Category: Demographic and social statistics
Area: Household consumption
Survey / data collection: Social protection – ESSPROS

MONSTAT metadata
Reference metadata
  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
17. Data revision
18. Statistical processing
19. Comment

Note: For any question on metadata, please contact MONSTAT metadata support.

                                                                                     1. Contact                                                                           Vrh
1.1. Contact organization: Statistical Office of Montenegro (MONSTAT)
1.2. Contact organization unit: Department of living conditions and social services
1.2. Contact organization unit: IV Proleterske 2 Podgorica

                                                                                      2. Metadata update                                                                       Top
2.1. Metadata last certified:
2.2. Metadata last posted:25 December 2023
2.3. Metadata last update:22/11/2024

                                                                                3. Statistical presentation                                                                  Top
3.1. Data description:The ESSPROS (The European System of Integrated Social Protection Statistics) is a harmonized system that serves as an instrument for analysis and comparison of financial flows of social protection. The objectives of the ESSPROS are to provide comprehensive and coherent description of the social protection in the EU Member States and candidate states for the membership in the European Union, covering social benefits and their financing, focusing on international comparability and harmonising with other statistics
3.2. Classification system:Regulation (EC) No 10/2008 of the 8th January 2008 for the implementation of the Regulation (EC) No 458/2007 of the European Parliament and the Council regarding ESSPROS lays down the main concepts and classifications that are used in ESSPROS.Detailed definitions and classifications can be found in the ESSPROS Manual (European system of integrated social protection statistics ESSPROS - 2019 edition), link:https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-manuals-and-guidelines/-/ks-gq-19-014
3.3. Sector coverage:Not relevant.
3.4. Statistical concepts and
       definitions:		Social protection comprises all interventions from public or private bodies intended to relieve households and individuals of the financial burden of a defined set of risks or needs, provided that there is neither a simultaneous reciprocal, nor an individual arrangement involved (intervention where the recipient of social protection is obliged to provide simultaneously something of equivalent value in exchange). In core system, social benefits are classified according to function and type. The function of social benefit refers to the primary purpose for which social protection is provided, irrespective of legislative or institutional provisions. Risks or needs in the ESSPROS are expressed in this methodology as function, so the social protection schemes are listed below: Sickness/Healthcare - implies income maintenance and support in cash in connection with physical or mental illness, excluding disability. Health care is intended to maintain restore or improve the health of the people protected irrespective of origin of the disorder. Disability - implies support in cash or kind (except health care) in connection with the inability of physically or mentally disabled people to engage in economic and social activities. Old age - implies income maintenance and support in cash or kind (except health care) in connection with old age. Survivors - implies income maintenance and support in cash or kind in connection with the death of a family member. Family/Children - implies support in cash or kind (except healthcare) in connection with the costs of pregnancy, childbirth and adoption, bringing up children and caring for other family members. Unemployment - implies income maintenance and support in cash or kind in connection with unemployment. Social exclusion not elsewhere classified - implies benefits in cash or kind (except healthcare) specifically intended to combat social exclusion where they are not covered by one of the other functions. The type of social benefit refers to the form in which protection is provided. Expenditures for social protection are classified according to type, indicating nature of, or reason for the expenditure, including social protection benefits, administrative costs and other expenditures. Social benefits consist of transfers, in cash or in kind, by social protection schemes to households and individuals to relieve them of the burden of a defined set of risks or needs. Social benefits are divided into benefits with regard to whether they are means-tested or not. By type of social benefits can be regard to cash or in kind. Social benefits in cash relate to cash payments, while social benefits in kind relate to reimbursements and directly provided goods and services. Administration costs means the costs charged to the scheme for management and administration thereof. It covers the costs of registering users, collecting contributions, administering fees, inspecting, reinsurance, financial management, general overheads, etc. Other expenditure means miscellaneous expenditure by social protection schemes.
3.5. Statistical unit:Observation unit is a social protection scheme. A social protection scheme is a distinct body of rules, supported by one or more institutional units, governing the provision of social protection benefits and their financing. Social protection schemes should at all times meet the condition that it must be possible to produce a separate account of receipts and expenditures and, preferably, are chosen in such a way that they provide the protection against a single risk or need and cover a single specific group of beneficiaries. According to the ESSPROS methodology at the level of Montenegro, twenty social protection schemes have been defined: ? Compulsory pension and disability insurance scheme (general conditions) , ? Compulsory health insurance scheme, ? Employment and unemployment insurance scheme, ? Insurance of rights in case of bankruptcy or redundancies, ? Professional rehabilitation and employment of persons with disabilities, ? Basic material benefits within social welfare, ? Basic material benefits within child welfare, ? Social and child protection services , ? Scheme of veteran and disabled protection (the rights of war veterans, deceased war veterans, war invalids, civil war invalids and members of their families) , ? Scheme of individual farmers , ? Employers' scheme (paid-sick) , ? Privileges of disabled persons in internal passenger transport, ? Social assistance at local level ? Podgorica, ? Social assistance at local level - other municipalities in Montenegro , ? Subsidy for electricity, ? Social benefits to persons granted refugee status and seeking asylum, ? Social protection of employers excluding paid-sick leave, ? Compulsory pension and disability insurance scheme (special rights) - special groups of civil servants, ? Compulsory pension and disability insurance scheme (special rights) - workers in coal mines, ? Compulsory pension and disability insurance scheme (special rights) - parent or guardian of a child with a severe disability.
3.6. Statistical population:Households and individuals who provided social protection through appropriate social protection schemes.
3.7. Reference area:At the level of Montenegro.
3.8. Time coverage:The annual data are available from 2019 and refer to 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020.
3.9. Base period:Not relevant.

