European indicators

• EU structural indicators
• Euro-Indicators
• PEEIs (Principle European Economic Indicators)
• Sustainable development indicators

EU structural indicators

At its meeting in Lisbon in March 2000, the European Council set a strategic goal for the next decade of making Europe “the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world capable of sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion”. In 2005, a new approach to the Lisbon strategy was decided upon, focusing on growth and employment.

The structural indicators provide a tool for the objective assessment of progress made towards the Lisbon objectives and are used by the European Commission to support their analysis in the Annual Progress Report to the European Council.

The Eurostat Structural Indicators website presents a short list of indicators and contains a publicly accessible database with the long list of indicators. In addition to the time series for all indicators (taking any corrections and revisions into account), the database contains metadata, explanations of methodology and quality profiles.

Euro-Indicators

The Euro-Indicators provide economic researchers, policy makers, the media, researchers, students and other interested users with comprehensive, well structured and high quality short term statistics. The core of the Euro-Indicators is formed by a set of statistical short term indicators which gives a reliable and up-to-date overview of economic trends in the euro area, the European Union and the member states. In addition, metadata, quality reports, publications and working papers, press releases, the release calendar and information on methodology are designed to facilitate understanding of the data and its analysis.

More information on the Euro-Indicators is available on the Euro-Indicators website. Individual short term statistics can be found in the EUROIND database, which is divided into the following eight areas: balance of payments; business and consumer surveys; consumer prices; external trade; industry, commerce and services; labour market; monetary and financial indicators; and National Accounts. The database currently contains more than 50 000 series, which can be downloaded in various formats. The easiest way of accessing the latest data is through user-friendly predefined tables (“key short term indicators”, also referred to as SHORTIES) and graphics with brief explanatory notes.

PEEIs (Principle European Economic Indicators)

The Principle European Economic Indicators are a list currently comprising 19 key indicators which have been selected from the Euro-Indicators and are indispensable for current short term analysis (consumer prices, National Accounts, short term statistics, labour market statistics and external trade indicators). The PEEIs are thus part of the Euro-Indicators and give a concise overview of the economic situation and economic trends in Europe. For a table with all key indicators (PDF, 11 KB), click here; data and more information can be found on the Eurostat website.

The indicators were selected by Eurostat and the national statistical offices after consultation with the ECB and the European Commission. The PEEIs also set goals in terms of periodicity and timeliness for euro area aggregates, some of which go beyond the requirements of existing EU-harmonised regulations in the field of statistics with the result that in some cases, countries only contribute to the PEEIs on a voluntary basis (provided that this is nationally possible).

Sustainable development indicators

The EU Sustainable Development Strategy, adopted by the European Council in Gothenburg in June 2001 and renewed in June 2006, aims to reconcile economic development, social cohesion and environmental protection.

Progress towards achieving this overall goal is monitored, assessed and reviewed using a set of sustainable development indicators. These indicators can also be used to inform the general public about commonly achieved objectives of sustainable development.

Eurostat provides comprehensive information and data on these indicators at the following link: Sustainable development indicators.