Doc. 146/2003 - Slide 1 HOUSEHOLD BUDGET SURVEYS: Summary of DSS conclusions Item IV of the agenda...

Doc. 146/2003 - Slide 1

HOUSEHOLD BUDGET HOUSEHOLD BUDGET SURVEYS: Summary of SURVEYS: Summary of

DSS conclusionsDSS conclusions

Item IV of the agenda

Household Budget Surveys Working Group - 5-6 May 2003

Doc. 146/2003 - Slide 2

Household Budget Surveys 1. Historical background

2. Uses at EU level

3. Current situation, options for the future and DSS opinion

4. Conclusion

Household Budget Surveys Working Group - 5-6 May 2003

Doc. 146/2003 - Slide 3

Creation of the HBS Working Group in December 1989

Three rounds of data collected by Eurostat: Tables for 1988 (10 MS) Micro-data for 1994 (15MS+3 EFTA) Micro-data for 1999 (15MS+1 EFTA)

Gentlemen’s agreement

National surveys harmonized ex-post by Eurostat (big progress in harmonization but room for improvement)

10 new members will join the EU in 2004

1. Historical background

Doc. 146/2003 - Slide 4

Consumer protection: support to the political management of the area for DG SANCO (request to improve frequency (every two years))

Poverty and social exclusion: complementary information to elaborate indicators and carry out analysis for DG EMPL (but ECHP/SILC now used; no longitudinal information; no access to micro-data by researchers; poverty rates not reliable due to seasonal behavior of consumption)

Control information for other statistics Raw data for research studies (economic, nutritional,

social) Other uses (general analyses on consumers, consumption

patterns, nutritional studies)

2. Uses and users at EU level

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3.1. HBS frequency


Current situation: Seven Member States with annual or continuous surveys,

eight others perform their HBS every five years (non-annual surveys reasonably well synchronized

Eurostat: collects information every five years

Options for the future: Keep HBS frequency at five years Reduce HBS frequency to two years Reduce HBS frequency to one year

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3.1. HBS frequency


Eurostat recommendation: Keep HBS frequency at five years (although DG SANCO

would prefer the second option)

DSS opinion: DSS agreed with the Eurostat recommendation

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3.2. COICOP-HBS classification


Current situation: COICOP-HBS 1999 was used for the 1999 round

(compatible with COICOP-OECD with an additional level of detail)

A Task Force met in June 2002 to make proposals for changes in food, housing, financial services and insurance categories

Options for the future: Use COICOP-HBS 1999 for the 2005 round Develop a COICOP-HBS 2005 introducing changes

proposed by the Task Force

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3.2. COICOP-HBS classification


Eurostat recommendation: Develop a COICOP-HBS 2005

DSS opinion: The development of a COICOP 2005 classification was

agreed by all except Cyprus

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3.3. Type of data to be transmitted to Eurostat and variables list


Current situation: Transmission of micro-data to Eurostat Format of the files delivered are very different Individual and household files (with many variables) are sent

Options for the future: Transmission of aggregated tables (would reduce Eurostat

capacity to perform ex-post harmonization) Transmission of simplified micro-data files (only household

files with a limited number of variables) Keep current situation (transmission of detailed household

and individual files)

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3.3. Type of data to be transmitted to Eurostat and variables list


Eurostat recommendation: Transmission of simplified micro-data files

DSS opinion: Agreement on the transmission of simplified micro-data files

by all countries (EU and CC) except NL and Lithuania Bilateral contacts between Eurostat and these two countries

should take place

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3.4. Format of the micro-data files(if transmission of micro-data decided)


Current situation: Format of transmission to Eurostat varies from one

country to another

Options for the future: Country-specific formats of transmission Single standardized format agreed by the HBS Working

Group

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3.4. Format of the micro-data files(if transmission of micro-data decided)


Eurostat recommendation: Single standardized format agreed by the HBS Working

Group

DSS opinion: All countries that accepted to transmit simplified micro-

data files agreed on the data transmission in a standardized format

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3.5. Responsibility for imputed consumption expenditure/rent

calculation


Current situation: Some Member States compute imputed expenditure/rent

while Eurostat carry out this work for other countries

Options for the future: Eurostat responsibility Member States’ responsibility Continuation of current situation (both Eurostat and

Member States)

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3.5. Responsibility for imputed consumption expenditure/rent

calculation


Eurostat recommendation: Member States’ responsibility

DSS opinion: All countries except the UK accepted to take responsibility

for the calculation of imputed consumption expenditure / rent

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3.6. Methodological improvements


Current situation: HBSs remain national surveys harmonized a posteriori by

Eurostat Frequency differs Basic concepts remain different (household, reference

person; actual final consumption/household final consumption expenditure)

Treatment of goods and services retained for own final consumption, of salaries in kind, of imputation of rentals for housing … differs

National classifications of expenditure or modified versions of COICOP classification are used

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3. Current situation, option for the future and DSS opinion

Options for the future: Keep the current situation in terms of harmonization (stop

making any further improvements) Go a step forward in the harmonization process focussing

on the easiest possible improvements (basic concept remains household final consumption expenditure; harmonize as many concepts as possible with EU-SILC; separate monetary and non-monetary consumption expenditure)

Carry out an in-depth harmonization process (move to actual final consumption as a basic concept; health, education to be included)

Doc. 146/2003 - Slide 17


3. Current situation, option for the future and DSS opinion

Eurostat recommendation: Go a step forward in the harmonization process focussing

on the easiest possible improvements (basic concept remains household final consumption expenditure; harmonize as many concepts as possible with EU-SILC; separate monetary and non-monetary consumption expenditure)

DSS opinion: Several countries asked Eurostat and the HBS Working

Group to be cautious with the proposed changes, particularly in relation to income

No changes for Spain before 2006

Doc. 146/2003 - Slide 18

The Working Group is invited to give its opinion on the six options for the future of the HBSs:

HBS frequency COICOP-HBS classification Type of data to be transmitted and variables list Format of the micro-data files Responsibility for imputed expenditures/rent computations Methodological improvements

4. Conclusion

Doc. 146/2003 - Slide 1 HOUSEHOLD BUDGET SURVEYS: Summary of DSS conclusions Item IV of the agenda...

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