Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic.

10830 Construction, Trade and Services Statistics Department

Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic

Lamačská cesta 3/C

P. O. BOX 17

840 05 Bratislava 45

For calculation of index of service production (ISP) the following source data are used:

• turnover in the given year
• turnover in the base year
• value added in the base year for calculation of weights
• price indices in the given month to the base year.

All data are index data calculated from source data in the following forms: unadjusted, calendar adjusted, calendar and seasonally adjusted.

Statistical Classification of Economic Activities in the European Community - NACE Rev. 2 is used for ISP calculation.

ISP is calculated for economic activities in sections G to N (with exception of K, M70.1, M72, M75).

Results of ISP are presented for aggregations at section level (1-digit) and at division level (2-digit) of NACE Rev. 2 and for aggregates G to N, H to N (with exception of K, M70.1, M72, M75) and M69+M70.2.

Index of services production provides information on changes over time in the volume of output of the service sector. It is defined as the ratio of the volume output produced by the services industries in the given time period to the volume produced by the same industries in a specified base period. As the base period, year 2015 is used.

The indicator "turnover" is used in evaluation of the service sector output. It needs to be deflated in the compilation process using the set of price indices. The source of turnover data are four monthly statistical surveys (in transport, in information and communication, in trade, catering and accommodation and in selected market services).Turnover comprises the totals invoiced by the observation unit during the reference period, and this corresponds to market sales of goods or services supplied to third parties. It includes all duties and taxes on the goods or services invoiced by the unit with exception of VAT and other deductible taxes directly linked to turnover. Excise duty is excluded from the variable as well.

Price deflators are calculated from the results of:

• quarterly surveys on prices in transport, information and communication services and in selected market services
• survey on consumer prices - indices are calculated as a weighted average of indices of selected items in the consumer basket.

Missing monthly price indices are extracted from quarterly indices using linear interpolation.

Calculation of weights for the basic year was made using the indicator “value-added at factor costs”, which was obtained from the SBS survey and aggregated in the same way as turnover data.

Calculation of the index of service production for NACE rev. 2 is realised using the Laspeyres type of index.

Enterprise and kind of activity unit is the reporting as well as observation unit, where relevant

The reporting units are residents at the territory of the Slovak Republic and provide data on their domestic activities and activities outside, if the activities carried out are of a subject of the tax and other duties in relation to Slovak legislation.

The statistical population for calculation of ISP comprises the statistical units operating in the NACE rev. 2 sections G to N (with exception of K, M70.1, M72, M75).

ISP results are transmitted to Eurostat for the following NACE Rev. 2 aggregations:

• sections G, H, I, J, L, M, N (with exception of M70.1, M72, M75)
• divisions G45, G46, H49, H50, H51, H52, H53, I55, I56, J58, J59, J60, J61, J62, J63, L68, M69, M70, M71, M73, M74, N77, N78, N79, N80, N81, N82
• aggregates G to N, H to N (with exception of K, M70.1, M72, M75) and M69 + M70.2.

All regions of the Slovak Republic are covered. The reporting units are residents at the territory of the Slovak Republic and provide data on their domestic activities and activities outside the country, if the activities carried out are of a subject of the tax and other duties in relation to Slovak legislation.

Dare available from the reference year 2018.

Base period 2015=100.

Indices are transmitted to Eurostat. 

Month.

The reporting obligation to submit statistical questionnaires is laid down in Act no. 540/2001 Coll. on state statistics as amended (§ 18, paragraph 3) and cannot be refused (§ 18, paragraph 8). The Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic is responsible for the protection of confidential data obtained and guarantees their use exclusively for statistical purposes. The statistical surveys are part of the Program of State Statistical Surveys issued for a three-year period in the Collection of Laws of the Slovak Republic.

The European Parliament and Council adopted the European Business Statistics (EBS) Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 on 27 November 2019, followed by the Commission Implementing Regulation 2020/1197 laying down technical specifications and arrangements pursuant to the mentioned EBS Regulation (General Implementing Act).

