Innovation is not an option for the European Statistical System (ESS). It is a necessity. Today’s business environment, defined by competition from a large number of private data providers, an ever faster changing data ecosystem, and a rapid rise in increasingly urgent demands for new, timelier and more detailed statistics, makes innovation an even higher priority for all ESS partners.

Eurostat and the National Statistical Institutes have for decades worked innovatively, successfully implementing new solutions and business ideas, and creating genuine value for their partners and users.

In 2023 European Statistical System Committee (ESSC) endorsed the ESS Innovation Agenda - a comprehensive innovation plan that aims to expand their use of digital technologies, widen the use of data sources including new digital sources, apply new technologies (e.g. artificial intelligence), pursue more innovative practices, and create conditions for successful innovation so that they can more quickly anticipate and respond to the challenges ahead.

The ESS innovation activities and project cover a wide range of topics. You can discover some of them below. 

Web intelligence hub

A toolbox for high-quality statistics from web content.

Smart surveys

A modern way to collect data.

Privacy Enhancing Technologies

Secure private computing system for processing confidential sets of micro-data across organisations in support of statistical innovation. 

Mobile network operators data

The preparation of the (re)use of MNO data for statistical production.

AI/ML4OS

One-stop-shop for Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning for Official Statistics Project (AIML4OS)

You can also discover the result of the work that has already been completed. 

To ensure the successful implementation of the ESS Innovation Agenda, Eurostat established the ESS Innovation Network (EIN) in the spring of 2023, comprising innovation champions from all ESS Member States. The EIN has a coordinating role in promoting the activities and actions necessary to implement the ESS Innovation Agenda, and it also has a role in engaging with stakeholders.

The guiding work principles of the EIN include:

• user information needs remain the key innovation driver;
• innovation encompasses the entire ESS (no NSI left behind);
• innovation results are integrated into the ESS statistical production (“from Lab 
  to Fab”);
• participation by individual ESS members in the Innovation

Agenda remains voluntary (NSIs decide on participation while seeking to and the optimal role distribution (encouraging innovation and providing support to the ESS).

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