republic of slovenia · 2010-02-10 · priorities of the national statistics in 2010 2 in addition...

REPUBLIC OF SLOVENIA

Priorities of the National Statistics

in 2010

Ljubljana, February 2010

Priorities of the National Statistics in 2010

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In addition to the Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia, the authorised producers of national statistics as defined in the Medium‐term Programme of Statistical Surveys 2008‐2012, Official Journal of the Republic of Slovenia No. 119/2007, page 17199, are:

Agency of the Republic of Slovenia for Public Legal Records and Related Services

Bank of Slovenia

Institute of Public Health of the Republic of Slovenia

Ministry of Finance

Pension and Disability Insurance Institute of Slovenia

Employment Service of Slovenia

Published by Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia (SORS), Ljubljana, Vožarski pot 12

For the publisher Irena Križman MSc, Director‐General of SORS

Telephone +386 1 241 51 00

Fax +386 1241 53 44

Website www.stat.si

Editors Alenka Škafar and Ana Novak

Authors Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia, Agency of the Republic of Slovenia for Public Legal Records and Related Services, Bank of Slovenia, Institute of Public Health of the Republic of Slovenia, Ministry of Finance, Pension and Disability Insurance Institute of Slovenia, and Employment Service of Slovenia

Translation Boris Panič

Printed by Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia

Print run 80 copies

ISSN 1855‐5799

Use and publication of the data is allowed provided that source is acknowledged.


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Contents

Introduction….…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… … …….5

1. DEMOGRAPHY AND SOCIAL STATISTICS............................................................................................................ 6

POPULATION AND MIGRATION........................................................................................................................................6 LABOUR MARKET.............................................................................................................................................................. 7 EDUCATION AND TRAINING ............................................................................................................................................. 7 CULTURE...........................................................................................................................................................................8 HEALTH AND CONSUMER PROTECTION..........................................................................................................................8 LEVEL OF LIVING, SOCIAL PROTECTION AND HOUSING STATISTICS..............................................................................9 CRIME.............................................................................................................................................................................. 10

2. MACROECONOMIC STATISTICS.........................................................................................................................11

NATIONAL ACCOUNTS ................................................................................................................................................... 11 PRICES............................................................................................................................................................................. 11 EXTERNAL TRADE........................................................................................................................................................... 12 BALANCE OF PAYMENTS AND MONETARY AND FINANCIAL STATISTICS..................................................................... 13

3. BUSINESS STATISTICS..................................................................................................................................... 14

ANNUAL BUSINESS STATISTICS ..................................................................................................................................... 14 SHORT‐TERM BUSINESS STATISTICS ............................................................................................................................. 14 ENERGY AND RAW MATERIALS...................................................................................................................................... 15 TRANSPORT.................................................................................................................................................................... 15 TOURISM......................................................................................................................................................................... 16 STATISTICAL BUSINESS REGISTER ..………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..16

4. AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY AND FISHERIES.......................................................................................................17

5. MULTIDOMAIN STATISTICS ............................................................................................................................. 18

ENVIRONMENT ............................................................................................................................................................... 18 REGIONAL STATISTICS AND GEOGRAPHIC/LOCAL INFORMATION............................................................................... 18 SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION.................................................................................................................. 19 INFORMATION SOCIETY ................................................................................................................................................. 19 BUSINESS TENDENCY AND CONSUMER SURVEYS ........................................................................................................ 20

6. STATISTICAL INFRASTRUCTURE ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….21

List of abbreviations .….……………………….………………………………………………………………………………………………24


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The Statistical Council of the Republic of Slovenia

at its 30th regular session on 22 October 2009

discussed the Priorities of the National Statistics in 2010

and adopted the following

DECISION

»The Statistical Council of the Republic of Slovenia at its 30th regular session on 22 October 2009 discussed the content of the Priorities of the National Statistics in 2010 and proposed to the Director‐General of the Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia to take into account the initiatives given by Council members on supplementing the document and also in drawing up the Annual Programme of Statistical Surveys for 2010«

Dr. Anuška Ferligoj

President of the Statistical Council of the Republic of Slovenia


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Introduction

Together with authorised producers of national statistics – Agency of the Republic of Slovenia for Public Legal Records and Related Services, Bank of Slovenia, Institute of Public Health of the Republic of Slovenia, Ministry of Finance, Pension and Disability Insurance Institute of Slovenia, and Employment Service of Slovenia – every year the Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia prepares a proposal of priorities of the national statistics for the next year. This is a document identifying the most important tasks of national statistics in the coming year, while a comprehensive and detailed annual work plan is presented in the annual programme of statistical surveys, which is published in the Official Journal of the Republic of Slovenia. Both documents, Priorities of the National Statistics in 2010 and the Annual Programme of Statistical Surveys for 2010 (LPSR 2010), follow strategic goals and activities of the Medium‐Term Programme of Statistical Surveys 2008–2012 (SPSR 2008–2012) and the Statistical Work Programme of the Commission for 2010.

As regards the contents, the document Priorities of the National Statistics in 2010 is divided into several chapters: the first part presents the main activities planned within individual fields of statistics, while the last chapter is devoted to statistical infrastructure.

Operation in 2010 will be characterised by even more limited material and human resources. Additional synergies and knowledge will be sought in active cooperation within the European Statistical System and international environment. It is also necessary to provide funds for education and training and for information support.

The Government Program for Eliminating Administrative Barriers and Reducing Administrative Burdens by 25% by 2012 requires setting up new administrative sources that should contribute to better regulation of the administrative environment and lead to new data sources for national statistics; setting up an environmental information system, a collection of administrative regulations in the field of construction and a central record of people participating in education. SORS will actively cooperate with authorised institutions. In these areas the priority will be to measure burdens and costs. Other measurements will only be performed on demand of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia and the EU.

In terms of the contents, the most important task – in addition to the introduction of methodological, procedural, information and classification standards – is the preparation of two large censuses. In 2010 the agriculture census will be carried out. At the same time in 2010 the preparations will continue for the 2011 population census, which will also be the first register‐based census in Slovenia. Both censuses and other priorities are detailed in this document by individual fields of statistics.

I would like to thank everybody who cooperated in preparing this document and the Annual Programme of Statistical Surveys for 2010, especially to members of statistical advisory committees and the Statistical Council of the Republic of Slovenia.

Irena Križman

Director‐General of the Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia


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1. DEMOGRAPHY AND SOCIAL STATISTICS

POPULATION AND MIGRATION

Development priorities

Preparations for the register‐based population census

In accordance with the European regulation on population and housing censuses1 in 2011 SORS will once again conduct a population census; this time the census will be the first register‐based census (Register Census 2011) in the country. By setting up new administrative sources (e.g. Real Estate Register at the Surveying and Mapping Authority), by informatising already existing registers (e.g. household register) and updating the Central Population Register the conditions were established for SORS to be able to perform this task in full by combining data from various data sources, i.e. without fieldwork collection. In addition to reducing the reporting burden of people (households), such a census is an important contribution of national statistics to reducing the costs and presents large budget savings for the country.

- development of methodological solutions

In developing the methodology for the register‐based census, in 2010 SORS will focus primarily on the methodology of households and families. Data on them will for the first time be derived from existing data sources and for the first time on the basis of the new definition of population; therefore, SORS will pay special attention to informing users about the comparability with data from previous censuses.

