When measured from 2008 the burden to 2012 has decreased by 33% (i.e., 76.9/115.5), exceeding the target reduction of 25% over this timeframe². The cost to business of this burden was €5.8 million in 2012. See Tables 1 & 2.

It is estimated that there were 369,600 active business enterprises in Ireland in 2012. In the course of 2012, the CSO issued 325,400 surveys forms, or an average of 0.9 survey forms per enterprise. There were 227,400 forms returned as partially or wholly completed, representing an average of 0.6 forms per enterprise. See Table 2.

If burden is measured on the basis of partially or fully completed survey forms actually returned to the CSO (i.e., if burden is based on actual compliance), then the total number of hours spent by business in 2012 was 213,900, or 35 minutes per business. The administrative cost, measured on 2005 prices, of actual compliance was €9.6 million, or €26 per enterprise. The administrative burden of actual compliance in 2012 was €5.8 million, or €16 per business. See Measurement Methodology & Table 2.

If all survey forms issued by the CSO were partially or wholly completed and returned (i.e., if there had been full compliance), then the total number of hours spent on this task by businesses in Ireland in 2012 would have been 269,100, or an average of 44 minutes per business. The administrative cost of full compliance would have been €12.1 million, or €33 per enterprise, the lowest cost since the CSO starting measuring this burden. The administrative burden (i.e., administrative costs less business-as-usual costs) of full compliance would have been €7.3 million, or €20 per business. See Measurement Methodology & Table 2.

The most burdensome survey in 2012 was the Trade Intrastat Imports survey, which issued 77,100 forms, of which 66,800 were returned partially or wholly completed. The administrative costs of completing all Intrastat Imports forms in 2012 were €7.1 million.

Of the purely CSO surveys, the full compliance administrative costs of the Balance of Payment surveys were €844,500 in 2012, while the actual compliance administrative costs were €777,300.

¹Actual compliance basis: calculated on a time and cost basis of fully or partially completed returns to the CSO - the preferred method of calculation of the European Statisticial System. 

²In March 2008 the Government adopted a 25% target for the reduction of this burden by end of 2012. The EU wide target is also for a 25% reduction by 2012.