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REPUBLIC OF SLOVENIA

National Statistics in Slovenia

Annual Report 2009

Ljubljana, 2010

National Statistics in Slovenia – Annual Report 2009

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Authorised producers of national statistics determined by the Medium‐term Programme of Statistical Surveys 2008–2012, Uradni list RS (Official Journal of the Republic of Slovenia) no. 119/2007, p. 17199, together with the Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia (SORS) are the following:

Agency of the Republic of Slovenia for Public Legal Records and Related Services (AJPES),

Bank of Slovenia (BS),

National Institute of Public Health (IVZ),

Ministry of Finance (MF),

Pension and Disability Insurance Institute of the Republic of Slovenia (ZPIZ), and

Employment Service of Slovenia (ZRSZ).

Issued and published by: Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia (SORS), Ljubljana, Vožarski pot 12

Person responsible: Irena Križman, Director‐General of SORS

Telephone: +386 1 241 51 00

Fax: + 386 1 241 53 44

Website: www.stat.si

Editors: Ana Novak and Alenka Škafar

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

Translation: Boris Panič

Print: DEMAT d.o.o and Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia

Print run: 80 copies

ISSN: 1854‐6579

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


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Table of contents INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................................................................... 5

1. DEMOGRAPHIC AND SOCIAL STATISTICS

1.1 POPULATION ............................................................................................................................................... 7

1.2 LABOUR MARKET ......................................................................................................................................... 9

1.3 EDUCATION AND TRAINING ......................................................................................................................... 12

1.4 CULTURE ...................................................................................................................................................... 14

1.5 HEALTH AND CONSUMER PROTECTION ..................................................................................................... 15

1.6 LEVEL OF LIVING .......................................................................................................................................... 17

1.7 SOCIAL PROTECTION.................................................................................................................................... 19

1.8 CRIME ........................................................................................................................................................... 20

1.9 EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES AND DISCRIMINATION ......................................................................................... 21

1.10 OTHER SOCIAL STATISTICS ......................................................................................................................... 21

2. MACROECONOMIC STATISTICS

2.1 NATIONAL ACCOUNTS ................................................................................................................................ 23

2.2 FINANCIAL ACCOUNTS, MONEY AND FINANCE........................................................................................... 24

2.3 PRICES .......................................................................................................................................................... 26

2.4 EXTERNAL TRADE ........................................................................................................................................ 28

2.5 BALANCE OF PAYMENTS AND OTHER STATISTICS ON CROSS‐BORDER ECONOMIC RELATIONS ............ 30

3. BUSINESS STATISTICS

3.1 ANNUAL BUSINESS STATISTICS ................................................................................................................... 31

3.2 SHORT‐TERM BUSINESS STATISTICS ........................................................................................................... 34

3.3 ENERGY AND RAW MATERIALS ................................................................................................................... 35

3.4 TRANSPORT ................................................................................................................................................. 36

3.5 TOURISM ...................................................................................................................................................... 38

4. AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY AND FISHERIES

4.1 FARM STRUCTURE AND TYPOLOGY ............................................................................................................ 39

4.2 AGRICUTURAL INCOME AND PRICES ........................................................................................................... 39

4.3 CROP AND ANIMAL PRODUCTION ............................................................................................................... 40

4.4 FISHERIES AND FORESTRY .......................................................................................................................... 42

5. MULTI‐DOMAIN STATISTICS

5.1 BUSINESS TENDENCIES ............................................................................................................................... 43

5.2 ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT .................................................................................. 43

5.3 REGIONAL STATISTICS ................................................................................................................................. 46

5.4 SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ....................................................................................................................... 47

5.5 INFORMATION SOCIETY .............................................................................................................................. 48

6. STATISTICAL INFRASTRUCTURE

6.1 LEGAL FRAMEWORK .................................................................................................................................... 50

6.2 CLASSIFICATIONS ........................................................................................................................................ 52

6.3 QUALITY ....................................................................................................................................................... 53

6.4 STATISTICAL PROCESSES ........................................................................................................................... 56

6.5 REDUCTION OF ADMINISTRATIVE BURDEN ................................................................................................ 58

6.6 DATA SECURITY AND PROTECTION ............................................................................................................. 59

6.7 DISSEMINATION AND COMMUNICATION WITH USERS ............................................................................... 60

6.8 INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION ................................................................................................................ 67

6.9 ORGANISATION, HUMAN RESOURCES AND EDUCATION ........................................................................... 69

6.10 FINANCIAL OPERATIONS ............................................................................................................................. 72

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS.............................................................................................................................................. 74


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The Statistical Council of the Republic of Slovenia

at its 32nd regular session on 12 April 2010

discussed the Report on the Implementation of the Annual Programme of Statistical Surveys 2009

and adopted the following

DECISION

»The Statistical Council of the Republic of Slovenia, at its 32nd regular session on 12 April 2010, under item 2 of the agenda, took note of the Report on the Implementation of the Annual Programme of Statistical Surveys 2009 and proposed to the Director‐General of the Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia that, taking into account comments by Council members, the Report be adopted.«

Dr. Anuška Ferligoj

President of the Statistical Council of the Republic of Slovenia


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Introduction

The Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia (SORS) and authorised producers of national statisticshave successfully implemented surveys and tasks planned with the Annual Programme of StatisticalSurveys 2009, irrespective of limitations in terms of human and financial resources, which were in 2009more distinct than in other years. We followed strategic objectives and activities set in the Medium‐TermProgramme of Statistical Surveys 2008‐2012. In this report the main achievements of regular anddevelopment work performed by SORS and authorised producers of national statistics in 2009 arepresented in detail by individual fields of work.

In 2009, the most important tasks for SORS were preparation for the agricultural census and the populationcensus. Both censuses are conducted every 10 years, so they involve great challenges. A commoncharacteristic of both censuses is that available administrative sources and already collected statistical datawill be used to the greatest possible extent; the population census will be the first register‐basedpopulation census in Slovenia, while the agricultural census will be a combination of register data andfieldwork.

SORS intensively monitors the development of administrative records, cooperating with the inclusion ofstatistical needs. We cooperate with most of the ministries and their bodies.

All producers of national statistics constantly strive for the reduction of administrative burdens of ourreporting units, either by collecting data for multiple purposes or by using advanced methods of datacollection; which is why it is important to cooperate in data collection. In this the cooperation of SORS withthe Bank of Slovenia and the Agency of the Republic of Slovenia for Public Legal Records and RelatedServices is especially important. Good cooperation between the National Institute of Public Health andSORS was proven by the publication of a joint brochure entitled Health and Health Care in Slovenia; theelectronic version of this publication is available on the websites of both institutions. In organising differentforms of training for its staff, SORS invited authorised producers official statistics; in this way we arebuilding a better, more user‐friendly and more accessible statistics.

The primary task of all producers of national statistics is “supplying” users with the necessary high‐qualitydata. In addition to extensive dissemination of statistical data in the form of various printed and electronicpublications, SORS introduced several new services; e.g. the population pyramid (which offers a visuallypowerful graphic presentation of the problem of the Slovene society, i.e. the population ageing) and theinteractive statistical atlas (which presents basic data on Slovenia – over a longer period – in the form ofthematic maps).

SORS and authorised producers of national statistics were actively participating at the international level,in developing legislation within the European Statistical System while constantly thinking of theadministrative burden on reporting units and the quality of results. Our activities in the wider internationalenvironment are also important; we helped and are still helping in the establishment of statistical systemsin the Western Balkan countries, we are active in the Conference of European Statisticians (CES) at theUnited Nations; it has to be pointed out that on its special session in October 2009 the OECD Committeeon Statistics adopted (without comment) a report on the state of preparedness of Slovenian statistics tojoin the OECD.

SORS would like to thank all institutions with which it is associated in the effort to provide cost‐effectivedata collection as well as the reporting units – enterprises and individuals who were included in individualstatistical surveys – for successful cooperation in 2009. Without your cooperation we could not successfullycarry out our basic mission, which is to provide statistical data.

Irena Križman, M.Sc. Director‐General of SORS


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1. DEMOGRAPHIC AND SOCIAL STATISTICS

1.1 POPULATION

A new definition of population was introduced, which is entirely harmonized with international recommendations and the Regulation on statistics on migration and international protection1. According to the new definition, the population of Slovenia decreased by more than 24,000 in comparison to the old methodology. At the end of November 2009 population projections for both cohesion regions in Slovenia (Vzhodna Slovenija and Zahodna Slovenija) were published for the first time. Preparations for the 2011 Register‐based census continued. By linking data from about 30 administrative and statistical sources, the Statistical Office will be able to provide all data stipulated by the Regulation on population and housing censuses2.

1.1.1 Demographic statistics and projections

Number of population

- according to the new definition

In April 2009 data on the number of population of Slovenia (as of 31 December 2008) werepublished for the first time according to the changed statistical definition of population.According to this definition, the population of Slovenia are persons (regardless of citizenship)with registered residence in Slovenia who live or intend to live in Slovenia for one year or moreand those who are temporarily absent from Slovenia but only if their absence lasts less than ayear. The consequence of the new definition is the reduction in the number of populationand changes in spatial distribution of population because in addition to changes inpermanent residence also registration of temporary residence is considered to be migration.Transparency was provided by publishing comparative tables on the SI‐STAT data portalwhere users can compare data prepared according to the new and old definition of populationdown to the territorial level of municipalities for three time points.

- population pyramid

If data are presented graphically, they are easier to understand. Therefore, SORS publishedthe interactive population pyramid3 of Slovenia with data from 1971 to 2061 and thusexpanded the range of web services intended for the general public. The visualisation ofdata on age and sex structure of the population can clearly show annual fluctuation in thenumber of births, longer life expectancy, impact of migration, wars and other extraordinaryevents, and indirectly also changes in the way of life.

At the end of 2008, 2,032,362 people were living in Slovenia. Compared to the end of 2007, the number of population increased by 1.1%. The share of foreign citizens increased the most: at the end of 2007 it was 2.6% and at the end of 2008 3.5%.4

Vital statistics

Parallel to the change in the methodology of demographic statistics in accordance with theRegulation on statistics on migration and international protection1, in 2009 SORS updatedthe survey methodology in the field of vital statistics. Data on demographic eventsaccording to the new definition were published for the first time for the calendar year 2008.However, the change in the definition did not have a large impact on the phenomena at thelevel of Slovenia. Together with data on marriages and divorces, data on registered same‐sex partnerships (from 2006 on) were published for the first time.

Between July 2006 (when the Registration of a Same‐Sex Civil Partnership Act came into force) and the end of 2008 18 same‐sex partnerships were registered in Slovenia. In 2008 two such partnerships were registered.5

1 Regulation (EC) No. 862/2007 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 July 2007 on Community statistics on migration and international protection (32007R0862). 2 Regulation (EC) No. 763/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 July 2008 on population and housing censuses (32008R0763). 3 See Population pyramid, Slovenia, 24 April 2009, E‐Release. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/novica_prikazi.aspx?id=2299 (22. 2. 2010). 4 See Population, Slovenia, 31 December 2008, 30 April 2009, First Release. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/novica_prikazi.aspx?id=2319 (18. 2. 2010). 5 See Marriages and divorces, Slovenia, 2008, 4 August 2009, First Release. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/novica_prikazi.aspx?id=2527 (18. 2. 2010).


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Life tables

In 2009, SORS started to calculate complete life tables for the population of Sloveniausing a new method, i.e. the method of partial probability, which is based on the data ofonly one calendar year. The first complete life tables according to the new method arecalculated for 2007 and will, as a rule, be calculated every five years. In the interim periodSORS will continue to calculate abridged life tables.

Migration statistics

For the first time SORS published data on international migration according to theRegulation on statistics on migration and international protection1. The data referred toyear 2008. Changed methodology was used also for the preparation of data on internalmigration in Slovenia in 2008. The data on internal migration for the first time includedalso the data on internal migration of foreign nationals. The changed methodology offers amore comprehensive overview of data on immigration and emigration of the population ofSlovenia as well as migration within the country.

The share of working age population in Slovenia (people aged 15–64) was constantly rising for several decades up to 2003. At the end of 2003 it was 70.4% of the population of Slovenia. After 2003 it started to slowly decrease. That is the result of population ageing and of the decreasing number of births in the country. Despite the fact that net migration to Slovenia is the most numerous in the ages 15‐64, it failed to replace the decreasing of the share of working age population.6

Population projections

- at the national level

At the end of March 2008 Eurostat prepared EUROPOP2008 population projections (by sex)for EU Member States and Norway and Switzerland for the 2008–2060 period according tothe so‐called convergence scenario. Slovenia took over Eurostat's EUROPOP2008population projection as its official (so‐called baseline) version of population projections.In addition, in 2009 the Statistical Office calculated some version of population projectionsfor Slovenia for policy‐makers and other users, which were the basis for calculatingprojections of public expenditure in Slovenia. In 2009, a special publication (brochure)entitled Slovenia’s population today and tomorrow, 2008–20607 was publishedpresenting various population projections.

- at the level of cohesion regions

At the end of November 2009 Eurostat prepared population projections at regional level(cohesion regions) for the 2008–2030 period according to the so‐called convergencescenario8. The data, which were calculated for both cohesion regions in Slovenia (VzhodnaSlovenija and Zahodna Slovenija) for the first time, were also published on the SI‐STATdata portal.

1.1.2 Register‐based census of population, households and housing 2011

Preparation

- methodological solutions

- quality of input data

The largest part of activities was focused on preparing methodological solutions andanalysing the quality of input data. Administrative and statistical sources that will be used atthe 2011 register‐based population census were determined and the content of the censuswas specified. Most of census contents will be entirely taken over from one source, whilesome contents (e.g. education and activity status) will be taken from ten or even moresources. As regards methodology, the most demanding part is the preparation of data onhouseholds, where data will have to be linked from three basic administrative sources (theCentral Population Register, the Household Register and the Real Estate Register); the lattertwo will be used in the statistical process for the first time. In the last quarter of 2009 datafrom all three basic registers were partially linked, which was the basis for data analysis,checking methodological solutions and determining deficiencies in sources and statisticalprocesses. SORS intensely cooperates with maintainers of these registers, which results inimproved quality of input data. The realization of the 2011 Register‐based census is, inaddition to harmonisation of migration statistics and preparation of various populationprojections, also one of the objectives of demographic statistics which are written in theMedium‐term Programme of Statistical Surveys. For some traditional census contents (e.g.

6 See Socio‐economic characteristics of population (31 December 2007) and international migrants (2008), detailed data, Slovenia, 29 December 2009, E‐Release. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/novica_prikazi.aspx?id=2864 (18. 2. 2010). 7 See Slovenia’s population today and tomorrow, 2008‐2060. Available at:

http://www.stat.si/doc/pub/SloveniaPopulation2008‐2060.pdf (22. 2. 2010). 8 See Eurostat's population projections for Slovenia by sex, EUROPOP2008 and cohesion regions 2008‐2030, convergence scenario, 22 December 2009, First Release. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/novica_prikazi.aspx?id=2850 (18. 2. 2010).


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nationality, mother tongue, religion) there are no appropriate administrative data. SORSinvited the most important users of these data (e.g. Institute for Ethnic Studies, GovernmentOffice for Religious Communities, the research community) to discuss the issue and informedthem that national statistics will no longer be able to provide these data.

Some methodological solutions of the 2011 Register‐based census were presented to the international community. Slovenia is one of the few countries that implement fully register‐based method, which proved to be the best solution in times of economic and financial crisis. Compared to other register‐based countries, Slovenia’s large advantage is the fact that the Household Register is available.

Demographic database

Parallel to preparations for a register‐based census, a demographic database is beingestablished, which is intended for processing input administrative data for statisticalpurposes, for storing final data of demographic surveys and with standardised tools forsimple access to data and their analysis. The design of the demographic database willenable linking of demographic and socio‐economic data according to the principle ofuniqueness and consistency of data for all surveys.

Legislation adopted in 2009: Commission Regulation (EC) No. 1201/2009 of 30 November 2009 implementingRegulation (EC) No 763/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council on population and housing censusesas regards the technical specifications of the topics and of their breakdowns (32009R1201).

1.2 LABOUR MARKET

In 2009, the Statistical Office introduced in the Labour Force Survey (LFS) an ad hoc module on the entry of young people into the labour market, and in the regular survey adjusted the questionnaire in line with the legislation. Publishing of data on labour force was improved according to plans. Several methodological changes were introduced, e.g. statistics of hours worked, strikes, monthly earnings. A new administrative source at DURS containing data on earnings paid by registered natural persons will reduce the burden on reporting units. In cooperation with AJPES a survey on labour costs for 2008 was conducted.

1.2.1 Labour force

Methodological developments at the LFS

For implementing the Labour Force Survey (LFS) the questionnaire for 2010 was prepared,which takes into account guidelines and recommendations of Eurostat as determined bythe Commission Regulation9, which changed voluntary reporting of data for the variable'pay from main job' into compulsory data reporting. For data from 2009, SORS planslinking of LFS data with the register of taxpayers, according to which it will be possible toobtain the data for this variable.

LFS ad hoc modules

- 2009

Within the regular LFS in line with the Commission Regulation10 the 2009 ad hoc module»Entry of young people into the labour market« was implemented. Results will show thesituation of early school leavers, employability of young people, unemployment, and first‐job fluctuation. Results are expected to be published in the first half of 2010.

- 2010 At the same time preparations started for implementing the ad hoc module onreconciliation between work and family life, which will be carried out in 2010 in line withthe adopted legislation (see Legislation adopted in 2009).

9 Commission Regulation (EC) No 377/2008 of 25 April 2008 implementing Council Regulation (EC) No 577/98 on the organisation of a labour force sample survey in the Community as regards the codification to be used for data transmission from 2009 onwards, the use of a sub‐sample for the collection of data on structural variables and the definition of the reference quarters (32008R0377). 10 Commission Regulation (EC) No 207/2008 of 5 March 2008 adopting the specifications of the 2009 ad hoc module on the entry of young people into the labour market provided for by Council Regulation (EC) No 577/98 (32008R0207).


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Methodological developments

- hours worked

Calculation of statistics on hours worked is based on the component method and the use ofexisting data sources. On the basis of the integral system, regular quarterly calculationand publication of data on hours worked will start in 2010. In parallel, activities will takeplace for improving the methodology. At the same time activities are being implementedthat are focused on calculations for the 2000–2004 period (completion of time series),especially finding available sources and harmonising the methodology regardingconceptual differences between sources and definitions of individual components ofworking time. Calculations for the 2000‐2004 period are expected to be prepared andpublished in 2010.

- strike statistics SORS conducted a development survey »Statistics of forms of solving labour disputes«.The first year of observation was 2008. In line with the adopted legislation11 employersshould within seven days after the end of the strike or arbitration of a labour dispute sendthe data to the Statistical Office; however, the response of employers was very low. Toimprove the response rate, SORS cooperates with the Ministry of Labour, Family and SocialAffairs (MDDSZ), the Association of Employers of Slovenia and trade unions.

New developments in publishing

- labour force

In 2009, SORS started to publish monthly tables with data on labour force on the SI‐STATdata portal and stopped publishing the monthly publication Rapid Reports – Labour Force.With the introduction of the new Standard Classification of Activities SKD 2008, SORSrecalculated the time series of data from 2000–2007.

The registered unemployment rate was 10.0% in October 2009. The number of labour force decreased by more than 3,300.12

- labour migration In September data on labour migration were published13. At the same time the data serieson the SI‐STAT data portal was completed and methodological explanations from thisfield were updated.

- hours worked In April 2009, SORS published quarterly data on hours worked for the period from the firstquarter of 2005 to the fourth quarter of 2007 according to the Standard Classification ofActivities − SKD 2002, while at the end of 2009 it also published data for the period from thefirst quarter of 2008 to the second quarter of 2009 according to the revised version SKD 2008,including the recalculated data series for the 2005–2007 period.

Regular implementation of surveys by the Employment Service of Slovenia

In 2009, the Employment Service of Slovenia (ZRSZ) carried out all surveys onunemployment and job vacancies according to the Annual Programme of StatisticalSurveys. Results were presented in various presentations that ZRSZ employees had atvarious occasions in Slovenia and abroad (e.g. employment fairs, meetings of experts,project meetings, workshops), and the projects of the network of public employmentservices in EU Member States and the World Association of Public Employment Services(WAPES) took place.

At the end of 2009 the number of registered unemployed persons was 46% higher than at the end of 2008. The exceptional increase was the result of high inflow into the record of unemployed (by 114,496 or 61.7% more than in 2008)14.

Data on employment policy according to Eurostat methodology

In 2008, the Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Affairs on the basis of a specialagreement instructed the ZRSZ to provide data on employment policy according toEurostat methodology of the Labour market policy database ‐ LMP Database15. In 2009, theZRSZ in close cooperation with SORS provided the agreed data for 2008. Cooperation inthis field with SORS was strengthened because the national delegates of the Eurostat’sLMP database are from the mentioned two institutions.

11 Labour and Social Security Registers Act, Official Journal of the Republic of Slovenia, No. 40/2006. Available at: http://www.uradni‐list.si/1/content?id=72976 (25.3.2010). 12 See Labour force, Slovenia, October 2009 – provisional data, 16 December 2009, First Release. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/novica_prikazi.aspx?id=2827 (12. 2. 2010). 13 See Labour migration, Slovenia, 2008 – provisional data, 17 September 2009, First Release. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/novica_prikazi.aspx?id=2609 (12. 2. 2010). 14 See Monthly information, December 2009, Year 16, No. 12. Available at: http://www.ess.gov.si/_files/133/MI1209.pdf (26.3.2010). 15 See: http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/cache/ITY_OFFPUB/KS‐BF‐06‐003/EN/KS‐BF‐06‐003‐EN.PDF (25.3.2010).


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1.2.2 Earnings and labour costs

National crisis legislation and impact on the statistical survey

- adopted methodological solutions

In 2009, several national acts were adopted16, the aim of which was to mitigate the impactof the economic crisis. As regards the impact of legislation on the statistical surveyMonthly Report on Earnings by Legal Persons, SORS prepared the position and askedmembers of the Advisory Committee on Labour Statistics to express their opinions and givetheir proposals. Additional guidelines for answering the Obrazec 1‐ZAP/M form wereprepared. The survey is implemented in cooperation with AJPES, which collects data at thelevel of individual units of legal persons. In 2009, compared to the previous year, thenumber of collected data on earnings increased since the number of all legal persons thatreported on earnings was 1% higher. 94% of data were collected electronically (legalpersons of the public sector submit their data only via the AJPES web portal).

AJPES In agreement with SORS, AJPES also collects data on pay for holiday bonus at legalpersons, which as a rule submit data in electronic form via the AJPES web portal.

Introduction of the SKD 2008

The revised Standard Classification of Activities − SKD 2008 was introduced into thesurveys Monthly Report on Earnings by Legal Persons and the Labour Cost Index. For bothsurveys the conversion of time series up to 2000 was prepared.

New administrative sources –

objective of the Medium‐Term Programme of Statistical Surveys

In 2009, SORS was receiving monthly data on earnings by registered natural persons(ZAP‐RFO‐D/M) from the Tax Administration of the Republic of Slovenia and also obtainedmissing data for some months of 2008. In 2009, the methodology for statistical dataprocessing was prepared. Activities necessary for data publishing are being finalised. In2010 data on earnings paid by natural persons will be published quarterly. The first releaseis planned for the end of June 2010 with data for the first quarter of 2010. The release willinclude the time series of data from the first quarter of 2008. By finishing the activities inthis area SORS will fulfil one of the goals of the medium‐term programme in the field oflabour force.

Final data on the structure of earnings

In 2009, SORS published final data of the Structure of Earnings Survey for 2006 in the RapidReports publication17. The survey is carried out every four years. The next one is planned for2010.

In Slovenia average annual earnings per person in paid employment in 2006 amounted according to the Structure of Earnings Survey to EUR 14,642. In 2006, average annual gross earnings in Slovenia reached 53.3% of average annual gross earnings in the EU‐27. Women’s gross earnings were on average 94.8% of men’s gross earnings.17

Reduction of reporting burden

The analysis of possible use of administrative sources (a combination of SRDAP andDURS data) to obtain data on the structure of persons in paid employment by amountof gross and net earnings has yielded positive results, which will enable SORS toabandon the fieldwork for the survey Persons in Paid Employment by Amount of GrossEarnings, which was conducted every three years, and the implementation of the surveyPersons in Paid Employment by Amount of Gross and Net Earnings (ZAP‐BNP/L) onlyfrom administrative and statistical sources. This will bring a reduction of theadministrative burden on and costs for reporting units and at the same time the reductionof costs for SORS. Data for 2009 will be published in October 2010.

Labour Costs Survey 2008

In cooperation with AJPES, in 2009 SORS implemented the 2008 Labour Costs Survey.According to the cooperation agreement, AJPES collected data with the electronicquestionnaire via its web portal, while SORS performed statistical data processing.Publication of provisional data is planned for June 2010.

16 Official Journal of the Republic of Slovenia, No. 5/2009 (http://www.uradni‐list.si/1/content?id=90544), Official Journal of the Republic of Slovenia, No. 42/2009 (http://www.uradni‐list.si/1/content?id=92486) and Official Journal of the Republic of Slovenia, No. 57/2009 (http://www.uradni‐list.si/1/content?id=93320) ( 18. 2. 2010). 17 See Earnings (by the Structure of Earnings Survey), Slovenia, 2006 ‐ final data, 20 August 2009, Rapid Reports. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/novica_prikazi.aspx?id=2550 ( 18. 2. 2010).


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International cooperation

In 2009, SORS as a national coordinator prepared the document entitled »Tax‐BenefitSystem in Slovenia« for 2008, on the basis of which the OECD calculates work incentiveindicators. According to OECD methodology, SORS prepared own calculations of some ofthe work incentive indicators18.

In 2008, 40.3% of labour costs of the person in paid employment who earns 67% of average worker’s gross earnings went to pay taxes and 59.7% for net earnings. The tax burden in 2008 was 0.6 p.p. lower than in 2007. The decrease in the tax burden on labour costs is mostly the result of lower payroll tax rates.18

1.2.3 Statistical Register of Employment (SRDAP)

Data source for several statistical surveys

SRDAP is the source of data on the number of persons in employment for most statisticalsurveys and will be one of the sources for the 2011 register‐based population census. Thementioned register is updated monthly with data from M forms (registration of data forcompulsory social insurance, changes during insurance and deregistration from thisinsurance).

Information modernisation

In the first half of 2009 SORS provided to users regular monthly data according toprocedures performed on the IBM server managed by the Ministry of Public Administration.Several years ago SORS started a project of technical modernisation of SRDAP; in mid‐2009 all data were transferred to SORS’s local environment (see Chapter 6.4.2Information technology). Work on the project will continue in 2010 in the field of furtherdevelopment of the functionality of the register.

Legislation adopted in 2009: Commission Regulation (EC) No 20/2009 of 13 January 2009 adopting thespecifications of the 2010 ad hoc module on reconciliation between work and family life provided for by CouncilRegulation (EC) No 577/98 (32009R0020).

1.3 EDUCATION AND TRAINING

All surveys planned with the Annual Programme of Statistical Surveys for 2009 were implemented. Monitoring of data on awarding scholarships was rationalised by obtaining administrative sources and modernising the survey implementation. In setting up records on education SORS cooperated with the Ministry of Education and Sport and the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology.

