring that user requirements and the costs borne by information providers and producers are taken into account in coordinating the strategic objectives and priorities of the EU’s statistical information policy.
  19. 2009
    Regulation 223/2009 on European statistics is adopted.
  20. 2012
    A European Commission decision on Eurostat is adopted, defining Eurostat's role and responsibilities within the Commission.
  21. 2014
    The 'ESS Vision 2020' strategic initiative is adopted.
  22. 2021
    The European statistics programme is adopted as part of the Single Market Programme 2021-27.

Further reading