ELSTAT Annual Statistical Work Program

Transcription

1 ΙΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗ ΣΤΑΤ ΣΤΙΚΗ ΑΡΗ HELLENIC REPUBLIC HELLENIC STATISTICAL AUTHORITY ELSTAT Annual Statistical Work Program 2015 PIRAEUS 2014

2 A. INTRODUCTION The 2015 Statistical Work Program of the Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) includes information on the statistics to be compiled and disseminated during 2015 (see Annex), as well as on the planned changes in the compiled statistics. These changes pertain to the production of new statistics on account of, for example, the implementation of new European Regulations, to the amendment of currently produced statistics in order to fully comply with existing EU Regulations or to the need to respond more effectively to the needs of national and international users. In addition, the 2015 Statistical Work Program includes information on the planned actions of ELSTAT for 2015 that aim at enhancing the quality of its statistical data, as well as the access of users to statistics. The 2015 Statistical Work Program of ELSTAT has been compiled on the basis of the Hellenic Statistical Program (ELSP) for the three-year period During the period , ELSTAT has restored the reliability of its statistics, on the basis of producing statistics that observe the basic quality standards for European statistics. In this context, the main objective of ELSTAT for 2015 is to secure and further improve the quality of its statistics by unswervingly observing the national and European statistical legal framework (1) in force and by adopting the highest standards and best practices of the European and International Statistical System. In addition, in 2015 ELSTAT will put special emphasis on supporting the improvement of the quality of statistics that are produced by the other agencies of the Hellenic Statistical System (ELSS), where appropriate, by coordinating the statistical activities of the other ELSS agencies and by assessing their statistics in order to certify them as "official statistics". Moreover, a crucial factor for the accomplishment of the above improvement is the provision by the State to the agencies of the human and financial resources that are necessary for the production of statistics and ensuring their access to administrative data sources. Of particular importance for ELSTAT in 2015 will be the reduction of the administrative burden on enterprises incurred by the statistical surveys of ELSTAT, but also the improvement in timeliness and quality more generally of statistical data on enterprises by recasting the production of such statistics on the basis of ELSTAT s access to administrative data sources. Among the objectives of ELSTAT for 2015 is also to maintain its active role in the European Statistical System (ESS), through close cooperation with the other members of the ESS in the framework of working meetings (Task Forces/Working Groups and Sector/Directors Groups) organized by Eurostat on various statistical topics, and through active participation in, and material contribution to, European decision-making and coordination bodies for statistical matters. The implementation of the Commitment on Confidence in Statistics, which was signed by the Greek Government and the European Commission in 2012, is crucial for the achievement of ELSTAT s objectives. (1) Law No 3832/2010 as amended and in force; European Statistics Code of Practice, after its revision on 28 September 2011 by the European Statistical System Committee; Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 on European Statistics, which is under revision. 3

3 Β. NEW STATISTICS 1. Implementing EU Regulations and fulfilling European and international obligations The production of new statistics planned for 2015 by ELSTAT is driven, to a large extent, by the need to fulfil ELSTAT s obligations towards the Statistical Office of the European Union (Eurostat) and other European and international organizations. These obligations involve, inter alia, implementing new European Regulations, ensuring compliance with existing Regulations, filling in questionnaires, updating databases, etc. The new statistics that are planned to be produced in 2015 for such purposes are presented below by theme: EDUCATION Statistics on Institutes of Vocational Training, with reference period the school year 2013/2014 and dissemination period the year INCOME AND LIVING CONDITIONS Statistics on income and living conditions of households, in the framework of new ad hoc modules added in the 2014 Survey on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC). Statistics pertaining to material deprivation of the population (basic needs, financial difficulties, recreation and social activities, durable goods, access to public transport, education and entertainment expenditure, children s needs, etc.) (Regulation to be adopted implementing Regulation No 1177/2003). INFORMATION SOCIETY Statistics on the use of information and communication technologies, in the framework of a new thematic unit to be added to the 2014 Survey on Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). It pertains to the thematic unit "Internet Security", with dissemination period the year TRANSPORT Statistics on the road network of Greece, on the basis of a feasibility study exploring the sources and availability of the relevant data, which is to be completed in These statistics are compiled in the framework of updating the relevant European database. Statistics on road transport by buses and coaches, on the basis of the results of a relevant sample survey, which is to be conducted in These statistics are compiled in the framework of the need to update the relevant European database, with dissemination period of the survey results the year Passenger mobility statistics, on the basis of the results of a relevant sample survey, which will be conducted in 2014, and with dissemination period of the survey results the year Statistics on road traffic for the compilation of vehicle-kilometres (VKM), on the basis of a feasibility study exploring the possibility of collecting the relevant data and cooperation with producers of similar statistical data, which will be completed in HEALTH Health statistics (health status, use of health services, health determinants, preventive 4

