1. This is intended to be a fully integrated presentation of international work programme in the ECE region. It includes the statistical work of the Economic Commission for Europe (ECE), the Commission of the European Communities, OECD, the UN Statistical Division (UNSD), ILO, WHO, IMF, the World Trade Organization (ex GATT), the World Bank, The Statistical Committee of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS STAT) and many other agencies. The programmes are presented in six separate documents - one for each domain in the Conference's programme of work - as follows:
8. The list of programme elements in the whole programme of work of the Conference is given in Table 1, together with an indication of the document in which information for that programme element can be found.
9. Other information on the material presented in CES/1995/R.15/Adds 1-6 (e.g., explanation of the meaning of the acronyms used in the integrated presentation) is presented in document Table 1. List of programme elements in the programme of work of the Conference (together with an indication of the document in which information for that programme element can be found)
Sub-programme Programme element
Sub-programme 1: 1.1 Issues of statistical policy
Organization and 1.2 Transition countries
Operation of statistical 1.3 Promotion and coordination of
services (See document international statistical work
1.4
Technical assistance to
developing countries
Sub-programme 2: 2.1 Management of statistical
Technical infrastructure information technology
and other cross-cutting 2.2 Statistical data collection and
issues (See document processing
CES/1995/R.15/Add.2) 2.3 Dissemination and interchange of
statistical information
2.4 Industry, commodity and
occupation classifications
2.5 Statistical methodology
2.6 Geography
2.7 Regional statistics
2.8 Training
Sub-programme 3: 3.1 Implementation of the system of
Economic statistics (See national accounts
document 3.2 Money and banking, government
3.3 International trade in goods
3.4 Transport
3.5 Distributive trades
3.6 International trade in services
3.7 Tourism
3.8 Other marketed services, and non-
marketed services
3.9 Price statistics, including
purchasing power parities
3.10
Agricultural statistics
3.11
Industrial statistics
3.12
Energy statistics
3.13
Science and technology
statistics
3.14
Business registers and
administrative records in
support of economic statistics
3.XX
Other work in the field of
economic statistics
Sub-programme 4: Social 4.1 Social indicators and frameworks
and demographic 4.2 Gender statistics
statistics (See document 4.3 Multi-purpose social surveys
4.4
Registers and administrative
records for social and
demographic statistics
4.5 Population and housing censuses
4.6 Health statistics
4.7 Crime and criminal justice
statistics
4.8 Education and training
statistics
4.9 Culture statistics
4.10
Labour statistics
4.11
Demographic statistics
(including projections,
migration and fertility)
4.12
Human settlements and housing
statistics
4.13
Statistics of household income
and expenditures, of the welfare
of the population, and of
poverty and income inequality
4.14
Statistics on population groups
of special interest
4.XX
Other work in the field of
social and demographic
statistics
Sub-programme 5: Natural 5.1 Standards and frameworks for
resources and environmental data and
environment statistics indicators
(See document 5.2 Natural resources and
5.3 Environmental database
development and dissemination
Sub-programme 6: 6.1 Dissemination of statistical
Dissemination and data by the secretariats
support for secretariat 6.2 Statistical support for other
activities (See document activities of the secretariats
SUB-PROGRAMME 2
TECHNICAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND OTHER CROSS-CUTTING ISSUES
2.1 MANAGEMENT OF STATISTICAL INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Objectives over the next several years: To improve the management
of information technology (IT) in statistical agencies, including:
the definition of appropriate architectures for computing, communications
and information holdings; the choice of appropriate interface
standards; the impact of technological developments on statistical
agencies; and the financial management of EDP. This programme
element also oversees the more technical work of elements 2.2
and 2.3. For the coming period, emphasis should be placed on the
use of information technology to reduce costs in statistical agencies,
particularly through re-engineering of processes. Budgetary constraint
makes this an important objective for all agencies.
Expected collective output in the next two years:
For ECE, the report of the ISIS'96 Seminar to the 1996 plenary
session.