The former legal basis for the STS indicators is the Council Regulation No 1165/98 of 19 May 1998 concerning short-term statistics and subsequent amending regulations.

Statistical information from SOSR's surveys is a source for fulfilling the obligations of the Slovak Republic resulting from the requirements of the European statistical system, the requirements of international institutions, to ensure the needs of the information system of the Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic. ISP data are regularly provided to Eurostat with monthly periodicity in line with the Regulation 2019/2152 on European business statistics (EBS) in SDMX format since 2018. Data are irregularly provided to other users. 

The Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic is responsible for the protection of confidential data obtained and guarantees their use exclusively for statistical purposes. In accordance with the Act on State Statistics No. 540/2001 Coll. §2g and §30, the SOSR may not publish confidential statistical data, but only information resulting from the aggregation of confidential statistical data, which does not allow direct or indirect identification of the reporting unit.

The Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic has introduced principles and procedures for the protection of confidential data in internal directives and instructions. The directive on the protection of confidential statistical data regulates the method of management and implementation of activities related to ensuring the protection of confidential statistical data in the Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic. The internal methodological instruction of the Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic regulates specific methods and parameter values ​​used in the protection of confidential statistical data of individual statistical surveys and data sets.

SOSR ensures the protection of confidential statistical data in disseminated data. SOSR applies in all cases the rule of minimum frequency for n = 3 and dominance of 90%. Values ​​in sensitive cells and also values ​​in other cells, that are not sensitive, are marked with a flag ("D") in order to prevent a sufficiently accurate primary and secondary confidentiality treatment.

The First Release Calendar contains the timetable for the first publication of selected indicators in the next 4 months. The calendar is updated monthly. The Catalogue of Publications contains basic information about published publications, publication dates and language versions. All publications are available on the Internet portal of the Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic. The edition program is available on the website of the SOSR.

The SOSR's web portal and the online database Datacube of the SOSR are updated in accordance with the Principles of the policy of publication and provision of statistical information.

ISP data are released at national level at same time as transmitted to Eurostat, i. e. two months after the reference period.

First Release Calendar is publicly accessible. It is disseminated on the office's website.

Monthly.

Not available. News releases for ISP are not released yet.

Not available. ISP data are not released in publication form yet.

ISP data are released monthly in database DATAcube.

Micro-data are not disseminated.

ISP data are disseminated to Eurostat in SDMX format.

Metadata are presented in public databases according to methodological directive for database DATAcube. Update of metadata disseminated in database are regularly conducted.

Metadata for Eurostat are transmitted and updated regularly using the Reference Metadata in Euro SDMX Metadata Structure (ESMS).

Following internal project documentation exists for the compilation of statistical outputs:

• technical projects within the Integrated Statistical Information System called ISIS

• methodological guidelines for applying mathematical-statistical methods for statistical surveys

• methodological guidelines for quality indicators of statistical outputs and statistical processes.

The Quality policy is defined and publicly accessible in the Quality Declaration and Quality Policy documents. The Quality Declaration expresses the basic ideas and commitments of the President and top management of the SOSR for the Quality Policy as well as increasing efficiency and effectiveness of the integrated management system of the SOSR.

Quality Declaration

Quality policy is based on the mission of the Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic: to provide high quality and objective statistical products and services by keeping confidentiality of statistical data and by minimising burden on interested parties using effectively existing resources with the aim to support improvement of the information and intellectual capital of our customers. In this way we want to contribute to reduce risks and improve effectiveness in their decision making processes and so to support the sustainable development of the Slovak Republic as the part of EU.

Quality policy

The Quality manual describes the documented procedures of the quality system that are used for implementation and continuous improvement of the quality management system in SOSR. It contains a description of the quality management system and the fulfillment of requirements ISO 9001 standards. Application of the manual in practice ensures that all activities that have an impact on the quality of the products created are planned, managed, reviewed, evaluated and meet requirements.

