The Estonian government has decided to transfer the economic monitoring studies previously carried out by the Estonian Institute of Economic Research (EKI) to the Statistics Office beginning in May 2023. This decision reflects a long-standing discontent from the government regarding the EKI's assessment of the country's economic conditions, which has been reported as poor since 2022. The transition is set to take place once agreements for studies funded by the European Commission and the Estonian state are finalized in the near future.

The EKI has been a partner of the European Commission, providing insights into Estonia's economic situation and outlook for several years. In May 2022, EKI changed its methodology for evaluating the consumer barometer from telephone surveys to online surveys, without testing both methods simultaneously, which raises questions about the accuracy and impact of this shift on results. Additionally, the death of EKI's long-term director, Marje Josing, in the summer of 2023 led to further complications within the institute, contributing to tensions with the government, which believed the EKI's assessments were overly negative.

In light of these developments, the move to the Statistics Office may signal a new chapter in the government's approach to economic data collection and analysis. The transfer could also lead to changes in methodologies and potentially affect future economic policies and decisions. As the government seeks more favorable economic indicators, this transition may impact how economic evaluations are conducted in Estonia moving forward.