ESSnet Workshop Conclusions

Issues Strategic/Fundamental Questions Governance Monitoring Communication Infrastructure of ESSnets Priority setting Use of results Issues of specific ESSnet Clusters

Strategic/Fundamental Questions Bottom up vs. Top down approach Enterprise architecture approach Vision (the only aim?) ESSnets should not create new stove pipes Opening of ESSnets to “GSS”, NSAs? Analysis of user demands before start (stocktaking) Competition?

Priority Setting Who sets priorities? Priority within ESSnets  solve big issues first Strategic orientation of ESSnets? Vision Europe 2020 Criteria clearly defined and accepted? Only how-projects and no what-projects?

Governance of ESSnets Embedment in ESS strategy Role of the ESSnet in the ESS-organisation Reporting structure to ESS Strong input from Eurostat

Monitoring / Steering /Advising Who monitors ESSnets? Role of Eurostat should be clearer Participation of MS? Steering Group or Advisory Board? Task, objective (advisory, steering)? Separate between management and evaluation Role of Steering Group to be cleared soon Evaluation SGA: contact with ESSnet-coordinator

Internal Communication Trust between partners fundamental Personal contacts Face-to-face meetings are crucial Differences in culture and language Collaboration, Collaboration, Collaboration Overcome difference in expertise, experience

Communication Lack of enough communication (tools) - high communication costs (EGR) Strong input from Eurostat needed (role of Eurostat project officers) (EGR) Better Dissemination of results for better use Consider important developments including NON-EU countries Thematic workshops for ESSnets

Infrastructure Bureaucracy (Geo) Lack of administrative experience (GEO) It is time consuming to work with a lot of partners (GEO) Lack of sparring partners (GEO) Common web portal for submitting application details (GEO) Simplified procedures in the application process time and money is needed also before the Framework Partnership has been signed (Admin). formal approval process for the FPA and SGAs is extremely long. great uncertainty and financial risk for the Co-partners This puts stress on relationships (Admin)

Infrastructure Overly precise budgets required by Commission Budgetary Unit of Eurostat has changed the rules or the template for SGA applications every year, but has not finalised these changes until after the beginning of the calendar year (Admin). Eurostat needs more advance planning, to stop grant preparation being so close to the work schedule (Admin) Realistic Planning necessary Co-ordination with other ESSnet Managing resources, milestones and deliverables is a challenge Commitment of NSI high level management necessary : ‘competition’ with other national tasks Glossary, literature lists on ESSnet portal

Infrastructure Improvement of ESSnet processes ESSnet Portal Overlap vs. Complementarity Cost effectiveness Steering on output or resources? Right size of projects Content number of partners Balance between admin and content Don’t be too ambitious Sometimes lack of flexibility

Use of results Sustainability (how to secure?) Establishing Centres of Competence and knowledge transfer (MS and EUROSTAT) Transfer of knowledge into EU Working Groups Set up of forums for long term development of professional knowledge exchange (GEO) Common web portal for submitting application details and for dissemination of results (GEO)

Issues of specific ESSnet clusters Mismatch of timing between partners (GEO) BLUE ETS can be useful for many other ESSnets (Admin Data, Consistency, MEMOBUST and Small Area Estimation) Steering group for thematic ESSnet clusters? Business statistics Metadata Access