Quality manual

The European Statistics Code of Practice is the basis of the common quality framework of the European Statistical System. It is a self-regulatory tool and it is based on 16 Principles covering the institutional environment, statistical processes and statistical outputs. A set of indicators of best practices and standards for each of the Principles provides guidelines and benchmarks for reviewing the implementation of the Code of Practice, thus increasing transparency within the European Statistical System.

European Statistics Code of Practise

Coverage, reference period, data collection, control and data processing are in line with the Eurostat methodological guidelines. The data collection process is conducted in the Integrated statistical information system called ISIS. SOSR creates technical projects of the statistical surveys describing data collection and its evaluation, including a description of statistical controls and algorithms within the integrated ISIS. The data collection process is ensured by the regional offices of the SOSR during the phase of electronic data collection, ensure using statistical controls and algorithms the data collection process itself. Data validation is done during the data collection, processing and validation of relevant data by the SOSR experts. A data comparison is done with previous periods. Statistics are available in the system to evaluate the quality of the completed questionnaires, the number of questionnaires with errors or outliers, the number of reminders etc. SOSR also performs internal methodical audits. Evaluation of statistical surveys and methodological audits including the analysis of the results are integrated into the existing quality management system.

STS compliance assessment is carried out by Eurostat. Concerning the results of particular data production processes, the overall quality of the indicators is considered to be as good.

The requirement to conduct consultations with users of statistical information is stipulated in the Act on State Statistics itself. Consultations during the preparation of state statistical surveys take place within the framework of the preparation of the Program of State Statistical Surveys (PSSZ). PSSZ is a generally binding legal regulation compiled by the SOSR in collaboration with ministries, other central authorities and state organizations and contains statistical surveys organized and carried out by the SOSR, ministries, other central authorities and state organizations. SOSR publishes the Program of state statistical surveys by decree in the Collection of Laws of the Slovak Republic. The Coordinating Council for State Statistics ensures the fulfilment of the tasks of the SOSR. Key users of specific statistical products are listed in the Marketing Plan, e.g. international organizations  e.g. Eurostat.

Since the 2009, SOSR carries out satisfaction surveys of customers with their products and services at two-year intervals. The goal of surveys is to determine customer satisfaction with the products and services of the SOSR, to obtain information about users, their interest and opinion on provision and quality of statistical products and services. The facts obtained are a valuable resource for the direction of other activities of the SOSR. One of the main goals defined in the Development Strategy. The goal of the SOSR until 2022 is to systematically increase the value of the institution and its recognition

at the national and international level. The office also monitors the fulfilment of the stated goal with the help of indicators of the credibility of the SOSR and the rate of use of the information provided by the public.

SOSR conducts credibility surveys through an external independent organization once every 2 years, with the intention of ensuring the objectivity and indisputability of the results from public view.

Credibility survey

Satisfaction survey

Time series of indicators in accordance with the regulation are available from 2010 in Datacube

Overall accuracy is considered very good. SOSR makes great efforts to prevent the occurrence of errors in the data and performs data verification to detect the errors. Most errors are directly consulted at regional offices with the reporting units.

Sampling errors are monitored during data processing.

The technical project of data processing is part of ISIS. This project includes a description of all logical data controls at the microdata level performed during electronic data collection. The electronic questionnaire and information system ISIS itself provides many arithmetic and logical checks between variables, which we distinguish between serious and informative. Data collection is provided by the offices of the SOSR. After the deadline for submission of the statistical questionnaire, the reporting units that did not respond are contacted again to fulfil their legal obligation. In case of serious errors in the form, this form is not accepted and with the help of experts from the regional office its correctness is ensured so that it can enter into the data processing. Automatic validation checks during data collection and informative checks are incorporated with the aim to follow logical checks, reducing the rate of partial non-responses, anomalies and outliers. The purpose of this process is to minimize errors already in the data collection itself and subsequently during data processing. The basic step in the process of calculating unit non-response is the analysis of the population with regard to the state of activity of the reporting units. For this purpose, we use a specific classification of responses and non-responses codes. Individual codes describe active and inactive units and are assigned to each reporting unit. Subsequently, we determine the population of active units entering the data processing.