Attention of the Conference is drawn to the following:
Meetings in the next two years:
ECE: Seminar ISIS' 96 (Bratislava, Slovakia, May 1996).
ECE: 25th session of the Working Party on EDP (February 1997)
UNSD: Ad hoc expert group meeting on development of advance user
access and output systems for the Statistical Division databases
(19..)
(to be designated at the 1996 plenary session)
(a) Seminar on Integrated Statistical Information Systems and related matters (ISIS'96) in 1995/96 to consider: (i) Experiences in the implementation and use of existing standards metadata and classifications in statistical data processing; (ii) Electronic processing of statistical surveys - methods, software and organization, sampling, weightings and estimation; (iii) Data processing architectures for statistical processing, including client-server architecture and "right-sizing"; (iv) Electronic forms of the exchange, dissemination and marketing of statistical; and (v) Innovative means to harnessing technology to reduce costs in statistical agencies.
(b) Twenty-fifth session of the Working Party on Electronic Data Processing (1996/97, and convened for documentation purposes as a seminar) to consider: (i) Impact of new technology on statistical data processing with special attention to strategic management issues related to technological changes such as the growth of client-server approaches to computing; (ii) The use of efficient methods and techniques in collection and processing operations, and assessment of the planned direction of work in the project on statistical data editing in the CES work programme;(iii) New methods and techniques in the dissemination of statistical information focusing on EDI, and assessment of the planned direction of work in the projection statistical metadata in the CES work programme; and (iv) Assessment of other activities related to statistical information technology being undertaken in subprogramme 2 of the programme of work of the Conference of European Statisticians.
Secretariat resources: Substantial.
Exploiting opportunities provided by new computing and communications technologies to further improve the effectiveness of its statistical activities. Thus the architecture for the Organisation's new statistical information management environment will be based on open-system technologies. Open-system architecture will facilitate integration of a variety of software tools and provide easy sharing of data among different information systems on a range of computing platforms. Taking advantage of possibilities provided by evolving international network technologies, to enhance methods and procedures for exchange of statistical information. Direct computer-to-computer links with statistical agencies in Member countries are being expanded, based on the OECD World data Network (OWN/d).
(Themes 10, 11,13: Data security; General and support services; Computer architecture)
Development and introduction of an integrated set of services intended to cover the needs generally observed in the fields of processing and disseminating information and office automation. In particular, the introduction of the local office automation scenario will be continued; possibilities of the use of electronic mail both within and outside the Commission (X400) will be explored; the final version of a classifications server will be developed; design of a new graphic architecture for Eurostat.
The smooth operation of the local computer infrastructure and improvement of local network management will be ensured.
UN Statistical Division (UNSD): Activities will be focused on developing cost-effective methods and systems for collecting, assessing and compiling data and their dissemination, using new technologies for preparing major databases, publications and other statistical outputs, with particular emphasis on using new technologies to improve timeliness in reaching users and the quality of data and estimates presented; and implementing in-depth review of techniques, methods and content of the major statistical general-purpose publications, such as the Statistical Yearbook and Monthly Bulletin of Statistics, to consolidate the results of ongoing review and adjustments that have been made over recent years. Development of new databases to meet the growing need for multisectoral and integrated statistics and indicators in individual fields of statistics and on related work in other international organizations will receive further attention. Concerning economic and social statistical data, the Department for Economic and Social Information and Policy Analysis (DESIPA), in cooperation with the United Nations regional commissions, has undertaken the development of an Economic and Social Information System (UNESIS). The system is aimed at improving the way economic and social statistical data are collected, processed, stored, analyzed and disseminated.
To promote the use of efficient methodology and software in the common collection and processing operations carried out by statistical agencies (e.g. sampling, data entry, editing, coding, estimation). Best practices and best software tools are to be identified and shared. For the coming period there should be two main objectives: (a) to support the identification of innovative approaches to cost reduction through technology being undertaken in 2.1; (b) to assess the current status of the useful work already accomplished in this area and to identify further work that would be of benefit.
