Prepared by:

Irena Krìman

Prepared and published by: Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia SI-1000 Ljubljana, Voàrski pot 12

Telephone: +386 1 241 51 00

Fax: +386 1 241 53 44

E-mail: info.stat@gov.si

Internet: www.stat.si

Photos: KODIA, @. Modlic, F. Fidler

Designed and printed by: PROGRAF

ISBN 961-239-058-4

CIP - Katalòni zapis o publikaciji

Narodna in univerzitetna knjìnica, Ljubljana 311.312(497.4)

061.6(497.4):311

KRI@MAN, Irena

The Slovenian national statistics : trustworthy and user-oriented / [prepared by Irena Krìman ; photos Kodia,

@. Modlic, F. Fidler]. - Ljubljana : Statisti~ni urad Republike Slovenije : Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia, 2004

ISBN 961-239-058-4

1. Gl. stv. nasl.

215091200



TRUSTWORTHY AND USER–ORIENTED

Mission of the Slovenian national statistics National statistics provides to the public administration bodies and organizations, the economy and public data, that are of good quality, timely and comparable in time, space and internationally, on the status and trends in the economic, demographic and social fields, as well as in the fields of environment and natural resources.

Data for national needs and international dissemination are provided at minimal costs.

By respecting statistical confidentiality the trust of the users and professional independence are strengthened.

Dear users of statistical data and information, The Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia is the central institution in Slovenia that is authorized and responsible for the implementation of the activities of national statistics. We are fully aware of this huge responsibility for the quality and the independence of our activity, which is the basis for adoption of various policies which have influence on the level of living and operation of the population and business subjects. We shall keep developing the professionality and maintain our professional independence. We are convinced that this is the foundation upon which we shall maintain your trust.

Ljubljana, July 2004

Mag. Irena Krìman

Director-General

Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia 3

TRUSTWORTHY AND USER–ORIENTED

Contents and Abbreviations

CONTENTS

Abbreviations used in the text:

• Milestones in the Slovenian National Statistics 5

SORS

Statistical Office of the Republic of

Slovenia

• The Slovenian National Statistics

6

AJPES

Agency of the Republic of Slovenia

for Public and Legal Records and

Services

• The Legal Framework of the Slovenian National Statistics 7

EU

European Union

CRP

Central Population Register

RTU

Register of Territorial Units

• Governance in the Slovenian National Statistics 10

IT

information technology

ICT

information and communication

technology

• The Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia 16

B2G

business to government

C2G

citizen to government

• The Slovenian National Statistics from 2003 to 2007

22

R&D

research and development

IMF

International Monetary Fund

TACO

Technical Administration Co-

operation

PUMA

Public Management

OECD

Organization for Economic

Cooperation and Development

UN

United Nations

OJ RS

Official Journal of the Republic of

Slovenia

4



Nacional Statistics

Milestones in the Slovenian National Statistics TRUSTWORTHY AND USER–ORIENTED

MILESTONES IN THE SLOVENIAN NATIONAL STATISTICS

Short history until 1991

National statistics

Slovenian national statistics as

in the independent Slovenia

part of the European Statistical

System

The history of national statistics goes After the disintegration of the

In 1991, the Slovenian Statistical

In 1998 with the Accession

back to 1754 when the first population

Austro-Hungarian Empire, Slovenia

Office operated within the Ministry for Partnership Agreement and Screening

census was implemented on the

became part of the Kingdom of Serbs,

Planning. In 1992, the Slovenian

of the statistical Acquis

territory which today belongs to

Croats and Slovenes. The central

Statistical Office became member of

Communautaire, the Slovenian

Slovenia.

statistical office of this state was the the Conference of European

National Statistics committed itself to In the Austro-Hungarian Empire in

General National Statistics in Belgrade.

Statisticians (CES) which in the same

achieve full compliance with the EU

1863 the first independent statistical

As its constituent part, a special

year adopted the Fundamental

legislation in the field of statistics by service - the Royal Imperial Statistical Statistics Department operated in

Principles of Official Statistics. This 2002 at the latest. As part of that

Central Commission - was established

Slovenia between 1919 and 1924.

largely contributed to the process of

process, Amendments and

in Vienna, covering the predominant

In 1944, the Slovenian National

preparing new legislation in the field

Supplements to the National Statistics

part of the territory of Slovenia.