Accuracy of source data entering into ISP calculation is provided in respective reference metadata (turnover, price indices).

Data are released in line with the Release calendar. There are no differences in timeliness between the different aggregation levels or between the statistical variables presented.

Data dissemination in the public database Datacube is in accordance with the set up deadlines. Data are released two months after the reference month.

Publication deadlines were met.

Index of service production is calculated for the whole territory of the Slovak Republic. The same statistical concepts are applied for entire area of the Slovak Republic.

Using the base year 2015, data series for from 2010 onwards were calculated and are comparable.

The following analysis of souce data is done:

1. Comparison of turnover data from monthly surveys with structural business statistics results;
2. Comparison of trends in the STS data with the business tendency survey.

The analysis shows good compliance.

There are no problems with internal consistency of the Index of services production.

Not applicable. See metadata for turnover and prices.

The cost and burden measurement at the level of European Statistical Products is in competence of the Resources Directors Group within Eurostat.

The Revision policy regulates the general rules and procedures applied in revisions at the SOSR. The same revision policy applies to national and international users. In accordance with the Revision policy, the reason of the revision is always indicated.

The Revisions policy as well as the Revisions calendar is available to users on the web portal of the ŠÚ SR.

• Policy and calendar of revisions of the SOSR

SOSR distinguishes the following revisions:

from the content point of view

-incorporation of better quality data based on a more complete source, including replacing imputations with collected data,

-correction of data as a result of updating seasonal factors and changing the base period,

- data modification based on more accurate methodology (in concepts, definitions and classifications) and changes in statistical methods,

- performing corrections in source data and calculations.

In terms of time, SOSR divides the revisions into

- ordinary revisions are revisions without significant modifications of the methodologies. These are usually more significant data corrections, including large values ​​obtained from new sources. They are carried out periodically on precisely set up dates, to update monthly and quarterly data, until the next publication of the data.

-annual revisions are revisions that are made when all monthly and quarterly data are available and more detailed results from annual surveys are already available.

- extraordinary and major revisions are revisions of definitive data due to significant methodological changes resulting from revision of methodologies, changes in procedures and statistical-mathematical calculation methods or data corrections. An extraordinary revision may result (e.g. by changing the definition) in break in time series data comparability.

At present, numeric information on the size of revisions of data is not available.

MAR=MR=0

The main source of information for routine revisions are new or revised data from reporting units

Source data on turnover are the following:

1.) Monthly statistical surveys in the respective field (trade, catering and accommodation, selected market services, transportation and storage, information and communication):

• Exhaustive (census) survey of enterprises, subsidiary organisations which are market producers and physical persons-entrepreneurs registered in the Statistical Business Register or doing business under an other than Trade Act with number of employees 20 and more or with annual turnover of 5 Mill. EUR and more;
• Sample survey of small enterprises with 0-19 employees. Stratified random sample. Stratification criteria are principal activity, size class according to number of employees.Every year one third of the sample is changed.

2.) Turnover data for entrepreneurs are estimated based on administrative data sources.

Source data on price deflators are from the following statistical surveys:

1.) Surveys on market service prices - cover H49.20, H49.41-49.42, H49.50, H50.30,50.40, H52.10, H52.21-52.24, H52.29, H53.10, H53.20, J61.1, J61.2, J62.01-62.03, J62.09, J63.1, J63.9, L86.1-86.3, M69.1, M69.2, M71.1, M71.2, M73.1, M73.2, M74.3, M74.9, N77.1-77.4, N78.1-78.3, N80.1-80.3, N81.1-81.3, N82.1-82.3, 82.9. 

