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5.1 Institutional frameworks and principles, and role of official statistics (EFTA)
Institutional framework of EFTA Statistical cooperation
• The European Free Trade Association (EFTA) is an intergovernmental organisation for the promotion of free trade and economic integration to benefit its four Member States: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Since the beginning of the 90s, EFTA has progressively developed a statistical cooperation policy with Eurostat.
• For Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, statistical cooperation with Eurostat is provided for in the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA) which gathers the 3 EFTA countries and the 27 EU Member States into a single market.
• Statistical Cooperation between Switzerland and Eurostat is governed by a bilateral agreement.
Objective of EFTA Statistical Cooperation
The EFTA Statistical Office (ESO) was created as a liaison office between Eurostat and the EFTA national statistical institutes. ESO's main objective is to promote the full inclusion of the EFTA States in the European Statistical System (ESS), and thus provide harmonised and comparable statistics supporting the general cooperation process between EFTA and the EU within and outside the EEA Agreement. The cooperation also entails technical cooperation programmes with third countries and training of European statisticians. ESO is located on the premises of Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Union, in Luxembourg.
5.1 Institutional frameworks and principles, role and organisation of official statistics (Eurostat)
Theme 8.04 Management of legal bases
Fields of activities covered by the theme
• Activities to ensure the application and coherence of statistical legislation, contribution to relevant Commission-wide reporting requirements and relations with European Parliament and the Council on legislative matters.
1. Work to be carried out by Eurostat in 2011
• Promote the smooth implementation of the Regulation on European statistics;
• Monitor legislative processes;
• Maintain agenda planning for statistical legislation;
• Manage and follow up EP questions and answers provided to the EP;
• Monitor committee activities;
• Monitor compliance with statistical legislation.
5.1 Institutional frameworks and principles, role and organisation of official statistics (OECD)
OECD Enlargement
1. Following the accession in 2010 of four countries in the OECD (Chile, Estonia, Israel and Slovenia), to ensure the integration of statistics related to these countries in the Organisation's reporting and information systems and to assist with and monitor improvements to their statistical systems and statistics as required. 2. To co-ordinate reviews of the statistical system and statistics of the Russian Federation (RF) in order to assist Council in taking an informed decision on whether to invite RF to accede to the OECD Convention and become a Member. To collect and review data and metadata from Russian statistical authorities in order to support the examination of economic and other policies by the OECD Committees. 3. Also, to improve and expand the statistical co-operation with the five "enhanced engagement" countries (Brazil, India, Indonesia, China and South Africa). 4. Furthermore, to co-ordinate the development of statistics for G20 countries or other non-members of relevance for the organisation.
Objectives and outputs
This activity is to support the Committee on Statistics in its evaluation of the statistical system and statistics of the Russian Federation, a country selected for possible membership in the OECD. To help the candidate countries integration in the Organisation's reporting and information systems upon accession. The Enlargement Activity will also engage exchanges with the "enhanced engagement" (EE) countries in order to improve our understanding of their statistical policies and programs, and co-ordinate the development of working level statistical projects involving EE countries and OECD Members.
Non-member countries involved in the activity:
Argentina, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Russian Federation, South Africa
Main Developments for 2011
General aspects:
Co-ordination of the development of statistics for G20 or other new areas, promote an enhanced statistical co-operation with Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, South Africa and with Argentina and Saudi Arabia as members of the G20.
5.1 Institutional frameworks and principles, role of official statistics (UNECE STAT)
Activity 1.3: Monitoring the implementation of fundamental principles for official statistics
Description and objectives
Monitor the adherence to, and advocate for, the UN Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics in UNECE Member countries, with special focus on the countries of Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia (EECCA) and South-East Europe (SEE). Ensure adherence to the Principles Governing International Statistical Activities within UNECE Secretariat.
Activities and output
• Support the implementation of Fundamental Principles in EECCA and SEE countries, by providing advice for legal and organisational aspects of official statistics.
• Promote the full implementation of the Principles Governing International Statistical Activities in the UNECE Secretariat.
• (See also 9.1 Global assessments of national statistical systems).
5.2 Statistical programmes, and coordination within statistical systems (ECB)
• Implement the European System of Central Banks's annual statistical work programme for European statistics, which focus on the high-priority items identified in the medium-term work programme for the ECB's statistical function (2009-2012), as described in the ECB's website.
• The statistical activities are coordinated by the Statistics Committee of the European System of Central Banks (ESCB) and its working groups on external statistics, euro area accounts, general economic statistics, government finance statistics, monetary and financial statistics, and statistical information systems as well as the related business coordination groups and task forces.
• Contribute substantially to the work of the Committee on Monetary, Financial and Balance of Payments Statistics (CMFB), particularly concerning the excessive deficit procedure statistics.
• Co-ordinate the ESCB statistical activities and cooperate with Eurostat and other international organisations to improve the quality of European statistics.
• Provide statistical support to the European Systemic Risk Board, responsible for macro-prudential oversight of the financial system within the new European financial supervisory architecture established in the European Union up from 1 January 2011.
• Participate, as member of the Inter-Agency Group on Economic and Financial Statistics in the development and implementation of the Action Plan on Statistics supported by the finance ministers and central bank governors of the G20 in June 2010. This action plan contains timetables for the implementation of 20 recommendations on how to address the measurement of risks in the financial sector, international financial linkages and the vulnerability of economies to shocks, as well as the communication of official statistics.
• Participate in the Irving Fisher Committee on Central Bank Statistics (also as a member of the Executive) in the exchange of views amongst central bank economists, statisticians and policy-makers of statistical issues of interest to central banks. Recent activities include data initiatives related to financial stability and initiatives to address data gaps revealed by the financial crisis.
5.2 Statistical programmes, and coordination within statistical systems (EFTA)
Annual European Economic Area (EEA) statistical programme
A specific EEA annual statistical programme is developed every year by the EFTA Statistical Office in consultation with the EFTA National Statistical Institutes. The EEA annual statistical programme is based on a subset of, and in parallel with the annual statistical programme elaborated by the European Commission.
Switzerland/EU annual statistical programme
A specific annual statistical programme is drawn up every year in the framework of the bilateral agreement in the field of statistics between Switzerland and the EU.
5.2 Statistical programmes, coordination within statistical systems (Eurostat)
Theme 6.01 Quality management, evaluation, statistical coordination and classifications
Fields of activities covered by the theme
• Monitoring and promoting the implementation of the European Statistics Code of Practice (CoP);
• Coordination of quality aspects within the production of European statistics;
• Implementation of the quality assurance framework for statistical processes and outputs in Eurostat;
• Activities of the Sponsorship on Quality.
These activities for 2011, particularly the work conducted by the Sponsorship Quality, contribute to the revision and extension of the existing quality framework in the ESS to better fit the requirements laid done in Commission Communication on the production method of EU statistics.
In addition the evaluations included in the programme, provide instruments for better interact with users and partners:
• Evaluation of the Community Statistical Programme;
• Implementation of rolling reviews and user and partner surveys in particular.
The following activities refer to statistical coordination and classifications.
• Update and maintenance of RAMON, the new version of Eurostat's metadata server, which makes available statistical classifications and the relevant correspondence tables, standard code lists, statistical concepts and definitions, legal acts pertaining to statistics and methodological manuals.
• Coordinate changes in legislation with a view to adopt accounting definitions if feasible.
• Follow-up of changes in accounting standards with a view to assess their impact on statistics.
• Development, updating and implementation of a harmonised set of central statistical classifications such as the European Classification of Economic Activities (NACE), the Statistical Classification of Products by Activities (CPA) and the International Standard Classification on Occupations (ISCO), the Combined Nomenclature (CN) of commodities and the Geonomenclature of countries for the European Statistical System.
These activities are oriented to enhance the interaction with users by providing them with updated concepts definitions and classification used in the statistics disseminated by Eurostat. In addition promoting the use of accounting data is in line with the requirements of Commission Communication on the production method of EU statistics and should contribute to a better use of the existing data leading to efficiency gains.
1. Work to be carried out by Eurostat in 2011
• Extension of ESS quality frameworks in line with Sponsorship on Quality Recommendation;
• Preparatory work for launching the ex-post evaluation of the CSP 2008-2012;
• ESS-net on the harmonisation and implementation of a European Socio-economic classification (ESeC).
• Monitoring of Member States' implementation of the European Statistics Code of Practice;
• Activities related to the promotion of the implementation of the Code of Practice and of quality assurance in the ESS;
• Quality assessments of Eurostat statistical processes;
• Activities of the Sponsorship on Quality;
• Implementation of evaluations ( rolling reviews) for the assessment of statistical processes and outputs;
• Integrate and improve the Eurostat metadata system using the CVD (Cycle de vie des données) Metadata Handler (comprising the SDMX (Statistical Data and Metadata eXchange) registry, Ramon, etc.) and based on international standards (such as the Neuchâtel Model);
• Coordinate the work of the task force on accounting and statistics including the follow-up of developments in accounting and appropriate reporting;
• Monitor implementation of the Statistical Classification Of Economic Activities (NACE Rev.2) and the classification of products by activity (CPA 2008);
• Ensure the adoption of the Combined Nomenclature (CN) 2012, incorporating the concluding results of the CN modernisation project and the transposition of Harmonised System (HS) 2012;
• Monitor the implementation of the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO-08).
• In the context of rolling reviews implementation of user and partner surveys;
• Better use of accounting data for statistical purposes;
• CN modernisation project;
• Actions to facilitate commodity classification (CN) for reporting companies.
Theme 8.03 Management and statistical programmes
Fields of activities covered by the theme
• Strategic management;
• Management support;
• Internal control;
• Annual & multi-annual programming;
• Administrative simplification and response burden reduction.
1. Work to be carried out by Eurostat in 2011
• Support to implement the Communication on the production method of EU statistics: Be a home for the "Balance Scorecard";
• Promote and develop creativity and innovation;
• Build up an integrated management process (Strategic Planning & Programming Cycle of the Commission) (subject to the new Commission guidelines).
• Coordinate the preparation of the annual statistical work programme;
• Prepare Eurostat´s contribution to the Strategic Planning and Programming Cycle of the Commission;
• Prepare the next Multiannual Programme;
• Conduct the annual risk management exercise;
• Monitor the implementation of the " Communication on the production method of EU statistics ";
• Assess the compliance and effectiveness of the implementation of the Internal Control Standards (self-assessment);
• Increase the efficiency of the planning and programming process;
• Develop and promote process and project management techniques within Eurostat;
• Monitor and report on progress on audit recommendations at Eurostat level;
• Monitor and coordinate Eurostat's contributions relating to administrative simplification and burden reduction.