Methodological changes

- elementary education

Within the framework of implementing regular annual surveys from the field of educationand training statistics, methodological adjustments were introduced in the field ofmonitoring elementary education as with the 2009/2010 school year the program of 8‐year elementary school was abolished.

- awarding scholarships

The survey on awarding scholarships for upper secondary school pupils and students wasmodernised and rationalised. In accordance with agreements adopted in 2008, SORSobtained most of the data on scholarship recipients and institutions awarding scholarshipsfrom the information system of awarding scholarships at the Ministry of Labour, Familyand Social Affairs (MDDSZ). For part of scholarship recipients who are not included in thementioned system, data were collected via a web questionnaire in cooperation withAJPES, which offered the necessary advice to reporting units.

At the end of 2008 54,722 upper secondary school pupils and students in Slovenia were receiving scholarships, which was a quarter of all enrolled pupils and students.19

18 See Work incentive indicators, Slovenia, 2008 – provisional data, First Release. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/novica_prikazi.aspx?id=2383 ( 23. 2. 2010). 19 See Scholarship recipients, Slovenia, 2008 – final data, 17 December 2009, First Release. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/novica_prikazi.aspx?id=2824 (23. 2. 2010).


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Interinstitutional cooperation

For several years SORS has been obtaining available administrative data on education at thelevel of educational institutions from the Ministry of Education and Sport (MŠŠ) and theMinistry of Higher Education, Science and Technology (MVZT). A significant rationalisation ofmonitoring data on education will be brought by the planned establishment of the centralrecord of people participating in education, which is also one of the government measures foreliminating administrative barriers in 2009. SORS cooperates with both ministries indetermining the content of records and regulating the legal basis.

- with the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology

SORS cooperated with the MVZT in preparing the technical specification for the projectfrom the point of view of SORS’s needs. SORS sent to the MVZT a set of data at individuallevel (for educational institution, program, participant and graduate) and questionnaires forhigher education personnel and for student residences. These data are monitored/neededat the aggregate level. Cooperation will continue in 2010.

- with the Ministry of Education and Sport

Talks between the MŠŠ and SORS regarding the harmonisation of monitoring data onparticipants and graduates in short cycle, higher vocational education and the centralkeeping of the mentioned data within the Higher Vocational Education Registration Service(VPS). SORS sent to the MŠŠ the set of data at the level of participant, graduate (the set ofdata and the code lists were harmonised at SORS for the entire tertiary education). Therealisation of the agreement will enable SORS to take over data from the VPS in electronicform and as a result abolish collecting data from individual schools and students, which willrepresent a significant rationalisation of work in the field of monitoring tertiary education.

Preparation of data for the 2011 population census

For the 2011 population census, SORS will obtain data on »achieved educationalattainment« from institutions that keep administrative records at individual level onpersons who have finished upper secondary schooling or obtained upper secondaryeducation. Agreements on obtaining the data will be signed with these institutions. SORSwill obtain data for other levels of education from administrative and statistical sources thatare already available to it, e.g. SRDAP, Unemployment Database kept by the EmploymentService of Slovenia, statistical surveys on tertiary education graduates and students, onscholarship recipients and the 2002 population census.

Introduction of KLASIUS

Within education and training statistics, in 2009 activities were implemented that arerelated to the introduction of KLASIUS20 into statistical surveys and SRDAP (see alsoChapter 6.2 Classifications).


- UOE questionnaire

In 2008 the regulation on education and lifelong learning21 was adopted, which provides alegal basis for future collection and reporting of data via the UOE questionnaire (jointquestionnaire of three international organisations, i.e. UNESCO, OECD and Eurostat) andthe Adult Education Survey. In 2009, SORS cooperated with other EU Member States inpreparing the implementing act which will specify in detail the obligations of countriesregarding reporting of data on the UOE questionnaire.

- adult education SORS cooperated in Eurostat’s task forces for preparing legislation and methodology oftwo 5‐year surveys, the Adult Education Survey and the Continuing Vocational TrainingSurvey in 2011.

- EUMIDA project In autumn 2009 Eurostat started a new project entitled »Monitoring the European HigherEducation Area« (i.e. EUMIDA project), the purpose of which is to monitor and comparethe indicators by individual universities and independent higher education institutions inthe EU. The project involves representatives of higher education institutions and statisticaloffices from individual countries. So far SORS has cooperated in the project by transmittinginformation on data availability and legal limitations regarding data transmission.

20 In line with the Decree on the introduction and use of classification system of education and training (Official Journal of the Republic of Slovenia, No. 46/06) and the adopted action plan for introducing KLASIUS into statistical surveys and administrative sources. 21 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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- OECD project In addition to regular data reporting, in 2009 SORS also transmitted some data via ad hocquestionnaires intended for clarification or further breakdown of existing indicators oneducational systems. In cooperation with the MŠŠ, SORS checked the indicators forSlovenia calculated on the basis of the transmitted data; these indicators were thenpublished in the OECD publication Education at a Glance 200922.

Revision of the international classification of education ISCED 1997

In 2009, at the international level within the Technical Advisory Panel (TAP) activities wereimplemented for the revision of the international classification of education ISCED. Thisgroup includes representatives of international organisations such as OECD, UNESCO‐UIS,Eurostat, and various international experts. First proposals were informally discussed atindividual regional meetings, while formal consultations with countries will take place inspring 2010. Adoption of the revised ISCED is expected for October 2011 at the UNESCOGeneral Assembly.

New publication In November 2009 the publication Rapid Reports – Education in Slovenia, 2007–200823

was published, in which a comprehensive overview of data from the field of education waspresented. Included were the most recent available data, time series and internationalcomparisons of some basic data and indicators.

Some highlights from Rapid Reports − Education in Slovenia, 2007–200823:

- In the school year 2007/08, 22% of the total population of the Republic of Slovenia participated in education, of whom 19% in programs for obtaining education. Data on people participating in education shows that in the last three years almost all 15‐year‐olds and three quarters of 19‐year‐olds participated in education.

- Five‐year‐olds today can expect to spend the next 18 years in education.

- With the growing number of people participating in education the educational structure of population is improving: in 2008, 82% of people aged 25 to 64 had at least upper secondary education and 23% of them had tertiary education.

1.4 CULTURE

SORS and the Ministry of Culture cooperate in the international project »EU for cultural statistics «, the aim of which is to improve the methodology and definitions in existing statistics. In the area of culture statistics interinstitutional cooperation between SORS and the Ministry of Culture and the Public Fund for Cultural Activities took place.


- project for improving the methodology and definitions

In 2007, the European agenda for culture for 2008–2010 was adopted. One of the mainobjectives of this agenda is development of culture statistics and methodology forimproving international comparability at the EU level. In 2010 and in years to come underthe auspices of Eurostat and in cooperation with OECD and UNESCO developmentactivities will be implemented via the EU for Cultural Statistics project (i.e. ESSnet projecton cultural statistics). The project was formally set up in December 2009, when a specialconference was organised and when the plan and schedule of activities within individualsubgroups were presented. The subgroups are: Framework for cultural statistics anddefinitions, Cultural practices and social aspects, Cultural industries, and Financing andexpenditure on culture. SORS and the Ministry of Culture (MK) will participate in the projectsubgroups Cultural practices and social aspects and Financing and expenditure onculture. The aim of the project is to improve the methodology and definitions of existingstatistics and prepare proposals for possible additional collection of necessary data.Available data and metadata from existing surveys will be transmitted.


The agreement with the Public Fund for Cultural Activities (JSKD) was adopted regardingthe provision of available data on cultural activities of cultural societies and the publication

22 See: http://www.oecd.org/document/24/0,3343,en_2649_39263238_43586328_1_1_1_1,00.html (23. 2. 2010). 23 See Education in Slovenia, 2007–2008, 20 November 2009, Rapid Reports. Available at: http://www.stat.si/doc/statinf/09‐SI‐271‐0901.pdf (23. 2. 2010).


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- with JSKD of these data in SORS’s publications. In July 2009 the JSKD sent to SORS data on theagreed content and structure for a time series of several years to be published in StatisticalYearbook.

- with the Ministry of Culture

Agreement was achieved between SORS and the MK on the rationalisation of methodologicaladjustment of monitoring data for all public cultural institutions which are financed orcofinanced by the MK and which report to the ministry via the web in the sense ofsupplementing the MK questionnaires. Implementation of the agreement would bringrationalisation of data collection and reduction of reporting burden as well as fulfilment ofagreements between SORS and the MK adopted with the revision of statistical surveys fromthe field of culture. In 2010, activities will be focused on preparing technical solutions fortaking over the data and supplementing statistical parts of reports of public institutionsreporting to the MK with the content of SORS’s statistical questionnaires in 2011 for thereference year 2010.

With intensive international and interinstitutional cooperation, SORS achieves both goals inthe Medium‐Term Programme of Statistical Surveys, especially as regards monitoring culturefrom the social aspect.

Regular surveys In implementing regular statistical surveys on providers of cultural activities, the emphasiswas on efforts to further improve the response rate of reporting units and the quality of data.Standard quality reports were prepared for the survey on the activity of museums andgalleries and on the activity of school libraries. In the next two years quality reports will beprepared for other surveys from the field of culture statistics.

In 2008, theatrical performances in 32 theatres operating in Slovenia were attended by 867,220 people.24 In the same year more than 2.4 million people saw Slovenian and foreign long films in cinemas.25 In addition, 6,358 titles of books and brochures were published, among them 1,274 titles of literature as well as 1,554 titles of periodicals.26

New publication Basic data by cultural activities for the 2004–2007 period were published in June 2009 forthe first time also in the common publication within the Rapid Reports series entitledGeneral overview of data on culture27.

1.5 HEALTH AND CONSUMER PROTECTION

National Institute of Public Health (IVZ) cooperated in further development and improvement of the European statistical system of health surveys, modules and indicators. In all surveys the emphasis was put on quality improvements. At the beginning of 2009 the IVZ and SORS published a brochure entitled Health and Health Care in Slovenia. Work on the system of health accounts continued.


- health surveys

National Institute of Public Health (IVZ) cooperated with SORS in further development of theEuropean system of health surveys and modules, i.e. the European Health Interview Survey(EHIS) and the EDSIM module (European Disability Social Integration Module). At the sametime, questions regarding health that are included in SORS’s Survey on Living Conditions (EU‐SILC) were harmonised with questions in EHIS.

- health indicators Together with SORS, the IVZ actively cooperated in the European Statistical System inpreparing various indicators: European Community Health Indicators (ECHI), sustainabledevelopment indicators, structural indicators, framework disability indicators and indicators

24 See Theatrical activity, Slovenia, 2008, 24 September 2009, First Release. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/novica_prikazi.aspx?id=2631 (23.2.2010). 25 See Cinetography, Slovenia, 2008, 23 September 2009, First Release. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/novica_prikazi.aspx?id=2626 (23.2.2010). 26 See Publishing, Slovenia, 2008, 15 September 2009, First Release. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/novica_prikazi.aspx?id=2605 (23.2.2010). 27 General overview of data on culture, Slovenia, 2004–2007, 2 June 2009, Rapid Reports. Available at: http://www.stat.si/doc/statinf/10‐SI‐267‐0901.pdf (23.2.2010).


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formulated within the Open Method of Coordination (OMC) in support of nationalstrategies for the development of high‐quality, accessible and sustainable health care andlong‐term care. Regional indicators were also prepared.

- monitoring occupational diseases

For easier monitoring and planning of health care of workers and the Regulation related topublic health and health and safety at work28, which stipulates compulsory reporting onoccupational diseases, the working group strived to change the national legislation, whichwill enable further measures in implementing the methodology for analysing occupationaldiseases (European Occupational Diseases Statistics ‐ EODS). In this area theimplementation project within the framework of the European grant29 is also taking place.

Assessment of the act

In 2009, the Records and Material in the Field of Health and Health Care Act was beingassessed. As an authorised producer of national statistics, the IVZ attempted to obtain theauthorisation for collecting data for the needs in Slovenia and for international reporting.

Improvement of the quality of survey

In monitoring public health, more precisely in coding causes of death, the IVZ continued totake the necessary steps to improve the quality of data and activities for the transition toelectronic data capture. The project of electronic data capture will continue in 2010 withinterinstitutional harmonisation and preparation of conditions for implementation.

National health accounts

In 2009, the development and preparation of national health accounts for Sloveniacontinued. In this SORS cooperates with the IVZ and the Health Insurance Institute ofSlovenia (ZZZS). At international level, in 2009 work focused mostly on revising themethodology of the System of Health Accounts (SHA), which is being done byOECD‐Eurostat‐WHO. Work on the revision will continue in 2010. A part of the revisedversion will be data on exports and imports of health services and medical goods. In 2009,SORS in cooperation with the ZZZS and IVZ was included in the OECD project30, in whichtogether with six other countries it tested the feasibility of the proposed methodology.

OECD project The OECD intends to improve international comparability of data on health expenditure.Together with 14 other countries, within the OECD project of Purchasing Power ParitiesSORS prepared the data on prices for selected hospital services on the basis of the »outputmethod«.

Food safety

- new website

Within the framework of environment statistics, SORS set up a new website entitled Foodsafety31, which brings the description of main areas of food safety, legislation referring tofood safety and links to SORS’s databases containing data on food safety. In 2010 SORS willcontinue to study this area and set up contact with other institutions in Slovenia dealingwith food safety.

New publication

- IVZ – SORS cooperation

At the end of March 2009 SORS and the IVZ published a joint brochure entitled Health andHealth Care in Slovenia32, which in addition to some findings of the 2007 Survey on Healthand Health Care brought a short overview of some basic, internationally comparableindicators on health and health care in the EU. The brochure was published on the websitesof both institutions.

Some highlights from the brochure Health and Health Care in Slovenia32:

- In 2007, the most frequent disease or condition among the people in Slovenia aged 15 or more was low back disorder or other chronic back defect (40.7%), followed by high blood pressure (26.3%), neck disorder or other chronic neck defect (20.1%), severe headache such as migraine (15.7%), allergy (15.3%), rheumatoid arthritis (12.7%) and permanent

28 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). 29 Eurostat grants for 2008 ‐ Theme 35 ‐ Consolidation of methodologies for collection of the data on accidents at work and occupational diseases 30 Improving estimates of exports and imports of health services and goods under the System of Health Accounts (SHA) Framework. 31 See: http://www.stat.si/eng/tema_okolje_varnahrana.asp (23.2.2010). 32 See Helath and Health Care in Slovenia, March 2009. Available at: http://www.stat.si/doc/pub/IVZ‐angl.pdf (23.2.2010).


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injury or defect caused by an accident (10.5%). Other diseases or conditions were suffered by fewer than 10% of the population.

- 55.1% of people in Slovenia aged 15 ore more were overweight or obese, 43% had normal weight and less than 2% were underweight.

- At their workplace 19.3% of respondents aged 15 years or more were sometimes or frequently exposed to harassment or mobbing, 8.2% were sometimes or frequently exposed to discrimination and 6.4% were sometimes or frequently exposed to violence or threat of violence.

1.6 LEVEL OF LIVING

In 2009, level of living statistics focused on preparing and implementing the Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC) and preparing and publishing survey results for 2008. The survey is a priority in the Medium‐Term Programme of Statistical Surveys for 2008–2012, and with it SORS fulfils an important orientation of Slovene statistics regarding the linking of survey and administrative sources, since in carrying out this survey all available administrative sources are used. In the field of housing statistics SORS was checking the quality of data obtained from the Real Estate Register (REN), which is kept by GURS. Register data will be used as a source for data on dwellings in the 2011 register‐based population census.

SILC

In 2009, the annual Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC) was conducted for thefifth time. Data collected with the survey and supplemented with data from registers andadministrative sources are the basis for calculating social cohesion indicators and a sourceof data on living conditions of the population.

- extended data set

In 2009, SORS extended the set of data collected with SILC and published them on the SI‐STAT data portal. Data on income and poverty indicators from 2005 to 2008 wereavailable to users as well as data explaining the living conditions of people in Slovenia. InOctober 2009 income and poverty indicators for 2008 were published33: the alreadypublished data were supplemented by more detailed breakdowns and two new indicatorswere published, i.e. »material deprivation rate« and »intensity of material deprivation «. InNovember the data on living conditions for 2008 were published together with results ofthe ad hoc module on financial exclusion34.

According to SILC results for 2008, 5% of the households could not afford a car, 14% of the households could not afford a meal with meat or vegetarian equivalent at least every second day, and 33% of the households could not afford paying for one week annual holiday away from home.34

- presentation at Statistical Days

At the 19th Statistical Days a paper was presented entitled »SILC as a data source forresearch purposes«35, which highlighted a number of possibilities of using data collectedwith the mentioned survey.

Consumer Survey In 2009, SORS moved the regular monthly publication of Consumer Survey (AMP) data toan earlier date: data are now available on average three days earlier than in 2008 both inthe form of the First Release and on the SI‐STAT data portal.

- perception of the economic crisis

Business Tendency and Consumer Surveys (see also Chapter 5.1) are supposed to be veryappropriate for forecasting economic trends and analysing economic cycles. Therefore,an analysis was made of individual indicators regarding the perception of the economicrecession which started in the last quarter of 2008. With the consumer confidence indicator,which shows the opinion of consumers regarding the future, the crisis was perceived inNovember 2008 when the indicator reached the lowest level since the survey started, i.e.March 1996. Results of analysis were presented in a paper for the 19th Statistical Days

33 See Income and poverty indicators, Slovenia, 2008 – provisional data, 15 October 2009, First Release. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/novica_prikazi.aspx?id=2699 (27. 1. 2010). 34 See Survey in living conditions, Slovenia, 2008 – provisional data, 9 November 2009, First Release. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/novica_prikazi.aspx?id=2750 (27. 1. 2010). 35 See R. Inglič (2009): SILC as a data source for research purposes, paper for 19th Statistical Days – Radenci, 9.–11. 11. 2009. Available at: http://www.stat.si/StatisticniDnevi/Docs/Inglič‐SILC%20kot%20vir%20podatkov_prispevek.pdf (27. 1. 2010).


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entitled “Perception of economic crisis in business tendency and consumer surveys”.36

Household Budget Survey

In 2009, SORS conducted the Household Budget Survey (HBS) according to the establishedmethodology and started with the revision of the survey, i.e. preparation of a detailedanalysis of supplementing the survey in terms of contents. This work will continue in 2010.Data from the Household Budget Survey (HBS) for 200737 were published.

According to HBS data for 2007, households spent most of their assets (15.2%) on food and non‐alcoholic beverages and transport (14.9%).37

Development of the statistical methodology - verification of

data quality in REN

In 2009, one of the priorities was to take over and analyse data from the Real Estate Register(REN), which SORS obtains from the Surveying and Mapping Authority of the Republic ofSlovenia (GURS). For current takeover of data from the register technical procedures had tobe established as well as the database for performing test analyses. Test linking of registerdata with data from other data collections was also implemented. Data had to be analysedin terms of quality and SORS will continue to closely monitor the quality in cooperation withGURS as the keeper of this register. In the future cooperation will be even more intense anddata publication, which will be done by both institutions, will be harmonised.

- use of data from REN

REN is one of the most important data sources for monitoring housing statistics, which isbased on the Regulation on population and housing censuses38. In 2009, themethodological framework was set up for carrying out the 2011 register‐based populationcensus and the existing definitions were compared with those in the register. After theanalysis of obtained data, the need for REN data within SORS was studied. These data willbe used for surveys from the field of real estate prices and for planning samples for someother surveys.

Balance of the dwelling fund

In 2009, a comparative analysis of the balance of dwelling stock and the REN balance ofdwelling stock was performed as well as a comparison with the regular survey based onforms from municipal records. The comparative analysis showed that data at the level ofSlovenia are already comparable, while the distribution by individual categories is not.Results of the analysis and deficiencies found were sent to GURS and used for activitiesrelated to quality improvement.

At the end of 2008 the dwelling stock numbered 830,000 dwellings. The average floor space of dwellings was 77 m2. More than half of all dwellings are located in the urban areas and on average they measure 71 m2. In non‐urban areas the dwellings are larger (on average by 10 m2) than those in urban areas.39

36 See B. Čertanec, L. Kozina, M. Remec, (2009): Perception of economic crisis in business tendency and consumer surveys, paper for 19th Statistical Days – Radenci, 9.–11. 11. 2009. Available at: http://www.stat.si/StatisticniDnevi/Docs/Čertanec_Kozina_Remec‐Poslovne%20tendence_prispevek.pdf (27. 1. 2010). 37 See Household budget survey, Slovenia, 2007, 14 July 2009, First Release. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/novica_prikazi.aspx?id=2477 (27. 1. 2010). 38 Regulation (EC) No 763/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 July 2008 on population and housing censuses (32008R0763). 39 See Construction of dwellings and dwelling stock, Slovenia, 2008, 6 July 2009, First Release. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/novica_prikazi.aspx?id=2469 (5. 2. 2010).


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1.7 SOCIAL PROTECTION

In 2009, SORS expanded the publication of data from the field of social protection. Together with the Employment Service of Slovenia a project was conducted for monitoring labour market policy measures. The Pension and Disability Insurance Institute supplemented the methodology of monitoring beneficiaries of rights under pension insurance.

Development of statistical methodology

In 2009, the project from the field of European system of integrated social protectionstatistics (ESSPROS) was finished in all EU Member States. The aim of the project was tostudy the possibility of providing data on net social protection benefits. If results of theprojects are positive, in 2010 they will be used as a basis for preparing a commonmethodology and the proposal for a new regulation of net social protection benefits.

Social protection programs

In the regular survey on expenditure and receipts of social protection schemes, which isconducted in line with the ESSPROS methodology40, SORS published results for 2007. Dataare available on the SI‐STAT data portal.

In 2007, EUR 7,381 million or more than one fifth of gross domestic product was used for social protection schemes in Slovenia.41


ZRSZ ‐ SORS

In line with the agreement with the Employment Service of Slovenia (ZRSZ), in 2009 SORScooperated in preparing qualitative information and quantitative data on participants andexpenditure for each labour market policy measure for 2008. With this project data arecollected on types and characteristics of labour market measures and their classificationaccording to the European LMP (Labour Market Policy)42 methodology on the type ofexpenditure for individual measures, on the number and structure of beneficiaries, etc. Datawill be published in 2010.

Extended data set

In 2009, SORS published some new data from the field of social protection, e.g. data oninstitutional care43 for 2006‐2008 were published for the first time on the SI‐STAT dataportal.

In 2008 there were 20,729 people in care or protégés in old people's homes, special social welfare institutions and centres for protection and training, almost 70% of them women.43

ZPIZ

- methodological developments

In existing statistical surveys, the Pension and Disability Insurance Institute (ZPIZ)designed – but only partially implemented (due to the priority of modernising theinformation structure) – the concept of supplementing methodological changes in the fileof pensioners or beneficiaries of rights, namely: counting all beneficiaries receivingsurvivor’s and widower’s pensions according to Article 10 of the Act Regulating the Registerof Insured Persons and those Entitled to Pension and Disability Benefits44, irrespective ofthe number of payments, counting rights‐holders, covering beneficiaries of extraordinarypayments among beneficiaries of rights and their amounts, counting of beneficiaries andrights‐holders in the case of two pension numbers and the same benefits, coveringbeneficiaries of widower's pensions, covering beneficiaries of parts of widower's pensions

40 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). 41 See Expenditure and receipts of social protection schemes, Slovenia, 2007, 30 October 2009, First Release. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/novica_prikazi.aspx?id=2728 (27. 1. 2010). 42 See http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/product_details/publication?p_product_code=KS‐BF‐06‐003 (27. 1. 2010). 43 See Public social welfare institutions, Slovenia, 2006–2008, 24 September 2009, First Release. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/novica_prikazi.aspx?id=2638 (27. 1. 2010). 44 Official Journal of the Republic of Slovenia, No. 81/2000 (http://www.uradni‐list.si/1/content?id=27550) and Official Journal of the Republic of Slovenia, No. 111/2007 (http://www.uradni‐list.si/1/content?id=83508) (11. 3. 2010).


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according to the general Pension and Disability Insurance Act (ZPIZ‐145) and beneficiaries ofparts of widower's pensions according to the special Act of the Rights Stemming from thePension and Disability Insurance of Former Military Personnel Act (ZPIZVZ‐B46), coveringbeneficiaries of pensions according to the old Act on the Old‐Age Insurance of Farmers. Thepurpose of this activity is to obtain a more transparent and better statistical data.

1.8 CRIME

SORS conducted the pilot crime victim survey using the EU harmonised questionnaire. The survey will be the basis for preparing a harmonised survey at the EU level in 2013. In data processing and publishing of results from the field of justice statistics, due to changes in the Penal Code SORS used the changed statistical code list of crimes. Cooperation started in the national project of preparing a common methodology for recording crime.

Development of statistical methodology

- crime victim survey

SORS implemented the pilot crime victim survey in accordance with the questionnaireharmonised at the EU level, which was originally planned for 2008. The survey wascofinanced by the European Commission. The basic purpose was to test the questionnaire,the new survey method, and sampling. SORS sent to Eurostat the final report aboutfindings and proposals of Slovenia regarding future survey implementation. On the basis offindings and reports of Member States, Eurostat will prepare the final version of thequestionnaire and joint methodological guidelines for implementing the maininternationally harmonised crime victim survey; the survey is expected to be carried outwithin the new European System of Social Surveys in 2013. Some of the most interestingresults of the pilot survey will be published by SORS at the end of March 2010.

- victimisation surveys

Under the auspices of the United Nations, work started on developing harmonised modulesof survey questions for special forms of victimisation (e.g. business victimisation,victimisation of women, children). In 2009, SORS answered the questionnaire referring tobusiness victimisation.

Methodological supplements

Regarding the changes in the Penal Code47, in 2008 the changed statistical code list ofcrimes was introduced into annual surveys from the field of justice statistics, which broughtchanges to data processing and publishing.

In 2008, criminal proceedings against 15,329 adults and 812 juveniles were concluded at regional and district courts. 8,739 adults were convicted and 489 juveniles were imposed an educational measure or a sentence. The most frequent criminal offence in 2008 was larceny. Among adults the most frequent sentence was prison sentence and among juveniles supervision by a social assistance authority.48


In 2007, a Resolution on the National Programme for Prevention and Suppression ofCrime for the 2007‐2011 period49 was adopted, which among other measures envisagesformulation of a uniform methodology for recording crime from its detection to finaljudgement and linking of registers of the police, prosecutors, courts and prisons. In 2009,activities started in connection with the mentioned project: a working group wasestablished composed of representatives of various institutions and led by the Ministry ofPublic Administration (MJU). SORS's representatives participated in two meetings of thisgroup when information was exchanged on work related to monitoring of data by

45 Official Journal of the Republic of Slovenia, 106/1999 (http://www.uradni‐list.si/1/objava.jsp?urlid=1999106&stevilka=4965) (2. 4. 2010). 46 Official Journal of the Republic of Slovenia, No. 28/09 (http://www.uradni‐list.si/1/objava.jsp?urlid=200928&stevilka=1189) (2. 4. 2010). 47 Official Journal of the Republic of Slovenia, No. 55/2008 (http://www.uradni‐list.si/1/content?id=86833) (11. 3. 2009). 48 See Adults and juveniles against whom criminal proceedings through a senate have been legally concluded, detailed data, Slovenia, 2008, 28 August 2009, First Release. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/novica_prikazi.aspx?id=2489 (23. 2. 2010). 49 See Resolution on National plan on the Prevention and Combating of Crime for the period 2007‐2011 (ReNPPZK0711) available at http://zakonodaja.gov.si/rpsi/r08/predpis_NACP58.html (11. 3. 2009).


