1 Network Indicators: a new generation of measures? Exploratory review and illustration based on ESS data  Elsa Fontainha 1 , Edviges Coelho 2 1 ISEG Technical University of Lisbon, e-mail: elmano@iseg.utl.pt 2 Statistics Portugal (INE), e-mail: edviges.coelho@ine.pt Abstract The main goal of this paper is to illustrate how to construct innovative indicators which contribute to a better knowledge of cohesion and convergence across Europe and the identification of the roles (e.g. centrality, reciprocity) performed by the several entities (countries, regions, institutions, individuals, enterprises, etc.) in European networks mapped by demographic, economic, financial and communication flows or links. Adopting network analysis, derived from graph theory, and exploring data from the European Statistical System (ESS) related with flows of people, capital, goods or information, network indexes are computed (e.g. density, centrality). The empirical illustrations include networks which differ in size, scope, aggregation level, and nature (population migration, student and teacher temporary mobility, direct foreign investment). The new indicators proposed here can be produced on a regular basis and are summary measures which will complement and improve the current official statistics. Keywords: intra-EU flows, network analysis, economic indicators 1. Introduction Every single minute there are millions and millions of flows crossing Europe. There are flows of capital, people, information, knowledge, goods, and services. Sets of these flows can be used to determine networks, and they can be represented through graphs or matrices and characterized by several network measures. Some of these flows are registered by statistical offices on a regular basis. They can be interpreted as inter or intra links among diverse entities and aggregation levels (e.g. countries, individuals, regions, enterprises). Regular statistical data and indicators are mainly focused on the attributes or characteristics of the entities, for example population mortality, regional income disparities, the ECB interest rate, or EU27 exports. Attribute Data Analysis differs from Relational or Network Data Analysis because the latter focuses on the relation or flow among entities and computes measures (here designated as network indicators) which evaluate the density or cohesion of the  All views expressed in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Statistics Portugal (INE) or ISEG Technical University of Lisbon.