Liberation Council set up the Office

of national statistics in Slovenia.

Act were adopted in 2001 in order to

for Statistics of Slovenia which

In 1994, the Common Declaration

allow the preparation and adoption of

operated during World War II. In 1945,

of Statistical Co-operation between

the Programmes of Statistical Surveys

within the Socialist Federal Republic of SORS and the Statistical Office of the

to be more flexible, to improve

Yugoslavia, Slovenian Statistics became European Communities - Eurostat was

statistical confidentiality, to deepen

part of the federal state authority.

signed, enabling official participation the independence of the institution

In 1956, the Programme of

of the Slovenes in European statistical (SORS) and to clearly define the role

Statistical Surveys was for the first

system.

of authorised producers of statistics.

time defined for Slovenia by a national, In 1995, the Slovenian Parliament

In June 2003 the Government of the

i.e. Slovenian law. In those times, the adopted the National Statistics Act,

Republic of Slovenia established that

Statistical Office played the leading

with which the Statistical Office of the its national statistics is fully prepared role in developing the Central

Republic of Slovenia (SORS) became a

for the accession of Slovenia to the EU.

Population Register (1970), the

professionally independent

On 1 May 2004 Slovenian national

Register of Business Subjects and

government service. It introduced vital statistics became part of the European

Their Constituent Parts (1976) and the

provisions on national statistics (e.g.

statistical system. This has facilitated Register of Territorial Units (1981).

mission, the Statistical Council of the her in exerting influence – via Working In 1981, the Social Information

Republic of Slovenia and Statistical

Groups and Sectoral Groups and the

System Act in Slovenia offered the

Advisory Committees, independence,

SPC at the European Commission and

opportunity to start building registers confidentiality, dissemination,

Working Groups at the Council – when

with uniform identification numbers

obligation for reporting units, access

preparing the Acquis Communautaire

for administrative as well as for

to administrative sources at micro

of the EU.

statistical purposes.

level with ID numbers, and the rules

on budgeting).

5





TRUSTWORTHY AND USER–ORIENTED

The Slovenian National Statistics

THE SLOVENIAN NATIONAL STATISTICS

National statistics is a professionally independent activity of performing statistical surveys. SORS is the main producer and coordinator of the activity. In the implementation of Programmes of Statistical Surveys, other authorized producers, determined by the medium-term programmes, are also of vital importance. In the medium-term period 2003-2007, the activity of national statistics in determined fields of statistics is being carrying out by SORS as well as by:

• Bank of Slovenia (balance of payments, financial and monetary statistics),

• Ministry of Finance (general government deficit and debt, public finance statistics),

• Agency of the Republic of Slovenia for Public and Legal Records and Services – AJPES (partly economic statistics),

• Institute of Public Health (health statistics),

• Pension and Disability Insurance Institute (pension statistics),

• Health Insurance Institute of Slovenia (social security statistics) and

• Employment Service of Slovenia (partly employment and unemployment statistics).

The National Statistics Act

demands that the authorised

producers of national statistics

organise statistical activities

separately from other activities and

fully respect the fundamental

principles of official statistics,

especially that of statistical

confidentiality.

6





The Legal Framework of the Slovenian National Statistics TRUSTWORTHY AND USER–ORIENTED

THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK OF THE SLOVENIAN NATIONAL STATISTICS

The legal framework of the Slovenian national statistics is one of the most modern ones. It has been prepared in line with the basic principles of official statistics and also the best practices in world statistics, especially those in the Nordic countries where similar register-based statistics has been developed.

The principal legislation

• National Statistics Act (OJ RS

The National Statistics Act

45/1995, 9/2001)

determines:

• basic principles of national

• Annual Programme of Statistical

statistics,

Surveys 2004 (OJ RS 7/2004)

• organisation and position of

performing activities of national

• Medium-term Programme of

statistics,

Statistical Surveys 2003-2007

• programming of statistical

(OJ RS 10/2003)

surveys,

• methodological bases of

statistical surveys,

• obligation of institutions keeping

registers and data collections,

• data collection,

• data processing and storage,

• data protection, use and

transmission,

• international statistical

co-operation.