4 health care services, health care, social support, etc.), on the basis of the results of the Health Survey, which will be completed in 2014 (Commission Regulation No 141/2013). 2. Satisfying users needs ELSTAT, taking into consideration the comments and contributions made by the participants in its four annual User Conferences, as well as the results from the User Surveys it conducts, has identified and recorded the needs of users. Satisfying such needs is among ELSTAT s priorities for the three-year period In this context, in 2015 ELSTAT is planning to: Produce, on the basis of the results of the Health Survey, which will be conducted in the last 2014, new Health Statistics, which pertain to mental health, social support of vulnerable groups and provision of informal care to them (see previous Section). Publish, on the basis of the results of the Time Use Survey, conducted by ELSTAT, Statistics on the Time Use of the population, which will cover issues such as average time spent on main and secondary activity, average time spent on participating in activities, main activities of the population during an ordinary day, in relation to their main occupation, education, health status, etc. Compile the results of the Household Budget Survey (HBS) at the level of the Region (NUTS 2), instead of the level of Greece as a whole, after having redesigned the survey, which was conducted in Include in 2014 after having explored the issue with the competent national agencies and the EU National Statistical Institutes in the questionnaires of the already conducted surveys questions concerning people with disabilities, with the aim of producing relevant statistics from 2015 onwards. C. OTHER CHANGES IN THE PRODUCTION AND DISSEMINATION OF STATISTICS Compliance with EU Regulations and adaptation to users needs, in combination with constraints in terms of the available human and financial resources, necessitate changes: improvements, adjustments and discontinuations in the production and dissemination of statistics. The following changes are planned for 2015: AGRICULTURE LIVESTOCK From 2015 onwards, discontinuation of the statistical survey for the compilation of monthly data on loans granted to farmers by the Agricultural Bank of Greece. Implementation of the results of a study on improving quality and timeliness of the results of the Annual Agricultural Statistical Survey, which will be conducted by ELSTAT in 2014, after the relevant cooperation with the Ministry of Rural Development and Food. MANUFACTURING TRADE SERVICES From 2015 onwards, production of Structural Business Statistics, mainly, on the basis of administrative data sources. In the framework of the envisaged transmission of enterprise data from administrative sources of the General Secretariat for Public Revenue of the Ministry of Finance (MoF), the General Secretariat for Information Systems of MoF and the 5

5 Social Insurance Institute, by virtue of the memorandum of cooperation signed in April 2014 by the aforementioned agencies and ELSTAT, in 2014 the Surveys on Structural Business Statistics (SBS) will be redesigned. In this context, the questionnaires will be redesigned in order to be adapted to the new needs arising from the use of data from administrative sources. The aim of this redesigning is to limit the number of questions to the absolutely necessary for the collection of data on enterprises, which are not available from administrative data sources, and to establish a uniform structure of questionnaires for all the branches of economic activities. From 2015 onwards, production of the Inwards Foreign Affiliates Trade Statistics (IFATS), mainly, on the basis of administrative data sources. In the framework of the envisaged transmission of data from administrative sources of the General Secretariat for Public Revenue, the General Secretariat for Information Systems and the Social Insurance Institute, by virtue of the memorandum of cooperation signed in April 2014 by the aforementioned agencies and ELSTAT, in 2014 the survey for the compilation of data on Inwards Foreign Affiliates Trade Statistics (IFATS) will be redesigned. This survey is planned to be incorporated in the aforementioned Structural Business Statistics surveys. The aim of the aforementioned changes in the production of statistics is to reduce administrative burden on enterprises, as well as to save resources (human and financial) in ELSTAT by improving, at the same time, the quality of produced statistics. COMMUNICATION From 2015 onwards, discontinuation of the statistical work for compiling telecommunication data, due to, on one hand, their virtually nonexistent demand by users and, on the other hand, to the availability by the Hellenic Telecommunication and Post Commission of accounting reports containing very detailed data on the enterprises of this sector. TRANSPORT From 2015 onwards, discontinuation of the following surveys: a) "Follow-up of the traffic of foreign merchant ships in the Corinth canal and of Greek merchant ships in the Suez canal", b) "Recording of the merchant ships of 100 GTR and over mortgaged for loans", on account of a lack of demand for the above statistics by users. PRICES From 2015 onwards, extension of the Survey on the Rents of Residential Buildings to additional price collection cities besides Athens, with a view to covering the needs of the Consumer Price Index (CPI). With the aim of calculating a more representative sub-index for rents of residential buildings for the CPI, ELSTAT is planning to expand the survey that is being conducted for the collection of data on the rents of residential buildings to some more cities besides Athens, where it has been confined to until now. HEALTH Exploring the need to continue, within 2015, the collection of data on the activities of pharmaceutical companies. These data pertain to the sales of pharmaceuticals in Greece by therapeutic category. The sales data are collected from administrative sources (National Organization for Medicines), which already provide the public with the basic information. 6

