Monthly report on Consumer Price Index in Bosnia and Herzegovina Reference Metadata in Euro SDMX Metadata Structure Agency for Statistics of Bosnia and Herzegovina
	1. Contact
	2. Metadata update
	3. Statistical presentation
	4. Unit of measure
	5. Reference period
	6. Institutional mandate
	7. Confidentiality
	8. Release policy
	9.  Frequency of dissemination
	10. Accessibility and clarity
	11. Quality management
	12. Relevance
	13. Accuracy and reliability
	14. Timeliness and punctuality
	15. Coherence and comparability
	16. Cost and burden
	17. Data revision
	18. Statistical processing
	19. Comment
	1. Contact
	1.1. Contact organisation	AGENCY FOR STATISTICS OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
	1.2. Contact organisation unit	Sector for Economic Statistics - Department for Price Statistics
	1.3. Contact name	a) Rubina Ligata                                    b) Gorčin Stojanović
	1.4. Contact person function	a) Head of Department for Price Statistics     b) Assistant
	1.5. Contact mail address	Zelenih beretki 26, 71 000, Sarajevo
	1.6. Contact email address	rubina.ligata@bhas.gov.ba gorcin.stojanovic@bhas.gov.ba
	1.7. Contact phone number	+387 33 911 966
	1.8. Contact fax number	+387 33 220 622
	2. Metadata update
	2.1. Metadata last certified	15.09.2021
	2.2. Metadata last posted	31.10.2017
	2.3. Metadata last update	15.09.2021
	3. Statistical presentation
	3.1. Data description	Consumer Price Index in Bosnia and Herzegovina represents the measurement of change in prices of goods and services purchased by the households for the satisfaction of their consumer needs in the economic territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is measured as a pure Laspeyres type price index reflecting only a change in current prices relative to the base reference period. For the households, inflation is the rate of change in the prices of goods and services purchased with the intention of their consumption in the territory of BiH. The coverage of this index is comprised of goods and services included in the Household final monetary consumption expenditure (HFMCE).
	3.2. Classification system	• CPI is classified according to 4-digit categories and subcategories of COICOP/HICP (Classification of Individual Consumption by Purpose) • Main categories of COICOP/HICP classification are: 00. Total index 01. Food and non-alcoholic beverages 02. Alcoholic beverages and tobacco 03. Clothing and footwear 04. Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels 05. Furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house 06. Health 07. Transport 08. Communication 09. Recreation and culture 10. Education 11. Restaurants and hotels 12. Other goods and services.
	3.3. Sector coverage	CPI covers the household sector, more precisely all goods and services that households purchase and consume in order to meet their needs.
	3.4. Statistical concepts and definitons	Consumer Price Index in Bosnia and Herzegovina represents the measurement of change in prices of goods and services purchased by the households for the satisfaction of their consumer needs in the economic territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
	3.5. Statistical unit	Retail shops, green markets (supermarkets, petrol stations, kiosks, pharmacies and other specialized stores), entrepreneurs, public enterprises and institutions etc.
	3.6. Statistical population	Coverage of CPI is consisted of goods and services included in HFMCE (Household final monetary consumption expenditure).  CPI is classified according to 4-digit categories and subcategories of COICOP/HICP (Classification of Individual Consumption by Purpose). HFMCE is defined as a part of consumption that occurs in households regardless of their national or resident status, in monetary transactions, on the economic territory of the country, for goods and services used to directly meet the needs of household members and in one or both observed periods. The prices that are collected are the prices paid by households for the purpose of purchasing individual goods and services in monetary transactions. Collected prices are prices actually paid by households at the moment of the purchasing process, including all taxes and non-discriminatory discounts, excluding any subsidies. The Household Budget Survey data are used for the purposes of index weighting.
	3.7. Reference area	Data refer to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
	3.8 Time coverage	2005-ongoing.
	3.9. Base period	2015
	4. Unit of measure	Units of measure used: Index (index numbers), percent of change in comparison with the same month of previous year (rate) and percent of change in comparison with the previous month (rate)
	5. Reference period	Month (indices and rates).
	6. Institutional mandate
	6.1. Legal acts and other agreements	• Law on statistics of Bosnia and Herzegovina, • Multiannual statistical programmes and work plans of Bosnia and Herzegovina, • Methodology of the Consumer Price Statistics in BiH, • International recommendations and manuals (Eurostat, IMF, UN).
	6.2. Data sharing	Agency for Statistics of BiH as a producer of official statistics is an institution authorised for the production of consumer price index.
