BHAS at the Conference in Bulgaria: Statistics as the Foundation of European Integration

Held in Burgas on 11–12 September, the conference brought together senior representatives of statistical institutions from EU Member States and candidate countries, alongside Eurostat. Bosnia and Herzegovina was represented by Vesna Ćužić, Director of BHAS, who served as a panellist and spoke about the challenges facing BiH statistics on its European path.

She underlined that the complexity of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s political‑administrative arrangement inevitably shapes its statistical system. Three institutions—each with its own competences and, at times, different methodological approaches—form a fragmented whole in which it is difficult to maintain a single rhythm. This fragmentation slows harmonisation and alignment with European standards, further compounded by the absence of a modern legal framework and the limited use of administrative data sources for statistical purposes.

Discussions also covered key issues shaping European statistics today—from professional independence and transparency, through process modernisation, digital dissemination and improved communication with users, to stronger cooperation among countries. Particular emphasis was placed on the use of administrative data sources, which accelerate institutions’ path to more reliable statistics while reducing the reporting burden on citizens and businesses.

Peer review—the process of independent expert assessment of the quality of national statistical systems—was highlighted as especially relevant for BiH, as the first assessment of our system’s compliance with the European Statistics Code of Practice (ESCoP) is planned for May 2026.

The conference in Bulgaria forms part of the official calendar of Bulgaria’s chairmanship of the South‑East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) for 2025/26, giving the event additional regional and European significance.