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Press release, 02.03.2020.

Dissemination of European Statistics after Brexit in statistical publications

On 1 February 2020, a withdrawal agreement entered into force between the European Union and the United Kingdom (Brexit).

Reducing the EU to 27 member states significantly changes aggregated (average, total, etc.) EU data. However, due to the different purposes of use, consideration should be given to the simultaneous communication of old and new aggregates, and the back-calculation of time series for the new composition is also an issue to be addressed. It is important to know that during the transitional period statistical legislation will continue to apply to and within the United Kingdom.

In view of the above, the publication of EU statistics should be revised as follows:

Changes by the Central Statistical Office

New aggregate: EU27_2020

In order to avoid any confusion between the new EU-27 code and the EU-27 code for the period 2007-2013 (including the United Kingdom but excluding Croatia), we are introducing the EU27_2020 designation in line with Eurostat.

Guiding principle: from February 2020 onwards we report data according to the new aggregate

As regards the European Union, HCSO publications will use EU-28 data for 2019 and January 2020 and EU-27 (excluding UK) data from February 2020.

Duplication of data during 2020

As there is a need for EU-27 data for the period preceding the designated reference periods, EU28 and EU27_2020 data will be published as follows:

  • Summary tables (STADAT): Both old and new aggregates will be provided during the transitional period until the end of 2020.

    • Member State and aggregate data will be published for the EU-27 in intra-year tables, the UK as a non-EU member will be included separately in statistical reporting (EU-27 data will be published by the first quarter of 2020). EU-28 data will continue to be included in the tables, but will not be calculated for the period after February 2020.

    • Annual tables will present both aggregates, if possible, back-calculating time series. The new aggregates will be gradually introduced in parallel with 2019 data updates. Previous tables will be closed and new post-Brexit tables will be launched to release data where no EU27_2020 data back-calculation is possible for the whole time series.

    Tables containing current European Union data indicate changes at the same time as the 2020 data is updated.

  • Dissemination database:it provides data on both aggregates in the same way as the annual summary tables (STADAT).

  • Data warehouses, yearbooks: it provides data on both aggregates in the same way as the annual summary tables (STADAT).

  • Analyses: Until 31 January 2020, the United Kingdom was an EU Member State. During the transition period, our analyses for the 2019 reference year include both EU28 and EU27_2020 aggregates.

  • Data visualizations: they will primarily use EU27_2020 aggregates, depending on subject and detailing, during the transition period until the end of 2020, showing the United Kingdom immediately after, but separately from, the 27 EU Member States.

Changes made by Eurostat

It is also important for Eurostat that the new EU-27 codes should not be confused with the EU-27 codes referring to the 2007 to 2013 period as they are not identical.

Using EU-28 and EU27_2019 aggregates until the 2nd of March

During the transitional period until the end of 2020, the United Kingdom will continue to send data to Eurostat for database construction and publication.

Eurostat continues to publish EU-28 data for the pre-Brexit period. For statistical purposes, the full month / quarter principle will apply for reference periods, meaning that EU-28 data will only apply to full months and quarters in which the United Kingdom was still a Member State.

The EU27_2019 aggregate, already created in April 2018, will remain in use until 2 March.

Using code EU27_2020 from 3 March 2020

With effect from 3 March 2020, EU27_2019 shall be replaced by EU27_2020.

Eurostat has published user information on these changes on its website: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/help/faq/brexit

 

 

Hungarian Central Statistical Office

H-1024 Budapest, Keleti Károly u. 5-7. Phone: +36 (1) 345 6000
Postal address: P.O.B. 51 Budapest, H-1525
http://www.ksh.hu