The report states: “For the smooth functioning of the euro zone as a monetary union working under a single monetary policy and decentralised but coordinated fiscal policies, macroeconomic statistics of the highest quality are required. The principles of impartiality, reliability, relevance, cost-effectiveness, statistical confidentiality and transparency must be fully applied”.
The increasing importance of euro area statistics means that appropriate priorities should be set and the corresponding resources made available for compiling the contributions to these statistics at the national level. This may need to coincide with a continued shift in emphasis from simply compiling national statistics to delivering a pertinent contribution to European statistics.