A report to a future plenary session identifying proposals for further work under this program element and the benefits of such work. Input to the report required from element 2.1. For ECE, report from the work session on data editing to the 1996 plenary session.
ECE: Work session on Statistical Data Editing (Athens, Greece,
November 1995)
(to be designated at the 1996 plenary session)
a) Work session on data editing (1995/96) to consider: (i) National reports on data editing experiences emphasizing new technology, impact of implementation of new methodology, issues in setting data editing standards, preparation for next censuses; (ii) How to evaluate data editing process; (iii) How to design sets of edits; (iv) How graphics may be applied to data editing; (v) How new technology impacts the data editing process; (vi) What to do when an edit fails; (vii) How the computer can speed the coding process; and (viii) Glossary.
b) Preparation of the publication "Data Editing Methods and Techniques -- Volume 2", the aim of which is to recommend efficient techniques for individual data editing operations. Secretariat resources: Moderate
A common statistical information management environment is progressively being implemented, integrating the functions of data collection, storage, manipulation, analysis and dissemination, as well as associated metadata and data catalogue. This environment will provide expanded functionality; improved performance; greater ease of use, maintenance and upgrade; improved integration with document and publication production technologies; and lower costs.
Data collection methods and procedures are being further improved through progressive replacement of paper- and fax-based media with electronic media. Existing online services will be enhanced to provide for automated capture of data from statistical agencies. Operating over OWN/d, this enhanced service, will increase timeliness of statistical information received, eliminate errors inherent in manual procedures, and reduce the reporting burden.
(Theme 14: Sectoral applications)
Five broad lines of action have been identified: development of the work programme by the Working Party on Statistics, Telematic Networks and EDI with the following five priorities: metadata, reference environment, design and integration of EDI messages, collection of basic data, inter-organisational telematic network; meeting the needs resulting from enlargement making CRONOS-based information systems available on open systems; meeting the needs identified in the Corporate Planning exercise; changing over to X400 electronic mail.
UN Statistical Division (UNSD): Activities will be focused on improving the timeliness, quality and relevance of statistical outputs in subject-matter areas such as national accounts, international trade, industry, energy, social and demographic statistics. Existing specialized databases will be strengthened, with particular attention to the COMTRADE database for international trade and the national accounts, industry and demographic statistics databases. Recently established databases on women and disability will be maintained. Work on compilation of selected environmental indicators will be initiated. Special efforts will also be made to ensure more comprehensive and comparable economic data for developing countries and countries in transition in European region.
Statistical Committee of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS STAT): In pursuance of the tasks arising from a number of international agreements (on the establishment of an economic union, the exchange of economic information, the provision of information to support the implementation of multilateral agreements, the exchange of information relating to external economic activity, on the establishment of the Interstate Economic Committee, and other), work will be continued to improve the collection, storage, processing and distribution of information, including further work on a list of indicators to be exchanged, the creation of a common statistical base and continued work to standardize the electronic exchange of statistical information.
Objectives over the next several years: To design and develop methodologies for a standard description of statistical data and metadata. To improve the dissemination of statistical information by statistical agencies with emphasis on the development of electronic products to supplement traditional paper outputs. With the growth in electronic communication, statistical agencies need to be able to deliver their information through media that meet the needs of their clients (e.g. via such means as FAX, CD-ROMs, and on-line services). This programme also embraces standards for managing metadata. Policy issues concerned with marketing and pricing fall under programme element 1.1. In the near term emphasis should be placed on the development of common approaches and standards for the presentation of data on screens, for the electronic exchange of data, and for the management of statistical information and its descriptors.
Expected collective output in the next two years: For ECE, Status reports on progress on standards for electronic data exchange; Publication of the Inventory for the Presentation of Statistical Data and Metadata -- second issue; Publication of the Guidelines for the Modelling of Statistical Metainformation System; Publication of the standardization of Statistical Indicators and metadata; Dissemination of information on EDIFACT standards to transition countries; and reports of the work session on statistical metadata and of the work session on statistical outputs and dissemination to information media to the 1996 plenary session.