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individual institutions (the process, content of data in existing records, cooperation relatedto data exchange, and key problems). On the basis of obtained information the MJU willprepare the plan of work for the group.

1.9 EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES AND DISCRIMINATION

In the field of monitoring equal opportunities and discrimination, SORS cooperated with various national and international institutions in discussions on eliminating discrimination of individual groups of people. In autumn 2009 a brochure entitled Young People in Slovenia was published.


In 2009, SORS followed international methodologies in monitoring equal opportunities anddiscrimination, supplemented statistical data in the UNECE Gender Database50, andparticipated in meetings in Slovenia and abroad intended to discuss the elimination ofdiscrimination of individual population groups, especially minorities, and monitor data onviolence against women, children and older people. In gender statistics, SORS cooperatedwith ministries and other institutions, especially with the Office for Equal Opportunities.

New publication In 2009, SORS prepared special releases at various international days (e.g. day of women,older people and disabled people) to present these topics. In November 2009 SORS publisheda brochure entitled Young People in Slovenia51, in which the situation of young people inSlovenia is presented with selected indicators, while data for EU‐27 Member States offer acomparison which shows the position of Slovenian youth in the European context.

Some highlights from the brochure Young People in Slovenia:51 - In the EU‐27, almost every eighth resident is young, i.e. 15–24‐years old; in 2008, 12.4% of

the population were that old in the EU‐27. That year there were 250,200 young people living in Slovenia and their percentage was equal to the percentage in the EU‐27 (12.4%).

- On average, young people in Slovenia leave their parents’ homes very late in life. According to the survey carried out in August 2004 on the housing issues of young people, more than one half of young people aged 25–35 shared a household with their parents (57%). 35% of young people in this age group lived in their own dwelling or in the dwelling of their partner and 8% in a rented dwelling.

1.10 OTHER SOCIAL STATISTICS

In collecting data on disabled people, SORS cooperated with various institutions and published the data in several publications, general and special, and on its website. Data on the election of members of the European Parliament were published.

1.10.1 Statistics of disabled people


In 2009, SORS continued to cooperate with the Directorate for the Disabled at the Ministryof Labour, Family and Social Affairs, the Fund of the Republic of Slovenia for the Promotionof Employment of Disabled Persons, the Pension and Disability Insurance Institute and theEmployment Service of Slovenia (especially in collecting and editing data on employedand unemployed persons with disabilities). In addition, SORS cooperated in this area withvarious health institutions, and social assistance and social welfare institutions. Thecollected data were published in several SORS’s publications (general and special) and onSORS’s website.

In Slovenia people with disabilities have guaranteed access to the entire system of social and other rights so that they can live in the same way as others. Slovenia experiences similar trends in the incidence of disability and long‐term illness as Europe; namely there are approximately

50 See: http://www.unece.org/stats/gender/database.htm (5. 2. 2010). 51 See Young people in Slovenia, November 2009. Available at: http://www.stat.si/doc/pub/mladi2009‐ANG.pdf (5. 2. 2010).


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170,000 persons with disabilities (disabled workers, children and youth with special needs, military and war disabled, and moderately, seriously and severely mentally and physically handicapped persons) in our country. In addition, there are also 230,000 patients with long‐term illnesses.52

1.10.2 Election statistics

Election of Members of the European Parliament

In 2009, the election of members of the European Parliament was held. SORS publisheddata on candidates and elected MEPs and data on turnout collected by the NationalElectoral Commission in the First Release and the Statistical Yearbook.

Among 81 candidates running for a seat in the European Parliament, slightly less than half were women. Candidates were on average just over 45 years old, while the mean age of elected MEPs was just over 50 years. The share of women among elected Members of the EP is 28.6%.53

52 See »3 December 2009, International day of persons with disabilities« 1 December 2009, Special release available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/novica_prikazi.aspx?id=2805 (23. 2. 2010). 53 See Election of Members of the European Parliament from the Republic of Slovenia, 7 June 2009, 24 December 2009, First Release. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/novica_prikazi.aspx?id=2829 (23. 2. 2010).


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2. MACROECONOMIC STATISTICS

2.1 NATIONAL ACCOUNTS

In 2009, work in the field of national accounts focused on regular compilation and publication of national accounts aggregates in line with the program; in addition, many methodological improvements were introduced, additional data were provided and in some releases deadlines were shortened.

Achieved goals

In 2o09, SORS published all data on national accounts in line with the Annual Programme ofStatistical Surveys within the set deadlines. Many novelties were introduced, namelymethodological improvements, provision of additional data and shortening of deadlinesin which national accounts data are made available.

- methodological improvements and new data releases

At the end of August 2009 annual data on gross domestic product (GDP) and other mainnational accounts aggregates were published. In addition to results from the regularrevision, the data included also other revision corrections: holding gains and loses wereeliminated from the output of insurance corporations, the estimate of the correction formisreporting for small companies was improved, the estimate of the dwelling activity ofhouseholds (market dwelling activity and dwelling activity of owner‐occupiers) wasprepared on the basis of data of the new base year, estimates for coverage corrections forself‐employed were improved (a new estimate of own‐account construction of dwellings byhouseholds, harmonisation with new calculations of supply and use tables and improvedcross‐checking of data sources), and on the basis of improved data sources all categories ofproduction account for non‐profit institutions serving households were revised.

In estimating the annual gross domestic product at constant prices the followingmethodological improvements have to be pointed out: in estimating volume changes ofoutput in manufacturing and import and export of goods, external trade unit value indiceswere substituted by real import and export price indices, the estimate of volume changes ofoutput of insurance corporations was significantly improved, for deflating individual marketservices for the first time service producer price indices were used, the direct outputmethod was used also for non‐market services in social work activities.

Methodological improvements

- extended data set

In 2009, SORS extended the set of data on national accounts. In June supply and use tablesat constant prices were published for the first time; they became a part of the annualcompilation of supply and use tables. In December data on annual non‐financialinstitutional sector accounts for the 1995‐1999 period were published, so the time series inthis area is now complete; SORS achieved this one year before the deadline. The thirdnovelty is data on government expenditure by function in line with COFOG at the secondlevel of the classification. So far these data have been available at the second level only forthree groups of expenditure, namely health, social protection and education, whereas nowthey are available for all groups for the 2005–2008 period. All three mentioned sets of datarepresent the implementation of the Medium‐Term Programme of Statistical Surveys, sinceone of the priorities in this program is data transmission as determined by EU legislationand provision of additional that are important for national needs.

In 2008 most of the government expenditure was intended for social protection (15.9% of GDP), education (6.2% of GDP) and health (6.1% of GDP).54

Shortened publication deadlines

New developments in this area relate to deadlines in which national accounts data aremade available: data on annual gross domestic product were namely published on 31August, i.e. ten days earlier than in 2008. The deadline for publishing data on quarterlygross domestic product was since the publication for the second quarter of 2009shortened by ten days and is now sixty days after the end of the quarter. Data on

54 See Government expenditure by function, Slovenia, 2005–2008, 30 December 2009, First Release. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/novica_prikazi.aspx?id=2872 (5.2.2010).


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household accounts, gross fixed capital formation and compensation of employees bycohesion regions were also available significantly earlier than a year before (data werepublished two months earlier than in 2008).

In 2007, household disposable income in the Vzhodna Slovenija cohesion region increased by 9.2% and in the Zahodna Slovenija cohesion region by 8.5%. The share of household disposable income in Vzhodna Slovenija reached 50.8%, which is the largest share in the 2000‐2007 period.55

Implementation of SKD 2008

- final transition date 2012

Many activities in 2009 focused on the introduction of a new version of the activityclassification SKD 2008 into national accounts. Work was very demanding both in terms oftime and technically, also due to requests to provide time series, which are in the field ofnational accounts among the most extensive of all fields of statistics. The new version of theactivity classification will be introduced in all areas of national accounts by 2012.


- SNA 2008

Preparations to introduce the changed System of National Accounts (SNA 2008 or the EUversion ‐ ESA) continued, which is one of the most important activities in the Medium‐TermProgramme of Statistical Surveys. SORS cooperated with Eurostat, which is preparing aregulation on the new European System of Accounts. SORS was actively involved in thework of the task force that was solving methodological dilemmas of capitalising R&Dexpenditure; work will continue in the future with the pilot preparation of satellite accountsfor research and development.

- implementation of the ad hoc survey

Due to the need to further improve national accounts estimates, an ad hoc statistical surveyon own software production was conducted. After they are evaluated in detail, surveyresults will be used in one of the future major national accounts revisions.


- signed agreement

At the end of 2009 and the beginning of 2010 a new agreement on cooperation in thefield of macroeconomic and financial statistics was signed by SORS, the Bank ofSlovenia and the Ministry of Finance. The agreement is to a large extent based on theagreement signed in 2007; some new tasks and forms of cooperation were added whichare the result of the development in the past two years.

- AJPES‐BS‐SORS working group

At the end of 2009 the working group of representatives of SORS, AJPES and the Bank ofSlovenia started to operate, which will in accordance with the Annual Programme ofStatistical Surveys for 2010 prepare the proposal for a new quarterly survey on non‐financial companies for several purposes, including for preparing quarterly non‐financialsector accounts.

- joint data collection

In agreement with SORS, AJPES collects data on paid dividends, which are annuallysubmitted via the AJPES web portal by all joint stock companies in the Republic of Slovenia.

2.2 FINANCIAL ACCOUNTS, MONEY AND FINANCE

In 2009, the Bank of Slovenia in cooperation with the Securities Market Agency (ATVP) introduced a new system of reporting by investment funds management companies. Reporting is now multipurpose and presents a significant rationalisation and reduction of the reporting burden of this part of the financial sector. Reduction of burden and the multipurpose nature of reporting were first introduced in reporting by monetary financial institutions (MFI).

In preparing the October 2009 reporting for government deficit and debt data for the excessive deficit procedure, which is prepared jointly by the Ministry of Finance, the Bank of Slovenia and SORS, in September 2009 the datasource for certain financial instruments changed; they are now provided by the Bank of Slovenia from annual financial accounts.

55 See Household accounts by region, Slovenia, 2007, 8 October 2009, First Release. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/novica_prikazi.aspx?id=2620 (25.2.2010).


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Implementation of regular surveys

- Bank of Slovenia

In 2009, the Bank of Slovenia (BS) continued to produce monetary and financial statisticsdata at monthly, quarterly and annual level in line with methodological requirements of theEuropean Central Bank (ECB), the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), theInternational Monetary Fund (IMF) and own needs of the Bank of Slovenia. In addition tobalance sheets and interest rates of monetary financial institutions (MFI), data coversecurities, payment systems, structural data of the banking system and non‐monetaryfinancial intermediaries.

- BS in cooperation with AJPES

In 2009, the BS compiled quarterly financial accounts for the last quarter of 2008 and forthe first three quarters of 2009 as well as annual financial accounts for 2008. The BSprepared a publication entitled Financial Accounts of Slovenia 2003–2008. Data for financialaccounts statistics are collected by AJPES via its web portal every three months. Bothinstitutions, AJPES and the BS, signed an agreement on cooperation in data collection.

The general government’s liabilities amounted to EUR 15,208 million at the end of 2008, up 35% or EUR 3,908 million over the 2003–2008 period, the largest increase (of 15% or EUR 2,161 million) being recorded in 2007, although they declined by 7% or EUR 1,131 million in 2008. The general government’s largest liabilities at the end of 2008 were to the rest of the world (27%), followed by intra‐sectoral (27%), to banks (16%) and to non‐financial corporations (14%).56

- Ministry of Finance

The Ministry of Finance (MF) conducted surveys in line with the Annual Programme ofStatistical Surveys and published results regularly. In preparing the October 2009 reportingof government deficit and debt data for the excessive deficit procedure in September 2009there was a change in the data source for the following categories; currency and deposits(F.2), securities other than shares (F.3), loans (F.4), shares and other equity (F.5). Data areprovided by the Bank of Slovenia from annual financial accounts of Slovenia.

Interinstitutional cooperation and reduction of administrative burden

- BS – AVTP

A successful new reporting by investment funds management companies on operation ofinvestment funds was implemented in cooperation between the Bank of Slovenia and theSecurities Market Agency (ATVP) in January 2009. The new report combines in addition toATVP needs also demands of the BS for data on investment funds according to the ECBregulation concerning statistics on the assets and liabilities of investment funds57,guidelines of ECB concerning statistical reporting in the field of quarterly financialaccounts58, the regulation on the European system of national and regional accounts in theCommunity59, the ECB regulation on consolidated balance sheet of the monetary financialinstitutions sector60 (only for money market funds) and the requirements of the financialstability analyses. Appropriate quality of the new report enabled to discontinue previousreporting of investment funds management companies to the BS for financial accountsstatistics, balance sheets of monetary financial institutions (for money market funds) andsome supervisory reports for the ATVP. Therefore the multipurpose report of data oninvestment funds presents a significant rationalisation and reduction of the reportingburden of this part of the financial sector. Additional statistical and analytical value of thecollected data is their direct linkage to the data breakdown in the reports by monetaryfinancial institutions (MFI).

56 See Financial accounts of Slovenia, 2003‐2008, year 4, No. 4, November 2009. Available at: http://www.bsi.si/en/publications.asp?MapaId=923 (24. 2. 2010). 57 Regulation (EC) No 958/2007 of the ECB of 27 July 2007 concerning statistics on the assets and liabilities of investment funds (ECB/2007/8). 58 Guideline of the European Central Bank of 15 November 2007 amending Guideline ECB/2002/7 on the statistical reporting requirements of the European Central Bank in the field of quarterly financial accounts (ECB/2007/13) (2007/771/ES). 59 Council Regulation (EC) No 2223/96 of 25 June 1996 on the European system of national and regional accounts in the Community (31996R2223). 60 Regulation (EC) No 2423/2001 of the ECB of 22 November 2001 concerning the consolidated balance sheet of the monetary financial institutions sector (ECB/2001/13).


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- reduction of burden on reporting units

In reporting of monetary financial institutions (MFI), the implementation of the revisedmethodology started in 2009. In addition to supplements of regulations on balancesheets61 and interest rates62, the report will include the basic part of the supervisoryfinancial report (FINREP), requirements of financial accounts statistics and economicrelations with the rest of the world towards MFI and other analytical needs of the BS. Theimplementation of a larger part of changes must – due to the deadlines in supplementedECB regulations – be finished by July 2010. Changes represent the enforcement of theprinciples of reporting for several purposes at the same time and thus the reduction of thereporting burden of credit institutions in line with ECB Council recommendations.


In 2009, the Bank of Slovenia cooperated in the JEGR group, the expert working group atthe Statistical Committee of the European System of Central Banks (ESCB) and theCommittee of European Banking Supervisors (CEBS) for reconciliation of methodology onmonetary and financial statistics with the requirements of FINREP and COREP supervisoryreports on banking operations. The working group with the mandate until September2009 sought synergies between the data sets, which presents the basis for reducing thereporting burden of credit institutions and for better quality of data in support of thedecision‐making process (analyses, supervision) in the long run.

Development of the new classification

In cooperation with the Government Office for Development and European Affairs, theMinistry of Finance developed a new classification of general government expenditure bydevelopment policies, development programs and development subprograms. The nationalclassification was used for preparing and adopting the national budgets for 2010 and 2011and should serve for analysing general government expenditure in line with theimplementation of development priorities from the Lisbon Strategy.

Legislation adopted in 2009:

Regulation (EC) No 25/2009 of the ECB of 19 December 2008 concerning the balance sheet of the monetaryfinancial institutions sector (Recast) (ECB/2008/32).

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‐vishouseholds and non‐financial corporations (ECB/2009/7).

2. 3 PRICES

The economic situation and as a result ever greater demands by numerous users for new, quality data from the field of prices demanded development and the start of publishing new indicators. As regards price statistics, 2009 brought the services price index, the price index of new dwellings, and the publication of producer price indices and import prices according to the revised classification SKD 2008. SORS regularly publishes all data in First Releases and on the SI‐STAT data portal.

Regular annual revisions

- consumer price indices

Within consumer price indices (CPI), SORS at the turn of 2009 performed regular annualrevision of both price indices, namely updated the list of points of sale and the list (basket)of goods and services for monitoring prices, and prepared new weights for indexcalculation. In both indices the improvement of procedures (e.g. introduction of newmethods of quality adjustment of prices), which arise from the process of harmonising, andalready adopted regulations for this area continued.

61 Regulation (EC) No 25/2009 of the ECB of 19 December 2008 concerning the balance sheet of the monetary financial institutions sector (Recast) (ECB/2008/32). 62 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).


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In 2009, calculation and publication of the harmonised index of consumer prices at constanttax rates (HICP‐CT) continued. Because during the year excise duties changed severaltimes, data on the HICP‐CT were first published at the end of June 2009 and then inDecember 2009.

- producer price index and import price index

In the field of producer prices and import prices, at the turn of 2009 the regular revision ofsamples of reporting units and products was performed. In January 2009 SORS startedcalculating and publishing the producer price index (PPI) and the import price index (IPI)according to the revised classification SKD 2008 or CPA 2008. Together with the first release,recalculations for previous years were performed, i.e. for the PPI from January 2000 on andfor the IPI from January 2006 on. Data are published on the SI‐STAT data portal63.

- construction costs index

For calculating the construction costs index, during 2009 SORS within the framework ofthe output price index of the domestic market revised a special price index of constructionmaterials. The mentioned subindex covers all groups at the 4‐digit level of SKD 2008, whichincludes construction‐related products.

New releases

- services producer price indices

In June 2009, SORS published for the first time the services producer price index (SPPI).The SPPI measures changes in the prices of business services provided by enterprises toother enterprises. The collected data are the basis for calculating 18 partial indices forselected services from four areas of SKD 2008, i.e. transportation and storage, informationand communication, professional, scientific and technical activities, and administrative andsupport service activities, summed in the total price index. With the start of publishing thementioned indices Eurostat’s requirements in the area of short‐term statistical indicatorswere fulfilled. SORS publishes the data on the SI‐STAT data portal.

Producer prices for services went up by 0.4% in the 1st quarter of 2009 compared to the 4th

quarter of the previous year. The rise in prices was particularly caused by price increases in security and investigation activities (by 2.4%), warehousing (by 1.4%) and architectural and engineering activities; technical testing and analysis (by 1.4%). Compared to the 4th quarter of 2008, the increase in the 1st quarter of 2009 was counteracted mostly by price decreases for sea and coastal water transport (by 8.4%) as well as for air transport (by 5.0%) and prices of other information service activities (by 2.0%).64

- prices of new dwellings

Work on setting up price indices of dwellings continued in 2009 within the framework of thepilot project. In addition to regular publication of quarterly price indices of second‐handdwellings, in 2009 SORS set up a special index of additional costs in purchasing realestate, and with a special survey it collected and published the data on the prices of newdwellings from 2007 on.

The prices of new dwellings in Slovenia were growing significantly in 2007, slowed down in the first half of 2008, did not change in the third quarter of 2008, decreased for the first time in the fourth quarter of 2008 and dropped by 10% in the first quarter of 2009.65

63 See: http://www.stat.si/pxweb/Database/Economy/Economy.asp (25. 2. 2010). 64 See Services producer price indices, Slovenia, 1st quarter 2009, 19 June 2009, First Release. Available at:

http://www.stat.si/eng/novica_prikazi.aspx?id=2403 (25.2.2010). 65 See Quarterly price indices of new dwellings, Slovenia, 2007–first quarter 2009, 23 June 2009, First Release. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/novica_prikazi.aspx?id=2442 (25.2.2010).


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Purchasing power parities

- double role of SORS

For calculating purchasing power parities (PPP), in 2009 several surveys were conducted,the purpose of which was to collect prices of internationally comparable products, on thebasis of which Eurostat calculates the PPP and gross domestic product in purchasing powerstandards. In addition to regular tasks within the PPP, for the past seven years SORS hasbeen cooperating as a leader of the group of Western Balkan countries. In its role of thegroup leader SORS helped prepare the possibility of including and integrating thesecountries into regular work at the European Comparison Programme of GDP and Prices66.Due to the new reorganisation of work within the programme, in 2010 Balkan countries willbe included in a new group of countries led by new group leaders.

- Eurostat's release

In early 2009, Eurostat published for the first time results of the pilot project – Averageretail prices of selected products in EU Member States67, in which together with nationalstatistical offices it studied the possibility of comparing data on average prices of selectedproducts by countries. During 2009 and in 2010 activities related to collecting data on theprices of selected products and their publishing will continue as will greater linking of HICPand PPP.

In 2008, gross domestic product (GDP) per capita in purchasing power standards in Slovenia amounted to 91% of the EU‐27 average.68

Legislation adopted in 2009: Commission Regulation (EC) No 330/2009 of 22 April 2009 laying down detailedrules for the implementation of Council Regulation (EC) No 2494/95 as regards minimum standards for thetreatment of seasonal products in the Harmonised Indices of Consumer Prices (HICP) (32009R0330).

2.4 EXTERNAL TRADE (trade in goods)

In 2009, in the field of external trade statistics intensive preparations took place for content‐related and technical modernisation of the external trade information system, which had to be performed due to the adoption of revised basic regulations for Intrastat and Extrastat. Changes in legislation will have an impact on the preparation of data on Slovenia’s trade in goods from 2010 on when implementing regulations for both basic regulations will be adopted. Within development tasks, in 2009 SORS implemented final harmonisation of Intrastat methodology with the Intrastat regulation, and continued work in relation with improving the quality of external trade data. As regards international cooperation, within the preparation for Slovenia’s membership of the OECD in 2009 all activities were successfully finished regarding the transmission of external trade statistics data to the OECD.

Changes in legislation

- revised basic regulations adopted

- implementing acts in adoption

In 2009, revised basic regulations for Intrastat and Extrastat were adopted at the level of theEuropean Parliament and the Council. Implementing clauses of both basic regulations are inthe final phase of adoption and are expected to be published in early 2010 in the OfficialJournal of the European Union; they will come into force on 1 January 2010. Adjustment oflegislation in the field of Extrastat was needed due to simplification of customsprocedures, especially due to the possibility of centralised customs clearance and simplifiedreporting stipulated by the Modernised Community Customs Code69.

66 Currently, the survey, in addition to Slovenia, includes another 36 countries, which are obliged to provide annually: the prices of more than one thousand types of products and services, selected for a basket of total GDP consumption, GDP indicated in national currency and some other data such as on population, temporal and spatial price indices, etc. 67 Eurostat, Consumer Prices Research, An experimental analysis into the measurement of indicative price levels for consumer products, February 2009. Available at: http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/hicp/documents/Tab/Tab/04_METH_CPR_‐_FEB_2009_WEB_0.pdf (5. 2. 2010). 68 Purchasing power parity (PPP) and gross domestic product (GDP) at purchasing power standards (PPS), 2006–2008, 15 December 2009, First Release. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/novica_prikazi.aspx?id=2835 (5. 2. 2010). 69 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) (UL L 145, 4. 6. 2008).


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Changes in legislation are expected to have an impact also on partial adjustment of themethod of collecting external trade statistics data within the Extrastat in the medium‐term period. Legislation stipulates that after the system for electronic data exchange isput in place the customs administrations of involved Member States will exchange thatpart of data that is subject to centralised customs clearance or the so‐called quasi transit.In accordance with legal provisions, SORS will be able to obtain data for economicentities for which simplified reporting for customs needs was approved directly fromthem. For the needs of additional verification of data correctness, SORS will have thepossibility of accessing data in the EORI system70.

In the field of Intrastat, the main objective of the revised legislation is to further reduce theburden on reporting units by lowering the minimum coverage on the side of arrivals ofgoods from 97% to 95%. In addition, legislation enables SORS to obtain additional tax datathat can be used for improving the quality of data on Intrastat.

- availability of new data

The revised legislation from the fields of Intrastat and Extrastat also stipulates requests forcollecting some additional data, with the help of which it will be possible to satisfy to alarger extent the needs and expectations of data users (e.g. preparation of data on tradein goods by characteristics of enterprises with the help of linking external trade statisticswith Business Register of Slovenia (PRS) data, monitoring the share of euro in trade ingoods, reporting data on the preferential treatment of goods in export, etc.). Throughvarious measures, the legislation also aims at improving the quality of data (e.g. itdetermines quality measures, the process of reporting about the quality and estimating thequality) and gives a more appropriate changed definition of the country of export/import ofgoods in Extrastat.

According to provisional data for 2009 Slovenia's exports amounted to EUR 16,039.9 million (a decrease by 19.0% compared to 2008), while imports amounted to EUR 16,958.6 million (a decrease by 26.4% compared to 2008). The external trade deficit amounted to EUR 918.6 million and the export/import ratio was 94.6%.71

Improvement of regular surveys - reduction of

burden on reporting units

In order to additionally reduce the burden on reporting units in Intrastat, in 2009 SORSincreased the value of the assimilation threshold in arrivals of goods from EUR 85,000 toEUR 120,000. In this way in 2009 on the side of arrivals of goods some 500 additionalreporting units were exempt from reporting, which is in terms of the share of reportingunits a 7.5% lower reporting burden in arrivals of goods compared to 2008. Analyses of dataon Slovenia’s trade in goods in 2009 show that at the moment further reduction of thecoverage at arrivals would not be acceptable, since it would significantly worsen the qualityof data in Intrastat.

- quality checks Implementation of some day‐to‐day operations at SORS and CURS in the field of Intrastatwas optimised and procedures for additional verification of the quality of external statisticsdata were developed. SORS integrated new content‐related and software solutions into theexternal trade statistics information system.


- XT‐NET program

In 2009, SORS cooperated in the EU project regarding Eurostat’s XT‐NET program72. Withinthe project the methodology for preparing the estimate of the statistical value of goodsin Intrastat was developed for reporting units whose trade in goods does not exceed thespecial threshold and appropriate software solutions were prepared that enable adjustmentof data processing to changes in Intrastat and Extrastat legislation.

- MEETS program

In 2009, SORS applied for a Eurostat’s grant within the MEETS (Modernisation of theEuropean Enterprise and Trade Statistics) program for the field of external trade

70 EORI – Economic Operator Registration and Identification scheme, which is in Slovenia maintained by the Customs Administration of the Republic of Slovenia (CURS). 71 See Exports and imports of goods, Slovenia, December 2009 – provisional data, 9 February 2010, First Release. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/novica_prikazi.aspx?id=2928 (25. 2. 2010). 72 Eurostat grants for 2008 ‐ XT‐NET implementation ‐ XT‐net project is intended for development and upgrade of tools for collecting, processing and disseminating external treade statistics and thus improving the quality of these data.


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statistics. Activities will focus on the development and implementation of appropriateprocedures for verifying the accuracy of data reported for Intrastat with the help ofadministrative data from VAT recapitulative statements.

- transmission of data to the OECD

Within the framework of preparations for OECD membership, in 2009 SORS sent to theOECD a series of monthly external trade statistics data by sectors of the StandardInternational Trade Classification of the United Nations (SITC) and monthly data by partnercountries for the 1992–2008 period, a series of detailed annual data by the HS classification(harmonised system of names and codes of goods) and partner countries for the 1996–2008period and a series of monthly data on external trade value indices, and unit value andvolume indices for the 2001–2008 period. From 2009 on SORS regularly reports to theOECD data on Slovenia’s trade in goods at the monthly level following the schedule forthe release of detailed monthly external trade statistics.


Regulation (EC) No 222/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2009 amendingRegulation (EC) No 638/2004 on Community statistics relating to the trading of goods between Member States(32009R0222).

