The National Statistical System (Sistan)

What is Sistan?
The National Statistical System is a network of public bodies and private subjects that supplies official statistical information.
Sistan includes:

• The National Statistical Institute (Istat);
• Public bodies and agencies in charge of providing statistical information (Isae, Inea, Isfol);
• Central and local statistical offices of the government administrations and those of self-ruling corporations;
• Statistical offices of public bodies and authorities provided for in a Decree by the Presidency of the Council of Ministers;
• Statistical offices of Government territorial offices;
• Statistical offices of Autonomous Regions and Provinces;
• Statistical offices of Provinces, associated and single Municipalities, Local Health Units, Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Crafts and Agriculture.
• Statistical offices of private subjects which exercise public functions and provide public utilities or may be relevant to attain Sistan objectives.

Although these offices belong to different administrations, they share the common goal of supplying the country with official statistical information.

Legislation
The National Statistical System was established by legislative decree No 322, 6th September 1989, (implementing art. 24 of the delegated Act No. 400/1988), that set out principles and guidelines for the reorganisation of public statistics. The decree was the starting point for re-engineering national statistical activity, aimed at satisfying - on the one hand - the country's information needs and - on the other - at reducing redundancies caused by lack of co-ordination among producers.

Principles
The main task of Sistan is supplying the country and the international bodies with official statistical information that complies with the following principles: reliability, impartiality, pertinence, timeliness, confidentiality, efficiency and the utmost usability. From the organisational point of view, the System is based on the principles of independence, differentiation, subsidiarity and adequacy.

The Committee for Policy and Co-ordination of Statistical Information
Istat is entrusted to rule Sistan through the Committee for Policy and Co-ordination of Statistical Information (Comstat). Presided over by Istat President, Comstat is a corporate body composed of representatives of bodies/institutions belonging to Sistan, Istat Director General and two professors in statistics and economics. The Committee sets up guidelines and policies for Sistan offices, resolves on the National Statistical Programme (NSP), upon proposal by Istat President.

The Commission for the Protection of Statistical Information
Sistan activity is supervised by the Commission for Guaranteeing Statistical Information (CGIS) which is an external and independent body. In particular, the Commission supervises: the impartiality and completeness of statistical information, the quality of methodologies, the compliance of surveys with EU and international directives. The Commission, established within the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, is composed of high-profile university professors, directors of statistical or research institutes and managers of public administrations and bodies, which do not belong to Sistan.

The National Statistical Programme (NSP)
The NSP is the Sistan's tool for planning statistical activity of public interest; it covers a three-year period and is updated each year. The NSP defines statistical surveys, data processing, planning studies and statistical information systems which Sistan offices and bodies intend to carry out to satisfy Italy's information needs. When drawing up the program, great attention is given to its harmonisation with the programs of the European Union and other international organisations. The NSP is the outcome of a complex procedure which ensures scientific independence to surveys, participation of all official statistics producers and privacy protection to citizens and businesses.