The EU Twinning Project is implemented by Statistics Finland (lead), Statistics Lithuania and Statistics Netherlands. The overall objective of the Twinning project is to increase capacity among local operators to collect, process, harmonize, analyze, publish and disseminate business statistics measuring the performance of the private sector/SMEs in Azerbaijan. The twinning project is aligned with the Eastern Partnership goals to create conditions for accelerating the political association and economic integration and by supporting the reform processes. Responding to user demands, such as statistical information on the SME sector and better-quality SME statistics requires the will and ability to develop and enhance the services of the national statistical office. The SME component of the Twinning project focuses directly on improving data quality of information exchange with the State Tax Service, providing SME statistics to decision-makers forming policies and capacity building in the beneficiary administrations.

The specific objective of the project is to improve the capacity of the SSC and the STS under the Ministry of Economy in order to strengthen statistical business registers and to align the business statistics methodology with EU standards and business statistics oriented on future data requirements.

- Data quality management standards applied in the source databases of the State Tax Service under the Ministry of Economy are improved for maintaining and update of the State Register of Statistical Units (SRSU);
- A business case for compliance of the statistical units in the SRSU developed;
- A logical design for the renewal and expansion of the software functions for proper maintenance and updating the SRSU is provided;
- Business Statistics in Azerbaijan redesigned;
- The preparation, presentation and dissemination of Annual SME statistics report supported in line with EU/OECD definitions;
- Capacity of the SSC, the STS under the Ministry of Economy and the SME Agency staff on statistical design, analysis, reporting and dissemination improved.