Developing a programme for the
implementation of the
2008 SNA and supporting statistics
Meeting on Scaling up the
coordination and resources for
the implementation of the SNA
28 May 2013
Luxembourg
Outline
∙ Introduction
∙ 2008 SNA implementation programme
∙ Activities of ISWGNA members
∙ Developing a programme for SNA
implementation and supporting statistics
∙ Discussion
2
Introduction
∙ Increased concerns about data gaps and major
revisions in national accounts and supporting statistics
of developing countries
∙ Need to revisit the effectiveness of the implementation
of the SNA and supporting statistics
∙ One option is to address the institutional
arrangements, the statistical operations and the
statistical infrastructure at country level
∙ Aim of this session: to discuss the UNSD approach to
developing an implementation programme for the SNA
and supporting statistics at the country level
3
Global 2008 SNA Implementation programme

Global statistical initiative, mandated by the 40th
UNSC following the adoption of the 2008 SNA,
with dual objective to assist countries to:
–
–
Change over to the 2008 SNA;
improve scope, detail and quality of the national
accounts and supporting economic statistics
4
Objective of the Global Statistical Initiative
Develop national accounts that are responsive to:
–
Macroeconomic and sectoral policy needs
–
Global economic and financial interconnected
environment (global production, trade and finance
and their interdependency with national economy)
–
Short term economic vulnerabilities (early warning
indicators for tracing turning points in the business
cycle
5
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
6
Elements to operationalise the initiative
Strategic planning framework: NSDS as the strategic
planning framework
Information structure: based on the integrated
economic statistics approach (standards, statistical
production process, institutional arrangements) and
internationally agreed scope (MRDS) and compliance for
the national accounts and supporting economic statistics
Modalities: Training and technical cooperation,
publication of manuals and handbooks, research and
advocacy
Stages of implementation: leading to the change over to
the 2008 SNA.
7
Implementation stages

Three stages
o Stage I: Review of strategic framework and detailing of
national and regional implementation programmes
•
Statement of strategy – Development of an economic
statistics programme for compiling the required scope and
detail of the National Accounts to inform policy makers
•
Diagnosis of current situation – Assessment of the national
statistical system to support the national accounts compilation
(self assessment diagnostic tool)
•
Development of strategic vision for national accounts and
supporting statistics shared among stakeholders
•
Develop implementation plan based on agreed priorities with
a minimum set of core indicators
8
Implementation stages

Stage II: Adaptation of classification frameworks,
business registers and frames, surveys, administrative
data sources and information technology infrastructure.

Stage III: Application of adapted frameworks and
source data, backcasting and changeover to 2008
SNA

Each country will determine the duration of the various
stages.
–
It is expected that from 2014 onwards, many Member
States will change over to the 2008 SNA following a
gradual two or three year transition for each stage.
9
Activities of ISWGNA members

Light coordination mechanism allows for flexibility

Active in statistical capacity building providing training
and technical cooperation, publication of manuals and
handbooks and research

Most recent activities of the ISWGNA members and the
regional commissions described annually in the report of
the ISWGNA to the UNSC

In addition, all these agencies also disseminate support
material through their respective websites
10
UNSD activities

UNSD, in collaboration with RCs, conducted series of
seminars to align regional and global implementation
programmes

Country visits the next phase – to help countries
develop strategic vision and implementation programme

Lead countries identified to support SNA
implementation at a sub-regional level
–
National seminar with lead country
(Sub) regional seminar with support from lead country
–
Follow up with countries by UNSD, RCs and lead country
–
11
UNSD activities
Objectives of the seminars are to

–
Identify the macro economic policy needs to determine
the scope and detail of the NA that needs to be
compiled
–
To prepare for an assessment of the adequacy of the
statistical production process to provide the required
data for the compilation of the NA
–
To identify the required actions for implementation
–
To develop a statement of strategy
12
Statement of strategy

a strategic planning frame work for the development of
an economic statistics programme to meet policy
needs

set of actions to accomplish statistical and institutional
goals for the sustainable improvement of the economic
statistics programmes
13
Statement of Strategy – take into account
Policy documents, NSDS, etc.
 Regional strategic frameworks for statistical capacity
building
 Regulatory and institutional framework – strengthening
the functioning of NSS, its programming, management
and performance
 Statistical infrastructure – strengthening of use of
classifications, registers and frames and IT
infrastructure
 Statistical operations of data collection, compilation,
dissemination and analysis

