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
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
CES/1995/R.15/Add.4) 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 4
SOCIAL AND DEMOGRAPHIC STATISTICS
4.1 SOCIAL INDICATORS AND FRAMEWORKS
Objectives over the next several years:
To establish a renewed effort to develop a coherent framework
of internationally comparable social indicators in selected fields
such as health, education, crime and social safety nets, building
selectively on the ideas developed in the 1960s and 1970s, and
taking cognizance of the reasons for the failure of efforts at
that time. Work on frameworks should also build on the sectoral
work and on links between different sectoral levels. Initially,
work should focus at the conceptual level given the problematic
history in this area. Questions of standardization of concepts
and definitions can follow the general conceptual work, and the
detailed work of the specific sectors.
Expected collective output in the next two years:
A work plan for a coordinated and cooperative development of
a coherent social indicators framework, identifying existing areas
of overlap or duplication among international agencies, and taking
account of developments in other sectoral work plans.
Attention of the Conference is drawn to the following:
CIS STAT: Working group on social and demographic statistics (1995- 1996)
The Social Data Base supports the review of the links between social policies and economic and labour market policies in OECD countries. "New Orientations for Social Policy" will be published in March 1994. The data are available only at an aggregated level. The data base is being redesigned to make a distinction between expenditures on services and on income support transfers and data are being stored at the disaggregated level of specific national programmes. The general areas covered are the elderly and survivors; the disabled; families; labour market programmes and unemployment; sickness, maternity and occupational injury benefits; health services; educational services; housing; and neediness. Though the main focus of the data base will remain social expenditure, data on numbers of beneficiaries, financing sources and tax expenditures are being developed on an experimental basis. In order to clarify the basis of the collection, the Secretariat is now engaged in documenting the "programme descriptors". It is intended that this will be completed by the end of 1994, at which stage the member countries will be sent a draft version of the data base, with a view to issuing an initial public release in early 1995. Once the system has been properly established, an annual publication on a for sale basis in printed and electronic form is intended.
(Theme 72: Social protection (part of))
Eurostat's current approach to developing Social Indicators embraces the following short-term and long-term options: to improve the complementarity between existing surveys (Labour Force Survey, European Community Household Panel, Family Budget Surveys); to expand the module of social indicators of the European Community Household Panel; to consider the possibility of introducing within the next 3 years an integrated modular multi-purpose survey, combining a core module on social indicators and modules on previously uncovered areas such as health, victimisation, culture and justice; to produce a first synoptic report on social indicators based on available data in the 1994 ECHP and compatible EFTA data. The work on Social Indicators will also contribute substantially to the annual report of the Forum for Social Studies.
The revised European System of Integrated Social Protection Statistics (ESSPROS) is structured as an open-end system, consisting of a Core system and an indefinite number of modules. The Core system comprises yearly collected standard data on receipts and expenditure of schemes of social protection. Among others, it incorporates a very detailed breakdown of social protection benefits. The OECD will compile similar data for its non- EU Member States, so that comparable data is expected to become available for most developed countries in the first half of the period July 1995 to June 1997.
The modules contain supplementary statistical information and may deviate from the strict appliance of the definitions and conventions of the Core system. They will be developed according to the needs expressed by the European Commission and the EU Member States. High priorities have the modules on (i) active measures for the promotion of employment, (ii) influences of the tax system on social protection, (iii) assessment of the effectiveness of social protection by interrelation with data from the European household panel. Other subjects include the number of beneficiaries for selected types of schemes, social integration, balance sheets for schemes of social protection and shifts toward and from "third pillar" protection. In developing the modules, co-operation will be sought with the OECD.
On the basis of the ESSPROS framework, studies will be published on individual functions of social protection. Besides, the work on micro studies will be continued, such as the computation of replacement rates for typical cases in the event of old age or unemployment.
International Monetary Fund (IMF): Work in this area is in the initial stages, which comprise an assessment of the adequacy of demographic, household/labor force survey data, and administrative records to meet the needs of the IMF to monitor the establishment of social safety nets that may be supported by IMF adjustment programs. Eventually, it is envisaged that work by the World Bank to promote the more widespread adoption of multipurpose household income and expenditure surveys, and the definition of minimum consumption baskets, will be helpful to the IMF.
Statistical Committee of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS STAT): There are plans for the preparation of materials on policy and methodological issues related to the population census scheduled for 1999, or earlier in some countries (1996 in Turkmenistan): methodological propositions for the application of international experience in the rotation and selection of households in the investigation of personal incomes and expenditure of the population; a programme for the preparation of annual reports on household budget surveys; methodological recommendations regarding the use of households to measure incomes and employment in the informal sector of the economy; and methods of surveying the accommodation, social and living conditions of migrants who have fallen victim to radioactive contamination.
The Siena Group on Social Statistics and Social Accounting: The Group, of the Voorburg type, focuses on 1) developing conceptual and interpretation frameworks specifying linkages and sequences; 2) the use of micro-data for micro-modelling and microsimulation of policy measures; 3) promoting the use and comparison of indicators, capable of orienting the policy discussion and monitoring social patterns. A meeting on social reporting and social accounting was held in Stockholm in 1994. The June 1995 Seminar in Oslo will deal with social exclusion in the case of youth (Contact points: ISTAT or Statistics Sweden).
To promote the collection, maintenance, improvement and harmonization of data disaggregated by sex, including the improvement of concepts and methodologies i) to assess and monitor women's and men's contribution to the economy and society, ii) to identify sex differences in living conditions and status over the life course, iii) to encourage the integration of the gender perspective in all statistical areas.
The organization of an exchange of documentation describing country experiences in developing policy-relevant approaches for monitoring and assessing women and men's contribution to both the national and household or family economies. For ECE, INSTRAW and UNSD, report of the 1997/98 work session convened to deal with issues such as these.
UN: Fourth World Conference on Women (Beijing, 1995)
a) Publication on statistics of women and men in the ECE region (1995/96, jointly with Eurostat, INSTRAW and Statistics Sweden).
b) Further joint ECE/INSTRAW/UNSD work session to be held in 1997/98 to consider gender dimensions of the following topics: i) economic well-being: earnings and income and career mobility over the course of a lifetime, poverty, private and public financial transfers, and equal pay for work of equal value; (ii) caring activities: who cares for whom over the course of a lifetime, payment for caring activities (data on both who pays and who is paid); (iii) unpaid work: developments in the measurement of unpaid work and its inclusion in satellite accounts systems; and (iv) progress in the statistical measurement of violence and crime.
(Theme 76: Social digests (part of))
Preparation of a revised update of "Women in the EU - A Statistical Portrait".
UN Statistical Division (UNSD): The second issue of The World's Women will be issued as an official document for the fourth World Conference on Women. The development of statistics for the publication is closely linked to UNSD work on the Women's Indicators and Statistics Database (WISTAT) version 3. New data compilation for the third issue of WISTAT was completed early in 1994 and the new version is now available in a CD-ROM version as well as traditional spreadsheet version in the summer of 1994.
Under the programme of technical cooperation, UNSD gender statistics programme also strengthened its programme of support for development of national capabilities to prepare databases and national reports on statistics on women and men through a project of the Women in Development subgroup of the Interagency Joint Consultative Group on Policy ("JCGP"). A manual to assist countries in preparing national statistical reports like The World's Women is in preparation and draft excerpts have been used in several workshops. Through this project, technical assistance is also being provided to countries and regional commissions in the preparation of reports for the Women's Conference and gender statistics databases.
INSTRAW: The Institute is planning to organize, in cooperation with other relevant international organizations in the ECE region: (i)a sub-regional workshop on Gender Statistics for Countries in Transition limiting the participation to the countries that are in a position to implement the results of the workshop either immediately or in the near future (these include Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovak Republic, and Slovenia); (ii) a sub- regional workshop on Gender Statistics for countries that may be less able to develop gender statistics now (these include countries from the former USSR and some countries from the former Yugoslavia); and (iii) proposals for future work that are expected to emerge from the March 1995 ECE-INSTRAW joint work session on statistics of women.
To provide household-survey based social and economic data which complement economic statistics and indicators available from other sources, which can be used together to provide a comprehensive range of reliable, timely and comparable social statistics and indicators for policy formulation and implementation purposes and for monitoring policy outcomes in areas such as poverty, social exclusion, convergence, cohesion and social reporting.
For Eurostat: (i) A full range of comparable, multidimensional social statistics and social indicators, with a subset of information on dynamics of social processes and transitions. (One particularly important specific output would be harmonised income distributions and related measures); (ii) Associated social reports; and (iii) As a spinoff, developments in survey methodologies, including questionnaire design and implementation, sampling design, non- response aspects, imputations, longitudinal data bases and so on, all in a multi-national context.