- linking input data A development priority is preparation of the production environment for linking input data of statistical and administrative sources in order to verify and assess the appropriateness of methodological and software solutions. Properly prepared solutions will be the basis for successful implementation of the 2011 register‐based census, the reference date of which will be 1 January 2011.

- preparation of a new data publishing strategy

The census reference date (1 January 2011) is still far away, but SORS will already be preparing a platform for data publishing. To make access to microdata and aggregation simpler, special dissemination files with a number of derived data will be prepared, and the rules for the statistical data protection at various territorial levels and by individual content areas will be set.

New methodological developments

- socio‐economic characteristics of the dead

Among users at national and European level there is an increasing need for data on socio‐economic characteristics of the dead for the analysis of differential mortality and for the calculation of life tables (life expectancy) in relation to education, occupation, etc. SORS will therefore be looking for opportunities to improve and expand the data set from existing administrative and statistical sources.

- calculation of population projections for the 2008–2060 period

Preparations for preparing new population projections for Slovenia are held in cooperation with Eurostat, which plans to publish EUROPOP2008 population projections according to the trend method in late 2009. Accordingly, SORS will publish these data for Slovenia in the SI‐STAT database also at regional level (two regions) by the end of the first half of 2010.

Support to demographic statistical production

In 2009, SORS started setting up a demographic database – i.e. a data collection in which data for the implementation of demographic and other statistical surveys are collected and from which they are derived – for updating databases with demographic content and for sampling needs; this database will later be one of the sources for regular linking of various statistical and administrative sources. In 2010, activities will be focused on filling the database with historical demographic data and analysing data quality, especially the quality of those data that will be included in the mentioned database by linking data from other statistical databases, such as data on occupation, education, etc.

New statistical legislation:

Implementing regulations for Regulation No. 763/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 July 2008 on population and housing censuses regarding specific census contents and their presentation, regarding transmission of statistical data and metadata to the European Commission (Eurostat) and regarding the report on the quality of transmitted data. Implementing regulations for Regulation (EC) No. 862/2007 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 July 2007 on

1 Regulation (EC) No. 763/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 July 2008 on population and housing censuses (32008R0763).


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Community statistics on migration and international protection regarding definitions of the categories of reasons for issuing residence permits, definitions of the categories of groups of countries of birth, groups of countries of previous usual residence, groups of countries of next usual residence and groups of citizenship, about data accuracy and quality standards and about transmitting statistical data and metadata to the European Commission (Eurostat). Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on demographic statistics.

LABOUR MARKET

Impact of new European legislation

- ad hoc modules in the LFS

In the Labour Force Survey (LFS) in 2010 SORS will implement the ad‐hoc module on reconciliation between work and family life2. Data on the entry of young people into the labour market, which SORS implemented within the LFS in 2009, will become accessible to data users. In 2010 the European Commission will adopt the content of the LFS ad‐hoc module for 2011; with this module, which will also be implemented by SORS, the employment of disabled persons will be monitored.

- quarterly data on job vacancies

Following the adoption of European legislation for the preparation of quarterly statistics on job vacancies3, SORS will, once procedures for the use of existing statistical and administrative sources are established, start to publish data in accordance with the requirements of the law. Data will be transmitted to Eurostat.

More rational collection of statistical data and taking care of the quality

In 2010 SORS will continue to seek new sources for checking data or substituting existing data on earnings and labour activity with the intention to rationalise statistical data collection and improve data quality.

New statistical legislation: Commission Regulation concerning the specification of the 2011 ad‐hoc module on employment of disabled persons, provided for by Council Regulation (EC) No. 577/98.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

New methodological developments - new statistical surveys on

education

SORS will be preparing for the implementation of two EU‐harmonised, five‐year surveys on education4, i.e. the Adult Education Survey and the Continuing Vocational Training Survey. SORS will actively cooperate in Eurostat’s task forces preparing the methodology and implementing legal bases. The surveys are expected to be implemented in 2011.

Interinstitutional cooperation – reduction of administrative burdens

A part of the Government measure for reducing administrative burdens is a project of establishing a central record of people participating in education. The project managers are the Ministry of Education and Sport (MŠŠ) and the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology (MVZT). SORS will be involved in determining standards for the record and in regulating the legal bases.

- setting up records in the field of education

In 2009 the MVZT started with activities related to unification of records, i.e. setting up an information system in higher education. The activities, which also involve SORS, will continue in 2010. The cooperation between SORS and the MŠŠ with regard to standardizing the monitoring of data on students and graduates in post‐secondary vocational education, which started in 2009, is also important. The cooperation will enable SORS to take over data from the Higher Vocational Education Admissions Office (as expected from the school year 2010/2011 on) and no longer have to acquire them from individual schools or students; this will also mean a significant rationalisation of data collection.

- 2011 register‐based census: data on educational attainment

SORS will cooperate with institutions that on an individual level keep administrative records of people who have completed upper secondary education in taking over the data for the variable "educational attainment" to be used in the 2011 register‐based census.

2 Commission Regulation (EC) No. 20/2009 of 13 January 2009 adopting the specifications of the 2010 ad hoc module on reconciliation between work and family life (32009R0020) provided for by Council Regulation (EC) No 577/98. 3 Regulation (EC) No 453/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 April 2008 on quarterly statistics on Community job vacancies (32008R0453). 4 Regulation (EC) No 452/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 April 2008 concerning the production and development of statistics on education and lifelong learning (32008R0452).


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International cooperation - INES project

SORS participates in the OECD’s INES project; this is a project of development of a set of indicators of education systems, which will be published in OECD’s Education at a Glance.

- ISCED revision In 2010 cooperation will continue in the revision of the International Classification of Education ‐ ISCED, which is a joint UNESCO, OECD, Eurostat action.

New statistical legislation: Implementing legislation for reporting data on formal education via the UOE questionnaire for Regulation (EC) No. 452/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 April 2008 concerning the production and development of statistics on education and lifelong learning.

CULTURE

International cooperation

– harmonisation of culture statistics

Under the auspices of Eurostat and in cooperation with the OECD and UNESCO, the "EU for statistics on culture" project is taking place. SORS will actively participate in the working group to develop methodologies; the aim will be to develop such a methodology that it will be possible to achieve coordination of various fields or aspects of culture statistics and greater international comparability of data.

HEALTH AND CONSUMER PROTECTION

Impact of new European legislation

- adoption of implementing regulations

Activities in the field of health statistics will be aimed at implementing the provisions of the Regulation5 on statistics on public health and health and safety at work adopted in 2008. This Regulation provides for five domains: health status and health determinants, health care, causes of death, accidents at work, and occupational diseases and other work‐related health problems and illnesses. The Institute of Public Health (IVZ) will together with SORS follow the guidelines and cooperate in further developing of the European Statistical System for health and health care.

- monitoring occupational diseases

For monitoring and planning health care of employees and for implementing the provisions of the aforementioned regulation, a working group coordinated by the IVZ will prepare and introduce the methodology for statistics of occupational diseases. A pilot collection will be carried of data related to persons from records of the Pension and Disability Insurance Institute (ZPIZ) and the Institute of Occupational, Traffic and Sports Medicine (KIMDPŠ), and from occupational medicine specialists, selected general practitioners and employers.


- improving the quality of data on causes of death

In monitoring public health, more precisely in coding causes of death, the IVZ will continue to take the necessary steps to improve the quality of data, including automated coding of underlying cause of death, and activities necessary for the transition to electronic data capture.