7





TRUSTWORTHY AND USER–ORIENTED

The Legal Framework of the Slovenian National Statistics Censuses

The National Statistics Act provides

Censuses focus on the entire target

that in case of very large surveys

population. This enables

like censuses, special acts be

presentation of statistical data at

adopted.

the lowest levels of classifications

(territorial ones, socio-economic

Two such latest acts were:

ones, etc.)

• 2000 Census of Agricultural

Holdings Act (OJ RS 99/1999)

Censuses are extremely demanding

in view of their organization and

• Census of Population,

financing, therefore they are carried

Households and Housing in the

out occasionally, i.e. after longer

Republic of Slovenia in 2001 Act

periods of time.

(OJ RS 66/2000, 26/2001)

8



The Legal Framework of the Slovenian National Statistics TRUSTWORTHY AND USER–ORIENTED

Standard classifications

Use of standard classifications in

• Decree on the Introduction and

• Decree on the Introduction and

Besides classifications which are

administrative databases is

Use of the Standard Classification

Use of the Classification of Types

enforced by governmental Decrees,

obligatory and influences the

of Institutional Sectors

of Constructions and

national statistics makes use of

quality and coherence of data in

(OJ RS 56/1998)

Determination of Constructions

several other classifications which

administrative records. Such data

of National Importance

are determined to be used as

represent an excellent source for

• Decree on the Standard

(OJ RS 33/2003).

statistical standards.

satisfying the requirements of

Classification of Territorial Units

implementing national statistics

(OJ RS 28/2000)

Better transparency and usage of

and her international comparability.

classifications have been provided

• Decree on the Introduction and

by SORS when SORS has developed

Standard classifications are adopted

Use of the Standard Classification

a technical solution in the

by the Government in the form of

of Occupations

classification server named KLASJE,

Decrees. Valid Decrees from this

(OJ RS 28/1997, 26/2000)

which is accessible via the Internet:

field are:

www.stat.si/classifications

• Decree on the Introduction and

Use of the Classification of

Products by Activity

(OJ RS 70/2000)

• Decree on the Introduction and

Use of the Standard Classification

of Activities

(OJ RS 2/2002)

9





TRUSTWORTHY AND USER–ORIENTED

Governance in the Slovenian National Statistics GOVERNANCE IN THE SLOVENIAN NATIONAL STATISTICS

Relationship between SORS

The Statistical Council of the

and authorized producers of

Republic of Slovenia and the

national statistics

Statistical Advisory Committees

The National Statistics Act defines

The Statistical Council is a

Annual Programmes of Statistical

the role and co-operation of SORS

professional methodological

Surveys and their implementation;

with the authorised producers of

advisory body for strategic and

to discuss proposals of acts and

activities of national statistics

development questions of national

other regulations; to propose the

concerning:

statistics and the highest

methodological bases,

the organisation, preparation,

representative of users and the

rationalization and modernization

and on the co-operation of

implementation and also reporting

professional public. Eventhough its

of statistical surveys; to provide

institutions in common efforts to

on activities on the Programmes of

role is of advisory nature, it has to

initiatives and proposals for

provide quality, timely and relevant

Statistical Surveys; respect of the

be very much respected due to the

international statistical co-

statistics.

fundamental principles of official

high authority of its members.

operation; and to propose

Currently there are 26 Statistical

statistics; data dissemination and

These are representatives of the

classifications which shall be used

Advisory Committees for different

international co-operation.

National Assembly of the Republic

as national standards.

fields of statistics, comprising 412

of Slovenia, the National Council,

To obtain more information on the

outside members and 98 members

the Government of the Republic of

Statistical Council of the Republic

from SORS. The members of the

Slovenia, the Bank of Slovenia,

of Slovenia please see:

Statistical Advisory Committees are

employers and employees, the

www.stat.si/council

appointed by the heads of

judiciary, statistical experts and

individual institutions upon the

representatives from SORS. The

SORS has established Statistical

request of SORS.

current President of the Statistical

Advisory Committees for individual

The President of a Statistical

Council is a member of the

fields of national statistics. These

Advisory Committee is always the

Slovenian Parliament, Mr. Rudolf

have a long tradition in the national

person from other institution, while

Moge. The Director-General of

statistics in Slovenia since they had

the Vice-president and the Secretary

SORS cannot be President of the

been established long before they

are usually members from SORS.