EUROSTAT: Time use Pilot survey working group (5-6 September 1995)
EUROSTAT: Household Panel working group (19-20 September 1995)
EUROSTAT: Workshop on Time use Pilot survey (4-5 December 1995)
(Theme 76: Social digests (part of))
The European Community Household Panel will be a unique, multidimensional source of comparable data on incomes, the labour force and other dimensions of living standards. It should fill a long-felt gap in the availability of reliable, regular, and comparable statistics on incomes. It should greatly assist in shedding statistical light on key issues under the Treaty of European Union such as the nature of the social dimension of the internal market, social cohesion, social exclusion, the interaction between the labour market and social protection, and the impact of that interaction on the living standards of households. Its longitudinal nature should provide information on transitions from school to work, from work to retirement and from employment to unemployment for different family members, and consequently upon related highly sensitive issues, including the unemployment and poverty traps.
The full survey, consisting of a harmonised questionnaire covering about 59 000 households was launched in all Member States in 1994. The results will constitute a flexible, user-friendly, micro database in Eurostat that will allow the construction of the indicators and social reports needed under the Treaty. The next wave of the survey is scheduled for 1995 with subsequent waves in 1996, 1997 and so on. A possible future development is in the attachment of purpose-built, ad hoc modules to the ECHP for the collection of in-depth information on a particular topic or particular population group.
Eurostat is currently engaged in a programme of harmonised Time Use Surveys. Pilot surveys are planned for the winter of 1995/96. The main aims of the survey include the covering of gaps which have existed up to now in the area of social statistics specifically covering: equal opportunity policies including information on the gender division of unpaid work, (housework, care of children, relatives and voluntary work); family policies and information on the possibility of combining professional and family life; policies for older people including data on their level of integration into and their contribution to society; duration of work with details of time and volume of work; evaluation of unpaid household production through satellite accounts; and improvement of other social indicators especially in the areas of transport and leisure time.
The main survey is planned to start 1995. A five to ten years frequency is envisaged for the survey. Over and above the traditional objectives of time use surveys, this programme aims to obtain information on non-remunerated work and male-female role sharing within households, to add to knowledge of informal work and "moonlighting" and to provide a number of additional criteria for evaluating the exhaustiveness of GNP measurements". (See related work on time use surveys INSTRAW plans to conduct, under project 4.13).
(Not applicable)
To encourage the use of registers and administrative records for national and international statistics with a view to reducing the costs of data collection, reducing the burden on respondents, or improving the quality of data.
The organization of a programme of exchange of documentation on the experiences of member countries in the field of exploiting registers and administrative sources culminating in a conference with the same goal. In addition, other activities in the international programmes of work on social statistics should contain, as an element in the plan, the exchange of information on exploiting administrative sources.
For ECE, report of the 1996/97 work session.
UNSD: Workshop on Strategies for the Improvement of Civil Registration
and Vital statistics, for selected French- speaking African countries
(tentatively in third quarter, 1995)
ECE-Eurostat: Work session on registers and administrative records
in social and demographic statistics (1996/97)
Work session in 1996/97, jointly with Eurostat, to consider: i) Using administrative data in support of, or as a supplement or alternative to traditional censuses; ii) Methods of dealing with problems associated with using and/or linking administrative data for statistical purposes (e.g. quality assessment, estimation and presentation of measurement error, access, personal identification numbers); iii) Optimal delivery of outputs from a combination of different sources.
(Themes 75, 76: Population and migration - projections (part of), Social digests (part of))
Census 2000: The use of registers is also being investigated in this context, for example, in Germany and the Netherlands.
European Community Household Panel: In most Nordic countries, registers would be used as a complement to the ECHP (see 4.3: Multi purpose social surveys) , particularly in the generation of data on household incomes. In addition, methodological studies would be conducted, for example in Denmark, to evaluate the income statistics derived from household surveys.
European Employment Cost Index: Denmark is examining the feasibility of producing the index from existing administrative registers.
Labour Accounts: See 4.8, (d).
UN Statistical Division (UNSD): Activities will be focused on the implementation of the International Programme for Accelerating the Improvement of Vital Statistics and Civil Registration Systems funded by UNFPA. The programme includes a series of workshops. Several methodological reports and studies are planned to assist countries in assessing the current situation and implementing needed reforms and measures to achieve complete coverage and timeliness of registered statistics.
To ensure efficient and effective use of censuses within the statistical systems of the countries of the region, and to promote international comparability of census data. Population and housing census data are required by most countries in the world to provide benchmark data. International recommendations on the statistical topics, definitions, classifications and tabulations can serve to promote internationally comparable results. Exchange of information among countries on best census methods and practices, and on the use of non-traditional methods and on changing or sensitive topics (e.g. ethnicity, families and the measurement of unpaid work in the household). The preparation of sets of regional international recommendations tailored to the circumstance and needs of countries in the UN/ECE region for successive rounds of censuses once every decade.
Recommendations on topics, definitions, classifications, data bases, outputs, methods and procedures for the 2000 round of censuses. A work plan for a coordinated and cooperative development of approaches to (1) the development of recommendations for the 2000 round of censuses for countries in the ECE region, and (2) suggest priorities where major advances in line with the various objectives listed above would be promising.
For ECE and Eurostat, reports of the 1995/96 and 1996/97 joint meetings, and draft set of recommendations for the 2000 round of censuses recommended by the 1996/97 meeting.
ECE-EUROSTAT: Joint Work Session on Housing Censuses (1995/96)
ECE-EUROSTAT: Joint Meeting on Population and Housing Censuses
(1996/97)
UNSD: Expert Group Meeting on the 2000 World Population and Housing
Census Programme (Fourth quarter, 1995)
a) Publication of study by the Group of Rapporteurs on costing aspects of censuses.
b) (i) Review of the difficulties experienced by countries in attempting to comply with the ECE recommendations for the 1990 round of censuses (secretariat ); (ii) identification of the portions of the 1990 recommendations that are considered to be in need of revision (secretariat, with the assistance of national rapporteurs); (iii) review of the draft recommendations for the 2000 round of population and housing censuses. Work session on housing censuses (jointly with Eurostat and the ECE Committee on Human Settlements) in 1995- 96 to consider (i) and (ii) above as they relate to housing censuses. Meeting on population and housing censuses (jointly with Eurostat and the ECE Committee on Human Settlements) in 1996-97 on (iii) above.
Secretariat resources: Substantial
(Theme 75: Population and migration - projections (part of))
The results of the 1991/92 round of censuses will be made available and preparations will intensify for the preparation of the Census 2000 project.
Eurostat will examine specific areas affecting social policy especially population ageing and the determinants of change of geographical distribution of the population. An annual social report covering the main deliberations will be published and will form the basis of an annual report on the Population of the EU, as required by section 7 of the Maastricht Treaty Protocol on Social Policy (see also 4.11 - Demographic Statistics).
UN Statistical Division (UNSD): Activities will be focused on a survey of national practices including applications of new technology in the 1990 round of population and housing censuses. Attention will also be given to the emerging issues and substantive needs in terms of global recommendations and preparations for the 2000 World Population and Housing Census Programme. Work on a series of handbooks dealing with economic statistics and classifications will be continued and published for wide reference by countries in their work including inter-censal surveys. Preparations will also be started on the organization of the Expert Group on the 2000 World Populating and Housing Censuses Programme.
Council of Europe: The Council of Europe has set up a Group of Experts to assist The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia in planning and conducting its 1994 population, housing and agricultural census. This activity was carried out in cooperation with Eurostat and the ECE. At present, work is focussed on assisting national officials in processing the data and preparing the preliminary results.
To develop a comprehensive, coherent and balanced system of health statistics capable of supporting activities in the field of health area, particularly monitoring population health, developing and adjusting policy, and deepening understanding of the determinants of health. Major components include the development of conceptual frameworks, and then common concepts, definitions and methodologies for measurement and data collection; pulling together epidemiological data and data on health inputs; increased emphasis on measures of population health status and health outcomes, and on the development of output indicators; health care activities (e.g. surgical procedures) and associated expenditures; health care personnel; and risk factors and other data on health determinants. Promotion of the use of household surveys for providing new types of data to supplement institutional-based health data. A priority should be integrating these diverse statistics into a coherent statistical system.
A work plan for a coordinated and cooperative development of approaches to (1) assess current international health statistics against the objectives listed above, (2) highlight areas of overlap or duplication among international agencies, and (3) suggest priorities where major advances in line with the objectives would be most promising.
