The use of administrative records for the production of statistics is a strategic priority for CYSTAT, a practice that leads to multiple benefits, such as:
- Reducing the burden on respondents: the more information is obtained from administrative sources, the less information is requested from households and businesses when conducting surveys.
- The improvement of data quality: limitation of errors due to the human factor.
- Improving the timeliness of the data produced: saving time in conducting surveys and other statistical work.
Provisions governing the use of administrative and private records by CYSTAT are set out in Article 14 of the Official Statistics Law of 2021. Specifically, the following apply:
Right of access to administrative and private records
- CYSTAT has the right to access and use, promptly and free of charge, all administrative records and private records which include data necessary to produce official statistics.
- CYSTAT has the right to integrate in its production processes the administrative and private records, to the extent required for the development, production and dissemination of official statistics. (Note that access to private records is done in a way that does not allow the identification of statistical units.)
Collaboration with holders of administrative records
- CYSTAT and the other national authorities shall establish the necessary cooperation mechanisms with the owners of administrative records and private records.
- For the administrative records which are built up and maintained by public administration bodies, such as ministries, departments and services of the Republic, public corporations and local government authorities, CYSTAT shall be involved in and shall express an opinion at every stage of decision regarding their initial design, development, amendment or possible discontinuation, thus facilitating the further use of those records for the purpose of producing official statistics.
- Administrative records, made available by their owners to CYSTAT and to the other national authorities in order to be used for the production of official statistics, shall be accompanied by relevant metadata, which are created under the responsibility of the owners of the records in collaboration with CYSTAT and based on the standards set by CYSTAT.
- The owners of administrative records used for the production of official statistics shall provide those records, directly or indirectly, to CYSTAT and to the other national authorities in accordance with commonly agreed time schedules, which are set in such a manner that the deadlines for the submission of European statistics to the European Commission (Eurostat) are being met, and shall inform and obtain CYSTAT's consent in case they intend to extend the deadlines for submission of data by persons.
Use of classification systems in administrative records
The Statistical Service shall maintain on its website the classification systems it uses, while public administration bodies, such as ministries, departments and services of the Republic, public corporations and local government authorities, shall use the said systems in the exercise of their functions and integrate them appropriately into their administrative records.