Statistics is the pillar of democracy in each market economy. Only the efficient statistical system could secure reliable, timely and appropriate economic, financial and social information, needed for the planning and management of the public processes on one side and for supporting the development of democracy and the private sector on the other.
The EC Directorate General, the fundamental role of which is to collect and publish statistical information on European level, is well known by the name of Eurostat.
Established during the remote past in 1953, in order to satisfy the needs of statistical information of the European Coal and Steel Community, Eurostat celebrated Fifty Years Servicing Europe in 2003.
The evolution of the community policies leads to a change in Eurostat’s role in the past years.
Today, data collection for the Economic Monetary Union and development of the statistical systems of the EU candidate countries attain more significance.
Eurostat is part of the European Statistical System, covering also the statistical offices, ministries, agencies and central banks of the Member States, which collect official statistical information.
The Council of the EU adopted Regulation 322 in February 1997, known as the Act on Community Statistics. This Regulation outlines the split of responsibilities between the National and the Community statistical institutions. The fundamental principles, ensuring scientifically independent, reliable, impartial and transparent statistical information, find their right place in it.
Common Declaration for Cooperation in the Field of Statistics was signed between the National Statistical Institute of the Republic of Bulgaria and Eurostat in May 7th, 1993.
The negotiations on Chapter 12 “Statistics” began in October 2000, while in December the same year the Chapter was temporary closed. The Republic of Bulgaria accepts and will apply entirely the EU acquis in the field of statistics, not requesting transitional periods and derogations.
Chapter 12 “Statistics” includes the following sections:
I. Statistical Infrastructure;
II. Demographic and Social Statistics;
III. Economic Statistics: Macroeconomic Statistics; Business statistics; Monetary, Financial and Trade Statistics and Statistics of Balance of Payment;
IV. Agriculture, forestry and fishery;
V. Multi-domain Statistics.
The Law on Statistics/ Official Gazette, issue 57 as of June 26th, 1999/ with the amendments and supplements from 2001, 2002, 2004 and 2005 is in line with the Act on Community Statistics (Regulation 322 /97). The Law incorporates the fundamental principles of the modern statistical system and gives a special attention to the principle of confidentiality of the individual statistical data.
Institutions, responsible for implementation of the European legislation in the field of statistics and carrying out statistical activity in Bulgaria according to the Law on Statistics are the National Statistical Institute and other Bodies of Statistics, i.e. structural units in the ministries, institutions and the public administration.
The National Statistical Institute, being the coordinating body of the statistical activity within the country, uses the fundamental principles of the official statistics as guiding principles in its activity.
The NSI basic objectives are directed towards achievement of full compliance with the requirements of the European Statistical System, namely:
- Improve the statistical information quality;
- Enhance the statistical activity efficiency;
- Have more confidence in the statistical information;
- Make better the cooperation with other participants in the statistical activity, i.e. users and respondents;
- Improve the international cooperation.
The tasks the National Statistical System is faced with result from its functions, while the condition and changes of phenomena and processes in the society define the concrete guidelines, coverage and subject matter of the statistical surveys.
The Bulgarian citizens and business expect a higher living standard, economic prosperity and better international prestige of the country. Pursuing the policy in different areas of the public life would not be possible without reliable statistical information, answering the expectations and heightening the confidence in the official statistics.
The future role and place of statistics will depend to a greater extent+ on the dynamic changes in the socio-economic sphere, as well as in the information and telecommunication technologies. The future image of statistics will be related to its value system on the one hand and its ability for quick adaptation to the new realities on the other. The official statistics is expected to develop an integrated system of indicators, closely linking the economy, social sphere and the ecology.
The role of the official statistics will increase more and more, based on the development and extension of the democratic processes in the society.
