The global implementation programme
for the 2008 SNA and
supporting statistics
7th meeting of the
Advisory Expert Group
on National Accounts
23-25 April 2012, New York
Outline of presentation

Introduction

2008 SNA Implementation Programme

Implementation tools

Monitoring the SNA implementation
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Activities of the ISWGNA
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SDMX
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FOCG
Implementation programme
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UNSC in Feb 2010 supported the
implementation programme and encouraged
countries to develop their own programmes of
implementation
The Implementation Programme for the 2008
SNA and supporting statistics represents a
global statistical initiative
Objective of the Global Statistical Initiative
To assist countries in developing the
statistical and institutional capacity to:
(a)
Make the conceptual change over to
the 2008 SNA
(b) Improve the scope, detail and quality
of the national accounts and
supporting economic statistics.
Principles of the global initiative
The efficiency and sustainability of the
initiative rest on the agreed principles of the
implementation strategy:
(a) strategic planning
(b) coordination, monitoring and
reporting
(c) improving statistical systems
Elements to operationalise the initiative
(a) Use of National Strategies for the Development of
Statistics (NSDS) as the strategic planning framework
(b) The programme information structure built around
the statistical production process, scope and
compliance for the national accounts and supporting
economic statistics
(c) The modalities of statistical capacity building
through training and technical cooperation, publication
of manuals and handbooks, research and advocacy
(d) The stages of implementation leading to the change
over to the 2008 SNA.
Strategic planning framework
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Strategic planning is a key principle in mobilizing
political and financial support for investment in
statistics
The NSDS is the most widely used strategic
planning framework to connect national
development objectives with a programme of work
for statistical capacity-building
The programme information structure
To facilitate the coordination, monitoring and
reporting on the SNA implementation in the
multi-stakeholder environment.

