Eurostat’s tools to support National Accounts Clementina Ivan-Ungureanu Training: Essential SNA: Buiding the basics Adis Abeba, February 2012

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

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 Commission 1. 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.

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 Is fully compatible with Volumes I and II 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

Essential SNA: Building the Basics Objective and Target audience Objective of the Handbook is to support the implementation of the 2008 SNA in Africa, Caribbean and Pacific, Asia and Latin America and other countries. Especially relevant for: –Least Developed Countries, –Micro-states –“Milestone 0” –“First timers” - Improvements

Essential SNA: Building the Basics Key principles in the handbook Compliance with SNA 2008 “Essential SNA: building the basics” is a handbook prepared in fully compliance with SNA 2008 Orientation to countries’ needs The handbook has been tested with target countries

Key issues for implementing the 2008 SNA presented in the Handbook Institutional issues, e.g. need to create legal framework for implementing national accounts, strategy for developing the statistical system Building blocks of statistical infrastructure, e.g. business register and classifications Technical issues related to statistical and administrative data sources required for compiling national accounts Specific issues, such as the informal sector

Essential SNA: Building the Basics Main features: –Clear, simple, non-bureaucratic language –Practical examples from countries –Practical proposal for some estimations problems –Several boxes (“The chapter in brief”, “To know more”), –Recommended readings

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.

Essential SNA: Building the Basics- Structure Contents Foreword Acknowledgements I.Introduction II.National accounts and the economy –What is the System of National Accounts –The SNA and the economy –To which needs responds the SNA –Towards 2008 SNA –Recommended reading III. Building the SNA –Statistical system development –The 2008 SNA implementation - Recommended reading

Essential SNA: Building the Basics- Structure IV. Basic concepts Basic concepts Main aggregates –Recommended reading –V. Statistical infrastructure for national accounts Basis: –Business register –Classifications –Statistical data sources –Administrative data sources –Recommended reading VI. Informal sector –The Non-Observed Economy –The informal sector –Concluding remarks Recommended reading

New project Essential System of National Accounts (SNA): methodological support and tools in the context of cooperation March 2011-March 2012

The way forward: ongoing Eurostat activities related to the Handbook Focuses on methodological support and tools in the context of cooperation. Activities for 2011 – 2013:  Update the handbook “Essential SNA: building the basics” based on the users feedback;  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

Online Forum on the Handbook User feedback related to the Handbook: –Questions; –Debates on a specific topic: gender issues for informal sector, infrastructure, NOE, the 2008 SNA implementation –Suggestions for improvement related to the handbook.

Online methodological papers Posting of methodological papers (1 per month for 3 years, on topics related to the handbook): 1. Main New SNA 2008 recommendations with impact on the level of GDP 2. The Statistical Business Register from the National Accounts Perspective 3. ISIC4 and its application rules, including the example of outsourcing

Online methodological papers 4. Introduction to the SNA 2008 Accounts, part 1: Basics 5. Introduction to the SNA 2008 Accounts, part 2: current Accounts 6.Introduction to the SNA 2008 Accounts, part 3: Accumulation accounts 7.National Accounts in Constant Prices, part 1: Elementary Indexes 8.National accounts in constant prices, part2: aggregated indexes

Online methodological papers 9.Annual GDP by production approach in current and constant prices: main issues 10.Agriculture in national accounts: value added in current and constant prices 11.Industry and Construction in National Accounts: Value added in current and constant prices 12. Services in National Accounts: Value added in current and constant prices (soon)

E-Learning Tool More interactive and 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

Access Registration on CIRCA Contact Ms. Susana Martines- Eurostat