Recommended decisions by the Conference at the 1995 plenary session:
ECE: Work session on statistical output for dissemination to information
media (February 1996)
ECE: Work session on statistical metadata (Berlin, Germany, October
1996).
EUROSTAT: Telematics networks and EDI working group (4-6 October
1995)
EUROSTAT: SERT Working Party (5 December 1995)
(to be designated at the 1996 plenary session)
a) Preparation and distribution of the methodological materials "Standardization of Statistical Indicators and Metadata", and "Guidelines for the Modelling of Statistical Metainformation Systems".
b) Maintenance and publication of the Inventory of Standards for the Presentation of Statistical Data and Metadata.
c) Work session on statistical metadata (1996/97) to consider: (i) national reports on progress in implementation of Statistical Metainformation Systems (SMSs); (ii) progress reports on common terminology for SMSs and inventory of standards suitable for statistics); (iii) architecture and design of metadata holdings and metadata systems including issues of quality assurance, comparability and flexibility; (iv) role of metainformation in the statistical life-cycle including the following phases: design of concepts and surveys, data capture, data processing, retrieval of data, dissemination and marketing; (v) exchange of metadata tools and metadata holdings.
d) Participation in the development of international standards for statistical EDI (Group MD 6 of the Western European EDIFACT BOARD). Coordination of implementation of those standards in transition countries. Development of trial electronic collection of macroeconomic data from transition countries.
e) Work session on statistical output for dissemination to information media (1996/97) to consider: (i) Objectives, principles and management issues in data dissemination; (ii) Techniques and technologies of improved information flow between statistical offices and media; (iii) Coordination of policies of statistical offices towards international news organizations; (iv) Relations with media outside dissemination.
Secretariat resources: Substantial.
Improvement of the speed, quality and flexibility with which the Organisation's statistical publications are produced. A database publishing facility, integrated with the statistical information management environment, will be established for the automated production of statistical publications. Standards are being defined to facilitate the production of publications in a variety of paper-based and electronic media.
Broadening use of electronic media for dissemination of statistical information. Existing online services will be extended to provide for query and retrieval of OECD statistics; operating through OWN/d, this will increase the accessibility of OECD statistics for external users. Will adhere to international standards for the electronic exchange of statistical information, as these emerge (e.g., EDIFACT).
(Theme 12, 53: New EDP methods, Business Statistics and telematic networks)
Design and coordination of activities in the field of standardisation of electronic data interchange (EDIFACT) and the setting-up of a telematic network to back up the European statistical system (DSIS).
UN Statistical Division (UNSD): Published material: Statistical Yearbook; Monthly Bulletin of Statistics, World Statistics in Brief; Demographic Yearbook; Population and Vital Statistics Report; National Accounts Yearbook; Industrial Statistics Yearbook "Commodity Production Statistics"; Energy Statistics Yearbook; Energy Balances and Electricity Profiles; International Trade Statistics Yearbook; Commodity Trade Statistics; World Housing Statistics in Graphs; Statistical Chart on Ageing. Substantial pat of these publications contains statistical data from European countries. Technical material: Ad hoc copies and extracts of databases in both machine-readable and printed formats are provided on a continuous basis to meet special requests in the fields of national accounts, ICP, external trade, general industrial statistics, commodity production statistics, index numbers of industrial production, energy, demographic statistics and general statistics. These requests cover a wide variety of Secretariat, United Nations system, Member State and general business and public applications. Databases are being prepared in diskette and CD-ROM for dissemination as sales publications in the fields of disability statistics, directory of international computerized statistical data bases, core economic and social indicators. The 1993 SNA will be issued on CD-ROM, the Statistical Yearbook and women's database will continue to be issued on CD-ROM and the Monthly Bulletin will be made available on line. New retrieval software is being developed for COMTRADE in cooperation with the World Bank and for the demographic and social statistics database, and is under consideration for UNESIS (comprising most of the other fields noted above).