	7. Confidentiality
	7.1. Confidentiality-policy	Confidentiality of statistical data is regulated by law and the personnel conducting statistical surveys has the legal obligation to protect confidentiality. Law on Statistics of BiH (Off. Gazette of BiH 26/04 and 42/04 - Chapter XI - Article 23.-29.) establishes the principle of confidentiality as one of the main principles. Agency for statistics of BiH distributes statistics in line with statistical principles of the European Statistics Code of Practice and in particular with the principle of statistical confidentiality.
	7.2. Confidentiality-data treatment	The document "Rules on the Protection of Statistical Data in the Agency for Statistics" lists procedures for ensuring confidentiality during collection, processing and dissemination - including protocols for securing individual data being accessed, rules for defining confidential cells in output tables and procedures for the detection and prevention of subsequent disclosures as well as access to microdata for research purposes. By signing the Memorandum of Understanding with Agency for statistics of Bosnia and Herzegovina, data users having access to individual data are obliged to: treat individual anonymized data as confidential in accordance with the rules, regulations and procedures, ensure adequate protection of individual data in accordance with the rules, regulations and procedures, protect the transfer of microdata and destroy the media where the data are, as well as the accompanying documentation, five days after the publication of the results.
	8. Release policy
	8.1. Release calendar	At the end of December every year, BHAS announces the Release Calendar with the precise date and time of publication of the statistics for the following year.
	8.2. Release calendar access	The Calendar is placed on:
		https://bhas.gov.ba/Calendar/
	8.3. User access	The data is disseminated to all users through the official web site of Agency for statistics of Bosnia and Herzegovina, at the same time new release is also e-mailed to the media and to the all users from user database:
		https://bhas.gov.ba
	9.  Frequency of dissemination	Consumer price index is disseminated on a monthly basis.
	10. Accessibility and clarity
	10.1. News release	Monthly release on Consumer price indices in BiH, as well as the Thematic bulletin, are available at web site of the Agency for Statistics of BiH:
		https://bhas.gov.ba/Calendar/Category/10
	10.2. Publications	Thematic bulletin "Producer price indices in BiH" and the publication "BiH in figures"- section Prices:
		https://bhas.gov.ba/Calendar/Category/10
		https://bhas.gov.ba/data/Publikacije/Bilteni/2021/NUM_00_2020_TB_1_EN.pdf
	10.3. On-line database	At web site of the Agency for Statistics of BiH there are releases and thematic bulletin, published since  2007 up to date, as well as the data time series that can be downloaded in excel format.
		https://bhas.gov.ba/Calendar/Category/10
	10.4. Micro-data access	Micro-data are not available.
	10.5. Other	Written requests Telephone intervention Data presented at the press conference Eurostat publications Databases intended for internal use.
	10.6. Documentation on methodology	Methodological document: Consumer price indices in BiH- Methodology and results and Data management.
	10.7. Quality documentation	Quality reports on CPI BiH for 2010 and 2014 are available at  web site of BHAS.
	11. Quality management
	11.1. Quality assurance	Quality Management Policy as an element of the system of quality management generally is related to the following components: product quality of the process as well as other elements of the system for quality management, such as planning and controls. To assure the quality of processes and products, Agency for statistics is the implementation of the Quality management model (TQM) done using the CAF tool. The Common Assessment Framework (CAF) is a total quality management tool developed by the public sector for the public sector, inspired by the Excellence Model of the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM). Process of self-assessment identifies and monitors all organization results, provides feedback on organizational capacity and results of policy and planning processes. The scoring tool for self-assessment has 9 key indicators and 28 criteria based on which it is possible to measure management level achieved and determine which are the critical points for improvements in future. It looks at the organization from different angles at the same time: the holistic approach to organization performance analysis. BHAS use „The CAF guidelines for implementation “and a 10-step implementation plan developed to help organizations use it in the most efficient and effective way. Process of self-assessment identifies and monitors all-important organizational results and provides feedback on organizational capacities and results of policy and planning processes. This model of quality monitoring requires the development of a standardized questionnaire that includes all principles in the model. Agency for statistics of BiH is committed to quality assurance in the production of official statistics based on Article 19, Paragraph (1) “Law of Statistics BIH, Official Gazette of BiH 26/04; 42/04”. In order to ensure the quality of statistics Agency developed a documented Policy and programme for quality management which is available on web site:
		https://bhas.gov.ba/Content/Read/92?title=Kvalitet
	11.2. Quality assessments	The quality of official statistics’ products (main indicators/statistics) are regularly assessed in quality reports through the calculation of quality indicators. On other hand, processes included in statistical production are assessed by specific process quality indicators in quality reports and additionally through Generic Statistical Business Process Model (GSBPM) documentation.