5.2 Statistical programmes, coordination within statistical systems (UN Population Division)
The Population Division participates in the activities of the Committee for the Coordination of Statistical Activities (CCSA).
The Population Division organizes the annual Coordination Meeting on International Migration. Through this and other mechanisms, dissemination of migration data and migration estimates are being discussed and coordinated.
5.2 Statistical programmes, priority setting, relationships with users and respondents (CIS-STAT)
Statistical Programme
• The Work Programmes of the Interstate Statistical Committee of the CIS are the main document organizing its activities in the forthcoming year and for three years perspective (the Work Programme of CIS-STAT for 2011 and for the period 2009-2011).
• The structure of the mentioned Work Programmes covers the following kinds of activities: methodological work, economic work, exchange of experience and training of the personnel of national statistical services of the CIS, information and publishing activities, dissemination of information and information and reference services, improvement of computer technology, cooperation with international organizations.
• Considerable part of works included in the programmes is connected with methodological, analytical and information and publishing activities and submission of necessary information to interstate bodies of the CIS, government and economic bodies of the Commonwealth, international organizations, mass media and other users. These programmes include, high priority work on the forecast of production, imports, exports and "visible consumption" of selected kinds of products in the countries of the Commonwealth for 2011 in the conditions of the free trade zone (jointly with the Executive Committee of the CIS).
The Work Programme for 2010 envisaged is a number of works connected with a new direction of CIS-STAT's work - forecast estimates:
1) Improvement of the methodology of forecasting the growth rates of the main macroeconomic indicators on the basis of new approaches in the field of forecasting used in the world practice.
2) Maintenance of the database for forecast estimates of the main macroeconomic indicators growth rates by CIS countries.
3) Preparation of analytic papers on the following themes:
• Actual trends of GDP and consumer prices growth in 2009 in the Commonwealth countries in comparison with the forecast trends;
• Review of the main world trends (including CIS countries) in 2010 and nearest perspectives of development;
• Forecast estimates of GDP and consumer prices growth as an average for the world and most important regional amalgamations of the countries of the world (including CIS countries) for 2011;
• Forecast estimates of the growth rates of main macroeconomic indicators of the CIS countries for the period 2011-2012;
• On the perspectives of the development of CIS countries in the nearest years against the world trends.
4) Collection of information for CIS countries on the forecasts of the
main indicators for the period 2011-2012, programmes of the development of economy in middle and long-term perspectives prepared by governmental bodies of the countries (ministries of economy, finances, central banks, etc.) and their adjustments during 2011 (from Internet and other sources).
5) Collection of analytic and statistical materials of the UN, IMF, the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, OECD, Eurostat and other international organizations on the trends of the development of the economy of the world, regional amalgamations and selected countries of the world, on general perspectives of their development for the coming years, on forecasts of growth rates of the main macroeconomic indicators of the countries of the world (including CIS countries) for the period 2011-2012 and on their adjustments during 2011 (from Internet and other sources).
In pursuance of the decision of the Council of the Heads of States of the CIS of November 28, 2006 the CIS countries carry out active work aimed at successful conduct of the new round of population censuses to execute the World Programme of 2010 Population and Housing Censuses.
In 2011 it is envisaged to organize a regular meeting of the Coordination Council on Population Censuses, at which the representatives of national statistical services will discuss brief results of the censuses conduct, as well as methodological recommendations on statistical study of socio demographic aspects connected with ageing of population (on the basis of the data of current statistics and population censuses).
5.2 Statistical programmes, priority setting, relationships with users and respondents (ILO)
Statistical Policy
• The ILO Department of Statistic was established in May 2009, which replaced the former ILO Bureau of Statistics, and is responsible, inter alia, for compiling and making available in a timely manner ILO statistics on the four pillars of Decent Work. The compilation, quality control and dissemination of ILO statistical information is now centrally managed and coordinated by the Department of Statistics. All statistical methodologies and databases carried out by different units within sectors and regions are coordinated by the Department of Statistics. All units, regions and sectors are requested to seek technical clearance from the Department of Statistics before disseminating and publishing global and regional statistical data.
• The Department defines and implements a statistical capacity-building programme for the Office and its constituents.
• The Director of the Department of Statistics serves as the ILO Chief Statistician and is consulted on all matters of data collection, statistical methodologies and major publications and releases of ILO statistical information.
5.3 Quality frameworks and measurement of performance of statistical systems and offices (ECB)
Further implementation of the ECB Statistics Quality framework:
• Monitor and ensure adherence to the quality assurance procedures and quality principles stated in the ECB Statistics Quality Framework (SQF), which guides the statistical function of the ECB. The SQF is fully in line with and builds upon the ESCB's public commitment with respect to its statistical function.
• Revision analysis for general economic statistics based on a vintages database to which revision indicators are applied.
5.3 Quality frameworks and measurement of performance of statistical systems and offices (Eurostat)
Theme 7.03 Management of financial resources
Fields of activities covered by the theme
• Financial verification of commitment and payment operations;
• Planning and monitoring of budgetary implementation;
• Contribution to simplification of financial tools and sound financial management;
• Support to Financial Management (Training, Helpdesk);
• Support for implementation of Eurostat's strategic priorities (financial management dimension).
1. Work to be carried out by Eurostat in 2011
• Finalise the project on implementing revised financial circuits;
• Contribute to work on the evaluation of long term expenditure needs, taking into account the priorities linked to the re-engineering of the statistical production system and the upcoming negotiation of the Regulation on Financial perspectives 2014-2020;
• Streamline the grant award process;
• Develop possible options to implement Art. 15 of the Regulation on European statistics stipulating that 'an adequate financial structure shall be developed' to support sharing of experience and results within the ESS through collaborative networks.
• Provide ex-ante financial verification of financial transactions (financial instruments: grants, procurement, joint management; type of appropriation: operation and administrative; source: own budget appropriations and budget appropriations subdelegated to Eurostat by other DGs);
• Review and develop Financial Support Information products in close cooperation with users;
• Ensure continuous improvements in advice, assistance and training to clients;
• Prepare and monitoring the implementation of operational and administrative budget appropriations;
• Providing management information services to users;
• Defining and implementing the 2011 reinforced ex-ante and ex-post controls programmes and ensuring the follow-up of previous controls;
• Ensure follow-up of comments made during the annual discharge procedure and the recommendations issued following audit reports;
• Providie accounting services and related quality controls.
Theme 7.04 Audit
Fields of activities covered by the theme
• Assurance and counselling engagements;
• Opinions on control systems in Eurostat;
• Follow-up of the implementation of audit recommendations.
1. Work to be carried out by Eurostat in 2011
• Risk analyses;
• Audit engagements in conformity with International. Audit Standards;
• Counselling engagements;
• Follow up of the implementation of the audit recommendations;
• Opinion on the state of the control system in Eurostat in support to the Directorate-General AAR.
Theme 7.05 General administration
Fields of activities covered by the theme
• Document management;
• Inter-service consultations;
• Mail delivery;
• Intermediate archives;
• Office space and furniture;
• Management of office space and furniture according to Eurostat's needs.
1. Work to be carried out by Eurostat in 2011
• Document Management: user training and support;
• Document Management: monitoring;
• Registration of incoming mail;
• Management of the Filing Plan;
• Inter-Service Consultations: central co-ordination, user training and support, monitoring;
• Mail collection & delivery;
• Intermediate archives: allocation and supervision;
• Provide a timely and appropriate help desk service to all staff in matters relating to the building and its contents. (including telephone and office furniture);
• Implement Eurostat's office new needs in accordance with organisational changes.
5.3 Quality frameworks and measurement of performance of statistical systems and offices (OECD)
Development and Implementation of the OECD Quality Framework
To enhance the quality of OECD statistics, to provide a systematic mechanism for ongoing identification and resolution of quality problems, to increase the transparency of the processes used by the OECD to assure quality, to reinforce the political role of the OECD in the context of an information society.
Objectives and outputs
The framework focuses on improving the quality of data collected, compiled and disseminated by the OECD through an improvement of the Organisation's processes and management, though there will be a positive spillover effect on the quality of data compiled at national level. The framework is composed of four elements: a definition of quality and its dimensions; a procedure for assuring the quality of proposed new statistical activities; a procedure for evaluating the quality of existing statistical activities on a regular basis; and internal quality guidelines covering all phases of the statistical production process.
Main Developments for 2011
General aspects:
Following feedback from users, the Quality Framework and Review is undergoing a review to streamline the process and make the focus more quality oriented and to include user input.
Following the review a number of Quality Reviews of OECD Statistical Activities will be carried out during 2011.
5.3 Quality frameworks and measurement of performance of statistical systems and offices (UNESCO)
Data Quality
The UIS has made improving data quality a major component of its current work programme, and has a series of initiatives under way to systematically measure, report on, and improve data quality with a special focus on timeliness and accessibility. The Institute is also seeking to improve the coverage of its data and metadata.
The Institute and OECD have developed a version of the IMF DQAF specifically for education that is used in capacity building activities.
The UIS has also a Quality Monitoring and Reporting Framework to assess the quality of its survey activities and the content of the international statistical database. This framework aligns UIS strategic objectives with a key set of performance indicators. It is based on existing work done by the IMF and Eurostat.
Priority objectives beyond 2011:
• Produce quality reports for all relevant UIS surveys;
• Improve the questionnaire design phase;
• Improve metadata management;
• Improve the process of exchanging data between the UIS and other organizations;
• Improve statistical systems.
New work to be undertaken in 2011:
• Quality report disseminated with each education data release;
• Quality report produced for R&D statistics.
5.3 Quality frameworks and measurement of performance of statistical systems and offices (World Bank)
Data Quality Assessment Framework (DQAF)
• The World Bank has been working with the IMF on the Socio-demographic and Poverty modules of the Data Quality Assessment Framework (DQAF). The framework provides countries with a flexible structure for the qualitative assessment of various aspects of the statistical environment and infrastructure in which the data are collected, processed, and disseminated. It also identifies areas requiring technical assistance. The income poverty and education modules have been completed. Modules for health and population are under development.
5.4 Management and development of human resources (ECB)
• Continue organising training activities on statistics for staff of the ECB, the National Central Banks of the European Union and to a limited extent for other central banks. The topics relate to the ECB relevant statistical fields (e.g. monetary and financial statistics; balance of payments and international investment position statistics; financial accounts; statistical data exchange and SDMX standards, etc.).