International Monetary Fund (IMF): All IMF statistical publications (International Financial Statistics (IFS), International Financial Statistics Yearbook (IFSY), Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook, Government Finance Statistics Yearbook, Direction of Trade Statistics Quarterly, Direction of Trade Statistics Yearbook) are now available to subscribers on magnetic tape. IFS is also available on CD-ROM, and progress is being made to make the Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and the Direction of Trade Statistics Publications also available on CD-ROM. Because the countries of the former Soviet Union (FSU) are not yet able to produce a full range of IFS data, the IMF published and IFS Supplement on the FSU countries in December 1993.
To help ensure that by the end of the decade, member countries use either the same or a convertible classification of activities (latest vintages of ISIC, NACE or other classifications which can be well converted into either); that member countries use the same commodity classification (CPC services, HS or equivalent); and that they adopt ISCO or link their national classifications to it.
A schedule showing when member countries plan to implement the latest vintages of international classifications; an inventory of current deviations from international classifications annotated with measures of the relative importance of such deviations; and a list of deviations from the major classifications which are suggested for adoption by countries in transition.
(None)
EUROSTAT: Customs code - Combined nomenclature section committee
(25-28 September 1995)
EUROSTAT: Accounting and statistical coordination task force (27-28
September 1995)
EUROSTAT: SPC - NACE committee (13-14 November 1995)
EUROSTAT: Customs code - Combined nomenclature section committee
(21-24. November 1995)
(to be designated at the 1996 plenary session)
Intersecretariat Task Force: An Intersecretariat Task Force called the Task Force on Industrial and construction Statistics has been established in this field by the UN Statistical Commission's Working Group on International Statistical Programmes and Coordination. Its two main objectives concerned the improvement of international comparability of industry statistics and the reduction of duplication of work by international organisations. Given the difficulties associated with a rapid implementation of ISIC Rev.3 in a number of countries, the Task Force has made recommendations to the UN Statistical Commission to improve or at least maintain international comparability in industrial statistics in the transition period. It has also presented options aiming at facilitating the general implementation of ISIC Rev.3. Regarding the reduction of duplication, the Task Force has fostered the cooperation between the OECD and UNIDO which have already started a joint programme of cooperation. The Task Force has been asked by the Commission to continue its work on the users and uses of industrial statistics and monitoring the implementation of ISIC Rev.3.
(See work of the Task Force on Industrial and Constructions Statistics above)
(Themes 26, 28, 42: Classifications, Statistical and accounting co-ordination and Management of external trade classifications)
For NACE Rev. 1, 1995 is the year in which it is brought into general use in several countries. Eurostat's main task is to assist users, build up a body of case law and analyse the requests for revisions made by statisticians and businesses. The CPA will also be implemented, with user assistance, accompanied by the establishment of case law and publication in all the languages. Work on the classification servers will be completed and they can start to be set up in the Member States. Another aim for 1995 is to continue examining COFOG (Classification of the Functions of Government) (See programme element 3.1) and COICOP (Classification of Individual Consumption by Purpose) and to establish harmonised groupings of NACE Rev. 1 and CPA headings for purposes of economic analysis - particularly national accounts (the aggregation for economic analysis).
Following a seminar in September 1994 on Statistical and Accounting Coordination, a Task Force is being established to examine the possibilities for improving the consistency of the statistical system. In particular, the new Task Force will work on the coordination of general statistical concepts and towards the better integrating micro- and macro-economic concepts over the wider scope of both economic and social statistics, including, inter alia, the concepts of classifications and statistical units of observation.
UN Statistical Division (UNSD): Emphasis will be given on consolidating the important work of recent years on international activity, functional and product classifications, especially the preparation of concordances in machine readable form. Activities will be focused on revision of the directory of the international classifications used in statistics; updating of correspondence tables and indices between specific system classifications.
