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
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
CES/1995/R.15/Add.3) finance, and balance of payments
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 3
ECONOMIC STATISTICS
3.1 IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SYSTEM OF NATIONAL ACCOUNTS
Objectives over the next several years:
To develop an approach to the implementation of the revised SNA/ESA
by member countries and to coordinate its consistent application.
Major components of this approach include a clear understanding
and articulation of the needs of the various countries and their
statistical capabilities to respond to such needs. For the OECD
countries with the most developed statistical databases, these
include a full range of accounts - production accounts, capital
finance accounts, balance sheets accounts, balance of payments,
input-output tables, productivity measures, satellite accounts.
For the transition economies, with a less developed statistical
base, a judicious selection of accounts starting with production
accounts and the rest of the world accounts must be made. Priority
should be given to developing the underlying series required for
integration into the SNA. Work in this project also encompasses
work on the development of satellite accounts on household production.
Work on the implementation of the SNA should bear in mind that
related work on the balance of payments and government finance
statistics undertaken in project 3.2 is designed to integrate
them into national accounts.
Expected collective output in the next two years:
For OECD, revised versions of COICOP (household expenditures)
and COFOG (government expenditures) are expected to be issued
in 1995/1996.
Development of recommendations for a satellite account for household
production.
For Eurostat, a revised European System of Integrated Accounts
(ESA) consistent with the 1993 SNA, Research and operational papers
on valuation of banking and insurance, valuation of non-produced
assets, and demarcation of the Public sector universe. Handbook
on Quarterly Accounts. Methodology for the allocation of Financial
intermediation services indirectly measured (FISIM).
Production of Handbooks, produced under the auspices of the Task
Force on National Accounts, on SNA for Transition Economies, Household
Sector Accounts, SNA under Circumstances of High Inflation, Input/Output,
and Enterprise Sector Accounts. An additional handbook, if resources
permit, should deal with the issue of the hidden economy, making
use of the practical experience gained from Eurostat's work on
exhaustiveness.
Attention of the Conference is drawn to the following:
Recommended decisions by the Conference at the 1995 plenary
session:
UNSD:Ad hoc expert group meetings on human resource accounting;
SNA under circumstances of high inflation; social accounting matrix
and satellite accounts; analytical and policy uses of SNA; and
links between business and national accounting standards (19..)
ECE-OECD Joint Meeting on National Accounts (1995/96)
IMF: UN Statistical Commission's Intersecretariat Working Group
on National Accounts (which is currently reviewing procedures
for implementing the 1993 SNA). (1-2 meetings a year)
UNSC: Working Group on National Accounts (1-2 meetings per year)
EUROSTAT: GNP management committee (26-27 June 1995)
EUROSTAT: Working group National accounts (28-30 June 1995)
EUROSTAT: Working group National accounts (20-22 November 1995)
EUROSTAT: GNP management committee (26-27 October 1995)
EUROSTAT: Working group National accounts (11-12 December 1995)
EUROSTAT: GNP management committee (13-15 December 1995)
EUROSTAT: Seminar on National Accounts for Central and Eastern
European countries (1995/6)
An Intersecretariat Task Force called the Task Force on National Accounts has been established in this field by the UN Statistical Commission's Working Group on International Statistical Programmes and Coordination. The Intersecretariat Working Group on National Accounts is the Convener of this task force.
ECE-OECD joint meeting on national accounts (Paris, 1995/96) to consider key aspects related to the implementation of the SNA (specific topics to be considered at the meeting to be drawn up by the OECD and ECE secretariats, on the basis of the suggestions to be made by the May 1995 joint ECE/OECD meeting on national accounts - see CES/1995/R.15/Add.7).
Secretariat resources: Moderate
Collects: annual and quarterly national accounts on countries' own definitions and classifications, and standardised annual national accounts on an SNA basis. The first set of data is used intensively by economic analysts and forecasters in the OECD Secretariat. The second set is collected jointly with UNSD and Eurostat. During 1995, development work will continue on the new UNSD/OECD/Eurostat SNA questionnaire and, in particular, on plans for submission of data in electronic form. In 1995 and 1996 development work is planned on household production, the timeliness and reliability of the accounts and some aspects of environmental accounts.
Provides technical advice to transition countries to develop their capacities to produce reliable national accounts statistics on a regular basis, focusing on production accounts by industry, categories of final expenditures and the growing private sector, especially "informal" activities. Organises annual meetings of national accounts experts. Since 1993 these meetings have been jointly organised with the ECE. They generally take place in Spring with the venue alternatively between Paris and Geneva.
Publishes handbooks, manuals and technical guides on methodological aspects of national accounting. In 1995 publications will cover accounting for high inflation, constant price measures of services value added, methodological report on the 1993 European Comparison Programme and a new draft of the COICOP (household expenditure) classification. The 1996 publications programme will be developed in conjunction with other members of the ISWGNA.
In the period up to 2000, OECD work will concentrate on the progressive implementation of the new features of the 1993 SNA. In priority order these are the new sector accounts, the balance sheets and the reconciliation accounts. With regard to the balance sheets, OECD will pay particular attention to the proper measurement of levels of and changes to non-produced assets, including sub-soil assets.
(Themes 25, 27-29, 34: Gross national product and VAT: own resources; Production of national accounts data; Statistical and accounting coordination; National accounts methodology; Financial accounts (part of)). In view of the long term aim of accession to the EU of some Central and European countries, annual seminars will be held on the implementation of ESA-95 in these countries, in co-operation with EU NSIs.
The ESA-95 Regulation will be discussed in the Council, and methodological work will continue on satellite accounts, imputed bank services and the inclusion of the environmental aspect in these accounts. The work will be carried out in collaboration with other international organizations and Member States and non-Member countries.
The work on GNP Directive (Fourth own resource in the Community budget) will primarily concern the underground economy and the other themes forming the subject of reservations, i.e. imputed rents, the transition from GDP to GNP, financial institutions, agriculture, breakdown of final use and/or intermediate consumption, private administrations and financial and insurance institutions.
Concerning the VAT Regulation (Third own resource in the Community budget), the aim is to continue checking the calculation of the weighted average rate in the Member States.
It is the intention to reduce the time taken to produce the data in the accounts of the Member States, to extend the work in connection with enlargement. Work on the development of quarterly accounts (elaboration of a handbook for quarterly accounts) and public administration accounts will continue (cf. deficit - debt). New analyses will be carried out for the main account aggregates and the publication "Report on the Accounts of the Union", produced in collaboration with some NSIs and research institutes, will be launched.
Eurostat is continuing to re-examine the COFOG classification (See programme element 2.4). See programme element 5.2 for Eurostat's activities in "green accounting".
UN Statistical Division (UNSD): Following the adoption of the System of National Accounts, 1993, implementation of the system in all countries, in close collaboration with the regional commissions and other members of the Inter-secretariat Working Group on National Accounts (IMF, the World Bank, OECD and the statistical offices of European countries) will receive high priority. Methodological work will be concentrated on production of the Handbooks on SNA for Transition Economies, Human Resource Accounting, SNA under Circumstances of High Inflation, Input/Output, Social Accounting Matrices, Links between Business and National Accounting Standards, and Analytical and Policy Uses of National Accounts.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF): These comprise two- to three week on-site missions to help establish work plans in developing national accounts. To facilitate the development of timely reporting, a particular emphasis in the programs for transition countries is the development of a database and estimation techniques to calculate quarterly national accounts estimates.
Work in the field of balance of payments and government finance statistics should bear in mind related work undertaken in project 3.1 on the implementation of the SNA. In the areas of balance of payments, government finance, and money and banking statistics, the objectives are the revision of the manuals relevant to those statistics (since the Balance of Payments Manual has recently been revised, this focuses on monetary and financial statistics and government finance statistics), implementation of these manuals, coordination at the international level of work done in these areas and agreement on the common method of collection and calculation of BoP. This includes the needs of European monetary integration, which is centered around the implementation of the Treaty of European Union as regards attaining economic and monetary convergence. In addition, databases will be established consistent with these manuals. In international banking statistics, a database on international banking flows is maintained that is highly coordinated with the BIS.
Eurostat and EMI have the objective of a harmonisation of Balance of Payments compilations.
It is envisaged that a draft of the IMF "Manual on Monetary and Financial Statistics" will be completed in 1995. A complete first draft of the revised IMF "Manual on Government Finance Statistics" is expected to be completed in 1997, and will be distributed to member countries and interested international organizations for comments before the end of 1997. An "Annual Report of the IMF Committee on Balance of Payments Statistics" should be published in 1995 in addition to a twice-yearly edition of the IMF "Newsletter on Balance of Payments Statistics". A database consistent with these methodologies will also be established. For Eurostat, a database will be developed consistent with the regulations established by the Council of Ministers on the procedures and statistical definitions which are to be transmitted for the excessive deficit procedure and a manual on the Community methodology for the calculation of BoP will be produced.
OECD: Working Party No. 2 on Tax Analysis and Tax Statistics (15-17
November 1995) (22-23 May 1996) (20-21 November 1996)
OECD: Working Group on Insurance Statistics (1995: two meetings
in mid-May and end-November; 1996 two meetings)
OECD: Group of Financial Statisticians, December 1995, September
1996)
IMF: Committee on Balance of Payments Statistics and Task Force
on Coordinated Portfolio Investment Survey (1-2 meetings a year)
UNSC/ACC Sub-Committee on Statistics: Task Force on Finance Statistics
(1-2 meetings a year)
EUROSTAT: Balance of Payments working group (17-18 October 1995)
EUROSTAT: Financial accounts working group (22-23 November 1995)
EUROSTAT: Committee of Monetary, Financial and Balance of Payments
Statistics (2 per year, usually January and June)
In 1993, the UN Statistical Commission/ACC Subcommittee on Statistical Activities'Task Force on Finance Statistics was established, with a mandate to foster coordination and cooperation of data collection and dissemination activities and methodological developments in the area of financial statistics. The Fund has acted as convener for this task force that, until now, has had two meetings, both focusing on harmonization issues.