5.4 Management and development of human resources (EFTA)
European Statistical Training Programme
EFTA attaches great importance to quality and comparability of European statistics and therefore supports Eurostat in the design and implementation of an ambitious European Statistical Training Programme (ESTP). In 2011, the EFTA Secretariat will fund the organisation of three ESTP courses respectively on Business registers (Norway), Data analysis and data modelling (Switzerland) and Survey methodology and sampling techniques (Switzerland). These courses are provided by EFTA National Statistical Institutes and open for participation of statisticians from EFTA and EU Member States. In return, EFTA statisticians will be invited to participate in all ESTP courses supported and financed by the European Commission (Eurostat). Other applicants may be admitted to the courses depending on the availability of places.
5.4 Management and development of human resources (Eurostat)
Theme 6.02 Statistical training
Fields of activities covered by the theme
Conception and implementation of Eurostat's learning and development strategy for statistical training in the ESS (the ESS Learning and Development Framework (LDF)) aiming at:
• Improving the overall quality of European statistics;
• Raising the qualification of statisticians in the ESS in order to promote their independence in line with the European Statistics Code of Practice;
• Encouraging both theoretical and practical learning and development;
• Encouraging the exchange of best practices, know how and experience;
• Supporting the implementation of the reengineering of the statistical production processes in the ESS and the required adapted skills and competence needs;
• Providing new alternative learning and development opportunities beyond traditional training;
• Definition of appropriate set up of a European Master's in Official Statistics.
1. Work to be carried out by Eurostat in 2011
• Review learning and development offer for ESS in view of the implementation of the Communication on the production method of EU statistics.
• Evaluate the training provided in 2010 in the framework of the European Statistical Training Programme;
• Successfully implement the ESTP core programme 2011, including internal and external courses based on a training needs analysis by the end of the year;
• Establish core ESTP 2012 catalogue publication;
• Prepare implementation of the DM decision by end of 2010 on the appropriate strategy for the European Master's in Official Statistics;
• Successfully coordinate all ESS LDF projects by the end of the year enhancing beyond-the-classroom learning methodologies aiming to foster exchange of best practices through amongst others benchlearning methodology and knowledge-sharing approach;
• Successfully provide guidelines for the use of Competence profiles of European Statisticians;
• Prepare and initiate implementation of ESS-LDF Portal;
• Organise successfully the 2011 Eurostat study visit (European Statistical Week);
• Define E-learning application for the ESS;
• Establish guidelines on Impact on Learning for ESS learning and development actions.
Theme 7.02 Management of human resources
Fields of activities covered by the theme
• Conception and implementation of Eurostat's human resources strategy based on the Commission's administrative reform and human resources policy;
• Development and implementation of a personnel policy for permanent and external staff as regards succession planning, selection and recruitment ;
• Development and implementation of careers including staff appraisal and promotion
• Management of allocation, screening and reorganisation;
• Management of the mobility plan;
• Continued improvement of the integration of newcomers;
• Follow-up of the implementation of the equal opportunities action plan and the actions on diversity;
• Design and implementation of actions on well-being;
• Promotion and management of flexible working arrangements (part-time, flexitime, telework);
• Management of staff leave/absences;
• Conception and implementation of Eurostat's learning and development strategy based on the Commission's Learning and Development Framework and the requirements of the implementation of the Communication on the production method of EU statistics (reengineering of ESS statistical production system)
• Development and implementation of an tailored training programme for Eurostat staff covering also changing competences and skills
• Development, implementation and promotion of alternative learning and development opportunities with the aim of creating a learning organisation
• Organisation of big team/directorate away days and provision of consultancy services
• Organisation of annual management seminars (Heads of Unit Seminar and Directors Seminar)
• Establishment of synergies with the ESS Learning and Development Framework
1. Work to be carried out by Eurostat in 2011
• Have implementation of career development project fully planned by end 2010, including work on mobility management and the job information system / e-CV.
• Manage and develop selection and recruitment for all categories of staff (officials, Seconded National Experts, contract staff, interim staff, trainees).
• Manage and improve allocation, clearing and screening exercises for human resources.
• Plan, implement and monitor the appraisal and promotion exercise in keeping with Commission deadlines, including a help desk for all actors.
• Establish and implement the 2011 Learning and Development Framework (LDF) for Eurostat and evaluate the 2010 LDF
• Establish framework contracts according to 2010 call for tender on statistical training for Eurostat staff for the period 2011-2014
• Manage leave/absence applications on a daily basis, including a help desk for staff.
• Promote flexible working arrangements, including flexitime and telework.
• Provide consultancy and design and implement special learning and development events (away day events for bigger groups, management seminars, etc.)
• Provide in 2011 alternative learning and development opportunities for Eurostat staff aiming to build up a learning organisation.
• Identify common projects for joint learning and development of Eurostat staff and European statisticians.
• Implement forward planning actions in order to ensure the availability of staff with the right skills for recruitment in Eurostat: organise specialised temporary agent selection, contribute to the work programme of EPSO and ensure the organisation of specific open competitions.
• Monitor implementation of the Equal Opportunities action plan and the achievement of its targets, as well as the actions in the diversity domain.
• Design and implement further actions to improve the well-being of staff.
5.4 Management and development of human resources (UNECE STAT)
Activity 8.8: Human resources development in statistical offices
Description and objectives
Facilitate exchange of experience and development of good practices in the area of human resources management and training (HRMT) in statistical offices.
Activities and output
• Provide secretariat support to the Organising Committee on human resources management and training in statistical offices.
• Follow-up on the outcome and recommendations of the workshop on HRMT in Geneva in September 2010 (subject to the approval of the Bureau).
Organizations and groups involved
CES Organising Committee on human resources management and training in statistical offices
5.5 Technological resources (including standards for electronic data exchange and data sharing) (CIS-STAT)
Electronic exchange of statistical information
Ongoing work:
• Collection and processing of monthly, quarterly and yearly statistical data, supplied to CIS-STAT by Commonwealth countries' national statistical services, is carried out in accordance with the coordinated schedule by electronic mail over the Internet in the form of standardized questionnaires incorporating 220 Excel-format tables.
• Verification of the coming information including its comparison on the sites of the national statistical services; collection of missing information from the sites of statistical services of the foreign countries, including the sites of international statistical organizations.
New activities:
In 2011 work will continue on improving the electronic exchange of statistical information with national statistical services and international organizations.
5.5 Technological resources (including standards for electronic data exchange and data sharing) (Eurostat)
Theme 6.03 IT support for statistical production
Fields of activities covered by the theme
• Functional studies / feasibility studies for sector and horizontal projects;
• Maintenance activities for existing systems;
• Harmonisation and reengineering of existing applications;
• Improvement and development of Generic Applications;
• Advancement of the CVD initiative;
• Dissemination and reference systems development;
• Interfacing various various CVD components into existing applications;
• Participation in the implementation of the Communication on the production method of EU statistics by developing components usable by Eurostat and Member States.
The main actions are directly linked to the Commission Communication on the production method of EU statistics as follows:
• The CVD systems improvements target the data integration and data warehouses' creation permitting the creation of cross domain statistics and cost minimisation. The same reasoning applies to the reference and dissemination systems improvements.
• The data editing and imputation facilities to be deployed for the use of the ESS members reduce drastically the burden of the Member States and Eurostat, and at the same time increase quality through harmonisation of the procedures and use of the same metadata.
1. Work to be carried out by Eurostat in 2011
• Apply the CVD principles to macroeconomic statistics (inter-domain integration activity);
• Centralisation of editing activities using a common system in Eurostat and Member States (Activity related to Communication on the production method of EU statistics).
• Continue application of CVD systems to Eurostat. This action includes the use of MDT (MultiDimensional Table), Gsast (Generic SAS Tool), Comext (Eurostat reference database for external trade statistics production and dissemination);
• Improve the dissemination chain (Eurobase / Comext);
• Transition of VB (Visual Basic) applications to Windows 7;
• Produce a version of Editing building block offering imputation facilities;
• Functionality enhancement of all building blocks.
Theme 6.04 IT standards, tools and services for data exchange in the ESS
Fields of activities covered by the theme
Harmonisation through the use of common tools within the ESS, together with process harmonisation through the promotion of methodologies based on common tools. This is required for the development of more integrated systems; it also allows fully exploit synergies and economies of scale. The result will be better interaction with ESS partners and better integration of ESS partners and Eurostat.
• Optimisation of Eurostat interaction with users and partners in the area of data and metadata transfer by the means of:
- Cooperation with international institutions (UN, OECD, IMF, WB and others) on the Statistical Data and Metadata eXchange (SDMX) standard.
- Developing common tools for efficient and secure exchange of statistical data and metadata in the European Statistical System in cooperation with other relevant Commission services, the European System of Central Banks and international organisations. This includes metadata standards.
- Data collection tools and methods and standardisation for European Statistical System raw data collections.
- Data collection tools and methods and standardisation for Eurostat data collection from European Statistical System.
Better integration of the statistical work done in the ESS with the one done in Eurostat in order to improve efficiency and quality (comparability and timeliness) and to reduce costs by the means of standardisation. Standardisation of methods and IT-tools is one of the cornerstones of the efficiency vision contained in Commission Communication on the production method of EU statistics.
- Developing and sponsoring development of a common IT infrastructure, the creation of a shared production and or dissemination environment within ESS, e.g., hub architecture.
- Exchange of common IT tools, mostly open source, e.g., SDMX tools.
- Providing standard (web) services available on Internet for Statistical production process components.
- Standards and IT software for Eurostat data collection from European Statistical System
- Development of standard tools for raw data collections within ESS.
- Re-engineering of the current production processes under way: this concerns the rationalisation of the IT architecture via the Data Life Cycle (CVD) project, the introduction of a more interactive production chain on the basis of a "data at the source" solution via the Census hub project, and the re-engineering of raw data collection of business and trade statistics via the MEETS programme.
1. Work to be carried out by Eurostat in 2011
• Exploit XBRL (eXtensible Business Reporting Language) and other technologies in national reporting standard frameworks for business statistics (actions within the MEETS programme, following up the XBRL Pilot Project).
