The Annexes to those implementing Regulations refer to the International Standard Classification of Occupations, ‘ISCO-88’ or the European version of this classification hereinafter referred to as ‘ISCO-88 (COM)’.

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has revised the version of the International Standard Classification of Occupations used hitherto (ISCO-88) with the objective of making available a more effective classification, which can be used by countries in the next round of population censuses, as well as in national employment services and other client-oriented applications. In order to ensure comparability between data on occupations from the EU Member States and the rest of the world it is necessary to use this revised classification (ISCO-08) in the main European Statistical System surveys collecting data on occupations before the next round of population census that will take place in 2011.

The establishment of a revised Standard Classification of Occupations makes it necessary to modify in particular the references to ISCO-88 and to the European version of this classification ISCO-88 (COM). Therefore, Regulations (EC) No 1738/2005, (EC) No 698/2006 and (EC) No 377/2008 should be amended accordingly.

It is considered advisable that, as much as possible, the first reference year for the data transmission of ISCO-08 data is the same in all statistical domains concerned, in line with the next round of Census, which will have 2011 as reference year. The recommendation is therefore to use 2011 as first year of reference for the transmission of data on occupations according to ISCO-08 with the exception of the Structure of Earnings Survey, conducted every four years, which would apply it in 2010.

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the European Statistical System Committee,