INDICATORS

ANNEX 1
ANNEX 1: A new release of the ECHI shortlist (June 2008)
The new ECHI shortlist contains 88 indicators which are numbered in the same order
as in the Documentation Sheets (Annex 2). This version also shows the new additions
and a few major changes in relation to the 2005 version. As explained in Chapter 3,
these include:
• The former three sections (ECHI shortlist version 2005) were condensed to only
two sections (see below)
• The list given here highlights the additions and a few major changes in the context
of the entire 2005 shortlist. Those are explained separately below the shortlist.
• The additions and changes were generated in the 2006–2008 discussion rounds in
the ECHIM Core Group, the Working Party Indicators and other groups.
• For the existing and new shortlist indicators, all specifications are given in the
Documentation Sheets in an extended and improved manner.
In the 2005 version of the shortlist, a distinction was made between three different
degrees of data availability. “Section 1: For these indicators, data are readily available and
reasonably comparable, mostly based on assessment by Eurostat. Section 2: For these
indicators or topics, data are partly available and/or sizeable comparability problems
exist, mostly based on assessment by Eurostat. Section 3: For these indicators or topics,
data are not available and there is need for development”.
In the 2008 version, the former Sections 1 and 2 have been merged into the “Section for
implementation”. The reasons were that there is a more or less continuous gradient from
“perfectly available” to “large data problems”, and that for some items in the former
section 2 there has been notable improvements. The former section 3 remains as the
“Section for development”. At the same time, some items in the former section 2 for
which not much progress was seen concerning indicator definition or data availability,
were moved to the development section. The full descriptions of the new two sections
are:
• Section 1: List for implementation on the short or medium term. Definitions are
sufficiently clear, data are more or less readily and regularly available and reasonably
comparable, in many cases harmonisation can still be improved.
• Section 2: Development section. High policy relevance, limited availability or poor
indicator definition
The following table presents the ECHI shortlist release of June 2008 with additions and
major changes highlighted. In the column “Section”, only indicators that fall to section
2 are indicated by “2”. All others fall to section 1. In the column “Notes”, indicators
added in 2008 are indicated by “A”, indicators that have undergone significant changes
are indicated by “C” and indicators moved to other section are indicated by “M”. The
additions and changes are clarified in a separate table below the shortlist.
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