First peer review for Bosnia and Herzegovina: An opportunity to confirm quality and improve official statistics

In order to continuously raise the level of quality and reliability, and the trust of users in official data, state statistical institutions of all members of the European Union (EU), the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), as well as EU candidate countries, regularly go through this process.

Unlike technical controls on data collection and processing, peer review focuses on a broader institutional framework and ethical standards. In other words, the extent to which BHAS complies with the principles of the ESCoP will be assessed, with a particular focus on professional independence, statistical system management, protection of data confidentiality and transparency towards the public.

It is important to note that peer review is not only a control, but also an opportunity for the institution to test, improve and prepare for future challenges. The aim is to identify opportunities for improvement through a detailed analysis of the current situation, with specific recommendations from the expert team conducting the peer review.

The whole process is designed to allow for an open and constructive dialogue with independent experts. A high compliance score would be a confirmation for citizens and institutions of the reliability, transparency and quality of official statistics used for decision-making. Also, a successful result can improve the international reputation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and facilitate access to European funds and support programs.

As part of the preparations for this extensive process, the peer review team from BHAS participated in the training organised by Eurostat from 5 to 7 March 2025. The workshop was dedicated to understanding the peer review methodology and included the exchange of experiences with the ESS member countries, as well as with the Western Balkan countries, Turkey and the Eastern Partnership countries.

The obligation to carry out peer review processes within the European Statistical System (ESS) was introduced by Eurostat and the European Commission, and independent experts carry out an evaluation to ensure impartiality. The expert team will pay an official visit to our country from 18 to 22 May 2026 with the aim of conducting a peer review, and until then BHAS expects extensive work on the preparation of answers for complex questionnaires, the collection of documentation, and the preparation of reports that will provide a comprehensive overview of the statistical system of Bosnia and Herzegovina. After the peer review process, a period of annual monitoring of the implementation of improvement measures follows.