Statistical Council.

were formally introduced by the

National Statistics Act in 1995.

To obtain more information on the

The main tasks of the Statistical

Their work has a significant impact

Statistical Advisory Committee of

Council are: to discuss and adopt

on the development of national

the Republic of Slovenia please see:

opinions on the Medium-term and

statistics in Slovenia at expert level

www.stat.si/sac

10





Governance in the Slovenian National Statistics TRUSTWORTHY AND USER–ORIENTED

Participation of SORS

in the work of the Slovenian

Government

The Director-General of SORS is a

Proposals of legal acts that are

Besides rationalization and

regular member of the Committee

prepared by Ministries and

technological modernization of

of the Government of the Republic

Governmental services are namely

organizational and methodological

of Slovenia for the Economy. The

not always readily available to

tasks, the limited sources of

main purpose of such cooperation

SORS in draft form before the time

financing demand that a selection

in the said Committee and in other

when the governmental procedure

Programmes are medium-term ones

of the priority tasks be made – and

bodies of the Government is to

has officially started. Therefore this

(adopted by the Government of the

even of those tasks that can be

discuss the future needs of the data

cooperation in governmental bodies

Republic of Slovenia upon the

discontinued. Implementation of

users, which arise from the

is vital and useful for timely

proposal of SORS and usually valid

the statistical Acquis

proposed national legislation.

understanding of the statistical

for the period of five years) and

Communautaire of the EU is a

consequences and adequate

annual ones (determined by the

priority task of the Slovenian

statistical support to the decisions

Director-General of SORS in

national statistics.

of the Government.

consent with authorized producers

of national statistics).

National statistics has certain

influence on the shaping of the

Linkage of national and

The Medium-term Programme of

statistical legislation of the EU via

international needs with

Statistical Surveys determines

Working Groups /Sectoral groups

Statistical Programmes and

certain long-term tasks, with which

and the Statistical Programme

determination of priority tasks

the Slovenian national statistics

Committee at the European

covers the national requirements

Commission and Working Groups

Programmes of Statistical Surveys

for data, adopted in strategies and

at the Council.

are documents describing statistical

national programmes, and other

requirements for national and

general needs of the statistical data

international needs.

users and international obligations.

11





TRUSTWORTHY AND USER–ORIENTED

Governance in the Slovenian National Statistics Reporting on the activity of

Register-oriented statistics

national statistics in Slovenia

In 2002 the Report on the

In close co-operation with the Nordic countries SORS has during the last 30

Execution of the Programme of

years been working on the development of the register-based statistical Statistical Surveys for 2001 was

environment which is based on registers, especially on building prepared for the first time. It

infrastructural administrative registers and uniform identification numbers concentrated on the entire

(personal identification number, business identification number, centroid).

statistical system and was linked to

Even at present SORS plays an important role in the development projects the Programme of Statistical

in the field of administrative records. The possibility to influence on the Surveys in a very transparent and

introduction of statistical classifications as a national standard, preservation user-friendly way.

of uniform identifications, giving proposals to methodological bases and access of the subjects of national statistics to administrative records at SORS has developed the basic

Annual Reports and also Interim

micro level remain the priority long-term objectives of the Slovenian administrative registers and then

Reports submitted upon the third

national statistics also in the medium term period 2003-2007.

transferred them to the Slovenian

year of implementation of the

administrative authorities. Following

Medium-term Programme of

the transfer of the Register of

Statistical Surveys are discussed by

Territorial Units (RTU) to the

the Statistical Council of the Republic Geodesic Administration of the

of Slovenia. At the end of the period,

Republic of Slovenia in 1995, the

covered by the Medium-term

Central Population Register (CRP)

Programme of Statistical Surveys, the

was transferred to the Ministry of

Report on the Execution of the

the Interior in 1998. In 2002, the

Medium-term Programme is

Business Register of Slovenia was

submitted to the Government of the

the last one that was transferred by

Republic of Slovenia.