For ECE, report of the 1996/97 work session.
WHO/Euro: Meeting on health service indicators in countries of
central and eastern Europe (1995).
EUROSTAT: Health indicators working group (November 1995, exact
date still to be fixed)
WHO/Euro: Revision of HFA indicators (end 1995-beginning 1996)
ECE-WHO work session on health statistics (1996/97)
Work session on health statistics (1996/97, jointly with WHO) to consider: (i) Determinants of health, and the measurement of the health status of the population through health interview surveys and clinical examinations (national rapporteurs); (ii) Measurements of financial and human resources in the field of health (national rapporteurs); (iii) Integration of diverse health and related types of statistics into coherent national and international statistical systems (national rapporteurs and interested international organizations); (iv) health service outcomes (national rapporteurs and interested international organizations); (v) recent experiences in implementing ICD-10 and ICIDH (national rapporteurs and interested international organizations); and (vi) development of basic national health data series and harmonization with Health for All indicators (national rapporteurs and WHO/Europe).
Maintains the existing data files, expands the series and enhances their comparability, and develops a comprehensive, consistent and balanced system of health statistics with a view to complementing the System of National Accounts. The OECD approach to health data monitors population-based data (health status), supporting activities (inputs, throughputs, intermediate outputs), financial flows and, increasingly, outcomes and measures of the determinants of health. It relates to existing (or forthcoming) macro-economic health accounts and corresponding stocks and flows of personnel, medical procedures and behavioural parameters affecting health status changes.
(Theme 72: Social protection (part of))
Eurostat will engage in the collection of data for health indicators in a wide area, including the monitoring of health and the monitoring of health care activity in the European Union. Special emphasis will be on the areas identified by the Commission in its communication to the Council on action in the field of public health. The work will be carried out within the framework of a multi-annual action programme, in close cooperation with Member States and with the relevant Commission services and has to take into account already existing programmes and activities on health statistics at international level. Eurostat will work on the improvement of the EHLASS (European Home and Leisure Statistical System). An action programme providing for the extension and improvement of existing statistics is being prepared. Eurostat, the OECD and the WHO will collaborate in implementing this programme.
Improvement of international data comparability by developing
and encouraging countries to use standard definitions, measurement
instruments and methods is carried out jointly with countries
in areas such as health interview surveys or hospital statistics.
At country level, the Regional Office assists countries in developing
and using HFA-like national health and health service databases,
as a means for making better use of available health data at national
and local level. Increased use of information also helps to improve
data quality and comparability. The Regional Office also produces
country "highlights" which give an overview of the health
and health-related situation in a given country and compare, where
possible, its position in relation to other countries in the WHO
European Region.
The ILO: Data on occupational injuries are published in
the Year Book of Labour Statistics.
The guidelines concerning these statistics will be reviewed in
the light of developments since the 1980's, and taking into account
the ILO Code of Practice for the recording and notification of
occupational injuries and diseases (1994). New classifications
will be developed and existing ones revised.
Proposals for updated international guidelines will be prepared
for consideration by the 16th ICLS.
To develop a reliable, comprehensive and internationally comparable
system of crime and justice capable of supporting social policy
development and enhanced public awareness and accountability,
building on the contributions of several United Nations agencies
(through the United Nations Crime Survey) and the Dutch Department
of Justice (through the International Crime Victimization Survey).
A work plan for a coordinated and cooperative development of
approaches to (1) assess current international statistics related
to crime and criminal justice against the objectives listed above,
(2) highlight areas of overlap or duplication among international
agencies, and (3) suggest priorities where major advances in line
with the objectives would be promising.
(None)
The UN Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Branch (Vienna):
The Branch works on two statistical projects, in collaboration
with the UN Interregional Crime and Justice Institute in Rome,
Italy: the Fourth UN Survey on Crime Trends and Operations of
Criminal Justice Systems (1986-1990), and the International Crime
Victimization Survey. Work on the former survey over the past
several years has resulted in progress being made in developing
a broad definition of crime types. (Work on the Fifth Survey of
Crime Trends Operations of Criminal Justice Systems is currently
underway). Work on the latter survey is being undertaken in close
collaboration with the Netherlands Ministry of Justice, which
is playing a leading role in this survey.
UN Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI):
Its statistically-related activities are targeted towards
the promotion of an international comparative data base in crime
and criminal justice and the provision of technical assistance
to countries in transition and developing countries.
As part of the work on the data base project, UNICRI participates
in the UN Surveys on Crime Trends Operations of Criminal Justice
Systems and in the promotion of the International Crime (Victim)
Surveys. It also plans to publish a Report on Crime and Justice
which will contain data on police, prosecutors, courts, corrections,
personnel and financial resources collected in the Fourth Survey.
In 1995 UNICRI will carry out Victim Surveys in two countries
in transition in the ECE region in 1995, as preparatory work for
the third round of the International Crime (Victim) Survey which
will be conducted in 1996 and which is expected to involve about
20 countries in the ECE/OECD region.
The implementation of the Survey in countries in transition (and
in developing countries in other regions) is also geared towards
the provision of technical assistance, and the related activities
include training in survey techniques, sampling and the use of
data entry and data analysis software.
Statistically-related work also figures prominently in UNICRI's
research projects in the area of crime prevention and criminal
justice. A study of the relationship between socio-economic development
and crime covering a 20-year period has been carried out in two
countries to date (the former Yugoslavia and Tunisia), and it
is expected that similar projects will be initiated in the cycle
1996/97.
To develop a comprehensive, coherent and balanced system of education
statistics capable of supporting activities relating to education
and training, particularly developing and adjusting policy and
deepening understanding of the functioning and comparative benefits
of educational and training programmes. Increased emphasis on
measures of educational outcomes both in terms of human development
and the labour market; education sector activities (e.g. enrolment
and continuation rates) and associated expenditures; teaching
and other personnel; and socio-economic and other correlates/determinants
of education outcomes. A priority should be integrating these
diverse statistics into a coherent statistical system.
A work plan for a coordinated and cooperative development of
approaches to (1) assess current international education-related
statistics against the objectives listed above, (2) highlight
areas of overlap or duplication among international agencies,
and (3) suggest priorities where major advances in line with the
objectives would be promising.
For ECE and Unesco, report of the 1995/96 joint work session.
ECE-UNESCO Joint Meeting on Education Statistics (Paris, 15-18
January 1996).
Joint ECE/Unesco Work Session in 1995/96 on: (i) conceptual and
measurement issues between education and training on the one hand
and between education and entry to the labour market on the other;
(ii) issues in the interpretation, implementation and application
of ISCED (report by UNESCO); and (iii) adult education statistics
(report by UNESCO).
Secretariat resources: Negligible.
The Unit of Education statistics and indicators leads the exercise
of the revision of the joint questionnaires common to Eurostat
and Unesco. The current revision of the UOC questionnaires does
not attempt to fundamentally change or expand the scope of the
questionnaires, in order to fulfil new data demands.
Pilot questionnaires on enrolments and graduation should be established
for a test in 1995. New questionnaires on finance have been adopted
replacing the old UOC 2 questionnaire. The INES specific data
collection will be definitively suspended in 1995 having integrated
the old UOC questionnaires with the INES data collection instruments.
This revision includes the development of an electronic procedure
for data transmission and interchange between countries and the
international organisations gathering common data on education.
The current revision of the UOC questionnaires does not attempt
to fundamentally change or expand the scope of the questionnaires
in order to fulfil new data demands. The main objectives are:
(a) to establish a consistent and logical framework for the integration
of the old UOC questionnaires with the INES data collection instruments;
(b) to eliminate duplication in reporting by the Member countries;
(c) to clarify existing definitions and classification structures
and to improve the instructions in the questionnaires; and (d)
to improve the organisation of the information in the questionnaires.
Reorganises the OECD database on education to facilitate data
processing and timely data reporting, to provide user-friendly
interfaces, powerful analytical programs and possibilities for
fully computerised down-loading and up-loading and up-loading
procedures. Prepares jointly with Eurostat a technical manual
on education statistics and indicators.
Develops technical guidelines for data development setting a target
to aim for data collection efforts, to serve as a mechanism for
self-enforcement by the countries; to guide the decisions of national
statistical offices and other organisations when developing new
data sources.
(Theme 71: Education and vocational training)
It is planned to publish a first statistical document on education
statistics and educational indicators covering data on pupils,
students, teaching staff and attainment levels. This publication
will also cover educational expenditure. It is expected that the
educational database will be fully operational in 1995.
