Statistical information is an essential support to the decisions of the Regional Government and Public Administration in the broadest sense: the statistics structure has always played a key role in Regione Lombardia and is now a highly specialized - and, at the same time - transversal function within Éupolis Lombardia, thanks to the wealth of its experience and information built up over time.

Working closely with the Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT), Éupolis Lombardia manages the research activities of 15 regional observatories, which provide information, statistics and methodological support on socio-economic and environmental issues. Each observatory is governed by a committee in its sector, and a joint committee - tasked to connect the observatories to the regional executive departments - composed of representatives from Éupolis Lombardia, Regione Lombardia and regional bodies.

The regional observatories are coordinated into three main groups:

• Observatories on economics: culture, artisans-crafts sectors, the labour market and professional development, business;
   
• Social observatories: people with disabilities and labour policies for them, the right to higher education, web services, multi-ethnicity and integration, substance abuse, social exclusion, minors, social housing;
   
• Territorial area observatories: territorial planning, waste management and disposal, landscaping.
   

Statistical and methodological support to the Board, the Regional Council and the Regional structures is provided with data for territorial policy analysts and for identifying contexts for decision-makers. We also design and carry out surveys and ad hoc reports. This variety of contributions comes from painstaking work and constant collection, sorting and organizing of data at regional level and beyond. Below are some examples of the support we provide:

• Partnering with ISTAT and the National Statistical Programme to coordinate statistical tasks with other entities within it (i.e., the Interregional Centre for Information, Geographical and Statistical Systems/CISIS) and to work on Censuses and other ad hoc surveys, carried out on specific segments of the population;
   
• Working for the Regional system and territory, using both the Local Authorities' Statistical Information System (SIS.EL) - to collect and provide data and indicators at grassroots' level - and the internal CATI/CAWI (Computer Assisted Telephone/Web Interview) services to design and implement surveys at short notice, focused on specific phenomena. These products are also available to other bodies in the regional system and can be extended to either public or private partners of local authorities and operators in any relevant area;
   
• Building and managing the statistics-information system to inform people and social partners about the local territory, the way it is changing and the opportunities it presents. There are several statistics database available online, the main one created together with the Milan Regional Office of ISTAT and Lombardy Unioncamere: the Regional Statistical Yearbook.

Furthermore you can take a look to Lombardia Speciale. It is a website that provides a structured and dynamic information framework on Regione Lombardia's excellences.