Financial statistics: The following databases are maintained as primary sources for analytical work as well as for statistical publications: financial accounts; funds raised on international capital markets (international and foreign bond issues, syndicated bank loans, committed and uncommitted borrowing facilities -- ECPS and EMTNs --, international equity issues), statistics on domestic markets (security issues, interest rates, stock exchange statistics, issues of money market instruments); foreign direct investment (revision of the existing database from the joint OECD/Eurostat questionnaire on flow data); bank profitability and financial statements of banks; insurance statistics; institutional saving; financial statements of non-financial enterprises; international trade in financial services. Future work: preparation of a common OECD/Eurostat questionnaire for the collection of annual statistics on stocks of foreign direct investment and the revision of the database; setting up of other databases of financial statistics, based on OECD definitions, for countries establishing closer links with the OECD; improvement of statistical information on institutional savings and investors; adaptation of financial accounts to the rules established under the revised SNA; improving statistics and methodology of financial statements of non-financial enterprises and, at the same time, exploring possibilities of co-operation at the European level to harmonise the OECD data with BACH database resulting from the work of the European Committee of Central Balance Sheet Offices; implementing improvements resulting from the work of the Task Force on Bank Profitability to statistics and methodology of financial statements of banks; strengthening the cooperation between EUROSTAT and OECD on insurance statistics (methodological work on the compatibility of common data currently collected and on the broadening of the future common collection).
Revenue statistics: To help determine whether recent tax reforms have achieved their objectives and to define the international implications of such changes; maintains database on government revenue sources (prepared in co-operation with the IMF). Future work: revision of the interpretative guide to accommodate reference to taxes in co-operation with IMF.
Average production worker: database on taxes paid and family allowances received by a typical worker receiving average earnings in the manufacturing sector. Include also some information on PIT countries; considering extension to the other Central and Eastern European countries.
The recently established database on corporate and personal tax systems will be extended in terms of both data and country coverage.
(Themes 45,46: Management and development of balance of payments methodology (part of), and Production of statistics of the balance of payments and its components (services, direct investment, etc.); and Themes 31, 34, 35: European monetary integration; Financial accounts (part of); Financial and monetary indicators)
Apart from participation in international activities in balance of payments methodology in conjunction with the IMF and the OECD, the aim for 1995 is to complete the work on common coding of all the BoP data and to establish a common format for transmission (EDIFACT message). In the case of the BoP of the Community Institutions, the aim will be to reduce bilateral asymmetries with the Member States. The Eurostat database will be enlarged: progressive inclusion of new EU countries, foreign direct investment position and geographical breakdown of quarterly statistics. A common Eurostat- OECD questionnaire on the FDI position was due to be adopted at the beginning of 1995.
Work on ECU statistics should lead to the establishment of a database containing indicators on the official and private use of the ECU. In particular, research will be carried out into the commercial use of the ECU for payments in and between Member States.
The main aim in the field of debt and deficit will be to continue the methodological work with a view to arriving at an absolutely harmonised methodology for calculating indicators for the debt and deficit of public administrations as used in the corresponding procedure provided for in the Treaty on the European Union.
Work on implementing the financial accounts will be continued in accordance with the new ESA-95.
Concerning Monetary and financial indicators, the aim is to establish, in cooperation with the EMI, a database on the assets and commitments of the monetary institutions. As regards structural indicators, the collection of harmonised data on the long-term interest rates will continue, and a draft Regulation, if needed, will be submitted to the Council with a view to maximum harmonisation in the application of this convergence indicator provided for in the Treaty.
The Directorate General responsible for Economic and Financial Affairs performs monthly business and consumer surveys for the purposes of establishing a set of leading indicators.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF): Following the issuance of the Fifth edition of the "Balance of Payments Manual" (B0PM) in September 1993, the Fund plans to publish two companion documents, namely the "Balance of Payments Compilation Guide" (in December 1994) and the "Balance of Payments Textbook" (in the Spring of 1995). In addition, work will continue on the preparation of the first "Manual on Monetary and Financial Statistics" and the revision of the "Manual on Government Finance Statistics". The preparation of these manuals will, as much as possible, emphasize harmonization with the 1993 SNA.
Following the solicitation of the views of national and international statistical agencies on the annotated outline of the "Manual on Monetary and Financial Statistics", a draft manual is now being drafted. Sections of this draft have been distributed to IMF member countries and interested statistical agencies for comments; the remaining sections of the Manual will be distributed for comments during 1995.
For the preparation of the revision of the "Manual on Government Finance Statistics", views of national and international statistical agencies will be solicited, as well as users of statistics.
To facilitate the process of implementing the BOPM and coordinating the work of both national and international organizations, the IMF established a Committee on Balance of Payments Statistics in 1992 to oversee the implementation of the recommendations presented in the reports of the two IMF Working Parties (Report on the Measurement of International Capital Flows and Report on the World Current Account Discrepancy), advise the Fund on methodological and compilation issues in the context of balance of payments and international investment position statistics, and foster greater coordination of data collection among countries. In addition, the IMF will promote the implementation of the BOPM, inter alia, through this Committee. Current projects undertaken by the Committee include, inter alia, the conduct of a coordinated survey of portfolio investment positions, which is planned for December 31, 1997. To assist in the preparation of the survey, the Committee asked the Fund to constitute a task force - the IMF Task Force on Coordinated Portfolio Investment Survey - to draw up a timetable and a detailed set of specifications to meet the objectives of the survey. In 1993, similar work in government finance, and money and banking statistics was initiated by the Task Force on Finance Statistics. 3.3 INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN GOODS
To ensure that foreign trade statistics collected and produced by national administrations can be aggregated into regional world totals without excessive loss of detail, discontinuity over time, or inconsistency of underlying concepts and data; to ensure that the conceptual framework of foreign trade statistics reflects current trends in the manner in which foreign trade is conducted.
(to be read in conjunction with outputs of the organizations mentioned above):
A publication is planned by UNSD for the end of 1994 or early 1995 on responses to the U.N. questionnaire on National Practices in External Trade. To-date some 130 responses have been received and a supplementary questionnaire is being drafted to clarify some of the responses.
A report is also expected following the review by UNSD of the content of some sixty publications currently being issued by international organizations on trade statistics.
A data base incorporating reported data supplemented with adjustments and including estimates for non-reporting countries is being created and preliminary data are expected in the near future.
The improved flow of data among international organizations has already resulted in a better coverage of COMTRADE. Figures now show that COMTRADE covers some 84 per cent of world trade by commodity and partner country, some eleven months after the reference year, and 85-90 per cent for earlier years. As further improvement in the coverage of COMTRADE is expected.
Another expected output is the incorporation of HS in COMTRADE in parallel with that of SITC. A test database has been available to authorized on-line and batch users of COMTRADE for some six months. In addition, a PC-based graphical interface to COMTRADE is being developed to provide a more user-friendly access to COMTRADE and thereby expand the number of potential users of the data base.
A reduction in the duplication of requests by international organizations for national monthly and annual merchandise trade data has already taken place and more is expected in the near future. For example, intensive discussions are taking place on the use by UNSD of IMF monthly data, the use of EUROSTAT data in COMTRADE, and the use by OECD of COMTRADE data.
Work is also taking place on a revision of international merchandise trade concepts and definitions. The objective is to present a report to the Statistical Commission in 1997. To this end, an Expert Group would be convened to evaluate the proposed revisions. A compilers' manual might also be developed to assist in the implementation of these concepts and definitions. For WTO, the outputs include: contributions to the next revision of international merchandise trade concepts and definitions in the areas of "systems of trade" and "valuation"; synoptic tables on "who does what and when" in the area of estimates; preparation of a proposal for revising the HS in collaboration with experts in the military field; the release of a CD-ROM (produced jointly with the World Bank) on the Integrated Data Base which will contain at the tariff line level the imports and tariffs of about 45 WTO members representing 92 per cent of world trade; and outputs related to the work of the Task Force.
UNSD: Expert Group on revising the United Nations concepts and
definitions for international trade statistics (New York, November
1995)
UNSC/ACC Sub-Committee: Task Force on Merchandise Trade Statistics
(1-2 meetings a year)
EUROSTAT: Seminar INTRASTAT: current status, INTRASTAT 2 (September
1995, 2 days)
EUROSTAT: Committee on statistics relating to the trading of goods
(17-20 October 1995)
EUROSTAT: EDICOM task force (6 November 1995)
EUROSTAT: Committee on statistics relating to the trading of goods
(18-21 December 1995)
An Intersecretariat Task Force called the Task Force on International Trade Statistics has been established in this field by the UN Statistical Commission's Working Group on International Statistical Programmes and Coordination. The World Trade Organization (WTO) is the Convener of this task force. (Additional information on the work of the Task Force is given below in the section "Activities of other organizations".)
Collects OECD Countries' data and maintains two databases for analytical use: (a) monthly data of exports and imports at current prices by partner countries and main categories of commodities, and volume and average value indices for selected countries and main categories ("Series A") and (b) annual data of exports and imports at current prices by commodities at the 5-digit level/partner countries ("Series C"). These data are disseminated via print, CD-ROM, magnetic tape, diskette, micro-tables and customised extraction service. Compiles an inventory of sources and methods of foreign trade statistics, based on returns to the UN questionnaire.
During 1995/1996 both data bases will be expanded to include data for new Member countries including Mexico and, probably Korea, Poland, Hungary, Czech and Slovak Republics. In the period to 2000 the OECD foreign trade files may also be expanded to cover trade reported by certain non-Member countries in Asia and Latin America which are becoming major trading nations.
The OECD will work with its Member countries to improve international comparability of their foreign trade statistics. The OECD is revising and expanding its metadata base on the concepts and definitions underlying Member countries' foreign trade statistics. This will be used to support a technical report to be published in 1995 or 1996. The OECD also maintains conversion keys to provide unbroken time series when countries change commodity classifications. Starting from 1995, OECD foreign trade statistics will be classified by the Harmonised System.
