STUDIES ON THE COMPARABILITY OF CONSUMER PRICE INDEXES

Comparability of statistical data between countries is a major objecti ve for international statistical organisations such as EUROSTAT. The c onvergence criteria set down in the Maastricht Treaty explicitly requi re comparable consumer price indices in the European Union. We present an empirical analysis, largely based on simulations with Swedish and Finnish CPI data, of various potential sources of noncomparability, co nceptual as well as technical ones.