1. STD/PASS/TAGS – Trade and Globalisation Statistics STD/SES/TAGS – Trade and Globalisation Statistics OECD and the future of Inter-Agency co-operation on Trade Statistics STD/SES/WPTGS(2008)4 Andreas Lindner Head, Trade and Globalisation Statistics Agenda Item 5 d Agenda …, STD/SES/TAGS; 1 st WPTGS Meeting 22.-24.09.2008, Paris

2. STD/PASS/TAGS – Trade and Globalisation Statistics STD/SES/TAGS – Trade and Globalisation Statistics Background Since the early 2000s, OECD has increased co-operation with other International Organizations Necessary, because of hitherto rather disconnected data dissemination across IO’s Ultimate goal: one variable, one value across International Organizations Secondary goal: –Reduction of response burden of national data providers –Harmonization of international data dissemination 2

3. STD/PASS/TAGS – Trade and Globalisation Statistics STD/SES/TAGS – Trade and Globalisation Statistics 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 3

4. STD/PASS/TAGS – Trade and Globalisation Statistics STD/SES/TAGS – Trade and Globalisation Statistics 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 MoU’s 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 4

5. STD/PASS/TAGS – Trade and Globalisation Statistics STD/SES/TAGS – Trade and Globalisation Statistics 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 OECD’s analytical supplements to ITCS (Hi-Tech, ICT, ISIC, etc.) ? 5

6. STD/PASS/TAGS – Trade and Globalisation Statistics STD/SES/TAGS – Trade and Globalisation Statistics 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? 6

7. STD/PASS/TAGS – Trade and Globalisation Statistics STD/SES/TAGS – Trade and Globalisation Statistics 2. International Trade in Services - TIS A considerable degree if duplication exists at present, both for reporting countries and for IO’s… …leading sometimes to significant differences in published date Would users –Welcome/encourage closer co-operation amongst IO’s 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 ? 7

8. STD/PASS/TAGS – Trade and Globalisation Statistics STD/SES/TAGS – Trade and Globalisation Statistics Outlook Would Delegates encourage –OECD and the other IO’s 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 ? 8

9. STD/PASS/TAGS – Trade and Globalisation Statistics STD/SES/TAGS – Trade and Globalisation Statistics Thank you! Andreas.lindner@oecd.org 9