Frameworks
 Minimum Required Data Set (MRDS)
based on UN-NAQ
 IMF GDDS and SDDS
 Sector accounts data template
 Report on the
 statistical process
 data quality
Implementation stages
 Three stages
 Review of strategic framework and detailing of national and
regional implementation programmes
 Adaptation of classification frameworks, business registers
and frames, surveys, administrative data sources and
information technology infrastructure
 Application of adapted frameworks and source data,
backcasting and changeover to 2008 SNA
 Each country will determine the duration of the
various stages. However, it is expected that from
2014 onwards, many Member States will change
over to the 2008 SNA
•
ISWGNA members have developed a number of
tools to facilitate the SNA implementation
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Website
Handbooks
Knowledge Base
Essential SNA
Virtual Statistical System
ERETES
SNA implementation website
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
To facilitate sharing of information UNSD
developed a website with information
supporting the implementation of the 2008
SNA and supporting statistics
Website at:
http://unstats.un.org/unsd/nationalaccount/
default.asp
National Accounts Handbooks
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OECD handbooks on Measuring capital and
intellectual property products.
World Bank handbooks on Introduction to SNA and
SNA compilation guidance
Eurostat’s Essential SNA: Building the basics
UNSD national accounts handbook on Financial
production stocks and flows, in collaboration with
the ECB
UNSD handbooks on International guidelines on
industrial and trade statistics
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Provide a centralized repository of
information on all aspects of methodology
and best country practices for the collection,
analysis and dissemination of all areas of
economic statistics and macroeconomic
standards
Facilitate the international sharing and
exchange of knowledge on economic
statistics programmes as well as the
provision of guidance to countries
Monitoring the 1993 SNA implementation
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A set of six milestones to assess the scope of
accounts compiled by countries; plus
three data sets
 (a) minimum set of accounts that need to be compiled;
 (b) a recommended set of accounts; and
 (c) a desired set of accounts.
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To assess the compliance with major 1993 SNA
concepts a set of questions
The IMF quality assessment framework to assess the
quality of the national accounts
Required data sets
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Three data sets to assess the scope of national
accounts implementation according to the 1993 SNA
◦ The minimum requirement data set (MRDS) milestones 1 and 2.
◦
The recommended data set - importance in assessing
developments of an economy
◦
The desired data set, which comprises useful data
that should be compiled if possible
Report to UNSC an assessment of the MRDS based
on the United Nations national accounts database.
Scope and compliance measures for the 2008 SNA
 The 1993 SNA scope and compliance measures are
deemed to be adequate to also assess the scope and
compliance for the 2008 SNA.
 However
 need for more timely information to facilitate
appropriate policy responses
 include quarterly national accounts as an option
Scope and compliance measures for the 2008 SNA
The MRDS now include:
 quarterly accounts
 nominal and volume measure of GDP by industry
or by expenditure
 integrated accounts until net lending for the total
economy and the rest of the world.
 annual institutional sector accounts until net lending
 corporate, government, households and NPISH’s
 quarterly compilation of these sectors is now
recommended.
Scope and compliance measures for the 2008 SNA
 Recommended set include the annual compilation
 Sectoral financial accounts and balance sheets
and other changes in assets accounts
 Desired set include the quarterly compilation
 Sectoral financial accounts and balance sheets
and other changes in assets accounts
 The compliance questionnaire was adjusted to
reflect the 2008 SNA concepts
Sector accounts data template
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
As part of the G-20 Data Gaps Initiatives, the
development of sectoral accounts and balance
sheets is identified as one of the priority activities
for addressing data gaps
A sector accounts data template was develop to
facilitate the reporting of a minimum set of sectoral
accounts and balance sheets in line with the MRDS
21
Implementation initiatives by the ISWGNA members
 The ISWGNA members each develop their own
programme to help countries not only to move over to
the concepts of the 2008 SNA, but also to develop the
capacity to improve the scope, detail and quality of
their national accounts.
 These programmes are lightly coordinated
Eurostat
 Revision of the ESA
 Implementation plan with milestones - 2009 to 2014
 Comprehensive training programme on the new ESA
has been developed for Eurostat and the EU members
 Implementation supported by preparatory work
including discussions on specific topics and the
development of guidelines in the context of working
parties and expert groups of the European Union.
OECD
 Facilitates the implementation of the 2008 SNA by its
member countries by providing a discussion forum on
resolving conceptual and compilation issues.
 Two-year project, as part of its on-going cooperation
with the Chinese National Bureau of Statistics, to
develop Supply-Use tables for China.
 Providing assistance to countries in the Enhanced
Engagement Programme where data and metadata
issues arise
 Actively involved in the ICP
IMF
 Provides technical assistance aimed at developing
capacity to compile and disseminate NA
 Conducts training on national accounts methodologies
and compilation practices
 TA mostly through short-term missions conducted by
IMF staff and externally recruited experts.
World Bank
 Supports the implementation of the 2008 SNA through
activities related to its regular programme of work for
improving statistical capacity, particularly in developing
countries, and work related to the ICP
 Work — along with other key donors — on scaling up
its support to developing countries.
 Provide financing mechanisms available through the
Trust Fund for Statistical Capacity Building, the
Statistics for Results Catalytic Fund and the STATCAP
lending programme.
 Although broad-based, these facilities could also be
used to address country-specific needs aimed at the
implementation of the 2008 SNA .
UNSD and Regional Commission

UNSD and RC conduct series of seminars with
countries in the respective regions
 To align regional and global implementation
programmes
 To provide countries with tools to develop national
implementation programmes for the 2008 SNA and
supporting statistics
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The aim is to develop a statement of strategy for
implementation of the 2008 SNA, taking into
account national and regional policy needs to
determine the scope and detail of the national
accounts required to inform policy makers.
SDMX: DSD for national accounts
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OECD, Eurostat and ECB lead
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To develop DSDs to implement the SDMX in
National Accounts according to the 2008 SNA
To exchang data from reporting countries to
international organisations and between the
organisations, and possibly beyond,
To maintain the DSDs over time
Finalise by 2012 and implement 2014
Report progress to the ISWGNA and the AEG to
ensure a global input
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Friends of the Chair Group
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ABS lead assessment of the barriers to 1993 SNA
implementation
Was in agreement with global strategy but identified
areas for improvement
Identified the lack of effective political support and data
resource limitations as the main impediments to the
implementation process.
Suggested to enhance the ability of developing
countries to meet national information priorities in line
with the latest SNA standards
Issues for discussion
1.
2.
3.
Express views on the initiatives undertaken by the
ISWGNA members regarding the implementation of the
2008 SNA and supporting economic statistics;
Provide guidance on the required actions to implement
the recommendations of the Friends of the Chair on the
barriers to the implementation of the 1993 SNA; and
Express views on the articulation of a separate multiyear project management framework for the
implementation of the 2008 SNA and supporting
economic statistics to scale up capacity building
Thank You