SORS to the Agency of the Republic

The said Reports are accessible on:

of Slovenia for Public and Legal

www.stat.si/programs

Records and Services.

12





Governance in the Slovenian National Statistics TRUSTWORTHY AND USER–ORIENTED

The fundamental principles

Mission

of official statistics

The National Statistics Act sets

National statistics provides to

The keywords of the mission of

down the following fundamental

public administration bodies and

SORS, such as statistical

principles:

organizations, the economy and the

confidentiality, users’ trust and

• expert (professional) and

public data on the status and trends

professional independence describe

institutional independence,

in the economic, demographic and

the fundamental principles of

• statistical confidentiality,

social fields, as well as in the field

official statistics, the respect of

• availability and clarity of

of environment and natural

which enables provision of quality

information,

resources. These data must be of

statistical data for the needs of

• international comparability,

adequate quality, timely and

users in Slovenia and for those of

• transparency of methodological

comparable in time, space and

international users.

bases,

internationally.

• rational use of sources.

In its work the Slovenian national

Data for national needs and

statistics respects not only the

international dissemination are

clearly defined legal principles, but

provided at minimal costs.

also other principles that are

adopted in the international

By respecting statistical

statistical community, such as:

confidentiality the users’ trust is

• relevance of statistical concepts

strengthened and by constant

for users,

education and training the

• accuracy,

professional independence is built.

• timeliness and punctuality,

coherence of disseminated

statistical data,

• completeness of statistical

capture of phenomena.

13



TRUSTWORTHY AND USER–ORIENTED

Governance in the Slovenian National Statistics Vision

Building of trust and confidence of data users and data respondents Modern approach to total quality

Trust of all participants (data users,

The trust and confidence of users and data providers are built through the management, competent staff, up-data providers and producers of

strict application of statistical data protection principles and rules, including to-date harmonization with the

statistics) is becoming essential.

those on statistical confidentiality. Data collected with statistical reports can international environment, user-Independence of the institution and

be used for statistical purposes only and data shown as aggregates, so that it orientation, modernization of

profession is a guaranty that this

is not possible to identify individual reporting units. Micro data with processes and improvement of

trust shall be maintained.

identifications obtained from reporting units or from administrative sources working conditions shall also in

Knowledge, experience, team work,

can be used for statistical purposes only. Anonymised micro data can be future remain the most important

respect for privacy, quality and user-

used for research purposes. For the purpose of surveying, the registered activities which enable the Slovenian

friendliness towards data users are

researchers and research institutions can obtain the name, address, year of statistical system to complete its

values that can importantly

birth, sex and occupation of an individual.

influence the satisfaction of data

mission.

users and the staff of SORS.

In this way SORS as a legally authorized institution for linking data at micro level prepares most samples for researchers in Slovenia. The Personal Data Values

Protection Act (1999, 2001) very strictly defines the conditions for the treatment of personal data. Rules on technical, organizational as well as IT

The values of SORS as well as those

matters in handling the data are recorded in the internal Rules of Procedure of the entire statistical system in

of the institutions carrying out statistical surveys.

Slovenia are being developed in the

conditions of growing importance

The Statistical Programmes (annual and medium-term ones), which are of official statistical data. The

published in the Official Journal (OJ) of the Republic of Slovenia, present a requests and importance of users

transparent catalogue of all the requests for statistical data. Modern ICT

are increasing, especially in case of

offers the possibility of integrated and standardized approach to data key users in the EU (such as the

collection (B2G and C2G), which has to be made the best use of. Reporting European Central Bank and the

is not obligatory for all the statistical surveys stated in the Programme, as European Commission) and in case

SORS has defined the criteria when reporting can be voluntary.

of the national institutions, such as

the Government of the Republic of

Slovenia, the Bank of Slovenia and

the Chamber of Commerce and

Industry, key enterprises, the

research community and the

general public.