6 In the context of the continuing within 2015 certification of the ELSS agencies by ELSTAT, as well as of a more general coordination of the activities of the ELSS, in 2015 ELSTAT will engage in the necessary cooperation with these agencies in order to address the problem of overlapping of the statistics produced within the ELSS. In addition, ELSTAT will explore the possibility for ELSTAT and the other ELSS agencies conducting common surveys in order to reduce the burden on respondents, improve the quality of statistical results and reduce the cost of statistical works, while always unswervingly observing statistical confidentiality. In the context of the above cooperation, some modifications are likely to occur in the production of statistics by ELSS agencies. D. IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF PRODUCED STATISTICS In 2015, ELSTAT will continue to carry out actions aiming at securing and further improving the quality of produced statistics and upholding users confidence in them. These objectives will be accomplished by fully implementing the Greek and EU legal and statutory framework on statistics and by adopting the highest standards and best practices of the European and International Statistical System. A crucial factor for the accomplishment of the objectives is also the implementation of the Commitment on Confidence in Statistics, which was signed by the Greek Government and the European Commission in Among the specific actions to be undertaken by ELSTAT in 2015, aimed at accomplishing the aforementioned objectives, is the completion of all the remaining actions included in the multidimensional Overall Statistical Greek Action Plan (JOSGAP); both the actions that had been included in the JOSGAP in 2010, when it was first put into force and the actions that were added in the course of time. Among the important actions of ELSTAT targeted towards this direction is the better utilization of administrative data sources, on which ELSTAT will put special emphasis in Joint Overall Statistical Greek Action Plan (JOSGAP) Given the fact that all the actions under pillar C of the Joint Overall Statistical Greek Action Plan (JOSGAP), which aim at enhancing the quality of Greek government finance statistics, are going to be completed within 2014, ELSTAT will focus on completing the remaining actions under the other two pillars, A and B, of JOSGAP within As regards the actions of pillar A, which aim at enhancing the institutional framework of the ELSS, ELSTAT intends to complete by the end of 2015 all the envisaged actions under its competencies. The actions under the competency of the Government, which are included in the JOSGAP, refer to the continuous implementation of the Commitment on Confidence in Statistics and pertain to the support of ELSTAT s operation over time. In 2015, ELSTAT will continue and intensify its efforts towards completing by the end of the year the actions of pillar B of JOSGAP, which aim at improving the processes and capacity for the production of statistics in Greece through a program of technical assistance provided by Eurostat to ELSTAT. ELSTAT will aim to complete, within 2015, all the projects which have already been developed but not yet completed, or they are to be developed by the end of 2014, in the context of implementing the above actions. The projects are going to be funded, mostly, 7

7 by the National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF) and, in the cases where this is not possible, through the Budget of ELSTAT. 2. Certification of the statistics produced by the ELSS agencies Peer reviews by Eurostat Pursuant to article 11, paragraph 6 (Responsibilities of ELSTAT) of the Statistical Law No 3832/2010, as amended and in force, ELSTAT certifies as "official statistics" the statistics produced by the other ELSS agencies. The certification as "official" by ELSTAT of the statistics produced by the other ELSS agencies is an important factor and a tool in enhancing the quality and reliability of ELSS statistics. During 2013, ELSTAT carried out the preparatory works for the certification, by elaborating, inter alia, the main document entitled "Statement of Principles and Procedures for the Certification of ELSS Statistics". Moreover, the 1st pilot certification exercise was conducted. The certification of the statistics produced by the ELSS agencies will be continued within 2014 and is expected to be intensified in The objective of ELSTAT is to complete a big part of the certifications of the above statistics by the end of At the same time, during the period August 2014 July 2015, Eurostat is organizing peer reviews in all EU Member States. These peer reviews aim at assessing the degree of conformity of the national statistical authorities of Member States that produce European statistics with the 15 principles of the European Statistics Code of Practice. Among the statistical institutes to be reviewed, apart from the National Statistical Institutes, are three more national authorities producing European statistics. The criteria according to which a national authority is selected to be reviewed are the following: a) its importance as a producer of European statistics, and b) the potential negative impact on the reliability of European statistics, in case a problem occurs in the European statistics produced by the relevant national authority. The three national authorities that have been selected for Greece are the Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Welfare, the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change and the Ministry of Finance. ELSTAT is going to coordinate, at national level, the activities concerning the preparation of the peer review. 3. Using technology to upgrade data collection In 2015, ELSTAT, as envisaged in the Hellenic Statistical Program (ELSP) for , will carry on the actions for taking full advantage of the possibilities offered by modern technologies for data collection, with the aim of optimizing the relevant procedures, especially with regard to saving time and resources. More specifically, in 2015, ELSTAT will undertake the following actions concerning the use of new technologies: Electronic questionnaires and web applications for data collection. The following actions are indicatively mentioned, which have already been planned: Development of a web application concerning data collection for the PRODCOM Survey (Survey of Production and Sales of Industrial Products). This action will start in 2014 and is expected to be completed in the beginning of This web application will contribute to collecting more easily the data from enterprises and to processing the data in a faster and sounder manner. Development and pilot use of a web questionnaire for the collection in this way to the 8