Regulation (EC) No 471/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 May 2009 on Communitystatistics relating to external trade with non‐member countries and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 1172/95(32009R0471).

2.5 BALANCE OF PAYMENTS AND OTHER STATISTICS ON CROSS‐BORDER ECONOMIC RELATIONS

The Bank of Slovenia was regularly conducting statistical surveys of the balance of payments and cross‐border economic relations and publishing data from this area. The use of direct data sources on trade in payment transactions is a regular routine and cooperation with AJPES in data collection is successful.


A regular monthly production of data on the balance of payments and internationalinvestment position of Slovenia, including the external debt and foreign direct investments,was performed in the course of 2009. After receiving final data on trade in goods in 2008from SORS a regular revision was executed which, as usual, covered data for the past twoyears.

Cross‐border transactions

- changed legal basis

Since 2009, the legal basis for reporting on cross‐border economic relations is the Bank ofSlovenia Act73 and no longer the Foreign Exchange Act. In January the threshold forreporting statistical data on cross‐border transactions was raised from EUR 12,500 to EUR50,000, and the request to report data on neutral transactions was entirely abolished.

- new data sources

In 2009, the BS started to receive bilateral data on pensions received by residents fromAustria, Croatia, Italy, Germany and Switzerland from central banks of these countries.

73 See: http://www.uradni‐list.si/1/objava.jsp?urlid=200672&stevilka=3077 (25.3.2010).


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3. BUSINESS STATISTICS

3.1 ANNUAL BUSINESS STATISTICS

Fulfilment of requirements of the new European regulation on structural business statistics, which was adopted in 2008, means adjustment of implementing surveys, which are now mostly based on administrative sources, with the use of statistical questionnaires. In 2009, a revision of annual surveys from the fields of industry, construction and trade was implemented.

3.1.1 Structural business statistics

Changed legislation

- supplementing statistical and administrative sources

Structural business statistics (SBS) is mostly based on data from existing administrativesources (AJPES, DURS and the Bank of Slovenia data), supplemented with data collected bySORS from reporting units. To fulfil requirements from the recast regulation74, it wasnecessary to supplement the questionnaire; so SORS for the first time collected data onbusiness services. SORS used the opportunity provided by the legislation to exempt from thesurvey certain economic activities for which data can be collected every two years. By doingthis SORS reduced the burden of statistical reporting for some reporting units. Data for thereference year 2008 were entirely collected according to the new CPA 2008 classification.

- SORS – AJPES cooperation

Irrespective of the expansion, to fully meet the requirements of the regulation it will benecessary to supplement some data sources, such as setting up the survey “StructuralBusiness Register of Slovenia questionnaire”. In 2009, SORS and AJPES discussed themethod of conducting the survey of business entities, the content of the structuralquestionnaire and the reporting units that should be included in the survey.

On the basis of Article 13 of the Decree on keeping and maintaining the Business Register ofSlovenia75, upon SORS’s proposal in 2009 AJPES conducted two pilot surveys of businessentities regarding their activities and the activities of their parts. Both surveys highlighted aproblem detected already in the previous two years; namely that business entities do notrespond adequately to such data collection since they are asked to report – due to checkingthe data on the correct determination of main and other activities and parts of businessentities – confidential data on some accounting categories (e.g. turnover by activities andparts), which according to other regulations they are not obliged to record and do not wantto disclose. It was also found that a proposal of changes of legal bases should be prepared,since Article 13 of the Regulation on keeping and maintaining the Business Register ofSlovenia is not an sufficient legal basis for such a statistical survey.

- SKD 2008 In the field of annual structural statistics work continued in preparing the data according tothe new and the old activity classifications (SKD 2008 and SKD 2002). In line with theadopted implementing regulation (see Legislation adopted in 2009) the data are expectedto be published in 2011.

New releases

- SBS by cohesion regions

In 2009, SORS published for the first time data on structural business statistics by cohesionregions for 200776, which derives from the observation and monitoring of operation ofparts of business entities. The basic conditions for a quality regional presentation areproper organisation and quality of data in the Statistical Business Register.

Of the total turnover of EUR 78,063 million, the larger part was generated by local units in the cohesion region of Zahodna Slovenija (58%). In 2007 the majority of turnover was generated by trade and manufacturing sector activities. In manufacturing the largest share of turnover (57%) was generated in Vzhodna Slovenija. In contrast to Vzhodna Slovenija, in Zahodna Slovenija the largest share of turnover was generated by trade (69%).76

74 Regulation (EC) No 295/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2008 concerning structural business statistics (recast) (32008R0295). 75 See: http://www.uradni‐list.si/1/objava.jsp?urlid=2006121&stevilka=5175 (25.3.2010). 76 See Performance of enterprises by activity, regional data, Slovenia, 2007, 23 September 2009, First Release. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/novica_prikazi.aspx?id=2565 (25. 2. 2010).


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- foreign controlled enterprises

In 2009, the statistics of foreign controlled enterprises became a regular statistical survey.The data on the operation of foreign controlled enterprises for the reference year 2007(including data for 2006) were published by SORS in October 2009.

Of all non‐financial enterprises (SKD 2002 sections C to I and K) active in Slovenia in 2007, 2% were foreign affiliates. These enterprises contributed 21% of total turnover in the mentioned activities.77

3.1.2 Enterprise statistics (Statistical Business Register)

EuroGroups Register

- first data exchange

In 2009, SORS was included in the first exchange of individual data with Eurostat (theEuroGroups register – EGR), the main purpose of which is to provide information onmultinational enterprise groups in the EU for statistical purposes. EGR data will primarilyserve as support in the preparation of economic globalisation statistics.

- quality checks

In spring SORS – the same as statistical offices of other EU Member States – startedchecking the data on commercial sources of EGR for legal units composing 5,000 largestmultinational enterprise groups (Multinational enterprises ‐ MNE). The second phase(checking the relations) was done between June and October 2009. By early 2010 the aim ofthe EGR is to get full information on leaders within the 500 largest MNE and the structure ofthe 5,000 most important MNE in the EU. Data on units and relations were sent to bechecked by 29 countries. In checking the data, most of the countries combined automaticwork with manual work, since it was not possible to check all relations automatically due tothe complexity of links and data that are kept on foreign enterprises. Supplemented andcorrected relations were integrated into the existing EGR; SORS received the data for finalchecking of MNE in January 2010.

On the basis of available sources, in the 2005‐2007 period on average 16% of companies in Slovenia were integrated into enterprise groups. 82% of large and medium‐sized companies were parts of enterprise groups. Most of the all‐resident enterprise groups had three to five units. The majority of foreign controlled multinational enterprise groups were controlled by Austria, Germany, Italy and Croatia.78

- links to the national EuroGroups register

Exchange of data with the EGR for providing quality data on multinational enterprisegroups will continue in 2010. The process will be improved and adjusted both at Eurostatand in cooperating countries in line with experiences obtained at data exchange in 2009. In2010, activities regarding the national register of enterprise groups will focus on integratingEGR data into the existing national register; this will improve the quality of disseminatingdata on multinational enterprise groups which Slovenian enterprises are part of.


- entrepreneurship indicators

In addition to regular collection of data from the field of enterprise demography, formonitoring entrepreneurship indicators in 2009 SORS prepared test data for monitoringthe demography of enterprises with at least one employee, high‐growth enterprises andgazelles. The data were prepared on the basis of the OECD programme of monitoringentrepreneurship (EIP)79. Within the mentioned programme entrepreneurship indicators arebeing developed and monitored, which enables the measurement of differences inentrepreneurial activity of participating countries, identifying factors influencing thedevelopment of the entrepreneurial activity in a particular country and offer starting pointsfor preparing national measures for increasing the entrepreneurial activity. In 2010, SORSwill continue to prepare and further develop the data in the field of entrepreneurship.

New EU legislation

The newly adopted implementing Commission regulation (see Legislation adopted in 2009)details the structure and form of data for exchange, measures regarding confidentiality andsecurity of exchange, and storing of confidential data.

77 See Inward statistics on foreign affiliates, Slovenia, 2007, 1 October 2009, First Release. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/novica_prikazi.aspx?id=2669 (25.2.2010). 78 See Enterprise groups, Slovenia, 2005–2007 – final data, 23 October 2009, First Release. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/novica_prikazi.aspx?id=2707 (25. 2. 2010). 79 See: http://www.oecd.org/document/58/0,3343,en_2649_44392116_44441658_1_1_1_1,00.html (10. 2. 2010).


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3.1.3 Other annual surveys

Technical and methodological modernisation

- IND/L

During the year SORS implemented and at the end of the year finished the modernisationof conducting the annual industry survey (IND/L). The modernisation included the totalrevision of the questionnaire. Solutions were checked at selected enterprises. In this way anew standard was introduced in the process of revising the questionnaires at SORS, which isnow an obligatory part of the revision. The final result is a questionnaire that is friendlier tothe enterprises.

- TRG/L In 2009, SORS finished the content‐related and technical revision of the annual distributivetrade survey (TRG/L). In cooperation with members of the statistical advisory committee,especially the Slovenian Chamber of Commerce, SORS prepared a list of commodity groupsaccording to which it monitors turnover from sale of goods and material in wholesale andretail trade. Data from the annual distributive trade survey for 2008 are no longer publishedby predominant trade activity. The emphasis is on publishing results by commodity groupsin wholesale and retail trade 80.

In 2008 enterprises in Slovenia generated EUR 12,585 million of turnover from the sale of goods in retail trade. According to the commodity groups, the largest share of turnover was generated by the sale of non‐food products (45.8% or EUR 5,761 million). Enterprises performing wholesale generated on the domestic market EUR 15,744 million of turnover from their trade activity. More than half of turnover in wholesale was generated by the sale of non‐food products (58.1% or EUR 9,144 million).80

Reduction of burden on reporting units

- abolition

In 2009, the annual survey on iron and steel was conducted for the last time. Due to theexpiration of the regulation and demands for reducing the reporting burden, the survey wasabolished. In the future data users will use other sources of data, e.g. data from annualindustry statistics or energy statistics.

- longer periodicity

The periodicity of the survey on construction works abroad, which used to be semi‐annual, was due to the elimination of administrative barriers and reducing the burden ofenterprises prolonged to annual.

- introduction of new data sources

SORS continues with analysing the relevance and quality of data from the Real EstateRegister (REN), which is kept by GURS, in order to substitute the present data sources forthe annual estimate of the construction of non‐residential buildings with a new, high‐quality source.

New releases SORS prepared and published in the rapid Reports collection a special publication entitledIndustrial production and sold production, which presents an overview of annual industrystatistics for the 2005–2008 period81. The publication also brings comparisons with other EUMember States.

International comparison of annual data of industry statistics shows that in 2008 most bread per capita in the EU‐27 was sold in Ireland (81.7 kg per capita), while by far the least bread per capita was sold in Greece (only 5 kg per capita). In Slovenia 43.7 kg of bread per person was sold, which is the same as in Poland and slightly more than in Lithuania (42.1 kg per capita).81

80 See Retail trade and wholesale, commission trade, Slovenia, 2008, 27 August 2009, First Release.

Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/novica_prikazi.aspx?id=2564 (25.2.2010). 81 See Industrial producton and sold production, Slovenia, 2005–2008, 22 December 2009, Rapid Reports. Available at: http://www.stat.si/doc/statinf/17‐si‐060‐0901.pdf (9.2.2010).


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Annual accounts In the field of annual structural surveys, AJPES conducted seven surveys on annualaccounts; however, for various business segments according to various legal provisions.The collected data are an important administrative source for further use in statisticalsurveys conducted by SORS, the Bank of Slovenia and the Ministry of Finance. The data areused intensively by various researchers, IMAD and other national institutions and chambers.

Legislation adopted in 2009: Commission Regulation (EC) No 97/2009 of 2 February 2009 implementing Regulation (EC) No 295/2008 of theEuropean Parliament and of the Council concerning structural business statistics, as regards the use of theflexible module (32009R0097). Commission Regulation (EC) No 250/2009 of 11 March 2009 implementing Regulation (EC) No 295/2008 of theEuropean Parliament and of the Council as regards the definitions of characteristics, the technical format for thetransmission of data, the double reporting requirements for NACE Rev.1.1 and NACE Rev.2 and derogations tobe granted for structural business statistics (32009R0250). Commission Regulation (EC) No 251/2009 of 11 March 2009 implementing and amending Regulation (EC) No295/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the series of data to be produced forstructural business statistics and the adaptations necessary after the revision of the statistical classification ofproducts by activity (CPA) (32009R0251). Commission Regulation (EC) No 192/2009 of 11 March 2009 implementing Regulation (EC) No 177/2008 of theEuropean Parliament and of the Council establishing a common framework for business registers for statisticalpurposes, as regards the exchange of confidential data between the Commission (Eurostat) and Member States(32009R0192).

3.2 SHORT‐TERM BUSINESS STATISTICS

In the field of short‐term business statistics, 2009 was marked by the introduction of the revised Standard Classification of Activities – SKD 2008 in improvement of data quality and preparation and publication of revised time series.


- releases according to SKD 2008

In the field of short‐term business statistics, in 2009 SORS started the publish dataaccording to the revised Standard Classification of Activities (SKD 2008). The data weretransmitted to international institutions. Most of the time series go back to at least 2000, ifpossible even longer. Data were published on the SI‐STAT data portal within the economysubject area82. As regards new orders in industry, where the time series is shorter, SORSstarted to prepare procedures for preparing estimates of missing data for the past years.These activities will continue at the beginning of 2010. With successful introduction of therevised activity classification – SKD 2008 into business statistics, one of the priorities for thisfield in the Medium‐Term Programme of Statistical Surveys was achieved.

- construction costs index

In the field of construction statistics a special working group was implementing the developmenttask of setting up the indicator construction costs index for residential buildings from theexisting statistical data collected for other purposes. At the end of the year the groupsuccessfully finished the development of this indicator, so that SORS plans to start with regularproduction according to the new method in 2010.

Reduction of burden on reporting units

Within the elimination of administrative barriers and the reduction of burdens onenterprises as regards data reporting, SORS analysed the set of enterprises included in thesurveys. The result of analyses is the reduction of the number of small enterprises includedin monthly surveys from the fields of construction and industry.

By issuing building permits, in the fourth quarter of 2009 construction of 1,269 dwellings was planned, which is 45% less than in the fourth quarter of 2008. 94% of planned new dwellings will be built in residential buildings and will be new constructions. 61% of dwellings will be constructed in one‐dwelling buildings; the average size of dwellings in them will be 166 m2. The average size of dwelling in multi‐dwelling buildings will be 72 m2.83

82 See: http://www.stat.si/pxweb/Database/Economy/Economy.asp (25. 2. 2010). 83 See Statistics of building permits, Slovenia, 4th quarter 2009, 19 February 2010, First Release. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/novica_prikazi.aspx?id=2950 (25. 2. 2010).


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Improvement of data quality

- retail trade turnover

Due to frequent and extensive revisions and changes in monthly data on retail tradeturnover, in 2009 Eurostat established a working group, the task of which is to find thereasons for revisions and prepare recommendations how to act in such cases. The groupprepared two questionnaires, which were sent to be answered by EU Member States. Thefirst questionnaire contained general questions regarding the revisions and changes in dataon retail trade turnover indices, while with the second one they wanted to get an insightinto the organisation of retail trade of automotive fuels in individual Member States.

- turnover in service activities

The monthly indicator turnover in service activities belongs among the so‐called PrincipalEuropean Economic Indicators – PEEI. On Eurostat’s initiative, in 2009 Member Stateschecked the quality in detail. The final report84 published by Eurostat contains generalinformation on the methodology of calculating the index of turnover in service activities; asa result this enables direct comparisons among EU Member States.

AJPES AJPES continuously conducts a monthly statistical survey on overdue unsettled liabilities oflegal persons over 5 days. The data are submitted by providers of payment transactions,which send the data to AJPES in electronic form.

3.3 ENERGY AND RAW MATERIALS

Recently in Europe and in Slovenia the preparation of policies for promoting the use of sustainable energy sources has been at the forefront. Slovenia has committed itself to achieve by 2020 a 25% share of energy from renewable sources in gross final energy consumption. For monitoring progress toward the objective, official statistics from the field of energy will be used. For improving these statistics, SORS is cooperating with various institutions – the Ministry of the Economy, the Energy Agency, the Jožef Stefan Institute and other independent enterprises that have data from this area.

New EU legislation

- additional tasks for SORS

In April 2009, the Directive on the use of energy from renewable sources was adopted (seeLegislation adopted in 2009), which presents additional burden for SORS especially in thefield of monitoring and obtaining data on renewable energy sources. In 2008, in line with theRegulation on energy statistics85, which also demands improvement of the statistics onrenewable energy sources, SORS started to check the methodology and search foradministrative sources of data from this area. Activities continued in 2009.


- obtaining new administrative sources

In the field of energy, SORS continues activities for reducing the burden on reporting unitsby taking over data from administrative sources. SORS and the Ministry of the Economy(MG), Directorate for Energy have been cooperating for several years in establishing acommon database that would contribute to unifying statistical data on energy in Slovenia.In 2009, SORS continued cooperation with the Environmental Agency of the Republic ofSlovenia (ARSO) in exchanging data for preparing records of greenhouse gas emissions andlater on for preparing environmental‐economic accounts. SORS also started to exchangedata on liquid fuels, biofuels and other renewable fuels for propulsion of motor vehicles inroad transport. In 2009, SORS continued to search for sources of data on the use ofrenewable energy sources; in doing this it cooperated with the Jožef Stefan Institute, sincethis institute already has certain information from this area.

Achieved goals

- improvement of data quality

Within energy and raw materials statistics, in 2009 SORS conducted regular surveys in linewith the annual programme and regularly published the results. Within the framework ofdevelopment tasks, SORS continued work related to the improvement of the statistics ofrenewable energy sources by starting to review and supplement the existing data sources.As a result of this work, SORS wants to set up and integrate all available data onrenewable energy sources at one place and include them in regular reporting andpublication. First results are expected to be available for 2011.

84 See Final report »PEEIs in focus – a summary for the index of turnover in services«. Available at: http://circa.europa.eu/Public/irc/dsis/ebt/library?l=/methodology/2009_peei_tovspdf/_EN_1.0_&a=d (25. 2. 2010). 85 Regulation (EC) No 1099/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 October 2008 on energy statistics (32008R1099).


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In 2008, final energy consumption in households was 6.4% higher than in 2007. 26.3% of electricity was produced from renewable sources.86

In 2009, SORS started preparations for conducting the survey on household energyconsumption; fieldwork will be conducted in autumn 2010. Survey results are expected toimprove the statistics of final household energy consumption by purpose.


- OECD

Within the preparations for Slovenia’s membership of the OECD, SORS hosted a visit ofrepresentatives of the OECD – International Energy Agency. The topics of the meetingwere studying the situation in the field of energy statistics in Slovenia and presentation ofthe requirement for sending data to the OECD. On the basis of these requirements, at theend of 2009 a new publication plan with shorter deadlines was prepared for publishingenergy statistics.

New publication At the end of 2009, SORS published a brochure entitled Environmental Indicators forSlovenia87; four of the indicators are from the field of energy. For each indicator,international comparison was made which clearly shows the situation in Slovenia comparedto other EU Member States.

Legislation adopted in 2009: Directive 2009/28/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 April2009 on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources and amending and subsequently repealingDirectives 2001/77/EC and 2003/30/EC (32009L0028).

3.4 TRANSPORT

The impacts of global climate change, air pollution, noise increase, overcrowdedness and traffic accidents on humans demand the setting up of new strategies for achieving sustainable development in transport. Data on transport competitiveness and efficiency and on social and environmental impacts of transport are becoming increasingly sought. In addition to the development of structural and regional indicators and modal‐split indicators, the establishing of new indicators of sustainable development, safety and impacts of transport on the environment (especially in terms of air emissions) is thus becoming especially important. This is especially highlighted in the new »Greening transport package«88 project, which is in the European Community implemented by the Directorate‐General for Transport and Energy (DG TREN).

Modernisation of EU legislation

In May 2009, the recast Directive on statistical returns in respect of carriage of goods andpassengers by sea was adopted without any important substantial changes compared to theprevious version (see Legislation adopted in 2009). The anticipated simplification of Europeanlegislation in the field of road goods transport, railway transport and maritime transport didnot happen in 2009; it was postponed to 2010 and should be valid from 2011 on.

- NST 2007 The introduction of the European goods classification for transport statistics NST 200789

into annual surveys with 2008 as the observed year was successfully finished.

Interinstitutional cooperation:

- port traffic statistics

In the field of port traffic statistics, in 2009 electronic reception of monthly data from theSlovenian Maritime Administration (URSP) was introduced. This was followed bytechnical and content‐related adjustments of the survey process at SORS. The transition toelectronic exchange of data at the EU level (»e‐Maritime«90) is becoming even more urgent,

86 See Annual energy statistics, Slovenia, 2008, 25 September 2009, First Release. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/novica_prikazi.aspx?id=2643 (25. 2. 2010). 87 See Environmenal indicators for Slovenia, December 2009. Available at: http://www.stat.si/doc/pub/okolje2009‐ANG.pdf (25. 2. 2010). 88 See: http://ec.europa.eu/transport/strategies/2008_greening_transport_en.htm (25. 3. 2010). 89 See: http://www.stat.si/eng/tema_ekonomsko_transport_klasifikacija_blaga.asp (25. 2. 2010). 90 See also: http://www.ebos.com.cy/skemawebsite/uploadfiles/e‐Maritime%20presentation%20Focal%20Points%20CP%202Dec08.pdf and

http://www.skematransport.eu/uploadfiles/SRW2.1%20e‐Maritime%20C%20Pipitsoulis.pdf (10. 2. 2010).


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since the implementation of proposals for setting up the “common European maritimespace without barriers”, which assumes the creation of paperless environment for customsand trade, will limit the existing administrative sources (e.g. customs papers) for obtainingdata required by the statistical directive in this field.

- cross‐border statistics

In the field of cross‐border transport statistics, in 2009 SORS started with electronicreception of data on goods transport from the Customs Administrative of the Republic ofSlovenia and data on passenger transport from the Police. These two institutionsintensively cooperated with the aim to provide appropriate quality of reported data.

Road goods transport statistics

After the end of the project of extensive renewal of the complete software package formanaging the survey on road goods transport and the establishment of the statisticalregister of motor vehicles in the previous year, in 2009 testing of the application,adjustment of code lists, and preparation and supplementing of guidelines for conductingall parts of the survey were implemented. The aim of the project was to improve thetechnical support for the survey, since the content of the survey had already been fullyadjusted to international requirements.

In the 3rd quarter of 2009 road goods vehicles registered in Slovenia carried 20.2 million tons of goods and performed 3.4 billion tonne‐kilometres. Compared to the 3rd quarter of 2008, road goods vehicles carried 11% less goods and performed 12% less tonne‐kilometres. In national transport – which represents a fifth of total transport – 11% less goods were carried and 2% less tonne‐kilometres were performed. In international transport 9% less goods were carried and 14% less tonne‐kilometres were performed.91

New releases

- new publication

- updating the SI‐STAT portal

In addition to regular First Releases of data for the field of transport and for individualmodes of transport, an annual publication was issued within Rapid Reports entitledTransport92; the publication presents at one place the collected statistical data from alltransport statistics surveys for 2008. The SI‐STAT data portal was updated in terms ofcontents. Data on maritime transport were supplemented with tables on port traffic. In thisway this mode of transport was rounded. In the second half of 2009 procedures were set forsupplementing the monthly releases of data on registered new passenger cars. SORSwill publish seasonally adjusted data from 2010 on. This change was required by the OECD.

Some highlights from the publication Transport, Slovenia, 200892:

- In 2008 the Slovenian national carriers in road, railway and air transport carried almost 147 million passengers, which is a quarter less than in 2000, but slightly more than in 2007.

- The Slovenian international airport passenger transport increased by 8%. The largest increase was recorded on flights between Slovenia and Macedonia (by 44%) and on flights between Slovenia and Switzerland (by 31%). The largest decrease was recorded on flights to or from Turkey (by 9%).

- In 2008 a quarter less traffic accidents happened in road traffic than a year before and 42% less than in 2000.

Legislation adopted in 2009: Directive 2009/42/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 May 2009on statistical returns in respect of carriage of goods and passengers by sea (Recast) (32009L0042).

91 See Road goods transport, Slovenia, 3rd quarter of 2009, 12 January 2010, First Release. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/novica_prikazi.aspx?id=2874 (10. 2. 2010). 92 See Transport, Slovenia, 2008, 18 November 2009, Rapid Reports. Available at: http://www.stat.si/doc/statinf/22‐si‐084‐0902.pdf (25. 2. 2010).


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3.5 TOURISM

In regular statistical surveys from the field of tourism, most efforts focused on the improvement of the quality of the statistical survey on accommodation facilitie, tourist arrivals and overnight stays. As regards the reduction of the burden on reporting units, discussions were held between SORS, the Ministry of the Economy, the Slovenian Tourist Board and the Police. In 2009, the Survey on Foreign Tourists in Hotels and Camping Sites was conducted and the preparations were held for the 2010 Survey on Foreign Travellers.


- revision of accommodation statistics

In 2009, SORS started a major revision of the statistical survey on accommodationfacilities, tourist arrivals and overnight stays (TU/M). For conducting the survey in 2010,changes in the selection of the observed population, dealing with nonresponse andthe method of data dissemination are prepared. In selecting the population, SORS isintroducing a new system of selecting the observation units and the statistical thresholdfor data reporting. In dealing with nonresponse, procedures are prepared for imputationof missing data. In providing better transparency of statistical data, for 2010 the existingdata releases (First Release and the SI‐STAT data portal) are transformed. Irrespective ofimplementing the revision, the data were regularly published in the First Release and onthe SI‐STAT data portal.


At the end of 2009, under the leadership of the Ministry of Public Administration aproject started, the aim of which is to reduce the burden on reporting units, i.e.accommodation establishments, by making them report the necessary data for allinstitutions (SORS, the Police, DURS, local tourist institutions) at the same timeelectronically. Within the project the possibility of establishing the register ofaccommodation establishments will be analysed.

In 2009, over 2,716,000 tourist arrivals and over 8,290,000 overnight stays were registered in tourist accommodations, which is 1% less compared to 2008 (the number of overnight stays of domestic tourists increased by 6% and of foreign tourists decreased by 6%).93

Tourism surveys

- survey on foreign tourists

In 2009, the Survey on Foreign Tourists was conducted, which SORS conducts everythree years. The purpose of this survey is to collect data on characteristics of foreigntourists and their stay in Slovenia. Surveying took place in April, June–August andDecember. Due to the lack of financial resources the survey was not conducted inSeptember. In 2009, first provisional results for April 2009 were published. Final resultswill be available in 2010.

Among the foreign tourists that SORS interviewed in the Slovene hotels in April 2009 there were mostly tourists from Italy (33%), followed by tourists from Austria (14%), Germany (8%), Croatia (6%) and Serbia (5%). In hotels in health resorts tourists from Austria (39%) dominated among the respondents. Most respondents from Italy came to Slovenia from following five regions: Emilia‐Romagna (22 %), Lombardia (18 %), Friuli‐Venezia Giulia (13 %), Veneto (13 %) and Lazio (8 %). More than a third of Austrian tourists came from Kärnten and one fifth from Steiermark.94

- survey on foreign travellers

Preparations for the Survey on Foreign Travellers, which will be conducted in April, July,August and October 2010, started at the end of 2009. The survey methodology will besimilar to the one in 2007. Some smaller changes will be made regarding tourists whospend at least one night in Slovenia.

