National Statistical Institute

Labour Statistics, Research and Development, Innovation and Information Society Department

2 Panayot Volov Street, Sofia 1038, Bulgaria

Statistics on Private non-profit R&D (PNPRD) measure research and experimental development (R&D) performed in the private non-profit sector, i.e. R&D expenditure and R&D personnel. In line with this objective the target population for the national R&D survey of the private non-profit sector should consist of all R&D performing units (including all R&D performers – occasional and continuous, known and unknown - in all branches and size classes) belonging to this sector.

The main concepts and definitions used for the production of R&D statistics are given by the OECD (2015), Frascati Manual 2015: Guidelines for Collecting and Reporting Data on Research and Experimental Development, The Measurement of Scientific, Technological and Innovation Activities, which is the internationally recognised standard methodology for collecting R&D statistics and by Eurostat’s European Business Statistics Methodological Manual on R&D Statistics (EBS Methodological Manual on R&D Statistics).

Since the beginning of 2021, the collection of R&D statistics is based on Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 2020/1197 of 30 July 2020. The Regulation sets the framework for the collection of R&D statistics and specifies the main variables of interest and their breakdowns at predefined level of detail. Statistics on science, technology and innovation were collected until the end of 2020 based on the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 2012/995 concerning the production and development of Community statistics on science and technology.  

• The distribution of principal economic activity and by product field is based on Statistical classification of economic activities in the European Community (NACE Rev. 2);
• The local units for the statistics are compiled at regional level according to NUTS 2 – Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics;
• The distribution by socioeconomic objectives (SEO) is based on Nomenclature for the Analysis and Comparisons of Scientific Programmes and Budgets (NABS);
• The fields of research and development based on Classification and distribution by Fields of Research and Development (FORD).

See below.

According to the Frascati Manual, expenditure on extramural R&D (i.e. R&D performed outside the statistical unit) is not included in intramural R&D performance totals (FM, §4.12).

See below.

See below.

Data on R&D personnel in FTE are provided by the reporting units based on given guidelines.

The statistical unit is the institutional unit as defined by Council Regulation (EEC) No 1993/696 of 15 March 1993.

See below.

The target population is the population for which inferences are made. The frame (or frames, as sometimes several frames are used) is a device that permits access to population units. The frame population is the set of population units which can be accessed through the frame and the survey data really refer to this population of institutional units.

The objective of the European R&D statistics is to cover all intramural R&D activities. In line with this objective, the target population for the national R&D survey of the PNP Sector should consist of all R&D performing units (including known R&D performers or assumed to perform R&D). In practise however, countries in their R&D surveys might have difficulty in identifying R&D activities at the municipality level. 

Not requested. R&D statistics cover national and regional data.

Not requested. See point 3.4.

Not requested. The base year for the unit Purchasing Power Standard (PPS) and PPS per inhabitant at constant prices is currently 2005. All calculations of non-basic unit (national currencies) are done by Eurostat.

R&D expenditure - thousand BGN; R&D personnel - numbers in HC and FTE.

Calendar year 2021.

See below.

- Frascati Manual 2015, Guidelines for Collecting and Reporting Data on Research and Experimental Development

- European Business Statistics Methodological Manual on R&D

Not requested.

Confidentiality, being one of the process quality components, concerns the privacy of data providers (households, enterprises, administrations and other respondents), the confidentiality of the information they provide and the extent of its use for statistical purposes.

A property of data indicating the extent to which their unauthorised disclosure could be prejudicial or harmful to the interest of the source or other relevant parties.

a)       Confidentiality protection required by law: The national Statistics Act (Chapter 6 “Protection of secrecy”) guarantees the protection of statistical confidentiality and the use of individual data of enterprises for statistical purposes only.

b)       Confidentiality commitments of survey staff: Confidentiality commitments of survey staff are specified in the national Statistics Act, Article 27.

The two criteria (national confidentiality rules) applied for defining cells with direct disclosure risk (primary confidentiality), according to which certain data cannot be made public or released, are specified in Article 25 of the national Statistics Act: ‘statistical information, which aggregates data about less than three statistical units or about a population, in which the relative share of the value of a surveyed parameter of a single unit exceeds 85 per cent of the total volume of such parameter for all units in the population’. Secondary confidentiality treatment is carried out in way making it impossible to recalculate confidential data by subtraction from row and column aggregates.