8 greatest extent possible of the data for the Survey on Income and Living Conditions of Household (EU-SILC). In the framework of extending the utilization of data from administrative sources, which is one of its strategic targets, ELSTAT is also exploring the use of specialized technologies for the exchange and collection of data, which are based on web technologies, such as the development of web services. The following planned actions for 2015 are indicatively mentioned: Development of a web application concerning data collection for the Survey on Road Accidents. ELSTAT, on the basis of the results of its cooperation with the Division of Road Traffic Police of the Hellenic Police, which begun in 2014 in the framework of the project "Integrated information system for the collection and management of data on road traffic accidents and levying of sanctions for road traffic matters via mobile devices and radars", will proceed to the development of a web application through which it will collect the necessary data for the needs of the Survey on Road Accidents. Automatization of the collection of statistical data on justice. ELSTAT will carry on its cooperation with the Ministry of Justice, Transparency and Human Rights, so that the automated collection of the relevant statistical data on justice can be initiated in This is envisaged to take place in the context of the work of the Committee where ELSTAT is represented dealing with the collection and release of the statistical data under Chapter 9.4 of the 7th update of the Memorandum of Economic Cooperation, and through the creation and update of the database with data for each court. Elaboration of a feasibility study exploring the feasibility of extracting electronically the data for the Survey on Building Activity from the competent administrative sources. 4. Utilizing administrative data sources for the production of statistics In an effort to improve the quality of statistical data, by saving, at the same time, human and financial resources and reducing the burden on respondents (households and enterprises), ELSTAT has already focused since the previous programming period, , on further utilizing data from the administrative data sources of Greece. The obligation to grant ELSTAT access to all administrative data sources and to primary data including confidential data is clearly stipulated in the Greek Statistical Law, as in force (article 2, paragraph 3 and article 8, paragraph 2), in the Regulation on the Statistical Obligations of the Agencies of the Hellenic Statistical System (article 8, paragraph 4) and in the Commitment on Confidence in Statistics. The issues pertaining to the access of ELSTAT to administrative data sources of other agencies are laid down in memoranda of cooperation signed between the relevant agencies and ELSTAT. ELSTAT follows international standards and best practices for the observance of statistical confidentiality, so as to ensure the safekeeping and protection of confidential data that it receives from administrative sources, in the framework of producing its statistics. In April 2014, an important memorandum of cooperation was signed by ELSTAT, the General Secretariat of Public Revenue (GSPR) of the Ministry of Finance (MoF), the General Secretariat for Information Systems (GSIS) of MoF and the Social Insurance Institute (IKA) for the systematic flow of the necessary data from the above agencies to ELSTAT, aiming at better fulfilling national and European obligations concerning the production of business statistics. This memorandum, in combination with the relevant amendments in tax legislation, empowers ELSTAT to initiate after waiting for almost 3 years the extraction of tax data on enterprises from 9

9 the Ministry of Finance for compiling its statistics (Structural Business Statistics, National Accounts) under strict conditions for observing statistical confidentiality, in compliance with the Greek Statistical Law No 3832/2010, as amended and in force. It concerns an update of the memorandum of cooperation signed in November 2011 by ELSTAT, GSIS and IKA, which had not been fully implemented. The signing of the above updated memorandum of cooperation and the relevant amendments in tax legislation constitute significant steps towards the modernization and improvement of the statistical output of Greece, given the fact that the full implementation of this memorandum within 2014 will result in the discontinuation, from 2015 onwards, of the surveys conducted on enterprises, or in the conduct of smaller-scale surveys. This would enhance, on one hand, the quality and timeliness of Structural Business Statistics (SBS) and, on the other hand, would significantly reduce the burden on enterprises on account of responding to questionnaires. In addition, it is expected that there will be saving of financial resources from reducing the cost for the production of statistical results. ELSTAT is also planning to implement in 2015 a series of targeted actions aiming at maximizing the use of administrative data sources for covering the needs of specific surveys. Indicatively, among the aforementioned actions are the following: Exploring the possibility of collecting the data for the Job Vacancy Survey and for the Labour Cost and Employment Indices in Enterprises from administrative sources. ELSTAT has already initiated cooperation with the Social Insurance Institute (IKA) and the Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Welfare, in order to explore the above possibility. On the basis of the results of the aforementioned exploration, it will be decided whether these data, from 2015 onwards, are going to be collected from administrative sources or not. Exploring the possibility of cooperation with the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change for the creation of a single-entry point and extraction from it of environment data, aiming at enhancing the timeliness and quality of environmental statistics. 5. Reducing the burden of respondents As already mentioned above, in 2015 ELSTAT will continue to explore the possibilities of utilizing new administrative data sources for the production of its statistics. The continuous utilization of administrative data sources by ELSTAT and the signing of memoranda of cooperation with producers of statistical data will contribute to reducing the burden of respondents. Besides the implementation of the aforementioned memorandum of cooperation with the GSPR, the GSIS and IKA, which is expected to contribute to a significant reduction in the burden of enterprises in 2015, Greece is participating in the EU pilot project exploring the implementation of a new system of collecting data for international trade transactions (SIMSTAT). SIMSTAT is a package used all over the EU aiming at reducing the reporting burden of the enterprises, which arises from their statistical obligations. The program proposes the implementation of a single flow system for External Trade Statistics, which aims at the exchange of microdata among Member States. More specifically, it is proposed that only export data for all countries are to be collected and such data will be transmitted to/exchanged among the rele - vant countries, thus abolishing, totally or partially, the collection of import data. If this project 10