14



Governance in the Slovenian National Statistics TRUSTWORTHY AND USER–ORIENTED

The authority to collect data

is regional co-operation (cross–

border and Western Balkans) and

For rational implementation of the

• meaning and contents of registry

bilateral co-operation (with the

activities of national statistics, SORS

identifiers and other

Nordic countries, the Netherlands,

and authorized producers make use

identification numbers,

Germany).

of individual data with identification

• assurance on statistical

from various official and other

confidentiality of collected data,

The most important and the most

administrative databases of the

• possibility to obtain additional

extensive co-operation is held

public and private sector, kept on the

information on the purpose and

within the European Statistical

basis of law or written consent of the

importance of the statistical

System, where most of the co-

individual. All data from public and

survey.

operation has been organized by

private reporting units are free of

Eurostat and the European Central

charge. Institutions included in the

International co-operation in the

Bank. The tasks determined by the

Slovenian statistical system have the

field of statistics

EU legislation and gentlemen’s

right to link the data from

agreements are a constituent part of

administrative databases and surveys

The international co-operation has

operation with the Nordic countries

the statistical programmes.

to statistical registers and use them

started unofficially at the end of the

and Germany. In 1992 SORS was

Problems that may appear in the

for statistical and research purposes.

1960s when Slovenia took part in

for the first time after having gained

future are linked to the probable

the international projects sponsored

independence even officially

increase in demands for timeliness

When collecting data directly from

by OECD: the one on technical

included in the international

and some new data collection

reporting units, these must be

cooperation - TACO and the one on

statistical community in the

directly for the EU. SORS and

acquainted with the:

public management - PUMA. At

Conference of European

Slovenian national statistics expect

• purpose, scope and mode of data

that time all international contacts

Statisticians.

that adequate and continued

collection,

were held via the Federal Statistical

financial and human resource

• obligation (not) to report,

Office in Belgrade. Participation in

At present the co-operation is held

support shall be granted also in the

• rights and obligations of data

the projects has offered to SORS

with the UN Statistical

future.

collectors,

the opportunity to start co-

Commission, OECD and IMF; there

15





TRUSTWORTHY AND USER–ORIENTED

The Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia THE STATISTICAL OFFICE OF THE REPUBLIC OF SLOVENIA In the implementation of its activity, SORS is directly responsible to the Prime Minister. The Director-General of SORS is appointed by the Government for a period of five years with the possibility to be re-elected. SORS participates in budget discussions as an independent governmental institution.

represents 94 % of the funding, EU

The unit for Dissemination of

The units for: Legal and Human

funds 1% and the revenue from

Statistical Data and Methods works

Resource Matters; General Matters

services and sale of publications

on the dissemination of the

and Public Tenders; Financial

accounts for less than 1% of all

statistical data and information not

Operations perform expert-

income.

only via the Internet and by editing

technical tasks for SORS.

publications in printed form, but

SORS is a production process

also in direct contacts with users.

oriented institution. Statistical data

Thus good relations are kept with

production is organised via the

the users, including the media.

input division (Collection and

In July 2004 SORS had 392

Processing of Statistical Data and

The unit for International Co-

employees. Their average age was

keeping of Production Databases)

operation and European Affairs is in

43 years and 10% of them were

and seven subject matter divisions

charge for the co-operation of SORS

younger than 30 years. Over a half

(General Methodology and

with EU institutions, bilateral

(54%) of staff had university

Standards; National Accounts;

cooperation and the management

education. Women represent 68%

Prices and Satellite Accounts

and coordination of international

of all employees; in case of top

Statistics; Manufacturing and

projects.

management (i.e. 13 employees)

Services Statistics; Structural

women accounted for 62% and in

Statistics, Classifications and

The unit for EDP Infrastructure and

case of middle management

Enterprise Register; Demography

Technology (ICT) provides for the

(i.e. 26 employees) women

and Social Statistics; Environment

development and maintainance of

accounted for 85%. In 2003 labour

and Natural Resources Statistics,

information systems within SORS.

costs represented 71% of total

Regional Statistics and Geomatics).

costs. The national budget

16





The Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia TRUSTWORTHY AND USER–ORIENTED

Independence of SORS and the

The most important tasks of

unintentional or deliberate

authority of Director-General

SORS as a co-ordinator of the

wrongful use of statistics.

activities of national statistics in Co-operation of SORS with the

Slovenia and internationally

Statistical Society of Slovenia and

the R&D sphere has had a long

The National Statistics Act clearly

Coordination and linkage of the

tradition in Slovenia in developing

determines that in professional and

statistical system, international co-

statistical literacy, expanding the

methodological issues related to

operation, setting of standards

statistical culture and training of its operations of national statistics the

(methodological ones,

users in the field of statistics. It has Director-General of SORS is

classifications, administrative

crucial influence on the quality of

autonomous. Nobody is entitled to

databases), anticipation of users’

the statistical production and use of

give to the Director-General of

needs, collection of users’

statistical data.