EU legislation Despite Eurostat’s plans, a new Regulation concerning Community statistics on tourism,which should replace the currently valid Directive95, was not adopted in 2009. All yearharmonisation with statistical offices of Member States took place, and in December2009 the final proposal for a Regulation was sent to further procedure at the EuropeanCommission.

93 See Tourism, Slovenia, December 2009 – provisional data, 25 January 2010, First Release. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/novica_prikazi.aspx?id=2905 (25. 2. 2010). 94 See survey on foreign tourists, Slovenia, April 2009 – provisional data, 17 August 2009, First Release. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/novica_prikazi.aspx?id=2548 (25.2.2010). 95 Council Directive 95/57/EC of 23 Nov. 1995 on the collection of statistical information in the field of tourism (31995L0057).


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4. AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY AND FISHERIES

4.1 FARM STRUCTURE AND TYPOLOGY (Agricultural Census 2010)

As regards the structure and typology of agricultural holdings, in 2009 the focus was on methodological, organisational and technical preparations for the agricultural census, which will take place in 2010 and will combine all available quality administrative data sources and data collected by fieldwork.


- agricultural census

In line with the new European legislation96, in 2009 SORS prepared the methodology andorganisation of the 2010 Agricultural Census and the sample survey on agriculturalproduction methods. The regulation on farm structure surveys and the survey onagricultural production methods, which stipulates compulsory census contents andcontents of the sample survey on agricultural production methods, dictated the adoption ofthe agreement regarding the data requirements at the national level. To this end, within theStatistical Advisory Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Statistics severalworking groups were established, which reviewed and proposed supplements to individualcontent of the census and related statistical surveys.

The census will be conducted as a combination of fieldwork data collection and the use ofexisting administrative and statistical sources. For implementing fieldwork datacollection, SORS implemented a demanding open public tender with which the contractorwas selected. Together with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food (MKGP) SORSestablished an interdepartmental working group, which examined ten administrativesources kept by MKGP and evaluated whether they are appropriate to be used for thecensus. Another task of the working group was to prepare a draft agreement oncooperation between SORS and MKGP regarding the transmission and use of ministry’sdata for statistical purposes with the aim to reduce the burden on reporting units and torationalise statistical surveys conducted by SORS. Some administrative data sources havebeen used by SORS regularly in its statistical surveys since 2004, while others will be usedfrom 2010 on. The implementation of the Agricultural Census is in the Medium‐TermProgramme of Statistical Surveys stated as one of the priorities.

- Statistical register of agricultural holdings

In the autumn of 2009, SORS supplemented and updated the content of the StatisticalRegister of Agricultural Holdings, the role of which is to provide an updated sampling framefor statistical surveys from the field of agriculture. Supplements were an important part ofthe preparations for the 2010 Agricultural Census. At the same time they were urgent due tosome changes in the preparation of other statistical surveys from the field of agriculturalstatistics.

4.2 AGRICULTURAL INCOME AND PRICES

In 2009, activities in the field of economic accounts for agriculture focused on improving data quality. In the field of prices, activities focused on setting up the system for recalculating agricultural prices to the base year 2005.

Economic accounts for agriculture

- quality improvements

In 2009, special attention was focused on improving the quality of economic accounts foragriculture (EAA) aggregates. Emphasis was put on improving the structure of consumption ofagricultural production. Analyses were prepared which will be the basis for estimating themarketability of individual products and their inclusion into economic accounts for agriculture.

96 Commission Regulation (EC) No 1242/2008 of 8 December 2008 establishing a Community typology for agricultural holdings (32008R1242). 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).


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- comparison: EAA – FADN

A comparison of some conditionally comparable macroeconomic categories according tothe economic accounts for agriculture (EAA) methodology with farm accountancy data(FADN) was made. Cooperation at the expert level will continue between the Ministry ofAgriculture, Forestry and Food (MKGP) and SORS.

- comparison: EAA – national accounts data

Eurostat prepared comparisons of EAA data and national accounts data. In data forSlovenia the value of production and intermediate consumption in agriculture according tonational accounts concepts is between 6% and 18% higher than as according to EAA. Themain reason is the use of different methodology, i.e. the »pure agricultural activity«approach (EAA) and the »organisational approach« (national accounts).

According to the second estimate, in comparison with 2008, in 2009 the real factor income per annual work unit is estimated to decrease in agriculture by 15%. The main reason for the decrease is lower value of agricultural production due to lower prices of agricultural products. Subsidies reached 70% of the value of factor income.97

Agricultural price statistics

Data on agricultural price indices were in line with the regular work plan recalculated from2000 on to the new base, i.e. 2005 average. Agricultural price indices recalculated to thenew base year were published for the first time at the end of March.98

In January 2009 the prices of agricultural products were 9.1% lower than in December 2008 and 4.3% lower than in January 2008.98

4.3 CROP AND ANIMAL PRODUCTION

Within the monitoring of agricultural production statistics, in 2009 two new regulations were adopted, which represent modernisation of legislation in this field. As regards methodological work, in 2009 the main emphasis was on the methods of monitoring data that will be an important source for calculating agri‐environmental indicators.

EU legislation

- crop production statistics

Via working groups, SORS actively cooperated in preparing and adopting a new regulationon crop statistics (see Legislation adopted in 2009). The regulation that sets up a commonframework for systematic preparation of Community statistics on the use of agriculturalland and crop production was adopted by the European Parliament and the Council in thefirst half of 2009 and will start to be used on 1 January 2010. Changes introduced by the newregulation will not have a significant impact on SORS’s work since smaller adjustmentsrelated to surveys were discussed during the preparation of the regulation by the StatisticalAdvisory Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Statistics.

- fruit and wine production statistics

Within the last part of revising statistical legislation from the field of agriculture, in 2009Eurostat proposed a new regulation on permanent crops statistics, which will replaceregulations related to collecting statistical data on vineyards and orchards. SORS wasactively involved in the preparation of the draft within its cooperation in Eurostat’s workinggroups.

- statistics on the use of reproduction material and mineral fertilisers in agriculture

Due to late adoption of the new regulation from the field of collecting statistical data onpesticides (see Legislation adopted in 2009), which imposes new obligations on MemberStates, SORS postponed the foreseen preparation of the strategy on the methods ofcollecting data on the consumption of plant protection products in Slovenia within theinterinstitutional cooperation with the Phytosanitary Administration of the Republic ofSlovenia and the Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning (MOP), since thepreparation of the mentioned strategy is closely linked with the establishment of theinterdepartmental working group, which will be coordinated by the MKGP. The strategywill be designed in 2010. The regulation stipulates a five year period that will start in 2010 in

97 See Real income from agriculture – second estimate, Slovenia, 2009, 29 January 2010, First Release. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/novica_prikazi.aspx?id=2906 (25. 2. 2010). 98 See Producer price indices and prices of agricultural products, detailed data, Slovenia, January 2009, 27 March 2009, First Release. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/novica_prikazi.aspx?ID=2236 (9. 2. 2010).


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which countries will select the reference period of one year themselves. For this referenceperiod they will have to prepare statistical data on the consumption of pesticides for eachselected crop. Monitoring the consumption of pesticides is one of the tasks from theMedium‐Term Programme of Statistical Surveys and will be implemented in the second halfof the medium‐term period.

- livestock and meat statistics

The Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on livestock and meatstatistics99 represents, in addition to simplifying the legislation due to combining threedirectives into one, also progress in the use of administrative sources in the area. Theregulation imposed a new obligation for SORS to prepare a new method of estimatingdomestic slaughter at the annual level. First such data were published in May 2009.

Most pigs are slaughtered in slaughterhouses (almost 64%). Also almost all of the slaughter of poultry is done in slaughterhouses; less than 2% of animals are slaughtered outside slaughterhouses. On the other hand, the situation is completely different as regards sheep and goats; 91% and 99% of animals, respectively, are slaughtered outside slaughterhouses. Slaughter of bovine animals is strictly done in slaughterhouses. 100

Census of vineyards

- implementation with administrative sources

The 2009 Census of Vineyards was conducted by SORS using administrative sources (MKGPand Phytosanitary Administration of the Republic of Slovenia (FURS) data), which is in linewith EU legislation and SORS’s aim to reduce administrative burdens and costs. Provisionaldata will be published at the end of February 2010 and final in June 2010.

New administrative sources

- Central Register of Bovine Animals

In 2009, SORS additionally tested the existing administrative data source, i.e. the CentralRegister of Bovine Animals kept by the MKGP, in the part of data on the slaughter of cattlein slaughterhouses. The result is that SORS can reduce the burden on reporting units in themonthly survey on livestock slaughter in slaughterhouses as regards reporting on theslaughter of cattle; this was introduced in January 2010.

Pilot survey As regards the monitoring of environmental protection, the preparation of environmentalindicators and the methodological preparation for the 2010 Agricultural Census, within theEU project (Eurostat Grants for 2008: Theme 4.07 Pilot Studies on estimating volume ofwater used for irrigation) on the consumption of water for irrigation in agriculture, in2009 SORS conducted a pilot survey with which the method for estimating waterconsumed for irrigation on agricultural holdings was prepared. The project report will bepublished on SORS’s website in the first quarter of 2010.

Balance of supply with animal and crop products - calendar and

market

The balance of production and consumption of crop products is synthetic information onthe supply and demand and is in the EU among the most frequently used data for analysingthe situation in individual markets. The purpose of food balances is to monitor markettrends for agricultural products and assessing the self‐sufficiency of a country. Forvarious purposes, two types of food balances are prepared: calendar and market. The basisfor preparing the balance sheets is agricultural statistics, industry statistics and externaltrade statistics. In preparing the balance sheets SORS cooperates with the AgriculturalInstitute of Slovenia.

- new releases on the SI‐STAT portal

In 2009, on the SI‐STAT data portal101 the following balances were published:

- balance sheets for the calendar year: for cereals, potato, sugar, vegetables, rice, meatand eggs for the 2000–2008 period and

- balance sheets for the market year: for cereals, potato, sugar, vegetables and rice forthe 2000/01–2007/08 period.

99 Regulation (EC) No 1165/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 November 2008 concerning livestock and meat statistics and repealing Council Directives 93/23/EEC, 93/24/EEC and 93/25/EEC (32008R1165). 100 See Livestock slaughter, Slovenia, 2008, 28 may 2009, First Release. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/novica_prikazi.aspx?id=2382 (25. 2. 20101). 101 See: http://www.stat.si/pxweb/Database/Environment/Environment.asp (25. 2. 2010).


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The degree of self‐sufficiency in Slovenia is much higher for animal products than for crop products. A low degree was demonstrated in the 2000‐2007 period by supply balance sheets for vegetables (33% in 2007) and potatoes. In this period supply balance sheets for meat and eggs demonstrated the average above 90%.102

Food balance sheets

In 2009, SORS prepared most of the expected food balance sheets, i.e. baby food, fish, salt,fodder, bottled water, and coffee and tea, for the 2000–2005 period. Because thedevelopment task demands cooperation of several ministries and government offices, ithas not been fully realised. So SORS has not yet published the balance sheets. We expectthat balance sheets for the 1995–2008 period will be prepared and published by the end of2010.


Regulation (EC) No 543/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 June 2009 concerning cropstatistics and repealing Council Regulations (EEC) No 837/90 and (EEC) No 959/93 (32009R0543).

Regulation (EC) No 1185/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 November 2009 concerningstatistics on pesticides (32009R1185).

4.4 FISHERIES AND FORESTRY

In the field of fisheries statistics, SORS continued to cooperate with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food regarding the transfer of monitoring fisheries to the Ministry and thus also regarding the reduction of the burden on reporting units. Economic accounts for forestry were published.

Fishery statistics

- cooperation with the MKGP

In 2009, the process of gradual transfer of basic fisheries statistics from SORS to MKGPcontinued. Collection of data by the MKGP provides to the Republic of Slovenia setting upof databases that will gradually fully meet the valid legislation in this area, including thelatest regulations. At the same time, these data will be available to national andinternational users, including the possibility of the European Commission to accessindividual data. The introduction of the new national system of data collection means asignificant reduction of the reporting burden, since reporting units are thus obliged toreport their data to only one institution. In this way interinstitutional cooperation ofcompetent national services is strengthened.

New regular task

- economic accounts for forestry

In 2009, economic accounts for forestry were a regular task of SORS, within which theproduction account and the income account for the 1995‐2008 period were produced andpublished on the SI‐STAT data portal.103 In line with the inclusion of economic accounts forforestry into the system of Integrated Environmental and Economic Accounting forForests ‐ IEEAF104 regular publication of data at current prices continued in September 2009for the previous year. The basis for calculating production and income indicators is the dataon forestry statistics and other statistics and data provided by other institutions. Forestryaccounts show a more comprehensive picture of forestry as an economic activity sincethey enable international comparability, comparability of forestry with other activities andintra‐sectoral analysis of individual categories.

In the 2000–2006 period the value of output of the forestry activity was increasing; in 2006 it was EUR 150.0 million. After a slight decrease in 2007, in 2008 it increased again due to the increase in the value of forestry goods output and forestry services output, and amounted to EUR 163.2 million.105

102 See Final crop and animal supply balance sheets for market year, Slovenia, 2000–2007, 10 November 2009, First Release. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/novica_prikazi.aspx?id=2748 (25. 2. 2010). 103 See: http://www.stat.si/pxweb/Database/Environment/Environment.asp (25. 2. 2010). 104 See: http://forestportal.efi.int/view.php?id=1036&pl=31.35 (25. 2. 2010). 105 See Main aggregates of the economic accounts for forestry (EAF), Slovenia, 2000–2008, 2 October 2009, First Release. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/novica_prikazi.aspx?id=2674 (25. 2. 2010).


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5. MULTI‐DOMAIN STATISTICS

5.1 BUSINESS TENDENCIES

In addition to regular work, conducting of business tendency surveys was marked by activities related to the transition to the use of the revised activity classification SKD 2008. How the economic crisis was perceived in these qualitative surveys was shown in a paper106 presented at the 19th Statistical Days in Radenci, Slovenia.

Content‐related and technical modernisation

In early 2009, SORS implemented technical and content‐related modernisation of businesstendency surveys. Within the content‐related revision SORS performed a detailedexamination of questionnaires and eliminated some questions in the survey on retail tradeand construction. Within the technical revision SORS modernised the entire process of datacollection and processing.

- reduction of burden on reporting units

In the annual updating of samples SORS focused special attention on reducing the burdenon reporting units. In the survey on retail trade and construction the threshold wasincreased for enterprises in the sampling frame; in this way SORS reduced the burden forsmall enterprises.

Methodological changes

- introduction of SKD 2008

In 2009, SORS continued with activities related to the introduction of the revised activityclassification SKD 2008 into business tendency surveys. SORS will start to publish dataaccording to SKD 2008 in May 2010. This also entailed the preparation for the conversion oftime series of data according to the new classification.

- cooperation with the DG ECFIN

Within the preparation for introducing SKD 2008, in June 2009 SORS participated in ameeting of the Task Force Data Ownership and Publication, which is chaired by theDirectorate‐General for Economic and Financial Affairs (DG ECFIN) of the EuropeanCommission. The main purpose of the task force is to prepare a proposal for supplementingthe agreement on transmitting and publishing data on business surveys on the DG ECFINwebsite. 107

In December 2009 the value of the sentiment indicator was 22 percentage points lower than the long‐term average.108

5.2 ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Environmental statistics at SORS cover monitoring and publishing data from the fields of water, waste, natural disasters, environmental protection expenditure and environmental accounts. In 2009, SORS extended its activities to the fields of environmental expenditure with the development of environmental protection expenditure by purpose at national level and obtaining and processing data from the field of environmental goods and services. All environmental data are intended for the general public, but also to meet the needs for data at the national and international level. As regards environment, from 2009 on SORS has been intensively cooperating with the OECD.

Preparation of new legislation

- waste statistics

In 2009, the waste statistics regulation was revised. SORS cooperated in the working groupfor preparing changes at Eurostat; changes were submitted to the European StatisticalSystem Committee109 (ESSC) for the first time at the end of 2009. It is expected that therevised waste statistics regulation should be adopted in 2010.

106 See B. Čertanec, L. Kozina, M. Remec, (2009): Perception of economic crisis in business tendency and consumer surveys, paper for 19th Statistical Days – Radenci, 9.–11. 11. 2009. Available at: http://www.stat.si/StatisticniDnevi/Docs/Čertanec_Kozina_Remec‐Poslovne%20tendence_prispevek.pdf (10. 2. 2010). 107 See: http://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/db_indicators/surveys/index_en.htm (25.2.2010). 108 See Business tendency and consumer surveys, Slovenia, December 2009, 28 December 2009, First Release. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/novica_prikazi.aspx?id=2854 (25. 2. 2010). 109 See: http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/pgp_insite/pge_estat/tab_management (10. 2. 2010).


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- environmental‐economic accounts

In 2009, Eurostat started to prepare legislation in the field of environmental‐economicaccounts. In March 2009 it presented the first draft of legislation; by the end of 2009 thedraft was supplemented several times. The current version of legislation, which will be in2010 submitted to the European Statistical System Committee for discussion, covers threemodules – NAMEA air emissions, environmental taxes and material flow accounts.


- ARSO − SORS

In 2009, SORS and the Environmental Agency of the Republic of Slovenia (ARSO)continued to conduct the joint surveys on waste and thus reduced the burden onreporting units. In line with the agreement on the rationalisation of data collection andunification in the field of environmental statistics, the exchange of data from other fields ofenvironment between the two institutions was conducted smoothly. The agreement wassupplemented for the exchange of data on liquid fuels, biofuels and other renewable fuelsfor propulsion of motor vehicles in road transport.

- MOP − SORS In 2009, SORS analysed data on the sewage system and public water supply, which wereobtained from the Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning (MOP). In 2009, theMinistry namely started to collect these data electronically. The analysis shows that in 2010SORS will be able to take over the data on public water supply, while for taking over thedata on the sewage system additional harmonisation is necessary.

MOP started to introduce web reporting of data on municipal waste for public serviceproviders. In this introduction SORS is intensively cooperating by providing expert advice, informing the questions and in preparing guidelines regarding quality control. An agreementis being prepared between MOP and SORS, which will determine in detail individual tasksin collecting these data. MOP will collect the data, which SORS will statistically process andpublish. It is expected that in 2010 a single data collection in the field of municipal wastewill significantly reduce the burden on reporting units.

- URSZR − SORS In 2009, cooperation with the Administration for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief(URSZR) at the Ministry of Defence continued regarding the possibility to take over data ondamage caused by natural disasters.

In 2010, SORS will expand discussions about the possibility of taking over data on damagecaused by natural disasters to other institutions such as the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestryand Food, the Slovenian Forestry Institute, the Phytosanitary Administration of theRepublic of Slovenia, etc.

Development projects

- use of water in agriculture and construction

In 2009, SORS implemented the pilot survey on the use of water in agriculture andconstruction. The pilot survey was conducted in parallel with the regular survey on theuse of water in industry. Results of the pilot survey showed that compared to industry thevolume of water used in agriculture and construction was negligible; therefore, SORSdecided not to include these two activities in the regular survey in order not to burden thereporting units.

- environmental protection expenditure accounts

For setting up environmental protection expenditure accounts, SORS started tosupplement tables on environmental taxation and set up records of environmental goodsand services. On the basis of records, SORS will obtain financial data for environmentalgoods and services from the national accounts’ supply and use tables. Work will mostlyfocus on collecting data from the fields of waste management and waste watermanagement.

- calculation of sustainable development indicators

SORS started to implement the pilot project on selecting and calculating key sustainabledevelopment indicators. Within the project a workshop attended by experts from nationaland foreign institutions was organised. The results of this workshop were establishingguidelines and preparing a list of sustainable development indicators, which SORS willprepare in 2010 and publish in the first half of 2010 in a brochure entitled SustainableDevelopment in Slovenia.

- statistics on the import and export of waste

SORS continued to study whether data on import and export of waste obtained fromexternal trade statistics are appropriate to be used and started to study the data on importand export of waste obtained from the Environmental Agency of the Republic of


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Slovenia. The analysis has shown that external trade statistics data are not appropriate forreporting on import and export of waste (different classifications do not enable separationof raw material from waste), while the analysis of data obtained form the EnvironmentalAgency of the Republic of Slovenia will continue in 2010.


- waste statistics

In the field of environmental statistics, SORS conducted regular surveys in line with theannual programme. Together with the Environmental Agency of the Republic of Slovenia(ARSO) joint surveys on industrial and municipal waste were conducted. SORS receiveddata on the amount and management of special types of waste from business entities towhom the Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning gave concessions for managingthese types of waste.

The average amount of municipal waste in Slovenia in 2008 was 453 kg per capita, which means 1.2 kg of municipal waste per capita per day. This is 3.2% more than in 2007.110 In production and service activities 6,111,368 tons of waste was generated, which is 0.7% less than in 2007. The total amount of waste recovered in Slovenia in 2008 was 5,167,591 tons(21% more than in 2007). Most of the recovered waste was construction waste, followed by metal, plastic and paper waste.111

- environmental protection expenditure statistics

As regards environmental protection expenditure, SORS conducted several surveys. In2009, SORS transmitted these data to Eurostat for structural business statistics (threevariables on environmental expenditure). As regards industrial activities, SORS continuedto improve the methodology for collecting data on taxation and subsidies related toenvironment. With the help of the lists produced by the Chamber of Commerce andIndustry, SORS started to compile the lists of reporting units for surveying the costs ofgoods and services.

In 2007, gross investments for environmental protection amounted to EUR 270,829,000, which was almost 8% less than in 2006. The value of current expenditure for environmental protection was EUR 346,597,000, which was 5% more than in 2006.112

- water use statistics

SORS conducted all regular surveys from the field of water statistics. In 2009, SORS for thefirst time cooperated in fulfilling the obligations that the Environmental Agency of theRepublic of Slovenia has towards the European Environment Agency. So in the WISE(Water Information System for Europe) questionnaire SORS completed the data on watercollected with its own surveys.

- environmental satellite accounts

SORS improved the methodology of collecting and recalculating data for NAMEA airemissions accounts on the basis of the latest Eurostat manual (2009). SORS prepared apublication113 and supplemented data and methodology from this area on the SI‐STAT dataportal.

Taking into account additional supplements and guidelines regarding the methodology ofcollecting and recalculating data on material flow accounts within the latest Eurostatmanual (2009), SORS supplemented the data collection on material flow accounts,prepared a publication114 and entered the latest results and updated methodology into theSI‐STAT data portal. SORS also answered the Eurostat questionnaire for material flowaccounts and prepared proposals for methodological improvements in individual areas.


- Eurostat

In 2009, SORS continued to cooperate in all regular meetings of working groups in the fieldof environment. SORS was also a member of a special task force for preparing a revisedregulation on waste statistics and special task forces for implementing and supplementingenvironmental accounts for air emissions and material flows.

110 See Public waste removal and municipal landfill sites, Slovenia, 2008, 24 September 2009, First Release. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/novica_prikazi.aspx?id=2636 (10. 2. 2010). 111 See Waste from production and service activities, Slovenia, 2008, 6 October 2009, First Release. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/novica_prikazi.aspx?ID=2679 (10. 2. 2010). 112 See Gross investments and current expenditure for environmental protection and revenues for the environmental protection related activities, Slovenia, 2007, 16 July 2009, First Release. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/novica_prikazi.aspx?id=2497 (10. 2. 2010). 113 See NAMEA air emissions, Slovenia, 2007, 29 October 2009, First Release. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/novica_prikazi.aspx?id=2722 (10.2.2010). 114 See Material flow accounts –DMI, DMC and PTB, Slovenia, 2008, 17 December 2009, First Release. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/novica_prikazi.aspx?id=2836 (10. 2. 2010).


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- OECD

Within the preparations for Slovenia’s membership of the OECD, SORS cooperated in mostof the meetings organised for the field of environment – in Paris as well as in Slovenia. Inearly 2009, SORS’s representative was appointed member of the Slovene delegation whichat the OECD hearing presented and argued the position of Slovenia regarding adopting andimplementing OECD’s decisions and recommendations on waste management.

- participation in international conferences

In 2009, SORS cooperated in the international conference »Environmental Accountingand Sustainable Development Indicators «, which was held in Prague at the end of April2009. In its paper SORS presented the breakdown of the calculation of material flows,which was produced within the pilot project for material flow accounts in 2008 (thementioned project was financed by Eurostat).

New publication

At the end of 2009, SORS published a brochure entitled Environmental Indicators forSlovenia115, which presents environmental indicators on air, water, waste, expenditure forenvironmental protection, energy and transport, which are due to their simplicity and themessage they convey very useful for monitoring the situation in the environment. To betterpresent the situation in Slovenia, an international comparison within the EU‐27 is alsoadded.

5.3 REGIONAL STATISTICS

The Statistical Office provides, transmits and publishes data from various fields of statistics at the most important regional levels, i.e. by statistical regions, administrative units and municipalities. In doing so it strives to satisfy the needs of users, since it is aware that in planning and monitoring the various development policies, data at the national level alone are not enough; data from the lowest possible territorial levels are also needed.

Regional data in publications

- Slovene Regions in Figures

In the publication entitled Slovene Regions and Figures116 every year SORS presents to thegeneral public and to experts regional data and indicators showing differences andsimilarities among regions in Slovenia. This time in addition to statistical regions cohesionregions were presented for the first time. The data and indicators are shown in the form oftables, charts, maps and text.

- Slovene Municipalities in Figures

SORS published a new publication entitled Slovene Municipalities in Figures117, which bringsto the general and expert public data at the local level for all 210 municipalities inSlovenia. In addition to data, the publication presents comparable indicators in the form oftables, charts and maps.

Regional data in databases

On the SI‐STAT data portal118 SORS published regional data for those fields of statistics inwhich dissemination of such data is possible in accordance with the rules of datatransmission and dissemination. Data are provided at the level of cohesion regions,statistical regions, municipalities and settlements.

- Place Names Database

New data on settlements and streets are also published in the Place Names Database,which has been available on the website119 from 2006 on and enables interactive searchingand browsing among settlements and streets in Slovenia. Data on areas were updated, aswell as comments on territorial changes of settlements, and, in addition to census data onpopulation, register data on population as of 31 December 2008 were added.

115 See Environmental indicators for Slovenia, December 2009. Available at: http://www.stat.si./doc/pub/okolje2009‐ANG.pdf (10.2.2010). 116 See Slovene regions in figures 2009, 31 March 2009, Posebna objava. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/novica_prikazi.aspx?id=2247 (10.2.2010). 117 See Slovene municipalities in figures 2009, 29 May 2009, Posebna objava. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/novica_prikazi.aspx?id=2376 (10.2.2010). 118 See: http://www.stat.si/pxweb/Dialog/statfile2.asp (10. 2. 2010). 119 See Place names at: http://www.stat.si/eng/KrajevnaImena (10. 2. 2010).


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Geocoded databases

In 2009, SORS prepared a set of thematic maps for external users and at the same timeused this presentation of the data and indicators in its publications. In 2009, SORSsupplemented such publication with a special website application120 providing users withaccess to various thematic maps, including tables for long time series. SORS disseminatesthe data in hierarchical grids in compliance with the rules concerning data disseminationand presentation. Jointly with the Surveying and Mapping Authority of the Republic ofSlovenia and the Land Survey Institute of Slovenia, in 2008 a national hierarchical grid wasprepared in accordance with the INSPIRE Directive.

