Annexes to COM(1975)485 - - Main contents

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dossier	COM(1975)485 - .
document	COM(1975)485
date	October 8, 1975

annex to this document. But it is clear from this general review-of the statistics currently available that although a great deal of progress has been made since the first attempts to draw up employment statistics at ' Community level, much remains to be done to establish a system capable of ’ meeting the numerous requirements of users.

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Foremost among the difficulties which have hampered progress towards this end are divergences "between the legislation of the different Member States and their administrative practices. .Such divergence has, for example, particularly hampered the development of comparable statistics for registered unemployment.    .

.    Present inadequacies are both 'qualitative and quantitative. From ■

the qualitative, point of view they are caused by major differences in definition of the main aggregates, by the restricted and incomplete use of Community nomenclatures, and by the lack in certain cases of common programmes for the standardization of information.    ■

From the quantitative point of view the statistics are inadequate in two ways. The first concerns the comparable statistical elements required to bridge the interval between national and Community benchmarks. The second insufficiency is the result of increased demand for statistics specifically . concerning the problems of particular groups or categories.

To fill these gaps, employment statistics are to be developed in two directions — increased harmonization and coordination, and expansion by means of new surveys or specific studies.

IV". DEVELOPMENT OF THE SYSTEM OF EMPLOYMENT STATISTICS

1. The proposals for the development of employment statistics are

summarized in the following table. The recommended frequency is shown for each survey.

'    .Not all the existing sources of statistical information referred

to in the annex are shown in this table. The integration and coordination . of all the different items of work concerning employment should, however, be considered as forming part of the project.

Neither the technical means nor the various stages of implementing this programme have been formulated. They will be the subject of systematic analysis by experts in the Working Party on Employment Statistics.    .

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rBOOJOTSL OF    ^pTAi^TTuC't

(see Ttativrtic;! Pt»gTa.*e IJl’y-'.yiZ - CI.6/S Form H)(l^

Essoripticn	, Source .	Fyemioarv	Fronosa’s fo- de-'etorment	ftati itlc.'.l Pi'Of'^aiUBo
1. Gereral population censuses		10 years	- Coat inuat ion oi the h-rmoriiation of definitions — Orawj.np^- ol tabier lor uni form analysis of mist .eno. taut results	*c X*.2 ■ . • •
2. Community sample surveys of manpower	Household surveys	2 years	- Cent in .at ion of Community UralyS’B — Cont inuation of comoitaentar? suiv'ys	c 1.7
3. Harmonised statistics	, Na.icnal suiveys	C months/	- Ha'-mon'aation o' definitions	C 1.1S and
on mm ard salary	of unde-tak_ng8	— ^l3r^f'9..iS^,iou to all ec^noiaJc sector'	C 1 16
earns/a	:	1 year	— tfe-ea' Aowi. by t 2 ur 3 digit HAuE braxih pr'fes .iomi status ner " region -
4* Harmonized statistics on hours cf wo: k	National surveys of undertakings	6 ff inthj.	- Ha monization oi deiiritieos - hxzenslon to al’ eoc oomi ee ton - mreau.Jowt' b7 l -egic n sex	C 1.17
5. Numbers seek trig employment (ojiert.pioyL.dnt) t -	rtati iticn frem employment offices	1 *tn+h/ 3 mcci-hp	- Jo.nt b i.endardima⁺ion orogyammo - Br< akd< vn by t aer £ge g roup region oci ipationai. eatjgory bronco if a^r'tiv: ',y duration Ui-BEOioyment '¹ ' - ^naij-ois of nutbe: j pai. air^ thi ough employment oxf-cee	' C 1.1£
6. Vacancies	Statinticn fren employment offices	1 month/ 3 months	~ Joint s iaodmrdizutiou programme - hrexkdo.m br, % . region ( ;cap vtiot.al exteg *,ry*	C 1.18
\| 7. Standardised itatisii- a	(to bo determine^)	1 year/	- Few r' atit Voe on rise of t-gra.it	'J 1.3 / 14
1 on migrant workers I ,	' • ! ! - j	6 months	wor.-i force mnd me bora entering or ler ring Meubor £ atop t — break'.o-n oy t t-itic ill j esx a^e grovp region \| V...CS ire oc a occup tior-al category
8. Ad boo surveys	- _p.	. . -	. \| - (to bo c.jt“imiirea)	■

I

2. ' ' . The proposed, system is based on the principle of coordinating and ,

linking up in time harmonized information available from a variety of souroes.

