Quality Report

Structural Business
Statistics Regulation Annex VII

Member State: BULGARIA

Reference Year: 2010

Report issued: SBS - Structural statistics on pension funds

Compiling institution: National Statistical Institute
Contact details:
Name: / Karmen Iskrova
E-mail address: /
Telephone number: / + 359 2 9857 151
Postal address: / National Statistical Institute;
2, Panayot Volov Str.; 1038 Sofia, Bulgaria;

Please answer in the grey-shaded cells or, when necessary, update the information given.

Please check the pre-filled cells marked in green.

There is no limit for the replies to open questions; the row height will be automatically adjusted to your text.

Please note that, if you consider that any of your answer should be treated as confidential, the answer needs being labelled “CONFIDENTIAL” explicitly.

Contents:

I. Relevance 3

I.1. Completeness 3

I.1.1.Data availability 3

The availability rate is as follows (pre-filled by Eurostat): 3

I.1.3. Availability of characteristics and/or breakdowns required by the SBS-Regulation 3

I.1.4. Availability of statistics on non-autonomous pension funds 4

I.1.5. Derogations from the provisions of the SBS Regulation 4

I.2. Confidentiality 4

I.3. Monitoring user interest 4

I.3.1. Consultation with your main users (target group: narrow scope, e.g. National Accounts, Central Banks, Economy department etc) 4

I.3.2. User satisfaction (broader scope) 5

II. Accuracy and reliability 6

II.1. Concepts and sources 6

II.1.1. Description of administrative sources/ data collected for supervisory purposes 6

II.1.2. Definitions and concepts used in the administrative sources 6

II.2. Assessment of revisions 7

II.2.1. Average size of revision 7

II.2.2. Revision policy 7

III. Coherence and comparability 7

III.1. Coherence 7

III.2. Comparability 8

III.2.1. Comparability over time 8

III.2.2. Geographical comparability: Coverage of target population 8

IV. Timeliness and Punctuality 9

IV.1 Timeliness 9

IV.2. Punctuality 9

V. Accessibility and Clarity 10

V.1. Accessibility 10

V.2. Clarity 11

VI. Further Comments 11

I. Relevance

Definition
Relevance is the degree to which statistical output meet current and potential users' needs. It depends of whether all the statistics that are needed are produced and the extent to which concepts used (definitions, classifications etc.) reflect user needs.

I.1. Completeness

The completeness is the extent to which data are available compared with the requirements in terms of characteristic, geographical and activity breakdown, as specified in the SBS Regulation[1].

I.1.1.Data availability

The availability rate is as follows (pre-filled by Eurostat):

2010
Availability rate / BG
7A / 100
7B / 100
7C / 100
7D / 100
7E / 100
7F / 100
Total / 100
I.1.2. Specification of missing detail: (table to be filled in by Eurostat)
a) characteristics / nothing missing
b) size class breakdown in series 7B and 7C / nothing missing
c) currency breakdown in series 7D / nothing missing
d) geographical breakdown in series 7E 7F / nothing missing

I.1.3. Availability of characteristics and/or breakdowns required by the SBS-Regulation

Please comment on the rates of available statistics calculated by Eurostat and explain the reasons why any characteristics or breakdowns required by the SBS Regulation are not available (e.g. derogations) and describe your plans for improvement in the future.

I.1.4. Availability of statistics on non-autonomous pension funds

Are non-autonomous pension funds allowed in your country?
Yes No
If yes, are data available on non-autonomous pension funds?
Yes No
If no, please indicate on how you envisage to collect the missing data:

I.1.5. Derogations from the provisions of the SBS Regulation

Not applicable.

Please indicate whether you intend to provide data for which you have granted derogation earlier than the timing foreseen in the Commission Regulation.
There are no derogations on SBS of Pension Funds.

I.2. Confidentiality

I.2.1.The rate of confidential cells is as follows (pre-filled by Eurostat):

Confidentiality rate / BG
2010 / TOTAL
7A / 2
7B / 33
7C / 29
7D / 0
7E / 0
7F / 0
Total / 4

I.3. Monitoring user interest

I.3.1. Consultation with your main users (target group: narrow scope, e.g. National Accounts, Central Banks, Economy department etc)

1.3.2.1. Has your unit regular consultations with some of your main users?

[ ] Yes

[X] No

1.3.2.2. If yes, could you give a brief description of your main users and their needs (by main groups of users) Internal or external users?