• Use the standard software: Single Entry Point for all regular data and metadata transmissions from Member States, based on standardised formats (GESMES - General Statistical MESsage, SDMX) where appropriate;
• Maintain and improve the IT applications used for the Single Entry Point;
• Implement the SDMX (Statistical Data and Metadata Exchange) standards and guidelines for data and metadata exchange, sharing and dissemination between the ESS members;
• Develop IT infrastructure for SDMX implementation allowing the sharing of common IT tools and easier data exchange;
• Implement a single IT environment and services for structural and reference metadata allowing standard access for ESS partner s and within Eurostat;
• Develop the Census Hub to support the transmission and dissemination of statistics from the 2011 census round;
• Provide open-source software for statistics - developed tools to be in the form of open software to allow easier sharing;
• Support exchange of information among Member States on raw data collection technologies and best practices. Foster standards development;
• Support the Eurostat CIRCA site, including the introduction of the new version - CIRCABC.
• Exploit XBRL and other technologies in national reporting frameworks for business statistics;
• Data-sharing using SDMX standards, guidelines and architecture;
• Exchange of information among Member States on raw data collection technologies and best practices, and shared development of software according to the common reference architecture for the ESS.
Theme 6.10 Statistical research and methodology
Fields of activities covered by the theme
• Statistical process architecture and integration.
• Statistical research and methodological innovation.
• Standardisation and knowledge management.
• Core methodologies: data integration, data analysis, time series processing and seasonal adjustment, data collection design, data validation and model based estimation, EU approaches.
• Methodological support, advice, guidance and assessment.
• Methodological cooperation in the ESS and with universities.
• Training and methodological competence management.
This work contributes substantially to the improvement of the production method of EU statistics as laid down in the Commission Communication on the production method of EU statistics through.
• The conceptual analysis of most relevant cross-cutting issues tracking efficiency gains with the identification of commonalities in different related processes, the identification of generic specification for common process steps and the development of associated guidelines and tools.
• The improvement of vertical integration of processes by launching with Member States collaborative projects aiming at designing global ESS process, streamline their implementation by the identification and documentation of good practices following the Generic Statistical Business Process Model.
• The development and implement a multi dimensional programme of research and innovation through the elaboration of a research programme for Official Statistics to be included in FP8; the intensification the link with research community; the setting up transfer mechanism involving Member States (ESSnets);the launching specific ESSnets and research projects under the umbrella of the ESS Directors of Methodology (DIME) and the Network of Methodologists in Eurostat.
• The improvement of the methodological competences with the development of Master of Science in Official Statistics with universities and a strategic reflection on the mechanism for their management.
• To the optimisation of interaction with partners with the emergence and fast consolidation of methodology for collaboration building upon virtual platforms (web 2.0) to support cooperative projects and to reinforce cooperation among ESS partners and with academia.
1. Work to be carried out by Eurostat in 2011
• Set up an ESS governance structure for the integration of ESS statistical production processes;
• Improve research on official statistics in collaboration with Member States;
• ESSnets on cooperative methodological developments.
• Provide guidance and support for and assess methodological developments for ESTAT reengineering production system;
• Generate and organise knowledge in key methodological issues for an integrated architecture for the production of official statistics: new modes of data collection, data analysis, data validation, survey methodology and sampling, data integration, model based estimation;
• Explore, set up and maintain new modes and tools of collaboration for the community of ESS Methodologists, Researchers (CROS - Cooperation between Researchers and Official Statisticians) and Partners (Joint Research Centre, etc);
• Identify priorities for research, methodological developments and innovation analysing main challenges for future statistics in a global, competitive, technology driven information world, with a particular focuses on challenges raised by the integration of production processes in the ESS;
• Contribute to the emergence, optimisation and standardisation of integrated ESS processes and harmonised methodologies;
• Facilitate and promote innovation in the ESS through a streamline infrastructure for ESSnet projects;
• Development and maintain ESS standard tool for seasonal adjustment (SA) and related time series processing for official statistics;
• Monitor and support the implementation of ESS guidelines on seasonal adjustment and best practices for time series processing in coordination with the Steering Group on SA, high level group bringing together ESCB and ESS bodies;
• EMOS (European Masters in Official Statistics) and methodological competence management.
Theme 7.01 Management of IT infrastructure
Fields of activities covered by the theme
• IT user support;
• Local IT systems Administration;
• Development and maintenance of administrative IT applications;
• IT governance;
• Relations and cooperation with DIGIT.
The action 207 (Ensure evolutive maintenance of programming and reporting system) will be an important contribution to the activity of the Eurostat's project of the Management of the Commission Communication on the production method of EU statistics "Make priority setting system linked to the resource allocation". The same holds for 210 (Enhance IT governance) as far as IT architecture is concerned.
The action 101 (Creation of a shared secure environment) gives added value to the potential users of confidential data. In the mid term the creation of the shared secure environment is an important step to a distributed IT environment, one aim of the activity of Eurostat's project of the Management of the Commission Communication on the production method of EU statistics "Improve vertical integration".
1. Work to be carried out by Eurostat in 2011
• Create of a shared secure environment.
• Provide IT User support;
• Provide desktop hardware and software;
• Coordinate IT training;
• Ensure a high level of availability of local servers;
• Provide technical support to IT security;
• Ensure evolutive maintenance of financial applications;
• Ensure evolutive maintenance of programming and reporting system;
• Ensure evolutive maintenance of document management systems;
• Ensure evolutive maintenance of Eurostat's configuration management database;
• Enhance IT governance.
5.5 Technological resources (including standards for electronic data exchange and data sharing) (ILO)
Statistical Information Collection and Processing
• An important effort will be made to collect and disseminate new statistics and indicators, for short term and also annual data.
• As regards data collection, electronic questionnaires will be relied upon to a greater extent to collect data on new as well as more traditional indicators. Data received through electronic questionnaires will be automatically uploaded into the database for prompt dissemination. We will also continue to explore the possibilities of joint data collection with other international agencies (Eurostat, OECD and others), in order to alleviate the reporting burden on countries by similar international questionnaires. The possibility of exchanging data with EUROSTAT and OECD through SDMX will also be tested.
• The day to day operations and use of the database will be reviewed and modernized using a web-based version of the software used.
• In the near future, all the databases operated by the Department of STATISTICS will be restructured, coding systems will be revised, and the new databases will be migrated to a relational database management environment using Oracle.
All the satellite applications related to the preparation and production of the new programme of data collection, management and dissemination will also be migrated from a SAS (Statistical Analysis Software) environment to the new Oracle environment, and the use of the SAS software will be limited to the processing of data for the purpose of statistical analysis.
5.5 Technological resources (including standards for electronic data exchange and data sharing) (OECD)
Supporting evidence-based local strategy making (former Framework for Information Exchange in Local Development)
To increase the relevance, efficiency and effectiveness of local economic and employment development policies by supporting the use of appropriate evidence on policy needs and impacts in the design and implementation of local strategies
Objectives and outputs
Main issues to be addressed
1. Obtaining, processing and utilising information from diverse sources on local economic and employment performance, their drivers and enablers and the problems faced.
2. How to undertake sound local evaluation of the impact of existing policies and feed the results back into strategy development.
3. Setting up local evaluation frameworks and developing organisational capacity for the evaluation of strategic planning and delivery.
4. Creating local dashboards of economic and employment development indicators that may be baseline-tracked against targets and milestones and benchmarked over time and with other localities to better understand policy needs and impacts.
Assessments will be undertaken in case study countries of the appropriateness of local information and evaluation systems for meeting the challenges of local strategy design and delivery. The assessments will include the degree to which the performance, needs and evaluation indicators used fit with those required to assess the local development model in place, the robustness and reach of the information sources and collection methods, and the systems for management and utilisation of the local development and evaluation information. Guidance will be provided on how to apply international good practice evaluation and strategy-making principles to strengthen information and evaluation systems at the local level, responding to the areas for improvement identified in the case studies. Recommendations will be made for the development of local dashboards of comparable local economic and employment development indicators.
Practical reports and action plans on developing information and evaluation systems for evidence-based strategy tailored to the needs of countries and localities. The process will also generate valuable learning for participating organisations, create new knowledge drawing on international practices, improve staff skills, create new relationships and networks and enhance evidence-based strategy development processes.
Non-member countries involved in the activity:
Main Developments for 2011
General aspects:
On-going activity
5.5 Technological resources (including standards for electronic data exchange and data sharing) (UN Statistics Division)
• Collaborates with IMF, Eurostat, BIS, OECD and World Bank on the development of XML data and metadata exchange standards ;
• UNSD has fully developed data structure for MDG Indicators, now being used for data and metadata exchange among some of the agencies involved in the MDG monitoring. Training is also being provided to some groups of countries who have expressed the interest in adopting the platform for MDG data exchange.
5.5 Technological resources (including standards for electronic data exchange and data sharing) (UNECE STAT)
Activity 4.1: Infrastructure for processing and disseminating statistical data
Description and objectives
Maintain and develop the necessary database infrastructure to support the processing and dissemination of statistical data. Coordinate UNECE data production regarding the consistency of statistical data and terminology, and the use of data collection, storage and dissemination methods.
Activities and output
• Ensure a database system to meet the needs of users, allowing the collection, processing and dissemination of UNECE statistical data (Statistical Division, Transport Division, Trade and Timber Division).
• Implement the relevant parts of the UNECE data quality improvement plan.
• Improve data quality, consistency of time series and consistency across different databases.
• Provide an infrastructure for free of charge Internet dissemination of UNECE statistical data, in English and Russian, to all interested users.
Activity 8.1: Strategic Developments in Business Architecture in Statistics
Description and objectives
Contribute to the work of the High Level Group for Strategic Developments in Business Architecture in Statistics (HLG-BAS) to oversee and guide discussions on developments in the business architecture of the statistical production process, including methodological and information technology aspects. The HLG-BAS oversees the work of other UNECE groups like the SAB, METIS and MSIS and also the work of similar Eurostat and OECD groups. It reports to the CES Bureau on the progress and direction of the work of these groups.
Activities and output
• Provide secretariat support to the HLG-BAS;
• Assist in preparing the annual report of the HLG-BAS to the CES Bureau;
• Record the decisions of the HLG-BAS and ensure these are effectively communicated;
• Collaborate with other bodies involved in international work on statistical business architectures for example the European Statistics Directors of Methodology and the expert group on Statistical Data and Metadata Exchange.