SORS binding instructions, in

requirements and statements on

particular in relation to the:

their satisfaction with the statistical The Office shall ensure to the users

outputs, collection, processing and

that the conditions for regular

• contents of methodological bases

dissemination of statistical data,

interpretation of collected and

of statistical surveys;

R&D in the field of official statistics processed data are fulfilled. It shall

and, lastly stated but not of least

also respond in the events of

• extent and kind of data which

importance, very strong care for

unintentional or deliberate

shall be collected, processed and

data confidentiality are the most

wrongful use of statistics, which

disseminated on the basis of the

important tasks defined by the

could influence the public opinion.

Programmes of Statistical

National Statistics Act that are

Surveys;

carried out via the Programmes of

Statistical Surveys.

• preliminary dissemination of the

results.

Apart from the implementation of

these tasks, the National Statistics

Act determines that SORS also has

to provide for regular interpretation

of collected and processed data and

also respond in the events of

17





TRUSTWORTHY AND USER–ORIENTED

The Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia Planning and reporting

The Medium-term (5-year) and Annual Programmes of Statistical Surveys, which are proposed by SORS, are followed by detailed work plans for every activity in SORS. All employees are obliged to prepare monthly reports on their tasks.

Yearly reports on the execution of the Annual Programme of Statistical Surveys, which SORS submits to the Statistical Council, and Interim and Final Reports on the Execution of the Medium-term Programme of Statistical Surveys, which SORS submits to the Statistical Council and the Government, are important documents for the users and data providers as well as management tools for the entire system.

18





The Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia TRUSTWORTHY AND USER–ORIENTED

The policy of dissemination of

statistical data and related

services

SORS has set the main strategic

International dissemination is one

An advance release calendar related

objectives: equal access to statistical of the basic tasks of SORS

to the publication of statistical data

results, professionalism and

eventhough different bodies within

and publications is being prepared

transparency of methodological

EU Commission as well as other

by SORS for a week in advance. It is

solutions, user friendliness and

international organizations address

available on the Internet. In future

access to statistical information on

their requests for statistical data

advance release calendars shall be

the Internet. In line with the users’

also to other institutions in

available for the entire year and it

Users are divided into seven

needs, almost all SORS’s

Slovenia. SORS plays the role of a

shall be part of the implementation

groups: part of the public sector,

publications are prepared

coordinator, yet is not always

of the Programmes of Statistical

jurisdiction, business subjects,

bilingually in the Slovene language

successful in performing this task.

Surveys.

science incl. R&D, the general

and in English.

public, media and foreign users.

Demands for timeliness of short-

With a more detailed breakdown of

term statistics have been growing in

these segments into 40 sub

economic statistics as well as in

segments of users and by

other fields. Timely response from

monitoring the needs and requests

reporting units, use of already

of the users for data, SORS shall in

collected data in administrative and

future prepare adequate approaches

other sources and improvement of

to individual categories of users.

the processes within SORS are

Thus SORS is planning that within

some of the conditions in line with

its training program there shall be

which we meet those requirements.

more training for users and since

2004 their satisfaction with the

quality of data and services is being

measured.

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TRUSTWORTHY AND USER–ORIENTED

The Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia Relations with the media

In order to meet the needs of the

With their reporting, media build

general public and build the trust

the trust of users towards national

and confidence in the statistical

statistics.

system, SORS has developed a good

policy on relations with the media.

