Peer-review took place 19-23. June 2023 at the ŠÚ SR SR, while on Wednesday 21/06/2023 the Department of Emissions and Biofuels (ONA=Other National Authority) SHMÚ was audited directly. OEaB is the only department from SHMÚ which release official statistical data to European Statistics - AEA-Air Emissions accounts within the EUROSTAT regulation no. 691/2011.
The OEaB audit went smoothly, before the peer-review itself we prepared a self-evaluation questionnaire, which was sent to the commission in advance. For the meeting itself, we prepared a presentation about our procedures and the implementation of the European statistics code of practise within the reporting of European statistics, and then we answered several questions of the commission.
On Friday, June 23, 2023, I participated in the completion of the peer-review and preliminary evaluation, with the understanding that the report from the peer-review will come for comment within 14 days and we will have the opportunity to comment on it.
Overall evaluation:
- The committee of evaluators appreciated the open discussion during the week with ONAs, which was mainly related to the capacities and resources needed for reporting statistical data, preparing statistical products and their publication. The code of good practice is, as the committee of evaluators reminded, very difficult to implement at the ONAs level, and therefore the ŠÚ SR should be helpful in its implementation and compliance.
- ŠÚ SR should address new requirements and relevant resources and investments for their fulfillment for ONAs
- ŠÚ SR should invite ONAs representatives to internal audits of statistical systems at the national level
- ŠÚ SR should develop a "user friendly" IS for all activities related to European statistics
- ŠÚ SR and ONAs should involve the public more in the use of outputs and data, a "public council" consisting of non-profit organizations, estate and industry organizations and the interested public should be established and regularly inform the public of their activities in order to increase the range of users of statistics
- ŠÚ SR and ONAs should make the calendar of statistical data releases visible on their websites, so that the public is timely and truthfully informed. According to the evaluators, access to all outputs produced within the national statistical system, indicating the date of their publication, facilitates the work of users by allowing them to better plan their work and increases the transparency and credibility of the national statistical system. All European statistics should have a prominent, clearly visible and easily accessible release calendar to support the dissemination of their statistical data on their website. While this is the case of the Slovak Statistical Office, other controlled national authorities should improve the visibility of the European statistics they produce.
- We will publish the final report with the results of the peer-review, recommendations, as well as the improvement plan during October.