I.3.2. User satisfaction (broader scope)

I.3.2.1. Have you organised a punctual or a regular survey related to the users' satisfaction regarding the availability of your data for Annex VII of the SBS Regulation?

[ ] Yes

[X] No

I.3.3.2. If you have organised a survey as such, to what extent the users' needs were fulfilled by the available data and if they are relevant for all of them?
-

II. Accuracy and reliability

Definition
Accuracy of statistical outputs in the general statistical sense is the degree of closeness of estimates to the true values.

II.1. Concepts and sources

II.1.1. Description of administrative sources/ data collected for supervisory purposes

Please describe the administrative sources:
- Is there an identification of units in the administrative source with those in the business register (linkage)? Is it possible that some of the supervised units have another principal activity and could therefore be included in the business register with other activity codes than NACE Rev. 65.2?
-Which SBS characteristics are directly available from administrative sources/ data collected for supervisory purposes?
- Are there any characteristics for which the item non-response influences the quality?
-  All pension funds are included in business registers. The supervised units have only one principal activity. According to the national legislation pension funds could not have activity code other than NACE Rev.2 - 65.3
-  The SBS characteristics are collected from the Financial Supervision Commission and submitted to the National Statistical Institute for the purposes of SBS.
-  There are no characteristics for which the item non-responsive influences the quality.

II.1.2. Definitions and concepts used in the administrative sources

How would you assess the proximity of the definitions and concepts (including statistical units) used for administrative purposes / data collected for supervisory purposes with those required for statistical purposes (very good, good, satisfactory, poor, very poor).
Please list the main differences between administrative and statistical definitions and concepts.
How are variables not available from administrative sources / data collected for supervisory purposes compiled (sample survey; estimation on the basis of other variables)?
-  The proximity of the definitions and concepts is very good.

II.2. Assessment of revisions

II.2.1. Average size of revision

By revision we refer to the replacement of the data published on the Eurostat website with the new data. The corrections send to Eurostat before any data to be published on the website are not considered revisions.

The revision size is measured as follows:

The symmetric and confined relative distance measure varies between -2 and 2 for change percentages ranging from -100% to infinity. The weight factor wn in the formula is the fraction of the original value to the total of original values transmitted. The weights therefore add up to one and the error measure is also a weighted average of the square ‘symmetric and

Not applicable.

If it was the case, please comment on the reasons for those the revisions.
There are no revisions during the examined period.

II.2.2. Revision policy

Please describe your revision policy including some information related to the average number of revisions (planned or not), the main reasons for revisions and the impact of the revisions.
There is no revision policy due to the absence of changes in Eurostat methodology and consequently, there have been no revisions.

III. Coherence and comparability

III.1. Coherence

Definition
Coherence of statistics is their adequacy to be reliably combined in different ways and for various uses. It focuses on the joint use of statistics that are produced for different primary purposes to show cases of incoherence rather than to prove coherence.
Coherence with national accounts statistics on pension funds.
Coherence with ESSPROS Statistics (European System of integrated Social Protection Statistics)
In this quality report the data providers can report on the inconsistencies that can already be documented.
Full coherence between the data submitted to National Statistical Institute and ESSPROS.

III.2. Comparability

Definition
Comparability aims at measuring the impact of differences in applied statistical concepts, measurement tools and procedures where statistics are compared between geographical areas, sectoral domains or over time.

III.2.1. Comparability over time

Length of time series is the period when the statistics were compiled for the first time to the latest reference year available at Eurostat.

Length of comparable time series starts with the last break in time series to the last reference year available at Eurostat.

Indicator / Period (yyyy – yyyy)
III.2.1.1. Length of time series / 2004-2010
III.2.1.2. Length of comparable time series / 2004-2007;2008-2010
III.2.1.3. In case III.2.1.1. is not equal to III.2.1.2., please indicate the reasons and any differences in concepts and measurement methods for breaks in time series.
For the period 2004 – 2007 the time series are according to NACE Rev. 1, while for the period 2008-2010 the time series are according to NACE Rev. 2.