Methodological work in relation to the revision of the UOC questionnaires
and the ISCED nomenclature will be intensified. A system of electronic
data transmission will be intensified. This will require increased
co-operation with the UNESCO and OECD secretariats. In an effort
to improve the information base on the link between education/training
and other social phenomena, data on education and training from
other Eurostat surveys will be analysed (Labour Force Survey,
European Household Panel, Family Budget Survey, the 1990 Census
Round). In collaboration with OECD, the first special study (area
to be determined) will be carried out.
In the field of initial vocational education, work will concentrate
on an internationally comparable classification and a coherent
statistical reporting system. An attempt will be made to reconcile
statistics based on multiple data sources. Participation rates
in post-compulsory initial training, attainment levels in initial
training and labour force integration of young people will be
examined. For the latter, the comparability of data from national
surveys on the transition of young people from school to the labour
market will be examined. As an initial step, work will concentrate
on the development of an internationally comparable classification
and a coherent statistical reporting system for initial vocational
training.
As part of the four-year action programme for the development
of continuing vocational training in the European Community, the
first internationally comparable Continuing Vocational Training
Survey based on common concepts was conducted in the Member States
during the summer of 1994 and data is expected in Eurostat by
the end of this year. Publication of the first results is scheduled
for mid- 1995.
Second International Adult Literacy Survey (1996): Eurostat is
currently considering a joint management role with Statistics
Canada for the second IALS. The main objective of the survey is
to shed light on the literacy ability of the adult population.
The ILO: Data on employment and unemployment by level of
education have been collected, mainly for developed countries,
and published in the Bulletin of Labour Statistics. This programme
will be expanded to collect information for as many countries
as possible, and also by industry and by occupation.
UNESCO: The efforts of UNESCO's Division of Statistics
are geared towards an increase in the relevance, reliability,
timeliness and international comparability of the education data
it collects in order to meets users' needs better. Programme activities
aimed in this direction and which are also of relevance to countries
of the European region are: (i) the revision of the International
Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) (a steering committee
which includes OECD and EUROSTAT as members has been set up to
coordinate and guide work on a conceptual framework of education
statistics, the categorization of educational levels with due
reference to different modes of delivery, and the classification
of fields of study); (ii) the implementation of the joint UNESCO/OECD/EUROSTAT
questionnaires (see also activities of OECD and EUROSTAT) which,
in close collaboration with the data providers, underwent an important
revision affecting less the type and coverage of data collected
than the procedure for data transmission, verification and correction;
(iii) the Division's statistical database will be upgraded and
developed further, as will its accessibility to users (Database
migration into a decentralized environment will be completed by
the end of the period under consideration, and the dissemination
of statistical information will be improved through the application
of more efficient electronic systems); and (iv) activities will
be pursued with a view to identifying and calculating a generally
agreed set of basic education indicators that can be made available
to users easily and in a timely manner.
To develop an international framework for culture statistics
with linkages to social and demographic statistics and to economic
statistics (especially national accounts), and to establish or
improve programs of integrated data on cultural activities.
A work plan for a coordinated and cooperative development of
approaches to (1) assess current international culture statistics
against the objectives listed above, (2) highlight areas of overlap
or duplication among international agencies, and (3) suggest priorities
where major advances in line with the objectives would be promising.
For ECE and Unesco, report of the 1996/97 work session.
ECE-Unesco work session on cultural statistics (1996/97)
Joint ECE/UNESCO work session (1996/97) on: (i) results achieved
by the UNESCO working group on public financing (report by working
group); (ii) results achieved by the UNESCO working group on participation
in cultural activities (report by working group); (iii) possibilities
for refining and improving the FCS (papers by national rapporteur
and UNESCO); (iv) developments in cultural indicators (national
reports); and (v) statistical definition and measurement of cultural
occupations and industries (national reports).
Secretariat resources: Negligible.
(Theme 76: Social digests (part of))
Culture statistics will be published as part of the Social Portrait
of Europe. The Commission's needs in cultural statistics will
be identified. (See also 4.1 - Social Indicators).
UNESCO: Due to various constraints, UNESCO has had to cut
back on its programme activities regarding culture and communication
statistics and it is not expected that during the period under
consideration it will be in a position to advance work further
on the Framework for Cultural Statistics (FCS). UNESCO's Division
of Statistics is nevertheless ready to assume the role of rapporteur/focal
point in this particular subject area, and in order to achieve
the objectives listed above it is expected that Member States
will express their interest and will be able to cooperate actively,
as was the case with the working groups on participation and finance.
To provide the means to describe labour market conditions and
to identify the underlying causal conditions in order to enable
governments to have the information with which to intervene to
improve conditions and to harmonize economic and social policies
and programmes. To develop statistics on unpaid work including
classifications of types of voluntary organizations, types of
voluntary activity, and within household activities. To develop
a Labour Accounting System.
A work plan for a coordinated and cooperative development of
approaches to (1) assess current international labour statistics
against the objectives listed above, (2) highlight areas of overlap
or duplication among international agencies, and (3) suggest priorities
where major advances in line with the objectives would be promising.
OECD-EUROSTAT Workshop on Harmonised Labour Force Surveys in transition
countries (Budapest?) (mid-June, 19..)(provisional)
Work session on labour statistics, jointly with ILO and possibly
Eurostat and OECD (timing and terms of reference to be decided
later).
Provides a basis for analysis of labour market trends and policies
in the OECD. The statistics assembled for this purpose are generally
published, for example in the OECD "Employment Outlook".
Works to improve international comparisons, to allow exchanges
of information about national statistical practice, to ensure
that access to national data is carried out in the best way and
that the statistics obtained are interpreted correctly. Topics
which may be considered at the next meeting of the Working Party
include a review of the application of the current international
guidelines of employment and unemployment, especially the definitions
of unemployment, self.-employment and lay-offs; possible international
definitions of temporary work; annual hours of work; activities
of people not in the labour force; and the statistical treatment
of maternity/parental leave.
Maintains the CCET Labour Market database to facilitate monitoring
of labour market trends and analysis of policy issues in the transition
countries. A selected set of indicators from the database will
be published in an Annex to the "CCET Short-term Economic
Indicators". A diskette will be offered for sale separately.
(Themes 70, 73: Organisation and hours of work; Wages and labour
costs)
Eurostat intends to develop measures for improvement of the Labour
Force Survey: definition of a target structure for a more frequent
labour force survey aimed at improving the measurement of the
annual volume of employment and underemployment and the calculation
of the annual average unemployment rate. The target structure,
which must be developed with the Member States, will indicate
the mode of organisation of the survey (reference period, rotation
of the sample, periodicity of results) and the contents and design
of the questionnaires.
In addition the following actions are planned: measurement of
visible underemployment to supplement the analysis of the employment
market disequilibria from the standpoint of unemployment rates;
development of short-term (quarterly) indicators of employment
to remedy the serious shortcomings which currently exist at a
Community level in this domain; support for "reconciliation"
and integration of employment data from the various sources; introduction
of a quality control system for the Labour Force Survey.
The publication of a new Labour Cost survey, (four yearly), including
substantial innovations, is due for publication in spring/summer
1995; the Structure of Earnings Survey whose last edition appeared
in 1978, is being prepared following a new, more flexible, respondent
and user-friendly philosophy. A full-scale survey, with 1995 as
the reference year, is planned for 1996. The survey is expected
to yield information on the individual distribution of earnings
and on average earnings by occupation (ISCO 88-COM), and will
provide a source for analysis of wage and salary composition.
The publication of the harmonised statistics on earnings will
be enlarged and consistent with the new activities classification
(NACE Rev. 1). The survey on agricultural blue-collar worker earnings
will take place in 1994.
A Pilot Project for Phase 2 on Work Accidents covering 22 variables
in 6 high-risk sectors is being planned and data should be transmitted
in 1996.
In the area of Occupational Diseases an agreement on the precise
nature of the Pilot Project (reference year 1995) has been reached.
Thirty-one diseases and agents have been chosen for this phase.
Data transmission to Eurostat will begin in 1996.
The conceptual framework of the new database on work-time (WORKTIM)
will be improved. In co-operation with the European Foundation
for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions, work will
continue on the second survey of the "Work Environment".
The ILO: The ILO objectives concerning labour statistics
are to assist member States to develop their national labour statistics
systems and to promote the international comparability of labour
statistics.
The basic framework for the ILO's activities in this field is
provided by the Labour Statistics Convention, 1985 (No. 160) and
Recommendation, 1985 (No. 170). The Convention has so far been
ratified by 37 countries, and the ILO Bureau of Statistics is
responsible for analyzing the country reports on its application,
and providing technical comments for the ILO Committee of Experts
on the Application of Standards.