- development of health accounts

Work will continue on the revision of the methodology of the System of Health Accounts (SHA), which is being conducted within three international institutions: the OECD, Eurostat and the World Health Organisation (WHO). In the preparation of health accounts SORS is cooperating with the IVZ, the Institute of Macroeconomic Analysis and Development (UMAR) and the Health Insurance Institute of Slovenia (ZZZS).

- socio‐economic determinants of health

Upgrading public health analyses, the IVZ will include data on socio‐economic determinants of health and identify differences in mortality and incidence in individual population groups. The necessary data will be obtained from the Ministry of the Interior (Central Population Register), SORS, UMAR and ZZZS.

Health indicators Together with SORS, the IVZ will actively participate in the preparation of various indicators: European Community Health Indicators (ECHI)6, sustainable development indicators, structural indicators, indicators of disability and indicators developed in the context of the Open Method of Coordination (OMC) in support of national strategies for the development of high quality, accessible and sustainable health care and long‐term care. The IVZ will also

5 Regulation (EC) No 1338/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2008 on Community statistics on public health and health and safety at work (32008R1338). 6 http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_information/dissemination/echi/echi_en.htm


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prepare regional indicators. In the field of European Community Health Indicators an implementing project is conducted under a grant (Joint Action for European Community Health Indicators Monitoring, financed by the Second Programme of Community Action in the Field of Health 2008‐2013).

Records and Material in the Field of Health and Health Care Act

In 2010 the Records and Material in the Field of Health and Health Care Act will be assessed: as an authorised producer of national statistics, the IVZ strives to keep and improve the power to collect data for the needs of the country and for international reporting.

Food safety As regards food safety, in 2010 SORS will continue to monitor methodology and cooperate with the Eurostat working group and relevant institutions monitoring this area at national level.

New statistical legislation: Implementing regulations for Regulation (EC) No. 1338/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2008 on Community statistics on public health and health and safety at work.

LEVEL OF LIVING, SOCIAL PROTECTION AND HOUSING STATISTICS


- modernisation of the Household Budget Survey

SORS will speed up the modernisation of the Household Budget Survey (HBS). The modernisation will involve technical part and contents of the survey; at the same time SORS will reduce the burden of reporting units by using administrative sources and rationalising the set of variables.

- additional statistical data on pensions

In line with the Regulation on the European system of integrated social protection statistics (ESSPROS)7 the Pension and Disability Insurance Institute (ZPIZ) will prepare the bases for the acquisition of additional statistical data to calculate the net value of pensions by types. In terms of national statistics, these data will serve primarily to further check the existing databases at the national level.

- a new household finance and consumption survey

In 2010, the Bank of Slovenia and SORS are expected to implement the regular three‐year Household Finance and Consumption Survey – on the basis of the decision of the General Council of the European Central Bank (ECB) adopted at the 240th meeting on 18 September 2008 and the methodology elaborated jointly by the ECB and Eurostat. In addition to determining and preparing the sample, SORS will provide professional support for the conceptual and organizational issues during the various stages of work and provide data on income and other available data derived from administrative sources. It is expected that data will be available to users in 2011.

New statistical data

- modules in the EU‐SILC

In the annual Survey on Income and Living Conditions (EU‐SILC) SORS plans to implement an additional set of questions concerning the intra household sharing of resources (2010 module). Results will be published in 2011. In 2010, SORS will publish data on housing conditions, environmental conditions, access to services, social and leisure activities, etc. (2009 module).

- long‐term poverty indicators

Eurostat is expected to define long‐term poverty indicators, so that in 2010 it will be possible to process and publish them.

Interinstitutional cooperation

- real estate data

In 2010, SORS will strengthen cooperation with the Surveying and Mapping Authority of the Republic of Slovenia (GURS) in providing better data quality and harmonising the publication of real estate data from the Real Estate Register (REN), since both institutions will be publishing these data.

- 2011 register‐based census: housing statistics

For implementing housing statistics, SORS will analyse REN data to be used in the 2011 Population Census. In 2010 technical conditions for taking over the REN database will be prepared, data and their quality will be analysed, and procedures for data processing will be prepared.

7 Regulation (EC) No 458/2007 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 April 2007 on the European system of integrated social protection statistics ‐ ESSPROS (32007R0458).


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CRIME


- classification of crimes

In activities associated with the development of a system of comparable statistics on crime, criminal justice and victimization at the level of EU Member States, the focus will be on preparing the new European classification of crimes and on preparing recommendations for the implementation of the crime victimization survey, which should take place in 2013. Data from existing records will be expanded mainly to specific groups of crimes, which are priorities in terms of monitoring the implementation of the European policy, i.e. money laundering and human trafficking. To provide these data, SORS will cooperate with responsible institutions in the country that are also reporting units and the source of data.

- single methodology of recording crime

Through membership of a special working group SORS will be together with the relevant institutions involved in the preparation of a common methodology for recording crime from discovery to final judgment and in linking records of the police, prosecutors, courts and prisons. The activities are part of the strategic tasks of the Resolution on the National Programme of Preventing and Combating Crime in the 2007‐2011 Period8, which was adopted in 2007.

8 Resolution on the National Programme of Preventing and Combating Crime in the 2007‐2011 Period (ReNPPZK0711), Official Journal of the Republic of Slovenia, No. 40/2007


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2. MACROECONOMIC STATISTICS

NATIONAL ACCOUNTS

New European legislation

- European System of Accounts

One of the most important tasks is the preparation and implementation of the European System of Accounts. The legislative proposal for the new Regulation will probably be submitted to the European Parliament and the Council for the adoption procedure in 2009. Adoption is expected in 2012 and introduction in 2014. The main challenges in implementing the new system are the capitalisation of expenditure for research and development and recording of liabilities from pension schemes. The main methodological issues are being resolved in Eurostat working groups and task forces in which SORS is cooperating actively.

Quality improvement

- estimates of national accounts aggregates

Special emphasis will be placed on improving the quality of national accounts aggregates. Work will focus on gross domestic product and gross national income and on providing their compliance with the 1995 European System of Accounts. Work will also focus on preparing new data, especially on fixed capital stock and on employment by hours worked. Two multi‐annual statistical surveys will be conducted again: on housing rents and the structure of intermediate consumption.


- implementation of the SKD 2008

Preparations will continue for the implementation of the Standard Classification of Activities SKD 2008 (NACE Rev. 2) in national accounts. In line with the requirements of European legislation and the needs of users, data series will be converted to the new classification for relatively long periods, for most important series probably from 1995 on. In this way, users will be assured of sufficiently long time series which they need in their work. SORS will carry out this work over several years, and should finish it by 2012.

Improvement of data sources Based on user requirements (Bank of Slovenia, Government, UMAR), SORS and the Bank of Slovenia will make a proposal for supplementing the data sources based on accounts of business entities, both conceptual solutions as well as the definition of the reporting sample. On a quarterly basis the new data source will serve the needs of preparing of consistent quarterly sector accounts and balance of payments, and with annual flexible modules the needs for other data that are not available from existing data sources (e.g. parts of business entities). According to defined requirements, AJPES, SORS and the Bank of Slovenia will prepare solutions for web‐based reporting, which will take place through AJPES.

New statistical legislation: Draft proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the new European System of Accounts (ESA)

PRICES


- regulation for seasonal products

In 2009 a regulation was adopted on minimum standards for the treatment of seasonal products in the harmonized indices of consumer prices (HICP)9, and its requirements should start to be implemented at the latest by the beginning of 2011. Since the implementation of the Regulation requires a change of current practice, on the basis of the analysis of various data the most appropriate method of imputation of prices that are missing because of their seasonal nature will have to be studied and selected.