(Themes 40-41, 43-44, 47: Management and development of external trade methodology (part of); Trade in goods between Member States after 1992; Tariff and trade statistics; Automation of collection and processing operations; Utilisation of trade statistics)
Concerning Intra-community trade, efforts will be continued to ensure that the Intrastat system operates effectively. Three main lines will be followed: simplifying the declaration system as far as possible without compromising data overall quality; analysing results with a view to testing their quality both generally and in detail; and contacting enterprises to encourage them to provide good quality declarations. At the same time, preliminary studies and a straw poll of the interested parties will be undertaken as soon as the Commission's proposals regarding the definitive form of the VAT system (Intrastat II) are known.
For Extra-Community trade, 1995 sees the implementation of the regulation governing the collection, production and dissemination of external trade statistics. This new regulation adapts the 1986 regulation to post-1993 (Single market) circumstances, adding a few changes made necessary by the intervening progress in methodology. In data processing, the essential event of 1995 is be the public debut of COMEXT, the processing and dissemination system for data on intra- and extra-Community trade. Data for non-member countries will also be available on COMEXT.
According to Council decision EDICOM of July 1994, emphasis will be put on the objective of easing the burden of the parties concerned in INTRASTAT and in particular of the small and medium sized businesses and at the same time accentuation will be laid on the need for improving the circulation of statistical information and for harmonisation and standards. The implementation of Trans- European information network for trade statistics will be facilitated "
The results of the trade reconciliation exercise between the Union, the USA and Canada should become available.
UN Statistical Division (UNSD): UNSD will give priority to improving the flow of detailed commodity by partner trade statistics from countries to UNSD for the COMTRADE database, with special attention to African countries and countries in transition in European region. Index numbers of trade will be revised with new weights based on 1990. Revision of the United Nations concepts and definitions for international trade statistics will be completed in cooperation with other organizations. The SITC Rev.3 will be revised in line with revisions to the Harmonized System to become effective 1 January 1996 subject to the views of the Statistical Commission at its 1995 session.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF): Two- to three week on-site missions focus on the review of existing data, institutional arrangements, concepts, methodologies, collection and processing procedures, staffing, and resources. In light of this assessment, work plans built around UNCTAD's ASYCUDA system have been established to suit local circumstances. Direct assistance and training, in collaboration with consultants from UNCTAD, are provided at all stages of development.
World Trade Organization (WTO): To contribute actively to the implementation of the mandate of the Inter-Agency Task Force on International Trade Statistics. The major short-term undertakings are: (a) the revision of the UN International Trade Concepts and Definitions - each participating international organization was given responsibility for revising a particular Chapter, with WTO and Eurostat being the lead agencies for re-drafting the systems of trade and WTO for the valuation of transactions; (b) the continued exchange of merchandise trade data among international organizations with the view of minimizing duplication of work - WTO will prepare a synoptic table on "Who Does What and When" with respect to estimates; and (c) WTO will forward a proposal to the WCO on military equipment for consideration at the time of the next revision of the HS. 3.4 TRANSPORT
To ensure that transport statistics are consistent with the standards, classifications and needs of mainstream economic statistics.
The international organizations doing work in this field are not in a strong position to pursue the objective listed above.
ECE: Training seminar for transition countries.
ECE (CES/ITC): Working Party on Transport Statistics (1995/96)
EUROSTAT: Railways statistics task force (1996)
EUROSTAT: Statistics on transport of persons working group (1996)
EUROSTAT: Transport statistics coordination working group (6-7
December 1995 or sometime in 1996)
The Inland Transport Committee in collaboration with the CES will consider: (i) harmonization of terminology used in transport statistics and review of the Commodity Classification for Transport Statistics in Europe (CSTE) with respect to other related classification systems; (ii) study of methodological problems in the collection of statistics on international and national inland transport and accident statistics as well as review of data collection work on international trade documents and procedures for the facilitation of international trade related to transport statistics; (iv) annual collection and publication of statistics on inland transport and road traffic accidents as well as five- yearly collections and publication of statistics on road traffic density on main traffic arteries (E Road Census); (v) coordination and improvement of the collection of statistics in various problematic areas, e.g. dangerous goods, environmental impact of transport, gender specific employment statistics, etc.; (vi) study of methods to facilitate and improve the collection of transport statistics through surveys and censuses; (vii) monitoring of developments in the field of transport data bases and information systems; (viii) measures to assist countries in transition in the collection, organization and automation of transport statistics, including the convening of workshops and training seminars; (ix) ongoing evaluation of ECE's statistical publications in transport to improve quality and coverage. Joint annual CES/ITC Meeting in 1995/96 and Training Seminar in September 1995 for transition countries.
Secretariat resources: Substantial
The European Conference of Ministers of Transport (ECMT) annually publishes a leaflet on Trends in transport sector, a bulletin on Statistical Trends in Transport and a Statistical Report on Road Accidents; every 5 years, it publishes a statistical study on investment in the transport sector. These cover the 30 European countries who are members of the ECMT. A common questionnaire is being developed with Eurostat and the ECE for use from the end of 1994.
(Theme 64: Transport)
The transport information system will be consolidated and extended to cover all modes of transport and all the countries of the EEA.
There will be consolidation and preparation of the system of legal bases for transport statistics, involving, on the one hand, the preparation of draft legal acts for air and sea transport and, on the other, the preparation of a new draft Directive revising the present directives on statistics on the carriage of goods by road. The adoption of this legislation is a high priority for the Commission, given the need to cover the existing gaps in the statistical system for transport (cf. the Commission White Paper on the common transport policy). The implementation measures will become matters of priority as soon as the Council has adopted the legislation in question.
A revision of the directive on carriage of goods by rail could be envisaged as soon as internal resources become available, essentially because of the liberalisation in progress of railway transport in the EU.
Collection of available information on road accidents, as covered by a Council Decision, will enable Eurostat to start harmonisation in this field. The Directorate General responsible for Transport has substantial statistical activity. Inter alia, it collects information on road safety (national legislation and accidents), accounts of railway companies, aviation (flights, routes, numbers of passengers). Ensure that transport statistics are consistent with standard classifications. A common glossary for transport statistics has been jointly prepared by the three organisations.
3.5 DISTRIBUTIVE TRADE
Development and updating of international manuals and standards in this field in the light of changes taking place in the structure of the retail and wholesale sectors; and provide a forum for transition countries and other countries to discuss methodological problems in this field.
For Eurostat, preparation of a community methodology on Distributive Trade; Organisation of an alphanumeric database (infobase); Collection and dissemination of existing information; Elaboration of a publication on Wholesale Trade; Extension to the EFTA countries of the existing publication on Retail Trade Implementation of a harmonized collection System on Distributive Trade.
EUROSTAT: Distributive trade working group (16-17 November 1995)
(Theme 63: Distributive trades and tourism (part of))
Proposals will be made for a Regulation relating to monthly or quarterly statistics on retail and wholesale trade.
A manual on methods of collecting statistics on distributive trade will be drafted and a multi-disciplinary group for the statistical observation and study of European distributive trade will be set up.
The Directorate General responsible for the Internal Market and Industrial Affairs keeps a database on public traders (including information on purchases, suppliers) in order to verify compliance with Community Directives.
A statistical annex concerning the Distributive Trade on the Regulations of Structural Business Statistics has been prepared.
A pilot project on retail and wholesale trades in Eastern and Central European countries is planned.
3.6 INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN SERVICES
To help develop suitable international nomenclatures and standards to ensure that national measurements are internationally comparable; to identify and establish a basic set of comparable data that meet the requirements of revised international standards for reporting Balance of Payments (BOP) and National Accounting (SNA) data and of recent agreements on international services trade; to provide further detail and analysis usable for promoting and developing services trade in a globalized competitive setting; to improve and selectively extend multilateral comparisons and exchanges of partner country data; to ensure that countries in transition have access to the methods and practices developed for the measurement of trade in services; and to contribute to the adaptation of the CPC to the specific needs of international trade in services.
Development of detailed classifications necessary to support the measurement of international trade in services within the Balance of Payments framework; and development of recommendations with respect to methodologies and measurement vehicles. Before the end of 1995 Eurostat will prepare a programme for the development of new methodology of collecting data on international trade in services and direct financial investment.
IMF: UNSC/ACC Subcommittee on Statistical Activities's Task Force
on Service Statistics (1-2 meetings per year)
OECD-EUROSTAT: Joint trade-in-services meetings annually (1-2
June 1995)
An Intersecretariat Task Force called the Task Force on Service Statistics has been established in this field by the UN Statistical Commission's Working Group on International Statistical Programmes and Coordination. The Convener of this Task Force is OECD.
Collects data on international service transactions of OECD Countries' and maintains the corresponding database. Finalisation and implementation of a new OECD-EUROSTAT classification of trade in services, linked to the Service components of the Fifth Edition of the IMF Balance of Payments Manual.
(Themes 40, 45, 49: Management and development of external trade methodology (part of); Management and development of balance of payments methodology (part of); Studies and analyses of external trade)
Statistics required at the most detailed level on international trade in services (Eurostat/OECD joint classification) will be agreed upon (including establishment trade). The details of Intra EMU data in Phase III of EMU will also need to be defined. A report on how to improve the quality of BoP current account statistics will be drawn up.
World Trade Organization (WTO): Its objectives are to contribute to the improvement of statistics of services transactions by the following means: (a) methodological research to identify gaps and inconsistencies between the concepts and definitions embodied in the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) and those in methodological manuals from other international organizations and national practices; (b) work on the comparability between the GATS classification of services and other classifications as well as on related statistical issues; (c) analysis of the statistical data needs for the implementation of the GATS, and communication of the results to other institutions; (d) improvement of services statistics through an active participation to the work of the newly established inter-Agency Task Force on Services Statistics; (e) participation to meetings where service statistics issues are addressed, such as the Eurostat Balance of Payments Working Party and the OECD/Eurostat Meeting of Experts of Trade-in-Services Statistics; (f) technical assistance activities in trade-in- services statistics; and (g) setting-up and maintenance of a database on commercial services primarily derived from the IMF Balance of Payments data base.
