During the reporting period (July–September 2025), the project made tangible progress, building on the outcomes of the first collaborative sprint. Thematic inputs were consolidated, and significant steps were taken in preparing the Handbook’s structure at the Chapter–Section–Subsection level. In parallel, the actual drafting of content has been launched by the thematic sub-teams, marking the transition from preparatory work to substantive writing.

Sprint Meeting

As planned, an online sprint was conducted in June 2025. The sprint was structured over two days, with sub-team focused discussions on Day 1 and a joint plenary session on Day 2 (25^th of June).

The objective of the sprint was successfully achieved: to lay the groundwork for drafting the Handbook for Multi-Source Statistics (MSS) by identifying key priorities, defining topics and structure, and setting out a roadmap for drafting activities.

The sprint proved to be a significant milestone for the project. It enabled agreement on the main topics and priorities within each thematic area, while also consolidating initial ideas on the content to be included in the Handbook. Importantly, a number of cross-cutting issues were identified, along with approaches for addressing them in a coherent and harmonized way across themes. Beyond these technical outcomes, the sprint played a crucial role in strengthening collaboration and engagement among all sub-teams and the project management group. This reinforced alignment has created a solid foundation for the next phase of work, ensuring that the drafting process moves forward in a coordinated and effective manner.

Following the sprint, two plenary meetings were organized, and the four thematic sub-teams continued their work with active support from the project management team. These discussions focused on both organizational and technical aspects of the Handbook and have further advanced the harmonized drafting effort.

Use Case Questionnaire

The project also advanced on the use case dimension. Several use cases have already been collected through the dedicated questionnaire circulated among RAMSES Working Group members, with contributions received from Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, Portugal, Sweden, and Greece. Italy did not submit a questionnaire but presented its use case at the September plenary meeting; their formal questionnaire response is still expected.

The collected responses have been analyzed and synthesized into a summary report. This work is essential in ensuring that the Handbook does not remain purely conceptual but is firmly grounded in practical, real-world experiences. By documenting how different countries approach multi-source statistics in practice, the Handbook will reflect solutions, challenges, and lessons learned across contexts, thereby increasing its usability and relevance.

Handbook Drafting

The Handbook is conceived as a practical guide rather than a purely technical manual, with the ambition of serving as a reference document that can be applied in real statistical practice.

Drafting work has already begun within each thematic sub-team and is progressing in line with the agreed timeline. Authors are volunteers from each group, and their texts undergo consultation both within the sub-team and with the project management team. Once a sub-chapter draft is completed, it is reviewed by the responsible sub-team and the Project Manager, who also ensures overall consistency across the four thematic streams. The final review of the Handbook will be carried out by the UNECE, providing an additional layer of quality assurance and coherence.

Next Steps

With the sprint completed, the project will now focus entirely on the writing and review phase. The immediate priorities are to continue and intensify the drafting process, ensuring that progress remains steady and aligned across all thematic areas.

In practical terms, this means:

• Advancing the work of the thematic sub-teams and the plenary group on drafting the Handbook.
• Strengthening harmonization across themes to guarantee consistency in both content and style.
• Systematically incorporating feedback from plenary discussions into the evolving drafts.

This phase will be decisive for the success of the project. By maintaining strong collaboration and a clear focus on coherence, the RAMSES team will ensure that the Handbook emerges as a comprehensive, user-oriented, and authoritative reference.