Under this system,, the general population censuses, which are    '

carried out every ten years,, provide information which can be used as a benchmark of the level and structure of employment at widely separated points in. timej the employment situation and structural trends are assessed from sample surveys of manpower held every two years. These sources of information are supplemented by harmonized surveys on wage and salary earners conducted on an annual basis in all economic sectors and at 6-monthly intervals in certain specific sectors.    .    .

Labour market trends are monitored by rapid, standardized national series collected at short intervals.    ......    ,

A set of statistics is to be proposed specifically for migrant workers and ad hoc surveys are planned to study particular groups or categories.

. The effectiveness of the proposed programme will depend both on the . 6 ■ ' progress made in harmonizing concepts and nomenclatures and on the

introduction of new projects.    . . _r . .    .^

■'    Improvements in the. quality and reliability of the data obtained

from the surveys to be carried out under the programme-will depend on the extent to which harmonization is achieved. Satisfactory harmonization of results has so far been achieved only in the Community surveys of manpower.

.If the situations in different countries., are to be comparable, it is essential that standards, recommendations, etc.,' based on jointly accepted definitions should be respected*    ■    "

In its work on employment, the Commission has oomplied with the resolations.^.Ofithe'International 'labour -Office (lLO)(l) and the definitions recommended "by the 'Organization- for Eobhomic Cooperation and-Development ; (OECD). At national level, however, the same aggregates (labour force, employment, ''unemployment, eto.) are defined in terms "which are sometimes not consistent with thosb recommended internationally^ -    -    . . ■

4»    In this connection, the Commission proposes to review the present .

system, in order to work out a'set of common definitions designed to improve the existing situation, and to consider whether the development of particular situations should-not be taken into account to adjust methods'or^obtain more precise data. This should lead in particular to an-improvement in the : - -v annual series on total employment and unemployment.

5*    A special effort is also required to ensure that Community-■ nomen—,

clatures are adopted in all studies conducted at national level.

Special attention is being paid to the possibility of drawing up _; a Community standardised nomenclature cf occupations. Possible methods of y adapting existirg nomenclatures in this field are currently undte consideration* ■ ’ '    ,V    '    ''    X"?    .

6*    Preparatory work for uniform analyais of a common bore of topics :

in the synchroaized general population census in 1981 began in 1974(2).

The present programme is’ concerned with the working out of standard definitions and with the design' of tables which can be provided by the Ilember States,

(1) '•'Resolution on statistics, relating' to manpower, employment .and

.,, hmemploymcnt" adopted at the 8th International Conference of Labour Sie-vdsiloian?: (Geneva, November—Iecember 1954)*    ’

(2) The synchronization of general population censuses was provided for by a

Council Directive of 22 November 1973 (73/403/EEC)*    •

7. In order to obtain comparable statistics on employment and unemployment in the Community, the Commission conducted.the first sample survey of manpower in I960, which'was carried out in.the six original Member States.

. This survey was repeated annually from 1968 to 1971, but without the participation of all the Community countries; for various reasons Luxemburg did not take part in the 1968 survey, and the Netherlands did not take part in the following three. As this standardized and synchronized Community sample survey of manpower is the most reliable means of obtaining better knowledge of the. level and structure of employment in the Community as a whole, the Council of.Ministers decided in 1971 to continue it.

However, taking into account the practical difficulties encountered by certain countries in the annual repetition of the survey, it was decided to break the annual series and to conduct the survey in 1973 and 1975 in all the Member States(l).

The Employment Statistics Programme proposes to continue holding this survey every two years, in 1977» 1979i and 19&1.    .

8. 'The review and expansion^_°_f haririonized statistics on wage and salary earners are essential if a system-of employment statistics is to be created. Until 1972, the Commission compiled harmonized statistics on wage and salary earners, but for manufacturing, industry only. -These'will have to be thoroughly-.reviewed in the context of this Programme, Proposed new statistics will be based on harmonized national surveys of undertakings. These statistics will cover the employed persons broken down by sex, professional status and possibly by level of qualifications in all economic sectors by-

two or three-digit MCE branches (Nomenclature of Economic Activities within the European Communities). The survey would be carried out annually. For certain key sectors still to be determined (e.g. building, automobile industry, textile industry,- etc.) certain data would be obtained at shorter intervals, perhaps every six months.    .    - ■■■ .    ■    .    .