Organizations and groups involved
CES High-level Group for Strategic Developments in Business Architecture in Statistics
Activity 8.2: Management of statistical information systems
Description and objectives
Coordinate the work on the Management of Statistical Information Systems (MSIS) and the Sharing Advisory Board (SAB) to: i) provide a forum for exchange of experiences; ii) make recommendations on the coordination of the activities of different international organizations in this area; iii) collect, discuss and make available good practices; iv) facilitate and encourage implementation of standards and recommendations in the field of statistical data processing in the UNECE region.
Activities and output
• Support the improvement of statistical information systems in national and international statistical organizations.
• Improve harmonisation of data models, concepts, etc. in the field of statistical information processing.
• Provide a platform for knowledge sharing among statistical organisations in this area.
• Provide technological and organizational frameworks to facilitate sharing of statistical software, modules and solutions.
• Prepare recommendations for the governance and practice of sharing statistical software.
• Standardize electronic data interchange, in particular, develop and promote the Statistical Data and Metadata eXchange (SDMX) content oriented guidelines and other SDMX standards in cooperation with other international organizations.
• Organise the Meeting on Management of Statistical Information Systems (MSIS May 2011).
Organizations and groups involved
CES Steering Group/Organising Committee on Management of Statistical Information Systems
CES Sharing Advisory Board
CES High-level Group for Strategic Developments in Business Architecture in Statistics
SDMX Consortium
Activity 8.5: Statistical metadata
Description and objectives
Facilitate harmonisation of data models and structures for statistical metadata. Provide a forum for discussing metadata issues relevant to statistical offices. Complement other international initiatives dealing with data collection needs of international statistical organizations.
Activities and output
• Advocate for statistical metadata issues and the role of metadata in the management of statistical processes.
• Further develop and improve the Common Metadata Framework (CMF) as a guide for statistical organisations to existing metadata standards, in cooperation with the METIS Steering Group.
• Add more case studies on the implementation of metadata systems in statistical organizations (Part D "Implementation").
• Provide secretariat support to the CES Steering Group on Statistical Metadata.
• Organise a Workshop on Statistical Metadata in autumn 2011.
• Cooperate actively with other organizations on the standardisation of electronic data interchange, including the SDMX content oriented guidelines and other SDMX standards.
• Lead, together with UN Statistical Division, international work to develop a global inventory of statistical standards.
Organizations and groups involved
CES Steering Group on statistical metadata
SDMX Secretariat
Activity 8.7: Secondary and mixed data sources
Description and objectives
Facilitate exchange of knowledge and experience in the use of secondary and mixed data sources for the production of official statistics.
Activities and output
• Further develop the ASSIST Knowledge Base on the use of administrative and secondary sources.
• Develop a network and other resources as requested by the CES Bureau.
Organizations and groups involved
To be determined.
5.5 Technological resources (including standards for electronic data exchange and data sharing) (World Bank)
Statistical Information Collection and Processing
• The World Bank gathers macroeconomic data and projections at least once a year from its country teams in a process known as the Unified Survey. These data and projections are used for planning and evaluating Bank operations. They underlie work on creditworthiness and risk assessment and they are an important part of the Bank's external publications such as the World Development Indicators, the country and regional At-a-Glance tables, and Global Development Finance. These data are collected in a standardized way using the World Bank's country database system known as the Live Database (LDB). The LDB is an Excel based system which standardizes the management of macroeconomic information by organizing information into separate sheets by topic and utilizing indicator codes, common layouts, and a variety of formatting, calculation, and reporting tools.
• The Development Data Platform (DDP), a web-based statistical data collection and dissemination system has integrated and streamlined time-series data management operations at the Bank, and has established a comprehensive platform to support the statistical data collection and dissemination functions of the Bank. Also, the software can be provided to countries to further the goal of statistical capacity building in these countries. The software developed in this project may be installed in these countries.
• The system has also incorporated micro data from household surveys allowing cross-country comparisons on key indicators by welfare status.
• A new web-based system, Data Platform (dp), is part of the DDP suite of products developed to help clients and partners to manage and disseminate their data based on their preferences and needs. It provides a framework for the use and management of quantitative data and their metadata. The system is especially useful for any organization with a need to publish statistical data on the web.
• The BIS, ECB, EUROSTAT, IMF, OECD, UN, and the World Bank have set up a partnership to focus on establishing web-based standards for more efficient exchange and sharing of statistical information and metadata, which is called SDMX. As part of this effort, the Bank is involved in a Pilot Project in rebuilding the Joint External Debt Statistics through SDMX standards (see http://www.jedh.org/ ). These statistics are a product of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Finance Statistics. They bring together data that are currently compiled and published separately by the contributing international agencies on components of countries' external debt and international reserve assets. This should facilitate timely and frequent access by a broad range of users to a single data set. These data are mostly from creditor and market sources, but also include information provided by the debtor countries to the Quarterly External Debt Statistics (QEDS) of the World Bank. The goal is to explore common e-standards and ongoing standardization activities that could allow us to gain efficiency and avoid duplication of effort in our own work and possibly for the work of others in the field of statistical information. We intend to do this by taking advantage of existing and emerging:
- Exchange protocols, such as GESMES/CB which was implemented by central banks for exchanging time series;
- E-standards, such as Extensible Markup Language (XML).
5.6 Co-ordination of international statistical work (CIS-STAT)
Rest of the World-CIS Coordination
• Coordinating statistical work and aligning and harmonizing statistical tools with international standards in the areas of the System of National Accounts and economic, demographic and social statistics, and improving methods of processing information from Commonwealth member States.
Materials in preparation are discussed by the CIS-STAT Scientific Council, task forces and ad hoc meetings. The most important are discussed by the Council of Heads of Statistical Services of the CIS. Once finalized, they are circulated as recommendations to national statistical services.
5.6 Co-ordination of international statistical work (Eurostat)
Theme 6.08 Statistical cooperation with countries covered by the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP)
Fields of activities covered by the theme
• Providing technical (statistical) advice to the EU's external action service (EAS), including EU Delegations in the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) countries;
• Coordinating EU efforts to build statistical capacity within the framework of the MEDSTAT programme of statistical cooperation in the Mediterranean region, and ENP financing instrument (ENPI);
• Assisting the Southern ENP countries in implementing their regional strategy for statistics;
• Assisting the ENP countries to gradually align their statistical systems with that of the EU;
• Encouraging the application of best practices from the European Statistical System to be applied in ENP countries through mutual contacts, training, study visits, workshops, seminars, and attendance at meetings;
• Collecting and publishing a range of data from the ENP countries, as an input to the Commission assessment of progress in the countries, and to maintain momentum for harmonisation of data for the region
1. Work to be carried out by Eurostat in 2011
• Assist EuropeAid in monitoring the implementation of the new project on Energy Statistics in the ENP-East and Central Asian countries.
• Work closely with the EuropeAid, the External Action Service, and beneficiaries on the implementation of funding mechanisms for technical assistance (e.g. ENPI);
• Assist ENP countries in the development and review of their national action plans;
• Monitor the progress achieved by ENP countries regarding the adoption of EU statistical methods, classifications and standards;
• Collect and publish statistics on ENP countries;
• Assist EuropeAid in monitoring the implementation of the MEDSTAT III programme;
• Organise international events covering statistical cooperation (relevant to senior managers in national statistical offices) and specific technical themes (relevant to subject matter experts in national statistical offices);
• Promote EU statistical standards, classifications and methodologies through the provision of reference material in relevant languages.
2. Statistical work to be carried out by other DGs (including data collection from Member States) and/or EU agencies
• In 2010 the European Environment Agency was contracted by DG EuropeAid to take the first steps towards a Shared Environmental Information System for the ENP region. This contract included a requirement to assist the ENP countries in capacity building for environment statistics. Eurostat's involvement is linked to promoting the project and its institutional building component in the ENP countries as well as to monitoring and follow-up.
Theme 6.09 International statistical cooperation
Fields of activities covered by the theme
• Providing advice and expertise to Commission services (in particular the External Relations Directorates-General, and the delegations) and national statistical authorities with respect to European Commission development and cooperation policies (identification, planning, implementation and evaluation of statistical projects or the statistical elements of more wide-ranging development projects) and coordinating Eurostat units' contribution to this work;
• Assisting the European Commission in relations with international organisations and in matters of common statistical interest with non-European regions or countries;
• Advocating and promoting good governance through statistics in the EU's external relations policy;
• Monitoring and coordinating EU efforts to build statistical capacity in countries outside Europe within the framework of international commitments such as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs);
• Encouraging the application of ESS best practice in non-EU countries through mutual contacts, training, study visits and attendance at meetings;
• Collecting data on non-EU countries obtained from all available sources for use by Commission services in pursuit of their external relations policies and, subject to agreement with data suppliers, the wider community of users;
• Ensuring that stakeholders are kept adequately informed through efficient communication;
• Representing Eurostat in international organisations;
• Coordinating Eurostat's relations with Higher Income Countries (HIC) and Russia, in particular implementing the EEA agreement in the field of statistics and the agreement with Switzerland on cooperation in the field of statistics.
1. Work to be carried out by Eurostat in 2011
• Add elements of the "Eurostat vision" to the existing activities conc. non-European countries. Incorporate new production method (Eurostat "vision") and "GDP and beyond" elements in the encouragement of best practices in non EU countries. Learn from best practices from countries and organisation outside the EU (e.g. Canada, USA, OECD, etc.). Ensure outreach of "Eurostat vision" to higher income countries and international organisations (including mutual information). Strengthen links between OECD Global Project on Measuring the Progress of Societies and the "GDP and beyond".
• Take a more proactive stance with respect to international relations following the coming into force of the Lisbon Treaty.
• Provide advisory service for other Commission services (external relations family, including delegations) and beneficiaries on cooperation programmes with ACP (African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States), ALA (Asia and Latin America), Central Asia aiming at building statistical capacity and gradual harmonisation of the statistical systems with international methods, standards and classifications.
• Make an effective contribution to advocacy for statistics and international coordination of statistical cooperation activities and the implementation of the Marrakech Action Plan for Statistics and the Dakar Declaration on the Development of Statistics through active participation within Paris21 and other international fora.
• Develop and improve thematic areas of international statistical cooperation (guide to international statistical cooperation, MDG/development indicators work, statistical training, etc.): growth and employment will be considered as area of special attention.
• Continue transfer of know-how regarding statistical tools (ERETES, Eurotrace) to subregional organisations and user groups.
