Industrial Production: Methodology.

Abstract

Industrial production statistics by product or product group are of major importance to the Commission. They are indispensable in helping it to accomplish its duties in various areas, including industrial and commercial policy, rules governing competition, international agreements, bi-lateral negotiations and sectoral analyses. They are also of great interest to industry, helping it to see itself in a European Community context. This was why, as from 1958, the problem of collecting data on the production of industrial goods had to be faced. In principle there was one simple objective: to obtain total Community production for a given product, harmonized if possible with the external trade statistics for the same pro-duct. However, the project has proved difficult and has become more and more complex with the successive enlarge-ments of the Community.