(l) The carrying out of the survey in Spring 1973 was decreed by Council

Regulation (EEC) N° 2723/72 of 19 December 1972. The repetition of this survey in 1975 ^was decided by Council Regulation (EEC) 11° 2640/74 of 15 October 1974.

'    . The collection of these statistics must he coordinated with other

surveys of establishments, in particular, the annual survey of industrial ■ activity first conducted in 1974 pursuant to Council Directive N° 72/221/EEC (l).

9» '    ■ ' Harmonized statistics on hours worked in undertakings in

manufacturing industry-, compiled on a.half-yearly basis are particularly . significant in the study of employment. It is proposed to extend this series to other sectors e.g, distribution and services, where large numbers of workers are employed,,;.. ■    . ... *    •    .

10,    -Statistical information for the analysis of the state of the labour

. •*    .    .    .    i r r ii i i ■ him ■ i ii in ii mu i n n in mw i ti i i

market is a major feature of the Commission’s'plan,    '    ■

.The existing instrument for, obtaining statistics - the collection of information by employment offices - is defined by the legislation on unemployment operating in each Member State, Available data particularly on those registered as unemployed and on vacancies, are thus not always comparable from one country to another,. .

Despite this problem the statistics-provided by the employment offices are at present the only source of short-term information on market trends,' In order-to'improve, their, value-for comparisons of internal ₄developments in each country the^;Commission proposes the adoption of a , joint programme on the standardisation Of information, .    , - .’    .    -.

.    .    ; The data provided by the employment offices on the basis of national

definitions will thus, become available for all member countries in a standard ■ form. It is proposed that registered unemployment be broken down by region, sex,, age group, occupational category, duration of unemployment, etc, A breakdown by region, occupational category and branch of activity in planned for vacancies, ...    ,    >

(1) Council Directive of 6 June 1972 concerning coordinated annual surveys of industrial activity, (72-221/EEC), OJ N° L 133 of 10 June 1972,

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Information on the labour market is also to be supplemented by flow analysis. Within the limits of comparability which result, from the divergencies between nations, definitions, the collection of statistics by,, standard methods can improve information on certain special aspects, such as youth unemployment, graduate unemployment and unemployment among the elderly, etc.

11*    A major gap at present is the lack of uniform statistics on foreign

workers.    ,    -    .

. Until 1969, the Commission regularly obtained statistics on migrant workers based on the number of work permits issued.

As worlc permits were abolished as a result of Council Regulation (EEC) N° 1612/68 of 15 October I968 on freedom of movement for workers within the Community, there is no longer any generally applicable statistical basis for the collection of valid data in this field.

In 1971 the Commission presented to the Council a 'Proposal for a Regulation (EEC) of the Council on the establishment of harmonized statistics reluting to foreign workers'. ITo decision on this has yet been taken.

12. The development programme envisages an extension in the field of

employment statistics by special surveys to obtain information on particular groups or categories.    -    •

It may be possible in this connection to make use of the sample surveys on manpower which are an essential instrument in carrying out supplementary surveys dealing with topical aspects directly related to the labour market on which not enough data are available, or which cannot be measured from any other source.

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The Commission proposes that other social factors connected with employment, which for: methodological reasons oannet he covered by the various studies included in^; the Programme, should he dealt with in ad hoc surveys, to he carried out as’ far as possible using national sources already .

available. ‘ --    •    ■ ...    . . • ^:    ..    .    ..    . .    .

CONCLUSI^.. ;    .    ,    .    .    .    .

The Commission proposes to the Council :    ■    ■ -

—    to approve the Programme of employment Statistics described in this

document;    '    '    ' •    ^J ' '    • •    " ■    .

- to confirm the importance it attaches to its effective implementation.

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AI« TO THE PROGRAMME OF EMPLOYMENT STATISTICS .    . SOURCES OP MPLOSMENT' STATISTICS ■

1. ... Several studies and surveys on employment already exist* In 1972

the Statistical Office of the European Communities took steps to compile an inventory of existing statistics at national and Community level, and updated it in 1975 to incorporate the new Member States (l)*

4    ’    '    '

2*    The main sources of statistical information available at Community

level are as follows :    '    -    .    .

A — General population censuses    '    .    ..

