It establishes the European system of integrated social protection statistics (ESSPROS). This system provides legal rules intended to improve the usefulness of current data collections in terms of timeliness, coverage and comparability.

KEY POINTS

This regulation puts in place a European system of integrated social protection statistics, referred to as ESSPROS. It provides for:

a set of rules, based on common standards, definitions, classifications and accounting rules, to be used for compiling statistics on a comparable basis for the benefit of the EU;
time limits for the transmission of the statistics compiled.

The statistics relating to the ESSPROS core system shall cover the financial flows on social protection expenditure and receipts (quantitative and qualitative data). They concern the different social protection schemes.

In addition to the core system, modules covering supplementary statistical information on particular aspects of social protection have been added.

Scope of the system

ESSPROS covers statistics concerning the financial flows of social security expenditure and receipts.

Data are being collected starting from the year 2008 as reference period.

Module on pension beneficiaries

A module on pension beneficiaries was to be added to the core system starting from 2008 as reference period.

Additional modules

In order to introduce a module on net social protection benefits¹, pilot data collections for the year 2005 were to be carried out in all EU countries by the end of 2008.

Based on a synthesis of these national pilot data collections, a decision was to be taken to introduce this module and to launch full data collection, but not before 2010.

Data sources

The statistics must be based on registers and other administrative sources, surveys and estimates, according to their availability in the EU countries and in accordance with national laws and practices.

Arrangements for implementation

The European Commission has adopted specific regulations to implement the ESPROSS regulation. These concern:

formats for transmission, results to be transmitted and criteria for measuring quality for the ESSPROS core system and the module on pension beneficiaries (Regulation (EC) No 1322/2007) and for the module on net social protection benefits (Regulation (EU) No 110/2011);
the definitions, detailed classifications and updating of the rules for dissemination for the ESSPROS core system and the module on pension beneficiaries (Regulation (EC) No 10/2008);
launch of full data collection for the ESSPROS module on net social protection benefits (Regulation (EU) No 263/2011).

FROM WHEN DOES THE REGULATION APPLY?

It has applied since 20 May 2007.

BACKGROUND

For more information, see:

European system of integrated social protection statistics (Eurostat).

KEY TERMS

Social protection benefits: transfers, in cash or in kind, by social protection schemes to households and individuals to relieve them of the burden of one or more risks or needs such as: Net social protection benefits take into account the value of these benefits after any taxes and social contributions paid by the recipient.

MAIN DOCUMENT

Regulation (EC) No 458/2007 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 April 2007 on the European system of integrated social protection statistics (ESSPROS) (OJ L 113, 30.4.2007, pp. 3-8)