Abstract

Official business statistics operate under a constant tension between data quality, the level of (regional) detail, and the response burden placed on enterprises. A new project is redesigning the system of business statistics in Germany, which will subsequently be implemented. In this context, the production and presentation of regional data must also be redesigned. This enables both the harmonisation of data and the targeted consideration of sector-specific data needs across different economic sectors.
The new German business statistics system aims to adopt a multi-source approach. On the one hand, as much existing and already published data as possible will be processed directly. On the other hand, enterprise surveys will increasingly collect data in the form in which it is available in enterprises’ accounting systems. This will strengthen the potential for automated data transmission, improve the quality of survey data and reduce the effort required by statistical offices for production. Additionally, modern estimation methods and artificial intelligence will be employed for quality assurance and for processing regional data. To ensure the efficient use of AI, statistical office staff need to be prepared and trained accordingly.
The German approach to developing and implementing a future regional data output is presented in this contribution to the Regional Statistics Conference in Malta, along with a discussion of its implications for enterprise surveys. It describes the involvement of data users and enterprises, and presents initial findings from qualitative pilot studies. The presentation also considers how regional data can be harmonised within the EU, with the aim of stimulating discussion on how regional data can be produced and presented in a comparable way in future statistical systems.