1. Treatment of statistical discrepancies: the Dutch practice Hans Wouters Statistics Netherlands

2. Contents 1.Background information and history 2.Methods to reduce discrepancies 3.Show or eliminate discrepancies? –pros of eliminating –pros of showing 4.Conclusions and results

3. 1. Background and history Statistical discrepancies only visible in full system of transaction accounts: non-financial plus financial Dutch history of sector accounts –Publication experimental annual financial accounts since 1986 –Publication fully integrated annual financial accounts since 1996 –Compilation of quarterly sector accounts since 2005 –Publication of quarterly sector accounts since 2008

4. 2. Methods to reduce discrepancies 1.Simultaneous compilation of non-financial and financial accounts 2.Analyze discrepancies in early stage of compilation process 3.Use uncertainty margins of transactions 4.Tool to calculate correlation and covariance statistical discrepancy

5. 3. Show or eliminate discrepancies? Arguments to eliminate statistical discrepancies –In theory discrepancies can not occur –Prevents confusion with users –Vertical balancing improves quality –Prevents ‘loss of face’

6. 3. Show or eliminate discrepancies? Arguments to show statistical discrepancies –Better reflects status of sources –Encourages to improve source information –Transactions are not polluted –Promotes transparency

7. 4. Conclusions and results Conclusions –Policy on treatment statistical discrepancies since 1986 –Serious efforts are made to reduce statistical discrepancies –Remaining discrepancies are explicitly shown

8. 4. Conclusions and results Results

9. Treatment of statistical discrepancies: the Dutch practice Hans Wouters Statistics Netherlands