Towards implementation of the Pre-SNA phase:
Handbook “Essential SNA: building the basics”
Seminar on the Implementation of the System of
National Accounts 2008 in the African Region
11 – 15 April 2011, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
The Beginnings: Luxembourg Recommendations,
ISWGNA
 May 2008: Eurostat organised in conjunction with the
Statistical Division of the UN, a high-level conference on
national accounts in the context of development cooperation
which concluded by endorsing the “Luxembourg
Recommendations” (LR).
 LR were then passed on to the Inter-secretariat Working
Group on National Accounts (ISWGNA) which in 2009
formulated an Action Plan for implementation of SNA2008
which included improving national statistical systems.
 One way to achieve such improvements is by providing
support focused on the collection and processing of basic
source data (IT tools; handbooks & guidelines).
IT tools for National Accounts:
 ERETES:
– An IT solution for the yearly compilation of national accounts data
– Free of charge and available online http://www.eretes.net/FR/index.htm
– EUROSTAT activities for 2009-2012:
• Upgrading ERETES to SNA2008*
• Support to the ERETES user group
• Every year: 4 one-week regional or national workshops
 ECOTRIM:
– An IT solution for the quarterly compilation of national accounts data
– Free of charge and available online
http://circa.europa.eu/Public/irc/dsis/ecotrim/library
Handbook: meeting the needs of SIDS and LCDs
 At the end of 2007, only 10 per cent of small island
developing states (SIDS) and least developed countries
(LDCs) were able to provide the seven tables of the minimum
requirement data set (MRDS) defined in the report of the
ISWGNA to the thirty second session of the Statistical
Commission1.
 Further study undertaken by ISWGNA highlighted the need to
strengthen the statistical production process that precedes
the integration of the data into national accounts, namely in
the collection and processing of basic source data and the
institutional context, the so-called Pre-SNA Phase.
1Source:
Item 3(e) of the provisional agenda of the fortieth session of the UN Statistical
Commission, New York, 24-27 February 2009
Eurostat activities to implement the ISWGNA
principles
 In line with the ISWGNA task of preparing manuals and
handbooks Eurostat prepared the Handbook “Essential
SNA: building the basics” which focuses on the pre-SNA
phase and which became available by the end of 2010.
 The handbook is based on and is fully compatible with
Volumes I and II of SNA 2008.
 The handbook is particularly relevant for SIDS and LCDs to
produce the most essential tables for a "minimal"
implementation of SNA.
 The handbook includes best practices for analysis of basic
data to ease the start-up phase of NSOs facing the
challenge of producing NA data in accordance with SNA for
the first time.
Handbook: “Essential SNA: Building the
basics”
 Main reference framework is
provided by the Minimum
Requirement Data Set (MRDS),
developed by the ISWGNA.
 This is the set of required,
recommended and desirable
data on national accounts that
should be provided by countries
intending to implement the SNA
for the first time.
Key issues for implementing the 2008 SNA
presented in the handbook
 Institutional issues, such as the need to create the legal
framework for implementing national accounts and the
strategy for developing the statistical system, which forms the
basis for the implementation of national accounts;
 Technical issues relating to statistical infrastructure, such
as the business register and classifications;
 Technical issues relating to statistical and administrative
data sources required for compiling national accounts, and
especially their use for estimating national accounts
indicators;
 Specific issues for the compilation of national accounts,
common in developing countries, such as the non-observed
economy and the informal sector.
Structure of the Handbook
 The handbook has been divided into several chapters,
each focusing on a key issue.
 At the end of each chapter is a list of references to other
manuals and documents to provide guidance for users
interested in further developing the topics covered by
the handbook.
Chapter II. System of National accounts
 Offers a short introduction to the national accounts
system, and in particular the 2008 SNA;
 Provides arguments for implementing national accounts,
providing Chief Statisticians with the tools for justifying
the need to allocate human and financial resources to
this activity;
 Presents the definition and characteristics of the national
accounts system as well as how it may be used in the
economy;
 One section is devoted to the new SNA: it includes a
brief history of SNA developments and the main
improvements in the 2008 SNA with respect to previous
versions.
Chapter III. Building the SNA
 Presents the guidelines for drafting a national strategy
for implementing the SNA and compiling national
accounts, these can be adapted to the specific situation
in each country;
 Presents the main phases of the SNA implementation
strategy:
 Establishment of the appropriate institutional environment
(including organizational, human resources and
management approaches);
 Inventory of data sources;
 Collection, analysis and translation of indicators into
national account concepts.
Chapter IV. Basic concepts
 Introduces the concepts used in the 2008 SNA;
 Outlines who the stakeholders in an economy are and
how they are grouped;
 Outlines the kind of actions the stakeholders undertake;
 Presents the main aggregates of the SNA;
 Introduces users to the main results that national
accounts provide.
Chapter V. Statistical infrastructure for
national accounts
 Outlines the main pillars needed for compiling national
accounts:
 Statistical Business Register;
 Classifications such as the International Standard
Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities (ISIC
Rev. 4);
 Statistical data sources (census, survey), broken down
according to main domains;
 Administrative data, broken down according to main
domains.
Chapter VI. The Informal Sector
 Provides general guidelines for identifying and
assessing the informal sector;
 Looks at the informal sector vis-à-vis the non-observed
and observed economies, defining and presenting the
criteria used to identify the informal sector, the
measurement methods to be adapted to country
specificities and the most relevant statistical surveys
used for estimating it.
The way forward: ongoing and future
Eurostat activities related to the Handbook
 Focuses on methodological support and tools in the
context of cooperation.
 Activities foreseen for 2011 – 2013:
 Create a forum for users.
 Spread its usability : (by preparing French and Spanish
versions, a wiki version and an E-Learning module).
 Give support to users of the handbook (including
methodological helpdesk support to users and including
the publication of methodological papers).
 Internationally promote and encourage the knowledge
transfer of the handbook.
 Update the handbook “Essential SNA: building the basics”
based on the users feedback.
Online Forum on the Handbook
 User feedback related to the Handbook:
– Questions;
– Debates on a specific topic;
– Suggestions for improvement related to the handbook.
 Posting of methodological papers (1 per month for 3
years, on topics related to the handbook).
E-Learning Tool
 Based on the “Kangaré – Introduction to National
accounts” toolkit.
 Will be more interactive and will be available online.
 Foreseen contents:
– User friendly interface allowing the trainee to go through
the training;
– Real case examples of best practices for analysis of data
to supplement the training activity;
– A set of exercises and their solutions;
– An interactive glossary.
ISI “Short course”
 3 day course back-to-back with International Statistical
Institute, Dublin, Ireland, August 2011.
 Focused on the “Essential SNA” Handbook.
 Open to heads of national accounts departments and
offices, plus young statisticians.
 Target: Countries in “Milestone 0 to 2” of SNA
implementation.
Thank you for your attention
Amerigo LIOTTI
Eurostat, European Commission
Unit D2-International Statistical Cooperation
Tel (+352) 4301-32095 - Fax : 4301-32769
amerigo.liotti@ec.europa.eu