1. 1 Key issues for the censuses in South East Europe 2011 Second TCG Meeting, Skopje 24-25 June 2010 Vebjørn AALANDSLID Eurostat – Unit D1 Statistical Cooperation with European and Mediterranean countries

2. 2 Planning and management Census law is finally adopted in 2 countries (RS, TR) in different stages of Government/Parliamentary procedure in (HR, AL, XK, MK, ME, BA). Census budget reported to be covered in 2 countries (AL, RS), awaiting census law/national budget in 5 (HR, XK, BA, ME, MK). Choice of method not decided in TR. National budget will cover the census in 5 countries (HR, MK, ME, RS, TR), 3 (AL, BA, XK) report EC/international funding of their census. Pilot censuses performed in 4 countries in 2009 (HR, MK, ME, RS). XK in 2008. Pilot census in AL in spring 2010. Pilot study in TR. BA? Plans for Quality measures/Post Enumeration Surveys in place in 5 countries (AL, HR, MK, ME, RS), not specifically mentioned in XK, TR, BA. Most countries report to have a detailed activity plan 2010/2011

3. 3 Census Methodology Census date for the region 31. March 2011. Census period ranging from 2-4 weeks. TR exception (23. October 2011 + 6 weeks) Only TR makes use of population register. Other countries will have traditional census based on face to face interviews. Most countries plan update of maps in summer/autumn 2010, with finishing the delineating of enumeration areas by Dec. 2010. Enumeration of ethnic minorities. Most countries report self- declaration and possibility not to answer. 3 countries (MK, ME, RS) use entirely open questions. Others use a combination of pre-coded and open questions. TR not yet decided Census of Diaspora. XK and BA use supplementary list (in BA separate section of the law, with own budget). RS and AL plan to collect data/statistics from neighbouring countries.

4. 4 Census Logistics/IT Training of enumerators. Extensive plans reported in majority of countries Census questionnaires. 4 countries (HR, ME, BA, MK) have finalised. Questionnaires or census documents planned to be translated into several languages in RS, MK and HR 4 countries plan to use OCR (RS, AL, BA, HR), 3 plan manual data entry (MK, ME, XK). TR still not decided on census method Preparations for data analysis/dissemination in place in 6 countries (AL, HR, XK, MK, RS, TR ) 2 not specific (ME, BA)

5. 5 Thank you for your attention! Possible questions – and maybe more important - suggestions for improvement can be sent to vebjorn.aalandslid@ec.europa.eu