STD/PASS/TAGS – Trade and Globalisation Statistics STD/SES/TAGS – Trade and Globalisation Statistics International Organisations’ co- operation and its impact on data consistency in dissemination: where should users look for what? OECD Statistics Directorate Agenda Item : 3.5. Agenda STD/SES/TAGS; 2 nd WPTGS Meeting , Paris

STD/PASS/TAGS – Trade and Globalisation Statistics STD/SES/TAGS – Trade and Globalisation Statistics Outline 1.A wealth of international databases 2.A compendium is available of what IO’s offer for what type of analytical question 3.How could users more easily find what they are looking for? Across IO’s! 4.How could data consistency across IO’s be further improved? 5.How could data access be further rationalised and facilitated? 6.WPTGS delegates’ views are invited 2

STD/PASS/TAGS – Trade and Globalisation Statistics STD/SES/TAGS – Trade and Globalisation Statistics A wealth of international databases It is well known that IO co-operate very closely on trade statistics, BOP, Globalisation Indicators (e.g. through Task Forces, UN expert meetings, OECDs WPTGS, etc.) WTO organised this May a “Data Day” which presented a summary of internationally available trade data and a description of tools But the question remains where a user could easily –Find the information he/she is looking for –Know what can be found –Be ensured that the data obtained is probably the best one could find (= non-contradictory with another international data source) …these were the questions several users asked at the WTO Data Day 3

STD/PASS/TAGS – Trade and Globalisation Statistics STD/SES/TAGS – Trade and Globalisation Statistics Where to access these databases? All International Organisations involved in dissemination of trade data ( both merchandise trade and trade in services), BOP, Trade Indicators and market access data for policy makers, have compiled –A short, but exhaustive, compendium of data bases, including a summary description of content –The functionalities and tools to access and interactively work on data –The Web address This compendium is available at the WTO website of the Data Day as PDF document at 4

STD/PASS/TAGS – Trade and Globalisation Statistics STD/SES/TAGS – Trade and Globalisation Statistics …including a useful synopsis (excerpt): Structure: Organization -Title –Section- URL- Contact OECD Trade by Enterprise Characteristics (TEC) Trade wptgs(2008)12 Contact: OECD International Trade Indicators (TIP) Trade Contact: UN Commodity Trade Statistics Database (UN Comtrade) Trade Contact: UNSD OECD Joint Trade Data Collection and Processing System Trade UNCTAD Handbook of Statistics Trade Contact: World Bank World Trade Indicators Trade SitePK:239071,00.html - WTO Common Data Set (CDS) Trade Contact: WTO International Trade Statistics report Trade Con tact: WTO Trade Profiles Trade WTO Online Statistics Database Trade World Bank Brandeis University Global Antidumping Database Non-tariff measures Contact: WTO Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures – Information Management System (SPS-IMS) Non-tariff measures, Agriculture specific issues Contact: 5

STD/PASS/TAGS – Trade and Globalisation Statistics STD/SES/TAGS – Trade and Globalisation Statistics This compendium (called “Background Document”) Is to our knowledge the most complete compilation of trade and associated data dissemination across IO’s Reflects the specialties of IO’s But does not address, of course, the issue of data consistency across IO’s Nor does it facilitate easy retrieval, since organised by data base These two issues will be shortly addressed in the following 6

STD/PASS/TAGS – Trade and Globalisation Statistics STD/SES/TAGS – Trade and Globalisation Statistics IO’s Co-operation does not necessarily mean data consistency The only truly harmonised data set across IO’s is detailed merchandise trade (COMTRADE-type). Why? – Through a MoU, OECD feeds all OECD countries into COMTRADE (70% of world trade) –Both UNSD and OECD have agreed on detailed processing routines –Both organisations share the same, jointly developed, computer system Sequence: OECD=> UNSD => WTO The data “vintage” is the same and highly aligned, consistent statistics are re-disseminated world-wide A similar, concerted approach is the “CDS=Common Data Set” hosted by WTO, in which adjusted, reconciled merchandise trade totals are made available to the public. The CDS is fed by UNSD, OECD, FAO, Eurostat, and WTO and contains original and adjusted aggregates 7

STD/PASS/TAGS – Trade and Globalisation Statistics STD/SES/TAGS – Trade and Globalisation Statistics Considerable data discrepancies across IO’s persist for Trade in Services Despite efforts of reconciliation and data sharing, the outcomes still are to be better aligned The present data sharing model: Eurostat => OECD & UNSD, OECD adds Non-EU OECD => UNSD & Eurostat The most likely cause for discrepancies are “vintage” differences in IO’s, but also slightly different details Framework not 100% aligned ( as with merchandise trade) OECD and UNSD have agreed to extend their MoU on Merchandise Trade also to Trade in Services The Task Force on TIS has been asked to look into this question across IO’s and to propose solutions 8

STD/PASS/TAGS – Trade and Globalisation Statistics STD/SES/TAGS – Trade and Globalisation Statistics Retrieval The WTO background document (compendium) provides an excellent starting point for a more integrated and “easy to understand” presentation of international trade and trade- related indicators databases for users world-wide It could be envisaged to transform it into a standard reference and query tool for users by –Using a standard thematic structure for all IO’s –Advise for which type of needs a database would be appropriate –Live links to databases, possibility of multiple choice per theme across IO’s Such a tool could be included in each participating organisations’ trade statistics main website and result in a “all at your fingertips” data access, including all other IO’s willing to participate 9

STD/PASS/TAGS – Trade and Globalisation Statistics STD/SES/TAGS – Trade and Globalisation Statistics Questions to WPTGS delegates: Concerning different data values published by the IO’s, what is your point of view? –A necessary nuisance? –Should be eliminated to the extend possible? –If the latter, any pragmatic proposal? Concerning the data retrieval across IO’s : –Would you be interested in having such a tool, be it for your service or for user requests? – Would you support such an initiative of re-grouping all available databases through a dedicated dynamic link on each IO’s website, but accessing all other IO’s using a standard thematic structure? 10

STD/PASS/TAGS – Trade and Globalisation Statistics STD/SES/TAGS – Trade and Globalisation Statistics Thank you for your attention! 11