- further development of residential property price indices

SORS will intensively develop residential property price indices. Particular emphasis will be put on drawing up procedures for regular publishing of price indices for existing and new dwellings on a quarterly basis. To provide and improve data sources, SORS will work with the Surveying and Mapping Authority of Slovenia (GURS) and other institutions.

9 Commission Regulation (EC) No 330/2009 of 22 April 2009 laying down detailed rules for the implementation of Council Regulation (EC) No 2494/95 as regards minimum standards for the treatment of seasonal products in the Harmonised Indices of Consumer Prices (HICP) (32009R0330).


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Improvement of the quality of price indices

In improving the quality of output price indices, the import price index and consumer price indices the focus will be on introducing new methods for price adjustment due to changes in product quality, the analysis of new sources for weighting and improving the coverage and the optimization of samples.


- average prices of selected products by countries

At the beginning of 2009 Eurostat published first results of the pilot project carried out together with national statistical offices in which it studied the possibilities of publishing data on prices of selected products by countries. SORS will continue activities in this area; once again it will collect data on prices of selected products within the HICP, expand the collection of price data to data collected for the purpose of purchasing power parities (PPP), followed by the analysis of all collected data with the emphasis on the integration of HICP and PPP and their possible publication.

EXTERNAL TRADE

New European legislation and interinstitutional cooperation

- implementing regulation for Intrastat

The new implementing regulation for Intrastat is being adopted, which will determine in greater detail changes in the monitoring of trade between Member States, which were introduced with the regulation adopted in 200910. Changes require the preparation of statistics by enterprise characteristics and regulate the commitment of tax administration regarding the provision of some data from value added tax (VAT) recapitulative statements.

- implementing regulation for Extrastat

The new implementing regulation for Extrastat implementing Regulation (EC) No. 471/200911 is in the process of adoption, which will specify the obligation of the customs administration in relation to the provision of customs information for monitoring the statistics relating to trade with third countries in the next medium‐term period. Implementing provisions will, among other things, state what additional data Member States will have to transmit in 2010 to Eurostat, the requirement to produce statistics by enterprise characteristics and the possibility for accessing data in the EORI system; this is a system of registration and identification of economic entities, which is in Slovenia maintained by the Customs Administration (CURS).

Interinstitutional cooperation

To ensure harmonised operation of both institutions in the adoption of implementing provisions for the Modernized Customs Code12, SORS will cooperate with CURS. Amendments to the Code will affect the monitoring of data on statistics of trade with third countries (Extrastat) during the next medium‐term period.

Improvement of data quality To improve the quality of data, SORS will participate in the Eurostat MEETS13 project. Procedures for checking the accuracy of the data reported for Intrastat will be put in place, namely through the use of administrative data from VAT recapitulative statements.

Reduction of administrative burdens

SORS will determine the level of statistical assimilation threshold in the Intrastat for 2011 at the arrivals of goods according to the results of the conducted analysis of the impact that further reduction of the coverage rate has on the quality of the data and on the reduction of the reporting burden.

New statistical legislation: Implementing regulation for Intrastat, changing Commission Regulation (EC) No. 1982/2004 of 18 November 2004; implementing regulation for Extrastat regarding the implementation of Regulation (EC) No. 471/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 May 2009.

10 Regulation (EC) No 222/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2009 amending Regulation (EC) No 638/2004 on Community statistics relating to the trading of goods between Member States (32009R0222). 11 Regulation (EC) No 471/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 May 2009 on Community statistics relating to external trade with non‐member countries and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 1172/95 (32009R0471). 12 Regulation (EC) No 450/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 April 2008 laying down the Community Customs Code (Modernised Customs Code) (32008R0450). 13 MEETS (Modernisation of the European Enterprise and Trade Statistics) programme.


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BALANCE OF PAYMENTS, AND MONETARY AND FINANCIAL STATISTICS

Amended ECB regulations and development priorities

- implementation of the improved methodology for MFI reporting

By summer 2010 the Bank of Slovenia (BS) will together with credit institutions introduce the updated methodology for reporting of monetary financial institutions (MFI)14. In addition to an update of the regulations on the consolidated balance sheet15 and interest rates16 in the monetary financial institutions sector and guidelines17, the report will include: the basic part of the supervisory financial report (FINREP), the requirements of financial accounts statistics and of external statistics to MFI’s and other analytical needs of the BS. Reporting according to the new report will start in July 2010.

- long‐term rationalisation of reporting by credit institutions

The BS used the modernisation of the reporting system due to amended Regulations of the European Central Bank (ECB) for a thorough integration of statistical and supervisory needs for data in accordance with the recommendations of the ECB Governing Council and the Joint Expert Group on Reconciliation – JEGR (which, in addition to representatives of statisticians and ESCB bank supervisors included the Committee of European Banking Supervisors, CEBS). JEGR was looking for the necessary synergies between the statistical and supervisory data set in order to provide long‐term reduction of the reporting burden of credit institutions and to provide better quality data in decision‐making (i.e. analysis, supervision).


- European list of payment transaction codes

In the balance of payments statistics, in 2010 the list of payment transaction codes will be simplified. The present list of codes will be replaced by a shorter list harmonised at the European level, which will primarily serve for control purposes.

- financial intermediation services indirectly measured

The Bank of Slovenia will improve the calculation of indirectly measured financial intermediation services on the basis of the methodology used by SORS for measuring this aggregate.


The BS started to develop together with the Insurance Supervision Agency (AZN) the common report of insurance companies and pension funds. The common reporting of financial institutions with a lower number of reports reduces the reporting burden, while uniform reporting elements expand the applicability of their data.

Cooperation with users

- statistical literacy In 2010 the BS will continue to publish special methodological information within the framework of statistical, financial and macroeconomic issues as a contribution to statistical literacy of data users.

New statistical legislation: The proposed amendments to Regulation (EC) No. 2533/98 concerning the collection of statistical information by the European Central Bank, which will extend the statistical competence of the ECB and the ESCB to sector S.125.

14 This statistical series covers in the ESCB: the balance sheet and changes to the state of monetary financial institutions (MFI), MFI interest rates, securities, statistics of non‐monetary financial intermediaries (especially investment funds and companies involved in securitization), statistics of payment systems, the long‐term convergence interest rate, etc. 15 Regulation (EC) No 25/2009 of the European Central Bank of 19 December 2008 concerning the balance sheet of the monetary financial institutions sector (recast) (ECB/2008/32). 16 Regulation (EC) No 290/2009 of the ECB of 31 March 2009 amending Regulation (EC) No 63/2002 (ECB/2001/18) concerning statistics on interest rates applied by monetary financial institutions to deposits and loans vis‐à‐vis households and non‐financial corporations (ECB/2009/7). 17 Guideline of the European Central Bank of 1 August 2007 on monetary, financial institutions and markets statistics (recast) (ECB/2007/9) and Guideline of the European Central Bank of 19 December 2008 amending Guideline ECB/2007/9 on monetary, financial institutions and markets statistics (recast) (ECB/2008/31).


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3. BUSINESS STATISTICS

ANNUAL BUSINESS STATISTICS

Implementing measures of European legislation ‐ SBS

- reduction of reporting burden

The updated Regulation on structural business statistics (SBS)18 enables collection of data for specific activities of business services every two years. Therefore, SORS will reduce the reporting burden of a part of the business population. According to the regulation, the publication of collected data on business services will also be adjusted.