2.) Consumer price survey - covers NACE Rev. 2 = G45.1-45.4, G47.1-47.9, I55.1-55.3, I55.9, I56.1-56.3, H49.10 (COICOP 07.31), H49.31 (COICOP 07.32), H4932 (COICOP 07.32), H49.39 (COICOP 07.32), H51.10 (COICOP 07.33), H51.21 (COICOP07.33), H51.22 (COICOP 07.33), I55.1-55.3, I55.9, I56.1-56.3, J58.1 (COICOP 09.5), J58.2 (COICOP 09.5), J59.1 (COICOP 09.42), J59.2 (COICOP 09.42), J60.1 (COICOP 09.42), J60.2 (COICOP 09.42), J61.3 (COICOP 08.3), J61.9 (COICOP 08.3), M74.1 (COICOP 09.42), M74.2 (COICOP 09.42), N79.1 (COICOP 09.6), N79.9 (COICOP 09.6). Indices are calculated as a weighted average of indices of selected items in the consumer basket.

Monthly data compilation of ISP. Source turnover and price indices data are monthly. Monthly price indices for transport and selected market services are extracted from available quarterly price indices.

The regional offices of the SOSR are responsible for data collection. From January 1, 2016, reporting units (legal entities, natural persons - entrepreneurs) are required to electronically submit statistical reports in accordance with the amendment to Act No. 540/2001 Coll. on state statistics as amended by Act no. 326/2014 Coll. (hereinafter referred to as the law), which contains new rules for submitting statistical questionnaires.

The completed statistical questionnaire must be submitted electronically no later than the 25th day after the reference period on the website www.statistics.sk. In the event that the reporting unit has not submitted the electronic questionnaire, it is contacted by the relevant regional office of SOSR.

More detailed information on data collection of source data is described in the respective reference metadata (turnover, price indices).

The data entry, data completeness and statistical control are organised by specialised regional offices of the SOSR.

SOSR distinguishes between two levels of data checks:

1/ Formal checks, which are realised in the process of data entry automatically; (compatible with Validation level 0 and 1)

2/ Informal checks aim of which is to control the complexity and relations among the variables ((compatible with Validation level from 2 to 5).

According to the importance there are classified 2 basic types of checks:

 I –  Informative checks- this check gives the additional information, which is important for the following process of corrections. It informs also about some inconsistencies in the state of fulfilment of the questionnaire, about item non-response, exceeding stated limits etc.

Z – Check of great importance - it is mostly check indicating the exact error and it must be always corrected or explained.

Most of the errors are directly consulted with the reporting units by our regional offices.

Non-response is treated by the imputation of data from the previous month´s survey, up to a maximum of three months.

The results of small enterprises are grossed up using Horwitz-Thomson estimator with regard to the activity of the enterprise.The initial weights are modified according to the non-response rate of non-active units. Estimates of turnover for self-employed persons are made on the base of administrative sources.

Index of services production is calculated as the ratio of the volume output produced by the services industries in the given time period to the volume produced by the same industries in a specified base period. As the base period, year 2015 was used. The indicator "turnover" is used in evaluation of the service sector output. It is deflated in the compilation process using the set of price indices obtained from the Price statistics department. Price indices are calculated from the results of the survey on market prices and of the consumer price survey, when indices are calculated as weighted average of indices of the selected items in the consumer basket.

Calculation of weights for the basic year was made using the indicator “value-added at factor costs”, which was obtained from the SBS survey and aggregated in the same way as turnover data. Calculation of the index of service production for NACE rev. 2 aggregates at section level, division level and for aggregates G to N, H to N (with exception of K, M70.1, M72, M75) and M69 + M70.2 is realised using the Laspeyres type of index.

SOSR uses JDemetra+, version 2.2, using TRAMO-SEATS method. As refresh from period to period we use partial concurrent adjustment + Last outliers. Concurrent adjustment is done once a year.

SOSR usually uses predefined models, but this can be changed if we can not find seasonality correctly. In this case we communicate with our colleague responsible for seasonal adjustment at our NSI.

For details on adjustments of the particular variables please see the annexes.

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