The ILO's work on statistics of employment in the informal sector
is linked to that of the 1990 World Population and Housing Census
Programme.
A major task of the ILO Bureau of Statistics is the collection,
analysis and dissemination of a broad range of information on
specific labour issues needed by a wide range of users both within
and outside the ILO. The information is released principally in
the form of printed publications, although machine-readable customized
sets of data are increasingly prepared for individual users.
The ILO is planning a technical manual on employment in the informal
sector to assist countries in the practical application of the
international guidelines.
In preparation of the 16th ICLS, planned for 1998, the ILO Bureau
of Statistics will focus its activities on the following topics
to be discussed at that Conference: setting standards for statistics
on income from employment; and setting standards for statistics
of underemployment.
In addition, final or preliminary outputs on the following topics
will be submitted to the 16th ICLS either for discussion or for
the adoption of new guidelines: statistics of occupational injuries;
administrative records, such as registers of job placement offices,
unemployment insurance schemes, social security schemes and labour
inspection records, are a potential source of relatively inexpensive
indicators on the state of the labour market; working time (the
Bureau will review the 10th ICLS resolution (1962) on the statistical
concept of hours of work and prepare a report for discussion by
the 16th ICLS); the Bureau will examine the experience gained
in different countries in applying the ICSE, particularly in the
light of developments in the world of work and the diversity of
work situations; the Bureau will examine and review country practices
with a view to improving the existing labour accounting systems
for discussion at the 16th ICLS, in order to obtain its views
and reactions on various relevant issues; and the ILO will follow
developments in designing and implementing informal sector surveys
in different countries, and disseminate and evaluate information
about the lessons learned from this experience in a report for
discussion at the 16th ICLS.
Statistical Committee of the Commonwealth of Independent States
(CIS STAT):The following measures are planned:
(a) A number of methodological proposals for updating manpower
balances, addressing the system of indicators that characterize
the conditions and quality of work and methods for analyzing them,
and ensuring the practical application of the International Classification
of Diseases, Injuries and Causes of Death (tenth revision).
(b) Preparation of reports and analytical notes on issues of manpower
statistics, relating to persons employed in unpleasant working
conditions, on changes in nominal wages in the countries of the
Commonwealth and on minimal wages and salaries as an instrument
for regulating labour remuneration; publication of a yearbook
"Labour market in the Commonwealth countries in 1994"
is also expected.
To develop a system of demographic country specific accounts,
and related population and family and household projections for
the ECE-OECD region, and the collection of micro-data files enabling
comparative socio-economic analyses of important target populations.
Major components include (1) the creation of an information bank
concerning uses made of non- governmental/governmental demographic
statistics in ECE countries; (2) the promotion of international
coordination and agreements to improve the measurement of population
migration flows and stocks of asylum seekers and refugees; (3)
the collection of comparable micro data files; and (4) the sharing
of new methodology developments for demographic estimates and
projections.
A work plan for a coordinated and cooperative development of
approaches in th fields of fertility, migration, estimates and
projections, and families and households to (1) assess current
international statistics against the objectives listed above,
(2) highlight areas of overlap or duplication among international
agencies, and (3) suggest priorities where major advances in line
with the objectives would be promising. Preparation of an Executive
Summary for the Bureau and the Conference. Publication of (1)
revised international recommendations on migration statistics;
(2) protocols and agreements to facilitate accurate and timely
migration data; (3) specifications for the System of Demographic
Accounts for the ECE region; (4) classified uses of demographic
statistics in ECE countries; and (5) annual international migration
flows and standardization tabulations for ECE countries.
UNSD: Expert Group on International Migration Statistics (Third
quarter, 1995)
The ECE Statistical Division conducts work in three fields:
Secretariat resources: negligible.
ii) Migration:
Secretariat resources: Substantial each year.
iii) Fertility:
Work Session on fertility and family surveys (1995/96) to consider:
(i) experiences gained by countries in conducting recent fertility
and family surveys (reports by FFS participating countries and
other countries); (ii) methods for statistically measuring and
analysing life course data (including the application of specialized
software packages for that purpose) (reports by the ECE secretariat
and countries); (iii) comparative results of FFS findings published
in FFS Country Summary Reports, FFS Comparative Figures and other
sources (reports by the ECE secretariat and countries).
Secretariat resources: negligible (except for substantive work
for the meeting carried out by the ECE's Population Activities
Unit).
The Population Activities Unit (in the ECE Division for Economic
Analysis and Projections), in collaboration with the Statistical
Division, collects semi-annual data from ECE countries on the
flow of international migrants among ECE countries. The data are
supplied by NSOs and they are a major input to the Unit's semiannual
"International Migration Bulletin", which includes information
on refugees and asylum seekers as well as data and information
on semiannual migration flows, legislative developments and reports
on major meetings. The information on migration flows contained
in the Bulletin complements the data on international migratory
flows published annually in the form of matrices as part of the
Conference of European Statistician's programme of work.
The Unit also has a project in which sample survey information
has been collected in three transition countries - Lithuania,
Poland and Ukraine - in order to study the causes, consequences
and processes of emigration from those countries. This project
is being carried out in collaboration with national institutions,
usually population or migration centres.
The PAU has a project in which sample survey information on various
aspects of family formation and dissolution and on fertility behaviour
is being collected in some 20 ECE countries in collaboration with
national statistical offices and population institutes. The data,
which are collected using national questionnaires modelled on
the ECE Fertility and Family Survey (FFS) questionnaire, are currently
being turned into standard recode files (SRFs) for countries that
have completed field work. SRFs will be archived at the Unit.
The data collection phase is scheduled to be completed towards
the end of 1996, and work on the preparation, publication and
dissemination of standard FFS tabulations and findings has started
in 1994.
The PAU recently completed data on national provisions, rules
and regulations relating to fertility and the family, international
migration, and population aging and the elderly by means of a
questionnaire on population-related policies which is available
in both diskette and hard-copy versions. The questionnaire was
completed for some 20 countries. The data, which are both quantitative
and qualitative, have been archived in the Unit's computerized
population policy data base and made available to institutions
and individuals who helped complete the questionnaire.
The Population Activities Unit is currently making tentative plans
for the ECE work in population data collection, analysis and research
during 1996-1999. This programme may include three major projects,
each of which will involve collection of sample survey data with
individuals or households as primary sampling units. A project
concerned with international migration will expand surveys dealing
with the process, causes and consequences of migration, which
are conducted in communities of emigration in countries of origin,
into additional countries, primarily countries in transition.
This project may also conduct surveys in communities of immigration
of the receiving countries. A project concerned with reproductive
behaviour, reproductive health and family planning will, among
other things, carry out fertility and family planning surveys
in countries in transition, which will supplement data from fertility
and family surveys conducted in other parts of the region. A third
project will include collection and analysis of survey data on
elderly persons which will shed light, among other things, on
their economic well-being, health and disability, family and living
arrangements, and different forms of care they receive.
Note: Although migration statistics are categorised here
with demographic statistics, OECD statistical activities go far
beyond a purely demographic framework. In particular, it includes
data collection in support of analyses related to questions such
as the integration of immigrants in the economy (especially the
labour market) and the society as well as economic links between
sending and receiving countries. Some of these issues more properly
fit under programme element 4.14 (Statistics on population groups
of special interest).
Collects data on migration movements and on the foreign or foreign-
born population, with a view to monitoring migration flows in
OECD and CEEC countries and to addressing issues concerning migration
policies, published annually in "Trends in International
Migration".
Statistics of migration (stocks and flows) will be consolidated
and expanded with a view to improving their comparability, coverage
and documentation, while integrating them within a larger demographic
framework. The enhanced database will include statistics covering
various aspects of the foreign or foreign-born populations, in
particular labour market activities, educational attainment and
school attendance, with a view to supporting analysis on the process
of integration of these populations within the receiving countries.
In addition, economic indicators on both sending and receiving
countries will be compiled, to provide information on links between
sending and receiving countries and on possible influences on
the decision to migrate. Participation in the revision of the
international recommendations on migration statistics. All this
will be integrated into a computerised system which will in time,
be accessible to potential users. This project will be established
with close collaboration with Eurostat.
(Theme 75: Population and migration - projections (part of))
Eurostat considers it essential to improve statistics on migration
and develop work on projections and on the harmonisation of statistics
on families and households. In close collaboration with the ECE
and UNSD, Eurostat is now actively engaged in a revision of the
UN recommendations on the statistics of international migration.