• Provide updated non-EU country statistics and improve information services on international statistical cooperation (publications, Eurostat's web site, knowledge base). Continue the development of a knowledge base of the current state of play for all regions covered by the unit's responsibility showing the level of statistical capacity in the countries in those regions and European Commission aid provided/planned in the field of statistics.
• Implement the action plan for raising the profile of the Commission and the ESS in international statistical fora through the effective participation in major international meetings.
• Co-ordinate effectively relations with Higher Income Countries, including EFTA countries, USA, Canada, Russia etc.
• Coordinate statistical cooperation activities at EU level.
• Maintain constant contacts, to exchange information and to participate in main meetings of international, regional and sub-regional organisations.
• Provide advice to Eurostat and ESS services on their relations with international organisations and countries outside Europe.
• International Relations Working Group;
• A knowledge base on the statistical development of non-EU countries (DISC) and Partners' Report on Support for Statistics (PRESS).
Theme 8.05 Relations with the ESS, inter-institutional and international relations
Fields of activities covered by the theme
• Governance of the European Statistical System (ESS), through the management of the committees that form the core of the cooperation within the European Statistical System, in particular the European Statistical System Committee, the highest-level committee within the ESS representing the producers of European statistics, the European Statistical Advisory Committee (ESAC), providing a stakeholder perspective (users, respondents and producers) on the relevance and priorities of EU statistics as well as the associated costs and resources, and the European Statistical Governance Advisory Board (ESGAB), whose role is to provide an independent overview of the ESS as regards the implementation of the European Statistics Code of Practice.
• Ensuring efficient co-operation with the Council, the European Parliament, the European System of Central Banks, the EESC (European Economic and Social Committee) and the CoR (Committee of the Regions) with regard to the statistical legislative production.
1. Work to be carried out by Eurostat in 2011
• Provide the Secretariat for the ESSC;
• Organise the DGINS Conference;
• Provide the Secretariat for the ESAC;
• Provide the Secretariat for the ESGAB;
• Participation and contribution to EP Committees discussing statistical legislative proposals;
• Coordination with Council Presidencies;
• Follow-up of Statis working group in the Council;
• Advice and follow-up of legislation;
• Cooperation with the ESCB.
5.6 Co-ordination of international statistical work (FAO)
Coordination of International Statistical Work
• FAO is actively involved in the Wye City Group on Statistics on Rural Development and Agriculture Household Income.
• FAO leads the Coordinating Working Party on Fishery Statistics (CWP) to identify the statistical needs and develop standard concepts, definitions, classifications and methodologies of the collection and collation of fishery and aquaculture statistics.
• FAO leads the Inter-secretarial Working Group on Forest Sector Statistics (IWG).
Meetings in 2011:
• The Inter-sessional Fishery Group meeting of Coordinating Working Party on Fishery Statistics (CWP): July 2011, La Jolla, USA.
5.6 Co-ordination of international statistical work (UN Statistics Division)
Secretariat to the UN Statistical Commission and the Committee on Coordination of Statistical Activities
• Coordination of intergovernmental and inter-agency meetings in statistics, serving as secretariat to the UN Statistical Commission and the Committee on Coordination of Statistical Activities. See also: http://unstats.un.org/unsd/statcom/commission.htm and http://unstats.un.org/unsd/workpartner_ccsa.htm
Facilitator of City Groups
• UNSD is facilitating the work of so-called 'city groups', in order to address issues identified by the Statistical Commission as critical problems. UNSD will continue to encourage countries to actively participate in the discussions of the various groups. It will also disseminate information on the groups and their activities widely. Detailed information on the groups and their activities is available at UN Web page. See also: http://unstats.un.org/unsd/methods/citygroup/index.htm
5.6 Co-ordination of international statistical work (UNECE STAT)
Activity 1.1: Database of International Statistical Activities (DISA)
Description and objectives
Maintain an online database providing information on statistical work of about 30 international organizations. The Database of International Statistical Activities (DISA) is an important tool to assist the Bureau of the Conference of European Statisticians (CES) in fulfilling its primary role - to coordinate the statistical work undertaken by the various international organizations in the UNECE region.
Activities and output
• Prepare and publish the 2011 issue of the database.
• Start the preparations for the 2012 issue of the database.
• Provide input to the in-depth reviews of the CES Bureau in specific statistical areas where significant developments have taken place, coordinated action is needed or there is a lack of activities at the international level.
• Monitor the use of the database and ask for feedback in order to improve presentation and functionality of the database.
• Promote DISA classification of statistical activities as a global statistical standard, assist the CES Bureau in maintaining the classification.
Activity 1.2: Secretariat support for the work of the CES and its Bureau
Description and objectives
Provide secretariat support for the work of the Conference of European Statisticians (CES), the Sectoral Committee of the UNECE Statistical Division and its Bureau that steers the work of the Conference. The CES coordinates the statistical activities of the three main international organizations working in the UNECE region, Eurostat, OECD and UNECE, as well as the statistical activities of other organizations, such as CIS-STAT, UNSD, IMF, ILO, WHO and the World Bank. The CES provides a forum for Heads of national and international statistical agencies to address issues of current interest, discuss the region's common statistical problems, exchange experience, and formulate common solutions and recommendations.
Activities and output
• Organize and service the CES Bureau meetings (February 2011 (a short meeting during the UNSC session), June 2011, and October/November 2011).
• Organize and service the annual plenary session of the CES (Geneva, the week of 13-17 June 2011), which includes three modules: a session on formal business and two seminar sessions.
• Provide secretariat support in the preparation of the CES seminars on "Organization of data collection and data sharing / implementation of the standard for Statistical Data and Metadata Exchange (SDMX): management challenges from the national perspective" and "Measuring human capital" during the CES 2011 plenary session.
• Coordinate the implementation of follow-up activities of the CES 2010 and 2011 plenary sessions.
• Prepare the UNECE Statistical Programme 2012.
• Report on the work of the CES to the EXCOM.
• Coordinate the Teams of Specialists that work under the auspices of the CES in various statistical areas and report on their activities to the Conference and its Bureau.
5.6 Coordination of international statistical work (OECD)
Co-ordination of OECD Statistical Activities
To co-ordinate OECD statistical programmes with Eurostat, ECE, IMF, UN and other organisations with respect to both data collection and the development of international statistical standards.
To increase the visibility of statistical activities carried out by the OECD and to co-ordinate internal OECD statistical activities to improve the quality of statistics and the efficiency of the OECD statistical organisation.
Objectives and outputs
Collaborate with other Directorates of the Organisation, with national data providers and with other international organisations to: reinforce the quality of OECD statistical data and the efficiency of statistical activities across the Organisation; improve data collection and data provision on member countries, increase the visibility of OECD statistical work; and contribute to the development of the international statistical system.
Co-ordinate the preparation and publishing of the annual OECD statistical programme of work and the new Brochure on OECD Statistics.
Improvement in the consistency of data collected and disseminated by the OECD through the development of the OECD statistical information system and co-ordination of the migration of existing statistical activities towards the new statistical information system. Provide linkages with similar facilities in other international organisations and national agencies.
Further improve relationships with national statistical activities and improve international co-operation between OECD member countries and several non-member countries in the area of statistics through the OECD Committee on Statistics, composed of Heads of National Statistical Agencies.
Non-member countries involved in the activity:
Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Russian Federation, South Africa
OECD statistical programme of work
Main Developments for 2011
General aspects:
Following completion of accession activities for four countries in 2009-2010, 2011 will see continuation of the accession activities with Russia. In addition, coordination with enhanced engagement countries will be significantly reinforced. Finally, efforts will be made to improve collaboration and advice on statistical activities with OECD policy committees via the Committee on Statistics.
5.7 Technical cooperation and capacity building programmes (EFTA)
Technical cooperation
EFTA technical cooperation programmes and activities are governed by a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the EFTA Secretariat and Eurostat. The MoU's overall objective is to avoid gaps or overlapping in technical assistance toward countries where the European Union is also active, through direct involvement of the four EFTA States in statistical programmes run by the European Commission. EFTA's involvement in technical cooperation programmes under the MoU gives priority to countries that have concluded declarations on cooperation or free trade agreements with EFTA. In 2011, support will be mainly granted to economies in transition in Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia (EECCA), Western Balkans and Mediterranean regions (Medstat). EFTA cooperation will give priority to global assessments of national statistical systems in light of the European Statistics Code of Practice as well as seminars and study visit on socio-economic statistics, applied statistical methods and management of technical assistance in statistics.
5.7 Technical cooperation and capacity building programmes (Eurostat)
Theme 6.07 Statistical cooperation with the candidate and potential candidate countries
Fields of activities covered by the theme
• Preparation of candidate and potential candidate countries for EU membership by aligning their methodologies and practices with the statistical acquis and integrating them into the European Statistical System.
• Inputs to meetings under the structures of the Stabilisation and Association Agreements and inputs to the Commission's annual progress reports and its opinions on countries' applications for EU membership.
• Provision of harmonised statistics covering the candidate and potential candidate countries.
• Accession negotiations regarding the statistics chapter and the statistics component of other chapters.
• Assistance to the candidate and potential candidate countries involving the entire cycle for assistance programmes with programming, tendering, implementation and evaluation under the Instrument for Pre-Accession (IPA)
• Complete the management of assistance to Member States that jointed in 2007 (Phare/Multi-Beneficiary Statistical Cooperation programmes).
1. Work to be carried out by Eurostat in 2011
• Contract new technical assistance for implementing the statistical acquis in the candidate and potential candidate countries (2011 IPA programme).
• Implement the ongoing technical assistance programmes for the candidate and potential candidate countries (IPA 2008 and IPA 2009 programmes);
• Complete implementation and close the files relating to the technical assistance programmes MBP 2005 and MBP 2006;
• Contribute to the accession negotiations and the structures set up under the Stabilisation and Association Agreements;
• Contribute to the Commission opinions and reports and to the monitoring procedures on the compliance of candidate and potential candidate countries with the statistical acquis;
• Support implementation of national cooperation programmes in the candidate and potential candidate countries;
• Conduct full assessments of the statistical systems of candidate and potential candidate countries.
5.7 Technical cooperation and capacity building programmes (FAO)
Technical Assistance
• Technical assistance will be provided through FAO's Technical Cooperation projects as well as through other external funded projects.
5.7 Technical cooperation and capacity building programmes (ILO)
Technical Assistance
• The statistical capabilities of ILO constituents vary, and a considerable upgrading of capacity is needed in many areas. The ILO provides technical support for labour statistics to member States in the form of technical advice and assistance, training, manuals, and technical cooperation projects. This assistance is provided under the auspices of the ILO's Decent Work Country Programmes. It is demand-driven, depending on the availability of resources. Requests for assistance may derive from the application of the Labour Statistics Convention 1985 (160).
