OECD STATISTICS Astana December 2014 David Brackfield OECD

OECD STATISTICS Astana December 2014 David Brackfield OECD Statistics Directorate

Overview 1. The OECD 2. Role and Organisation of Statistics at the OECD 3. “Producing” OECD Statistics 4. New and emerging priorities in OECD statistical work

1. The OECD

The OECD’s mission ØBetter Policies for Better Lives Promote economic stability, full employment, social cohesion and a clean environment

An evolving OECD mission Ø From mainly government advice to interacting with civil society at large Ø Increasing links with G-20 (and Partner) economies and accession of new countries ü Currently under review: Colombia and Latvia Ø From a very strong economic focus to broader, cross-cutting societal debates (e. g. Green Growth, Gender, Well-being and Progress, Skills, Inequalities)

How does the OECD deliver on its mission? multidisciplinary approach high standard of transparency regarding information collection, compilation and dissemination of statistics sharing best practices “soft law” making Better Policies for Better Lives “evidence based” analysis and recommendations

Examples of OECD outputs Reports on a variety of policy areas Country Policy Studies and Reviews Principles of Corporate Governance Data and Statistical Products Anti-Bribery Convention Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises Economic Forecasts Tax Transparency and Information Exchange

2. Role and Organisation of Statistics at the OECD

Statistics play a central role at the OECD Ø Statistics are a basic obligation of membership • OECD members commit to “furnish the Organisation with the information necessary for the accomplishment of its tasks” • But unlike, for example, Eurostat, the OECD has no legal instruments in the collection of statistics Ø High standards of transparency of information • Implemented through collecting and publishing statistics on a range issues Ø “Evidence-based” analysis and peer pressure are based on statistics

Statistics and their role at the OECD Ø In a globalised world, international comparisons are more important than ever • OECD is a respected source of high-quality internationally comparable statistics, with broad coverage and long-term perspective Ø To inform policy-making in all critical policy areas Ø To provide sound conceptual frameworks for new and emerging issues Ø To inform the public at large

OECD: a decentralised statistical system. . . Numerous Policy Committees (and their Directorates) steer work on statistics Ø Committee on Statistics and Statistical Policy, CSSP Ø Committees on Fiscal Affairs and Financial Markets Ø Education Policy Committee Ø Employment, Labour and Social Affairs Committee Ø Health Committee Ø Environment Committee

. . . But a federated statistical system Ø CSSP and the Statistics Directorate (STD) co-ordinate statistics within OECD – to advise and avoid duplication by OECD Directorates – to simplify communications and data exchanges – to enhance dissemination and presentation of data – to ensure Quality; STD is responsible for “Quality Reviews” ØAnd with other International Organisations and Partners Ø Lead work in new and emerging statistical fields

Contribution to International Standards Ø Methodological work • Standards and handbooks: e. g. SNA 2008, SEEA, SPPI Manual, PPP Manual • Participation and significant contributions to international Groups and Task Forces (e. g. ISWGNA, FISIM, CO 2 Emission permits, Inter-Agency Group for Economic and Financial Statistics, Globalisation, Guidelines on Business Registers, Sustainable development, etc) Ø International data transmission, data sharing • Active partner in SDMX project • IAG: Principal Global Indicators, Task Force on International Data Sharing (TFIDS)

3. “Producing” OECD Statistics

How the OECD “produces” statistics Ø OECD collects from producers of (official) statistics Ø Engages with data suppliers and users in Committees and Working Parties • Extensive validation and harmonisation process for quality comparable statistics, strong focus on transparent metadata -> Online data warehouse OECD. Stat Ø Three approaches to developing OECD statistics A. Country statistics based on International Standards and OECD harmonisation B. OECD derived statistics C. OECD designed programmes

A. Country Statistics based on International Standards Ø Countries submit data and metadata Ø OECD encourages compliance with standards and provision of data in prescribed ways Ø OECD harmonises, adjusts and disseminates

Harmonised Countries’ Statistics: Net National Income per capita OECD=100

B. OECD Derived Statistics Ø Countries provide data Ø Secretariat conducts analysis and develops indicators Examples: • Productivity, Unit Labour Costs • Composite Leading Indicators (CLI) • Education, and numerous other analytical programmes Ø Almost all programmes have “derived data”

Derived Statistics: Composite Leading Indicators (CLI) Growth Around Trend in OECD Area April 2013

C. OECD designed programmes Ø New statistics and indicators are defined and designed by the OECD and participating countries mainly for policy purposes Ø Indicators are defined and collection processes developed from the outset Ø Countries participate in design and in collection – Entrepreneurship Indicators Programme (STD) – PISA and PIAAC (Education Directorate) – Product Market Regulation (Economics Directorate) – Employment Protection; Health Indicators (Directorate for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs)

4. New and emerging priorities in OECD statistical work

Key Statistics Priorities Current OECD Priorities responding to new emerging policy needs. . . • Measuring Well-being • Measuring Progress Towards Green Growth • Measuring Trade in Value Added • Improving Gender Statistics

Measuring well-being How’s Life? presents set of internationally comparable and comprehensive well-being indicators. First edition launched in 2011. General Social Survey (GSS) fundamental to greater use of official statistics in next edition of How’s Life? (2013). Your Better Life Index A tool for informing policy making to improve quality of life.

Selected activities on measuring well-being Ø Guidelines on Subjective Well-being – First international guidelines on this subject – Comments received from around 19 countries – Final report released in March 2013, with CSSP approval Ø Economic well-being – Expert Group on Micro-Statistics on Household Income, Consumption and Wealth (ICW) • Two reports to be released in June 2013: i) guidance on microdata household wealth; ii) framework to support joint analysis micro data ICW – Expert Group on Disparities in a National Accounts Framework • Final report in 2013

Green Growth Indicators Ø Implementing measurement agenda post 2011 OECD Ministerial meeting: • Update of GG Indicators publication • Identification of headline indicators and measurement • Implementation of System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA): üForthcoming collection of SEEA Core Tables: data on emissions to air and natural resources. üFirst report to be produced and presented to CSSP

Green Growth framework

Trade in Value Added • Traditional trade statistics focus on gross flows • Can give a distorted picture of bilateral trade balances • Components of goods and services come from numerous countries New measures of Trade in Value Added: • Measure Value Added by a country in the goods or services it exports

Gender Statistics Ø Development of gender indicators focusing on 3 Es: Employment, Education, Entrepreneurship • In collaboration with Inter-Agency Expert Group on the Development of Gender Statistics (IAEG-GS) Ø Evidence and Data for Gender Equality (EDGE) Ø With UNSD, UNWomen, World Bank Ø OECD launched the Gender Data Portal