T he role of statistics for decision making : the case of Slovene official s tatistics

1. The role of statistics fordecision making: the case of Slovene official statistics Irena Križman Director-General of the Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia

2. Contents • Statistical information in public and political decision making • Key issues for successful capacity building of the Slovenian statistics • Slovenian statistics in EU and Euro Area • Users about us • Lessons learnt from Slovenian case 2

3. Statistical information in public and political decision making • The “Statistics, Knowledge and Policy” chain • OECD’s Global project: measuring the progress of societies 3

4. Key issues for successful capacity building of the Slovenian statistics (1) • Slovenian decision to become a full member of EU and Euro Area • The forward-looking management of SORS • The support of academia and research institutes • The modern legal framework of the Slovenian national statistics from 2005 4

5. Key issues for successful capacity building of the Slovenian statistics (2) • Good co-operation with data providers, especially holders of registers and administrative records • SORS established the Statistical Advisory committees in the eighties • SORS has a long tradition in intensive relations with the media • International co-operation with Sweden, Denmark, Germany has started in the end of the sixties 5

6. Slovenian statistics in EU and Euro Area • Harmonization of statistics with international standards (high quality, EU comparable statistics) • Successful statistical capacity building process:→guarantee of non-political objectivity →professionalism →provision of: • legal framework • organizational position of the SORS within the government • human and financial resources • co-ordination and the programming of work 6

7. Slovenian statistics in EU and Euro Area (2) • Register-based statistics as an advantage in reducing the response burden • Access to microdata with ID numbers for statistical and research purposes requires strict confidentiality rules • Stability of resources needed for statistics is crucial • Flexibility is required in anticipating and responding to the new needs of policy makers • Microdata for research and evalution of policy proposals have become important 7

8. Users about us • Regular user satisfaction surveys →general satisfaction • Assessments by international organizations →high level of quality of the products and services • For instance: the Code of practice peer review showed particular strengths and examples of good practice in: • the legal framework • managing confidentiality • the structure and functioning of the Statistical Advisory Committees 8

9. Users about us (2) • CESifo World Economic Survey, February 2007: • 700 economists from 80 countries responded • SORS: • 1st place in Quality of Official report • 2nd place in Website Source:http//www.cesifo.de/DocCIDL/WES1-07.pdf 9

10. Lessons learnt from the Slovenian case • Strong data requirements by policy makers could influence the awareness on importance of official statistics and resourcesto develop it • The good management and the vision of NSI’s are important • Harmonisation with international standards requires long-term, organisationally and financially sustainable efforts • Organisation of the technical assistance has important effects 10

11. Thank you very much for your attention. I wish you fruitful work. 11