International Monetary Fund (IMF): The IMF will promote the development and improvement of data on international trade in services as an integral part of its activities related to the implementation of the BOPM. These efforts include (1) technical assistance, (2) training under the aegis of the IMF Institute, the Joint Vienna Institute, and ad hoc courses organized at regional and country levels, (3) activities undertaken in this area by the IMF Balance of Payments Committee, and (4) collaboration with other regional and international organizations that are members of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Service Statistics.
To develop a comprehensive, coherent and balanced system of tourism statistics capable of supporting government activities relating to developing and adjusting policy, and deepening the understanding of the determinants of tourism. Major components include the development of conceptual frameworks; common concepts and methodologies for measurement and integration of data. The information should also support the broad range of non-government interests (industry, public) including research, and coherent linkages with other areas such as social, demographic, business, economic and environmental studies.
A work plan for a coordinated and cooperative development of approaches to (1) assess current international tourism-related statistics against the objectives listed above; (29 examine the compatibilities and the consistency of concepts, definitions and classifications; (3) conclude special agreements with neighbouring countries on the harmonization of methodologies and exchange of statistics on tourism flows between them, and (4) the development of a credible economic statement of the size and significance of tourism industries and their linkages with other industries in the economy.
OECD: Statistical Working Party of the Tourism Committee (5-6
October 1995); Ad hoc group for the implementation of the Manual
on tourism economic accounts (3-4 October 1995).
EUROSTAT: Tourism working group (6-7 November 1995)
(a) To pursue the implementation of the Manual on Tourism Economic Accounts (MTEA), an instrument by which tourism may be viewed from the broader perspective of the United Nations' national accounting system. Data collection and analysis, along with harmonisation with new international standards, will be at the core of the Committee's work. In addition, the MTEA will be promoted, in particular through regional seminars.
(b) Collection, processing, analysis and dissemination of high quality statistics on national and international tourism which provide the Tourism Committee with appropriate data for discussions. Activities will be pursued in collecting short-term indicators of tourism activity as well as the implementation of the OECD Manual on Tourism Economic Accounts. Complementing the Manual, preparation of the guidelines on the measurement of tourism expenditures, in co-operation with the World Tourism Organisation.
(c) Co-operation with the World Tourism Organisation and Eurostat will continue focusing on the implementation of the Ottawa definitions and recommendations, the development of common guidelines, the preparation of harmonised questionnaires for data collection, etc.
(Theme 63: Distributive trades and tourism (part of))
The statistical programme on tourism mainly concentrates on the implementation of a harmonised system at the level of the European Union and the drafting of a methodological recommendation on the collection and dissemination of the existing information. This programme was drawn up with a view to meeting Community and national requirements (regional tourism etc.). The adaptation and implementation of this programme are to take place in stages, depending on national constraints (e.g. the quarterly survey on journeys will start in 1996). Eurostat is creating a working group on the travel account in the Balance of Payments.
World Tourism Organization (WTO): It performs work on the following activities: (a) assisting countries to implement the new UN/WTO Recommendations on Tourism statistics (it is preparing a series of technical manuals, and will organize training seminars including one in Poland for Central and Eastern European countries and one in Russia for all countries in the former USSR); (b) analyzing the compatibilities and the consistency of concepts, definitions and classifications (this includes efforts being made by OECD's Tourism Committee to integrate the Standard International Classification of Tourism Activities (SICTA) into a manual of tourism economic accounts, and other work dealing with definitions and classifications of tourism demand and plans to assess the current situation with regard to national compliance with the recommendations); (c) encouraging countries to conclude special arrangements with neighbouring countries to harmonize methodologies and to exchange statistics on tourism flows between them; (d) developing a credible economic statement of the size and significance of tourism industries and their linkages with other industries; (e) preparing WTO's regular statistical publications (Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, Compendium of Tourism Statistics, etc.); and (f) developing a computerized data base on world tourism statistics.
Note: this project does not deal with services related to goods (e.g. in fields such as transport and trade, which are dealt with in projects 3.3-3.7) or financial services (which are dealt with in project 3.1), but is restricted to other marketed services provided to persons and businesses and to non-marketed services provided by governments and households. The objectives are: to assist in laying a better foundation for the measurement of production of services and its integration with trade; to help develop suitable international nomenclatures and standards to ensure that national measurements are internationally comparable; and to ensure that countries in transition have access to the methods and practices developed for the measurement of activity in the services industries.
For the ECE, regular provision to countries in transition of the agenda and key papers contributed to the annual meetings of the Voorburg Group; convening occasional meetings that dovetail with the annual meetings of the experts' group on services statistics at OECD; and adapting existing standards and descriptions of methods to conditions affecting countries in transition.
For the OECD, to coordinate the compilation of a short term index of output of services by country on an internationally comparable basis.
For an inter-secretariat group, including the IMF, the successful integration of the standard balance of payments items on transactions in services with measures of domestic production.
- To ask OECD to serve as the Rapporteur/focal point for the Conference for work in this project.
OECD: Meeting of Service Statistics Experts (5-7 July 1995)
EUROSTAT: Insurance working group (28-29 June 1995)
EUROSTAT: Task Force Audio-visual service (28-29 September 1995)
EUROSTAT: Coordination Committee on services (8-10 November 1995)
EUROSTAT: Task force Insurance (23 November 1995)
EUROSTAT: ICOBS-AS working group (4-5 December 1995)
EUROSTAT: Services targeted to persons and collectivity working
group (13 December 1995)
(i) Application of the Eurostat methodological manual of statistics
of service enterprises in transition countries (secretariat, in
cooperation with Eurostat); (ii) assistance to transition countries
in implementing pilot surveys in selected service sectors (secretariat,
in cooperation with Eurostat); (iii) measurement of non-market
services; (iv) problems of deflation and short-term indicators
of service production; (v) measurement of household services and
imputed rents.
Joint ECE-Eurostat-OECD meeting when needed.
Secretariat resources: Moderate
Develops a database relating to output and employment in service industries; technical report containing guidelines for the measurement of service production at constant prices; and technical report on internationally comparable short-term indices of service production.
(Themes 60-62: (Market services - methodology and production, service products, short-term trends in services; (Market services - sectoral aspects; "Social economy", public undertakings and general government)
The main axes of work during 1995 comprise: the preparation of background for the start-up of the draft regulation on structural business statistics (existing administrative sources); the achievement of the methodological manual (results of pilot surveys); development of certain priority sectors (e.g. financial and audio-visual services); and the development of a methodology on short term indicators.
Services statistics support a series of different Community politics with rather heterogeneous approaches: coordination mechanisms in sectors like financial, insurance and, to a certain extent, telecommunications and mutual recognition in sectors like mobility of labour (diploma, lawyers, doctors). Services are in the scope of horizontal policies (enterprises; SME) where they count for a large proportion of the population.
Concerning the production and dissemination of services statistics the main areas of activity are: updating the information in the MERCURE data base; the transition of NACE/70 to NACE/Rev. 1 (national classifications); the annual publication on services statistics and the Panorama of EC Industry and other horizontal publications; description of statistical sources methodology; the more extensive exploitation of projects having a services content within Eurostat.
EU Member States are running pilot surveys on Hotel and Travel Agencies, Audio-visual and Transport. Results will be disseminated. A manual on data collection will be prepared.
The Voorburg Group: Constituted in 1987, with the participation on average of some twelve countries, Eurostat and some three international agencies, this group meets annually to discuss commodity classifications for the service industries, estimating service outputs at constant prices and making data on services and on trade in services internationally comparable. Among its important achievements, the Group was instrumental in providing the UN with a provisional CPC for services and in designing model surveys for the more advanced service industries. Currently, the Group is working on the final version of the CPC services. (Contact points: CBS Netherlands or Statistics Canada)
To define standards for the compilation of reliable and internationally comparable measures of inflation and for their correct interpretation; to help countries in transition convert their measures of price change into internationally comparable indexes; to help refine and implement methods to estimate purchasing power parities and to assist in introducing them to countries in transition.
A supplement to the ILO standard on consumer prices for application to countries in transition; an inventory of technical cooperation projects in countries in transition, with a focus on measures of price change; a standard project for the implementation of price change measures ranging from input prices to prices of goods and services for final demand; and a manual on the practical compilation of purchasing power parities for application in countries in transition. Technical report on the 1993 European Comparison Programme.
For Eurostat, two ICP surveys will be conducted annually in EU countries. By the end of 1996 Eurostat intends to produce a harmonised methodology for compiling CPIs in EU countries. Eurostat also provides assistance to transition countries in ECP.
For OECD, the multilateralisation of the ECP.
- To include the ECE-ILO joint meeting on consumer prices and the ECE-Eurostat-OECD-ACSO meeting on the European Comparison Programme in the Conference's programme of meetings for 1995/96.
- To ask Eurostat to serve as the Rapporteur/focal point for the Conference for work in this project in the fields of consumer prices and purchasing power parities.
- To ask the OECD to take the initiative to establish an inter- secretariat working group consisting of the organisations concerned for work in other fields of prices (e.g. producer prices, construction prices, and export and import prices).
