Principle 1: Professional Independence

The independence of the National Statistical Institutes and Eurostat from political and other external interference in developing, producing and disseminating statistics is specified in law and assured for other statistical authorities.

There are several legal texts that form a very solid basis for the professional independence of official statistics.

Article 1 of the French Statistics Act (French Ouvrir dans un nouvel ongletAct No 51-711 of 7 June 1951 on Legal Obligation, Coordination and Confidentiality in Statistical Matters) states that “the design, production and dissemination of official statistics shall be carried out in complete professional independence”.

In 2008, the Ouvrir dans un nouvel ongletFrench Economy Modernisation Act (French Act No 2008-776 of 4 August 2008) created the French Official Statistics Authority (Ouvrir dans un nouvel ongletASP), the mission of which is to ensure respect for professional independence.

Ouvrir dans un nouvel ongletRegulation (EC) No 223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2009 on European Statistics, as amended, defines the professional independence of European statistics (Article2.1.a) and acts as a guarantee thereof (Article 5 bis.1). It is directly applicable in France and was taken into account, in particular, by French Ouvrir dans un nouvel ongletDecree No 2009-250 of 3 March 2009, amended in 2018, which confers upon the French Official Statistics Authority a number of levers (such as the issuing of opinions) to carry out its mission.

The heads of the National Statistical Institutes and of Eurostat and, where appropriate, the heads of other statistical authorities have sufficiently high hierarchical standing to ensure senior level access to policy authorities and administrative public bodies. They are of the highest professional calibre.

In accordance with Article 13 of the French Constitution, the Director-General of INSEE is appointed by the Council of Ministers, just like any high-level official. He is selected from among the persons qualified to perform that role.

The Director-General of INSEE is called upon by the Minister for the Economy, by the Prime Minister or by the President of the Republic to shed light on the economic debate in complete independence in relation to a range of subjects, such as the economic outlook.

He holds frequent discussions with heads of ministerial offices and heads of central administration departments, primarily in relation to INSEE’s sovereign duties and administrative management, as well as the production of rules and standards for official statistics.

In addition, he plays a role in many major administrative bodies. He also gives regular presentations on the economic outlook to the Finance Committee of the National Assembly and provides insight into various economic policy issues. As part of his duty, he is also a member of many bodies, such as the Council of Economic Analysis, and regularly speak before other institutions and bodies, such as the Senate or the Court of Auditors, in relation to their monitoring and evaluation tasks.

The heads of the National Statistical Institutes and of Eurostat and, where appropriate, the heads of other statistical authorities have responsibility for ensuring that statistics are developed, produced and disseminated in an independent manner.

In accordance with Article 1 of French Ouvrir dans un nouvel ongletAct No 51-711 of 7 June 1951 on Legal Obligation, Coordination and Confidentiality in Statistical Matters, the design, production and dissemination of official statistics shall be carried out in complete professional independence.

The French Official Statistics Authority (ASP) ensures that the missions of the French statistics authorities (INSEE and the Ministerial Statistical Offices (MSOs)) are carried out in compliance with this rule on professional independence (Article 1 of French Ouvrir dans un nouvel ongletDecree No 2009-250 of 3 March 2009, as amended). For INSEE, this monitoring is based, in particular, on an annual interview with the Director-General. The conclusions of the French Official Statistics Authority (ASP) are published in an annual report prepared for the French Parliament.

The independence of INSEE, which reaffirms the legal responsibility of its Director, is recognised and regularly reiterated to staff, the media or political bodies.

The heads of the National Statistical Institutes and of Eurostat and, where appropriate, the heads of other statistical authorities have the sole responsibility for deciding on statistical methods, standards and procedures, and on the content and timing of statistical releases.

In application of the principle of professional independence and in accordance with Article 5 bis.2 of Ouvrir dans un nouvel ongletRegulation (EC) No 223/2009, as amended, the Director-General of INSEE has sole competence to decide on statistical processes, methods, standards and procedures, as well as on the content and timing of the press releases and statistical publications for European statistics developed, produced and disseminated by INSEE. They rely on the Management Committee, after consulting the bodies concerned: the INSEE Investment Committee, the Official Statistics Quality Label Committee, the INSEE Internal Audit Unit and/or the Directors by appointment.

The schedules for the dissemination of statistics of each entity of the Official Statistical Service, including INSEE, are drawn up independently. They are not subject to any ministerial approval and are published in advance on the websites of INSEE and the Ministerial Statistical Offices (MSOs). The French Official Statistics Authority (ASP) monitors compliance with the commitments made.