The ILO: The ILO will continue to provide direct short-term assistance to countries wishing to prepare a national classification of occupations on the basis of ISCO 88 or similar basis, and the following of national developments with a view to updating the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO 88). A manual on the development of national classifications of occupations and their use in statistical surveys or for other uses will be issued in 1995.
Objectives over the next several years: To identify and promote methodological innovation with broad application across statistical programs. Generally methodological issues will be considered under the subject matter areas to which they apply. The methodological dimension of survey processing software is covered under programme element 2.2. This element exists to accommodate cross-cutting methodological issues. No activities in the Conference's work programme are proposed for the coming planning period.
Expected collective output in the next two years: For Eurostat, case studies, methodological recommendations, prototypes and software will be developed in the area of information technology and statistics, telematics for statistics and environment and transport statistics. The precise form of these actions will be determined once the necessary legal framework has been approved by the EU Council.
(None)
(to be designated at the 1996 plenary session)
(Theme 66: Research and development in the field of statistics (part of)
Activities primarily consist of launching of statistical research projects under the Fourth R&D Framework Programme of the European Union. The DOSIS programme will be opened to the scientific community, the NSIs, economic operators and other users.
Objectives over the next several years: To improve the efficiency, quality and comparability of the geographic dimension of official statistics. This includes concepts and standards, new tools and technology (GIS), dissemination of geography products, and spatial analysis. For the coming year, emphasis should be placed on identifying and making plans for addressing those areas where international work could yield benefits. This should build on the conclusions of the recent work session on GIS at which some such areas were identified (e.g. definitions of urban, rural and metropolitan; relationships with cartographic and postal agencies; strengthening the awareness of geography in statistical agencies; licensing and pricing of geographic products; evaluation of GIS and mapping software.
Expected collective output in the next two years: For ECE, reports from the work session on GIS to the 1996 plenary sessions. For ECE, two GIS work sessions (Ottawa 1993 and Voorburg 1994) have identified areas for future international cooperation. The following results have been achieved so far: (i) the setting-up of the mechanisms for cooperation with ISO on the development of international standards in geomatics: and (ii) the establishment of a pool for the exchange of information on GIS software).
ECE: Work session on GIS (Washington, March 1996).
EUROSTAT: Seminar: Statistics in Eastern and Central European
Countries
(to be designated at the 1996 plenary session)
a) Setting up of a special group of experts, the aim of which will be to further increase knowledge on Geographical Information Systems (GIS) software tools and concepts suitable for statistics.
b) Work session on GIS (1995/96) to consider: (i) national reports on progress in the implementation and use of GIS; (ii) standardization related to statistical GIS; (iii) methodological aspects of GIS applications in statistics; (iv) marketing issues related to GIS and typology of the GIS users.
Secretariat resources: Moderate
(Themes 19, 85: Management of existing products (part of) and Crop production (part of))
The GISCO activity continues to demand increasing attention from services both inside and outside the Commission. The next steps involve securing the supplies of the various geographic data layers and bringing Commission services progressively up to production status with GIS systems.
Remote sensing: The work on determining the appropriate place of remote sensing as a data source for official statisticians will be continued. Administratively this involves: contributing (with the Directorate-General for Agriculture) to the user service management component of the large development programme MARS (Monitoring Agriculture by remote Sensing) of the Joint Research Centre's Institute for Remote Sensing applications; and directly managing part of the research budget relating to earth observation.
These activities are chosen and executed in collaboration with the relevant operational units of Eurostat and involve wherever possible NSIs. The 1994 work on delimitation of urban areas has been extended in 1995 with a new focus on trans-frontier regions. Projects on regional planning and the environment are being started. A study on training needs and how to meet them is being mounted.
Objectives over the next several years: To promote the development and integration of statistics for sub-national and supra-national regions. The emphasis is on pulling together statistics from a variety of topics into profiles for regions below the major political divisions for which detailed statistics are regularly produced. Issues of data reconciliation, data organization and access, geographic bases, and methods for compiling profiles are included. No immediate activities are proposed in the Conference's programme of work in this field.