ACSO/ECE/Eurostat/OECD Joint Consultation on the European Comparison
Programme within Group II (25-27 Sept. 1995)
ECE/ILO Joint meeting on consumer price indices (20-24 November
1995)
UNSC/ACC Sub-Committee: Task Force on Price Statistics (1-2 meetings
a year)
CIS STAT: Working group of experts on interstate cost comparisons
(one-two meetings every year)
OECD: Final consultation on the ECP comparison covering the Transcaucasian
and Central Asian Republics of the former Soviet Union; in Ankara/Moscow/Paris
(tentative: end 1995)
EUROSTAT: Harmonisation of consumer prices indices working group
(26 June 1995)
EUROSTAT: Price statistics working group (27-28 June 1995)
EUROSTAT: Staff salary weightings working group (29 June 1995)
EUROSTAT: Staff salary weightings working group (20 November 1995)
EUROSTAT: Price statistics working group (21-22 November 1995)
EUROSTAT: Harmonisation of consumer prices indices working group
(11-12 December 1995)
UNSC: Task Force on Price Statistics (1-2 meetings a year)
EUROSTAT: Seminar on Prices for Central and Eastern European countries
(1995/96)
An Intersecretariat Task Force called the Task Force on Price Statistics, including the International Comparison Programme has been established in this field by the UN Statistical Commission's Working Group on International Statistical Programmes and Coordination. The Statistical Office of the European Communities (Eurostat) is the Convener of this task force. A principal focus, identified at the first meeting, is to improve the coherence between the ICP and national work on CPIs.
a) Consumer prices: (i) new developments in CPI methodology (short information notes from countries; summary document by the secretariat); (ii) owner-occupied housing in CPI (exchange of information by correspondence; ECE secretariat with the help of national rapporteurs); (iii) index formulae (by national rapporteurs); (iv) improvement of CPI methodology in transition countries (by national rapporteurs); (v) progress reports on the harmonization work in Eurostat (by Eurostat; circulation of documents to transition countries by ECE secretariat); (vi) consideration of methodological issues (ECE secretariat with the assistance of national rapporteurs; (vii) consideration of ECP quality adjustment issues. Meeting in 1995/96.
Secretariat resources: Moderate
b) European Comparison Programme: Participation in the implementation of the European Comparison Programme (ECP) of real values and purchasing power parities in cooperation with the Austrian Central Statistical Office (ACSO), the World Bank, Eurostat, OECD and CIS STAT. Joint ACSO/Eurostat/OECD preparation of meetings for Group II countries. Vienna consultation in 1995.
Secretariat resources: Moderate
The Eurostat-OECD Purchasing Power Parities Programme covers the 25 OECD countries. The OECD and Eurostat also work closely with the Austrian Central Statistical Office, Statistics Finland, the State Institute of Statistics of Turkey, Goskomstat-Russian Federation, CIS-STAT, the World Bank and the ECE on the organisation of the European Comparison Programme which includes 23 transition countries. The OECD participates in the Eurostat Working Party on the Harmonisation of Consumer Price Indices and the associated task forces. It also complements the assistance provided by the IMF on price indices to transition countries. Technical advice on construction price indices, export and import price indices and price indices for national accounting purpose is provided to countries individually.
(Themes 30-32: Prices: data collection and calculation of PPPs; Prices: Consumer price indices; Weightings for salaries of EC officials)
The work of the various task forces and working parties on the harmonisation of methodologies for calculating consumer price indices will continue. Eurostat also intends to work on making the current calculations on the basis of the data transmitted by the NSIs more comparable. In view of the long term aim of accession to the EU of some Central and European countries, annual seminars will be held on the implementation of the Harmonised CPI in these countries, in co-operation with EU NSIs.
The main aim in the field of Purchasing power parities is to calculate the purchasing power parities for the ESA aggregates in real terms. The activity will cover the Member States of the EEA and Switzerland. Cooperation with other international organizations will continue in order to compare the EEA countries with approximately 70 other countries under the ICP (International Gross Product and Purchasing Power Comparison Project).
Eurostat is also responsible for the calculation of weightings for salaries of EU officials: the main aim is to continue calculating the weightings for salaries in the Member States of the EU and non-Member countries in which Commission officials are working. The report on this question (with reference to the EU only), submitted by the Commission to the Council in April 1994, describes a whole range of methodological improvements which should be made as from 1995.
UN Statistical Division (UNSD): Activities will be focused on the overall coordination of the International Comparison Programme (ICP). These include (a) disseminating basic technical documents; (b) identifying needs for further technical documents; (c) supporting exchange of methodology and experience across regions; (d) assisting regional comparisons in preparing harmonized survey documents; (e) assisting developing countries in adapting methodology and reporting data; (f) maintaining descriptions of core commodities and promoting their inclusion into regional list of specifications; (g) monitoring and supporting price data collection on core commodities; and (h) promoting the harmonization of ICP work with regular country price collection activities and national accounts.
The ILO: The ILO will continue i) to participate actively in the Eurostat Working Party on Consumer price indices and in the Inter- agency Task Force on Consumer Prices; ii) to publish data on consumer price indices and to update the methodological descriptions of national practices published in Sources and Methods: Labour Statistics, Vol. 1 - Consumer Price Indices; and iii) to publish the data on food prices collected through the ILO October Inquiry. The consumer price indices published by the ILO will be rebased on 1990.
The International Monetary Fund: In consumer price statistics, the IMF has developed a set of forms, collection instructions, and computer programmes that can be introduced quickly, following hands- on training and adaptation of the forms and procedures to suit the circumstances in each country. This has been implemented in most countries of the former Soviet Union. In producer price statistics, in addition to hands-on training, a software package is being developed.
Ottawa Group on Consumer Price Indexes: This Group was created in 1994 with the objective of promoting technical discussions on conceptual aspects of the CPI and in particular on the possibility of estimating CPI biases and on differences between CPI's and harmonized means of measuring inflation. The Group intends to meet annually. It is composed of experts from six countries and from Eurostat. (Contact points: Statistics Sweden or Statistics Canada).
To exchange information on experiences in collecting and compiling food and agricultural statistics including their environmental aspects, to ensure that such data are integrated, comply with comparable conceptual frameworks and help answer current policy concerns. Specifically, to contribute to work in developing recommendations for agricultural censuses and to ensure that the concerns and requirements of countries in transition are adequately reflected. To assist national statistical offices to develop agricultural statistical systems capable of being used for organizing agricultural surveys for the collection, analysis and dissemination of current data on both crops and livestock. For Eurostat, to provide the essential data required for the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) within the European Union and the plans for its reform.
A Handbook of methods and definitions to support current data collection, with particular reference to problems specific to countries in transition. A plan to develop agreed concepts and definitions for implementation in the forthcoming round of agricultural censuses. A centrally developed and supported training programme in food and agricultural statistics for countries in transition. A work programme to develop the use of agricultural statistics to obtain environmental information.
- To include the 22nd session of the FAO/ECE Study Group on Food and Agricultural Statistics in Europe, and the ECE-Eurostat- FAO-OECD workshop on agricultural statistics for transition countries in the Conference's 1995/96 meeting programme.
- To ask Eurostat, with the assistance of IWG.AGRI, to serve as the Rapporteur/focal point for the Conference for work in this project.
22nd session of the FAO/ECE Study Group on Food and Agricultural
Statistics in Europe (3-7 July 1995)
ECE/Eurostat/FAO/OECD Workshop on agricultural statistics for
transition countries, Slovenia (9-13 October 1995).
ECE/Eurostat/FAO/OECD Seminar on environment related agriculture
statistics (July 1996).
FAO: Coordinating Working Party on Atlantic Fishery Statistics
(every 2 years)
ECE/FAO Working Party on Forest Economics and Statistics 20th
Session (19-23 June 1995).
Second Meeting of Inter-secretariat Working Group on Forestry
Statistics (18 June 1995)
OECD: Expert Group Meeting on Agricultural Statistics (June 1995)
EUROSTAT: Feed balance sheet working group (20-21 June 1995)
EUROSTAT: Agricultural prices statistics working group (21-22
June 1995)
EUROSTAT: Forestry statistics working group (29-30 June 1995)
EUROSTAT: Agricultural economic accounts working group (3-4 July
1995)
EUROSTAT: Agricultural statistics Committee (12-14 July 1995)
EUROSTAT: Agricultural holdings structure statistics working group
(21-22 September 1995)
EUROSTAT: Fisheries statistics working group (22 September 1995)
EUROSTAT: SPEL working group (28-29 September 1995)
EUROSTAT: Crop statistics working group (2-4 October 1995)
EUROSTAT: Seminar on Fisheries statistics for Baltic states and
Poland, Tallin, (3rd quarter 1995)
EUROSTAT: Animal products statistics working group (17-19 October
1995)
EUROSTAT: Agro-industrial statistics working group (24-25 October
1995)
EUROSTAT: Agricultural economic accounts working group (29-30
November 1995)
EUROSTAT: Agricultural holdings structure statistics working group
(12-13 December 1995)
EUROSTAT: Seminar: Total Income of Agricultural Households (10-12
January 1996)
EUROSTAT: Milk statistics (January 1996?)
EUROSTAT: Crop products statistics (February 1996?)
EUROSTAT: Animals products statistics (February/March 1996?)
EUROSTAT: Fisheries statistics (March 1996?)
EUROSTAT: Crop products statistics (Fruits and wines) (March 1996?)
EUROSTAT: Statistics of the structure of agricultural holdings
(May 1996?)
EUROSTAT: Standing committee on agricultural statistics (June
1996?)
EUROSTAT: Fodder balances (June 1996?)
EUROSTAT: Forestry statistics (June 1996?)
EUROSTAT: CSA economic agricultural accounts (September 1996?)
