The European statistics authority Eurostat has published the Peer Review Report on the country review of Switzerland in the area of official statistics. The experts concluded that the European Statistics Code of Practice is implemented well in Switzerland and that overall the Swiss statistics system is of high quality. However, the report also contains 15 recommendations to strengthen the Swiss statistics system and its tasks.
Switzerland, as a member of the European Statistical System (ESS), also participated in the third European Peer Review. The FSO and all units producing European statistics, known as Other National Authorities (ONAs), were subject to this peer review. The list of ONAs can be consulted (see the link below). In March 2023, the peers visited the FSO and selected ONAs to assess whether the European Statistics Code of Practice (CoP) was being implemented satisfactorily.
The 4 phases of the review
- Self-assessment
The FSO and the ONAs completed a self-assessment questionnaire based on the principles enshrined in the European Statistics Code of Practice.For the FSO, the questionnaire covered compliance with each of the 84 indicators of the CoP. It was completed by prospective questions which served to prepare an update of the code after the reviews, (strength/weaknesses/opportunities/threats: SWOT) analyses at the level of the principles, questions on the progress made over the last five years and the avenues of partnership to be developed within the European statistical system at the level of the three major areas of the code (institutional context, processes, and products) and finally questions on adaptation to the health crisis due to COVID-19.
For the ONAs, the questionnaire covered compliance with the 16 principles of the CoP, SWOT analyses in the three areas and a general question on the main progress made in the last five years.
- Peer review
Based on the responses to these questionnaires, a quartet of peers will meet with the FSO and selected ONAs. The visit took place from 20 to 24 March 2023, with a programme offering a succession of thematic sequences designed to enable the peers to learn more about the actions and systems of the FSO and the audited ONAs with regard to the principles of the CoP. Numerous external stakeholders were also involved in the exchange of information (users, data providers, and media). These meetings with the peers were an opportunity to highlight projects and methods developed in Switzerland, to illustrate the arguments presented in the self-evaluation questionnaire given to the peers before the visit and to answer their questions.
- Audit report
Following the visit, the peers will now submit a report containing an assessment of the situation and recommendations for improving compliance with the CoP principles.
- Action plan
To respond to the recommendations of the peers, the FSO and the ONAs draft an action plan to define the initiatives to be implemented in the coming years.