R&D data are published in accordance with the deadline specified in the Release Calendar presenting the results of the statistical surveys carried out by the NSI, which is publicly accessible on the NSI website.

The Release Calendar presenting the results of the statistical surveys carried out by the NSI of Bulgaria is available at the following link: Release Calendar | National statistical institute (nsi.bg)

The release policy of the NSI determines the dissemination of statistical data on R&D to all users at the same time - standard tables for free access. The users are informed that the data are being released by a press release. Specific data/breakdowns are provided to everyone with a specific request.

R&D data are disseminated annually.

See below.

1) Y - Yes, N – No

See below.

1) Y – Yes, N - No 

R&D data set is available in online database - Information System for online requests for statistical information  (INFOSTAT) - at the following link: https://infostat.nsi.bg/infostat/pages/module.jsf?x_2=88

Not requested.

See below.

See below.

Not requested.

1) Y – Yes, N - No 

National reference metadata file is available on NSI website.  Research and development activity (R&D) | National statistical institute (nsi.bg)

Not requested.

See below.

NSI of Bulgaria follows the recommendations on organization and quality management provided in the European Statistics Code of Practice (CoP) and implements the guidelines given in the European Statistical System Quality Assurance Framework (QAF). As part of the European Statistical System (ESS), NSI of Bulgaria endorses the Quality Declaration of the ESS.

Quality management system established in NSI (respectively of R&D statistics domain) is in conformity with the requirements of ISO 9001:2015. More information on the quality assurance and procedures that describe the quality policy in NSI of Bulgaria can be found on the NSI website at the following link: Quality | National statistical institute (nsi.bg)

Quality checks are conducted throughout the entire statistical production process of R&D data on PNP, including comparisons with data from the previous survey, valid values checks, consistency and completeness checks, etc. The overall quality of the R&D data on PNP is assessed as very good. Data for all obligatory and optional R&D variables on PNP are annually produced strictly on time. As far as the R&D survey in Bulgaria is a census, sampling error does not exist, misclassification rate=0, completeness is 100%, data accuracy is very good as the response rate is 100 %. Coherence between preliminary and final PNP R&D data is very good as both data series are obtained from one and the same survey source.

See below.

1)       Users' class codification

1- Institutions:
• European level: Commission (DGs, Secretariat General), Council, European Parliament, ECB, other European agencies etc.
• in Member States, at the national or regional level: Ministries of Economy or Finance, other ministries (for sectoral comparisons), National Statistical Institutes and other statistical agencies (norms, training, etc.), and
• International organisations: OECD, UN, IMF, ILO, etc.

2- Social actors: Employers’ associations, trade unions, lobbies, among others, at the European, national or regional level.

3- Media: International or regional media – specialized or for the general public – interested both in figures and analyses or comments. The media are the main channels of statistics to the general public.

4- Researchers and students (Researchers and students need statistics, analyses, ad hoc services, access to specific data.)

5- Enterprises or businesses (Either for their own market analysis, their marketing strategy (large enterprises) or because they offer consultancy services)

6- Other (User class defined for national purposes, different from the previous classes.)

To evaluate if users' needs have been satisfied, the best way is to use user satisfaction surveys.

See below.

100%.

Share of PNP R&D expenditure in GERD (Gross Domestic Expenditure on R&D): 0,6%.

1) This question is optional. It refers to variables and breakdowns NOT asked by the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 2020/1197 (neither as 'optional').

2) Y-start year

Accuracy in the statistical sense denotes the closeness of computations or estimates to the exact or true values. Statistics are not equal with the true values because of variability (the statistics change from implementation to implementation of the survey due to random effects) and bias (the average of the possible values of the statistics from implementation to implementation is not equal to the true value due to systematic effects).

Several types of statistical errors occur during the survey process. The following typology of errors has been adopted:

1. Sampling errors. These only affect sample surveys. They are due to the fact that only a subset of the population, usually randomly selected, is enumerated.

2. Non-sampling errors. Non-sampling errors affect sample surveys and complete enumerations alike and comprise:

a) Coverage errors,

b) Measurement errors,

c) Non response errors and

d) Processing errors.

Model assumption errors should be treated under the heading of the respective error they are trying to reduce.

That part of the difference between a population value and an estimate thereof, derived from a random sample, which is due to the fact that only a subset of the population is enumerated.

