Official statistics dissemination policy guidelines

Approved by Order No 109 of 8 May 2014 of DG of SL


OFFICIAL STATISTICS DISSEMINATION POLICY GUIDELINES
 

Official statistics, necessary for the government of the State and public needs and produced according to the Official Statistics Work Programme, have to be accurate and reliable, timely and punctual, coherent and comparable, clear and accessible to the general public.

  1. Statistical information has to be published according to approved and publicly accessible calendars; any divergence from such calendars has to be reported in advance, explained, and a new release date has to be set.
  2. Revisions of statistical indicators shall be reported in a publicly accessible revision calendar.
  3. All users shall have equal access to statistical information at the same time. Any privileged pre-release access to statistical information shall be limited, controlled and publicised.
  4. Metadata on statistical information production methods, procedures and quality shall be publicly accessible; significant methodological changes shall be reported in advance.
  5. The quality and accessibility of statistical information shall be systematically assessed through user opinion polls and surveys – to ensure constant improvement in dissemination and statistical products and services.
  6. Errors discovered in published statistical information shall be immediately corrected and, when possible, users shall be informed thereof.
  7. Access to microdata, without breaching their confidentiality, shall be granted for scientific research purposes and subject to special requirements and rules.
  8. All statistical information produced according to the Official Statistics Work Programme shall be published and provided for the general public free of charge on the Official Statistics Portal.
  9. The preparation of information on special user request shall be a paid service.
  10. Statistical publications shall be produced following the established procedures and standards and recognisable from the institution's logo.
  11. When official statistics are quoted, a reference to the producer thereof shall be made.  
  12. For the dissemination of statistical information, modern information and communication technology shall be used.


The Official Statistics Dissemination Policy Guidelines have been prepared following the Law on Statistics of the Republic of Lithuania, official statistics dissemination principles and standards of the European Union, United Nations and International Monetary Fund, internal regulations of Statistics Lithuania and best practice of other countries.

Recommended for use by other institutions producing official statistics.

Pursuant to the provisions of the European Statistics Code of Practice and with regard to the Rules for the Dissemination of Statistical Information, Statistics Lithuania provides an opportunity for the Prime Minister and the Ministers of Finance, Economy, and Social Security and Labour of the Republic of Lithuania and persons authorised by them to receive news releases on gross domestic product, inflation, employment and unemployment and other statistical releases of particular topicality half an hour prior to the official release of this statistical information. The persons listed above are obligated not to disseminate statistical information received prior to its official release by signing the Advance Statistical Information Non-Disclosure Commitment.

Statistical Information Preparation and Dissemination Rules