B — Community sample surveys of manpower    '    ’

C - Harmonized statistics on wage and salary earners •    •    •

D — Harmonized statistics on hours of work '    ^j'    '

E - Community surveys of the structure' and distribution of wages and ^;

salaries    '

p - Structures survey for 1975 as part of the programme of surveys on the . struoture of agricultural holdings    ^;

G - Surveys on the earnings of permanent workers employed in agriculture H — Statistics on employment in the EC3C industries I — Other data from national sources*    ’

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(1) ''National. and Community Statistics on Employment" — 1972 (Doc. n° II8/72).    '    '    . . •    •

.. "National and.Community Statistics on Snployment" — 1975 . (Document in course of preparation). •    •.    ■

A — General population censuses

The results of the general population censuses are a useful benchmark in determining the size and structure of the labour force and nonworking population at widely spaced intervals. So far, however, it has been possible to make only limited use of this source, as national censuses were carried out at different dates and were based on definitions which.were not always compatible with international concepts.

To obtain better basic information, a fresh effort has been made in the field of demographic statistics. The work is ooncemed with the compilation of Community tables for the general population censuses 1968-1971 and with ' ' preparations for the analysis of a common core of topics in the I98I censuses.

A Council Directive (l) was issued in 1973 to synchronize these censuses.

* \    -t ’•    •    •

B *- Community sample surveys of manpower    ^;    ' '

In order to obtain comparable data at Community level oh the structure of employment, a first sample survey-,of manpower was conducted in i960. This survey was repeated annually from. 1968 to 1971 and in 1973 (2). In 1975» pursuant to Council Regulation (EEC) ,n° 2640/74 of 15 October 1974, the survey was conducted for the first time in all nine Member States. It covered 600 000 households.    ■

The sample survey of manpower is the most important project in the harmonisation, of employment statistics undertaken by the Statistical Office and by Member States. • .    -    •    .    .

The survey is based on jointly agreed definitions and provides the following information for countries and at certain regional levels :

a) the structure of the population in terms of the main employment criteria

⁴ » >. .. . .

(employed persons, unemployed persons, nort-active population);    .

(1) Council Directive of 22 November 1973 of the synchronization of general population censuses, (73/403/EEC) OJ N° L 347 of 17 December 1973*

(2) The 1973 survey was carried out pursuant to Council Regulation (EEC)

N° 2723/72 of 19 December 1972. The 6 founder members of the Community participated in the survey, as did the United Kingdom. Denmark and Iralaud were not able to take part at that time.

b) the structure of employment in terms of individual characteristics

(sex, age, marital status, etc.) jmd occupational characteristics (status,

_ sector, .branch, etc.);. .    ,    .    .

c) the structure-of hours Worked; ■ —    -    _;    ,    .

d) the structure of unemployment and of other' persons seeking employment

in terms of individual characteristics, talcing account of the type of employment sought, the reasons for seeking employment, the duration and method of search.    ‘ ‘    ' '    ’    •    '    •    •    -

The survey also makes it possible to analyse certain specific aspects of economic activity on which it is difficult to obtain information from other sources. Examples are regional and occupational mobility, occasional'.or ■ subordinate activities, and full or part-time working.    . ...

Finally, another aspect which should, not be underestimated is the possibility of including supplementary questions on problems of direct relevance'to employment. In 1973 it was thus possible to- conduct a specific survey oh vocational training, the results of which were also_ analyse d to; show the relationship between economic activity and level of training, ..

In 1975 supplementary questions which bear on conditions of work have been included in the survey with a view to studying such aspects in the socio-economic context of the Cocmunity.

C - Harmonized statistics on wage and salary earners    .    ■ • •

These statistics were compiled from V$66 to 1972 on the basis of surveys available at national level. They covered wage and salary earners in industry, broken down by iTICE branch (Nomenclature of Industries in the European Communities). A breakdown by region for the extractive, manufacturing and building industries was carried out only by the Federal Republic of Germany, France and Italy.

These statistics are to be completely revised and coordinated with the annual survey of industrial activity(l).

(l) Council Directive of 6 June 1972, relative to the carrying out of coordinated annual surveys of industrial activity (72/221/EEC), OJ N® L 133 of 10 June 1972.

D — Harmonised statistics on hours of work . -    ^.    -    ,

' ‘ ' 1 • •

The basic data used in compiling harmonized statistics on.hours of work are obtained from national surveys regularly carried out in the various countries. These are half-yearly surveys of earning3 which also provide information on the average weekly hours worked in the undertaking. The data are obtained by the national statistical offices from industrial establishments and are analysed nationally using Community definitions. They are broken down by MCE branch. A breakdown by region is carried out only for the Federal Republic of Germany and Italy.

nries

structure

Sample surveys on the structure of wages and salaries in industry were conducted by the six Member States in 1966 and 1972 using uniform questionnaires returned by undertakings with 10 or more employees.

