1. Meeting of the Policy Group on Statistical Cooperation
EXPERIENCE OF CENTRAL BUREAU OF STATISTICS OF THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA WITH COMPLETING AVIS QUESTIONNAIRE
Meeting of the Policy Group on Statistical Cooperation
08 – 09 October 2009
Budva, Montenegro

2. WHAT IS AVIS QUESTIONNAIRE ?
Comprehensive questionnaire used by EC as a tool to gather information
Basis for opinion on country’s capacity to comply with EU criteria
Three parts: political criteria, economic criteria and chapters about ability to assume the obligations of EU membership

3. TIMEFRAME February 2003 HR applies for accession to EU
July EC submits AVIS to HR
September Questionnaire is completed
October HR submits filled-in questionnaire to the EC
April EC gives positive opinion
June HR becomes candidate country

4. CBS’S ROLE IN THE ACCESSION PROCESS
CBS’s dual role
Responsibility for chapter on statistics
Main data provider for all other chapters

5. EXPERIENCE WITH THE AVIS
Working group for filling-in the questionnaire
“Single point” of information / data exchange (INDOK)

6. CHAPTER 12 - STATISTICS
Current situations of official statistics in HR compared to EU acquis
Steps being taken to comply with the requirements
Major obstacles to be solved before achieving compliance
Scheduled timeframe

7. OTHER CHAPTERS
CBS’s active role
“Single point” approach
Division of responsibility
Multiple data sources

8. CBS’S ACTIVE ROLE
Numerous data requests
Strict deadlines
Heavy involvement in preparation of answers for other chapters
Taking charge

9. SINGLE POINT OF INFORMATION EXCHANGE
All communication redirected to a single point of information / data exchange – INDOK
Reasons:
Number of data requests
Number of institutions involved
Short time period for filling-in the AVIS

10. DIVISION OF RESPONSIBILITY
Challenging coordination
Strict timeframe of the whole process
Detailed information on data needed for other chapters
Investment for the future

11. MULTIPLE DATA SOURCES Administrative data
CBS analyzed all data contained in other chapters to insure:
Use of official statistics data whenever possible
Stating data source with every reported data

12. CONECTION WITH LATER STAGES OF ACCESSION PROCESS
Foundation for reports and self-assessments which will follow
Foundation for good cooperation with different governmental authorities in the future
Awareness of official statistics importance

13. Thank you! Marija Kamenski Head of International Relations Department
Central Bureau of Statistics of the Republic of Croatia
Ilica 3, Zagreb
Tel:      
Fax: