Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2017, published 107th ILC session (2018)

Labour Statistics Convention, 1985 (No. 160) - Republic of Moldova (Ratification: 2012)

Application of the Convention in practice. The Committee notes that, following the ratification of the Convention in 2012, the Decent Work Country Programme 2016–20 signed in February 2016 includes an outcome (1.3) on enhancing the capacities of the national stakeholders to enable them to better produce, compile, align and disseminate essential labour statistics to monitor new employment trends. In this context, the Government indicates that a new law on official statistics was developed and was to be presented to Parliament by the end of 2016. In addition, a National Statistical System Development Strategy 2016–20 and an Action Plan for its implementation were developed and presented for adoption in 2016. The Government adds that the Republic of Moldova is among the countries selected to participate in the ILO Labour Force Survey (LFS) study programme to test and develop new survey methodology, particularly for the measurement of employment, own-use production work and new measures of labour underutilization. The Committee requests the Government to provide updated information on the measures taken or envisaged to give effect to the provisions of the Convention. The Committee also requests the Government to provide, in case it has been adopted, a copy of the Law on official statistics.

Articles 7 and 8 of the Convention. Employment, unemployment and underemployment statistics. Statistics of the structure and distribution of the economically active population. The Government indicates in its report that there has been a change in the sample size of the quarterly LFS which was set at 7,200 dwellings per quarter in 2015. The Committee notes that the most recent Population and Housing Census was carried out in May 2014 and the corresponding population census data has been supplied to the ILO Department of Statistics. The Committee requests that the Government provide information on any further methodological changes to the Labour Force Survey and on plans for conducting the next round of the population census in 2021. It also requests the Government to provide information on any developments in relation to the implementation of the resolution concerning statistics of work, employment and labour underutilization (resolution I), adopted by the 19th International Conference of Labour Statisticians (October 2013).

Article 9(2). Statistics of time rates of wages and normal hours of work. The Government indicates that the 34 questionnaires (representing 34 economic activities) of the October Enterprise Survey on earnings by selected occupation disaggregated by sex were revised following the implementation of the new version of the National Classification of Occupations in 2015. It was agreed to produce statistics for a limited number of occupations. Thus, for 2016, six types of questionnaires were approved for economic activities requested by the Ministry of Labour, Social Protection and Family: education, health, social protection, administration, culture and science. The Government indicates that statistics on this limited number of occupations do not satisfy the needs of users. The National Bureau of Statistics also plans to use the administrative data source of the National House of Social Insurance to produce statistics on earnings by occupation, sex and age group and to collect statistical data from respondents only where no other administrative or statistical data sources are available to produce qualitative statistical data, in order to reduce the statistical reporting burden. These activities were launched within the framework of the EU Project, Improved Regional Statistics in the Republic of Moldova. The Committee requests that the Government communicate the relevant statistics on time rates and normal hours of work by occupation, including by providing an internet link to the statistics and methodological information related to the “October Enterprise Survey on Earnings by Selected Occupation Disaggregated by Sex”.

Article 11. Statistics of average labour cost. The Committee notes that statistics on total labour cost and non-wage expenditures incurred by employers for the utilization of labour during the reference year is collected through an annual survey. It further notes that statistics on average gross monthly labour costs from the Earnings and Labour Force Cost Survey, by economic activity, have been submitted to the ILO Department of Statistics for dissemination on ILOSTAT. The latest data refer to 2015. The Committee welcomes the information provided on the application of Article 11 and requests that the Government continue to transmit updated statistics on labour costs to the ILO Department of Statistics on an annual basis.

Article 14. Statistics of occupational injuries and diseases. The Government indicates that the annual enterprises survey, the Security and Health at Work Survey, was revised and divided into two separate surveys: an annual survey on accidents at work and a biannual survey on working conditions. The Government adds that, in revising and designing the new surveys, the National Bureau of Statistics consulted the main users, public authorities and the social partners, and took their views into account. The Committee notes the information provided and requests the Government to continue to provide information on any further methodological changes made in relation to collection, compilation and publication of statistics on occupational injuries and diseases.