'    The surveys provided individual particulars of the businesses

(size, branch, region, etc.) and the employees (sex, age, length of service in the company, professional qualifications,.method of payment, organization of the working day earnings, etc.). Analysis at Community level made it possible to determine the structure of the work force in terms of the above characteristics.    •    .

Work is in progress on compiling the results for the 1972 survey.

A survey on the structure and distribution of wages and salaries in the sector of wholesale and retail trade, banking and insurance was organized in 1974 and covered the nine Member Sta/tes.

P “ Structures survey for 1975    ■    •    ^:- '    •    -

Useful information on agricultural manpower at the level of the holding is to he collected as part of the structures survey for 1975» eatablished by the Council Directive of 20 January, 1975(l)» A classification of workers by sex, age group and status (farmer, family workers, employee) is proposed.    .

G — Survey on the earnings of permanent workers in agriculture

The first survey on the earnings of permanent workers in ‘ agrioulture was carried out in 1974 in accordance with the Council Regulation (EEC) N° 677/74 (?-). The survey was carried out by means of random sampling. For each permanent worker all data were collected relating to gross cash earnings for one month in 1974> the existence or absence of benefits in kind, the nature of work performed, the basis 'on which earnings were calculated and the number of hours paid, as well as the sex, age and professional qualifications. The repetition of this survey in 1975 ^was provided for in Council Regulation (EEC) N° 1103/75 (3).    .

H - Statistics of employment in ECSC industries '    .    . •    .

1    . Statistics specifically relating to employment in coal mines, iron

ore mines- and the steel industry as defined in the ECSC treaty have been compiled since. 1955*. They are obtained from a direct survey of-undertakings based on a standard questionnaire distributed through'-employerst associations.

Returns made at frequent intervals (monthly or quarterly) relate to .numbers on the payroll and, in the case of manual workers, to attendances and absences from work according to reason, as well as ‘to new arrivals and' departures by motive. A survey relating'specifically'to the nationality of foreign workers is conducted annually. The breakdown by age"is determined either annually or every¹ three years.    • ^{v ;}    -    ■    .

I, — Other data from national sources    ,

The main statistical series compiled by the Statistical Office from national data are as follows :    \    ’•••'

• -■a) annual‘series on employment and unemployment;    ^:    ' '

b) monthly series on numbers seeking work and vacancies;    "    '

c) monthly series on labour disputes.

.    >    ’    :    •    ...    » A

^a) Annual series on employment and unemployment    '    • •

^v .    ’ The annual series on the labour force, employment and unemployment

are estimates made by the statistical offices of the Member States. Generally speaking, the data are broken down-hy sex, sector, professional status and I.S.I.C. branch (UN "International Standard Industrial Classification of all Economic Activities").    , . y . '    •

" , • Those series are not entirely comparable as there are differences V in the method of- estimating, in,th$ concepts employed and₍in the reference dates in the various countries.. There are also problems in harmonizing " these series with other national or Community series.

b) Monthly series on numbers seeking work and vacancies    .

These statistics are derived from the records of the employment offices. As administrative practice and statutory provisions differ from country, these data are not comparable. They can be used only to indicate trends over a period of time within one country.

For numbers seeking work (unemployment), monthly series on the number of persons registering at employment offices who remain out of work at the end of each month are assembled. Generally speaking, these data may be broken down by sex, region and occupational category, but this information is not standardized between countries and the nomenclatures have not been harmonized.

Figures for vacancies are obtained by combining the monthly series of the number of vacancies notified to employment offices and remaining unfilled.

Firures for the number of vacancies filled each month are also collected through the employment offices.

^c) Monthly series on

The number of days lost through strikes is compiled on the basis of national publications. There are major differences from country to country t lock-outs are included in certain national statistics, a distinction is not always made between strikers proper and workers laid off because of strikes, certain strikes of a general nature are sometimes not included as they axe not directly connected with the contrast of employment. The breakdown of the data by branch of activity is in accordance with national nomenclatures.

¹

Statistical Programme ol the Soropean Communitier 1973 - 1373'. MemcM-nd-aa from -.its C.&tictisal Of fits of tie European Cormsun tie^a, Ji \y X.-JCt

Second Statistical Programme 19/6 - 1779 in ocurec of pi-eparatior..