Review of statistical priorities at Statistics Netherlands

Statistics Netherlands has started a process to review the statistical priorities. The demands of society change, but budget restrictions and the desire to reduce administrative burden do not allow increase of staff or surveys. Therefore, negative priorities are needed. A working group, chaired by the chief statistical officer and with members of the statistics divisions, was asked to assess proposals that were put forward by the statistics divisions. In order to try and objectify the comparison of the proposals, an assessment model was developed in cooperation with external consultancy. This paper describes the approach of the process.