                                                                                      4. Unit of measure                                                                        Top
Euro and percentage.

                                                                                     5. Reference period                                                                       Top
ESSPROS data are annual data, corresponding to calendar year.

                                                                                  6. Institutional mandate                                                                    Top
6.1. Legal acts and other
       agreements:		The Law on Official Statistics and Official Statistical System (Official Gazette of Montenegro No 018/12, 047/19) defines provisions for collection, processing, and dissemination of data. The Law provides to the Statistical Office legal powers to collect and access the data necessary for the implementation of Programme and Annual Plan. The Law gives a priority to the use of administrative data and right of access to individual data that are a result of survey of other official statistical producers. As an annex to legal provisions, Statistical Office has signed several memoranda on cooperation with administrative data providers.
6.2. Data sharing:Signed agreement on cooperation with the official statistical producers: 1. Revenue and Customs Administration 2. Ministry of Finance 3. Central Bank of Montenegro 4. Trilateral agreement (MONSTAT, Ministry of Finance and social welafare and Central Bank of Montenegro) International institutions: 1. EUROSTAT 2. UN organizations 3. IMF 4. World Bank

                                                                                        7. Confidentiality                                                                          Top
7.1. Confidentiality - policy:Articles 53-60 of the Law on Official Statistics and Official Statistical System (Official Gazette of Montenegro No 018/12, 047/19) provide a framework for protection, use, and transmission of confidential data. MONSTAT has produced two comprehensive rule
7.2. Confidentiality - data
        treatment:		Collected data from the survey represent an official secret, in accordance to Articles 55 and 56 of the Law on Official Statistics and Official Statistical System of Montenegro ("Official Gazette of Montenegro

                                                                                        8. Release policy                                                                         Top
8.1. Release calendar:The Law on Official Statistics and Official Statistical System (Official Gazette of Montenegro No 018/12, 047/19) stipulates that official statistical producers prepare, update, and publish Statistical Release Calendar. It is published on the website of Statistical Office not later than 20 December for the next year, for all official statistical producers that includes date of releasing statistical data. Any change in date of releasing in the Calendar is published in advance in accordance with the Procedure on Unplanned Revisions.
8.2. Release calendar - access:https://www.monstat.org/eng/page.php?id=1179&pageid=12
8.3. User access:General aim of official statistical producer is to meet the needs of users, and to make an access to statistical data to users in an understandable manner, simultaneously and under the same conditions. Statistical Office is obliged to produce and disseminate official statistics in objective, transparent and professional manner, so that all users are equally treated.

                                                                            9. Frequency of dissemination                                                             Top
The Data are published on annual level, according to Statistical Release Calendar.

                                                                                  10. Accessibility and clarity                                                                Top
10.1. News release:The data are available in the form of annual press releases published on the official website, link:https://www.monstat.org/eng/page.php?id=1675&pageid=1432
10.2. Publications:Statistical Office publishes the following regular publications: 1. Statistical Yearbook, 2. Montenegro in figures, 3. Monthly statistical review. In addition to the above regular ones, Statistical Office publishes also additionally publications. Some of the most important additional publications are as it follows: 1. Women and Men in Montenegro, 2. The most often used statistical data All publication published by Statistical Office are available at the following link:https://www.monstat.org/eng/publikacije.php
10.3. Online database:On MONSTAT website, the Social protection section contains data in excel tables, annual release and Methodology link: https://www.monstat.org/eng/page.php?id=1563&pageid=79
10.4. Micro-data access:The Law on Official Statistics and Official Statistical System (Official Gazette of Montenegro No 018/12, 047/19) regulates rules under which external users can obtain an access to individual data for needs of research. Article 58 defines types of scientific and research organizations that can obtain such data. Providing individual data without identifier is possible only upon a written request of scientific and research institutions, with purpose of performing scientific and research activities as well as international statistical organizations and statistical producers from other countries. Research entity signs the agreement with Statistical Office, and it signs the statement on respecting the confidentiality principle. Official statistical producers keeps a separate records on users and purpose of using the statistical data given to these users.
10.5. Other:The data shall be transmitted to EUROSTAT.