EUROSTAT: Restructuring the system of agricultural surveys and
standing committee on agricultural statistics (October 1996?)
a) i) Organization of workshops to assist transition countries in establishing new agricultural and food statistics (IWG.AGRI); (ii) preparation by the IWG.AGRI of a handbook of concepts and definitions used in international collections of food and agriculture statistics (IWG.AGRI with the assistance of countries); (iii) contribution to the next revision of FAO recommendations for agricultural censuses (secretariat); (iv) consideration of methodological issues of food and agriculture statistics (secretariat with the assistance of national rapporteurs). 22nd session of the FAO/ECE Study Group on Food and Agricultural Statistics in Europe in 1995/96. Workshop on agricultural statistics for transition countries (jointly with Eurostat, FAO and OECD) in 1995/96. Seminar on environment-related agriculture statistics (jointly with Eurostat, FAO and OECD) in 1996/97, to consider: pesticide use statistics; fertiliser use statistics; statistics of crop yields; livestock density statistics; statistics related to farm management practices; land use statistics; nutrient balance compilation; and other topics. Activities of the ECE, FAO, OECD and Eurostat in the field of agricultural statistics are coordinated and partly integrated by means of IWG.AGRI. Secretariat resources: Substantial
Under the auspices of the ECE Timber Committee and in close cooperation with FAO Rome, the ECE/FAO Agriculture and Timber Division collects and publishes a comprehensive and integrated set of series relating to the forest and forest products sector: production, consumption, trade and prices of roundwood and forest products, structure and capacity of the industries, as well as market reviews and analysis. This work is overseen by the Joint FAO/ECE Working Party on Forest Economics and Statistics, which periodically overhauls the whole system (1993, next meeting in 1995). Most series are published in the Timber Bulletin or linked publications. Data on forest resource are also collected at 10 year intervals. An intersecretariat working group is being established between ECE, FAO, Eurostat, CEC/DGVI, OECD, ITTO in the field of forestry and timber statistics, in order to coordinate and where feasible to integrate the respective statistical activities of these organizations.
Maintains a balance sheet database for supply - utilisation balances of agricultural commodities. Maintains a database of economic accounts for agriculture; methodology is continuously refined (cooperation with Eurostat). Maintains an agricultural trade database. Maintains a comprehensive, but selective, analytical database of agricultural indicators. Maintains a database of producer subsidy equivalents/consumer subsidy equivalents. Maintains an outlook/model database, for analytic and forecasting work on commodity projections using different policy scenarios. Building and maintaining an agricultural database on the newly independent states for analysis. This activity will be extended as from 1995 to include other East European transition economies. Initiatives include a workshop on the Management of Agricultural Statistics and Indicators for the NIS and PIT countries in cooperation with FAO, ECE and Eurostat in 1994 and, in 1995, the development of a system of main agricultural indicators. Work on Agri-Environmental indicators will lead in 1995 to the establishment of an indicators database.
(Themes 80-87: Community surveys on the structure of agricultural holdings; Economic accounts for agriculture, agricultural incomes and prices; Integrated agricultural sector database and agricultural sector modelling; Agro-industry statistics; Crop production (part of); Animal numbers and production; Forestry and fisheries statistics)
Aspects of the 1995 Work Programme which will have an impact on several or all sectors are progress on the screening exercise; development of the environmental and infra-regional dimensions; integration of new Member States; and statistical co-operation with transition economies. Two further elements which condition the programme are continuing problems of scarce resources and various external events which will affect production processes in countries and at Eurostat and which will have a big impact on agricultural statistics with their heavy but varied regular work-load.
The legal framework for farm structure surveys will require technical adaptations (to the typology of agricultural holdings), and in addition is planned some simplification to the programme of tables (Commission decisions). Preparatory work will start for a new Council regulation to apply after 1997, and in particular for a new base survey (Agricultural Census) to be scheduled in the years 1999/2000. This base survey is in many countries the key to the entire system of agricultural surveys and through the farm register constitutes the frame for sample surveys in the next decade. The resource burden of these surveys both now and for the future will require particular attention. The regularisation of the special position of the Federal Republic of Germany as regards individual data will also require Council legislation. Improved dissemination of the voluminous results of these surveys will be made using CD- ROM. It is hoped to be able to complement this by appropriate publications, particularly studies and analyses.
The role vineyard registers can play in relation to statistics will depend on the position of such registers in the revised wine policy currently under debate; particularly for those countries which do not yet have a functioning register. The need for further Council legislation on the use of such registers for statistics and the future structure of statistics on vineyards will require detailed study and discussion.
Monetary agricultural statistics: in this sector, special attention will be paid in the Economic accounts (EA) (of Agriculture and of Forestry) to completing the review activity (link to the general review of GDP estimates); the consequences for the EA of revisions to the ESA (European System of Accounts) and forestry accounts.
In the agricultural income index work the cash flow part will be dropped (its usefulness has proved less than expected). The total income of agricultural households has reached a stage where a wide review of its achievements and prospects would be useful. A seminar is proposed. This will require preparation in 1995. Substantial work is intended on agricultural prices. The new approach to absolute prices has to be implemented and prices reviewed. A new publication system will be set up. The rebasing (1990=100) of the indices will be completed. A start will be made on computer assisted documentation in the preparation of a handbook on "agricultural price statistics" and on a new annual publication "agricultural land prices and rents". On the volume of agricultural labour further tidying of this area will involve drawing up a target methodology and reviewing the existing time series as well as preparation of a small publication (rapid report). For agricultural sector modelling is planned an annual publication, new methodological and technical documentation of the SPEL system, continuing the review of data in the data base and so a consistency checking of CRONOS time series.
Data on agro-industry continue to be requested by numerous Commission services. As well as having direct links with the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) (markets, indirect support mechanism, inputs) this sector has impacts on other policies (trade, support for developing countries, regions etc.) which are largely determined by the Community decisions on the CAP. The need to attach more importance to this sector in the Community context than is usual at national level will continue to be met by compiling, and making available in a structured way relevant data available in existing and new national and Community statistics. In particular the Eurostat desk-studies of the NACE 15 industries in 4 individual countries based on national and where available Community sources will be extended to cover all Member States and the work on ascertaining the technical relationships in transformation processes will be continued in order to avoid double counting.
Revisions to Council and Commission regulations on milk statistics will be prepared with a view to achieving simplifications on weekly and on regional figures, adapting the tables to fit the current market situation and co-ordination with PRODCOM. The application of the AGRIFLEX principle in the recently revised livestock directives will require monitoring.
On current crop statistics attention will be given to the methodological work aiming at reconciling resource difficulties with the need for transparency and improved comparability. This includes the possible use of administrative data in particular the impact of the Integrated Administration and Control System, the role of remote sensing on acreage estimates and the implementation of the recent Council regulation on statistics of crops other than cereals. The cereals regulation (from 1990) will be reviewed in the light of experience of its application and consideration given to the need for and role of a harmonised Community cereals survey. On harvest forecasting the way the research work advancing at the EC's Joint Research Centre (on modelling and use of low spatial resolution satellite data for vegetation growth estimates) will fit into the Community statistics will be examined. Land cover and land use classifications will be addressed in the context of current Community needs including those for such data outside agricultural and in the context of recent international (UNEP/FAO) initiatives.
A determined effort will be made to improve Community forestry statistics. This intention stems from the importance of this sector currently (consequences of agricultural policy reform, environmental considerations, the EC Forestry Action Programme, enlargement, rural and regional development considerations, international importance etc.). In addition the Directorate General for Agriculture is now energetically developing its plan for a European Forestry Information and Communication System (EFICS) which should have a strong component of statistical information. In the first instance Eurostat's work will involve consolidation of its existing statistics (fill gaps, harmonise, more up-to-date and more regular) with regular publication. A second phase would be to examine other data already available in countries to see where uncovered information needs could be met without new data collection. As to the major data gap, information on private forestry holdings, this difficult area which might require specific surveys, is to be further considered in the light of effective information demand, costs and resources.
The work on crop and livestock supply balance sheets will continue to seek to rationalise the system taking account of the consequences of the INTRASTAT system on the supply and quality of data on movements of agricultural commodities between Member States.
Fishery statistics aims to continue formalising the supply of data for FAO and international fishery organisations (as well as for Community needs) by a regulation on fish catches outside the North Atlantic. On aquaculture development of a legal instrument is under way and will be continued in 1995.
(See also programme element 2.6 for Eurostat's activities in remote sensing)
The FAO: Compiles, evaluates, maintains and disseminates statistics on production, trade and domestic supply and utilization accounts for crops and livestock products, as well as for food balances and other derived statistics, agricultural inputs, land use and prices. Analyses economic, food supply/consumption, demographic and agricultural statistics and derives indicators pertaining to agricultural output and productivity, the food and nutrition situation, environmental issues, etc. for global studies. Develops and maintains a corporate database (WAICENT) composed of two linked data systems: FAOSTAT which contains statistical information and FAOINFO which contains textual information. FAOSTAT, under its previous name AGROSTAT.PC, has been widely distributed to transition countries.
Promotes the evaluation, application and dissemination of appropriate methodologies, especially for agricultural censuses and surveys, through publications, training, seminars and other technical meetings. Promotes participation of countries in the World Census of Agriculture. Promotes the collection and dissemination of data in areas of special social and economic interest. Provides technical assistance to member countries.
Establishes standard concepts, definitions and methodologies for fishery statistics through the framework of the CWP (Coordinating Working Party on Atlantic Fishery Statistics), for which FAO is the secretariat. The framework coordinates the statistical collection, dissemination and publication of all types of fishery statistics, i.e. catch, effort, trade, fleets, aquaculture, consumption, conversion factors, as well as database listings of common and scientific names of commercial species, the International Standard Statistical Classification of Aquatic Animals and Plans (ISSCAAP), the GFCM Statistical bulletin, and the inland and agriculture production statistics for European inland fisheries.
Objectives over the next several years:
To ensure that Industry statistics are consistently classified for purposes of international comparability; to ensure that all member countries and particularly countries in transition apply the latest vintage of international standards and classifications; to ensure that recent trends in the structure of industry can be analyzed by means of series of industrial statistics that are harmonized, comparable, detailed and up-to-date.
For ECE, an updated manual of industry statistics with a detailed section on applications relevant to countries in transition; papers on best practices under such headings as coding, benchmarking, articulating industry statistics with national accounts, etc. For OECD, recommendations on the implementation of ISIC Rev.3.