• Technical assistance is served from the ILO Offices in Budapest, Moscow and, in the case of Mongolia, Bangkok, and by national correspondents, and in Latin America, from the ILO Office in Santiago and SIALC-Panama, as well as from ILO headquarters in Geneva.
Training Programme of the ILO Department of Statistics
• In 2011, the ILO Department of Statistics' training programme will fully support its new and strengthened mandate and will focus, therefore, on two major training areas:
a) to meet the needs of ILO constituents to increase their capacity to produce reliable statistics for the best use in effective decision-making, to achieve decent work for all and;
b) to enhance ILO staff knowledge and use of modern statistical methods regarding data collection and analysis so as to optimize their service to member States, to assist them to meet their goals of Decent Work for all.
• Training and technical assistance will continue to be provided on Designing labour force surveys and labour force modules for household surveys to measure decent work, and on Analysing survey data to monitor labour market conditions and progress towards decent work, in cooperation with the ILO Training Centre in Turin.
5.7 Technical cooperation and capacity building programmes (OECD)
PARIS21 Partnership in Statistics for Development in the 21st Century
PARIS21 is a partnership of national, regional and international statisticians, policy makers, analysts, development professionals and other users and producers of statistics, including civil society. PARIS21's goal is to develop a culture of Management for Development Results.
Objectives and outputs
PARIS21 activities focus on assisting all low-income and lower middle income countries in the design, implementation, and monitoring of National Strategies for the Development of Statistics (NSDS). PARIS21 carries out this work through i) facilitating the co-ordination of stakeholders to better address an evolving agenda, ii) advocating for increased involvement of national stakeholders in statistical development and enhancing the status of statistics in major international initiatives, iii) promote better-quality and effectively implemented NSDSs, and iv) stimulating increased demand for and better use of data. Co-ordination activates include the annual Partner Report on Support to Statistics, which provides an inventory of global support to statistical development, and the creation of national (country-donor) partnerships to discuss statistical issues. Advocacy activities have included the production of national booklets promoting the importance of statistics in poverty reduction decision-making processes.
Non-member countries involved in the activity:
Albania, Argentina, Armenia, Asia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, China, Chinese Taipei, Colombia, Croatia, Cyprus, Ecuador, Georgia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Macedonia, Malaysia, Malta, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Other, Peru, Republic of Montenegro, Republic of Serbia, Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia and Montenegro, Singapore, South Africa, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela
Main Developments for 2011
General aspects:
Throughout 2011, PARIS21 and its partners will update and enrich the NSDS guidelines to include best practices collected over the past several years.
5.7 Technical cooperation and capacity building programmes (Paris21)
The Partnership in Statistics for Development in the 21st Century (PARIS21) is a global partnership of national, regional, and international statisticians, analysts, policy-makers, development professionals, and other users of statistics. The PARIS21 Consortium was established as a global forum and network to promote, influence, and facilitate statistical capacity development and the better use of statistics.
Objectives and outputs
PARIS21's goal is to develop a culture of Management for Development Results. PARIS21 pursues this goal by encouraging and assisting low-income and lower middle income countries in the design, implementation, and monitoring of National Strategies for the Development of Statistics (NSDS). The PARIS21 Secretariat supports NSDS processes primarily through the following types of activities: (1) facilitating the coordination of stakeholders to better address an evolving agenda, (2) advocating for increased involvement of national stakeholders in statistical development and enhancing the status of statistics in major international initiatives, (3) promoting better-quality and effectively implemented NSDSs, and (4) stimulating increased demand for and better use of data. The PARIS21 Secretariat continues to co-manage and implement with the World Bank and other partners two key statistical programs — the International Household Survey Network (IHSN) and the Accelerated Data Program (ADP). The IHSN's objective is to bring survey producers, sponsors, and users together to improve the use of survey data for policy making and monitoring. The ADP assists countries to undertake urgent improvements to produce consistent results for monitoring progress and measuring change in key development indicators, including the MDGs.
Non-member countries involved in the activity:
Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, Korea (DR), Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Lao PDR, Lesotho, Liberia, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Pakistan, Palestinian Adm. Area, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, St Lucia, St Vincent & Grenadines, Sudan, Swaziland, Syrian Arab Republic, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Main Developments for 2011
General aspects:
In 2011, in collaboration with bilateral, regional, and international partners, PARIS21 will conduct the next round of its "Partner Report on Support to Statistics (PRESS)." The aim of the exercise will be to report on donor activities in support of statistical development, with an ultimate objective of facilitating donor collaboration. In addition, PARIS21 will update the NSDS guidelines, enriching them with experiences gained over the past several years. In order to better mainstream sectoral concerns into national strategies, PARIS21 and UNESCO will also provide specific additional support in the development of education statistics to a number of African pilot countries.
Statistical Capacity Building
Ongoing work:
• In 2011, ongoing PARIS21 Secretariat work will involve activities at the national and regional level. The activities related to country support will focus on the facilitation of NSDS implementation, including the establishment of national partnerships of stakeholders around statistics. The national partnership is intended to facilitate a better alignment of donor support to the NSDS implementation plan, increased mobilization of resources at the country level, and the use of more efficient and better coordinated funding arrangements for statistical development activities. At the regional level, workshops will be organised in the Andean Community, Arab States, South-East Asian, and Southern African regions to allow countries to share information and benefit from other countries' experiences in statistical development.
Priority objectives:
• The main aim of the PARIS21 partnership is to support implementation of well-designed and well-coordinated national and international statistical programmes, which have adequate funding and are centred on implementing NSDSs which both develop statistical capacity and provide data for immediate priority needs.
New activities:
• In 2011, PARIS21 will monitor the implementation of the Dakar Declaration on the Development of Statistics, which outlines a five-point call to action for the Partnership on issues relating to: strategy implementation, mobilisation of technical and financial resources for statistics, co-ordination of donor support to statistics, meeting the needs of data users, and development of statistical tools and methodologies.
5.7 Technical cooperation and capacity building programmes (UN Statistics Division)
The UN Statistics Division's objective is to support national efforts in building and strengthening national statistical capacity of developing countries, particularly the least developed countries, and of countries with economies in transition to produce reliable and timely statistics and indicators for national policymakers and for other users at the national and international levels.
To meet the overall objective, UN Statistics Division's capacity building programme consists of providing advisory services, conducting workshops, organizing study tours, and making available statistical toolkits in three subject domains supplemented by activities related to the MDG indicators. These domains are i) national statistical system, ii) population censuses and social statistics, and iii) national accounts, basic economic statistics, environment statistics, and environmental-economic accounting frameworks. The first domain covers activities directly related to the organization of national statistical systems, such as the building of better institutional arrangements, improved legal frameworks, better organizational structure and better management of human resources. The other two subject domains are very broadly defined to cover together most substantive areas in statistics.
Ongoing work
The main task within the domain of population censuses and social statistics currently and for the next two years is to assist Member States in the implementation of the 2010 World Programme on Population and Housing Censuses to be undertaken during 2005-2014. The goal of the 2010 World Programme is for all countries and areas to agree on a set of accepted international principles and recommendations governing the conduct of censuses and to disseminate census results in a timely manner. Within the broad domain of national accounts and basic economic statistics, the priorities are i) implementation of the 2008 System of National Accounts (SNA), ii) implementation of the revised recommendations in areas of industry statistics, international trade statistics, distributive trade statistics, and tourism statistics, and iii) implementation of the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA).
UNSD also secured donor funding for the improvement of the MDG indicators. Through its regular programme and the donor funded projects UNSD will continue to assist developing countries with capacity development trainings in the areas of MDG indicators, and monitoring of MDGs particularly in view of the 2015 deadline for the Millennium Development Goals.
5.7 Technical cooperation and capacity building programmes (UNECE STAT)
Activity 9.1: Global assessments of national statistical systems
Description and objectives
• The purpose of a global assessment of the national statistical system (GA) is to provide a clear picture of the state of development of official statistics in the country. It helps the national authorities to better programme the long-term development of statistics, and also international donors to have a deep knowledge of their institutional and administrative work frame for the programming of statistical cooperation. More specifically, the objectives of a global assessment are:
- To assess the administrative capacity of the country in the field of statistics
- To assess the technical aspects of the statistical system in the country
- To assess the compliance of national statistics with international standards
GAs in Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia will be performed jointly by the UNECE, Eurostat and EFTA. GAs aim at adding transparency and accountability to the implementation process of the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics and the European Statistics Code of Practice.
Activities and output
Most of the countries in the region have requested a GA. Kazakhstan, Armenia and Azerbaijan have recently undergone a global assessment of their national statistical systems. Statistical systems of Kyrgyzstan and Ukraine could be assessed in 2011.
Organizations and groups involved
European Free Trade Association (EFTA)
Activity 9.2: UN Development Account capacity building projects in SEE and EECCA countries
Description and objectives
Assess and improve the statistical capacity in countries of South-East Europe (SEE) and Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia (EECCA) by enhancing their ability to meet the needs for major national and international cross-cutting policies. Increase the production and dissemination of gender relevant statistical information, sustainable development indicators as well as indicators for the monitoring of the achievements towards the Millennium Declaration. All projects mentioned under activity 9.2 are financed through successive tranches of the UN Development Account.
Activities and output
• Technical assistance on developing Millennium Development Goals indicators, in support of statistical capacity building (see activity 3.2 and 6.7).
MDGs technical assistance activities are financed through:
- UN Development Account Project of the 6th tranche (2009-2011), Supporting MDG-based development strategies through integrated regional action
- UN Development Account Project of the 7th tranche (2010-2012), Strengthening national statistical and inter-institutional capacities for monitoring the MDGs through interregional cooperation and knowledge-sharing.
- UN Development Account Project of the 7th tranche (2010-2012) Enhancing key statistics and indicators to monitor progress towards the MDGs and other internationally agreed development goals.
- ECE Statistical division submitted a project in the framework of the 8th tranche of the UN Development Account (2012-2013). The objective of the project is to strengthen the capacity of countries with economies in transition for sustainable measurement of progress towards the MDGs, with emphasis on poverty and vulnerable population groups.