Media have, with their extremely

Regular monthly press conferences

positive orientation, largely

are being organised and also those

contributed not only to the

held at special occasions.

promotion and successful

implementation of the 2002 Census

Press conferences are attended by

of Population, Households and

the journalists and some users from

Housing in Slovenia but also to the

Ministries and others. The first

informing of the public of these

results of statistics are regularly

results.

published in daily newspapers.

Press conferences offer an

opportunity when statistical data

are represented and also

supplemented by methodological

explanations.

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The Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia TRUSTWORTHY AND USER–ORIENTED

The policy on quality

In the past, quality in national statistics was dealt with mostly in connection with data accuracy in the narrow sense.

In the recent years, national statistical systems in developed countries have been focusing their attention on the introduction of total quality management. SORS has already prepared a strategic policy in this area as well.

Thus, recommendations of the EU were taken into account, especially the recommendations of the Leadership Group on Quality. SORS treats the introduction of the quality policy as a corporate culture with four basic quality pillars, which are linked by modern management methods.

In this view all four quality pillars

are determined and broken down in

the Medium-term Programme of

Statistical Surveys 2003-2007:

• data users and data providers,

• human resource development in

national statistics,

• quality of statistical products and

related services,

• process orientation and process

management.

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TRUSTWORTHY AND USER–ORIENTED

The Slovenian National Statistics from 2003 to 2007

THE SLOVENIAN NATIONAL STATISTICS FROM 2003 TO 2007

Background

Priority tasks

The development of the Slovenian

In order to meet the users’ needs

The main priorities are:

National Statistics in 2003-2007

mainly focused on the enlargement

• preparation and co-ordination of

has been planned in line with the

process in the EU and producing

the preparation of the structural

following assumptions:

national statistics as an EU Member

indicators and other indicators

State, certain main priorities have

(e.g. short-term indicators,

• EU membership and the removal

been proposed in the Draft

sustainable development

of economic borders,

Medium-term Programme of

indicators, indicators of social

Statistical Surveys 2003-2007.

cohesion, regional data),

• statistical support to the new

• further development of the

regionalisation in Slovenia,

system, improvements in the

quality and transparency of

• introduction of the Euro.

national accounts,

• structural business statistics,

• project Intrastat - trade between

EU Member States,

• development and technical

modernization of the mode of

data dissemination, incl. the

• information society statistics,

dissemination of the results of

• life-long learning statistics,

the 2002 Census of Population,

• health statistics,

Households and Housing,

• institutional strengthening of the

• environment statistics and

statistical system, incl.

environment accounts,

strengthening of the role of the

• agriculture statistics,

Statistical Council of the

• statistics of governmental

Republic of Slovenia and the

services,

Statistical Advisory Committees.

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The Slovenian National Statistics from 2003 to 2007

TRUSTWORTHY AND USER–ORIENTED

Long-term strategic objectives

The objective of the Slovenian national statistics in line with which it developed its main strategic objectives while taking into account the best practices in EU Member States in the field of statistics, are as follows:

• improvement of the quality (of statistical data and services, of human resources, processes, management),

• provision of EU and international compliance,

• maintainance of independence of SORS as well as of the entire statistical Some conditions required for operation of the Slovenian national system,

statistics which shall facilitate long-term successfulness:

• alliance with data users and data providers,

• development of the methods, knowledge and tools for data capture and

• further development of register orientation, utilising very large but “imperfect” data sets, esp. e-data sources,

• active co-operation in the European statistical system,

• better knowledge on data sources,

• division of labour with authorized producers of activities of national

• further improvement of the general methodology and statistical statistics and other institutions in Slovenia (Customs Administration, Tax production processes (e. g. statistical registers, rules on data disclosure, Administration, Surveying and Mapping Authority of the Republic of organisational and process rules),

Slovenia, ministries, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia and

• enlarged use and certification of non-official statistical sources, others),

• co-operation and exploring the e-government opportunities.

• timely inclusion of national statistics in preparation of legal acts,

• strengthening of the role of the Statistical Council of the Republic of Slovenia and of the Statistical Advisory Committees,

• total quality management in SORS and in the entire system,

• training of the SORS personnel and users,

• inclusion of experts from the fields of science and R&D in development projects and as assistance in implementation of training activities in SORS,

• improvement of working conditions and provision of required sources for operation.

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