10 is implemented on a permanent basis, it is also expected to contribute significantly to reducing the burden of enterprises. Moreover, in the context of the effort for reducing administrative burden in Greece, ELSTAT contributed, during the last 2013 and in the beginning of 2014, to the implementation by the Ministry of Administrative Reform and E-government and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) of the project for measuring and reducing administrative burden in 13 main areas, including, among others, in Statistics. The outcome of this project is outlined in 13 reports one for each area where recommendations are included for the involved agencies. The recommendations in the area of Statistics are: expanding the portal for electronic submission of survey data using electronic questionnaires; reducing duplication and overlapping between questionnaires; using accounting data and data from administrative sources. ELSTAT has already undertaken and will also continue to undertake actions in 2015, in the context of the above recommendations. As already mentioned, ELSTAT will proceed to the recasting of the production of Structural Business Statistics, on the basis of ELSTAT s access to administrative sources, thus resulting, inter alia, to a significant reduction in the number and the size of its surveys conducted on enterprises. Moreover in 2015, ELSTAT, as mentioned above, will carry on its actions pertaining to the utilization, to the maximum extent possible, of the possibilities offered by modern technologies for data collection, undertaking, to this end, the development of web questionnaires and web applications. At the same time, the Working Group, which had been set up in ELSTAT in 2012 with the aim of examining and addressing the issue of questions that are repeated across the questionnaires of surveys, has come up with some basic conclusions. A complete report on the conclusions reached in the Working Group will be available in This report will also take into account the developments concerning the issue of transmission of enterprise data from the General Secretariat for Public Revenue to ELSTAT, in compliance with the above noted memorandum of cooperation signed by ELSTAT, GSPR, GSIS and IKA. The implementation of the results will begin within 2014 and will continue in Three-year project for the training of ELSTAT staff ELSTAT s goal is to continuously update the knowledge and improve the skills of ELSTAT employees, through which the improvement of the quality of the provided statistical services and statistical output can be accomplished. ELSTAT has already elaborated a three-year training program for its staff for the period This project encompasses all the training courses that were identified as necessary for the training of ELSTAT staff, on the basis of the results of a survey on the training needs of the personnel that had been conducted in ELSTAT. ELSTAT cooperated with the National Centre for Public Administration and Local Government (EKDDA) in order to cover part of the aforementioned training courses and in 2013 ELSTAT finalized which of these courses could be covered by EKDDA. These training courses are already being implemented with the participation of ELSTAT employees. As regards the rest of the training courses, which are more specialized on issues of statistical production, ELSTAT intends to use trainers who have experience in a national statistical institute working environment, with funding by the NSRF. Given the fact that, as already mentioned, this project can not be funded by the current NSRF for , 11