Expected collective output in the next two years: For Eurostat, statistical yearbook "REGIONS", complete classification of regions for the new member states, publication of methodology for regional household accounts, and first results of the screening exercise. For OECD, report on rural employment indicators.
Attention of the Conference is drawn to the following: Although Eurostat has been the only organization working actively in this field, the Territorial Development Service of the OECD recently began work on rural and urban statistics.
(None)
EUROSTAT: Regional indicators and economic accounts working group:-
infra-regional data (6 November 1995)
EUROSTAT: Regional indicators and economic accounts working group:-
two-day meetings in 1996
OECD: Steering Group on Rural Indicators (Nov. 95)
(to be designated at the 1996 plenary session)
An activity on rural indicators is carried out; a territorial scheme was developed to collect data for comparable sub-national geographical units. The scheme covers the entire territory of the 24 Member countries and uses two hierarchical levels: regions (about 2 000 units) and local communities (about 50 000 units). A common definition of rural/urban areas uses population density as a classification criterion. Based on this scheme, a database that contains variables on demographic, economic, social and environmental issues is maintained.
(Themes 77, 78: Regional statistics and accounts, and Infra-regional data)
The methodology for the compilation of economic accounts by industry and household accounts will be finalised and published. Preliminary proposals relating to the accounts of central government will be made.
Theoretical and practical work will be done on the regional exploitation of the Labour Force Survey, the development of social indicators (pro rata with the progress of work nationally), the implementation of an information system on conurbations, consolidation of the "quantification" exercise for Objective 1 regions, definition of information needs on infrastructure and finalisation of methodology for regional-level R&D indicators.
A new NUTS to take account of new Member States will be published and there will be a full revision of codification.
Concerning sub-regional statistics, after the inclusion of data originating in the last round of censuses, it will be necessary to discuss in depth with data users and suppliers the content and exploitation (including publication) of the database.
A fourth volume of the Regional Portrait of Europe on the EEA, will be produced and work will start on a revised edition of volumes 1 to 3 to permit publication in 1996. The form and medium of this publication will also be reviewed.
Objectives over the next several years: To increase participation in training. In order to promote this, to make available systematically to countries the information relating to training policies and programmes in both Member countries and in Eurostat; to help coordinate international training seminars and workshops and ensure that subjects addressed are in line with statistical priorities as defined by CES and Eurostat; to assist member countries in developing staff exchange policies where comparative advantages make such exchanges effective, to facilitate countries making wise choices for training.
Expected collective output in the next two years: Consolidated catalogue of training courses in statistics offered by EU and EFTA Member countries and in the framework of Training for European Statisticians (TES); bulletin with notices of openings for training in statistical agencies abroad; and an annual review of training gaps and suggestions on how to address them.
(None) Meetings in the next two years:
(to be designated at the 1996 plenary session)
(Theme 03: Training of European Statisticians)
Organisation of the 1995/6 Training of European Statisticians (TES) programme, comprising 25 modules in 15 countries of the European Economic Area, lasting between 3 and 15 days.
UN Statistical Division (UNSD): Group training, seminars, workshops and fellowships: training activities in cooperation with UNDP and UNFPA for Member States in the areas of economic statistics, population censuses, civil registration and other demographic and social statistics programmes, household surveys, and computer data processing and informatics.
The ILO: A regular activity of training programmes on labour statistics has been established by the ILO over the past few years and this will continue. Training courses in labour statistics in English and French will be conducted regularly with the Bureau of Statistics' staff providing the training and designing course material. A compendium of training material prepared for these courses will be published.
A training seminar on wages statistics for the countries of the Caribbean area is planned for 1995.
