A team of experts from the Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia was on a study visit to the NSI on 28-30 June 2011 with the aim to get acquainted with the Bulgarian experience in the field of energy statistics. The main topics on which the experts from the Environment and Energy Statistics Department shared their extensive professional experience and knowledge were:

• Legislation related to energy statistics
• Bulgarian energy data collection systems
• Energy balances – main indicators
• Overall energy balance
• Annual questionnaires on energy products:

- Coal
- Natural gas
- Electricity and heat
- Oil and oil products
- Renewables and Wastes

The study visit was organized within the framework of the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) of the European Commission under which the Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia is beneficiary. The NSI was selected to provide the so-called “tailor-made expertise” on energy statistics, since after the end of the PHARE Programme for cooperation in the field of statistics in 2010, it already has the capacity to provide expert training for statisticians from candidate countries.

The Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia is the first to benefit from the provision of this type of expertise. The Bulgarian experts expressed their willingness to continue such cooperation and to provide expert assistance to other countries.