The role of the Italian National Institute of Statistics is to produce and distribute reliable, impartial, transparent, accessible and relevant information that describes the social, economic and environmental conditions of the Country, and the changes taking place within it, in strict compliance with legal provisions on confidentiality.
One of its most important tasks is the realization of general censuses: population and housing, industry and services, and agriculture. Istat is also responsible for conducting most of the surveys included in the National Statistical Programme, the series of surveys and data processing considered essential for the Nation.
As the main producer of national statistics, it provides data and releases information to EU statistical authorities and international organizations. In this context, Istat’s international activity is constantly growing and being carried out through increasingly diverse forms of participation.
The Institute is fully involved in constructing the European Statistical System (EC regulation 223/09) fundamental principles of official statistics: impartiality, reliability, relevance, efficiency, confidentiality, and transparency.
In order to further ensure high-quality statistics, in 2005 the European Commission adopted the European Statistics Code of Practice which lays down 15 key principles to which statistical institutes must adhere in producing and publishing statistical information.
The Italian Statistics Code of Practice has been issued by the Comstat (Policy-making and Co-ordinating Committee for Statistical information) under directive no. 10/2010 in full accordance with the European Code of Practice. It is the result of a shared process of analysis and consultation which involved both central and local bodies of Sistan.