In line with the regulation, SORS will study additional sources for providing data on variables regarding working time spent and on subcontractors.

- publication of data according to the SKD 2008

The mentioned regulation also determines the publication of data on operations of enterprises according to both Standard Classifications of Activities, i.e. the SKD 2008 (Nace Rev. 2) and the SKD 2002 (Nace Rev. 1.1), for 2008.

Modernisation of surveys

- modernisation of the IND/L survey

In 2010 a new questionnaire will be prepared for reporting units included in the annual survey on industrial production (IND/L), which will be friendlier for reporting units in terms of entering the data.

- estimate of building construction

The quality and usefulness of the data from the Real Estate Register (REN), which SORS obtains from the Surveying and Mapping Authority (GURS) for construction statistics, will be analysed. If it turns out that the quality of the mentioned data is sufficient, SORS will change the methodology for preparing the estimates of building construction; at the moment, estimates are produced from existing statistical sources.

Reduction of administrative burdens and costs while keeping the quality of results

The task of reducing reporting burdens in the field of business statistics will continue in 2010 in all areas.

After the substantive and technical modernisation of the annual trade survey (TRG/L), SORS plans a thorough data analysis to determine to what extent the elimination of small reporting units (with fewer than 9 employees) would influence survey results. If results are of sufficient quality, SORS will be able to exonerate small units from reporting for the survey.

New statistical legislation: Implementing legislation on definitions of variables, on the technical format of reporting, on double reporting according to NACE Rev. 1.1 and NACE Rev. 2 and on derogations granted for structural business statistics and implementing legislation on the series of data to be produced for structural business statistics and the adaptations necessary after the revision of the statistical Classification of Products by Activity (CPA).

SHORT‐TERM BUSINESS STATISTICS

European requirements for quality of short‐term statistics

- after the implementation of the SKD 2008

In the field of short‐term indicators19, in 2009 SORS started disseminating the data according to the new version of the Standard Classification of Activities – SKD 2008; at the same time the time series of data before 2000 were prepared and changing over to the new base year 2005 was done. And after that the quality of the results and prepared time series will be verified. This will be done in accordance with the policy of Eurostat in all EU Member States, i.e. by comparison of short‐term data with related data from other sources.

- the »retail trade turnover« indicator

In 2009, Eurostat established a working group dealing with the quality of the monthly retail trade turnover indicator. The main task of the group is to identify the reasons for major revisions and variability of data and to develop, on the basis of analysis, recommendations for further work. SORS will monitor the work of the group and follow the recommendations for

18 Regulation (EC) No 295/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2008 concerning structural business statistics (recast) (32008R0295). 19 Council Regulation (EC) No. 1165/98 of 19 May 1998 concerning short‐term statistics, amended by Regulation (EC) No. 158/2005 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 July 2005 and Commission Regulation (EC) No. 1503/2006 of 28 September 2006 implementing and amending Council Regulation (EC) No. 1165/98 and Regulation (EC) No. 1893/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 December 2006 establishing the statistical classification of economic activities NACE Rev. 2 and amending Council Regulation (EEC) No. 3037/90 as well as certain EC Regulations on specific statistical domains.


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calculating the index of turnover in retail trade.

Development of new methodology

- construction costs for dwellings

SORS will conclude with the analysis of sources for the preparation of the methodology for calculating the construction costs indicator for dwellings (now SORS takes over the data from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry – the Chamber of Construction and Building Materials Industry). This will be followed by the preparation of all necessary procedures to start with regular calculation and quarterly publication of the indicator following the methodology of existing SORS's sources.

ENERGY AND RAW MATERIALS

Development of new statistics

- renewable energy sources statistics

The regulation on energy statistics20, which came into force in 2009, brings the development of new statistics in the field of renewable sources and final energy consumption. As a result, SORS plans a review and update of existing methodologies in the field of renewable energy sources as it wishes to set up all available statistics in one place. First results are expected in 2011.

- final consumption of energy and fuels statistics

SORS will start a pilot project in the field of energy and fuels consumption in households. Within the project the methodology of data collection will be developed, the basis for the future data collection will be established and the survey on energy and fuels consumption in households will be conducted.


SORS will intensify cooperation with the Environment Agency of the Republic of Slovenia (ARSO) ‐ with which it is already cooperating in the exchange of data necessary for calculating greenhouse gas emissions ‐ by exchanging more detailed energy data on the quantity and content of liquid fuels and bio fuels and other renewable fuels for motor vehicles in road transport.

SORS will cooperate with the Jožef Stefan Institute in the field of existing data sources on renewable energy sources and in the use of estimates and models in calculating them.

New statistical data - implementation of the

SKD 2008

With the introduction of the new version of the classification of activities (SKD 2008) partial changes were necessary in the field of collecting data on consumption of energy products. These changes will be shown in tabulation and final dissemination of data in the SI‐STAT database.

- a new thematic publication

SORS is planning to publish a brochure on energy, which will present in greater detail the situation regarding energy production and consumption, and the use of renewable energy sources in Slovenia.

TRANSPORT

Simplification of European legislation

- reduction of administrative burdens and costs

With the amended Directive21 from the field of maritime transport / port traffic, in 2010 the European legislation on transport statistics will be simplified. Further steps for the reduction of administrative burdens and costs will be made with the introduction of new information services – so‐called e‐maritime.

For 2010 the start of the legislative procedure for simplifying statistical regulations from the fields of air, rail and goods road transport is also planned.


- Eurostat's working groups Via Eurostat's working groups SORS will be included in the preparation of statistical monitoring of intermodality and logistics in all modes of goods transport and the introduction of the measurement of the volume of road traffic on the basis of vehicle kilometres.

- development of various indicators

By cooperating in working groups of Eurostat and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), SORS will be included in the development of several indicators at the level of the European Community, such as modal split indicators, structural, regional and

20 Regulation (EC) No 1099/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 October 2008 on energy statistics (32008R1099). 21 Directive 2009/42/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 May 2009 on statistical returns in respect of carriage of goods and passengers by sea (recast) (32009L0042).


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environmental indicators, and sustainable development indicators.

New statistical data On OECD’s request, in statistics of registered cars SORS will start publishing seasonally adjusted and calendar adjusted time series of data.

TOURISM


- modernisation of accommodation statistics

In 2010 the comprehensive modernisation of the statistical survey on accommodation facilities, tourist arrivals and overnight stays (TU/M) is planned to be finished. On the basis of results from the modernised procedures for calculating the data, SORS will decide if the time series of data for the past years needs to be corrected.

Interinstitutional cooperation and reduction of administrative burdens

SORS will prepare the initiative to set up the system of central interinstitutional collection of data on tourist arrivals and overnight stays. SORS expects cooperation from the Ministry of the Economy, the Ministry of Public Administration and the Government Office for Local Self‐Government and Regional Policy. Such a system would mean that data providers need only report once to meet the demands of statistics and other administrative bodies (e.g. municipalities, DURS, etc.). In this way administrative burdens would be much lower for everyone involved.


SORS continues with the preparation of substantive and technical adjustments to the requirements of the new European regulation that should be adopted in the first half of 2010. Data in line with the new regulation should be sent to Eurostat for the first time in 2011.


- publication of results on foreign tourists

SORS will publish the results of the Survey on Foreign Tourists in the Republic of Slovenia, which was conducted in 2009. The survey is conducted every three years and brings data on the characteristics of foreign tourists, their stay and their spending.