- Interactive Statistical Atlas of Slovenia

In 2009, a new web tool Interactive Statistical Atlas of Slovenia121 was published. Withthis tool the Statistical Office expanded the set of web services for the general public andinvites people to explore differences among regions and municipalities in Slovenia with thehelp of statistical data. The tool enables selection of indicators, territorial levels (statisticalregions or municipalities) and map presentations for available years. Presentation ofborders of statistical regions and municipalities reflects changes in their areas in individualyears.

In the first six months in operation, the Interactive Statistical Atlas of Slovenia was viewed by almost 3,000 users from 48 countries, 85% of them from Slovenia.


- European Forum for Geostatistics

SORS actively cooperates in the European Forum for Geostatistics, linking experts from theEuropean statistical offices and surveying and mapping authorities as well asrepresentatives of Eurostat and other European institutions. These are involved in spatialmanagement polices for establishing harmonized geostatistics at the European level,representing infrastructure for presenting high resolution spatial statistical data. The Forumis also important for exchanging experience on processing, dissemination and presentationof geostatistical data.

- Conference of European Statisticians

SORS was invited to participate in the Conference of European Statisticians (CES) on spatialstatistics where SORS presented a paper on setting up the national hierarchical grid andchallenges related to this.

5.4 SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

In line with the Annual Programme of Statistical Surveys all envisaged surveys from the fields of research and development and innovation were conducted taking into account revised classifications. In the second half of 2009 SORS started preparations for the pilot survey on careers of doctorate holders.


- research and development

Surveys on research and development activity (R&D) by sectors of performance for thereference year 2008 and on government budget appropriations or outlays for R&D for 2008(final budget) and for 2009 (provisional budget) were conducted in accordance with therevised international classification of socio‐economic objectives – NABS 2007122

(Nomenclature for the Analysis and Comparison of Scientific Programmes and Budgets)and for the first time in accordance with the revised Classification of Fields of Science –FOS123. Data were published in the First Release, while detailed data will be available at thebeginning of 2010 in Rapid Reports and on the SI‐STAT data portal.

120 See Thematic cartography at: http://www.stat.si/eng/TematskaKartografija/ (10. 2. 2010). 121 See: http://www.stat.si/eng/iatlas.asp (10. 2. 2010). 122 See: http://www.micinn.es/stfls/MICINN/Investigacion/FICHEROS/Informe‐UE‐nueva‐clasificacion‐NABS_en.pdf (10. 2. 2010). 123 See: http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/36/44/38235147.pdf (10. 2. 2010).


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Gross domestic expenditure on R&D in 2008 amounted to EUR 616.9 million, which represented 1.66% of Slovenian GDP. More than three fifths of funds were contributed by the business sector.124

- innovation activity

In 2009, a two‐year survey on innovation activities for the 2006–2008 period wasconducted. Data will be published in the spring of 2010.


In the autumn of 2009, SORS prepared the bases for conducting the pilot survey on careersof doctorate holders in Slovenia; the survey, which is cofinanced by the EuropeanCommission, will be conducted in 2010. With this survey internationally comparable data ondoctors of science (personal data, education, employment), their plans regarding futureemployment, mobility and career experience will be collected. In line with SORS’s strategyfor reducing the burden of reporting units, the survey will be conducted with a combinationof data from existing data sources and data collected with a special survey. Results areexpected to be available in spring 2011.


In view of the envisaged methodological improvements in the surveys from the field ofresearch and development – which will involve the improvement of monitoring theinternationalisation of research and development activity and the provision of moreappropriate input data for the needs of national accounts – metadata and detailed data(e.g. on employees and financing of R&D) were sent to Eurostat on the basis of specialquestionnaires. The planned methodological improvements will demand adjustment ofexisting statistical questionnaires in this area.

5.5 INFORMATION SOCIETY

The European Commission started to review and renew the benchmarking framework 'i2010', which was based on the i2010 information society development strategy. On the basis of new needs and development of supply and demand for services on the Internet the existing indicators were updated and a new benchmarking framework entitled 'Digital Europe' was established.

Updated legislation

In September 2009, the European Parliament and the Council adopted the regulationconcerning Community statistics on the information society (see Legislation adopted in2009), which is in line with the rapid development of the information society and theurgent updating of the list of subjects that are studied with statistical surveys. Thisregulation will be in force for the next 10 years and will enable the collection of harmonisedstatistics on information society.


- surveys on the use of ICT with ad hoc modules

In 2009, SORS with the help of European funds conducted the annual surveys on the use ofinformation and communication technology (ICT) in households and by individuals, and inenterprises and the financial sector. In both surveys ad hoc modules on e‐commerce via theInternet were added. In the survey on ICT use in enterprises and in the financial sector, in2009 the transition was made to the new activity classification SKD 2008. At the sametime some new activities were included in the survey. To enable the comparability of datafrom previous years, basic indicators for monitoring the development in the use of ICT inenterprises from 2004 to 2008 were backcasted. Main survey results were published in theFirst Release and detailed data on the SI‐STAT data portal.125

22% of people (23% of males and 22% of females) created or maintained profiles in social networks.126

In 2009, 51% of employees in micro enterprises used computers with Internet access at least

124 See Research and development activity, Slovenia, 2008 – final data, 6 November 2009, First Release. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/novica_prikazi.aspx?id=2742 (10. 2. 2010). 125 See http://www.stat.si/pxweb/Database/Economy/Economy.asp (26. 1. 2010).


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once a week in their work routine (58% of employees in those enterprises used computers at their work). The usage of computers with Internet access among employees was in small enterprises 45%, in medium‐sized enterprises 44% and in large enterprises 39%.127


- EC

SORS cooperated in the meetings organised by the European Commission (EC) regardingthe formation of a new benchmarking framework entitled 'Digital Europe'128. The purposeof the comparative framework is to monitor the development of information society.Digital Europe is the successor of the i2010 strategy.

- Eurostat As in the previous years, in 2009 SORS was actively cooperating in the Eurostat task forcefor preparing the draft questionnaire for the survey on ICT use in enterprises. In 2011 thesurvey will focus on the use of e‐government services.

- OECD SORS cooperated in the working group on information society indicators at the OECD,especially in preparing the proposal for a new definition of e‐commerce in enterprises.

New releases In the field of postal and electronic communication services all regular surveys wereconducted. In May 2009 the data were published for the first time on the SI‐STAT dataportal129.


Regulation (EC) No 1006/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 September 2009 amendingRegulation (EC) No 808/2004 concerning Community statistics on the information society (32009R1006).

Commission Regulation (EC) No 1023/2009 of 29 October 2009 implementing Regulation (EC) No 808/2004 ofthe European Parliament and of the Council concerning Community statistics on the information society(32009R1023).

126 See Internet usage in households and by individuals, Slovenia, 2009, 5 October 2009, First Release. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/novica_prikazi.aspx?id=2670 (26. 1. 2010). 127 See Internet usage in enterprises, detailed data, Slovenia, 2009, 27 November 2009, E‐Release. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/novica_prikazi.aspx?id=2791 (3. 3. 2010). 128 See: http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/topics/reding‐lisbon/index_en.htm (10. 2. 2010). 129 See http://www.stat.si/pxweb/Database/Economy/Economy.asp (10. 2. 2010).


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6. STATISTICAL INFRASTRUCTURE

6.1 LEGAL FRAMEWORK

Law and other legal basis:

- national

During the period covered by the Report, the underlying legal bases for providing theSORS service were the following:

- National Statistics Act130 (Uradni list RS (Official Journal of the Republic of Slovenia), Nos. 45/1995 and 9/2001),

- Medium‐term Programme of Statistical Surveys 2008–2012131 (Uradni list RS (Official Journal of the Republic of Slovenia), No. 119/2007),

- Annual Programme of Statistical Surveys for 2009132 (Uradni list RS (Official Journal of the Republic of Slovenia), Nos. 114/2008, 35/2009 and 51/2009),

- Priorities of the national statistics in 2009133 (discussed by the Statistical Council of the Republic of Slovenia at its 27th regular session held on 29 October 2008),

- Regulations concerning standard classifications131, SORS’s internal acts134, interinstitutional cooperation agreements.

The Annual Programme of Statistical Surveys 2010135 (Uradni list RS (Official Journal of theRepublic of Slovenia), No. 93/2009) was adopted. The Statistical Council of the Republic ofSlovenia discussed the Priorities of National Statistics in 2010136 at its 30th regular sessionon 22 October 2009.

- European In the spring of 2009, the Regulation on European statistics (see Legislation adopted in2009) was adopted; this is the umbrella regulation that regulates the operation of theEuropean Statistical System (ESS). The most important novelties stipulated by theregulation are: partnership between Eurostat (European Commission) and nationalstatistical institutes; establishment of the European Statistical System Committee (whichreplaced the Statistical Programme Committee), which has two functions, i.e. adopts theimplementing legislation and determines professional guidance for the ESS; establishingcollaborative networks (ESS net) for knowledge exchange, common tools, etc.; regulatingthe standards regarding the transmission of confidential data ‐ within the ESS as well aswith the European System of Central Banks (ESCB).

National statistics operates in accordance with Community legislation for individual fieldsof statistics, and individual acts are stated in the annual programme of statistical surveys atindividual surveys. In 2009, 38 acts were adopted, which are stated in this report atindividual fields of statistics and on Eurostat’s website137.

In autumn 2009, the Council of the EU adopted the Regulation concerning the collection ofstatistical information by the European Central Bank (see Legislation adopted in 2009);the regulation supplements the basic regulation from 1998 especially in the part whichdetermines the scope of the reporting requirements, protection and use of confidential

130 See Legislative framework of Slovenian national statistics. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/drz_stat_zakonski.asp (26. 1. 2010). 131 See Medium‐term programme of statistical surveys 2008–2012. Available at: http://www.stat.si/doc/drzstat/SPSR‐ang.pdf (26. 1. 2010). 132 See Annual programme of statistical surveys for 2009. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/drz_stat_programi.asp (26. 1. 2010). 133 See Priorities of the national statistics in 2009. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/PrikaziDatoteko.aspx?id=2474 (26. 1. 2010). 134 See Internal rules and regulations. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/stat_notranji.asp (26. 1. 2010). 135 See Annual programme of statistical surveys for 2010. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/drz_stat_programi.asp (26. 1. 2010). 136 See Priorities of the national statistics in 2010. Available at: http://www.stat.si/doc/drzstat/priorities2010.pdf (25. 2. 2010). 137 See: http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/about_eurostat/european_framework/legislation_in_force (15. 3. 2010).


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statistical information, quality standards, cooperation with the ESS, data exchange, andconsideration of burdens and costs for reporting units. In Slovenia the regulation stipulatesthe operation of the Bank of Slovenia within the ESCB’s statistical system.

Agreements on interinstitutional cooperation

Agreements on interinstitutional cooperation regulate the issues of organisation, contentand legal protection, while technical protocols regulate the transfer of data between twoinstitutions. Agreements are especially important in the light of efforts to reduce burdensimposed on reporting units and in the introduction of the use of administrative sources. Thesigned agreements provide for protection of statistical data and their quality and ensureSORS a continuous provision of the required data and the continuity of time series.

In 2009 SORS signed the following agreements and protocols:

- Protocol on technical takeover of data on cross‐border transport of goods within the data exchange between the Customs Administration of the Republic of Slovenia and SORS, 19 January 2009;

- Annex to the agreement on data exchange signed on 27 March 2008 with the Tax Administration of the Republic of Slovenia, 29 January 2009;

- Protocol on technical takeover of data on cross‐border transport within the data exchange between the Police and SORS, 16 March 2009;

- Agreement on transmission and use of data for statistical purposes with the Employment Service of Slovenia, 20 March 2009;

- Annex no. 1 to the Agreement on data transmission signed on 31 August 2007 with the Health Insurance Institute, 20 March 2009;

- Agreement on cooperation in transmitting personal data on beneficiaries of subsidised rents with the Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning, 27 March 2009;

- Agreement on cooperation in conducting the statistical survey on granting scholarships to pupils and students (ŠOL‐ŠTIP) with the Ministry of Education and Sport, 27 March 2009;

- Agreement on transmission and use of data on granting scholarships to pupils and students for statistical purposes with the Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Affairs, 1 April 2009;

- Agreement on cooperation in conducting the statistical survey “Labour Costs Survey 2008” with the Agency of the Republic of Slovenia for Public Legal Records and Related Services (AJPES), 7 April 2009;

- Agreement on cooperation in conducting the statistical survey “Questionnaire on granting scholarships to pupils and students ŠOL‐ŠTIP" with the Ministry of Defence, 27 May 2009;

- Technical protocol on transmitting data from the income tax return regarding income from business activity with the Tax Administration of the Republic of Slovenia, 26 June 2009;

- Annex no. 1 to the Agreement on partnership cooperation in conducting the survey among foreign tourists in Slovenia in 2009 with the Slovenian Tourist Board, 17 July 2009;

- Agreement on transmission and use of data from the central register of securities in book‐entry form with the Central Securities Clearing Corporation, 6 October 2009;

- Agreement on cooperation in the field of macroeconomic and financial statistics between SORS, the Bank of Slovenia and the Ministry of Finance, 16 December 2009.


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).

Council Regulation (EC) No 951/2009 of 9 October 2009 amending Regulation (EC) No 2533/98 concerning the collection of statistical information by the European Central Bank (32009R0951).


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6.2 CLASSIFICATIONS Classifications are among the basic statistical standards used in recording, collecting, processing, analysing and disseminating data. By using classifications, data can be compared in place and time. National statistics uses standard classifications determined by Government decrees; in addition, it uses classifications that are prescribed as statistical standards with methodological guidelines.

6.2.1 Standard Classification of Activities – SKD 2008

Releases according to SKD 2008

In early 2009, SORS published for the first time according to the revised StandardClassification of Activities SKD 2008138 various short‐term indicators and later on alsoresults of most of the annual surveys. For short‐term surveys time series were alsopublished, mostly from 2000 on (see also Chapter 3.2 Short‐term business statistics). Datawere published at the same time on the SI‐STAT data portal and in the First Release.

User help In line with the Decree on the Standard Classification of Activities SKD 2008 (OfficialJournal of the Republic of Slovenia, No. 69/2007, 17/2008), in 2009 SORS offered to its users(business entities, ministries, AJPES with its branches, chambers and other institutions)support regarding the correct classification of units in the Business Register of Slovenia byactivity.

6.2.2 Other economic classifications

CPA 2008 The Classification of Products by Activity (CPA) is a European classification by which aproduct can be a physical product or a service as a result of a specific activity. The CPA 2008,which is a more detailed breakdown of NACE Rev. 2 classification (the national version ofwhich is SKD 2008), is harmonised with the latest version of the related Central ProductClassification Version 2 (CPC Ver. 2) of the United Nations Statistics Division. In the secondpart of 2009, Eurostat published the final version of methodological explanations to theCPA 2008 (CPA 2008 Introductory Guidelines139), which are a methodological instrument forclassifying products and services by activity. The translation of methodologicalexplanations, which will be a part of the Slovene publication CPA 2008, will be prepared inthe first half of 2010.

Classifications for external trade statistics

SORS adjusted the code list for short titles of the Combined Nomenclature for 2009 toannual changes in the Combined Nomenclature. Versions of this code list were published inKLASJE – SORS’s statistical classifications server140. In 2009, SORS adjusted the conversiontable between the Combined Nomenclature and other classifications (e.g. the StandardInternational Trade Classification ‐ SITC, SKD 2008, etc.) that are used for presenting dataon external trade statistics. As regards international cooperation, at the meetings of theCustoms Code Committee – Tariff and Statistical Nomenclature Section – which it regularlyattended, SORS actively cooperated in the preparation of the Combined Nomenclature for2010.

NIP 2008 At the beginning of the year SORS issued a publication Nomenclature of Industrial Products2008141 (NIP 2008), which is in line with the comparable European nomenclature(PRODCOM) adjusted to the new version of the Standard Classification of Activities SKD2008 or Nace Rev. 2. NIP is used for the annual survey on industrial production. Thepublication was issued in the collection Classifications142.

138 See special website of the Statistical Office: http://www.stat.si/eng/skd_nace_2008.asp (25.2.2010). 139 See: http://circa.europa.eu/irc/dsis/nacecpacon/info/data/en/CPA%202008%20introductory%20guidelines%20‐%20EN.pdf (3.3.2010). 140 See KLASJE – Classification server: http://www.stat.si/eng/klasje/klasje.asp (25. 2. 2010). 141 See Nomenclature of industrial products 2008, No. 10/2009. Available at: http://www.stat.si/doc/pub/NIP_2008.pdf (25. 2. 2010). 142 See special website of the Statistical Office: http://www.stat.si/eng/pub_klasifikacije.asp (19.4.2010).


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6.2.3 Classifications in the field of social statistics

SORS coordinates and implements KLASIUS into the administrative environment andstatistical surveys on the basis of the Agreement on cooperation in introducingKLASIUS143. In 2009, SORS continued intensive cooperation with competent ministries andinstitutions. Activities regarding the introduction of KLASIUS into the procedures ofadopting (accreditation) of programmes and keeping records of active programmes weremostly finished. This enabled SORS to start taking over the data on programmes whosecodes according to KLASIUS were determined in the original administrative environment.

Activities started in the field of setting up a new statistical database of educationactivities/outcomes. In 2009, SORS started to intensively use KLASIUS in statistical surveysand statistical data collections. The introduction is done in various ways, depending on thesource and the required level of detail for data on education. SORS also prepared themethodology for data on education in the Statistical Register of Employment (SRDAP).

Standard Classification of Occupations – SKP‐08

In December 2007, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) adopted the InternationalStandard Classification of Occupations – ISCO‐08, which replaced ISCO‐88. Eurostat askednational statistical offices of EU Member States to use ISCO‐08 or a national classificationthat is based on ISCO‐08 for reporting data related to occupations. SORS started tointroduce the classification and in 2009 prepared the Slovene version of the classificationwhich was harmonised with the interdepartmental coordination group and larger users,especially the Employment Service of Slovenia. The Slovene version of the classification iscalled the SKP‐08 and will follow the structure of the international classification ofoccupations ISCO‐08, while taking into account some national particularities. TheGovernment decree on the SKP‐08 is expected to be adopted at the end of June 2010 andthe classification will start to be used on 1 January 2011.

6.2.4 Classifications related to administrative territorial breakdown

In 2009, all classification related to administrative territorial breakdown that SORS uses inthe process of collecting, recording, processing, analysing, transmitting and disseminatingstatistical data were currently maintained (Standard Classification of Territorial Units144, Listof codes of urban settlements, List of country codes by the ISO 3166 standard).

Changes of the EU classification of territorial units for statistics145 (NUTS) are envisaged for 2010. In view of the three‐year cycle of changing the mentioned classification, changes should happen in 2009; however, the European Commission postponed the procedure by a year.

Legislation adopted in 2009: Commission Regulation (EC) No 1022/2009 of 29 October 2009 amendingRegulations (EC) No 1738/2005, (EC) No 698/2006 and (EC) No 377/2008 as regards the International StandardClassification of Occupations (ISCO) (32009R1022).

6.3 QUALITY With the demands for more efficient performing of tasks, work in the field of total quality management is becomingincreasingly important. Cooperation in this area within the European Statistical System and wider is also being enhanced. Care for high‐quality and user‐friendly national statistics is one of the main strategic goals of SORS in the Medium‐Term Programme of Statistical Surveys. The main activities in this field are monitoring and introducing the elements of the European Statistics Code of Practice, measurement of the quality in statistical surveys via standard

143 Agreement on cooperation in introducing KLASIUS on the basis of the Decree on the introduction and use of the classification system of education and training (Official Journal of the Republic of Slovenia, No. 46/2006), signed in 2007 by SORS, MŠŠ, MVZT and MDDSZ. Available at: http://www.stat.si/Klasius/Docs/DOGOVOR_KLASIUS.pdf (25. 2. 2010). 144 See Standard classification of territorial units at: http://www.stat.si/tema_splosno_upravno_SKTE.asp (26. 1 2010). 145 See EU classification of territorial units for statisics ‐ NUTS at: http://www.stat.si/tema_splosno_upravno_NUTS.asp (26. 1. 2010).


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and short quality reports and monitoring user satisfaction. In addition to the mentioned regular activities, there are intensive developments in the field of quality within which SORS actively cooperates in various international activities.

6.3.1 Total quality management by introducing the European Statistics Code of Practice

Introduction of the Code and monitoring of its implementation

Before the meeting of the working group on quality in June 2009, Eurostat again askedSORS to submit the report on the situation relating to the introduction of improvementsfor introducing the Code, which was prepared within the peer review at SORS in 2007146.Most of the proposed improvements were done at SORS within the agreed deadlines. Itturned out that it is increasingly more difficult to report about the quality on the basis of theplan for improvements which was prepared back in 2007 and was not updated in themeantime since the field of quality is intensively developing.

Authorised producers of national statistics also reported on the progress in introducingthe Code of Practice and pointed out that recently progress has been achieved in theimprovement of the methodologies and in the introduction of e‐reporting and that variousimprovements have been made in the field of timeliness and consistency of data.Authorised producers also reported abut intensive transfer of knowledge within theSlovenian statistical system. In 2009, SORS started to invite authorised producers toparticipate more intensively in the in‐house training program at SORS and they were alsoable to attend education within the European Statistical Training Programme ‐ ESTP.

Cooperation in the Sponsorship on Quality

An important novelty in the field of quality is the establishment of the sponsorship onquality147, which is led by the Norwegian statistical office and Eurostat. The first meetingwas held in September in Oslo and the second in December in Brussels. The work of thisgroup will focus on three subjects:

- Quality framework for the European Statistical System, - Introduction and evaluation of the quality framework, - Communication with users/stakeholders.

Work will be done in smaller groups within the individual subject; each group will be led byone of the statistical officers. Leadership for the third subject was taken over by SORS.Work of the sponsorship on quality should be finished by the end of 2010. The main resultsof its work will be strategic recommendations for further development in the field of qualityin statistics.

Cooperation in the EU project »Quality Coaching«

The analysis of the report on the compliance of statistical offices with the principles of theCode of Practice148 in 2008 showed that the majority of difficulties are related to the fourthprinciple, i.e. quality commitment. Eurostat thus encouraged the exchange of goodpractice in the European Statistical System to promote faster and more effectiveimplementation of improvement plans undertaken by the states after the peer reviews. Tothis end, at the end of 2008 a project was established entitled “Quality Coaching”, whichended at the end of 2009. The aim of the project was to improve the transfer of knowledgewithin the ESS and the participating offices helped each other in pairs: the Frenchstatistical office advised SORS on preparing the document on quality guidelines and SORSassisted to Latvia in preparing quality reports. The exchange of experience was conductedvia e‐mail.

146 More about the peer review and reporting about the progress regarding the code: http://www.stat.si/eng/drz_stat_kakovost.asp (26. 1. 2010). 147 Sponsorship on quality. A sponsorship group is a new form of cooperation at high level (directors and their deputies) and operated under the joint management of one of the statistical offices and Eurostat. The main objective of sponsorship groups will be to study individual areas and give strategic guidelines for further development. 148 See Annex: Improvement actions by individual statistical authorities envisaged as of 2008 towards full compliance with the Code of Practice. Available at: http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/pls/portal/docs/page/pgp_ds_quality/pge_ds_quality_05/annex_en%20only_ias_egreffe_adopted.pdf (16. 3. 2009).


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6.3.2 Measuring the quality of data in statistical surveys

Quality reports

- SQR

Standard quality reports (SQR) cover extensive and accurate documents on an individualstatistical survey and are, as a rule, prepared every five years. In 2009, several new surveyswere included in the preparation of standard quality reports, so SORS prepared andpublished about 20 new quality reports149.

- annual quality reports

Standard quality reports are regularly supplemented by annual quality reports, whichprovide a quick overview of quality indicators, are available every year and, if possible, aretranslated into English since in this way the presentation of quality is available to a larger,international audience.

Updating methodological guidelines

In addition to regular work in relation to the preparation of quality reports, work alsofocused on updating the present methodological guidelines for preparing quality reportsand content‐related proposals for preparing the reports. The main aims of the updatingwere:

- to harmonise SORS’s standards for measuring data quality in statistical surveys with thenew Eurostat’s manual and standards for preparing quality reports150 and

- to develop new quality indicators that will enable better measurement of the quality forthose surveys that are based primarily on administrative sources or that are conductedon the basis of data from various sources.

Preparation and development of quality indicators

SORS cooperates in a group of Eurostat experts whose original task was to develop the so‐called quality barometer, a new tool for monitoring the quality at the European andnational levels. The group’s work was extended to the description and methodologicaldetermination of standard quality indicators and integrating these new indicators into anew standard system for data and metadata exchange – ESMS (Euro SDMX metadatastructure; SDMX – Standards for Data and Metadata Exchange).

- national list of standard quality indicators with the methodological manual

In parallel with the work of the group of experts, SORS continued to develop its list ofstandard quality indicators, which are the basis for preparing quality reports. In this way themethodological manual was prepared which determines a slightly updated list of standardindicators and contains detailed guidelines for calculating and disseminating them. Theupdated list includes most of the standard indicators from the old list and has some additionalnew indicators that are mostly intended for monitoring the quality in surveys that are basedon administrative data sources.

6.3.3 Measuring user satisfaction

Cooperation in the OECD working group

SORS continued to cooperate in the OECD working group composed of distinguishedmembers of statistical offices of OECD member countries and candidates for membership.Its purpose was to prepare a theoretical model for measuring the confidence in officialstatistics and prepare an appropriate questionnaire that statistical offices could use for suchsurveying. The working group finished its work in December 2009, the goal was achievedand the final report is expected to be presented to the OECD’s CSTAT bureau in February2010.

User Satisfaction Survey

In 2009, methodological preparations for a new general user satisfaction survey took place.The survey will be conducted in the first half of 2010 and will again cover the widestpossible range of SORS’s data users.

149 See Standard quality reports. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/metodologija_porocila‐kakovost.asp (26. 1. 2010). 150 ESS Handbook for Quality Reports (EHQR) and ESS Standard for Quality Reports (ESQR).


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6.4 STATISTICAL PROCESSES

The introduction of new automated processes into the statistical process is done in steps – SORS introduces new solutions gradually and at the same time takes care of subprocesses. Internal rules and guidelines for working according to new procedures for various fields were prepared and SORS was intensively preparing and improving various standards, testing new solutions and transferring them into regular practice. SORS’s permanent task is to take care of a modern information system. Hardware is being regularly maintained and updated, the main challenge being the development of software that would follow the changes in statistical processes and the constant development of information technology.

6.4.1 Modernisation and standardisation of internal processes

Standardisation

- statistical processes

In 2009, SORS continued to implement the extensive task of taking an inventory of theprocesses of conducting statistical surveys. As the basis for the inventory the GenericStatistical Business Process Model was used, which was designed on the basis of jointefforts by three organisations: UNECE, Eurostat and OECD. The generic model wasslightly adjusted to the reality of conducting statistical surveys at SORS. The task will beimplemented in two steps: in the first step the inventory of processes and subprocesseswas prepared with short descriptions, while in the second step a document will be preparedwith more extensive descriptions and guidelines for specific actions in implementing theprocesses and guidelines for quality. These will be prepared in the form of checklists, whichwill give practical guidelines about what the person performing a specific process must takeinto account so that in the final phase quality results are produced. The inventory ofprocesses will serve as the basis for standardisation of processes and related IT tools.