International Monetary Fund (IMF): Annual training courses of six weeks in either English, French or Spanish in balance of payments, government finance, and money and banking statistics are offered at the IMF Institute in Washington. Three-week courses are provided annually in English and in Russian at the Joint Vienna Institute. Beginning in November/December 1995, the Fund will also offer a course in National Accounts at the IMF Institute (in English). Regional training courses in these subjects are also conducted on an ad hoc basis.
UNESCO:
a) 1995/96
WORK PROGRAMME
OF THE
CONFERENCE OF
EUROPEAN
STATISTICIANS
PRIORITY MENU
FOR 1995/96
,Programme Substantive action Major Output for
element required by the ECE coordination the plenary
secretariat required session 1996
2.1 Management - Organization of - Report
of statistical ISIS'96
information
technology
2.2 Statistical - Preparation of -
data collection methodological Methodologic
and processing materials on al materials
statistical data on
editing statistical
data editing
-
- Preparation of the Conclusions
work session on of the work
statistical data session on
editing statistical
data editing
2.3 - Preparation of -
Dissemination methodological methodologic
of statistical materials on al materials
information statistical metadata
-
- Preparation of the Conclusions
work session on of the work
statistical output - EUROSTAT session
and dissemination to
information media
- Progress
- Participation in report
the development of
EDISTAT (Western
European EDIFACT
Board - group MD6) - Trial EDI
applications
- Coordination of
EDISTAT
implementation with
transition countries
2.6 Geography - Preparation of the - EUROSTAT -
work session on GIS Conclusions
of the work
session
b) 1996/97
WORK PROGRAMME
OF THE
CONFERENCE OF
EUROPEAN
STATISTICIANS
PRIORITY MENU
FOR 1996/97
,Programme Substantive action Major Output for
element required by the ECE coordination the plenary
secretariat required session 1997
2.1 Management - Organization of - Report
of statistical 25th session of the
information Working Party on EDP
technology
2.2 Statistical - Preparation of -
data collection methodological Methodologic
and processing materials and al materials
publication on and
statistical data publication
editing
-
- Preparation of the Conclusions
work session on of the work
statistical data session
editing
2.3 - Preparation of the -
Dissemination work session on Conclusions
of statistical statistical metadata of the work
information - EUROSTAT session
- Participation in
the development of - Progress
EDISTAT (Western report
European EDIFACT
Board - group MD6)
- Coordination of - Trial EDI
EDISTAT applications
implementation with
transition countries
2.6 Geography - Preparation of the - EUROSTAT -
work session on GIS Conclusions
of the work
session
Principal
Sponsoring
Organization
ECE Eurostat OECD Other
org.
2.1 - UNSD:
Management Expert
of Group on
statistical user access
information - ISIS'96 and output
technology (May 96) systems to
UNSD
- 25th databases
session of (19..)
Working
Party on EDP
(Feb. 97)
2.2 - Work
Statistical Session on
data data editing
collection (Nov. 95)
and
processing
2.3 - Work -
Disseminatio session on Telematic
n and disseminatio networks
interchange n of and EDI
of statistical working
statistical data to group
information information (Oct. 95)
media (Feb.
96)
- SERT
- Work Working
session on Party
statistical (Dec. 95)
metadata
(Oct. 96)
2.4 - Customs
Industry, code --
commodity Combined
and nomenclatu
occupation re section
classificati committee
ons (Sept. 95)
-
Accounting
and
statistical
coordination task
force
(Sept. 95)
- SPC -
NACE
committee
(Nov. 95)
- Customs
code --
Combined
nomenclature
section
committee
(Nov. 95)
2.5
Statistical
methodology
2.6 - Work - Seminar
Geography Session on on
GIS (March statistics
96, April in eastern
97) and
central
European
countries
2.7 - Regional - Steering
Regional indicators Group on
statistics and Rural
economic Indicators
accounts (Nov. 95)
working:-
infra-
regional
data (Nov.
95)
- Regional
indicators
and
economic
accounts
working
group:- (2
day
meetings
in 96)
2.8 - UNSD:
Training Misc. group
training,
seminars,
workshops
and
fellowships