Distribution of statistical results subject to a news embargo

According to the European Statistics Code of Practice, all users have access to the same statistical information at the same time and prior privileged access to any external user should be limited, controlled and made public.

In this regard, a few hours before their official publication, INE statistics are sent under embargo to the body to which it is attached, the Secretariat of State for the Economy and Business Support of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Enterprise, in order to allow sufficient time for those responsible to prepare answers to possible questions from journalists.

Likewise, by virtue of the signing of the Multilateral Working Agreement for cooperation in statistical matters between the INE and the Central Statistical Bodies of the Autonomous Communities (OCECA), sixteen OCECAs receive information under embargo, both relating to their territory (at the regional and provincial scales) and to the national total (at the national scale), so that they may prepare and publish press releases in synchronisation with the INE relating to their respective territorial spheres. OCECAs, like the INE, are governed by laws and regulations that guarantee statistical confidentiality.

On the other hand, ten press releases on short-term statistics are sent to a small number of news agencies 30 minutes before the official release time. The statistics in question are as follows: Quarterly National Accounts (QNA), Gross Domestic Product (GDP) Preview, Consumer Price Index (CPI) Preview, Labour Force Survey (LFS), Mortgage Statistics, Statistics on Transfer of Property Rights (TPRS), Industrial Production Index (IPI), Industrial Price Index (IPRI) and Housing Price Index (HPI).

In this case, controls are in place to detect any non-compliance with embargoes, with consequent penalties, all in order to preserve the principles of the European Statistics Code of Practice.