- implementation of the survey on foreign travellers

The Survey on Foreign Travellers in the Republic of Slovenia, which SORS conducts every three years, will be implemented. The survey will be conducted at the border with Croatia and in some of the most important tourist points. Fieldwork and existing statistical data will yield data on the structure of foreign travellers and their average spending. Data are expected to be published in 2011.

New statistical legislation: Draft Regulation (EC) of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning European Statistics on Tourism – amended Council Directive 95/57/EC.

STATISTICAL BUSINESS REGISTER

New European implementing legislation

- exchange of data with the EGR

In 2009 an implementing regulation22 of the European Commission was adopted regarding the exchange of confidential data between the Commission and Member States for multinational enterprise groups. In 2010 this will be followed by the preparation of the methodology and updating of the technical environment for the integration of data from the EuroGroups Register – EGR into the internal SORS environment.


- structural questionnaire for improving the quality of the PRS (AJPES)

Because the Business Register of Slovenia (PRS) is the most important source of data for the Statistical Business Register (SPR) and for various related statistics, SORS and the Agency of the Republic of Slovenia for Public Legal Records and Related Services (AJPES) started discussions about and preparations for improving and providing the quality of data in the PRS. This is expected to be implemented with the so‐called structural questionnaire, which will be used to collect data on the main and auxiliary activities of business entities, improve the coverage and improve the data on parts of business entities in the PRS. Data on parts of business entities are the basis for statistics of local units and for statistics of local kind of activity units. They enable monitoring of development indicators at regional level, which regional policy‐makers are especially interested in.

New statistical legislation: Implementing regulations of the European Commission regarding the exchange of confidential data between the Commission and central banks for multinational enterprise groups.

22 Commission Regulation (EC) No 192/2009 of 11 March 2009 implementing Regulation (EC) No 177/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a common framework for business registers for statistical purposes, as regards the exchange of confidential data between the Commission (Eurostat) and Member States (32009R0192).


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4. AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY AND FISHERIES

With its detailed data on the structure of agricultural holdings and labour force in agriculture, the 2010 Agriculture Census will be the basis for statistical monitoring of agriculture in Slovenia in the next decade.


- orchards statistics

Eurostat is finishing the first draft of the regulation on permanent crops statistics, which is now divided into orchards and vineyards. SORS will actively cooperate in modernising legislation, especially in simplifying the content of data collection and in enforcing the possible use of administrative sources. So far this has not been foreseen for orchard statistics.

- consumption of plant protection products

An EU regulation is being adopted that will regulate the field of statistics of consumption of plant protection products. SORS is preparing to be able to implement the provisions of the mentioned regulation, the strategy for data collection methods by determining the obligations and tasks within the framework of the interinstitutional cooperation with the Phytosanitary Administration of the Republic of Slovenia (within the MKGP) and the Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning (MOP).

- aquaculture statistics In line with the regulation on aquaculture23 adopted in 2009, in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food (MKGP) and the Fisheries Research Institute of Slovenia SORS plans to finally regulate the field of collecting statistical data on fishing, especially statistics of aquaculture (i.e. cultivation of water organisms). The agreement on cooperation in this area with the MKGP will have to be supplemented.

2010 Agriculture Census In line with the European legislation24,25 SORS will conduct the 2010 Agriculture Census and the sample statistical survey on agricultural production methods. SORS will collect the data in two ways: with fieldwork and from available, high‐quality administrative sources at the MKGP.

- interinstitutional cooperation

Use of administrative sources will be the opportunity to formally and technically regulate the taking over of administrative data for statistical purposes with an agreement on cooperation between SORS and the MKGP, which will contribute to reducing administrative burdens and costs both for reporting units (agricultural holdings) and for SORS. Fieldwork data collection will be necessary due to some legally obligatory contents, which will increase financial and organisational complexity of the census implementation.

Census of Market Horticulture

Together with the 2010 Agriculture Census, SORS will conduct the Census of Market Horticulture. In this way the resources will be spent more rationally and at the same time SORS will obtain quality data on market horticulture.

New methodological developments - agri‐environmental

indicators

SORS will obtain the basis for providing new data on water consumption (agri‐environmental indicator) from the data of the 2010 Agriculture Census and results of the European project26 on the use of water for irrigation in agriculture in 2009. With the help of data collected with the sample survey on agricultural production methods SORS will be able to develop the method of estimating the consumption of fertilisers in agriculture, especially the method of estimating manure consumption.

- economic accounts for forestry

In the field of methodology of economic accounts for forestry SORS will develop a new item called consumption of fixed capital and continue to develop the forestry module of environmental accounts.


- 2009 Census of Vineyards

SORS will publish the results of the 2009 Census of Vineyards. This survey is conducted every ten years. In 2009 it was conducted for the first time in line with the EU regulation27 mainly on the basis of administrative sources.

New statistical legislation: Draft Regulation on permanent crops statistics (orchards, vineyards) – discussion in the Eurostat working group; Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning statistics on plant protection products (COM (2006) 778).

23 Regulation (EC) No. 762/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 July 2008 on the submission by Member States of statistics on aquaculture and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No. 788/96 (32008R0768). 24 Regulation (EC) No. 1166/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 November 2008 on farm structure surveys and the survey on agricultural production methods and repealing Council Regulation (EEC) No 571/88 (32008R1166). 25 Commission Regulation (EC) No. 1242/2008 of 8 December 2008 establishing a Community typology for agricultural holdings (32008R1242). 26 Eurostat grant funds for 2008: Theme 4.07: Pilot Studies on estimating volume of water used for irrigation. 27 Council Regulation (EEC) No. 357/79 of 5 February 1979 on statistical surveys of areas under vines (31979R0357).


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5. MULTIDOMAIN STATISTICS

ENVIRONMENT

Revised statistical legislation - waste statistics

In line with the Regulation on waste statistics28 SORS will prepare data on the quantity of generated waste, on waste treatment and on waste treatment facilities and send them to Eurostat. For preparing these data we will have to change and improve the methodology of data collection as well as some reporting variables.


- environmental accounts

On the basis of the finished pilot survey on environmental protection expenditure accounts, SORS will set up a harmonised methodology for regular collection and preparation of statistical data on expenditure for environmental protection. New data will be an important source of information on environmental protection expenditure by purpose at national level. SORS will actively cooperate in the Eurostat working group for the preparation of the regulation on environmental accounts.

SORS will calculate time series of data on air emissions and material flow accounts so that they will be in line with the new European methodology. Analyses linking material and economic data will be implemented and indicators for both areas will be prepared.

Reduction of administrative burden

SORS obtained data on water statistics from the Ministry of the Environment (MOP). This will be followed by a detailed analysis of the data and the possibilities for joint collection of data on the public sewage network and drinking water supply. If it turns out that the data are suitable for use, SORS will sign an agreement with the MOP regarding data transmission. This will unify data collection in this area and reduce the burden of reporting units.


- on environment in Slovenia

SORS plans to issue a special publication on environment in Slovenia within the Rapid Reports series. This publication will present different fields of the environment: water, waste, environmental protection expenditure, natural disasters.

- on sustainable development

The set of sustainable development indicators was prepared on the basis of the pilot project for establishing a set of sustainable development indicators. These indicators will be published in a brochure entitled »Sustainable Development in Slovenia «, which is expected to come out in March 2010.


