Page 65 - Invited Paper Session (IPS) - Volume 2

IPS179 Per Nymand-Andersen
transformation in our society challenges the use of official statistics in multiple
ways. First the sheer volume of available data/statistics and the speed at which
they can be shared via digital channels for easy reuse and redistribution mean
that official statistics are no longer the only data source available for users.
Second, users need to be source-critical and spend the time necessary to
assess the quality of multiple sources, which will enable them to differentiate
between good-quality “official statistics” and other statistics of uncertain
quality. Third, and perhaps more intuitively, professional intermediaries and
users (e.g. policy analysts, advisers, journalists, opinion formers and
policymakers) have less time to investigate methodological differences and
their impact on comparability, policy analysis and any recommendations made
as a result.
Furthermore, according to the European Commission’s Standard
2
Eurobarometer survey conducted in spring 2015, an absolute majority of
European citizens do not trust statistics and only 59% of respondents believe
that statistical information plays a role in decision-making. The level of
citizens’ trust in national governments and parliaments is even lower;
3
according to the Standard Eurobarometer survey of spring 2018 only 42%,
34% and 34% of respondents “tend to trust” the European Union, their
national government and national parliament respectively. Moreover, 77%
said they tend not to trust political parties.

2 Eurobarometer (2015), Standard Eurobarometer survey on “Public opinion in the European
Union”, spring wave, No 83, European Commission, July.
http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/index_en.htm. Unfortunately Eurobarometer has not
continued to ask this question in subsequent surveys.
3 Eurobarometer (2018), Standard Eurobarometer survey on “Public opinion in the European
Union”, spring wave, No 89, European Commission, June.
http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/index_en.htm.
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