ECE (Working Party on Engineering Industries and Automation):
17th meeting on questions of statistics concerning engineering
industries and automation (20 October 1995)
ECE (Working Party on Engineering Industries and Automation):
Seminar on the introduction of ISIC Rev.3 and NACE Rev.1 (in cooperation
with Eurostat) (Geneva, October 1995)
OECD: Meeting on Globalization Indicators (11 October 1995) OECD:
Working Party No. 9 on the Industry Committee on Industrial Statistics
(11-13 October 1995)OECD: Meeting on High-tech Classifications
(1995)
EUROSTAT: PRODCOM committee (20-22 June 1995)
EUROSTAT: Statistical confidentiality committee (4 October 1995)
EUROSTAT: Committee for industrial statistics and coordination
of surveys on enterprises (30-31 October 1995)
EUROSTAT: Steel statistics committee (3 November 1995)
EUROSTAT: PRODCOM committee (13-15 November 1995)
EUROSTAT: Industrial variables estimation working group (15 November
1995)
EUROSTAT: Working Party estimation of industrial variables (27-28
November 1995)
EUROSTAT: New legal base for short term indicators (29-30 November
1995)
EUROSTAT: Workshop on Short Term Indicators in Central and Eastern
European Countries, Ljubljana, Slovenia, (Autumn 1995)
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.
The ECE Industry and Technology Division undertakes work in the following three fields of industry statistics:
a) Engineering industries and automation: The Working Party on Engineering Industries and Automation reviews developments in this field at each of its periodic sessions, based on an annual secretariat report, entitled "World Engineering Industries and Automation - Performance and Prospects", prepared on the basis of information collected by means of a joint ECE/OECD statistical questionnaire, exclusive data received from the International Federation of Robotics, trade organizations, such as CECIMO and other sources of information. A study on the medium and long-term assessment of the role and place of engineering industries in international, regional and global economies will be issued in 1995/96. The programme of work also includes a programme element dealing with the development of internationally comparable statistics in the field of engineering industries and automation, in which the ECE, EC, OECD, UNIDO, ILO and other international organizations collaborate in work aimed at attaining greater harmonization in the data collected, and annual meeting is organized on questions of statistics related to the engineering industries and automation. A seminar on national experiences with the introduction of ISIC Rev.3 and NACE Rev.3 will take place in Geneva in October 1995.
b) Steel Statistics: At its annual sessions the Working Party on Steel examines statistical and methodological questions relating to the development of the steel industry and assists in defining methods of establishing current statistics, including the method for calculating apparent steel consumption. It also promotes the establishment of steel statistics, and pays particular attention to improving statistics on stocks and on actual consumption of steel.
The Industry and Technology Division produces two annual publications entitled "Annual Bulletin of Steel Statistics for Europe" and "Statistics of World Trade in Steel". It also produces annual statistics on iron and steel scrap which are collected from countries and published every two years, and quarterly statistics on steel production and trade in ten steel products which are distributed on quarterly basis to users who have requested to receive them.
The Industry and Technology Division also organizes annual inter- secretariat meetings involving the participation of ECE, Eurostat, the OECD and the International Iron and Steel Institute at which issues such as the harmonization of definitions in the field of steel consumption, the systematic exchange of information and possibilities for making greater usage of joint questionnaires (e.g. the ECE-OECD joint questionnaire on investments and disinvestments in steel) are dealt with.
c) Chemical industry: The Working Party on the Chemical Industry (WPCI) reviews developments in the chemical industry of the ECE region at its annual sessions. On the basis of statistical and other information provided by member States an Annual Review of the Chemical Industries is published covering qualitative and statistical data for all major chemical products and areas.
A periodic survey published every five years provides a Market Trends overview for selected chemical products as well as a review of the recent historical developments in the chemical industry of the ECE region. However, due to a reduction in staff resources, the current edition was delayed and published without its substantial statistical volume.
The programme of work of the Working Party includes a programme element dealing with the development of internationally comparable statistics on the chemical industry, in particular, major petrochemicals, in which meetings of experts are organized annually. Their statistics and projections are published in a document entitled "Report of the Meeting of Rapporteur on Aromatic Hydrocarbon and Olefins". The Working Party's work programme also includes a programme element for the annual publication "Bulletin of Trade in Chemical Products", but work on the collection of the statistics for a recent issue was not initiated due to a reduction of staff resources in the Industry and Technology Division; this publication has been reinstated.
The Directory of Chemical Producers and Products was mandated by the WPCI. To date two parts of Vol.I and Vol.III have been published. A statistician's assistance is needed for Vol.II for which most of the data are already in hand. A round-table meeting on chlorine is foreseen for the annual meeting of the WPCI, the report of which will require statistical input; it is expected that further annual round tables will also require such inputs.
This covers all industrial sectors statistics and analysis (including some more specific in-depth review); globalisation; high- tech; small-and medium sized enterprises; input-output tables; industrial R&D, etc.
The Working Party No. 9 on Industrial Statistics meets once a year to examine different aspects of statistical, methodological and analytical work carried out by the Secretariat and assist in improving and developing internationally comparable statistics. The main industrial OECD databases are: (i) the short-term industrial statistics which consist in monthly series published quarterly in Indicators of Industrial Activity publication; (ii) the database on annual industrial statistics (INIS, now updated through a joint questionnaire developed in co-operation with UNIDO), which may include energy consumption variables as of 1996, published in "Industrial Structure Statistics"; (iii) the national accounts compatible Structural Analysis industrial database (STAN), based on INIS and developed to facilitate the construction of internationally comparable indicators and to underpin analysis of the relationship between technology, industrial performance and industrial competitiveness and the database on business R&D expenditures (ANBERD). Other databases, such as the small and medium-sized enterprises database, in co-operation with Eurostat, the database on industrial activity of foreign affiliates and the internationally comparable input-output database are being developed. All industrial data are collected on the basis of ISIC. In the next two years, emphasis will be put on improving data availability for constant prices series and for both high- technology and service industries, on preparing new classifications of industries according to technological level and on developing indicators of industrial globalisation and competitiveness.
Other Working Parties or Committees are involved in industrial statistics, such as the Steel Committee, the Maritime Transport Committee, the Council Working Party on shipbuilding, the ad hoc Working Party on Pulp and Paper which regularly review and develop statistics and analysis on specific areas of the economy.
(Themes 54-56, 59: Adaptation of the statistical system after 1992; Industry - Methodology and analyses; Industry - Production and dissemination; Iron and steel statistics)
The purpose of work in this area in 1995 is to establish the methodologies that can answer questions on the impact of the Structural Funds and the Single Market. Concerning methodology, work will focus on consolidating the PRODCOM regulations and solving the practicabilities of the transfer to NACE Rev.1. The new regulation on annual business surveys will be implemented, whilst ensuring data continuity (SMEs, PRODCOM) and a regulation on short- term indicators for businesses is to be introduced. Exchanges between business and the NSIs will be standardised by the setting up of data transmission projects.
The new Member States are being integrated into the Community system of steel statistics. Special efforts are being made for steel consumption.
UN Statistical Division (UNSD): Activities will be concentrated on collection, processing, storage and dissemination of world-wide data on production of major industrial products and materials (about 650 items) in physical quantities: collection, processing, storage and dissemination of index numbers of industrial production; collection and primary processing of general industrial statistics on mining, electricity, gas and water. Further development of strategies for measuring industrial structure and growth, based on the technical report on the subject to be published in 1994.
UNIDO: As part of the recent international rearrangement for data collection and dissemination responsibilities in the industrial sphere, UNIDO, in collaboration with OECD, now assumes sole responsibility for the collection and dissemination of global general industrial statistics: UNIDO is responsible for all countries/areas (including the countries of eastern Europe and the former USSR) that are not members of OECD, while OECD collects data for its member states. A new abbreviated questionnaire has been developed. The first edition of the UNIDO questionnaire will be dispatched to all non-OECD countries/areas in January 1995. The data obtained through this questionnaire will be published in the new UNIDO annual publication, the International Yearbook of Industrial Statistics, which succeeds UNIDO's Handbook of Industrial Statistics and, at the same time, replaces the United Nation's Industrial Statistical Yearbook, vol.I (General Industrial Statistics). In order to increase international comparability of these officially reported data, UNIDO continues to adjust, if deemed necessary, and supplement them with available information from various sources including UNIDO estimates.
To coordinate the integrated compilation of statistics on energy; to promote the use of internationally agreed concepts and definitions; and to ensure proper linkages between energy statistics, other fields of economic statistics (e.g. conventional industrial statistics and transport statistics) and environmental statistics.
Consistent, integrated data on energy statistics - flows of production and consumption - compiled according to agreed frameworks. Assessment of whether different data bases for energy statistics are needed. Dissemination from time to time of updates to existing standards and methods for the compilation of energy statistics. A PRODCOM/Energy list will be drawn up and published by Eurostat.
ECE Committee on Energy, Meeting of Experts on Coal Trade, Statistics
and Transport, 1995
Joint ECE(CES)/IEA Meeting of the Energy Statistics Working Group
(Sept. 95)
EUROSTAT: Raw materials working group (3 November 1995)
EUROSTAT: Energy prices working group (15-16 November 1995)
The work of the Conference covers: (i) methodological improvement to energy statistics together with other international organizations and competent bodies; (ii) coordination of ECE's annual statistical bulletins on coal, gas and electric energy and further improvement and harmonization of the collection, presentation and dissemination of ECE energy statistics, including statistics on renewable energies; (iii) database consolidation and in-house preparation of ECE overall energy balances; and (iv) energy statistics and the study of environmental effects. Joint ECE(CES)/IEA Meeting (1995/96) to consider aspects related to topics (i) to (iv).
Secretariat resources: Substantial
The ECE Committee on Energy and its subsidiary organs require quantitative information for analytical purposes for various regular and ad hoc studies. Data not available in ECE statistical publications on energy (i.e. forecast, prices, etc.) are collected by means of questionnaires. The output of these collection activities is available in the form of the ECE Energy Data Bank, working papers and publications.
