The Center for Data Innovation (Transparency Register #: 367682319221-26) is pleased to submit this feedback on the European Commission’s consultation and call for evidence regarding the regulation on European statistics on population and housing, amending Regulation (EC) No 862/2007 and repealing Regulations (EC) No 763/2008 and (EU) No 1260/2013.
The Center would like to commend the European Commission for working to improve the collection and sharing of statistical data in the European Union (EU). Better data supports better decisions and outcomes. The proposed European statistics regulation aims to create more relevant, consistent, and comparable data collection for population and housing statistics across the EU. Differences in existing data collection across EU member states make it more difficult to analyze data. Population statistics are critical to understanding and addressing demographic change, socioeconomic cohesion, achieving United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, resource allocation, and the demand for goods and services. The proposed regulation creates an EU-level framework to update and harmonize data collection and analysis of demographic, housing, and family statistics.
The European Commission should use this proposed regulation to also address the data divide—the social and economic inequalities that can arise from a lack of data collection and use of data about some individuals and communities. Specifically, the Commission should clarify in the regulation the definition of “hard to reach” groups.