The National Statistical System
The National Statistical System (NSS) includes the Statistical Council, the State body that superintends and coordinates the system; Statistics Portugal (the National Statistical Institute, IP) which is the central body responsible for the production and dissemination of official statistics that ensures the supervision and the technical and scientific coordination of the NSS; the Bank of Portugal that, as part of its mission, is responsible for the collection and compilation of monetary, financial, foreign exchange and balance of payments statistics; the Regional Services of Statistics of the Autonomous Regions of Açores and Madeira that act as delegations of the Statistics Portugal in relation to nationwide statistics as statistical authorities in what concerns regional statistics; and other Entities producing official statistics by delegation of Statistics Portugal.
With the exception of the Statistical Council, all the above mentioned Entities are considered statistical authorities, having responsibility for the production of official statistics, and empowered to require (mandatory and free of charge) to all departments or agencies, individuals and legal entities, information necessary for the production of official statistics and to establish the collection of data which, although not relevant to the specific activity of the entities required to supply them, are of statistical importance.
The official statistics are produced with technical independence and considered as public good, in full respect of national and international quality standards and meeting the users' needs in an efficient manner, preventing the providers of information to the statistical authorities from an excessive burden through the increasing use of administrative data.