10.6. Documentation on methodology:
          domain:		Methodology of Social protection in Montenegro are available on website of MONSTAT link: http://www.monstat.org/uploads/files/espross/Metodolosko%20uputstvo-ESSPROS%20-%20eng.pdf
10.7. Quality documentation:The Law on Official Statistics and the Official Statistical System ( Official Gazette of Montenegro No. 18/12 and 47/19) defines the commitment to quality, which ensures that producers of official statistics in Montenegro work and cooperate in accordance with international principles of quality of the statistical system. In accordance with the ESS Quality Declaration, Article 338 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU, Regulations 759/2015 and 223/2009 and the European Statistics Code of Practice, the following documents are adopted: 1. Quality Strategy of the Statistical Office 2. Guide for the implementation of the Quality Strategy in the Statistical Office; 3. Implementation plan

                                                                                  11. Quality management                                                                 Top
11.1. Quality assurance:Statistical Office has chosen the implementation of elements of TQM (Total Quality Management) model that foster development and improvement of functioning of: - Institution, - Official statistical result production, and - Individual. Within middle-term deadline, Statistical Office has chosen the TQM implementation through the following objectives: 1. Strong commitment to users and other interested parties, 2. Quality statistical processes and products, 3. Professional orientation of staff members, 4. Constant improvements, 5. Reduction of overburden of reporting units.
11.2. Quality assesment:Not available.

                                                                                        12. Relevance                                                                              Top
12.1. User needs:International users: - Eurostat, - World Bank, - UN organizations, - International Monetary Fund National users: - Ministries and other public administration bodies, -Local government, and -Other local government bodies. - Central bank, - Non-governmental organizations, - Students, -Researchers, - Media.
12.2. User satisfaction:The Statistical Office has adopted the Quality Management Strategy, the Guidebook to the Implementation of the Quality Management Strategy, as well as the Plan for the Implementation of the Quality Policy. In order to measure the degree to which fulfills obligations towards users and within the new quality policy, the Statistical Office conducted User satisfaction survey. The results of the survey are available on the Statistical Office website, link:http://www.monstat.org/eng/page.php?id=1502&pageid=1
12.3. Completeness:Not available.

                                                                                  13. Accuracy and reliability                                                              Top
13.1. Overall accuracy:Overall accuracy of the survey is considered satisfactory, because the main data sources are administrative data collected by the reporting units or annual finance reports.
13.2. Sampling error:Not relevant.
13.3. Non-sampling error:Not relevant.

                                                                              14. Timeliness and punctuality                                                          Top
14.1. Timeliness:Timeliness of final results: T + 36 months after the end of the reference period.The data are published according to Calendar of publishing Statistical Releases.
14.2. Punctuality:Deadlines of dissemination of data at the website are defined in the Statistical Release Calendar and there are no lags between announcements and publications of release.

                                                                                      15. Coherence and Comparability                                                                          Top
15.1. Comparability -
          geographical:		Data collection on social protection is fully compliant with methodological recommendations and standards specified in the legal regulations of Eurostat (European Statistical Office), thus providing an international data comparability. Definitions and recommendations which have been used are covered by the following regulations: (The European Parliament and Council Regulation (EC) No 458/2007, Commission Regulation (EC) No 1322/2007, Commission Regulation (EC) No 10/2008, Commission Regulation (EC) No 263/2011, Commission Regulation (EC) No 110/2011 and ESSPROS Manual and guidelines (European system of integrated social protection statistics ESSPROS - 2022 edition, Compendium of methodological clarifications ESSPROS
15.2. Comparability over time:Data from 2016 to 2022 are available on the MONSTAT website, section Data and Releases.

15.3. Coherence - cross
          domain:		Not available.
15.4. Coherence - internal:Not available.

                                                                                        17. Data revision                                                                          Top
17.1. Data revision - policy:The data collected within ESSPROS survey may be subject to revision, due to discovering new data sources, improvements in usage of existing data sources, as well as a result of further harmonisation with the ESSPROS methodology. Statistical Office has adopted the revision policy and it is available on the website http://www.monstat.org/eng/page.php?id=1411&pageid=1411
17.2. Data revision - practice:Not available.

                                                                                 18. Statistical processing                                                                 Top
18.1. Source data:The data sources are administrative data collected by reporting units, i.e. annual financial reports on work of reporting units. Reporting units are services dealing with finances of administrative data sources which have jurisdiction over the observation unit. The data are collected at the annual level. Reporting units for ESSPROS are: 1. Ministry of Labour and social welfare 2. Pension and Disability Insurance Fund of Montenegro, 3. Health Insurance Fund of Montenegro, 4. Employment Agency of Montenegro, 5. Revenue and Tax Administration of Montenegro, 6. Labour Fund of Montenegro, 7. Local self-governments, 8. Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Managment.
18.2. Frequency of data
          collection:		On annual level.
18.3. Data collection:Data are collected though the filling in of questionnaires which are sent to reporting units by post or electronically, while the other data derived from the annual work report.
18.6. Adjustment:Not relevant.

 

                                                                                           19. Comment                                                                             Top
.