The introduction of the new version of the Standard Classification of Activities SKD 2008 brought the need for changes in some areas of environmental statistics; changes will happen mostly in publishing the data from the field of waste statistics, statistics of water use in manufacturing, construction and agriculture, and in environmental protection expenditure accounts. Changes will be necessary mostly in tabulation and final dissemination of data in the SI‐STAT Database.

REGIONAL STATISTICS AND GEOGRAPHIC/LOCAL INFORMATION

New European requirements

- Urban Audit

Cooperating in the Urban Audit (UA) project, Member States provide comparable data on the quality of life in European cities. SORS will transmit to Eurostat data for the annual UA collection (40 variables) for reference years 2005 to 2009 and data for the expanded collection (300 variables) for the reference year 2008. SORS will publish these data in its SI‐STAT Database. The Eurostat working group will discuss the possible preparation of legislation for this area.

- GEOSTAT project

SORS will cooperate in the ESSnet GEOSTAT project, which is an initiative of the European Forum for Geostatistics and Eurostat. The purpose of the project is to set up the »ESSgrid« system (a system of hierarchical grids at the level of Europe) of geostatistics with socio‐economic and environmental data. A project result will be a 1 km x 1 km grid with data on the population in the EU‐27. Within the mentioned project recommendations will be harmonised and prepared for treating data on grids and the needs of users for spatial data will be analysed.

28 Regulation (EC) No. 221/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2009 amending Regulation (EC) No 2150/2002 on waste statistics, as regards the implementing powers conferred on the Commission (32009R0221).


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- land cover GIS

The statistical land cover geographic information system (GIS) for Slovenia shows spatial distribution of basic categories of land cover. The data are updated every four years. SORS plans to update the data according to the new methodology, which will take into account all available sources in the country, including the data from the Record of Actual Agricultural and Forest Land Use at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food. The data will be published at the latest in the second half of 2010.


- showing data in a hierarchical grid

After setting up the national system of hierarchical grids, which is in line with the INSPIRE directive29, for the needs of publishing spatial statistics in a hierarchical grid SORS will determine the set of data, the level of data protection and the smallest cell size for a specific data set.

- regional indicators

SORS strives to develop and co‐design a set of regional statistical indicators for various fields and territorial levels that are used as a support for planning, guiding and monitoring regional and local development. The indicators will be published in various SORS’s media.

SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION

New international requirements

- innovation

In the area of innovation statistics, SORS will focus its activities into the preparation of the content of the innovation survey30 (The Community Innovation Survey ‐ CIS 2010), which will be conducted in 2011 for reference years 2008–2010. In this and in the preparation of the content of the ad hoc module that will be pr0posed for inclusion in the mentioned survey SORS will cooperate with Eurostat.


- methodological improvements

In the field of R&D statistics, activities will be focused on cooperating at EU level in methodological improvements, especially related to more detailed monitoring of the internationalisation of R&D activity. Intensive cooperation with the OECD is foreseen, e.g. regarding the monitoring of R&D activities in biotechnology. In accordance with adopted methodological solutions, proposals will be prepared regarding changes/supplements of questions in national questionnaires.

INFORMATION SOCIETY


- e‐security In accordance with the implementing regulation (adopted in October 2009) and with the support of grants from the European Commission, European harmonised surveys on the use of information and communication technology (ICT) in enterprises, in households and by individuals will be conducted. In both surveys focus will be put on e‐security in using the Internet. In the Eurostat task force SORS will actively cooperate in designing the content of the surveys for 2011.


- ICT investment

With the help of European funds, SORS will conduct a pilot project for collecting data on ICT investment in enterprises. These data are important for calculating various macroeconomic indicators and could also be used in Eurostat’s project for linking microdata from various sources for determining the impact of ICT in various areas of the economy.


- benchmarking framework

In 2010 the European Commission will update and develop a set of new indicators for the so‐called benchmarking framework, with which Member States will monitor development of information technology for supporting the successor to the i2010 strategy. Because basic indicators will be based on statistical surveys, in addition to indicators the Commission will also determine new themes, which will be the focus of the coming surveys on ICT use in enterprises and households.

New statistical legislation: Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EC) No. 808/2004 concerning Community statistics on the information society/* KOM/2008/0677 final ‐ COD 2008/0201 */ Annual implementing regulation to the Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council (EC) No. 808/2004.

29 INSPIRE ‐ INfrastructure for SPatial InfoRmation in Europe; http://www.ec‐gis.org/inspire; 20.7.2009. 30 Commission Regulation (EC) No. 1450/2004 of 13 August 2004 implementing Decision No 1608/2003/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the production and development of Community statistics on innovation (32004R1450).


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BUSINESS TENDENCY AND CONSUMER SURVEYS



Cooperation with the European Commission – Directorate General for Economic and Financial Affairs (DG ECFIN) will continue in implementing the harmonised programme of EU business tendency and consumer surveys. The main focus within the working group will be put on the introduction of the new standard classification of activities NACE Rev. 2 (in Slovenia called SKD 2008) into business tendency surveys. Historical time series will also be prepared.


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6. STATISTICAL INFRASTRUCTURE

Total quality management

Work related to total quality management is becoming more important with the requests for more efficient implementation of tasks. In the European Statistical System cooperation in this area is strengthening. Eurostat established a strategic high‐level task force called Sponsorship on Quality, in which SORS will actively participate.

- priorities

Priorities in the field of improving the quality are:

- methodological guidelines for preparing standard quality reports will be updated and taken into account in selected fields; procedures for determining the quality of used administrative sources will be included,

- documents about coherence of statistical data from selected surveys will be prepared and published,

- internal rules on revisions of published statistical data will be introduced.

- cooperation with authorised producers

Work will continue on further improvement of compliance with the European Statistics Code of Practice31, especially in cooperation with authorised producers of official statistics in the field of quality in terms of better and easier transfer of knowledge within the Slovenian statistical system (training, possible study visits at SORS). SORS will offer to authorised producers of official statistics the necessary assistance in introducing and improving coherence with the European Statistics Code of Practice.

Strengthening of the Slovene statistical system

SORS will actively cooperate with authorised producers of official statistics in fulfilling the requirements of the Regulation on European Statistics32; this will strengthen the partnership between institutions in the national statistical system and contribute to better harmonisation of Slovenian statistics.

Reduction of administrative burdens

- OAO 2012 program

Monitoring and evaluating the burden of reporting units is a permanent priority for SORS. To this end – in accordance with the Decision of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia of 14 May 2009 regarding the elimination of administrative barriers (OAO) and reduction of administrative burdens – a strategic group was established which set out a program of activities by 2012. The program covers activities which used to be discussed by SORS’s OAO group, activities implemented by SORS and the Government to fulfil the OAO 2012 program. The group will be actively involved in the preparation of new administrative sources that are announced in the Government OAO 2012 program, e.g. setting up an environmental information system, a collection of administrative regulations in the field of construction and a central record of people participating in education.

- measuring burdens and costs

Measuring of burdens and costs will mainly focus on the fields of statistics in which the Government OAO 2012 program anticipates the establishment of new data sources.

Dissemination and communication with users

SORS will start updating its website »www.stat.si«, which will enable easier access to and use of statistical data and information.

Cooperation with reporting units

For easier and better communication with reporting units, SORS will prepare a database of information for reporting units, which will include explanations of various reporting methods and a frequently‐asked questions database. Internal rules for communicating with reporting units will be prepared and introduced.

