Management Group on Statistical Cooperation 19-20 March 2015 Handbook on Good Practices from AGAs and LPRs (Doc. MGSC/2015/16)

RATIONALE FOR THE HANDBOOK The idea to prepare a handbook on good practices was born in the HLS on the follow-up of Global Assessments and peer reviews (Yalta II) on 25-27 June 2013. Collecting and present good/best practices identified during the AGAs and LPRs implemented in a number of non-EU countries during the period 2008-2013. Trying to form a source of inspiration for NSIs in these countries and beyond.

FUNDAMENTALS OF AGAs and LPRs LPRs were used to assess the compliance of the reviewed NSIs with Pr. 1-6 and 15 of the CoP to evaluate the coordination role of the NSI within the NSS, to highlight transferable practices appropriate to foster compliance with the CoP, to recommend improvement actions needed in view of fully complying with the Code. LPRs were based on the structure and procedures of the European Statistical System (ESS) peer reviews in 2006-2008 and were designed for candidate and advanced potential candidate countries (+Palestine & Armenia)

FUNDAMENTALS OF AGAs and LPRs AGAs aim to evaluate The level of conformity vis-à-vis international / European standards, Incorporating the UN Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics and the European Statistics Code of Practice, Statistical domains within the Statistical Requirements Compendium. The institutional environment of the NSS and the NSI

ENLARGEMENT COUNTRIES Country Type of Assessment / Year Albania AGA-2010 / LPR-2013 Bosnia and Herzegovina AGA-2011/ SR LFS-2014 (Croatia LPR-2010) FYR of Macedonia LPR-2010 / SR NA-2014 Kosovo AGA-2011 Montenegro AGA-2010 / LPR-2012 / SR BS-2014 Serbia LPR-2011 Turkey LPR-2011

ENP-EAST COUNTRIES Country Type of Assessment/Year Armenia AGA-2009 / LPR-2014 Azerbaijan AGA-2010 Belarus AGA-2012 / 2013 Georgia AGA-2012 Moldova AGA-2012 Ukraine AGA-2011

ENP-SOUTH COUNTRIES Country Type of Assessment / Year Palestine LPR-2012 Tunisia AGA-2014 Jordan SR LFS 2014 Egypt SR LFS 2014

CENTRAL ASIA COUNTRIES Country Type of Assessment / Year Kazakhstan AGA-2007 Kyrgyzstan AGA-2011 Tadshikistan AGA-2012

MAIN FEATURES Compiled in June/July 2014 by a colleague from TurkStat (trainee in A3), updated in early 2015 with input from countries Covers AGA and LPR reports until these dates. Countries included are AL, AM, AZ, BA, BY, GE, HR, KG, KZ, MD, ME, MK, PS, RS, TJ, TR, UA, XK. A life document, can benefit from further additions of good practices as identified in future AGAs and LPRs. Based on the template of the handbook prepared by Eurostat in 2008 after the ESS Peer Reviews of 2006-2008. Includes some necessary changes unlike the ESS version because of different priorities. SMIS + compliance monitoring web based tool The statistical Requirements Compendium

NEW HEADINGS OF GOOD PRACTICES FOR AGAs and LPRs Professional and scientific independence International coordination and cooperation Quality of the statistical production process Statistical processes Mandate for data collection Obligation to respond and administrative fines Data security policy Legal confidentiality commitments Misuse and misinterpretation policies and practices Data release calendar SMIS + compliance monitoring web based tool The statistical Requirements Compendium

CONCLUSIONS During the LPR more good practices have been identified than during AGA (due to the focus). Main reason is that LPRs are more oriented to identify good practices than AGAs. Most of the reports have dedicated parts for good practices. The handbook also covers the contributions of AGA and LPR monitoring questionnaires. LPRs had improvement actions clearly identified so it was easier to monitor them (AGA reports do not have specific improvement actions). 2014 monitoring of AGAs has started to involve improvement actions for countries SMIS + compliance monitoring web based tool The statistical Requirements Compendium

CONCLUSIONS The handbook does not serve as a ‘beauty contest’ or a ranking of countries. The main lesson to be learnt is analysing the handbook and observing the good practices of each country and try to implement the examples in home country. EU (as TAIEX), UN, WB etc. funds can be followed. Countries can be contacted directly for study visits, consultancies etc.

Thank you for your attention