• Technical assistance on developing measures for environmental sustainability, in support of statistical capacity in Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia. Financed through the UN Development Account Project of the 7th tranche (2010-2012) Strengthening statistical capacity of countries with economies in transition to assess progress in achieving the Millennium Development Goal on Environmental Sustainability and provide data on environmental vulnerabilities.
• Technical assistance on developing migration statistics, in support of statistical capacity building in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russian Federation and Tajikistan. Other countries that may also be involved include: Armenia, Georgia, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan (see activity 6.2).
Technical assistance on migration statistics are financed through the UN Development Account project of the 6th tranche (2009-2011), Strengthening national capacities to deal with international migration.
• Technical assistance on engendering statistical information and providing statistical information on violence against women in support of statistical capacity building in selected countries in the EECCA and SEE countries.
The project is financed through the UN Development Account Project of the 6th tranche (2009-2011), Enhancing capacities to eradicate violence against women through networking of local knowledge communities.
Activity 9.3: UNECE statistical capacity building projects in SEE and EECCA countries
Description and objectives
The main priority is to strengthen the statistical capacity of EECCA and SEE countries to meet international standards and guidelines in areas such as national accounts, short-term economic statistics, demographic and social statistics, and gender statistics.
Activities and output
• In close cooperation with partner organisations, provide technical assistance to the SEE and EECCA countries in the implementation of 2008 SNA, including the organisation of a seminar on 2008 SNA and related economic statistics for EECCA countries (see activity 5.1)
• Provide methodological and technical assistance on price statistics to SEE and EECCA countries to support implementation of internationally recommended practices (see activity 5.3).
• Support SEE and EECCA countries in the development and implementation of statistical business registers following international standards and best practices (see activity 5.4)
• Technical assistance on short-term economic statistics and seasonal adjustment for SEE and EECCA countries (see activity 5.5). This activity is financed by the WB project (2010-2011) New Challenges in Economic Statistics in Central Asia and Eastern European countries.
• Provide training and technical assistance to EECCA and SEE countries in the field of population and housing censuses, based on their expressed needs and in compliance with the CES Census Recommendations (see activity 6.1).
In the framework of population and housing census capacity building activities, UNFPA is funding a project (2010-2011) on supporting effective use of information and communication technology in population census operations.
• Technical assistance in support of the preparations for the first Population and Housing Census in Bosnia-Herzegovina and in the internationally administered territory of Kosovo, planned to take place in 2011, in cooperation with UNFPA, Eurostat and other involved international organizations. This includes participation in the International Monitoring and Observation missions in Kosovo and in Bosnia and Herzegovina, aimed at ensuring that the population and housing censuses are planned and conducted in accordance with the internationally agreed standards (in particular the CES Census Recommendations and the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics) and that the enumeration is fair and impartial(see activity 6.1).
• Support for selected SEE and EECCA countries to build up dissemination databases, making use of the expertise and know-how accumulated in UNECE on dissemination systems of aggregated statistical information (see activity 6.1).
• Identify country priorities and practices in the area of measurement of quality of employment in the South-East European and EECCA regions (see activity 6.6).
Activity 9.4: Short-term advisory missions and training
Description and objectives
Provide specific advisory services in statistics to South-East European (SEE) and Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia (EECCA) countries in areas where the Statistical Division of UNECE has a recognised expertise.
Activities and output
• Provide short-term assistance to UNECE countries, upon request by national authorities or international organizations, with special emphasis on SEE and EECCA countries. Technical assistance is provided in a wide range of areas as required, such as: general organization of the national statistical system, national strategy for the development of statistics, statistical legislation, dissemination and marketing of statistical information, population census, migration, gender statistics, short-term economic indicators, national accounts, MDGs, etc.
• Participate as facilitators, lecturers and discussants in seminars, training workshops, conferences and meetings on topics mentioned above.
• Upon request, short term mission to countries in the region (with or without partner organizations) could be organized in order to assess the relevance of applications for technical assistance projects.
• Active participation in other international for a discussing and coordinating technical assistance in the UNECE region
Activity 9.5: Technical cooperation in Central Asia
Description and objectives
Collect and share information on technical cooperation activities in statistics in Central Asian countries. Contribute to the Partner Reporting System on Statistical Development (PRESS), maintained by PARIS21 (Partnership in Statistics for Development in the 21st Century). Promote the statistical cooperation between the countries of Central Asia, Azerbaijan and Afghanistan (under the UN Special Programme for Economies of Central Asia (SPECA)).
Activities and output
• Launching of a technical assistance coordination group gathering SPECA countries and main donor organisations in the region. The objective of this group, under the UNECE umbrella, is to better coordinate among donors and beneficiaries technical cooperation programmes and activities in the region. Organize the Annual SPECA Project Working Group Meeting on Statistics.
• Provide timely and comprehensive information on all UNECE technical cooperation projects in statistics as a contribution to the global Report on donor activities in the field of statistics produced annually by PARIS21 (PRESS).
Organizations and groups involved
Progressively other major donor organisations and countries
5.7 Technical cooperation and capacity building programmes (World Bank)
Statistical Capacity Building
Ongoing work:
• The World Bank promotes statistical capacity building (SCB) mainly through financial instruments, advisory services, knowledge products, and partnerships. Our activities are centred around the implementation of the Marrakech Action Plans for Statistics (MAPS). Main financial instruments are loans and grants. Lending projects are mostly long term and comprehensive in coverage. The projects typically aim at improved economic and social information for policy making and poverty reduction by strengthening planning, statistical legislations, infrastructure, human resources, data collection, processing, analyzing, archiving, and dissemination. A multi-country lending program, Statistical Capacity Building Program (STATCAP), became operational in 2004 to make investments in statistical development easier and more effective. It is designed to be simple to initiate, plan and operate.
• A $32 million loan under STATCAP for a statistical capacity building program in Ukraine was approved by the Bank's Executive Board in 2004 and is currently being implemented. The loan includes finance for organizational and management reform, development of statistical infrastructure, modernization of computing infrastructure, technical assistance in various areas, and use of economic data in analysis and forecasting.
• In the Russian Federation as a part of the STATCAP facility a new $50 million Project for Development of the State Statistical System (STASYS 2) became effective in April 2008. The project is now under implementation as a follow up to the STASYS project which was completed in December 2006. For the STASYS 2 Project, the World Bank finances 20% of the above amount to i) enforce further modernization of statistics methodology in compliance with the international standards; ii) strengthen development of modern design and technology for statistical data collection, processing, and dissemination; iii) ensure enhancement of social statistics, and iv) support human resource development in the statistical system.
• A STATCAP project for Tajikistan was approved in 2006, and currently under implementation. The project is being supported by co-financing from DFID and SIDA, as well as in-kind contributions from the Turkish International Cooperation Agency (TICA). The mid-term review of the project was conducted in November 2008 with quite positive findings. The project is moving on schedule and it is anticipated that all activities will be completed by the closing date of June 2011.
• The World Bank manages a multi-donor Trust Fund for Statistical Capacity Building (TFSCB which aims to strengthen the capacity of statistical systems in developing countries. It supports: i) NSDS projects assisting the preparation of National Strategies for the Development of Statistics (NSDS); and ii) Statistical capacity improvement projects aiming at strengthening the capacity in key priority areas. TFSCB also funds participation of developing country representatives in meetings, seminars and workshops. It has financed a number of projects in the region and there are currently an NSDS and capacity building project in Armenia, and capacity building projects in Kyrgyz Republic and Turkmenistan. In addition, participation of several staff of Moldovan National Bureau of Statistics in an international conference was recently funded.
• The World Bank Development Grant Facility provided grants to UNECE in the total amount of 950,000 USD to strengthen national capacity to improve gender statistics in Southern and Eastern Europe. These grants fall under the Marrakesh Action Plan for Statistics umbrella, and were used to finance the following objectives: i) improve gender sensitivity of National Statistical Systems in order to increase availability, raise quality and improve access to data for developing, monitoring, and evaluating gender policies; and ii) increase capacity of users to utilize statistics for policy making and how to judge the quality and availability of data at the national and regional level.
• The World Bank maintains a web site on Statistical Capacity Building which provides information on the financial instruments, including STATCAP and TFSCB, advisory services, databases, and reference materials available in support of statistical capacity building. See http://www.worldbank.org/data/statcap.
• The Development Gateway Foundation initiative, in which the bank works together with the DGF and the IMF, is aiming at the development of a portal website on development issues, from which users will be able to access information, resources and tools, and into which they will be able to contribute their own knowledge and experience http://www.developmentgateway.org/
• The Country Statistical Information Database provides information on national statistical systems useful for assessing statistical capacity and monitoring progress in statistical capacity building in developing countries. The database contains information encompassing various aspects of national statistical systems and operations, such as statistical law, national statistical strategy, statistical practice, censuses and surveys, national statistical agencies and publications, , and World Bank statistical projects. It also includes a country-level composite statistical capacity indicator based on evaluation of countries against a set of criteria in the areas of statistical practice, data collection and indicator availability, consistent with international recommendations. In addition, the database allows for cross-country comparisons of selected indicators. See http://www.worldbank.org/data/countrydata/csid.html.
• The World Bank provides funding to PARIS21 from its development Grant Facility for the implementation of the Accelerated Data Program (ADP), jointly implemented with the World Bank Data Group. The ADP provides support to countries in the areas of microdata documentation, dissemination and preservation. The Russian Federal Service of State Statistics (Rosstat) was introduced to the software and practices promoted by the ADP.
• A new web-based tool called the "Bulletin Board on Statistical Capacity (BBSC)" has been launched on the World Bank website. The tool will help strengthen the capacity of countries, especially IDA countries, to compile and use statistics with an overall aim of supporting the management of development results. Specifically, the BBSC: i) presents key information on national statistical systems collected from national and international sources, including planning, funding, human resources, census and surveys; ii) assesses countries' statistical capacity in key areas including institutional framework, statistical methodology, source data, data periodicity and timeliness through the use of a composite indicator, checklists, maps and charts; and iii) allows users to provide feedback and updates easily and quickly with interactive features. The BBSC is available online at: http://www.worldbank.org/data/bbsc.
New activities
There are two TFSCB projects in the pipeline: i) project to support UNECE led training activities to improve the capacity of the National Statistical Offices in Central Asia and East European sub-regions in production and dissemination of economic statistics; and ii) project to strengthen sub-national capacity for analysis of living conditions in Russia. In addition, it is anticipated that the TFSCB will provide funding to strengthen training programs for the national statistical offices of the Commonwealth Independent States in the coming year.