1. Considerations for future revisions of SNA Statistics Denmark
High Level Forum for the Long-Term Development of the SNA
17-18 November 2008
Session 4

2. Organization of the introduction
SNA - the most important international statistical standard
National Accounts - a part of a statistical system
National Accounts – close to observable facts
Need for stability in international standards
Lessons learnt from the update
Proposals for future revisions

3. SNA – the most important international statistical standard
Important macroeconomic measure
Used by experts and the public
Relevant to users
information on many aspects
consistent time series
international comparability
easy to use
Multipurpose dataset
growth economics
business cycle analysis
structural analysis
economic welfare
Stable over time

4. National Accounts – part of a system
SNA – principles is reflected in surveys
National Accounts – a building bloc of a coherent system of statistics
from production
from users
Use the strength of each kind of statistics
Satellite accounts
a solution for special needs
welfare, sustainable GDP, productivity in public sector

5. National Accounts – close to facts
Minimize the number of imputations
leave that to users with particular needs
Minimize the importance of modelling
when used keep the importance of the variable low
Minimize assumptions
in conflict with quality principles for official statistics
Keep it simple

6. Need for stability in international standards
Confusion
Long implementation period
Many users against data revisions
Expensive to make changes
Consider benefits and cost

7. Lessons learnt from the update
World-wide involvement
Clear scope (44 issues)
Contemporary revision of BOP and public finance
Too short time to absorb the many country comments
Clear scope limited the process
Too soon after SNA93

8. Proposals for future revisions
No continuous updating
Stability – 25 years between revisions
Procedure and governance for the process laid down up front
Recommendations for the implementation
Close cooperation with other statistical areas
NA is a core of a broader system of statistics