OECD and the future of InterAgency cooperation on Trade Statistics STDSESWPTGS20084

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OECD and the future of Inter-Agency co-operation
on Trade Statistics STD/SES/WPTGS(2008)4
Agenda Item 5 d

• Andreas Lindner
• Head,
• Trade and Globalisation Statistics

, STD/SES/TAGS 1st WPTGS Meeting
22.-24.09.2008, Paris
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Background

• Since the early 2000s, OECD has increased
  co-operation with other International
  Organizations
• Necessary, because of hitherto rather
  disconnected data dissemination across IOs
• Ultimate goal one variable, one value across
  International Organizations
• Secondary goal
• Reduction of response burden of national data
  providers
• Harmonization of international data dissemination

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Background (2)

• The outstanding example of Inter-Agency
  co-operation ITCS (OECD) and COMTRADE (UNSD)
  data sharing, data alignment and joint processing
  system
• Another example of good practice the Data
  sharing Eurostat OECD on TIS and on trade by
  enterprise characteristics
• Other examples include co-operation with WTO, ICT
• OECD also shares and sources with Eurostat
  Business Statistics

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Why this stocktaking paper?

• Periodic review of processes is indispensible
  good management practice
• Not a critique of any IO, but rather an
  assessment of results achieved or not
• Existing MoUs need to be updated and possibly
  completed/extended to reflect present and future
  needs
• Need to design forward-looking strategy for the
  benefit of the user

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1. ITCS

• A) Co-operation with UNSD
• Do Delegates agree that such a burden sharing is
  desirable and should be further pursued/promoted?
• Should OECD and UNSD strive at completely
  harmonizing and rationalizing the process?
• Do users see benefits from this OECD-UNSD
  co-operation?
• Do users have a view on the usefulness of OECDs
  analytical supplements to ITCS (Hi-Tech, ICT,
  ISIC, etc.) ?

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ITCS

• B) Co-operation with Eurostat
• Full sourcing from Eurostat would lead to mixing
  of two very different methodologies for OECD
  countries
• Hence the dual track strategy by OECD
• Source from EU national source and then process
  data according to UN rules
• Take from Eurostat EU aggregates and publish in
  addition to OECD-calculated aggregates
• Do Delegates agree that in doing so, better
  OECD-wide comparability is ensured?
• To what extend do national NSOs/Customs from EU
  countries publish their CN-based trade data?

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2. International Trade in Services - TIS

• A considerable degree if duplication exists at
  present, both for reporting countries and for
  IOs
• leading sometimes to significant differences in
  published date
• Would users
• Welcome/encourage closer co-operation amongst
  IOs with a view to agree on more coherent trade
  by partner data ?
• Encourage UNSD to source from OECD those
  countries belonging to OECD outside the EU area ?
• Encourage consultations amongst IMF, UNSD, OECD
  and Eurostat with the aim to create more
  transparency and consistency ?

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Outlook

• Would Delegates encourage
• OECD and the other IOs to continue and
  strengthen the effort already undertaken?
• The drafting of a new OECD UNSD MoU
  incorporating Trade in Services?
• To the extend possible align standards and
  processing routines?
• The elaboration of a guidebook for users,
  explaining the inter-organisational effort and
  why still differences may exist ?

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Thank you!

• Andreas.lindner_at_oecd.org