News 19.9.2014
Budget cuts force to reduce statistics production
The cuts directed at Statistics Finland's operating expenditure in 2015 to 2017 will inevitably lead to reductions in our statistical production. In addition, services must be pruned and we cannot continue to make data openly available as planned.
Statistics Finland is currently analysing all of its operations to find cost-cutting objects. The possibility of employee co-operation negotiations has not been ruled out.
Pruning targets are being recognised
There will be clearly less resources available for activity in 2015 than this year. The estimated savings requirement is approximately EUR four million. Based on preliminary estimates, discontinuation or substantial reductions in published content threatens more than 30 sets of statistics.
Currently, the list of statistics under this threat includes such as justice statistics, statistics on the environment, business statistics and productivity statistics. Because the obligations of data production imposed by EU Regulations must be considered when making decisions, the reductions are likely to focus heavily on national data needs.
"The situation is challenging as new data needs are also born as a result of globalisation, social inequality, structural change on society and diverging regional development," says Timo Koskimäki, Deputy Director General of Statistics Production.
The reductions also affect product and service production, where regularly published compilation publications and some information products containing regional data are likely to be discontinued. Data cannot be made openly available as planned, for example, in terms of detailed regional data and interface solutions. Support functions are also included in the analysis.
Once the plans become specified, stakeholders will be informed of possible reductions in more detail. Decisions concerning the measures will be made during autumn.
Adjustments primarily through job arrangements and productivity gains
"We have, over the past few years, improved our productivity at an annual rate of around two per cent and carried out extensive productivity projects whose benefits will begin to realise from this year onwards. Despite this, the only way to cope with these cuts is to reduce production," says Jarmo Hyrkkö, Deputy Director General.
A majority of Statistics Finland's expenditure consist of personnel costs. The reductions in activity will, as far as possible, be realised through job arrangements and by utilising natural loss. "It is possible that we will face employee co-operation negotiations if the other measures are not sufficient to attain the required savings," says Mr. Hyrkkö, Deputy Director General.
Inquiries:
Jarmo Hyrkkö, Deputy Director General, tel. +358 29 551 3473
Timo Koskimäki, Deputy Director General of Statistics Production, tel. +358 29 551 3495
email firstname.lastname (a) stat.fi