Peer reviews, specialised workshops and technical training continue to strengthen official statistics and support alignment with the European Statistical System.
During May and June 2026, the IPA 2022 Multi-beneficiary Statistical Cooperation Programme reached several important milestones in supporting the modernisation of official statistics across the Western Balkans and Türkiye. Through a combination of peer reviews, expert missions, workshops and specialised training, the programme continued to enhance statistical quality, institutional capacity and compliance with European standards.
One of the key highlights of the reporting period was the successful implementation of Peer Reviews in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro. Conducted against the principles of the European Statistics Code of Practice, these reviews assessed institutional governance, statistical processes and statistical outputs, while providing recommendations to further strengthen national statistical systems.
In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the review brought together the Agency for Statistics of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Federal Institute of Statistics and the Institute of Statistics of Republika Srpska, demonstrating the strong cooperation between the country’s statistical institutions. In Montenegro, the Statistical Office of Montenegro (MONSTAT) hosted the review, reaffirming its commitment to professional independence, quality management and continued alignment with the European Statistical System.
Another important achievement was the second workshop on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) statistics, where experts from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro and Türkiye exchanged experiences on data quality, recent data transmissions to Eurostat and methodological improvements. The workshop also introduced approaches for compiling inward investment in real estate, helping participating countries define the remaining steps towards completing their project objectives.
Capacity building remained a central focus of the programme. A practical training course held in Durrës, Albania, on the New File-Based System for Quarterly GDP Estimates provided participants with hands-on experience throughout the entire quarterly GDP compilation process. Through practical exercises and simulations, participants strengthened their knowledge of integrated production workflows and gained valuable insights into modern approaches for compiling quarterly national accounts.
Alongside these flagship activities, technical support continued across a broad range of statistical domains, including national accounts, government finance statistics, business and energy statistics, price statistics, labour market statistics, environmental statistics and sustainable development indicators. Numerous expert missions and online help desk activities ensured continuous support to partner countries in implementing the European statistical acquis.
Looking ahead, the programme will continue with additional expert missions, training courses and technical assistance during July and August 2026, maintaining its strong commitment to supporting high-quality, reliable and internationally comparable official statistics across the region.
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For more information about IPA 2022, you can contact us via e-mail: ipa2022@icon-institute.de.