11 ELSTAT will try to finance the project from the new NSRF for In case this is not possible, ELSTAT intends to put into full implementation its training program from 2014 and to continue it in 2015 using resources from its own Budget. E. ENHANCING ACCESSIBILITY OF PRODUCED STATISTICS 1. Upgrading the portal of ELSTAT During 2015, ELSTAT will continue to improve the various aspects of the layout and content of its portal, as well as enhance the other dissemination modes for its statistics, with a view to fulfilling user needs both at national and international level, by following the developing international standards. An important factor that would significantly contribute to the accomplishment of this target is the project for upgrading the existing ICT infrastructure and the corresponding services provided by ELSTAT, which will significantly upgrade the portal of ELSTAT by incorporating new tools and technologies. This project is expected to be completed in April ELSTAT has already proceeded to the development of targeted actions intended to improve the accessibility of statistical information and is planning to implement more actions to this effect in Some of these actions are outlined below: ELSTAT is participating in Eurostat s Census Hub project, which will serve as the central reference point for the dissemination of census results from all EU Member States. This pro - ject is underway and is expected to be completed by ELSTAT intends to take advantage of the experience it will gain from the above project in technologies and cutting-edge standards (such as SDM), in order to extend their use in other statistical areas, besides population censuses, thus creating central access points ("hubs") and providing links to all the statistical information sources of the Hellenic Statistical System. Aiming at providing users with immediate access to the cartographic material of ELSTAT, thus enabling a complete geographical correlation of statistical data, ELSTAT will continue in 2015 to digitize its historical cartographic archive from 1961 onwards, with a view to posting it on its website. Digitization will include topographic diagrams (scale 1: 5.000), by Settlement (oikismos) of the General Population Censuses of the years 1961, 1971, 1981, 1991, as well as maps (scale 1: ) by Department (nomos NUTS 3), for the years 1963, 1972, and ELSTAT intends to modify the questionnaire of the User Satisfaction Survey, which is conducted by it, with the aim of depicting in a more complete and accurate manner the needs of the users who visit the portal and the library of ELSTAT. This will contribute to improving the quality and accessibility of the statistical product and more generally of the services provided by ELSTAT. ELSTAT will continue to enrich the GIS web tool for geographical display, correlation and dissemination of statistical information, which ELSTAT started to develop in ELSTAT participates in Eurostat s "URBAN AUDIT" project, disseminating, on a yearly basis, to the Statistical Office of the European Union statistical data on approximately 400 variables for the 10 biggest cities of Greece. ELSTAT intends to create, after having studied best practices in other EU Member States, a GIS infrastructure in order to make available on its portal the results of the above project for the years 2001 and

12 Aiming at making its statistical publications more attractive and useful to users, ELSTAT will continue in 2015 to update the content of its printed publications (already started in 2014) by following best practices from other countries on the presentation of its statistics. Moreover, in 2015, on the basis of the demand for publications and the identified user needs, ELSTAT will proceed accordingly to the abolishment of existing publications or the production of new ones. 2. Fostering statistical education In the framework of undertaking actions aiming at promoting statistical education in Greece, ELSTAT has proceeded to make preparations for hosting and providing guided tours to groups of pupils and students on its premises. The guided tours started in 2013 and will continue to be carried out during During the tours, pupils and students are informed about the mission, operation and work of ELSTAT, the various stages of statistical surveys/works, and the produced statistics, and they are guided around the print shop facilities and the library of ELSTAT. Moreover, relevant printed material and an attendance certificate are distributed to the pupils and students. F. CONFERENCES ORGANIZED BY ELSTAT 1. Organization of the 2015 User Conference ELSTAT, acknowledging the usefulness of the results of the User Conferences in updating and improving its statistical product but also in upgrading the services provided, has established the organization of user conferences on a yearly basis. In this context, a 6th User Conference will be organized in Organization of one-day conferences for targeting specific categories of users In 2015 ELSTAT will organize a one-day conference concerning the presentation of the results of the Time Use Survey. Aiming at informing users, ELSTAT intends to organize in 2015 a oneday conference in order to present the results of Eurostat s "URBAN AUDIT" project (see Paragraph 1, Chapter E). ELSTAT is also planning to organize a conference on Employment Statistics, which will be addressed to the users of these statistics. G. ESTIMATED EPENDITURE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STATISTICAL WORK PROGRAM The implementation of the 2015 Statistical Work Program of ELSTAT presupposes the provision of the necessary financial resources from the State Budget and Eurostat, as well as the reinforcement of ELSTAT with the required and appropriate human resources. As stipulated in the Hellenic Statistical Program for (Paragraph 4, Chapter C), the implementation of the above program presupposes the reinforcement of ELSTAT with the required and appropriate human resources. ELSTAT has estimated the minimum human resources for fulfilling its obligations as the National Statistical Institute and which amount to approximately 950 employees. In addition, the Commitment on Confidence in Statistics expressly lays down commitments for the Greek Government and the Greek State to reinforce ELSTAT with the 13