Work on the recommendations for the treatment of asylum- seekers
and refugee statistics has also been initiated. (UNSD has merged
its migration data questionnaire with that of ECE/Eurostat.).
There will be continuing co-operation with other international
organisations to seek to reduce the response burden on member
states. The push-pull factors which affect migration will be investigated
by way of a migration survey will be conducted in a number of
EU immigrant countries and non-EU emigrant countries in 1995.
Eurostat is also encouraging action proposed by Member States
to improve their own means of statistical observation (test surveys,
interconnection of administrative records, use of residence permits
to observe flows, etc.) It is intended to aim for a wider and
more popular dissemination of migration statistics: the data covers
such areas as foreign population, migration flows, asylum seekers,
refugees and acquisition of citizenship. It is also intended to
initiate work on indicators of integration. Work on projections
will centre on production of a set of internationally comparable
demographic forecasts combined with different "what if"
scenarios. Existing official national population forecasts are
currently being harmonised and on completion of this exercise,
official regional population and labour force forecasts will be
published on an internationally comparable basis. There will be
co- ordination of work within the EEA and with the countries of
central and eastern Europe. Work will advance on harmonisation
of statistics with Family and Household statistics.
UN Statistical Division (UNSD): Activities will include
the review of current recommendations on international migration
statistics in cooperation with the United Nations regional commissions,
Eurostat and other organizations concerned. In this connection,
several special studies including a Migration Questionnaire are
planned as a collaborative effort between Eurostat, ECE, UNSD
and others. The studies deal with: (a) concepts and definitions
concerning migration flow statistics; (b) statistics on refugees
and other special categories: and (c) definition of migration
stock or foreign population. The results of these studies will
be considered in the following meetings and revised in the light
of comments and suggestions. Progress of the review process will
be reported to the Statistical Commission at its twenty-eight
session.
Work will be continued on international compilation and database
including publication of Population and Vital Statistics Report
(quarterly) and the Demographic Yearbook. Special topics will
cover Population census and migration. In addition, ad hoc user
services will be provided on request in the form of diskettes,
tapes, etc. Application of advanced technology in lieu of manual
questionnaires will be tested.
The ILO: ILO estimates and projections of the economically
active population: Harmonization of benchmark data for 43 African
countries, 15 countries of the Former Soviet Union, 12 countries
of Central and Eastern Europe and 8 Arab countries, and elaboration
of new methodologies for the projection, the sex and age specific
activity rates and for the imputation of countries with missing
data have been completed. By September 1994, benchmark data for
all countries were planned. By December 1994, the 1950-1990 estimates
for all countries are expected. 1995-2010 projections for all
countries will be completed by mid-1955.
Within the framework of ILO work on child labour, improved regional
estimates of the size of the economically active population in
the age group 10-14 have been established using data for 124 countries.
Special data bases will be established on migration for employment.
The UN Population Division: Produces estimates and projections
of countries and other major geographical areas. Conducts analytical
work in areas such as fertility, mortality, migration, aging and
urbanization.
Council of Europe: The Council of Europe publishes in September
of each year a 350 page report on "Recent Demographic Developments
in Europe" (Evolution d,mographique r,cente en Europe) containing
data on about 45 countries in Europe for the period ending on
31 December of the previous year. The report is prepared by the
Council of Europe Secretariat on the basis of country reports
submitted in response to a questionnaire circulated in May of
each year. The Council of Europe European Population Committee
(a steering committee) is the body responsible for supervising
the preparation of the report. This body meets once or twice a
year.
The Council is also initiating work studying the demographic situation
of national minority groups (linguistic, ethnic, religious, etc.),
and it is interested in carrying out this work jointly with Eurostat
and the ECE Statistical Division.
In September 1996 the Council will organize in Spain a Mediterranean
Conerence on Population, Migration and Development, the main purpose
of which is to assess the impact of present and future demographic
imbalances in the mediterranean area on migration flows and to
propose action in the field of development cooperation.
A working group will be set up in 1996 to study internal migration
and regional population dynamism.
Statistical Committee of the Commonwealth of Independent States
(CIS STAT): The Committee systematically collects data on
migratory flows between Commonwealth countries (annually) and
on the quantity and socio-demographic breakdown of refugees and
migrants (monthly); comparative forecasts are produced in the
field of population, families and households. These data are published
in monthly statistical bulletins and in demographic yearbooks.
Development and improvement of statistics relating to housing
and building; study of the relationships between human settlement
statistics (particularly housing statistics) and related types
of statistics (e.g. construction statistics, geographical distribution
of the population and land use statistics); elaboration of the
links between housing statistics and other fields of statistics
such as national accounts and balances; and improvement and further
development of housing and building and planning statistics.
A work plan for a coordinated and cooperative development of
approaches to (1) assess the current situation concerning international
statistics in the fields of housing, construction and human settlements,
(2) highlight areas of overlap, duplication and cooperation among
the international agencies concerned, and (3) suggest priorities
where major advances would be promising.
UNSD: Expert Group meeting on the 2000 World Population and Housing
Census Programme (Fourth quarter, 1995) (see project 4.5).
Work session on human settlements and housing statistics to consider:
(i) progress made in developing land use statistics for use in
the field of housing and human settlements (reports by the ECE
secretariat and national rapporteurs); (ii) innovations made by
countries in developing statistics on housing expenditures (national
reports); (iii) evaluations of national experiences in producing
statistics on housing improvements, repairs and maintenance, and
on distributional aspects of housing (reports by the ECE secretariat
and national rapporteurs); (iv) use of new data collection methods
(e.g. EDI) in the field of housing statistics; and (v) recent
developments in transition countries in the fields of housing
and construction statistics. (Timing to be decided later).
Secretariat resources: Negligible.
The Human Settlements Section of the ECE Environment and Human
Settlements Division collaborates with the Statistical Division
in improving the content and structure of the ECE Annual Bulletin
of Housing and Building Statistics for Europe and North America,
as well as the recommendations for the censuses of population
and housing in the ECE region.
The Working Party on Housing Development, Modernization and Management
of the ECE Committee on Human Settlements at its third session
in May 1995 will consider (a) the needs for human settlements
statistics in countries in transition; and (b) experience with
an application of the housing indicators elaborated by Habitat/World
Bank in preparation of national monographs by ECE countries for
the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat-II).
(Theme 75: Population and migration - projections (part of))
A chapter on housing is included in the Eurostat publication,
"A Social Portrait of Europe". Different sources have
been used such as the censuses of population, the Family Budget
Surveys and national data. Data on international housing and building
statistics are regularly requested from Eurostat. While there
is no direct survey on the topic conducted by Eurostat, a Task
Force meeting is planned for March 1995 and two different publications
are being considered: a Rapid Report on the results of the first
wave of the European Community Household Panel and a publication
examining all sources of housing and building statistics within
Eurostat.
Planned methodological work will be assessed at the Task Force
meeting planned for March. The objectives should focus on achieving
more comparable data at an international level with co- ordination
of field-work to ensure optimum distribution of responsibilities
and avoidance of over-laps.
UN Statistical Division (UNSD): Activities will be focused
on the dissemination of data collected by the Human Settlements
Statistics Questionnaire. It is expected that a computerized database
will be available to users in 1995 especially in the context of
the forthcoming Habitat II Conference to be held in Istanbul,
Turkey in 1996. On the basis of experience and findings gathered
through the human settlement statistics collection exercise the
activities related to housing statistics will be oriented towards
the assessment of data available in countries. Activities related
to housing censuses will focus on the preparation of a set of
draft global recommendations for housing censuses based on methodological
review of national practices and needs in this field (see programme
element 4.5 above).
UN Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat): Human Settlements
Statistics Data-base: UNCHS (Habitat) will continue to collaborate
with UNSD in the area of human settlements statistics. The results
from the 1992 Human Settlements Statistics Questionnaire are now
being analysed and tabulations being prepared for the second edition
of the Compendium of Human Settlements Statistics which is due
to be published in late 1995. This publication will be used for
and distributed during the Habitat II Conference in June 1996.
Plans are also underway to send out Human Settlements Statistics
Questionnaires to national statistical offices in 1997. Prior
to that UNCHS (Habitat) and UNSD will review the 1992 questionnaire
with a view to improvement. The development of the Human Settlements
Statistical Data-base (HSDB.stat) will continue. The current HSDB.stat
version 4 will be distributed in diskettes starting in March 1995.
Other important outputs of this programme will be a Human Settlements
Atlas to be published in 1995 and the Statistical Annex to the
Global Report on Human Settlements due in early 1996.
