Comparable statistics from the local level contributing to official European statistics

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Trutzel, Klaus

Affiliations: Senior Adviser to the Bureau for Statistics and Urban Research of the City of Nuremberg, Unschlittplatz 7a, 90403 Nuremberg, Germany. E-mail: kum.trutzel@t-online.de

Abstract: As part of the federal structure of the country, most German cities have their own statistical bureau. Municipal statistics can be seen as the third pillar of official statistics but is operated independently of the legally regulated official statistics of the state. Municipal statistical offices cooperate under the umbrella of KOSIS (Kommunales Statistisches Informationssystem, www.kosis.de), which embraces various groups of cities and other public institutions with the aim to develop municipal information systems. One of these KOSIS groups is a project entitled KOSIS Association Urban Audit of the European Union, which produces official European statistics. This project and its organisation are described as a successful example of cooperation across the federal levels with its positive aspects, some shortcomings and perspectives for the future.

Keywords: Comparative statistics, local self-government, inter-city cooperation, municipal statistics, urban audit

DOI: 10.3233/SJI-150875

Journal: Statistical Journal of the IAOS, vol. 31, no. 1, pp. 123-132, 2015