The main indicator used to measure sampling errors is the coefficient of variation (CV). 
Definition of coefficient of variation: 
CV= (Square root of the estimate of the sampling variance) / (Estimated value)

Coefficient of variation for Total R&D expenditure: Not applicable. Census survey.

Coefficient of variation for Total R&D personnel (FTE): Not applicable. Census survey.

Non-sampling errors occur in all phases of a survey. They add to the sampling errors (if present) and contribute to decreasing overall accuracy. It is important to assess their relative weight in the total error and devote appropriate resources for their control and assessment.

a)       Extent of non-sampling errors: Not known, assumed to be small.  

b)       Measures taken to reduce the extent of non-sampling errors: The survey questionnaire accompanied with detailed instructions. Respondents are support by phone if needed.

c)       Methods used in order to correct / adjust for such errors: -

Coverage errors are due to divergences between the target population and the frame population. The frame population is the set of target population members that has a chance to be selected into the survey sample. It is a listing of all items in the population from which the sample is drawn that contains contact details as well as sufficient information to perform stratification and sampling.

Not requested.

Not requested.

Not requested.

Not requested.

Not requested.

Not requested.

Not requested.

Not requested.

Timeliness and punctuality refer to time and dates, but in a different manner: the timeliness of statistics reflects the length of time between their availability and the event or phenomenon they describe. Punctuality refers to the time lag between the release date of the data and the target date on which they should have been delivered, with reference to dates announced in the official release calendar.

Time lag between the end of reference period and the release date of the results:
Indicator: (Release date of provisional/ first results) - (Date of reference for the data)

a) End of reference period: 31 December 2021.

b) Date of first release of national data: 31 October 2022.

c) Lag (days): 303

a) End of reference period: 31 December 2021.

b) Date of first release of national data: 28 February 2023.

c) Lag (days): 423

Punctuality refers to the time lag between the release date of data and the target date on which they were scheduled for release as announced officially.

Punctuality of time schedule of data release = (Actual date of the data release) - (Scheduled date of the data release)

See below.

Not requested.

Compliance is achieved with FM2015 methodological recommendations in terms of applied concepts and definitions of the observed variables, type and coverage of the survey, data collection method, unit of observation, reference period. No problems regarding international comparability known.

The following table lists a number of key survey concepts and conceptual issues; it gives reference to the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 2020/1197 or Frascati manual paragraphs and the EBS Methodological Manual on R&D Statistics with recommendations about these concepts / issues.

The following table lists a number of key methodological issues, which may affect the international comparability of national R&D statistics. The table gives the references in the Frascati manual, where related recommendations are made. Countries are asked to report on the existence of any deviations from existing recommendations and comment upon.

See below.

See below.

1)       Breaks years are years for which data are not fully comparable to the previous period.

R&D data are produced in the same way in the odd and even years.

See below.

Not requested.

Data from R&D survey are used for estimating R&D as capital formation in the National Accounts.

See below.

This part compares key R&D variables as preliminary and final data.

(1)    Calculate the average remuneration (cost) of individuals belonging to the internal R&D personnel, excluding those who are only formally ‘employees’ (university students, grant holders, etc.).

(2)    Calculate the average remuneration (cost) of individuals belonging to the external R&D personnel (FTEs/other current R&D costs for external R&D personnel).

The assessment of costs associated with a statistical product is a rather complicated task since there must exist a mechanism for appointing portions of shared costs (for instance shared IT resources and dissemination channels) and overheads (office space, utility bills etc). The assessment must become detailed and clear enough so that international comparisons among agencies of different structures are feasible. 

1)       The shares of the figures given in the first column that are accounted for by payments to private firms or other Government agencies.

1)        T = the time required to provide the information, including time spent assembling information prior to completing a form or taking part in interview and the time taken up by any subsequent contacts after receipt of the questionnaire (‘Re-contact time’)

Not requested.

Not requested.

Not requested.

Several separate activities are used for the collection of raw data or pre-compiled administrative data and statistics related to R&D. For simplicity, we call them surveys irrespective of whether they are sample surveys, censuses, collections of administrative data/pre-compiled statistics. This section presents the names of the surveys by sector of performance as well as methodological information for each survey. Depending on the type of survey and sector of performance, only the sections corresponding to that survey and sector are filled in.

R&D data are collected annually.

See below.

During data validation process several types of checks are carried out including valid checks, consistency and completeness checks, comparisons with data from the previous R&D surveys. 

See below.

Imputation is not performed.

Not requested.

Not requested.