The City Data Programme: UNCHS (Habitat) launched the City
Data Programme (CDP) in 1991 in collaboration with the Network
of Urban Research in the European Community (NUREC), the International
Union of Local Authorities (IULA), UNSD and the International
Statistical Institute (ISI). This collaborative effort resulted
in the Large Cities Statistics project which developed a comprehensive
City Data Questionnaire which were sent to all cities with population
of 100,000 and above in 1994. The Questionnaire are being received
back and the data contained therein will be processed and analysed
and used to publish an International Yearbook of Large Towns in
1996 preferably before the Habitat II Conference. Besides this
publication, the global component of the CDP will produce a global
database on cities entitled UNCHS-CitiBase. The CitiBase will
be a PC-application software which will be disseminated to countries
in the course of 1995.
To facilitate the development of comprehensive, comparable, reliable
and timely statistics describing the distribution of the capacity
of individuals, families, and households to acquire goods and
services; to identify the sources of inequality in incomes; to
understand processes of social exclusion; to assess the need for
intervention in the distribution of incomes to target interventions
deemed necessary and to monitor the effectiveness of such interventions.
Identification of conceptual and methodological issues impeding
the production of internationally comparable measures of household
income, and development of an approach to eliminate these impediments
(e.g. through expert meetings, seminars, commissioned studies,
and promotion of international collaboration in research). Development
of summary measures such as measures of low income and on the
role of income in shedding light on social exclusion and on labour-
market exclusions.
- To include the work session on household income in the Conference's
1995/96 meeting programme. - To ask Eurostat to serve as the Rapporteur/focal
point for the Conference for work in this project.
ECE-Eurostat: Work session on household income (1995/96)
An Intersecretariat Task Force called the Task Force on the Measurement
of Poverty has been established in this field by the UN Statistical
Commission's Working Group on International Statistical Programmes
and Coordination. The World Bank is the Convener of this task
force.
Joint ECE/Eurostat Work Session in 1995/96 on (i) preparation
of regional guidelines on statistics of the distribution of income,
consumption and accumulation of households (secretariat, in cooperation
with Eurostat); (ii) development of conceptual foundations for
statistics of poverty and other socio-economic statistics (secretariat,
in cooperation with Eurostat, UNSD, ILO and national rapporteurs);
(iii) consideration of methodological issues (secretariat, in
cooperation with national rapporteurs). Follow-up ECE-Eurostat
Joint Meeting on these topics when required.
Secretariat resources: Substantial
See programme element 4.1 for OECD activities related to the
elderly, the disabled, families, etc.
(Theme 72, 74: Social protection (part of), Family Budget Surveys
and poverty (part of))
European Community Household Panels: The ECHP was launched
in 1994. The results of the first wave will be available in spring
1995. The ECHP will be the only source for comparable income information
in the Union. Income will be cross-analysed by education, health,
migration, unemployment and other variables on living conditions.
(See also 4.3 Multi-purpose social surveys). Eurostat is also
engaged on revising the UN Provisional Guidelines on the Distribution
of Income, Consumption and Assets. The first meeting with the
representatives of ECE has already been held and a work-programme
for this area has been proposed.
Family Budget Survey: A database from the family budgets
surveys of the Member States in the Community is being restructured
and updated in order to facilitate future dissemination. The main
part concerns data with reference years 1980/1981 and 1987/1988.
Data will in future, be collected at five-yearly intervals, with
the next reference period being 1993/1994. Eurostat proposes further
harmonisation of data and improvements of sampling methods in
Member States.
In terms of monetary poverty, the trends during the 1980s will
be completed for the European Union, except for Luxembourg. A
poverty database will be settled in Eurostat. It will be directly
derived from the Family's Budget Surveys micro-data.
The ILO: The results of household income and expenditure
surveys conducted recently will appear in "Statistics on
household income and expenditure" which will be published
in 1995.
The ILO will participate actively in the inter-agency Task Force
on poverty to be convened by the World Bank to review existing
definitions and methodologies to measure poverty and develop a
work programme with a view to setting international standards
in this field.
INSTRAW: Within INSTRAW's global research project on "measurement
and valuation of unpaid contribution: accounting through time
use", several countries that belong to the ECE region will
be involved (Canada, Hungary and Finland. The project started
in 1992 and is expected to continue until the end of 1995. The
activities in the region include analysis of existing time-use
data and other auxiliary data required for imputing values to
unpaid work and, when necessary, as in the case of Hungary, additional
statistical information will be collected through a small survey
to complete data requirements. (See related work on time use sureys
Eurostat plans to carry out, described under project 4.3).
To develop programs of integrated data and information on specific
issues or populations. For example, issues might include poverty
or illiteracy. Populations might include the elderly, minorities,
children, youth and the homeless.(See also project 4.2, gender
statistics).
Recommendations for a series of internationally comparable reports
on population groups of special interest. Comparative analyses
concerning attributes of the older population in a more distant
future.
(None)
EUROSTAT: Task-force: statistics on the homeless (31 October 1995)
The Population Activities Unit (ECE Division for Economic Analysis
and Projections) has a project on Population aging (elderly population
groups) that involves the preparation of microdata census samples
created from the most recent (1990 round) population and housing
censuses of about a dozen ECE countries. The microdata samples
contain a significant oversampling of each country's elderly population
(aged 50 or more) and are being drawn by national statistical
offices in the countries concerned. Standard data files and tabulations
are being prepared by the Unit and analyzed by national population
centres, the staff of the Unit and selected population experts.
Some 10 data sets have been created, standardized and archived
by the Unit. About 5 more sets will be added by the end of 1995.
See programme element 4.1 for OECD activities related to the
elderly, the disabled, families, etc.
(Theme 76: Social digests (part of))
Eurostat will continue work in analysing the position of specific
groups designated in Commission policies and especially in the
area of equal opportunities. A task force on homelessness will
be created. An updated version of the report on disabled people
will also be published. Data from the ECHP (expected in summer
1995) will be examined to determine areas and trends of interest.
(See also 4.13 - Statistics on Household Income of the Welfare
of the Population and of Income Inequality, 4.2 - Gender Statistics
and 4.3 - Multi-Purpose Social Surveys).
UN Statistical Division (UNSD): Activities will be focused on
preparation of a technical report for the expert group meeting
on development of disability statistics and background materials
supported by funds from UNSD, CBS Netherlands and the United States
National Center for Health Statistics; finalizing the draft of
a statistical training manual on disability statistics supported
by funds from Sweden (SIDA); completion of the draft report on
a human development agenda for disability; statistical considerations
supported by funds from the Swedish Organization of Handicapped
International Aid Foundation (SHIA); completion of the Statistical
Chart on World Families in all United nations languages in collaboration
with the Secretariat for the International Year of the Family:
preparation of special reports covering specific methodological
issues on the compilation and analysis of national statistics
contained in the United Nations Disability Statistics Database
(DISTAT); responding to requests for information and statistics
in the area of special population and provision of technical advisory
services.
Eurostat's work in areas such as social safety nets and on the
analysis of redistributed systems are examples which could be
mentioned here.