	12. Relevance
	12.1. User needs	Key users of the statistical survey data are:  Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of BiH, BiH Directorate for Economic Planning, Central bank of BiH, Eurostat,  World bank, IMF, and Statistical division of UN (UNSD), embassies and consular representations of foreign countries. Users of the data are also business entities-enterprises media and general public.  Internal user is a statistics of national accounts for the purpose of production of gross domestic product.
	12.2. User satisfaction	One of the key elements in securing the quality of statistical data is monitoring the users’ satisfaction. The results of the User Satisfaction Survey are available on:
		https://bhas.gov.ba/data/Dokumenti/Kvalitet/AZK2020_BS.pdf
	12.3. Completeness	Data completeness  rate is 100%. For this statistic all key indicators, which are required by international standards, are calculated.
	13. Accuracy and reliability
	13.1. Overall accuracy	/
	13.2. Sampling error	/
	13.3. Non -sampling error	Coverage error: The sample used for the purpose of collecting consumer prices is not random; it is chosen with the intent of satisfying specific goals. The sample was selected using a 4-step procedure: choice of geographical area, choice of shops, list of products and their representatives. The basic principle was used to ensure the representativeness of the household consumption model in terms of the coverage of the most frequently purchased products, the most visited shops and the best-selling brands, types and quantities. This is a targeted sample, therefore coverage errors are completely eliminated. The lists of active shops, top-selling products and brands are regularly updated to reduce the possibility of coverage errors. Measurement error:The first control of the collected data is done by the price collectors who are obliged to correctly collect the prices of the products and services from the list and to correctly record any possible changes in the brand, type or quantity of the product. When entering data in the application in MS Access 2000, an automated control checks whether a price is not entered, whether there is a price that equals 0, and calculates the coefficient of variation relative to the previous price, i.e. the base price. Then, entity offices,  after the data processing and calculation of the index, are checking whether the indices meet the expected requirements in terms of their trend of change and compare them with information obtained from other sources to determine their consistency. While entity offices perform logical control of data from different cities of the relevant entity, BHAS controls the consistency of the data obtained from the two entities and the Brčko District. Measurement errors can occur only at the stage of data collection or data entry. The staff of the entity offices and BHAS are in constant contact with the collectors in order to provide instructions and solve methodological issues. However, if a data error is still detected, a collector is directly contacted and instructed to revisit the place of collection of the price in question. The price is then validated or corrected by a collector both in its registers and in the application in order to ensure further comparability and analysis of the data. All possible errors are eliminated prior to data processing, therefore there is no need for further revisions.
		Non-response error: There is no possibility for non-response since data is collected by field collectors. Since the collectors are in constant contact with shops they are able to obtain all the relevant information that enables them to prepare for future work - information about the eventual closure of the outlet, contract termination with the supplier of the particular product, reasons of price change etc. Consumer prices of selected products and services are collected at selected outlets (shops, markets, craft workshops, service organizations and public companies). The number of outlets does not change during the year. Unit non-response rate: Considering that prices are collected directly and that outlets do not deliver individual prices, the rate is 100% each month. The number of prices collected at outlets is established at the beginning of the year and does not change during the year, except for seasonal products from the group of agricultural products and clothes and footwear (some 45 products) where prices are collected only in the season. However, there are certain exceptions in the case of an objective inability to collect data that is specially labeled in the application, which are: · Legal barrier to collecting · Outlet is temporarily or permanently closed · Product temporarily or permanently unavailable · Product is not available in the season. In that case, the collector puts a special mark on the questionnaire, which is a flag for a person in charge of data entry to repeat the prices from the previous period.
	14. Timeliness and punctuality
	14.1. Timeliness	Time lag - first result: T+25.  A full set of indices is published each month, on average 25 days after the reference period due to a complicated procedure of data delivery between the entity offices and BHAS. We do not publish preliminary data. Time lag - final result: Results of the first release are final data at the same time, therefore the timeliness of the final results is equal to timeliness of the first release.
	14.2. Punctuality	Punctuality rate of the data release is 12/(12+0) = 1.0 or 100 %. All 12 results of the monthly survey of price statistics were published on the date announced in the Release calendar. Punctuality - delivery and publication: T+0. There is no discrepancy between announced and real date of publishing (according to the Release calendar), considering that the published calendar is tailored to the speed of data delivery and data processing.
	15. Coherence and comparability
	15.1. Comparability-geographical	Despite some differences in the methodologies used by countries, CPI can be used for international comparisons of inflation rates. However, it is primarily used at the national level.