- increasing the data reporting rate

SORS will continue with activities enabling reporting units to transmit data in various ways, e.g. e‐reporting, paper, CATI, CAPI; this should contribute to a higher response rate. To improve reporting, SORS will lean on operation of the Committee for Increased Reporting, which was established in 2009.

- system of taking over In the field of management of administrative sources, SORS will upgrade the system of

31 European Statistics Code of Practice; http://www.stat.si/eng/novice_poglej.asp?ID=611; 21.7.2009 32 Regulation (EC) No. 223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2009 on European statistics and repealing Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1101/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the transmission of data subject to statistical confidentiality to the Statistical Office of the European Communities, Council Regulation (EC) No 322/97 on Community Statistics, and Council Decision 89/382/EEC, Euratom establishing a Committee on the Statistical Programmes of the European Communities (32009R0223).


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administrative sources taking over administrative sources and internal tasks, which will contribute to transparency and optimisation of the procedure.

Modernisation of information technology

Taking care of a modern information system is a permanent task for SORS. Within this activity a solution to ensure constant operation will be implemented and guidelines and good practice of ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) in managing information systems will be introduced.

- modernisation of business statistics

When the project of modernisation of statistical processing for business statistics is finished, SORS will continue to introduce the developed tools into the regular statistical production. Introduction will be gradual; first for annual and multi‐annual surveys and then for short‐term surveys. Introduction of solutions developed within the project will demand several organisational and process changes, which will mostly affect these areas:

- planning and preparation of the statistical survey (introduction of a common base of variables, questions and questionnaires),

- collection of data through the introduction of e‐reporting, optical reading of printed questionnaires, further development of the central directory of enterprises, etc.,

- process of statistical data processing (use of standard procedures with the use of the so‐called metadata approach).

- implementation of the SDMX standard

In the field of standardisation for exchange of statistical data and metadata with international institutions, SORS will introduce internationally adopted procedures, i.e. the SDMX (Statistical Data and Metadata eXchange)33 standard.

Statistical Business Register

Work on the modernisation of the Statistical Business Register (SPR) will continue. After the modernisation, the register will enable central recording of data with the help of appropriate statistical methods on the basis of a combination of administrative and statistical sources.

Archiving and storing statistical data

In 2010, SORS will continue with the StatARH project, which will significantly increase availability, stability, integrity and security of statistical data, documentation and the »www.stat.si« website. Internal rules on storing documentary and archival material will be prepared and introduced.

Classifications

- Standard Classification of Activities ‐ SKD 2008

SORS will continue with the introduction of the Standard Classification of Activities SKD 2008 into those statistical surveys in which the new version of the classification was not implemented in 2008 or 2009. In surveys in which SKD 2008 was implemented, updating in the field of publishing survey results and time series will take place. In the 2010 Statistical Yearbook most of the data will be published according to SKD 2008.

- Standard Classification of Occupations ‐ SKP

In 2010, SORS will update the Standard Classification of Occupations – SKP and then implement transition to the updated SKP, which follows the updated international classification of occupations ISCO‐08. It is expected that the decree on the introduction and use of the new SKP will be adopted in mid‐2010 and the new SKP should start to be used in early 2011.

- Classification System of Education and Training‐ KLASIUS

In 2010, SORS will continue to set up the new statistical collection of activities and outcomes of education and training, which will serve as the basis for preparing additional tools for the common and easy coding by KLASIUS. These activities will be followed by the second phase of introducing KLASIUS into data collections in which the primary unit is a person, while education or participation in education is a characteristic of a person (e.g. records in the field of labour and social insurance – M forms34). In accordance with the progress in introducing KLASIUS into the administrative environment, work will continue on introducing KLASIUS into those statistical surveys that are based on administrative sources.

Data protection In the field of statistical data protection, SORS will conclude the first phase of the comprehensive modernisation of information protection management. SORS will prepare and start to implement activities stipulated by national and sectoral data protection policies and thus provide better protection, accessibility and integrity of data.

33 http://sdmx.org/, 23.7.2009 34 On the forms data are collected on pension and disability and health insurance, insurance for parental protection, unemployment insurance and the conclusion of formal employment contracts (M‐1, M‐2, M‐3, M‐3A, M‐DČ).


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SORS's business premises A SORS’s priority is to provide appropriate business premises at one location due to data protection, more optimal working process and more appropriate working conditions for employees.

Human resource management

Only well trained, educated and motivated employees can implement the stated SORS’s tasks. To this end the necessary training and reassignment of employees will continue regarding personal desires and needs arising from tasks. An internal training catalogue will be published and annual and career interviews will be conducted with the aim to find the right person for the right job. In support of the mentioned, SORS will start preparing the list of typical jobs and necessary competence (employee knowledge database).

Financial resource management

SORS will continue to regularly monitor costs of statistical surveys and rationalise all costs to the level that still enables quality implementation of activity. SORS will monitor Slovenian and international public tenders related to the content of projects to be implemented at SORS. Budget funds will have to be provided for the implementation of the agriculture census and the population census and for obtaining business premises at one location.

New statistical legislation: Decree on the introduction and use of the Standard Classification of Occupations


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List of abbreviations

AJPES – Agency of the Republic of Slovenia for Public Legal Records and Related Services

ARSO – Environmental Agency of the Republic of Slovenia

AZN – Insurance Supervision Agency

BS – Bank of Slovenia

CATI – Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing

CAPI – Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing

CURS – Customs Administration of the Republic of Slovenia

DG ECFIN –Directorate General for Economic and Financial Affairs

EORI – Economic Operators' Registration and Identification system

ECB – European Central Bank

ECHI – European Community Health Indicators

ESA – European System of Accounts

ESCB – European System of Central Banks

GIS – Geographic information system

GURS – Surveying and Mapping Authority of the Republic of Slovenia

HBS – Household Budget Survey

HICP – Harmonised index of consumer prices

ICT – Information and communication technology

INES – Indicators of Educational Systems

ISCED – International Standard Classification of Education

ISCO – International Standard Classification of Occupations

ITIL – Information Technology Infrastructure Library

IVZ – Institute of Public Health

JEGR – Joint Expert Group on Reconciliation – expert working group at the ESCB Statistics Committee and the Banking Supervision Committee

KIMDPŠ – Institute of Occupational, Traffic and Sports Medicine

KLASIUS – Classification System of Education and Training

LFS – Labour Force Survey

MF – Ministry of Finance

MFI – Monetary financial institutions

MKGP – Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food

MOP – Ministry of the Environment

MŠŠ – Ministry of Education and Sport

MVZT – Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology

OECD – Organisation for Economic Co‐operation and Development

OMC – Open Method of Coordination

PPP – Purchasing power parities

PRS – Business Register of Slovenia

REN – Real Estate Register, set up and kept by the Surveying and Mapping Authority of the Republic of Slovenia

SBS – Structural business statistics

SDMX – Statistical Data and Metadata eXchange

SHA – System of Health Accounts

SILC – Statistics on Income and Living Conditions

SKD – Standard Classification of Activities

SKP – Standard Classification of Occupations

SPR – Statistical Business Register

UMAR – Institute of Macroeconomic Analysis and Development


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UNECE – United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

UNESCO – United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organizations

VAT – Value added tax

WHO – World Health Organization

ZPIZ – Pension and Disability Insurance Institute

ZZZS – Health Insurance Institute of Slovenia

republic of slovenia · 2010-02-10 · priorities of the national statistics in 2010 2 in addition...

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