Protocol on impartial access to Eurostat data for users

Applicable as of 1 July 2024

Introduction

In line with EU regulation 223/2009 on European Statistics and principle 6 (impartiality and objectivity) of the European Statistics Code of Practice, Eurostat, together with its partners – the national statistical authorities of the EU Member States and EFTA countries – develops, produces and disseminates European statistics in an objective, professionally independent and transparent manner in which all users are treated equitably.

This protocol describes the arrangements that Eurostat has designed to adhere to principle 6 on impartiality and objectivity of the European Statistics Code of Practice. The principle states that ‘All users have equal access to statistical releases at the same time. Any privileged pre-release access to any outside user is limited, well-justified, controlled and publicised. In case of breach, pre-release arrangements are reviewed so as to ensure impartiality.’ ‘Pre-release access’ refers to the practice whereby European official statistics in their final form and any accompanying written commentary, such as news releases, are made available to an eligible person in advance of their publication.

General principles and criteria for granting pre-release access

Eurostat disseminates EU and euro area aggregates as well as statistics that have been compiled by the national statistical authorities in the EU and EFTA countries. In this context, pre-release access arrangements concern specifically and only the first release of data, and not data that have already been published, e.g., by national statistical institutes.

The decisions for granting pre-release access are guided by the following general principles:

• limit the pre-release access to a minimum number of recipients
• justify it well, based on a set of publicly available criteria
• monitor, control and publicise the pre-release access
• ensure secure IT access to the pre-released statistics during the embargo period
• apply stricter pre-release access to market sensitive statistics, such as the flash estimates of inflation (HICP) and gross domestic product (GDP)
• publish Eurostat first data releases at 11 am CET.

The pre-release access is granted based on the following criteria:

• to allow the Commissioners and ECB board members to prepare answers to immediate media requests in the policy areas for which they are responsible
• to allow concerned news agencies to prepare their own news releases and to translate them into the languages they cover
• to allow national statistical institutes in the EU and EFTA countries to prepare their own news releases and to translate them into the languages they cover.

Pre-release access is given to a limited number of indicators in areas of statistics that may require a response or action when they are published, and to statistics which the institutions gaining access to would generally be expected to comment on to the media or answer the media’s questions shortly after publication (Annex 1).

Period of access

News agencies that have signed an agreement with Eurostat have access under embargo to the first-time released euro indicators one hour before official release, with the exception of the flash estimates of HICP and GDP, for which access is provided 30 minutes prior to Eurostat’s release.

In the European Commission, pre-release access to Eurostat’s first releases (euro indicators and others) is given to the following persons after 4 pm CET on the working day before publication, with the exception of the flash estimates of HICP and GDP, for which access is provided at 10 am CET on the day of publication, to allow the Commissioners to prepare answers to immediate media requests at the time of release:

• the Coordinator of the President's media and social media activities
• the Spokesperson for Eurostat
• the Communication Adviser to the Commissioner responsible for Eurostat
• the Member of the Cabinet of the Commissioner responsible for Eurostat
• the Head of the Communication unit of the Directorate-General responsible for the policy area concerned by the release (Annex 1)
• the Head of Unit for forecasts and economic situation of DG ECFIN and the Head of Unit for macroeconomics of the euro area, monetary policy and euro convergence of DG ECFIN for the relevant policy area (Annex 1).

Pre-release access (to euro indicators and others) is also given to the Members of the Executive Board of the European Central Bank to carry out its tasks under the Treaty and to respond fully when questions arise at the time of release. It is given after 4 pm CET on the working day before publication, with the exception of the flash estimates of HICP and GDP for which access is provided at 10 am CET on the day of publication.

Pre-release access to Eurostat’s first releases (euro indicators and others) is also given to the Heads of the Communication units of the national statistical institutes in the European Statistical System at 10 am CET on the day of publication.

Conditions for access

Pre-release access is subject to a signed agreement laying down the rules for dealing with data accessed prior to official release. The agreements specify that those institutions and those persons who are given pre-release access to Eurostat’s first-time statistics releases must, ahead of their release, keep the statistics secure and under embargo and abide by certain conditions of access. They should not disclose the statistics, or any part of a publication containing those statistics, and they should not provide any indication of any trend or magnitude revealed by the statistics. Pre-release access should not be used for personal gain or for taking any action for political advantage.

Monitoring of arrangements and breach of conditions

Respect of the embargo is monitored by Eurostat. Eurostat should be notified of any breach as rapidly as possible.

In the event of a breach of the embargo, Eurostat will take appropriate action with the involvement of the organisation concerned, including a review of the pre-release arrangements. 

Annex 1: Pre-release access granted to the Commission Directorates-General