13 necessary human resources, in order for ELSTAT to be able to provide users with high quality statistics, in accordance with all obligations at national and European level. With the aim of achieving the adequate staffing of ELSTAT, in order to meet national and international statistical obligations and to cover the gaps generated by the massive retirement of employees during the previous years, ELSTAT has requested the hiring of 67 employees within 2014, which has been approved in principle. If during the current year, the hiring of these employees is completed along with the hiring of the 10 specialized scientific staff, which is pending the personnel which will be hired or redeployed to ELSTAT in 2015 should, at least, cover the gaps generated by the retirement of employees. ELSTAT has undertaken a budgeting exercise for the expenditures that are required for the implementation of the statistical works for These expenses, along with the budgeted expenses for 2014 and 2016, are included in the Hellenic Statistical Program. The budgeting exercise took place in the context of the compilation of the Medium-Term Fiscal Adjustment Program of Greece. The budgeted expenses for 2015 are estimated at a total of thirty-eight million seven hundred and seventy seven thousand and fifty-one euros and ninety-nine cents (38,777,051.99). The aforementioned expenses are classified in the following categories: a) Labour cost (wages and salaries of ELSTAT permanent staff, including basic salary, allowances, social security contributions, additional and incidental benefits for the permanent staff, etc.). b) Expenses related to the staff s travel within Greece and abroad: travel and subsistence expenses for the permanent staff of ELSTAT travelling for the purpose of conducting statistical surveys in the field or participating in meetings, seminars, etc. abroad, as well as expenses related to the redeployment or detachment of ELSTAT employees to other agencies in Greece or abroad. c) Other operating expenses, including expenses related to ELSTAT s buildings (Central and Regional Offices) such as rents, heating, communication, water supply, security, cleaning and maintenance costs, as well as expenses related to advertising and public relations, subscriptions, expenses for the provision of consumables (paper, stationery, medical and pharmaceutical supplies, including materials for the maintenance and repair of premises and equipment), fuel, etc., as well as expenses for the conduct of statistical surveys, including the remuneration of external survey workers participating in data collection. d) Expenses for the provision of capital formation goods, such as furniture, PCs, printers, photocopiers and other office equipment. e) Expenses for the processing and release of data of the Buildings and Population Housing Censuses. f) Projects financed by Eurostat, including expenses in the context of the conduct of statistical works financed by Eurostat. The following table presents the Budget estimate of ELSTAT (in euro) for 2015, in comparison with the estimated expenses for 2014, according to the Medium-Term Fiscal Adjustment Program of Greece for : 14

14 Table 1. ELSTAT budget estimate for 2015, by type of expenditure, in comparison with the estimated expenses for 2014, according to the Medium-Term Fiscal Adjustment Program of Greece for Type of expenditure Labour cost Expenses related to staff travelling within Greece and abroad Other operating expenses and expenses of statistical surveys Cost for the provision of capital formation Expenses for the processing and release of the Buildings and Population Housing Censuses Projects financed by Eurostat Total 26,851, ,202, , , ,570, ,006, , , , ,574, , ,837, ,777, ,834, The above estimated needs in human and financial resources are the minimum ones for the conduct of the statistical activities included in the 2015 Statistical Work Program. Non-availability of the necessary resources will jeopardize the implementation of the Statistical Work Program. 15

15 ANNE DISSEMINATION OF RESULTS OF SURVEYS / WORKS, BY THEME AND QUARTER OF 2015 Survey / work code Surveys / works, by theme Periodicity 1st Dissemination of results 2nd 3rd 4th FISHERY C C C C Survey on sea-fishery with motorised fishing vessels of 20HP and over Survey on acquacultures, fish-cultures Data collection on sponge fishing Traffic of fish catches in fishing piers EMPLOYMENT WAGES AND LABOUR COST C C C C C C C C C C Labour force survey (LFS) Monthly Labour force survey (LFS) Quarterly Q4 Labour force survey (LFS) Monthly Labour force survey (LFS) Labour force survey (ad hoc module) Labour cost survey in the sector of manufacturing and services sector Every 4 years Job vacancy survey, compilation of short-term indices and labour cost indices in enterprises.. Quarterly Q4 Job vacancy survey, compilation of short-term indices and labour cost indices in enterprises.. Index of the number of persons employed in retail trade Quarterly Q4 Index of the number of persons employed in retail trade MANUFACTURING C C C C C C C Survey on production and sales of manufacturing products (PRODCOM) Structural survey in manufacturing, electricity and water supply Survey on iron and steel industry Industrial production index Monthly Industrial production index Monthly Turnover index in industry Monthly Turnover index in industry Monthly AGRICULTURE LIVESTOCK FORESTRY C C C C C C C C C Farm structure survey Survey on pigs livestock Survey on cattles livestock Survey on sheeps livestock Survey on goats livestock Annual agricultural statistical survey Annual agricultural statistical survey Survey on cultivated areas (provisional results)* Survey on agricultural and livestock production (provisional results)* Every 3 years 16