The statistical work programmes are published and periodic reports describe progress made.

Every five years, the French National Council for Statistical Information ( Ouvrir dans un nouvel ongletCNIS) defines the main focus points of Official Statistics as part of a prospective and collective approach that allows the needs of users and the work programmes of producers to be taken into account. For its part, INSEE establishes a strategic plan to be implemented over the following five to ten years.

Within this framework, INSEE and the Ministerial Statistical Offices (MSOs) present their provisional annual work programs to the thematic committees of the French National Council for Statistical Information (CNIS) each year. Depending on the opinions issued, the adjustments are made to meet the needs identified and the resources available to Official Statistics, the annual work programmes are then finalised. The opinions of the French National Council for Statistical Information (CNIS), the annual work programme for Official Statistics and the resulting assessment are published on the website of the Ouvrir dans un nouvel ongletCNIS.

In addition, INSEE’s annual activity report is published on its website. Similarly, the French Official Statistics Authority (ASP) publishes an Ouvrir dans un nouvel ongletannual report on its website each year illustrating the progress made in the production of Official Statistics.

Statistical releases are clearly distinguished and issued separately from political/policy statements.

INSEE’s statistical results are published on a website that is independent of the Ministry of the Economy’s website.

The principles of neutrality and impartiality, laid down in Article 2b of Ouvrir dans un nouvel ongletRegulation (EC) No 223/2009, as amended, underscore any statistical publications, which in fact do not contain any political positions or value judgments. INSEE aims to be a reference, not an arbiter.

INSEE announces its publications in advance in accordance with strict embargo rules. Statistical publications are thus clearly distinguished from political statements. In addition, INSEE complies with reserve periods in the lead-up to elections, which limit or prohibit publications and public interventions.

Finally, the French Official Statistics Authority (ASP) ensures that the publications of the French Official Statistical Service are separate from any ministerial communication (Article 1, paragraph 1 bis of French Ouvrir dans un nouvel ongletDecree No 2009-250 of 3 March 2009).

The National Statistical Institutes and Eurostat and, where appropriate, other statistical authorities, comment publicly on statistical issues, including criticisms and misuses of statistics as far as considered suitable.

The INSEE press office monitors references to publications in the media (including social media). In the event of serious questioning, misuse or misinterpretation of official statistics, INSEE may intervene in the debate in several ways, including by issuing a press release, using its right of reply in the relevant media outlets and initiating legal proceedings. The French Official Statistics Authority (ASP) is informed of any such action.

In early 2020, INSEE started up a blog to clarify certain topics that are regularly the subject of misinterpretation or controversy.

The procedures for the recruitment and appointment of the heads of the National Statistical Institutes and Eurostat and, where appropriate, the statistical heads of other statistical authorities, are transparent and based on professional criteria only. The reasons on the basis of which the incumbency can be terminated are specified in the legal framework. These cannot include reasons compromising professional or scientific independence.

Article 5 bis 4 of Ouvrir dans un nouvel ongletRegulation (EC) No 223/2009, as amended, states that “the procedures for the recruitment and appointment of heads of NSIs and [...] of other national authorities producing European statistics, are transparent and based only on professional criteria” and that the reasons for their dismissal shall not compromise professional independence.

The Director-General of INSEE is appointed by the Council of Ministers and may be removed from office only by a decision of the latter. They do not have a fixed term of office, with the practice being that they remain in office for a period that exceeds the term of office of the government.

His recruitment and that of the heads of Ministerial Statistical Offices (MSOs) with the rank of directors of a central administration body is carried out within the framework of an interview committee provided for in French Ouvrir dans un nouvel ongletDecree No 2016-663 of 24 May 2016, that is able to judge the statistical competence of the persons proposed for appointment. In addition, the interview committee receives an Ouvrir dans un nouvel ongletopinion from the French Official Statistics Authority (ASP) exclusively on the professional competence of the candidates in the field of statistics. The conclusion given in the opinion on the successful candidate is published in the Official Journal at the same time as the instrument of appointment. In fact, with one exception, the Director-General of INSEE is always a graduate of the “Grande École” specific to INSEE and has worked at INSEE.

The recruitment of other MSO heads is governed by French Ouvrir dans un nouvel ongletDecree No 2016-664 of 24 May 2016, which provides for the interviewing of candidates by an ad hoc committee chaired by the secretary general of the ministry for which the candidate is being recruited, or their representative. A member of the French Official Statistical Service is always present at the interviews. The French Official Statistics Authority has issued a Ouvrir dans un nouvel ongletdeliberation dated September 22, 2021 describing the recruitment process.