Importance of statistics data for regional cooperation Regional Forum on Market, Investments and Statistics Sarajevo, April 2017. Importance of statistics data for regional cooperation dr Miladin Kovačević, director of Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia

Presentation content Official statistics European statistics new circumstances vision 2020 Process of Accession to the European Union guidelines for regional cooperation IPA funds and regional cooperation Reflection to the Round Table in Belgrade

Official Statistics - Definition Official statistics as a system can be defined as an agreed minimum of quantitative indicators expressed on the basis of a single methodology, definition, classification and organization of statistical surveys that have been agreed upon by the interested institutions and carried out on the basis of a single program and plan of statistical research. Structurally, this system is geared to certain statistical surveys (defined in statistical research programs) carried out by statistical authorities and statistical services of statutory bodies for the conduct of statistics. When defining statistical research, proponents are usually guided by the general character of the majority of users, general, economic, social or other interests, international recommendations and methodologies of international statistical authorities, as well as the available financial resources for statistical research.

Official Statistics – Definition (extension) Official statistics is an necessary element in the information system of every democratic society in supplying of government, the economy and the public with data on the economic, demographic and social situation and the natural environment. Thus defined, official statistics is at the same time the infrastructure for the commercial sector of research and information.

European statistics - new circumstances Characteristics of the ambience in which the European official statistics evolve: Development of communication on machine line – machine Existence of huge amounts of data, Data from social networks, Access to open data, Appearance of private players (participants) Civil society and state institutions, Signals and noise coming from the flood data, Privacy data „ What was the money for the 19 th century, and the oil for 20, that's the data for the 21st century“

European Statistics - Vision 2020. Orientation on: - Customers - better understanding of their needs, - Quality – firm bonds to the Code of Practice of European Statistics and Improving Quality Management, - New sources of data – potentially new data sources, investing in new IT tools and methodologies, - Production processes – benefits from the exchange of micro data while respecting statistical confidentiality, - Dissemination – work on increasing of data availability and promotion of official statistics in the brand

Process of Accession to the European Union - guidelines for regional cooperation RELIABLE AND COMPARABLE STATISTICAL DATA ARE THE PRECONDITION FOR THE APPROVED EUROPEAN ACCESS PROCESS (EU) HOW FOR ALL CAUNTIRIES, ALSO AND FOR REGIONAL COOPERATION. EU requirements and acts in the field of statistics point to the need of existance of statistical infrastructure that is based on professional independence, impartiality, impartiality, quality, reliability, transparency and trustworthiness; EU requirements and acts also relate to methodologies, classifications and procedures for data access.

Process of Accession to the European Union - guidelines for regional cooperation Official statistics have a threefold role in the EU enlargement process: EU requirements in separate Chapter 18 - Statistics define the harmonization of statistics with EU standards and the rules to be achieved in the pre-accession period; Official statistics should provide data for monitoring changes and assessing of impact of elected or agreed policies; Official statistics should provide indicators for monitoring the IPA programs. All national official statistics (including the countries of the Western Balkans) have declared for the adoption of the European Statistical System (ESS) as a basis for further development so the stated can be accepted for the entire region.

IPA PROGRAMS - A GOOD BASIS FOR REGIONAL COOPERATION European Statistics and Accession to the European Union - IPA funds regional cooperation The Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) are funds by which the EU supports reforms in the enlargement countries. IPA funds can be observed as an investment for the future how for the enlargement countries, but also for the European Union itself. IPA funds are primarily intended for users for their faster economic recovery and sustainable development. For the period 2014-2020. for this purposes EU has allocated € 11.7 billion €. IPA funds intended for the development of statistical infrastructure may be subdivided into IPA Multidisciplinary and IPA National programs: IPA Multidisciplinary programs Cover a set of 15-20 statistical areas (in the form of statistical projects) that are of interest to each country and region and whose implementation achieves compliance with EU standards and requirements IPA National Programs support solving of specific problems at the national level IPA PROGRAMS - A GOOD BASIS FOR REGIONAL COOPERATION

Reflection to the Round Table in Belgrade, from November 2016. Recognized role of official statistics as an indispensable element in creating and following different policies, Need for constant communication between official statistics producers, state institutions, representatives of the economy and representatives of civil society in order to meet the national needs, the needs of the region and the possibility of finding solutions within the official statistics, The need for constant dialogue and exchange of experiences with the aim of accelerating the Eurointegration processes.

Reflection to the Round Table in Belgrade, from November 2016. Identified priority topics: Importance of comparable and quality statistics Relationship between statistics and the development of the financial market - especially in national accounts reporting on public finances (EDP, GFS, financial accounts) Space for regional cooperation (infrastructure, industrial as well as trade) Education statistics and profiling the labor market as one of the major factors of investment expansion Labor market and increased dynamics employment of youth - possible use of international financial programs in this progress Larger use of administrative bases and registers as well as development of fundamental registers and records Possibility of joint action on applying for EU funds for the development of official statistics, institutions and institutional capacities The importance of linking the civil sector and state official institutions for development and attracting of international funds Necessity cooperation in the area of Census preparation 2021 and comparability of the Census

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