At a glance

SIPA offers econometric and statistical support for the implementation and monitoring of the EU policies. The Action has four lines of activity:

(1) Statistical indicators

Policy processes without tangible goalposts are meaningless. Policy targets need to be measurable and those measures need to be objective and comparable. SIPA has a considerable experience and international reputation in developing and testing (composite) indicators for policy analysis. Recently SIPA worked on flexicurity, regional and global competitiveness, regional innovation, governance, rule of law, lifelong learning, social cohesion and equity. SIPA also undertakes independent auditing of international indexes.

See also the Composite Indicators website

 (2) Applied statistics and econometrics.

SIPA applies statistical methods to the analysis of economic phenomena with the objective of identifying and quantifying empirical regularities and causal effects in economic/behavioural relationships. SIPA applies econometric techniques to a variety of domains: returns to investment and innovation, determinants of growth and welfare, competitiveness, labour market outcomes, social cohesion, inequality.

(3) Sensitivity analysis.

Simulation models are used in science and policy to understand natural or social systems. Such tools are affected by uncertainties, both in their inputs and their structure and such uncertainties may affect the inferences drawn from the models. Sensitivity analysis finds the major drivers of the uncertainty in model predictions and enables the policy-maker to derive more accurate and robust inferences. While the scientific literature shows plenty of local approaches to sensitivity analysis, SIPA focuses on global sensitivity analysis, in which uncertainties are explored over a wider multi-dimensional space. SIPA develops new techniques and applies sensitivity analysis to real world models in different fields (from economics to environment).

See also the Sensitivity Analysis website

(4) Lifelong Learning.

SIPA is particularly active in the evaluation and monitoring of education and training systems with its Centre for Research on Lifelong Learning (CRELL), established by Council Conclusions in 2005. Since then CRELL has supported the Commission in the creation and evaluation of indicators, in monitoring the performance of MS, in offering regular input to the Annual Progress Reports and developing secondary analysis on topics related to the Commission’s priorities in education and training. The action is supporting Bertelsmann Stiftung (Germany) on the development of the European Lifelong Learning Index (ELLI).

• DG Education and Culture (EAC)
• DG Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities (EMPL)
• DG Enterprise and Industry (ENT)
• DG Environment (ENV)
• DG Regional Policy (REGIO)
• DG Research (RTD)