- procedure for taking over administrative sources

In accordance with the principle that every available and quality administrative sourceshould be used, SORS started using such sources to the greatest extent possible. It wastherefore necessary to regulate the procedures for taking over administrative (secondary)sources and the procedures for managing these sources. For this purpose the proceduresfor takeover151 were described and solutions to the current internal communication wereprepared. On the intranet the matrix for taking over sources was published with names ofpersons responsible for takeover (technical and content administrators) and time points fortakeover. The matrix enabled better informing of employees and thus increased thepossibility for integrating sources. Regular updating of information in the matrix was alsoarranged. In 2010, SORS will continue to edit procedures in connection with administrativesources, particularly in the field of internal communication and cooperation.

- questionnaires SORS was intensively preparing design standards for questionnaires. The changed designof questionnaires will be detected by reporting units in the future when SORS will unify alarge number of questionnaires.

Communication with reporting units

In 2009, SORS continued to prepare the design for the contact centre for cooperation withreporting units and tested the solutions. SORS’s accessibility improved with the setting upof the e‐mail address [email protected]; at the end of the year every day around 10 e‐mails from reporting units were sent to this e‐mail. SORS’s employees strive to answer thee‐mails the same day. SORS supplements the list of frequently asked questions andanswers and will be published them on its website in 2010.

Burden on reporting units

Keeping the list of reporting units was transferred to the local environment, whichpresented the opportunity to analyse the burden on reporting units, which SORS did inAugust 2009. Results will provide a better overview of the burdens on individual reportingunits. The number of reporting units was reduced drastically in 2005, while in recent yearsthe number has stabilised. The number of enterprises included in a larger number ofmonthly surveys is decreasing.

151 See Internal rules and regulations. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/stat_notranji.asp (2.3.2010).


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In 2004, SORS had a list of 569,876 reporting units; by 2005 the number fell to 275,444, and by2009 to 102,193. The decrease was the result of introducing new methods into surveys (e.g. monthly industry survey) and the transition to using administrative sources (e.g. short‐term business statistics).

Expansion of e‐reporting

SORS receives all administrative sources electronically and has precise rules to this end (seethe paragraph above: Procedure for taking over administrative sources). For some of thesurveys (e.g. Intrastat, Monthly report on earnings), in cooperation with partner institutionsCURS and AJPES reporting units have the possibility to submit data electronically. SORSintends to expand such cooperation and in cooperation with an external service provider it isdeveloping procedures for introducing e‐reporting also at SORS for those surveys that arestill conducted classically. Technological solutions are being tested, while documents thatare the basis for designing websites for electronic data reporting have been prepared, e.g.descriptions of registration procedures, standard notices for users, etc.

Statistical Business Register

In 2009, the Statistical Business Register was upgraded in terms of setting up the datawarehouse and the introduction and implementation of demands for the new register ofenterprise groups. Activities related to upgrading the Statistical Business Register willcontinue.

Storage and archiving of data and documents

In 2009, SORS continued with the project of regulating storage and archiving of data anddocuments »StatARH«; this system will improve the safety, stability and integrity ofstatistical data, documents and the »www.stat.si« website. In 2009, internal rules wereprepared. With these documents and the established deposit site, SORS will provide abetter service for internal and external users than the one provided by the existing system.

6.4.2 Information technology

General software solutions

- standardisation and automation of processes

SORS continues with the development of general software solutions for statistical dataprocessing. The purpose of general applications is to standardise and automate individualprocesses, since this would enable easier and more transparent implementation of dataprocessing procedures. The use of general software solutions in various fields also enablesgreater harmonisation of the statistical processing methodology, which reflects in greaterharmonisation of statistical results. The application for tabulation and calculation ofstandard errors was developed in 2008 and in 2009 gradually introduced into the regularprocess of conducting statistical surveys. In parallel with the introduction of the applicationfor tabulation, SORS developed the application for data editing and for imputing missingvalues, which has also been introduced into the regular process of conducting some of thesurveys. All applications are designed according to the principles of »metadata driven(MDD)« processes, which means that all data and parameters necessary for implementing aspecific process in a specific survey are given in some external environment and representinput for the application. This means that the basic software applications (developed inSAS) do not have to be adjusted to the needs of individual surveys.

System and technical support to working processes

SORS’s Information Infrastructure and Technology Sector provides constant user support,takes care of maintaining, managing and supporting software environment of users forapplication servers and other servers (datafile servers, SAS, Oracle servers, MS SQL servers,Lotus Domino, Share Point Portal, BizTalk, servers for secure data storage, etc.).

Regular maintenance ensures the operation of approximately 450 desktop computers, 130 laptop computers, 40 network printers, 70 servers, 60 pieces of other equipment (disk fields, secure storage equipment, network switches, optical switches for connection with disk fields, etc.). Over 100 laptops were set up for the needs of interviewers.


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- system and technical integration of infrastructure

In addition to virtualisation of smaller and some key servers, in 2009 SORS started with testvirtualisation of workstations (VMWare View). For the needs of the application forinformation support to processes for preparing regulations (IPP)152, the Lotus Dominoversion was upgraded; all users of Lotus Notes now have version 7. The entire activenetwork equipment at Vožarski pot was upgraded. A wireless network for employees andexternal users visiting SORS for business purposes was set up (the wireless network isavailable in all meeting rooms). Experimental introduction of the 802.1x standard forverification at access to the LAN network (IEEE 802.1X Standard for port‐based NetworkAccess Control) was implemented.

Applicative support to working processes

In addition to regular tasks, applications for supporting internal processes (SRDAP,address lists, PRS.NET interface for using the Business Register, the Agriculture Register,adjustment of applications to new classifications, etc.) were revised. Several new webapplications were published on the web portal, some as CMS (e.g. Thematic cartography,Municipalities in Figures, first implementation of the exchange of content via web services –JAPTI, test setting up of web services for data exchange in the SDMX format, etc.), and thecontents on the www.stat.si portal were transferred to more powerful servers.

Transition to local environment

In all statistical processes SORS made a transition from the mainframe computer to client‐server architecture in local environment (LAN). The last major tasks were the transfer ofaddress lists and the Statistical Register of Employment (SRDAP).

6.5 REDUCTION OF ADMINISTRATIVE BURDENS One of the SORS’s tasks stated in the Medium‐Term Programme of Statistical Surveys is »reduction of barriers and reporting burdens«. SORS implements this task in several ways: by using the available administrative sources, by active participation in interinstitutional working groups for preparing and improving administrative records for the statistical purpose, by using advanced data collection methods (e‐reporting) and by checking and improving methods for statistical data processing.

Use of administrative sources

For decades SORS has been striving for a greater use of administrative sources; thisreflects in the reduction of the number of reporting units (see Chapter 6.4.1). The share ofsurveys for which SORS uses administrative and secondary data sources is almost 60%. Asmentioned in this Report (see Chapters 1.1.2 and 4.1), the 2011 Census of Population,Households and Housing will be entirely conducted from existing administrative andsecondary data sources, while in the 2010 Agricultural Census fieldwork will besupplemented with data from administrative sources.

Administrative sources were also discussed at the meetings of statistical advisorycommittees: external members presented the planned changes in legislation which is thebasis for managing individual administrative records. They presented information onactivities and projects referring to the fields covered by individual committees and tovarious administrative sources.

Monitoring the burden of small enterprises

In 2009, SORS continued and finished activities started in 2007/2008 regarding themeasurement of the burden imposed by statistical surveys. Within the Governmentmeasure 28/07153, i.e. reducing the burden on reporting units with up to 10 employees,SORS monitored activities only at six statistical surveys, since at all other surveysrationalisation had already been achieved.

Measurement of costs and burdens on reporting units that are the result of implementinglegal regulations from the field of statistics at the European level are coordinated by

152 See: http://www2.gov.si/upv/vladnagradiva‐08.nsf/18a6b9887c33a0bdc12570e50034eb54/7d58b58cc84e31f1c12576710036d14b/$FILE/Predlog%20sklepa%20Vlade%20‐%20IPP‐2.DOC (2.3.2010). 153 Measure No. 28/07 for reducing obligations of companies to collect statistical data from 2008–2009 is included in the framework of a national programme for reduction of administrative burdens.


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Eurostat. In 2009, the monitoring included 24 legal regulations, i.e. 78 statistical surveys,mostly from the field of business statistics. For these surveys the burden was estimated bySORS; the data were sent to Eurostat.

Measuring the burden due to legal regulations

Measurement of administrative burdens caused by implementing European legalregulations was in 2009 conducted according to the international Standard Cost Model –SCM by a consortium of three institutions authorised by the Commission. 72 regulationsfrom 13 priority areas were measured, among them 11 regulations from the field ofstatistics. The main finding is that reporting data for national statistics causes only 0.63%of total administrative burden (about 80% of the burden is caused by reporting data as aresult of legislation from the fields of taxation and company law154).

Cooperation in the government OAO program

The Government of the Republic of Slovenia program Elimination of Administrative Barriers(OAO) and Reduction of Administrative Burdens by 25% by 2012 requires setting up of newadministrative sources that would contribute to better regulation of the administrativeenvironment and as a result establish also new data sources for national statistics. Thisinvolves the setting up of the environmental information system, the collection ofadministrative acts in the field of construction and the setting up of the central record ofpeople participating in education. SORS actively cooperates with competent institutions.

Methodological Council

SORS confirms the justification of new and termination of old statistical surveys fromthe point of view of user needs and data sources and provides transparency of usedmethodologies and their assessment with the help of external experts. To this end SORSestablished the Methodological Council, which in 2009 checked in detail three statisticalsurveys.

6.6 DATA SECURITY AND PROTECTION In line with the legislation in the Republic of Slovenia, the Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia must appropriately protect personal and other data sent by the reporting units and statistically protect tabulated data that it disseminates to the public and microdata that are available to researchers. Various activities related to the protection of data and information are coordinated by the Committee for Information Protection Management System, while statistical protection of tables and microdata is coordinated by the Data Protection Committee. Both committees were established as advisory bodies of the head of the office; their members are SORS’s experts from various fields.

6.6.1 Committee for Information Protection Management System (OSUVI)

OSUVI Central activities of the Committee for Information Protection Management System (whichwas established at the end of 2008) were to prepare and implement in‐house training oninformation protection (which was attended by all SORS’s employees), to plan andimplement activities for improving information protection and to prepare the publictender for setting up an information protection management system which will be in linewith the international ISO 27001 standard. The OSUVI followed the strategy adopted in theMedium‐Term Programme of Statistical Surveys for 2008–2012. On the basis of the safetyassessment produced in 2008, in 2009 SORS designed a new safety policy and updatedinternal rules for more efficient protection of data and information.

6.6.2 Data Protection Committee (OVP)

OVP In 2009, the Data Protection Committee held 26 meetings (44% more than in 2008) at whichit discussed 177 items (27% more than in 2008). The increased number of meetings showsthe need for a more rapid response to questions by external users of statistical data andSORS’s employees and is a result of more requests by Slovene and foreign users. 47% of theitems discussed were requests for microdata by foreign researchers, 27% by Slovene

154 Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament; Action programme for reducing administrative burdens in the EU; Sectoral reduction plans and 2009 actions (COM(2009) 544).


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researchers, 15% were opinions and proposals of the Data Protection Committee, and 11%were requests for unprotected tables, individual data and own data of reporting units.

6.6.3 Statistical data protection

Training for data protection

In 2009, SORS cooperated in testing Tau‐Argus software (for table protection) and informedits employees about the newest methodology and technologies in the area of dataprotection. The most important novelty in the field of methodology was two new criteriafor primary cell suppression, i.e. the p‐percent rule and the pq rule, which improve thequality of protection and decrease loss of information. In addition to informing employeesabout the mentioned novelties, SORS tried to automate the preparation of data forprotection and thus shorten the time needed to implement the procedure.

6.7 DISSEMINATION AND COMMUNICATION WITH USERS

6.7.1 www.stat.si website

The SORS website (www.stat.si) is the most important form of statistical data dissemination. Everything that SORS publishes is available free of charge to the users on this website in various forms: as an e‐release, a PDF publication or as data in the electronic database.

SI‐STAT data portal

In 2009, SORS first added new contents and updated the existing data on the SI‐STATdata portal155; this portal provides users with independent selection of data and theirstorage in various formats. The number of users that register for data storage is graduallyrising; at the end of 2009 the number was 8,300 (at the end of 2008 it was 6,800). Usershave stored 1,878 queries with which they have simple access to updated data in tables.

The most frequently accessed tables, 2009: Table title Number

Average monthly wages and index of average monthly wages by activities (NACE Rev. 2), Slovenia, monthly

16.133

Population by age groups and sex, municipalities, Slovenia, half‐yearly 14.420

Consumer price indices by COICOP/HICP by groups and subgroups, Slovenia, monthly 14.043

Natural changes and total increase of population by municipalities (absolute data and indicators), Slovenia, annually

12.674

Tourist arrivals and overnight stays by municipalities, countries and by types of tourist accommodations, Slovenia, annually

9.968

Accommodation facilities by municipalities and by types of tourist accommodations, Slovenia, annually 9.347

Population by age groups and sex, statistical regions, Slovenia, annually 8.605

At the end of 2009, the SI‐STAT data portal comprised 1,521 tables (1,277 in 2008). Datawere published for 419 narrow content fields within 28 statistical areas.

155 See: http://www.stat.si/pxweb/dialog/statfile1.asp (18. 2. 2010).


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The most frequently visited statistical areas on the SI‐STAT data portal, 2008 and 2009

0 15.000 30.000 45.000 60.000 75.000 90.000 105.000

Energy

Business entities

Transport

Education

Agriculture and fishing

Prices

Tourism

Labour market

Population

Number of visits

2008

2009

Statistical Databank

The Statistical Databank has been operating at SORS for over 30 years. It contains about 3billion data items from various fields of statistics, which are available in about 300 standardtables for various fields. An additional option of the Statistical Databank on the Internet isaccess to standard tables for physically handicapped users using special software.

New services:

- population pyramid

SORS’s website offers interactive graphical presentation of the development of the ageand sex structure of Slovenia’s population from 1971 to 2061; population ageing, which isone of the greatest long‐term challenges for Slovenia, is presented in the form of a so‐calledpopulation pyramid156 (see detailed description in Chapter 1.1).

- thematic cartography on the web

In 2009, SORS upgraded the existing contents of the website with dynamic and staticcartographic presentation of data in the form of the interactive statistical atlas ofSlovenia157 and thematic cartography. This enables the presentation of some statisticaldata in the form that is more understandable to the user than numerical data in tables ortext (see detailed description in Chapter 5.3).

- dissemination of statistical data into social networks

SORS upgraded the presentation of news on its website with the AddThis™158 function. Byusing this function users can store news into their personal profiles of various webapplications or share them with their friends in social networks. With this SORS joined thedevelopment of the second‐generation web, which is based on the exchange and linkingof information. By introducing the possibility of storing news in the described way, SORS ismeeting the principle of providing statistical products and services for users with differentneeds. The service should promote the wider use of statistical data in adopting business andpersonal decisions in Slovenia and the international environment.

156 See: http://www.stat.si/eng/Piramida.asp (26.2.2010). 157 See: http://www.stat.si/eng/iatlas.asp (10.2.2010). 158 See Slovenian statistical data and information are entering social networks, 21 May 2009, E‐Release. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/novica_prikazi.aspx?ID=2348 (26.2.2010).


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6.7.2 Publishing

To present statistical data and inform its users, in 2009 SORS issued 758 publications159, most of them in the First Release series. SORS also issued two new titles of the so‐called promotional publications, namely Slovene Municipalities in Figures and Slovenia and OECD Member Countries.

Printed and electronic publications

SORS was regularly publishing statistical data in all basic publications and series, namelyFirst Release series (electronic publication), Rapid Reports series, monthly publication SomeImportant Statistics on Slovenia and Statistical Yearbook.

In 2009, SORS issued 758 publications, most of them in the First Release series (505). In the 2004‐2006 period the number of publications in this series jumped while in the last four years it has been increasing steadily. The same is true for electronic publications, while the number of issues in the Rapid Reports series has been decreasing (44 issues in 2009, 56 in 2008).

- promotional publications

Two new promotional publications – in addition to Slovenia in Figures, Statistical Portrait ofSlovenia in the EU and Slovene Regions in Figures – were issued in 2009: SloveneMunicipalities in Figures and Slovenia and OECD Member Countries. The latter is SORS’scontribution to Slovenia’s accession to the Organisation for Economic Co‐operation andDevelopment.

- brochures Publications in the Brochures160 series are intended for the general and professional public.In 2009, four brochures from the fields of population (Slovenia’s Population Today andTomorrow, 2008‐2060, and Young People in Slovenia), health (Health and Health Care inSlovenia) – in cooperation with the Institute of Public Health – and environment(Environmental Indicators for Slovenia) were issued. All of them present topical phenomenain a simple, easy to understand and clear way in the form of tables, charts and short text.

- pamphlets To promote the content and working methods, SORS also issued several pamphlets withinformation and presentation of data from statistical surveys. They are primarily intendedfor reporting units (data providers) and are usually received together with an invitation toparticipate or to report the data.

SORS's publication by year, 2004–2009

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

E‐Release First Release Rapid Reports

159 All publications are available to users on SORS’s website under Publications (by series) and within individual fields of statistics. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/pub.asp (17. 2. 2010). 160 See Publications/Brochures, Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/pub_brosure.asp (17. 2. 2010).


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6.7.3 Public relations

Due to its mission, SORS mainly builds its public relations by communicating with target user groups via statistical data – this is how SORS is most often identified in public. Therefore, the basic aim is to provide users with relevant data as well as with information about the activities of SORS as the leading producer in the system of national statistics and as a coordinator of institutions authorised for producing national statistics.

Media relations At its regular press conferences SORS provides the media with those topical statistical datafor which the public has expressed interest. In addition, SORS also presents results ofstatistical surveys broadly presenting phenomena in Slovenia and their dynamics in the pastperiod in the wider context of comparisons with other EU Member States. In addition tousual press conferences, SORS also organised press conferences together withinstitutions the representatives of which offered to the media interpretation of data, long‐term forecasting of trends and analysis in the wider context.

- press conferences

In 2009, SORS organised 13 regular and 2 thematic press conferences; at the thematic pressconferences the data presented by SORS’s statisticians were supplemented by commentsgiven by guest analysts – users from a government institution and the academia. Moreinformation on press conferences organised by SORS is available on SORS’s website161.

- press releases In 2009, SORS prepared 32 special news for its website series Special Days and Holidays162.In addition, press releases were prepared after each session of the Statistical Council of theRepublic of Slovenia and after each national or international event important for SORS163.

- direct communication

In addition to presenting data at press conferences, SORS’s employees often – at therequest of individual journalists – enrich the contributions of journalists in the media withinterpretations of data in the form of media statements; in 2009 around 70 suchstatements were given.

- SORS's promotion

In 2009, SORS decided for proactive promotion with a special five‐minute promotionalvideo which presented SORS’s mission, its coordination role in the national statistics systemand its involvement in the international statistical environment. The Slovene and Englishversions of the video are available on SORS’s website164.

SORS's participation in the Student Arena

The aim of SORS is appropriately and effectively to present official statistical data andSlovenian national statistics to its most numerous target group, i.e. students. SORS hastherefore already participated for six years at the event entitled Student Arena, at whichyoung SORS’s statisticians inform students about access to data, availability of data onSlovenia and the EU and explain the methodological limitations of their use. In addition toinformation, at the 2009 Student Arena SORS offered to visitors its own statisticalpublications; the greatest interest was expressed for the so‐called little yearbook, apublication entitled Slovenia in Figures.

Public information

In 2009, SORS received 37 requests for public information and answered all of them. Asexplained in the Catalogue of Public Information165, in its examination of requests forstatistical data SORS operates in compliance with the National Statistics Act.

6.7.4 Information centre for user support

The task of the Information Centre at SORS is primarily to advise users about the access to data and information on the website and to help them use interactive tools on the website, especially databases.

User help In 2009, SORS received 2,199 written requests for data and 6,880 telephone calls for datatransmission, while the Information Centre was visited by 191 users. Compared to the

161 See Press conferences, Available at: http://www.stat.si/stat_novinarske.asp (29. 1. 2010). 162 Special releases at special days and holidays are available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/tema_splosno_posebnidnevi.asp (29. 1. 2010). 163 See releases under General. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/tema_splosno_splosno.asp (9. 2. 2010). 164 See: http://www.stat.si/stat_urad_film.asp (2.3.2010). 165 See the Public Information catalogue by SORS. Available at: http://www.stat.si/katalog.asp (9. 2. 2010).


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previous year, the number of written requests decreased by 9.7%, while the number of callsincreased by 1.3%. The most numerous group of users (as many as 35% of all users) are stillfrom the field of science and education, mostly students. In 2009, the number of writtenrequests from business entities increased the most (by 4.2%); they represent a quarter of allusers. Users the most frequently ask for data from the field of demographic statistics, labourmarket statistics and external trade statistics.

Training To promote and increase the use of statistical data, in 2009 the Information Centre carriedout some short presentations on the availability of data on SORS's website for uppersecondary school pupils. These presentations were attended by about 70 4th‐year pupils.

Dissemination of European statistical data

SORS has been cooperating in the Eurostat European Statistical Data Support166 (ESDS)project for support to users in accessing European statistical data since 1 October 2004. In2009, SORS received 185 requests for European statistical data. Almost half of requests fordata were sent by students, mostly via e‐mail. A third of requests for European data werereceived from Slovene enterprises, mostly via telephone.

Special library

SORS’s special library performs services for internal and external users. In 2009, 564 newlibrary units were processed formally and in terms of contents and 905 units wereeliminated. The record of library units is in electronic form in the COBISS system; at the endof the year the database contained 9,160 records. In 2009, SORS automated borrowing inCOBISS3; the database has 342 users. As regards interlibrary borrowing, SORS borrowed368 units and lent 47 units; 12 articles were obtained from abroad.

6.7.5 Transmission of statistical data to international institutions

As in the previous years, in 2009 SORS cooperated with various international institutions and transmitted completed statistical questionnaires or other requests for data. Transmission of data to the OECD increased significantly. In preparing data numerous national institutions were involved. The Bank of Slovenia also transmitted data to various international institutions, first of all to the European Central Bank.

International questionnaires

- interinstitutional cooperation

SORS is the national coordinator for transmission of official statistical data to variousinternational institutions. In preparing the data SORS cooperated with other nationalinstitutions, in particular with the Institute of Public Health, the Ministry of the Interior, theMinistry of Labour, Family and Social Affairs, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food,the Bank of Slovenia, the Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning, the NationalPrison Administration, the Slovenian Roads Agency, etc. In 2009, SORS received from 19international organisations 49 statistical questionnaires covering various fields ofstatistics. For most of the international organisations the data were collected at the annuallevel; for three questionnaires they were collected at the quarterly and for two at themonthly level.

Transmission of data to Eurostat

Eurostat collects from national statistical offices and other authorised producers the data inaccordance with European legislation and special agreements with Member States. Datacollection takes place according to the principle of a single entry point, which means themandatory use of eDAMIS (electronic Data Administration Management InformationSystem) tools both for SORS and for all other organisations in the country which transmitdata to Eurostat. In 2009, 1,568 files were transmitted, of which 88% by SORS and the restby the Institute of Public Health, the Bank of Slovenia, the Ministry of the Environment andSpatial Planning, the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry andFood. For monitoring the Lisbon strategy, SORS transmitted to Eurostat quality reports fornine new structural indicators from the fields of transport, education, labour market andenergy.

166 See: http://www.esds.ac.uk/international/access/dataset_overview.asp (2.3.2010).


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- SDMX standard SDMX (Statistical Data and Metadata eXchange) is the international standard for theexchange of data and metadata, the main purpose of which is to standardise data exchangeamong international institutions. SORS is introducing this standard for transmitting dataand metadata to Eurostat, so in introducing the SDMX in individual fields of statistics itfollows the dynamics at Eurostat. In 2009, SORS’s activities focused mostly on informingstatisticians about SDMX standards and on setting up the environment for SDMX at SORS.In setting up the environment for SDMX, which will enable the preparation and exchange ofreference metadata in the ESMS (the Euro SDMX Metadata Structure), SORS ensuredinternational technical support by cooperating in the Census Hub167 pilot project.

Transmission of data to the ECB

In 2009, the Bank of Slovenia was regularly transmitting to the European Central Bank(ECB) data on public finance statistics and national accounts; these data are prepared bySORS and the Ministry of Finance following the agreement between them.

Transmission of data to the OECD

- by SORS

Due to the start of Slovenia’s accession process to become a member of the OECD, in 2009data collection intensified for the needs of this organisation. SORS prepared data forquestionnaires on families, environment, tourism, biotechnology, migration and microdataaccess. For OECD’s FactBook the time series for 44 indicators was supplemented with datafor 2008. In preparing the data SORS cooperated with the Bank of Slovenia, the Institute ofPublic Health and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food.

- by BS For the needs of OECD membership, the BS prepared and transmitted to the OECD datafrom financial accounts statistics, external trade statistics and financial intermediaries’statistics. Quality and coverage of data within the responsibility of BS mostly meet OECDrequirements. Among more demanding BS commitments in 2009 was "4. Benchmark"definition of foreign direct investment, which will be introduced by the OECD in 2010.

6.7.6 Cooperation with users via the Statistical Council of the Republic ofSlovenia and statistical advisory committees

At its sessions held in 2009 the Statistical Council of the Republic of Slovenia discussed documents in connection with the program of statistical surveys and was informed about other issues important for the development of the national statistics system. As regards the operation of statistical advisory committees, SORS conducted a survey among committee members and on the basis of results already included some changes in the work of committees with the intention to improve their efficiency. SORS regularly publishes materials and minutes of the meetings on its website.168

Statistical Council of the Republic of Slovenia

The Statistical Council of the Republic of Slovenia met twice (at regular sessions) in 2009; itdiscussed draft documents in connection with the Annual Programme of Statistical Surveys and was acquainted with some SORS’s activities such as data protection, elimination ofadministrative barriers, preparations for the two censuses (population and agriculture) andSORS’s cooperation in the international environment. In addition, one correspondencesession was organised regarding the change of the Annual Programme of StatisticalSurveys for 2009.

Statistical advisory committees

- meetings

Of the 24 statistical advisory committees in operation, in 2009 16 organised meetings. Thehighest participation of external members at a meeting (75% and more) was recorded atadvisory committees on agriculture, forestry and fishing statistics, crime statistics and energystatistics.

- surveys among committee members

Trying to improve the efficiency of statistical advisory committees, SORS conducted a surveyamong committee members in order to obtain opinions and proposals for improving theoperation of statistical advisory committees. The survey was first conducted among internalmembers (committee secretaries, heads of departments and sectors) and then amongexternal members.

167 See: http://sdmx.org/wp‐content/uploads/2009/10/1_ESTAT_census_41676356.pdf (25.3.2010). 168 See material and minutes of sessions of the Statistical Council and statistical advisory committees. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/drz_stat_svet.asp in http://www.stat.si/eng/drz_stat_sosveti.asp (9. 2. 2010).


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- activities for improving the operation

Some changes in the operation of statistical advisory committees:

- preparation of the proposal for changes of the Rules of Procedure of the Operation ofStatistical Advisory Committees and amending the Guidelines on the Organisation ofMeetings of Statistical Advisory Committees169,

- the survey on conducting a committee meeting170, intended for checking the quality ofindividual committee meetings and collecting proposals for improvements, was includedinto the regular process of implementation,

- refreshing the intranet site for preparing committee meetings.

