National Statistical Institute

Statistics on Labour costs, Research and Development, Innovation and Information Society Department

Nadia Katerinkina

State expert

2, P. Volov Str., 1038 Sofia, Bulgaria

[email protected]

+359 2 9857 167

The statistical survey on Government budget allocations for R&D (GBARD) provides internationally comparable information about government support to R&D activities.

Nomenclature for the analysis and comparison of scientific programmes and budgets (NABS 2007).

GBARD covers government-financed R&D performed not only in national teritory as well as abroad. Annual membership dues in the budget of international scientific organisations as well as payments from the budget related to the participation of Bulgaria in bilateral and multilateral research programs are also treated as government budget allocations for R&D.

The indicator Government budget allocations for R&D (GBARD) include both current costs and capital expenditure on R&D. According to the purpose of the R&D programme or project GBARD are distributed to the socio-economic objectives on the basis of the Nomenclature of analysis and comparison of scientific programs and budgets (NABS 2007).

Ministries and departments (R&D funding organizations).

The statistical survey on GBARD is exhaustive survey and covers all Ministries and departments - primary level spending credits for R&D.

Bulgaria

From 2007 onwards.

Not applicable.

GBARD survey and budget text analisis.

Yearly.

The survey on GBARD is exhaustive survey and covers all Ministries and departments which are primary level spending credits for R&D. 

Data validation is done through arithmetic and logic control of input data and comparison of the output data with the results of previous surveys and data from administrative sources.

The survey on GBARD is exhaustive survey and no estimates are made.

Not applicable.

The statistical practices used to compile GBARD by socio-economic objectives data are in compliance with Frascati Manual recommendations.

Quality assessment is based on standard quality criteria - relevance, accuracy and reliability, timeliness, comparability and coherence.

Main users of GBARD data are ministries, research institutions and other users in the country, as well as Eurostat and other international organizations.

User satisfaction survey is not conducted.

In accordance with Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197 the required data completeness is ensured for all variables.

Data are produced in all obligatory breakdowns of the variables required by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197.

The statistical data are of good accuracy and reliability.

The survey is exhaustive and there are no sampling errors.

The survey is exhaustive and there are no sampling errors.

There are no indications for coverage errors.

There is no over-coverage.

Not applicable.

In order to minimize the measurement errors, because of misunderstanding of the respondents, GBARD questionnaire is attended with methodological explanatory notes in line with Frascati Manual recommendations.

Actions to reduce the non-response include sending the reminder letters, supplemented if needed, by telephone calls and/or direct contact with the respondents for collection of data.

There is not unit non-response error.

There is not item non-response error.

Processing errors are negligible due to extensive arithmetic and logical checking control of data.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

GBARD data are published 6 months after the end of reference period.

Preliminary data - 6 months after the end of the reference period.

Final data - 12 months after the end of the reference period.

Deadlines for GBARD data delivery, specified in the Release Calendar, are strictly respected.

GBARD data are published at the date specified in the Release Calendar presenting the results of the statistical surveys carried out by the NSI.

Data for Bulgaria are comparable with the data for the rest EU member states.

Not applicable.

Data are comparable over time.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

The difference between GBARD data and R&D expenditure financed by government is not significant.

Data are available for all users on the NSI website and on NSI information system INFOSTAT under the heading R&D, Innovation and Information Society

Micro data are neither distributed nor provided to the users.

Information service on request, according to the Rules for dissemination of statistical products and services of NSI.

Methodological manual “Frascati” (Guidelines for Collecting and Reporting Data on Research and Experimental Development - Frascati Manual, OECD, 2015), adopted by Eurostat for statistical surveys on R&D.

Quality Report on GBARD statistics.

Not applicable.

· Law on Statistics;

· Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 on European statistics (recital 24 and Article 20(4)) of 11 March 2009 (OJ L 87, p. 164), stipulates the need to establish common principles and guidelines ensuring the confidentiality of data used for the production of European statistics and the access to those confidential data with due account for technical developments and the requirements of users in a democratic society.

The individual (primary) data are confidential according to the Law on Statistics and European legislation. To ensure their protection and inability to be identified, the aggregated indicators are also defined as confidential when the indicator is calculated from one or two enterprises or one enterprise formed more than 85% of the total value of this indicator.