The International Energy Agency addresses the regular provision, publication and improvement of the energy statistics of OECD countries. In co-operation with Eurostat, ECE and the UN Statistical Division it has recently revised and strengthened the collection of statistics of renewable energies and the co-generation of electricity and heat. Together with the ICC Working Group 1 and the OECD Environment Directorate it has developed a methodology for the calculation of emissions from energy supply and use and prepares statistics of these emissions. It is also increasingly committed to the provision of energy statistics of non-OECD member countries and is involved in the development of the energy data collection systems of the NIS and EEC.
The International Energy Agency, Energy Statistics Division regularly collects, publishes and seeks to improve the energy statistics of OECD and, increasingly, non-OECD member countries. In co-operation with Eurostat, ECE and the UN Statistical Division, the IEA is monitoring the results of the recent changes introduced into the fuel questionnaires to improve data on renewable energies and co-generation. It is also continuing in cooperation with ICC Working Group I and the OECD Environment Directorate for the development of methodologies for the estimation of greenhouse gas emissions from energy use. Recently it has undertaken first steps to seek industrial fuel consumption data as an integral part of surveys of industrial output to serve as a more reliable basis for the monitoring of energy intensity in the industrial sector.
(Themes 50-51: Energy - Business methodology, and Energy and raw materials production and distribution)
There will be continuing discussions with the Member States on the framework legal act. Eurostat will assess the possibility of using the family budgets survey or launching a new survey on energy consumption by households. There will be a feasibility study on a survey of energy consumption in the services sector. The results of the survey on combined heat and power production will be analysed.
There will be an improved breakdown of transformation data and energy consumption for a better evaluation of pollutant emissions. Work relating to the 1990 energy input-output tables will continue. The impact of a possible tax on COý emissions will be examined. The survey on renewable energy will be extended to cover biodiesel. The quality of data on gas and electricity prices provided by distributors will be examined with a view to improving the transparency of the market. Structural data in particular relating to the grid system of energy, of data on the supplies of raw materials and on raw material recovery will be collected and the environmental impact evaluated.
UN Statistical Division (UNSD): Activities will be oriented towards: development of the energy statistics questionnaire on diskettes (jointly with IEA, OECD and ECE); using contemporary technology in the collection, processing, storage and dissemination of energy statistics data; provision of energy information to Member States and other users. Work on necessary refinements and further development of methodologies required for the compilation of energy statistics will continue. Also, the following extensions of methodological and data collection work are envisaged: energy price and cost statistics; statistics on energy-related infrastructure such as pipelines, tanker fleets, transmission lines, etc., and energy investments and exploration activities. Possibilities of linking environmental statistics and indicators with energy statistics will also be explored, with a view to providing a better assessment of the sustainability of energy production and use in development.
To compile integrated statistics on technical innovation, appropriation, diffusion and application to production processes of new technologies; to describe statistically the role of science in the economies of member countries and the linkages between science and technology; to compile consistent and integrated statistics on economy-wide research and development and their economic outcomes.
To update and expand the set of internationally agreed standards and conceptual frameworks for the compilation of science and technology statistics so that the new frameworks can include agreed standards for innovation and intellectual appropriability. Evaluation (by Eurostat) of the first round of surveys that it has launched. Study (by OECD) of the participation of Sees in science and technology, based on the data collection that it initiated in this field.
Eurostat: to produce a manual on the regional dimension of R&D statistics and, in association with OECD, to rewrite the manual on innovation.
OECD: Working Party on the Revision of the Oslo Manual, November
1995 (provisional)
EUROSTAT: Research in statistics - transports field -selection
of tenders - committee (19-20 June 1995)
EUROSTAT: Research in statistics - tenders selection - actions
launching - committee (6-7 Nov 1995)
EUROSTAT: Statistics of R&D working group (8-10 November 1995)
The Senior Advisers to ECE Governments on Science and Technology undertake biennial reviews of major changes in overall national science and technology policies aimed at increasing the effectiveness of R and D activities. Within the framework of these reviews, work is being undertaken, in cooperation with OECD, on collection of main science and technology indicator statistics for the economies in transition. At their twenty-first session, held in September 1994, the Senior Advisers reviewed the results of the data collection performed in 1993-1994, and invited relevant national authorities of all the economies in transition to complete, in 1995-1996, the questionnaire on main science and technology indicators for 1993 and 1994. The secretariat was requested to continue its cooperation with OECD in this area and to prepare for the twenty-second session of the Senior Advisers, to be held in 1996, a note containing statistical data for 1991-1994 together with some analysis, if feasible.
OECD work on S&T indicators is undertaken under the aegis of the Group of National Experts on Science and Technology Indicators (NESTI) which meets annually and also organises workshops on individual topics. These meetings and workshops are planned to match those of the corresponding Eurostat experts.
The Group manages a set of manuals on the Measurement of Scientific and Technological Activities (the "Frascati family") which now cover R&D (the "Frascati manual"), the Technology Balance of Payments, Industrial Innovation (the Oslo Manual), the use of patent data as S&T indicators and human resources for S&T (the "Canberra Manual": prepared in co-operation with Eurostat). Over the next two years the Oslo Manual will be revised (in co-operation with Eurostat), notably to cover innovation in the services and methodological guidelines may be issued on the measurement of intangible investment and on the use of bibliometric data as S&T indicators.
Data-bases are maintained on resources devoted to R&D, the technology balance of payments and patents published in "Basic Science and Technology Statistics" and "Main Science and Technology Indicators". Over the next two years the inclusion of Mexico will be completed and data for Korea will be added. The OECD will acquire from Eurostat and complete for other countries those indicators of industrial innovation needed for its work and will begin, in co-operation with Eurostat, to build up data set on Human Resources for Science and Technology.
Close relations are also maintained with ECE (to which industrial R&D data are supplied annually) and UNESCO.
(Theme 65: Statistics on research, development and innovation)
The main activity in 1995 is the continuation of the implementation of the Council Decision on a multi-annual programme for the development of Community statistics on research, development and innovation. The collection of data on human resources in science and technology, innovation, government financing and R&D expenditure will continue. Certain data will be regionalised, the methodological manuals will be finalised and new work on the results indicators will be undertaken.
UNESCO: 1995/96 will be a period of reflection and possible reorientation. A lot of what was done in the past (and which was limited almost exclusively to R&D) coincided to a large extent, as far as European countries are concerned, with activities undertaken by OECD. UNESCO will carefully review and evaluate its data collection programme in the field of science and technology to ensure that there will no longer be any duplication of work. To this effect it will consult closely with OECD and EUROSTAT to see to what extent concepts, definitions and classifications can be harmonized and data collection procedures developed similar to those in education. Special attention will be paid to gathering statistical data on Human Resources for Science and Technology. 3.14 BUSINESS REGISTERS AND ADMINISTRATIVE RECORDS IN SUPPORT OF ECONOMIC STATISTICS
To promote the use of business registers and general purpose survey frames for business surveys; to disseminate information about the best practices used by countries in the construction and maintenance of business registers; to assist transition countries in constructing sampling frames, in maintaining their coverage and quality with particular emphasis on new business accessions and changes, and in defining their structure and major applications, particularly in the area of statistics on small and medium-sized enterprises; and in the long run, to develop techniques for obtaining full information on the demography of enterprises.
Occasional bulletins with details on standard frame contents (Eurostat); methods, costs, and pitfalls related to the construction of frames (Round Table on Business Frames); dissemination of the Round Table papers (Eurostat); and a record of technical assistance projects particularly related to the upkeep and maintenance of business frames and area files with business lists.
ECE/Eurostat meeting on business registers (Luxembourg, 1995/96) EUROSTAT: Panels of enterprises working group (15-16 September 1995)
Joint ECE/Eurostat meeting in 1995/96 on: (i) assisting transition countries in developing and maintaining business registers in national statistical offices (together with Eurostat and other international organizations); (ii) techniques used for ensuring adequate coverage and quality (including enterprise panels and area frames); (iii) consideration of methodological issues (secretariat, with assistance of national rapporteurs).
Secretariat resources: Minimal
(Theme 66: Research and development in the field of statistics (part of))
Work on business registers will continue, with particular emphasis on the Council Decision. Pilot experiments on panels and longitudinal analyses will be launched in the Member States and methodological work will continue.
A pilot project on enterprise panels in Eastern and Central European countries is under way.
Roundtable on Business Frames: Constituted in 1986, with the participation on average of some ten countries and Eurostat, this group meets annually to discuss the structure and operation of business registers, the characteristics of statistical units, methods of quality control and computing systems required to support business registers. Among its achievements the group has managed to make interesting cost comparisons among registers; and has brought out fundamental differences in comparability among industry statistics of selected countries. Unlike the Voorburg Group, the roundtable has never been officially commissioned to contribute to official meetings on related subjects but its discussions have had great influence on Eurostat's frameworks for business registers. (Contact points: Statistics Sweden or Statistics Canada).
Maintaining the Main Economic Indicators database. This database contains monthly and quarterly statistics for OECD Member countries on a wide variety of economic areas. It provides statistical information needed by economic analysts, policy makers and business. Reviewing and improving the contents of the database in order to maximise its relevance for today's short-term economic analysis as well as for emerging new key areas of analysis and policy making. Increasing the coverage and quality of statistical metadata is part of this improvement. Ameliorating the relevance, timeliness and presentation of the printed and electronic publications that are derived from the Main Economic Indicators database, and which cover weekly and monthly economic indicators, business surveys and leading indicators. Promoting further coordination and streamlining of data collection activities by the various OECD Directorates involved in the collection of short-term economic statistics, with the objective to reduce the reportingburden on agencies in Member countries and to increase the efficiency within the OECD.
Collects monthly and quarterly economic statistics from 19 transition economies, published in the quarterly bulletin "Short- Term Economic Indicators". Co-operates with the ECE to minimise the reporting burden by work-sharing on a geographical and subject basis and by developing better data exchange between the two organisations.
Expert meeting on short-term statistics (16-17 October 1995)