14
Elements of the statement of strategy
 Mandate,
 Mission
statement
 Values
 High-level
 Specific
goals
goals
 Required
actions
15
Statement of strategy

High-level goals represent the overall
accomplishments to be achieved
–
–
–
–
–
Improving scope, quality and timeliness of economic statistics
Minimizing response burden
Increasing use of administrative data for statistical purposes
Achieving cost effectiveness using best practices
Raising public awareness and use of national accounts and
economic statistics
16
Statement of strategy

Specific goals describe the ultimate results that need
to be accomplished
–
Compile national accounts according to milestone two
or MRDS
–
Develop a national central hub for short term economic
statistics
17
Consolidation of statistical requirements,
assessments and actions
 Confrontation
–
–
–
–
of
Goals – as determined by international
recommendations – compliance
Requirements to meet goals – administrative and
survey resources
Current status – present practices
Actions – to remedy the shortcomings
18
Consolidation of statistical requirements,
assessments and actions
Frequency 2008
M Q A SNA
Required
sources
Data item
N V N V N V
Nominal
Volu
mes
Principal data
sources and
compilation
methods
Nomi
Volumes
nal
National accounts
aggregates to comply to
Milestone 2 - MRDS
Set of short term
indicators
Blue – Goals
Green – needs
Red – current status
19
Statement of strategy
Required actions to be carried out:
 Regulatory and institutional framework – strengthening
the functioning of NSS, its programming, management
and performance
 Statistical infrastructure – strengthening the use of
standards (2008 SNA), classifications (ISIC Rev 4),
registers and frames
 Statistical operations – strengthening of data
collection, compilation, dissemination and analysis
20
Examples of actions
Improve statistical legislation, code of conduct, service
agreements for NSS
 Comply with standards: 2008 SNA, ISIC rev 4, etc.
 Upgrade of business registers and area frames
 Extend use of administrative data
 Increase periodicity and timeliness of data (price
statistics, production and turnover surveys)
 Integrate survey and questionnaire design of
economic activity surveys (structural business
statistics and short term business statistics)
 Integrate survey and questionnaire design of
household surveys (labour and income and
expenditure surveys)
 Extend coverage of enterprises (informal sector
surveys etc.

21
Action plan
 Indicates
the interventions to be carried out with a
timetable to mitigate data gaps.
 Provides an information structure for monitoring
and evaluating the implementation of the SNA.
 Needs to be specific, measurable, relevant and
be executed in a particular time scale.
 Each of the required actions needs to include key
features and key deliverables.
22
Summary
Statement of strategy:

requires agreement by the national statistical system
(data producer, provider and user), high political
support and donor consultation

is basis for formulating a national implementation
programme

is basis for actively seeking funding for implementation
programmes from own sources and donors
23
Sub-regional approach

UNSD & RCs and relevant sub-regional organizations

Based on four principles:
– the country groups should be small;
– common sub-regional priorities and policy needs
economic integration goal;
– the group need to be supported by a lead country in the
group; and
– a mechanism is put in place to facilitate following up
with the countries on the their national plans
24
Sub-regional approach

Holds promise, but the interventions at the country level
need to be scaled up by Intl orgs and Reg orgs

Coordinated coherent global programme with clear
division of responsibilities among the Intl orgs and Reg
orgs and supporting countries is required.

Coordination to ensure that stats capacity dev activities
are lined up on
–
–
common sub-regional priorities and policy needs and
prevent other activities to crowd out limited institutional capacities
at national level
25
Points for discussion
 Is
the development of a statement of strategy an
appropriate step for the development of a
programme for the implementation of the SNA
and supporting statistics?
 Is the sub-regional approach with lead countries
the right approach for developing multi-year
implementation programme that could be scaled
up to the regional and global level?
 Do you have other suggestions to facilitate the
implementation of the SNA?
26
http://unstats.un.org/unsd/nationalaccount/default.asp
SNA@un.org
27
Thank you
28