Report of the ISWGNA Task Force – Research Agenda Agenda item 1 Advisory Expert Group 27-29 November 2018

Background to the TF Created in May 2018, after UNSC agreed to prioritise: Globalization Digitalisation Economic wellbeing and sustianability Ten AEG members plus ISWGNA members No physical meeting yet Focus on list of research issues and then take forward practical work on priorities UNSC in 2019: Progress report, research issues Eventually UNSC in March 2020 should discuss SNA update process

List of research issues Compilation of long list of issues from research activities..(but dynamic situation...) SNA BOP GFS SEEA Trade and industry Sorting process, by priority areas and by topic within “Other” Questionnaire to TF members

1. Items to be removed? Need for prioritisation and ways to do that: Status, impact, time? Suggestions: Specific issues not very relevant Specific issues already resolved General issues (or specify them) Use of satellite accounts

2. New items? GFS issues (to GFSAC) Globalisation-related issues Asset boundary Sustainability/Depletion Employment/labour Leasing Rent, CIF/FOB, NDP/NNI, Detailed list of specific issues from one respondent (in annex)

3. Split some items? Split globalization and digitalization New methods or coverage? Impact? Wellbeing > HH production & wellbeing indicators Govt services > Health and Education Merchanting & factoryless producers

4. Allocation? Establishments and enterprise groups Final consumption of corporations & asset boundary (IPPs) Social security liabilities & distributional aspects Classify by impact on key SNA boundaries & cross-country implications Communication of eventual revisions

5. Sub-division in ‘other’? Tidy up category , follow SNA grouping Further group issues on statistical units No ‘other’ category, but concentrate on potential impact

6. Higher importance in priority areas? Natural emphasis on “general” categories Globalization Consolidation of enterprise groups Broaden asset boundary Leasing, IPP charges, merchanting/factoryless goods Digitalization Cross-border e-commerce Digital trade, cryptocurrencies Economic wellbeing and sustainability Distributional aspects Valuation of natural resources Wellbeing

7. Higher importance in ‘other’? Mentioned several times: Statistical units Relationship to IASB Leases/leasing Income (reinvested earnings, from assets...) Harmonisation of BOP and SNA

Next steps Report to UNSC in March 2019 Written consultation within statistical community Development of guidance notes on priority issues Enhanced user consultation AEG invited to: provide feedback on the grouping and prioritisation of SNA research agenda items Comment on next steps