	15.2. Comparability-over time	Data on consumer price indices have been produced and published since 2005 in a monthly dynamics. Length of comparable time series: Data on consumer price indices in BiH have been produced and published since 2005 in a monthly dynamics. Length of comparable time series, considering the monthly time series, is 11x12 = 132 (months).
	15.3. Coherence-cross domain	The methodology is in line with the recommendations of Eurostat (European Parliament and Council Regulation (EC) No. 617/2008.
	15.4. Coherence-internal	/
	16. Cost and burden	The burden on the reporting units is negligible, since all the burden is on collectors who are financed and provided by the entity offices. Thus, all the costs and burden are on collectors and entity statistical institutes which work on preparation of questionnaire and data collection.
	17. Data revision
	17.1. Data revision-policy	The Agency for statistics of Bosnia and Herzegovina does not have an official revision policy document.
	17.2. Data revision-practice	Data on indices are published monthly as final data for previous month. Data are not subject of revisions.
	18. Statistical processing
	18.1. Source data	A large part of data is collected locally - collectors obtain clear product specifications from entity offices and the Agency, their COICOP codes and unit of measurement. Using predefined specifications, collectors choose specific products, their brands and types, and collect prices at selected outlets. They use the criterion of the best-selling product at the most visited outlet. In order to ensure monitoring of the identical product in the coming months, collectors are instructed to enter in the questionnaire a predefined data set on the product itself as well as any information on the possible replacement if they occur. This ensures proper monitoring of price fluctuations between observed periods. CPI in BiH is collected using a list of about 600 products. Approximately 21,000 prices are collected every month, using a predetermined sample in 12 geographic locations. The great majority of products and services purchased and consumed by households in the entire country are covered. The coverage of products and services is revised annually in order to maintain the representativeness of the household consumption model. The prices are collected in 12 cities (Banja Luka, Bihać, Bijeljina, Brčko, Doboj, Istočno Sarajevo, Mostar, Prijedor, Sarajevo, Trebinje, Tuzla, Zenica), which are weighted by their gravitating population or their significance for the region they belong to. The observed prices are full prices with which households in BiH meet when purchasing products and services intended to meet their needs in the economic territory of BiH. These are also the prices valid on the day of collection i.e. in the moment of purchase, including VAT and excluding any subsidies. These prices include all non-discriminatory discounts and rebates.
	18.2. Frequency of data collection	For the purpose of calculating the consumer price index, the prices are collected according to the following calendar: - twice a month, in the first and third week for agricultural products at green markets;  - all other prices, in accordance with EU Regulations, are collected once a month (between 1st and 21st in the month). The interval between recording is maintained the same.
	18.3. Data collection	Data are collected in the field using paper questionnaires, while a smaller part of prices (mainly related to housing expenditures) is collected centrally.
	18.4. Data validation	The first control of the collected data is done by the price collectors who are obliged to correctly collect the prices of the products and services from the list and to correctly record any possible changes in the brand, type or quantity of the product. When entering data in the application in MS Access 2000, an automated control checks whether a price is not entered, whether there is a price that equals 0, and calculates the coefficient of variation relative to the previous price, i.e. the base price. Then, entity offices,  after the data processing and calculation of the index, are checking whether the indices meet the expected requirements in terms of their trend of change and compare them with information obtained from other sources to determine their consistency. While entity offices perform logical control of data from different cities of the relevant entity, BHAS controls the consistency of the data obtained from the two entities and the Brčko District. Measurement errors can occur only at the stage of data collection or data entry. The staff of the entity offices and BHAS are in constant contact with the collectors in order to provide instructions and solve methodological issues. However, if a data error is still detected, a collector is directly contacted and instructed to revisit the place of collection of the price in question. The price is then validated or corrected by a collector both in its registers and in the application in order to ensure further comparability and analysis of the data. All possible errors are eliminated prior to data processing, therefore there is no need for further revisions.
	18.5. Data compilation	The calculation of the price index starts with the calculation of the elementary index (index at the level of concrete product) at the level of individual city, using the geometric mean. Aggregated indices are then calculated using the Laspeyers formula which starts from the index of the representative item at the entity level up to the general index at the level of BiH. Two types of weights are used for the calculation: population weights (horizontal) and consumption weights (vertical). The weights used to calculate CPI BIH represent the participation or relative importance of the selected product or service in the total consumption of households from the economic territory of BiH. They are used to calculate the weighted averages of elementary indices. They are related to data on the number of population of a certain area and the average consumption of households. All the above data for weights are obtained from the Household Budget Survey, conducted every four years.
	18.6. Adjustment	Statistical procedures for series adjustment (methods for seasonal adjustment) are not used. No seasonal adjustment is done.
	19. Comment	/