The European Statistical Governance Advisory Board (ESGAB) was established by Decision of the European Parliament and the Council of 2008.

The purpose of the ESGAB is to provide an independent overview of the European Statistical System as regards the implementation of the European Statistics Code of Practice. The ESGAB has been established to enhance the professional independence, integrity and accountability of the European Statistical System, key elements of the Code of Practice, as well as to enhance the quality of European statistics.

The ESGAB’s tasks are to prepare an annual report to the European Parliament and the Council on the implementation of the Code of Practice, including an assessment of the implementation of the Code of Practice in the European Statistical System as a whole; to advise the Commission (Eurostat) on appropriate measures to facilitate the implementation of the Code of Practice; to advise the Commission (Eurostat) on how to communicate the Code of Practice to users and data providers; to advise the Commission (Eurostat) on the updating of the Code of Practice.

In 2009, the ESGAB presented its first annual report, the objective being to provide an independent overview of the European Statistical System as regards the implementation of the European Statistics Code of Practice.