Global Assessment of the National System of Official Statistics of the Republic of Armenia 1 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS.................................................................................................... 3 PREFACE ........................................................................................................................... 6 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY................................................................................................. 7 1. LEGAL BASIS ......................................................................................................... 11 1.1. Overview ......................................................................................................... 11 1.2. Potential Ambiguity Areas in the Law on State Statistics .............................. 12 1.3. The legal basis for other producers of official statistics.................................. 13 1.4. The legal basis for regular stakeholder involvement....................................... 14 1.5. Issues that may be considered in future revision process of the Law on State Statistics ................................................................................................. 15 1.6. Other relevant legislation ................................................................................ 15 2. NATIONAL SYSTEM OF OFFICIAL STATISTICS ............................................. 16 2.1. Structure of the national statistical system...................................................... 17 2.2. National statistical programming and system coordination mechanisms ....... 21 3. NATIONAL STATISTICAL SERVICE .................................................................. 22 3.1. Institutional mission ........................................................................................ 22 3.2. Organisation of the National Statistical Service.............................................. 22 3.2.1. Organisation of the central office of the NSS ................................... 23 3.2.2. Organisation of regional offices........................................................ 25 3.3. Resource management..................................................................................... 26 3.3.1. Finance and budgeting....................................................................... 26 3.3.2. Staff, recruitment, and training.......................................................... 27 3.3.3. Information technology..................................................................... 28 3.4. Internal and external monitoring of quality and performance......................... 29 3.5. Dissemination policy....................................................................................... 30 3.6. Relations with mains users of statistical information...................................... 34 3.6.1. Relations with the central government.............................................. 34 3.6.2. Relations with local governments ..................................................... 34 3.6.3. Liaison with research institutions and universities............................ 34 3.6.4. Liaison with the business community ............................................... 35 3.6.5. Relations with other user categories.................................................. 36 3 3.7. International cooperation................................................................................. 36 4. STATISTICAL DOMAINS...................................................................................... 37 4.1. Classifications ................................................................................................. 37 4.2. Demographic and social statistics ................................................................... 39 4.2.1. Demographic statistics ...................................................................... 39 4.2.2. Population census.............................................................................. 41 4.2.3. Armenian Integrated Living Conditions Survey (ILCS)................... 42 4.2.4. Labour market statistics..................................................................... 43 4.2.5. Education statistics............................................................................ 44 4.2.6. Health statistics.................................................................................. 44 4.2.7. Social protection statistics................................................................. 45 4.3. Macroeconomic statistics ................................................................................ 45 4.3.1. National accounts .............................................................................. 45 4.3.2. External trade statistics (goods) ........................................................ 48 4.3.3. Balance of payments ......................................................................... 48 4.3.4. Foreign direct investment, international investment position, external debt ...................................................................................... 49 4.3.5. Price statistics.................................................................................... 49 4.4. Business statistics............................................................................................ 51 4.4.1. Short-term business statistics ............................................................ 51 4.4.2. Energy statistics................................................................................. 51 4.4.3. Transport statistics............................................................................. 52 4.4.4. Tourism statistics............................................................................... 54 4.4.5. Construction statistics........................................................................ 54 4.4.6. Business registers .............................................................................. 55 4.5. Agriculture statistics........................................................................................ 56 4.6. Multi-domain statistics.................................................................................... 57 4.6.1. Environment statistics ....................................................................... 57 4.6.2. Statistics on information and communication technologies.............. 58 ANNEXES ........................................................................................................................ 60 ANNEX 1: AGENDA AND PERSONS MET DURING ASSESSMENT MISSIONS .. 60 ANNEX 2: LAW ON STATE STATISTICS OF REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA............... 67 ANNEX 3.1: SCIENTIFIC AND METHODOLOGICAL COUNCIL OF THE NATIONAL STATISTICAL SERVICE OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA – CHARTER ................................................................................................................ 77 4 ANNEX 3.2: SCIENTIFIC AND METHODOLOGICAL COUNCIL OF THE NATIONAL STATISTICAL SERVICE OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA – MEMBER LIST ........................................................................................................ 79 ANNEX 4: PROPOSALS FOR DISCUSSION IN FUTURE REVISION OF THE LAW.......................................................................................................................... 80 ANNEX 5: 2007-2009 THREE–YEAR STATE STATISTICAL WORK PROGRAMME OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA (TRANSLATED EXCEPRTS).............................................................................................................. 83 ANNEX 6: LIST OF INDICATORS SUBMITTED TO THE NSS FOR STATE STATISTICAL WORK BY BODIES IMPLEMENTING ADMINISTRATIVE STATISTICS............................................................................................................. 93 ANNEX 7: NSS ORGANIZATIONAL CHART…..………………………….…….…116 5 PREFACE The Global Assessment of the National System of Official Statistics of the Republic of Armenia (the Assessment) was jointly undertaken by the European Commission (Eurostat), European Free Trade Association (EFTA), and United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). The Assessment process was initiated in response to the request by the National Statistical Service of the Republic of Armenia (NSS) to the UNECE made in September 2008. The assessment is based on an extensive review performed during the two Assessment missions. The first mission took place during 21 – 27 January 2009; the assessor team included Mr. Anton Steurer, Mr. Arvydas Andreikenas and Ms. Alina Milasiute (all from Eurostat), Mr. Heinrich Brüngger, Mr. Petteri Baer and Ms. Tiina Luige (all from UNECE), as well as Mr. Jan Byfuglien from Norway/EFTA. Many internal and external partners were met, partly in parallel meetings (see Annex 1). Some written material was also made available by the National Statistical Service (NSS) in advance or during and after the visit. The second mission during 31 March – 2 April 2009 included Mr. Arvydas Andreikenas, Ms. Alina Milasiute, Mr. Petteri Baer, Ms. Tiina Luige, and Mr. Jan Byfuglien and collected information to complete the final Assessment report and draw conclusions. Major written inputs to this evaluation were the Law on State Statistics of the Republic of Armenia, Report on the Observance of Standards and Codes (ROSC) on Data Module for the Republic of Armenia by International Monetary Fund (IMF Country Report No. 09/50, February 2009) and Armenia 2008 Compliance Monitoring Report prepared by the NSS. The first Assessment mission was also prepared through replies to the questionnaire sent out