6.7.7 Access to data of authorised producers of national statistics

In the system of national statistics, in accordance with the Annual Programme of Statistical Surveys for 2009 statistical data were regularly published also by authorised producers of national statistics.

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

The Agency of the Republic of Slovenia for Public Legal Records and Related Services(AJPES) regularly published on its website171 data from annual reports on the equity andfinancial position and profit and loss of business entities (companies, cooperatives, soleproprietors, budgetary users and other legal entities governed by public law, non‐profitorganisations – legal entities governed by private law and societies). From databases ofcompanies, cooperatives, sole proprietors, non‐profit organisations – legal entitiesgoverned by private law and societies, AJPES prepared Information on BusinessPerformance of Companies in the Republic of Slovenia in 2008, Information on BusinessPerformance of Sole Proprietors in the Republic of Slovenia in 2008, Information onBusiness Performance of Non‐Profit Organisations ‐ legal entities governed by private law inthe Republic of Slovenia in 2008 and Information on Business Performance of Societies inthe Republic of Slovenia in 2008. On its website AJPES also published regularly monthlycumulative data on gross earnings paid by individual legal persons of the public and privatesectors and data on overdue unsettled liabilities of legal persons.

Bank of Slovenia (BS)

In 2009, the Bank of Slovenia (BS) was regularly publishing statistical data and informationon its website172 and in its publications: Bank of Slovenia Bulletin (monthly on its websiteand quarterly in print), Financial Accounts of Slovenia (quarterly information on its websiteand the publication Financial Accounts of Slovenia 2003–2008 in printed form), printedannual publication Direct Foreign Investment by 2008 and monthly information on thebalance of payments. In cooperation with SORS and the MF, the BS continued to publishdata, metadata and the release calendar according to the International Monetary Fund(IMF) standard173. In 2009, the BS took care of harmonisation within the framework of theinternational standard of publishing data in accordance with prescribed and announcedreleases and of updating of metadata.

National Institute of Public Health (IVZ)

The National Institute of Public Health (IVZ) publishes on its website174 many data,indicators, presentations, analyses and information concerning health and health care ofthe population. It also publishes the Health Statistical Yearbook and other annualpublications related to individual fields of work. At the end of 2009 a joint publication of IVZand SORS entitled Health and Health Care in Slovenia was published, which in addition tosome findings of the 2007 Survey on Health and Health Care brought a short overview ofsome basic, internationally comparable indicators on health and health care in the EU. Thebrochure was published on the websites of both institutions.

169 See Internal rules and regulations. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/stat_notranji.asp (2.3.2010). 170 See Statistical advisory committees. Available at: http://www.stat.si/eng/drz_stat_sosveti.asp (2.3.2010). 171 See AJPES website: www.ajpes.si/?language=english (18. 2. 2010). 172 See Publications and research: http://www.bsi.si/en/publications.asp?MapaId=70 (18. 2. 2010). 173 The fulfilment of the standard, which is verified by the IMF on the national website (http://www.bsi.si/imf/default_en.asp?MapaId=1020), increases internationally compariable macroeconomic situation, which enables early detection of problems and eases access to international financial markets. Slovenia joined the standard at its beginning in 1997 and is fully compliant. 174 Unit for Health Statistics within the Institute of Public Health of the Republic of Slovenia: http://www.ivz.si/ (18. 2. 2010).


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Ministry of Finance (MF)

In 2009, the Ministry of Finance (MF) was regularly publishing on its website data on publicfinance statistics: first releases for monthly data on the state budget, quarterly data on thestate budget debt, annual data on consolidated state budget, local government budgets,ZPIZ and ZZZS, annual aggregate data for local government budgets and for eachmunicipality separately according to the economic classification, program classification andfunctional activities. The Bulletin of Government Finance with time series since 1992 is alsoavailable on the MF website175.

Pension and Disability Insurance Institute (ZPIZ)

In 2009, the Pension and Disability Insurance Institute (ZPIZ) published on its website176 thefollowing statistical data: Monthly Statistical Overview (also in printed form), ZPIZ AnnualReport, chapter Statistical Data on Insured Persons and Beneficiaries, and Pension andDisability Insurance in Figures.

Employment Service of Slovenia (ZRSZ)

In 2009, the Employment Service of Slovenia (ZRSZ) regularly provided monthly statisticallyprocessed data on registered unemployment, on job vacancies, on financial compensation andpeople included in employment policy measures, brief information for the public on registeredunemployment, extensive overviews of data with key comments in the form of Monthly ZRSZInformation177 and annual statistical overviews with the most important data published in theAnnual Report 2008178. A selection of important overviews, presented in the form of tables,regarding registered unemployment, is also updated monthly on the e‐administration website179.

6.8 INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION In 2009, SORS was actively cooperating in the European Statistical System and in the international statistical environment. It was successfully participating in EU legislative procedures and in various European projects in the field of statistics. Also important was cooperation within United Nations activities in the field of statistics and in international scientific associations. SORS successfully continued the preparations for full membership of the OECD.

6.8.1 SORS's activities in the European Statistical System and in the international environment

Technical assistance programs

- European projects

In 2009, SORS successfully carried out various projects in the field of statistics which arecofinanced by the European Commission (Eurostat) and are intended to facilitate thealignment of statistical fields with EU requirements, to assist in the introduction of Europeanstatistical legislation, to support the implementation of quality statistical surveys, etc.

- technical and expert assistance to Western Balkan countries

On the basis of agreements on co‐operation in the field of statistics, SORS has beenassisting in the alignment of the mentioned fields with EU requirements and in theinstitutional establishment of statistical systems in countries receiving assistance. Inaddition to regular cooperation with the statistical offices of the Western Balkan countries,i.e. Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro, in 2009 SORS as the leader of a group of four WesternBalkan countries also performed tasks under the European Comparison Programme of GDPand prices.

Cooperation in legislative procedures in the EU and within the ESS

SORS was active in various fields within the framework of the European Statistical System(ESS). It participated in the preparation and adoption of the European legislationconcerning statistics. It has regularly taken part, from an early stage, in the drafting of newlegislation within Eurostat working groups and in procedures of adopting legislativeproposals within the framework of the Statistical Programme Committee and the EU

175 Bulletin of Government Finance is available at: http://www.mf.gov.si/angl/tekgib/bilten/abilten.htm (28. 1. 2010). 176 See ZPIZ website: http://www.zpiz.si/ (28. 1. 2010). 177 See ZRSZ website: http://www.ess.gov.si/ (18. 2. 2010). 178 Annual and business reports of the ZRSZ are available at: http://www.ess.gov.si/eng/AnnaulReport/AnnualReport.htm (18. 2. 2010). 179 See section e‐Administration Data Information Service at: http://e‐uprava.gov.si/e‐uprava/en/portal.euprava (18. 2. 2010).


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Council Working Party on Statistics. SORS was also active in discussions on strategic issuesof European statistics, which took place within the European Statistical System Committeeor the Partnership Group.

In 2009, representatives of the Bank of Slovenia also regularly participated in the meetingsof the Statistical Committee, various working groups within the ESCB, plenary sessions ofthe Committee on Monetary, Financial and Balance of Payments Statistics (CMFB), which isthe main body for harmonising strategic issues of European financial statistics, and sessionsof the CMFB executive body.


- within the United Nations

In addition to preparations for OECD membership (see Chapter 6.8.2), participation in theConference of European Statisticians of the UN Economic Commission for Europe, in theConference Bureau, and in the work of the United Nations Statistical Commission andvarious specialised agencies, including special funds for various programmes of the UN, wasalso important.

- with international scientific associations in the field of statistics

SORS also cooperated with international scientific associations in the field of statistics,among them the International Statistical Institute (ISI) and its section the InternationalAssociation for Official Statistics (IAOS). Irena Križman, Director‐General of the StatisticalOffice of the Republic of Slovenia, was elected president of the IAOS Executive Committeefor the 2009–2011 period.

6.8.2 Preparation of Slovenian national statistics for OECD membership

Report on the preparedness for membership of the OECD

Within the preparations for the final mission of the OECD at SORS, additional informationon the legal and institutional framework of Slovenian national statistics, methodologicalmaterial for statistical surveys and the requested data for various fields of statistics weretransmitted to the OECD. On the basis of transmitted information, the OECD prepared adraft report on the legal and institutional framework and the quality and availability ofdata in key statistical areas. The draft report was the basis for discussions within the OECDmission, which took place at the Statistical Office between 27 and 29 May 2009. Themission was composed of the peer reviewers appointed by the OECD: Mr Symon Algera,Statistics Netherlands, Ms Paloma Seoane, Spanish National Statistics Institute, and Mr TimDavis and Mr Olivier Brunet, OECD; they also met representatives of the Bank of Sloveniaand the Ministry of Finance. The mission result was the draft report which was discusses at aspecial meeting of the OECD Committee on Statistics in South Korea in October 2009 andwas evaluated as very good. SORS’s Director‐General presented the accession processfrom the point of view of Slovenian national statistics and answered questions asked byCommittee members. They had no remarks to the report and adopted therecommendations to the OECD Council regarding the state of preparedness of Slovenia inthe field of statistics.

6.8.3 Statistical Days 2009: The Role of Statistics, Analyses and Forecasts in Managing the Global Economic Crisis

The international conference of statisticians, data providers and users of statistical data entitled “The Role of Statistics, Analyses and Forecasts in Managing the Global Economic Crisis – Utilisation of Available Data and the Need for New Data” was held in Radenci, Slovenia, between 9 and 11 November 2009. The central theme was availability of information in the economic crisis.

The three‐day international conference was attended by 147 experts from various fields;one special guest must be mentioned, namely Eurostat’s Director‐General Mr. WalterRadermacher, who presented new developments in the European Statistical System. Theconference was divided into eight sessions in which participants presented their viewsregarding the responsiveness of the ESS and the ESCB, measuring the effectiveness ofpolicies, new statistical approaches in the development of official statistics, the possibilitiesof using household survey data, data in support of policies, recession in the labour market,aspects of sustainable development and new developments in preparing censuses.


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The panel discussion was intended for forecasting economic trends and statistics;participants discussed the models and diversity, correctness and timeliness of forecasts,and cooperation among forecasters and data producers.

In parallel with the sections, two round tables were organised, at which statisticians andusers of statistical data discussed data support for Slovenia’s membership of the OECD andinformation security; examples of good practice and possible solutions were presented.

To inform the public about the conference, SORS prepared a special website180, on whichthe contributions of the participants and the conclusions of the conference were published.

6.9 ORGANISATION, HUMAN RESOURCES AND EDUCATION

SORS has been aware of the importance of efficient human resource management ever since it was established. Organised approach to this subject was determined by the Medium‐Term Programme of Statistical Surveys for 2008–2012 with a special strategy which takes into account the general environment in which SORS operates as well as changes and constant developments in the field of statistics. SORS must consider and seek balance between the orientation of the public sector in Slovenia to an annual reduction of the number of employees on the one hand and the constant inflow on new tasks and changes of present ones on the other hand. By focusing on administrative data sources and with integration in the European Statistical System, SORS’s tasks are growing in terms of their complexity and scope. In contrast, in the 2003‐2009 period the permitted number of employees decreased from 393 to 372.

6.9.1 Internal organisation and the number of employees as of 31 December 2009

Adjusting the number of employees

In accordance with the 2009 Joint Personnel Plan for public administration bodies, whichwas adopted by the Government of the Republic of Slovenia, SORS is allowed to have 372employees181. According to the organisational changes, the number of employees wasgradually adjusted, so that on 31 December 2009 it was in compliance with the mentionedPlan.

In 2009, SORS followed the commitment to reduce the number of employees according tothe Joint Personnel Plan for public administration bodies and the Collective personnel planfor 2009 and 2010. However, additional decrease in the number of employees in theforthcoming years could jeopardise the implementation of national statistics, especiallywith two large censuses in front of SORS. SORS started using data from administrativesources, which means that instead of employees with lower educational level it needs moreemployees with higher levels of education.

- termination of employment

In 2009, SORS terminated employment with 24 employees; 12 of them retired, fixed‐termemployment contracts of six expired and six employees terminated the employmentthemselves. Due to the demanding nature of tasks, for the empty positions mostly peoplewith higher and university education are sought; of course, before doing that the necessityof filling the job vacancy is carefully verified.

In 2003, 32.6% of SORS’s employees had upper secondary education or less, in 2007 29.0%, in 2008 27.5% and in 2009 26.6%.

- recruitment of new personnel

SORS was only partly successful in recruiting new employees. Job advertisements,particularly IT‐related jobs and jobs involving economic expertise, were often repeated.The most frequent reasons for repeating job advertisements were inappropriate

180 See Statistical Days 2009. Available at: http://www.stat.si/StatDnevi2009/Default.aspx?lang=en (9. 2. 2010). 181 Budget users may exceed the permitted number of employees only in connection with Government of the Republic of Slovenia scholarship holders, whose employment is mandatory under the scholarship agreement. After the completion of traineeships, when they become regular officials employed for an indefinite period of time, they are included in the permitted number of employees. Fixed‐term employees (project work, substitution of employees on long‐term sick leave or maternity leave) are not included in the Personnel Plan.


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qualification of candidates and the selected candidate resigning because another employeroffered higher earnings or employment closer to the candidate’s home.

Employment of information technology experts in the public sector is becoming an evermore pressing issue, since the wage policy is not attractive to young people, and it is hardadequately to stimulate and retain IT experts currently employed in this sector. Despite this,in 2009 SORS succeeded in obtaining some candidates in the mentioned field. SORSprovided appropriate training for employees and participation in professional meetings dueto constant updating of their knowledge, since knowledge in this area is rapidly outdated.

- scholarship recipients

In the school year 2009/10 the Government of the Republic of Slovenia providedscholarships for 14 students for the needs of SORS: 3 IT students, 4 economics students, 4social science–information technology students, and 3 mathematics students. Two ofthese scholarship recipients are candidates for graduation and are expected to beemployed by SORS in 2010.

- changes in the organisation

In compliance with the Decree on the internal organisation, systemisation, posts and titleswithin bodies of public administration and judicial bodies SORS prepared 13 proposals ofRules amending the Rules on internal organisation and job classification.

6.9.2 Education and training of employees

Catalogue of Education and Training in 2009

In 2009, SORS implemented education and training for the first time on the basis of acatalogue of education and training. The Catalogue of Education and Training in 2009 isa guideline for obtaining new knowledge and exchanging good practices amongemployees. The catalogue covers those education and training contents that encourageemployees to constantly acquire new knowledge and life‐long learning (this is one of theSORS’s strategic objectives). The education program includes authorised producers ofnational statistics.

Training of statisticians

Statisticians obtained and supplemented knowledge at in‐house training coursesorganised for various fields of statistics, e.g. Administrative sources in SORS’s practice,European Statistical System and decision‐making, Statistical literacy – a concept or asurvival tool, National accounts ‐ basics, Transmission of data to Eurostat, etc. Thesecourses were attended by 429 participants. At in‐house courses led by SORS’s employees,statisticians also learned about various statistical tools and programs that they need foreveryday statistical work: PC‐Axis, basic and advanced course, SAS and Klasje –classification server. Computer knowledge was obtained and improved also at coursesorganised by external service providers. Statisticians regularly participated in conferencesand seminars organised in Slovenia and abroad where they learned about newdevelopments in their fields of work. Within the European Statistical System there is aEuropean Statistical Training Programme (ESTP). These courses require activecooperation and were attended by 32 SORS’s employees.

Training of IT specialists

Rapid progress of information technology demands from employees working in the field ofIT to take care of their appropriate professional expertise. They must constantly upgradeand improve their knowledge. Such forms of education and training were attended by 34SORS’s employees.

In 2009, SORS’s employees spent 10,422 hours (3,949 more than in 2008) on training outside their workplace.

Training of management

Training of SORS’s management was based on developing professional and managerialskills. They participated in training programs in obtaining knowledge and skills regardingtools they will use for fulfilling their professional and managerial role (e.g. Coaching skills,Non‐material forms of rewarding and motivating employees).

Other forms of training

With the help of external service providers, SORS organised and prepared training fromthe field of communication and other specific areas. SORS’s employees participated in theworkshop on preparing the contents of First Releases and news on the website, theworkshop on the proper use of the Slovene language in official texts, the workshop onmodern principles of business correspondence in English, and they also learned publicspeaking. These workshops were attended by 140 employees. In addition, all employeesparticipated in basic training from the field of data protection.


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Foreign language courses

Three employees attended foreign language courses (organised by various languageschools). All three attended English language courses.

Part‐time education

At the end of the year 10 employees were in part‐time “off‐the‐job” training or 2% of allSORS’s employees. These employees have education contracts concluded with SORS: onefor obtaining professional higher education degree, two for obtaining a master’s degree(Bologna level), five for obtaining a master’s degree (scientific) and two for obtaining adoctoral degree.

Reports on participation

Employees exchange knowledge and information obtained at conferences, seminars,meetings and international courses by writing reports on such forms of education andtraining containing the most important information and stating the possible consequencesfor national statistics. All reports are published on the intranet and are discussed by SORS’smanagement at their meetings.

6.9.3 Communication among employees (Surs.net)

By concluding the project of setting up the main internal communication tool, i.e. the SORS.NET intranet portal, SORS strengthened efforts to improve the work environment and internal communication, and contributed to the optimisation of individual processes within the organisation.

Surs.net intranet portal

For achieving its strategic objectives and fulfilling its mission, SORS needed an appropriatecommunication tool; such that would enable internal flow of information and as a resultimprove communication among employees. The project of modernising the intranetportal was finished at the beginning of 2009. With the promotion activity of portal editors,by the end of the year employees were mostly included in this communication tool – asusers as well as authors. This is an open‐type portal and enables publishing of contents notonly to editors and authors but to all employees, which leads to a dialogue among users. InDecember 2009 the intranet portal was used by more than 96% of employees.

Surs.net enables employees to be familiar with management’s decisions and policies; aspecial subpage namely contains all minutes of top management meetings.

6.9.4 Monitoring employee satisfaction

Employee satisfaction survey

In line with systematic monitoring of employee satisfaction, in 2009 an important step wasmade: in May an extensive employee satisfaction survey was conducted. Employeesreceived a printed questionnaire by internal mail. The questionnaire contained 14 sets ofquestions and at the end additional 5 basic demographic questions. Anonymity ofresponses was guaranteed.

The survey was met with a good response among the employees; questionnaires wereanswered by 64% of employees. One of the main findings of this survey was that theemployees were the most satisfied with their co‐workers, working time, the content oftheir work and computer equipment (these categories were evaluated as “satisfied” or“very satisfied” by more than 80% of respondents). Respondents were the least satisfiedwith the opportunities for promotion and with earnings (about 60% of them answered “notat all satisfied” or “not satisfied”).

The report about the survey was presented to SORS’ top management, which prepared aresponse. It is envisaged to conduct such surveys every two years.

6.9.5 Forum of young statisticians

SURSKO brochure In 2009, the Forum of Young Statisticians, which met for the first time in 2007, was revived.The forum was established in order to improve the contacts and inclusion of youngstatisticians in SORS’s work. In 2009, three regular meetings were organised, whichshowed that young statisticians are rather interested in such meetings. A small group ofmembers prepared a brochure called SURSKO, which presents to all new employees themost important information about SORS’ work and organisation.


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6.9.6 Quarterly reports on SORS's work

Systematic monitoring of SORS's operation

Important progress was achieved in the field of systematic monitoring of SORS’s operationas in 2009 quarterly reports on SORS’s work started to be regularly prepared. Thepurpose of the quarterly report, the contents of which were set already in 2007, is to collectin one place the key indicators of SORS’s operation and monitor them in time. The reportthus includes data on human resource issues, participation in education and training, areview of international cooperation, key data on data collection, on the situation regardingnon‐response in household surveys, a review of hours spent in SORS, a financial overviewand data on public relations. The report is prepared one month after the observed quarterand is internal; however, it is available to all employees on the intranet portal and isdiscussed regularly at top management meetings.

6.10 FINANCIAL OPERATIONS The Statistical Office is a professionally independent government agency and directly involved in the preparation and harmonization of the national budget (Article 18 of the National Statistics Act). As a direct budget user it obtainsthe majority of its funds from the budget of the Republic of Slovenia. Income from SORS’ own activities, which include the sale of services and publications, is decreasing each year due to the increase in free e‐publications published on the website. In acquiring EU funds and implementing planned tasks, in 2009 SORS followed the objectives of the strategy of financial resources management defined in the 2008–2012 medium‐term programme.

Legal basis The legal basis for financing SORS's activities are acts that apply to the entire stateadministration and are stated as sources taken into account in SORS's financial operations:

- Budget of the republic of Slovenia for 2009 (Uradni list RS (Official Journal of theRepublic of Slovenia), Nos. 114/2007, 26/2009 and 59/2009);

- Republic of Slovenia Budget for 2008 and 2009 implementation Act (Uradni list RS(Official Journal of the Republic of Slovenia), Nos. 114/2007, 58/2009, 109/2008‐ZOPRSO809, 26/2009, 59/2009 and 96/2009);

- Rules on procedures for implementing the budget of the Republic of Slovenia (Uradnilist RS (Official Journal of the Republic of Slovenia), Nos. 50/2007 and 61/2008);

- Public Finance Act (Uradni list RS (Official Journal of the Republic of Slovenia), Nos.79/1999, 124/2000, 79/2001, 30/2002, 56/2002‐ZJU, 127/2006–ZJZP, 14/2007 – ZSPDPO,109/2008 and 49/2009);

- Public Procurement Act (Uradni list RS (Official Journal of the Republic of Slovenia),Nos. 125/2006 and 16/2008);

- Accounting Act (Uradni list RS (Official Journal of the Republic of Slovenia), Nos.23/1999 and 30/2002‐ZJF‐c).

SORS's expenditure

In 2009, total SORS's expenditure was EUR 13,685,979. The largest part of expenditure(98.4%) was from the Budget of the Republic of Slovenia (EUR 13,468,413). Expenditurefrom EU funds totalled EUR 196,570 (1.4%) and from own activities EUR 20,996 (0.2%).

Expenditure by type of financial resources (in EUR), 2009

Own activity 20.996

National budget

13.468.413

European funds 196.570


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- expenditure by purpose from the budget of the Republic of Slovenia and own activity

Labour costs: For earnings of full‐time employees at SORS in 2009 EUR 9,946,750 wasearmarked from the Budget of the Republic of Slovenia, which represents 74% of total costscovered by the national budget.

Material costs: Funds earmarked for covering material costs from the Budget of theRepublic of Slovenia are used for covering expenses incurred in the performance of SORS'sbasic activity and expenses related to own activity (sale of services and publications). In2009, EUR 1,170,082 was used to cover the costs of SORS's basic activity. The costs formanaging business premises at Parmova 33 amounted to EUR 335,460. The recordedmaterial costs related to SORS's own activity amounted to EUR 20,996.

Costs of major surveys and projects: The costs of major surveys that SORS conducted in2009 amounted to EUR 989,305 (LFS, HBS, SILC, EHS, Estimating crop production, KME‐dec, KME‐jun, PMG/DK, TU‐turisti, TU‐ČAP, INTRASTAT, Business Tendency, ConsumerSurvey, Census of Population, Households and Housing, Agricultural Census). Fordevelopment tasks SORS earmarked additional EUR 15,635.

Costs of international cooperation: In 2009, SORS fulfilled all international obligationsassumed under regular programmes of cooperation with the following internationalinstitutions: Eurostat, OECD, UN and its specialised and related agencies – ECE, CES, IMF,ILO, FAO, WTO, WHO and UNICEF. Slovenia's budget expenditure for internationalcooperation totalled EUR 343,459.

Purchase of fixed assets – investment: In 2009, the costs of investment and investmentmaintenance amounted to EUR 672,721. EUR 522,340 was spent on the purchase ofcomputer equipment and EUR 150,381 on other fixed assets and investments.

Use of SORS's funds from the budget of the Republic of Slovenia (in EUR) by budget items, 2009

672.721

1.343.399

1.505.542

9.946.750Investments

Surveys, development tasks, cunsuses,international cooperation

Material costs

Labour costs

- expenditure from European funds

With European funds SORS carried out several small projects (grants) in 2009. Inaccordance with contracts, European funds were used to finance surveys in various fields ofstatistics in the total amount of EUR 192,962.


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List of abbreviations: AJPES – Agency of the Republic of Slovenia for Public Legal Records and Related Services AMP – Consumer Survey ARSO – Environmental Agency of the Republic of Slovenia ATVP – Securities Market Agency BIS – Bank for International Settlements BS – Bank of Slovenia CEBS – Committee of European Banking Supervisors CES – Conference of European Statisticians CMS – Content Management Systems COFOG ‐ Classification of the Functions of Government CPI – Consumer Price Index CURS – Customs Administration of the Republic of Slovenia DG ECFIN – Directorate General for Economic and Financial Affairs DURS – Tax Administration of the Republic of Slovenia EAA – Economic Accounts for Agriculture ECB – European Central Bank ECHI – European Community Health Indicators EDSIM – European Disability Social Integration Module EGR – EuroGroups Register EHIS – European Health Interview Survey EODS – European Occupational Diseases Statistics EORI – Economic Operators' Registration and Identification system ESA – European System of Accounts ESCB – European System of Central Banks ESSC – European Statistical System Committee ESSPROS – European system of integrated social protection statistics ESTP – European Statistical Training Programme FADN – Farm Accountancy Data Network GDP – gross domestic product GURS – Surveying and Mapping Authority of the Republic of Slovenia HBS – Household Budget Survey HICP – Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices HICP‐CT – Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices at constant tax rates IAOS – International Association for Official Statistics ICT – Information and Communication Technology IEEAF – Integrated Environmental and Economic Accounting for Forests ILO – International Labour Organization IMAD – Institute of Macroeconomic Analysis and Development IMF – International Monetary Fund INES – Indicators of Educational Systems IPI – Import Price Index ISCED – International Standard Classification of Education ISCO – International Standard Classification of Occupations ISIS – Integrated Statistical Information System IVZ – National Institute of Public Health JEGR – Join Expert Group on Reconciliation JSKD – Public Fund for Cultural Activities KLASIUS – Classification System of Education and Training LFS – Labour Force Survey


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LMP – Labour market policy MDDSZ – Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Affairs MF – Ministry of Finance MFI – monetary financial institutions MG – Ministry of the Economy MK – Ministry of Culture MKGP – Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food MNE – Multinational enterprises MOP – Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning MŠŠ – Ministry of Education and Sport MVZT – Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology NIP – Nomenclature of Industrial Products OECD – Organisation for Economic Co‐operation and Development OMC – Open Method of Coordination PEEI – Principal European Economic Indicators PPI – Producer Price Index PPP – Purchasing Power Parity 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 SI‐STAT – SORS’s data portal SITC – Standard International Trade Classification SKD – Standard Classification of Activities SKP – Standard Classification of Occupations SNA – System of National Accounts SORS – Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia SPPI – Services Producer Price Index SPR – Statistical Business Register SRDAP – Statistical Register of Employment UNECE – United Nations Economic Commission for Europe UNESCO – United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organizations VAT – value added tax WAPES ‐ World Association of Public Employment Services WHO – World Health Organization ZPIZ – Pension and Disability Insurance Institute ZRSZ – Employment Service of Slovenia ZZZS – Health Insurance Institute of Slovenia

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