16 DISSEMINATION OF RESULTS OF SURVEYS / WORKS, BY THEME AND QUARTER OF 2015 Survey / work code Surveys / works, by theme Periodicity 1st Dissemination of results 2nd 3rd 4th C C Data collection on forest production Annual average weighted producers prices.... PUBLIC FINANCE C C C C Quarterly non-financial accounts of General Government Quarterly Q3 Q4 Quarterly non-financial accounts of General Government Quarterly Q1 Q2 EDP (Excessive Deficit Procedure) Notification Follow-up of tobacco and cigarettes sales PUBLIC HEALTH C C C C C C C C C Hospital census Follow-up of the number of doctors and dentists Survey on in-patient hospital care Follow-up of data on pharmacies wholesale drugstores Follow-up of reported cases of infectious diseases Health centers census Survey on pharmacists Survey on physiotherapists System of Health Accounts (SHA) JUSTICE C C C C C C C C C Survey on Magistrate s Courts Survey on Courts of First Instance Survey on Courts of Appeal Survey on notaries Survey on Land Registries Survey on criminality Survey on prisoners (convicts and under trials). Survey on the prisoners detained for debts..... Survey on offenses of penal code NATIONAL ACCOUNTS C C C C C C C C C C C Estimation of macroeconomic aggregates of GDP and of the institutional sectors of the economy Input output tables Tables used for ESA 2010 questionnaire Employment tables for ESA 2010 questionnaire Non-profit institutions accounts Estimation of private consumption expenditure Economic accounts for agriculture First estimate of agricultural income Economic accounts for forestry Analytical table of consumption expenditures.. Second estimate of agricultural income

17 DISSEMINATION OF RESULTS OF SURVEYS / WORKS, BY THEME AND QUARTER OF 2015 Survey / work code Surveys / works, by theme Periodicity 1st Dissemination of results 2nd 3rd 4th C C C C C C C C C C C C Regional table on gross value added, by branch of economic activity (by Region and Prefecture) Regional table of employment, by branch of economic activity Regional table of gross fixed capital formation, by branch of economic activity Regional table per capita gross value added by Great Geographical Area (NUTS 1) and Region (NUTS 2) Households accounts, by Region Regional accounts of agriculture livestock.... Flash estimates of the main macroeconomic aggregates on ly basis Flash estimates of the main macroeconomic aggregates on ly basis Provisional estimates of the main macroeconomic aggregates on ly basis Provisional estimates of the main macroeconomic aggregates on ly basis Quarterly sector accounts Quarterly sector accounts Quarterly Q4 Quarterly Q4 Quarterly Q3 Q4 Quarterly Q1 Q2 EDUCATION C C C C C C C C C C C C C Survey on primary education: nurseries, primary schools (beginning of the school year) Survey on primary education: primary schools (end of the school year) Survey on foreign and repatriated pupils in primary education (primary schools) Survey on secondary education: lower secondary education (beginning of the school year).... Survey on secondary education: lower secondary education (end of the school year) Survey on foreign and repatriated pupils in secondary education: low secondary education. Survey on tertiary education: technical, vocational and ecclesiastical education Students' Personal Statistical Questionnaire Survey on tertiary education: technical, vocational and ecclesiastical education (end of the academic year) Survey on special education Survey on secondary education: upper secondary education (end of the school year) Survey on secondary education: technical, vocational and ecclesiastical (end of the school year) Survey on primary education: nursery schools (end of the school year) Survey on foreign and repatriated pupils in secondary education: upper secondary education 18

18 DISSEMINATION OF RESULTS OF SURVEYS / WORKS, BY THEME AND QUARTER OF 2015 Survey / work code Surveys / works, by theme Periodicity 1st Dissemination of results 2nd 3rd 4th C C C C C C C Survey on foreign and repatriated pupils in secondary technical, vocational and ecclesiastical education Survey on tertiary education: universities Students Personal Statistical Questionnaire.... Survey on tertiary education: universities (end of the academic year) Survey on secondary education: upper secondary education (beginning of the school year).... Survey on secondary education: technical, vocational and ecclesiastical (beginning of the school year) Survey on tertiary education: technical, vocational and ecclesiastical education (beginning of the academic year) Survey on tertiary education: universities (beginning of the academic year) TRADE C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C Statistics on the trading of goods between Greece and other EU Member States (Intrastat).... Statistics on the trading of goods between Greece and other EU Member States (Intrastat).... Statistics on the trading of goods between Greece and third countries special trade (Extrastat) Statistics on the trading of goods between Greece and third countries special trade (Extrastat) Survey on FATS (Foreign Affiliates Trade Statistics) Compilation of statistics on trade, by invoicing currency Compilation of intra - EU trade statistics, by business characteristics Compilation of extra - EU trade statistics, by business characteristics Survey on the consumption of oil products.... Survey on insurance companies Structural survey on business services (detailed section) Structural survey on enterprises performing real estate activities, information, professional, scientific and technical activities, and other services activities Structural survey on enterprises in the sectors of trade, repair of cars and motorcycles and retail sale of fuel Turnover index in retail trade Turnover index in retail trade Turnover index in wholesale trade Turnover index in wholesale trade Monthly 11,12 Monthly 1 2,3,4 5,6,7 8,9,10 Monthly 11,12 Monthly 1 2,3,4 5,6,7 8,9,10 Every 2 years Monthly Monthly Quarterly Q4 19