1. Exchange and Sharing of Economic Data
STATISTICS
Exchange and Sharing of Economic Data
Rami Peltola, UNECE Task Force

2. Task Force
STATISTICS
The CES Bureau set up a Task Force (Canada, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Poland, the Netherlands, United Kingdom, United States, ECB, Eurostat, IMF, OECD, UNECE, UNSD and WTO):
1. Stage: April 2017 – June 2018:
Review concrete examples of data exchange
Identify enablers and obstacles of data sharing
Propose ways to detect crucial MNEs and changes in their activities
2. Stage: July 2018 – June 2020:
Identify innovative ways to exchange of economic data
Provide guidance, tools and principles

3. Your main conclusions in 2017
STATISTICS
Rethink the principle of confidentiality in an environment where micro data may already be publicly available
Promote establishing large cases units where MNEs are significant
Coordinate the various work streams to avoid duplication
Continue advancing research in this area and share the outcomes with the AEG

4. Consultations carried out in 2018
STATISTICS
CES Bureau in February
Sharing examples, communication, overcoming legal obstacles, feeding into and benefiting from other groups
Group of Experts on National Accounts in May
Already exchanged micro data, elaborating resources, drafting templates, possibilities within current laws, LCUs
CES plenary session in June
Iterative approach, legal framework, benefits to MNEs, role of international organizations
OECD WPFS-WPNA meeting in November
Reconciliation, LCUs, other domains, communication, publicly available data, real case to show benefits

5. Guidance on large cases units (LCUs)
Stage 1
STATISTICS
Extend guidance starting from Chapter 6 of the Guide to Measuring Global Production
Paper: Proposed approach for dealing with MNE groups: Large Cases Unit
A network of experts on multinational enterprise groups, including experts from LCUs and other units focusing on multinational enterprise groups’ data
Seminar on LCUs in April 2019
Eurostat LCU Grant
ESTP training on LCUs

6. Next steps Model templates and agreements for data exchange
STATISTICS
Model templates and agreements for data exchange
Review of innovative ways to exchange data
Guidance on the work of LCUs
Ideas from other industries, e.g. tax authorities’ data exchange, Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative etc.
Communication and promotion of the idea to exchange economic data
Final report

7. Innovative ways to exchange data
STATISTICS
Innovative approaches encourage countries and international organizations to be involved
Innovative organizational structures and business models
Secure, easy to use and state of the art technical infrastructure
Data exchange aspects: Purpose, type of data, regularity
Technical considerations and innovations in the structure of data and sharing data, algorithms, services or computation
Examples categorized by the above-mentioned aspects and technical solutions

8. Concerns both ad-hoc and small-scale exchange of unit-level data
Guidance, tools and principles
– data exchange template with instructions
STATISTICS
Concerns both ad-hoc and small-scale exchange of unit-level data
Can be applied both in bilateral discussions and in data exchange over encrypted systems
Describe decision making procedures, documentation requirements and agreements related to data exchange
Distinguish data exchange between EU authorities and authorities outside the EU

9. Guidance, tools and principles – data confidentiality agreement
STATISTICS
Data are used for statistical purposes only
Enterprises cannot be contacted on the basis of data received
Data shall not be provided to any third parties
Strict disclosure control must be used when publishing statistics from the received data. Published data shall not enable identification of a statistical unit
Data shall be stored in a secure environment and access to data shall be limited to persons in charge of tasks for which data were received
The data received shall be deleted when they are not needed anymore or after a pre-agreed period of time

10. Guidance, tools and principles – classifying data by its sensitivity
STATISTICS

11. Tentative structure of the final report
STATISTICS
Status of data exchange in statistics
Enablers and obstacles of data sharing
Detecting MNEs and changes in their activities
Guidance and principles for the exchange of economic data
Using the exchanged data to analyze MNEs’ activities and improve quality
Future scenarios for collection and exchange of economic data

12. Issues for discussion
STATISTICS
What are the expectations towards the Task Force’s recommendations and outcomes of work?
Is the AEG aware of innovative practices or success stories related to data sharing in statistics or other domains?
Does the AEG see links between the Task Force’s work and recent initiatives on the development of national accounts?
What should be the focus of discussions with Chief Statisticians at a possible side-event on data exchange at the UN Statistical Commission in 2019?