4.7 CRIME AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE STATISTICS
Objectives over the next several years:
Expected collective output in the next two years:
Attention of the Conference is drawn to the following:
Recommended decisions by the Conference at its 1995 plenary
session:
Meetings in the next two years:
Rapporteur/focal point:
Activities and means in the next two years:
4.8 EDUCATION AND TRAINING STATISTICS
Objectives over the next several years:
Expected collective output in the next two years:
Attention of the Conference is drawn to the following:
Recommended decisions by the Conference at its 1995 plenary
session:
Meetings in the next two years:
OECD: Education Policy Review and Advisory Group (London, 1-2
September 1995)
OECD: Technical Group for Education Statistics and Indicators
(End of October 1995)
EUROSTAT: Taskforce "Statistics and Initial Vocational Training"
(28-29 September 1995)
EUROSTAT: Taskforce "Education Statistics" (12-13 October
1995)
UNESCO: Subregional workshop on education statistics for countries
of the former USSR (September 1995)
Rapporteur/focal point:
Activities and means in the next two years:
4.9 CULTURE STATISTICS
Objectives over the next several years:
Expected collective output in the next two years:
Attention of the Conference is drawn to the following:
Recommended decisions by the Conference at its 1995 plenary
session:
Meetings in the next two years:
UNESCO: Expert meeting on book publishing statistics (July 1995)
UNESCO: Working group on participation in cultural activities
(tentatively June 1995 and probably in connection with working
group on public financing of culture)
Rapporteur/focal point:
Activities and means in the next two years:
4.10 LABOUR STATISTICS
Objectives over the next several years:
Expected collective output in the next two years:
Attention of the Conference is drawn to the following:
Recommended decisions by the Conference at its 1995 plenary
session:
Meetings in the next two years:
OECD: Working Party on Employment and Unemployment Statistics
EUROSTAT: Wages statistics working group (6-7 November 1995)
EUROSTAT: Employment statistics working group (November 1995)
Rapporteur/focal point:
Activities and means in the next two years:
4.11 DEMOGRAPHIC STATISTICS (INCLUDING ESTIMATES AND PROJECTIONS,
MIGRATION, FERTILITY AND FAMILIES AND HOUSEHOLDS)
Objectives over the next several years:
Expected collective output in the next two years:
Attention of the Conference is drawn to the following:
Recommended decisions by the Conference at its 1995 plenary
session:
Meetings in the next two years:
ECE-EUROSTAT: Joint work session on migration statistics (1996/97)
EUROSTAT: Population forecast working group (2-3 October 1995)
EUROSTAT: Working Party on Migration Statistics (January 1996,
with ECE)
EUROSTAT: Demographic statistics working group (20-22 Dec. 1995)
OECD: Working party on Migration (14-15 June 1995)
Council of Europe: Mediterranean Conference on Population, Migration
and Development (Spain, Sept. 1996)
Rapporteur/focal point:
Activities and means in the next two years:
Activities of the ECE Division for Economic Analysis and Projections):
4.12 HUMAN SETTLEMENTS AND HOUSING STATISTICS
Objectives over the next several years:
Expected collective output in the next two years:
Attention of the Conference is drawn to the following:
Recommended decisions by the Conference at its 1995 plenary
session:
Meetings in the next two years:
Rapporteur/focal point:
Activities and means in the next two years:
Activities of the ECE Environment and Human Settlements Division:
4.13 STATISTICS OF HOUSEHOLD INCOME AND EXPENDITURES, OF THE
WELFARE OF THE POPULATION, AND OF POVERTY AND INCOME INEQUALITY
Objectives over the next several years:
Expected collective output in the next two years:
Attention of the Conference is drawn to the following:
Recommended decisions by the Conference at its 1995 plenary
session:
Meetings in the next two years:
ECE-Eurostat: Meeting on household income statistics (1996/97)
EUROSTAT: Social protection statistics working group (9-10 October
1995)
EUROSTAT: Family Budget surveys working group (26-27 October 1995)
Rapporteur/focal point:
Activities and means in the next two years:
Intersecretariat Task Force:
4.14 STATISTICS ON POPULATION GROUPS OF SPECIAL INTEREST
Objectives over the next several years:
Expected collective output in the next two years:
Attention of the Conference is drawn to the following:
Recommended decisions by the Conference at its 1995 plenary
session:
Meetings in the next two years:
Rapporteur/focal point:
Activities and means in the next two years:
Activities of the ECE Division for Economic Analysis and Projections):
4.XX OTHER WORK IN THE FIELD OF SOCIAL AND DEMOGRAPHIC STATISTICS
Work by Eurostat:
Annex I.
Priority menu of the CES for 199596 and 1996/97
a) 1995/96
WORK PROGRAMME
OF THE
CONFERENCE OF
EUROPEAN
STATISTICIANS
PRIORITY MENU
FOR 1995/96
Programme Substantive Major Output for the
element action required coordination plenary
by the ECE required session 1996
secretariat
4.2 Gender - Joint - Eurostat, - Publication
statistics publication UNSD
4.5 Population - Preparation of - Eurostat, - Report
and housing the work session UNSD
censuses on housing
censuses -Publication
-
- Publication on
census costs
4.8 Education Preparation of - UNESCO - Report
and training the work session
statistics
4.11 - Preparation - Eurostat, - Matrices
Demographic of the annual UNSD
statistics migration
(projections, matrices - Progress
migration, - UNSD, report as
fertility, ...) - Participation Eurostat, OECD, required
in review of UN etc.
recommendations
on international - Report
migration -
statistics
- Preparation
of work session
on fertility and
family surveys
4.13 Household - Preparation of - Eurostat - Report
income the work session
statistics
b) 1996/97
WORK PROGRAMME
OF THE
CONFERENCE OF
EUROPEAN
STATISTICIANS
PRIORITY MENU
FOR 1996/97
Programme Substantive Major Output for the
element action required coordination plenary
by the ECE required session 1997
secretariat
4.4 Registers Preparation of - Eurostat - Report
and the work session
administrative
records in
social &
Demographic
statistics
4.5 Population Preparation of - Eurostat, - Report, and
and housing the meeting UNSD draft
censuses recommendation
s
4.6 Health - Preparation - Unesco - Report
statistics of the work
session
4.9 Culture - Preparation - Unesco - Report
statistics of the work
session
4.11 - Preparation of - Eurostat, - Matrices
Demographic the annual UNSD
statistics matrices - Report
(including - Eurostat,
projections, - Preparation of UNSD
migration and the work session
fertility)
Annex II.
Consolidated list of international meetings
Principal Sponsoring Organization
ECE Eurostat OECD Other
organizations
4.1 - CIS STAT:
Social Working Group
indicators on social and
and demographic
frameworks statistics
(95/96)
4.2 Gender - UN: World
statistics Conference on
Women
(Beijing,
Sept. 95)
4.3 Multi- - Time-use
purpose pilot survey
social working
surveys group (Sept.
95)
- Household
panel
working
group (Sept.
95)
- Workshop
on time use
pilot survey
(Dec. 95)
4.4 - Work - UNSD:
Registers Session on Workshop on
and registers strategies
administra and for the
tive administrat improvement
records ive of civil
for social registers registration
and (with and vital
demographi Eurostat) statistics
c (1996-97) (3rd Quarter,
statistics 1995)
4.5 - Work - Working - UNSD:
Population Session on Party on Expert group
and housing censuses on the 2000
housing censuses (with ECE) World
censuses (with (1995/96) Population
Eurostat) and Housing
(Autumn 96) Census
Programme
- Meeting (4th Quarter,
on 1995)
population
and housing
censuses
(with
Eurostat)
(1996/97)
4.6. - Work - Health - UNSD
Health session on indicators (disabled
statistics health (Nov. 95) population -
statistics See programme
(with element 4.14)
WHO/Euro,
1996/97) - WHO/Euro:
Revision of
HFA
indicators
(4th Quarter,
1995)
- WHO/Euro:
Meeting on
health
service
indicators
(CEEC, 4th
Quarter,
1995)
4.8 - Work - Education - - UNESCO: Sub-
Education session on policy Technical regional
and education review and Group for workshop on
training statistics advisory Educ. education
statistics (with group (sept. Statistic statistics
Unesco) 95) s and for countries
(Jan. 96) Indicator of the former
- Task s (Oct. USSR (Sept.
Force: 95) 95)
Statistics
and initial
vocational
training
(Sept. 95)
- Task
Force:
Education
statistics
(Oct. 95)
4.9 - Work - UNESCO:
Culture session on Book
statistics cultural publishing
statistics statistics
(with (July 95)
Unesco,
1996/97) - UNESCO:
Participation
in cultural
activities
(June 95)
4.10 - Wage - - ILO:
Labour statistics Workshop Meeting of
statistics working on experts on
group (Nov. harmonise labour
95) d labour statistics on
force the
- Employment surveys measurement
statistics in of
working transitio underemployme
group (Nov. n nt
95) countries
(with
Eurostat)
- Working
Party on
employmen
t and
unemploym
ent
statistic
s
4.11 - Work - Working - Working - UNSD:
Demographi Session on Group on Group on Expert Group
c fertility population Migration on
statistics and family forecasts (June 95) international
(including surveys (Oct. 95) migration
projection (95/96) statistics
s, - Working (3rd Quarter,
migration - Work Group on 1995)
and session on Demographic
fertility) migration statistics - Council of
statistics (Dec. 95) Europe:
(with Mediterranean
Eurostat) - Working Conference on
(96/97) Party on Population,
Migration Migration and
statistics Development
(with ECE) (Sept. 96)
(Jan. 96)
4.12 - UNSD:
Human Expert Group
settlement meeting on
s and the 2000
housing World
statistics Population
and Housing
Census
Programme
(Autumn 95)
(See
programme
element 4.5)
4.13 - Work - Working
Household session on Group on
income household social
income protection
statistics statistics
(with (Oct. 95)
Eurostat)
(1995/96) - Working
Group on
- Meeting Family
on Budget
household surveys
income (Oct. 95)
statistics
(with
Eurostat)
(1996/97)
4.14 - Task force
Population on
groups of statistics
special of the
interest homeless
(Oct. 95)