1. Statistical Business Register in Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia
Workshop on Business Registers and their Role in Business Statistics in the Eastern UNECE Region
5 October 2009, Luxembourg
Presentation by Vitalija Gaucaite Wittich

2. Overview The UNECE Survey - every two years since 1998
For the last three UNECE surveys replies were received:
Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Republic of Moldova, Russian Federation, Tajikistan, and Ukraine. Turkmenistan replied only in No response from Uzbekistan
Other countries: Albania, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Israel, Japan, Montenegro, New Zealand, Serbia, United States
The form of the questionnaire:
based on the Eurostat questionnaire model
was modified substantially in 2000, and some further changes were introduced in 2004 and 2008 questionnaires
October 2009

3. Overview 1. Use of statistical business registers (BR)
2. Sources for statistical BR
3. Activity classifications in use
4. Coverage of statistical units
5. Enterprise groups - the new challenge
October 2009

4. 1. Use of statistical BRs Widespread:
For grossing up survey results, survey editing & imputation, for data tabulation and as a source for R&D statistics
Rarely used:
For production of data on business demography,
for deriving economic statistics
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5. 1. Use of statistical BRs (continued)
Progress can be seen, albeit indirectly :
Gradual expansion of the list of recorded variables – i.e. the date of cessation of activities, not recorded before, is mentioned among the variables in six countries in 2008 Survey
Improved coverage and timeliness of various records – the reference periods of reported data are more recent in the 2008 Survey
Actions/plans of implementing revised economic activity classifications - the gradual approach in the implementation, use of double recording and back-casting; collaboration with other register-keepers
October 2009

6. 2. Variety of sources for statistical BRs
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7. 2. Variety of sources for statistical BRs (continued)
Changes recorded by the 2008 Survey:
Single administrative BR: + 3 countries
Surveys on BR update: countries
Tax authorities data: countries
Central bank data: country
No change regarding the use of Published accounts, Chamber of Commerce or Customs registries
October 2009

8. Implementing new economic activity classification
3. Activity coding
Implementing new economic activity classification
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9. 3. Activity coding (continued)
Implementing new economic activity classification:
Automatic recoding is expected to cover from 25% to 35% of the statistical units, while the rest will be recoded manually
Double coding for at least three years is foreseen
Intentions to coordinate introduction of the Revised activity classification in the Single administrative business registers and other administrative sources
October 2009

10. 4. Coverage of statistical units
Percentage change of unit population, BRQ BRQ 2008
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11. 4. Coverage of statistical units (continued)
Average number of occupied persons per registered enterprise
* Data refer to 2004 and 2006
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12. 4. Coverage of statistical units (continued)
Registered enterprises, BRQ-2008 by sections of NACE Rev. 1
* Legal units
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13. 4. Coverage of statistical units (continued)
In general:
Many countries have a good coverage of the incorporated units
The coverage of small businesses and individual entrepreneurs is rather insufficient
There are special registers for the agricultural sector in some countries
Specific:
In Belarus, Moldova and the Russian Federation– the legal unit is identical to the enterprise
In Armenia, Georgia and Moldova local units are not yet included in the statistical BR
October 2009

14. 5. Enterprise groups – the new challenge
Enterprise groups (EGR) – be it all-resident or multinational ones - are not yet monitored for statistical BR purpose
Few exceptions as reported in the 2006 and 2008 UNECE Surveys by:
Kyrgyzstan
Russian Federation
Tajikistan
October 2009

15. 5. Enterprise groups – the new challenge (continued)
Kyrgyzstan’s information refers to foreign-controlled enterprises/legal units without explicit link to any EGR. It is exclusively based on administrative sources. No entries in the statistical BR.
The Russian Federation reports only on the overall number of all-resident enterprise groups:
Total 44’219 EGRs incorporating 401’850 legal units ( )
Few basic variables are recorded in statistical BR
Main source: Single administrative Business register
Multinational EGRs to be included starting 2009
Tajikistan’s statistical BR contains some information on the multinational EGRs sourced from both administrative sources and statistical surveys.
October 2009

16. 5. Enterprise groups – the new challenge (continued)
Multinational Enterprise Groups
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17. 5. Enterprise groups – the new challenge (continued)
Harmonising methodological approaches with those accepted internationally is the way ahead
Countries should look for best practices on:
profiling of large and complex enterprises
delineation of enterprise groups
reviewing principal and secondary activity coding
cooperation with central banks, commercial data providers, etc.
October 2009

18. Thank you!
October 2009