Better use of statistics for economic growth
More efficient policymaking and socioeconomic research to achieve economic growth require high-quality statistical business information. The EU-funded project 'BLUE-Enterprise and Trade Statistics' (BLUE-ETS) focused on development of cost-effective improvements in the collection and use of business data that simultaneously reduce the complexity of related regulations for businesses. The project was tailored to the European Commission's programme Modernisation of European Enterprise and Trade Statistics (MEETS). Work focused on pilot testing advanced statistical methodologies and cutting-edge best practices, as well as ensuring greater contributions of National Statistical Institutes (NSIs) in creating such tools and procedures. Scientists have developed options for data producers that reduce the statistical burden through application of soft computing and text mining. They include tools for fast extraction of relevant data, a fuzzy logic tool for classification and a neural network-based tool drawing on genetic programming. Researchers have also provided a number of methodologies for data users. These include techniques to improve statistical data availability, integrate data and databases, and enhance access and release. Enterprises are both data users and data providers and thus have a disproportionate burden regarding their contribution to high-quality statistical business information. BLUE-ETS has proposed ways to reduce that burden as well as highlighted the importance of motivation on the part of enterprises to both use and contribute to NSI statistics. The project also pointed to the important role of NSIs in improving both their own statistical literacy and that of business users. Finally, scientists developed a new set of indicators to help official statistics capture structural jumps and changes to be more relevant to policymakers. Some of these cover measurement of intangible assets, a multidimensional competitive index for public institutions, indicators for business collaboration and collaborative working environments, and several covering rural areas. BLUE-ETS has successfully demonstrated that reducing the statistical burden on businesses can be accomplished with methodologies and activities that actually increase the accuracy and robustness of statistical business information and its relevance for policy use. Implementation will help the EU through the severe economic crisis it is now facing and point the way to continued economic growth in the future.
