Courrier des statistiques N11 - 2024

If you enjoyed learning about the history of Official Statistics in issue N9 of the Courrier on the theme of “Official Statistics and Democratic Debate (1946–1987)”, do not hesitate and dive into the second instalment. In a gradual and incremental manner, European construction molded the production of official statistics, a new era of openness and free access started up and new themes emerged.
Faced with an ocean of data available on INSEE’s website, how can it be made easier to navigate through it? This is the topic of the next paper, which highlights the essential metadata, the relevance of a catalogue and the possibilities of accessing “hypercubes”.
The operations lying beneath quantification in the energy sector are then unveiled, at a time of an ever‑increasing focus on the ecological transition.
The other four papers in this issue are parts of a dossier which revolves around the Répertoire statistique des individus et des logements (Statistical Register of Individuals and Dwellings, RÉSIL).
It starts out with an overall presentation of the RÉSIL project, describing its guiding principles. The second paper reveals the consultation process undertaken by INSEE, to ensure the legitimacy of this register and to respond to legal and ethical issues. Two steps of the RÉSIL process required special attention. Thus, the third paper of the dossier deals with record linkage: purposes, methodology, implementation and quality assessment. Finally, the last paper delves into an explanation of the ARC (accueil‑réception‑contrôle (Receipt, Acceptance, Control)) tool: initially applied to the déclaration sociale nominative (Nominative Social Declaration, DSN), it has been applied more broadly for the RÉSIL project.

Courrier des statistiques
Paru le :Paru le06/01/2026
Françoise Dupont, Josy Dussart and François Guillaumat-Tailliet
Courrier des statistiques- January 2026
Consulter

The Consultation Process: an Essential Step for the RÉSIL Project

Françoise Dupont, Josy Dussart and François Guillaumat-Tailliet

Setting up a Statistical Register of Individuals and Dwellings (Résil) is a challenge that involves technical, legal and ethical issues. The ethical issues arise in a context where the need for reliable and detailed statistical information, the circulation of personal data and vigilance over the proper use of such data are all on the increase.

The consultation process initiated by INSEE provided an opportunity to share ideas on what Résil could be and how it should be used, as well as how to explain it to the general public. Conducted under the aegis of the National Council for Statistical Information (CNIS, Conseil national de l’information statistique) this demanding process has mobilised a wide range of skills, most of them outside the world of statistics, to consider ethical considerations (protection of civil liberties, transparency, etc.) and to achieve a shared assessment of the principles of necessity, minimisation and proportionality.

INSEE has incorporated most of the consultation group's recommendations into its reflections. It has translated them into legal, technical (in the design and content of the register) and organisational provisions, and in the communication surrounding the register. The consultation does not end there: the communication and listening process must continue, and a specific issue remains to be addressed concerning the assessment of the matchings made possible by Résil with respect to the principles of necessity and proportionality.