Labour market statistics on businesses
The Council adopted its position at first reading with a view to adopting a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on European Union labour market statistics on businesses.
The proposed regulation establishes a common legal framework for the development, production and dissemination of labour market statistics relating to businesses in the Union.
Definitions
A definition of ‘social enterprises’ has been added, but pilot and feasibility studies are needed to develop a methodology to produce accurate data based on the classifications available in the business register.
A definition of the ‘gender pay gap’ has also been introduced into the text, namely the difference between the average gross hourly wages of male and female employees, expressed as a percentage of the average gross hourly wage of male employees. A reference to the gender pay gap has also been added to the recitals, specifying that Eurostat may compile total annual and monthly wages for male and female employees using data from the Structure of Earnings Survey.
Sources and methods
Member States may use one or a combination of the following data sources, provided that they allow the production of statistics that meet the quality requirements: (a) statistical surveys or other statistical data collections; (b) administrative data; (c) data made available by private data holders. Clarifications have been added in the recitals to clarify the concept of 'privately held data'. The recitals also refer to historical data, emphasising their importance.
Data requirements
Labour market statistics for businesses will cover the following areas and topics:
(a) wages: (i) wage structure; (ii) the gender pay gap;
(b) labour cost: (i) labour cost structure; (ii) labour cost index;
(c) demand for labour: (i) job vacancies.
For each topic, the detailed topics, as well as their periodicities, reference periods, including the first reference period, and deadlines for transmitting the corresponding data are given in the annex.
The Commission may adopt delegated acts to amend the list of detailed topics set out in the annex. Where a delegated act introduces a new detailed topic, that delegated act may also specify the frequency, the reference period and the deadline for transmission.
Delegated acts must be adopted at least eighteen months before the start of the reference period concerned.
When exercising the power to adopt delegated acts, the Commission shall ensure that: (a) delegated acts do not impose any significant additional burden or costs on Member States or respondents; (b) pilot or feasibility studies are carried out and their results are duly assessed and taken into account before the adoption of any delegated act.
To underline the importance of reducing response burden, the Council's position adds a reference in the recitals urging the Commission to regularly review the use and usability of the data and detailed topics when they are no longer needed.
The Commission will adopt implementing acts specifying a number of elements for each theme. In order to ensure the timely implementation of the Structure of Earnings Survey, for the reference year 2026, a provision has been added under which the relevant implementing act will be adopted before 1 September 2025.
The Council's position includes references to a delegated act and an implementing act, dedicated in particular to the temporary production of data. The temporary nature of these delegated or implementing acts is further clarified by a provision stipulating that the information to be provided by Member States will not exceed the period of three reference years.
Funding
The Council's position refers to mandatory funding under the Single Market Programme, supplemented by an indication of the possibility of using funds from the general EU budget. The Union's financial contribution may not exceed 90% of eligible costs.
Derogations
Derogations were linked to periodicities. Therefore, a four-year derogation will apply to multi-annual data collections, a two-year derogation to annual periodicities while a one-year derogation will apply to quarterly data collections. In justified cases, the Commission may grant a further derogation of one more year independently from the periodicity.