United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

 Geneva, 14 June 2001
 

 Statistics can contribute to stability in
South-Eastern Europe

"A global strategic plan for statistical development in South-Eastern Europe will be launched in the next few months" announced Mr. Photis Nanopoulos, Director for Technical Cooperation at Eurostat, at a meeting of SECI¹ and Stability Pact countries held in Geneva on the occasion of the annual session of the Conference of the European Statisticians (CES).

The meeting was jointly organized by the UNECE and Eurostat. It brought together for the first time the chief statisticians of all the countries of the Region.

"These countries - said Mr. Yves Franchet, Director General of Eurostat – which have been granted the status of pre-pre-accession should be encouraged to adopt the EU norms for statistics as all candidate countries are doing".

Mr. Paolo Garonna, Director of the Statistical Division of UNECE, added that "EU statistical norms and standards are in any case fully in line with UN standards. The major task of the CES is to ensure consistency in statistical standards between Europe, North America, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the UN system. Moreover, countries of South-Eastern Europe, as full members of the UNECE and SECI can as of now participate in the development and updating/revision of statistical standards through the CES".

Some countries, such as Croatia, had recently completed a population census. Others are preparing for it. There was a clear understanding that, even though each country has specific conditions and problems, they have many common statistical interests and needs, and they can learn a lot from each other, exchange experience and know-how. Mr. Garonna added: "These countries have a strong interest in developing a common approach to some of the most sensitive aspects of censuses, such as the treatment of minorities, the advisory role of international organizations, the statistical activities at local and community level".

It was agreed that permanent mechanisms of consultation and coordination should be set in place at the regional level. The West Balkan countries will be increasingly involved in the cooperation modes of EU member States and the candidate countries. A coordination meeting will take place yearly on the occasion of the CES plenary session, and regular reports on the progress will be made to the CES.

Donor countries from the ECE region and international organizations participating at the meeting, including the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the International Labour Organization (ILO), and the World Bank, remarked that sometimes funds are slow to come, or come at the wrong time. The gestation periods of statistical operations, like for instance censuses, are lengthy and complex. "Funding must be found to fill in the gaps created by inefficient or untimely provision of financial resources for complex statistical operations", said Mr. Raul Suarez de Miguel, Head of the Department of International Affairs in the Swiss Federal Statistical Office.

In concluding the meeting, Mr. Franchet stated, "South-Eastern Europe needs stability. Statistics can give a significant contribution to stability in this region".

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1 Southeast European Cooperative Initiative.

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 For more information about the meeting please contact:

Mr. Jean-Etienne Chapron
Statistical Division
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)
Palais des Nations
CH - 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland

Phone: +41 22 917 15 86
Fax: +41 22 917 00 40
E-mail: jean-etienne.chapron@unece.org

 

Ref:  ECE/STAT/01/04