Quality Assurance Framework
Adoption
In 2011, when the European Statistics Code of Practice (CoP) was revised for the first time, the European Statistical System Committee (ESSC) adopted the Quality Assurance Framework (QAF) of the European Statistical System (ESS). After the revision of the CoP in 2017, the QAF was substantially enhanced and a revised version was adopted by the ESSC in 2019.
Aim and content
The QAF serves as complementary guidance for how to implement the CoP. Like the CoP, it applies to the statistical authorities of the ESS, which comprises the European Union Statistical Authority (Eurostat), the National Statistical Institutes (NSIs), and Other National Authorities (ONAs). They are responsible for the development, production and dissemination of European Statistics.
The QAF represents a collection of methods, tools and good practices that are suggested for use or are already in use in some statistical authorities of the ESS.
The aim of the QAF is to accompany the CoP by providing guidance and examples in the form of more detailed methods and tools. It also offers good practices for the high-level principles and indicators outlined in the CoP.