III.2.2. Geographical comparability: Coverage of target population

III.2.2.1. Are there any institutions covered that fall out of the scope of the Directive regarding the institutions for occupational retirement provision?
Yes. The voluntary pension funds are covered in the data collection, but fall out of the scope of the Directive 2003/41.
III.2.2.2. Are there any institutions that fall into the scope of the Directive regarding the institutions for occupational retirement provision that are not included in the data collection?
No. The institutions which fall into the scope of the Directive are included in the data collection.
III.2.2.3. Is the home-country or host-country principle applied for the reporting to Eurostat?
Home country principle is applied for reporting to Eurostat.

IV. Timeliness and Punctuality

IV.1 Timeliness

Definition
The timeliness of statistical outputs is the length of time between the event or phenomenon they describe and their availability.
Please provide the key dates for the following actions:
Action / Deadline(s) …/../….
a) Data-collection, if any / t+3
b) Post-collection phase / t+12
c) Dissemination in your country, if applicable / t+12

IV.2. Punctuality

Definition
Punctuality refers to the delay between the date of the release of the data and the target date (the date by which the data should have been delivered).

Punctuality is calculated as the actual date of data delivery minus the scheduled date of transmission to Eurostat. It shows how many calendar days this was behind (positive value) or ahead of (negative value) of the legal deadline (12 months after the end of the reference year).

Country / BG
R7A / -11
R7B / -11
R7C / -11
R7D / -11
R7E / -11
R7F / -11
IV.2.1. Please comment on the punctuality of transmission to Eurostat if you sent the data after the deadline of t+12 months, e.g., the reasons for the late delivery and the action taken or planned to improve punctuality.
No delay.

V. Accessibility and Clarity

V.1. Accessibility

Definition
Accessibility of statistical output refers to the conditions and modalities by which users can obtain data.
It is measured of the ease with which users can obtain data: where to go, how to order, delivery time, clear pricing policy, convenient marketing conditions, availability of micro and macro data, various formats (paper, files, CD_ROM, Internet etc.).
V.1.1. Is SBS data on pension funds disseminated at national level either by your or any another institution?
yes
no F If no, please proceed to VI. Further comments.
V.1.2. Is the information different from the figures sent to Eurostat?
yes
no
V.1.3. If yes, please give a brief description of the reasons for these differences.
How do you disseminate SBS data on pension funds?
Member State / Paper/pdf Publications / Electronic Publications
News release / Statistical yearbook / Thematic publications / Internet-Data base / CD/DVD-Rom / Other (fax, e-mail, etc.)
2010 / yes / yes / yes / yes / yes / yes
Action plan 2011 / yes
è For 2010, please, mark with a cross where applicable.
è For 2011, please, report any scheduled action plan specifying the implementation date.
V.1.4. Are the publications on pension funds available in any language other than the official language (s) of your country?
[X] in English
[] in the following other language(s)
: Please indicate links to your electronic publications on SBS data on pension funds:
http://www.nsi.bg/otrasalen.php?otr=69&a1=1533&a2=1536#cont

V.2. Clarity

Definition
The clarity of statistical outputs is the measure of the ease with which users can understand the data.
It is determined by the information environment within which the data are presented, whether the data are accompanied with appropriate metadata, whether use is made of illustrations such as graphs and maps, whether information on data accuracy are available (including any limitations on use) and the extent to which additional assistance is provided by the producer.
V.2.1. Are statistical metadata available?
[ ] for paper publications
[X] on the Website (electronic version)
[ ] no methodological explanations on data are disseminated
: Please indicate links to your electronic publications of metadata:
http://www.nsi.bg/otrasal-metodologiaen.php?otr=69&a1=571&a2=574&url=%2Fotrasal-metodologiaen.php%3Fotr%3D69%26a1%3D571%26a2%3D574%23cont

VI. Further Comments

Please provide further comments regarding business demography data quality which are not included above (e.g. intention for changes in the methodology etc).
The methodology has never been changed since 2004. It completely suits the requirements by SBS.

6

[1] SBS Regulation: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2008:097:0013:0059:EN:PDF: