Affiliations: [a] Department ``Strategy and Planning, International Relations, Research and Communication'', Destatis - Federal Statistical Office of Germany, Wiesbaden, Germany | [b] Section ``Bilateral and International Co-operation, Language Service, ESTP, Planning of Official Trips Abroad'', Destatis - Federal Statistical Office of Germany, Statistisches Bundesamt, Wiesbaden, Germany | [c] Section ``Data Quality, Cross-Departmental Methods Development, Contacts with Researchers'', Destatis - Federal Statistical Office of Germany, Statistisches Bundesamt, Wiesbaden, Germany | [d] Section ``Supranational and International Co-operation'', Destatis - Federal Statistical Office of Germany, Statistisches Bundesamt, Wiesbaden, Germany
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Sibylle von Oppeln-Bronikowski, Department ``Strategy and Planning, International Relations, Research and Communication'', Federal Statistical Office of Germany, Statistisches Bundesamt Gustav-Stresemann-Ring 11, 65189 Wiesbaden, Germany. Tel.: +49 611 75 2110; E-mail:sibylle.oppeln@destatis.de
Abstract: Professional and ethical frameworks, like the United Nations Fundamental
Principles of Official Statistics (UN FPOS) and the International
Statistical Institute Declaration on Professional Ethics (ISI DPE), are
essential in order to give guidance to National Statistical Offices (NSOs)
and statisticians from all over the world. Both have become an integral part
of, and common sources of reference for, the global and national statistical
systems. But what if infringements occur? A closer look at concrete case
studies/scenarios provides the basis for a discussion of possible solutions
based on the UN FPOS implementation guidelines. More specifically the paper
focuses on case studies/scenarios regarding principle 4 of the UN FPOS,
``Prevention of misuse'', and the cross-cutting issue of ``Independence''
(referring to principles 1, 2 and part II of the UN FPOS implementation
guidelines). These two issues have been chosen because they are both covered
by the frameworks mentioned above and they reflect the current discussion at
international level. The UN Statistical Commission established an international Friends of the
Chair group in 2011 which, among other things, developed the UN FPOS
implementation guidelines from 2013 to 2015. These contain concrete
recommendations for activities that enhance the practical implementation of
the UN FPOS and ensure the independence of national statistical systems.
Concrete examples and experiences of implementation from UN Member States
and a collection of statistical laws are integrated in this work. The
Friends of the Chair group also dealt with the question of how to address
perceived violations. Both of these main tasks of the Friends of the Chair
group are presented in this paper.
Keywords: UN Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics implementation guidelines, ISI Declaration on Professional Ethics, prevention of misuse, independence
