Scaling up the coordination and resources for implementation of the SNA Building a Strategic Plan for Uruguay Lourdes Erro Meeting on Scaling up the coordination and resources for the implementation of the SNA. Luxemburg May 2013

Building a Strategic Plan for Uruguay 1. A strategic plan in the framework of the Regional Plan 2. Strategic Plan for Uruguay 3. What support is required?

The Strategic Plan for LAC countries was approved in , but it has been facing many difficulties Situation in LAC countries: – is very unequal – has special institutional challenges (in 16 countries NA compilers are Central Banks) The Plan is now emphasizing a different strategy: incremental work Building a Strategic Plan for Uruguay 1 A Strategic Plan in the framework of the Regional Plan 2 Strategic Plan for Uruguay 3. What support is required? Use pilot countries to expand the experience to other countries in a second stage

Work in the pilot countries: design and implement a National Action Plan with the support of ECLAC: establish objectives and resources determine inter-institutional agreements, responsibilities and deadlines work hand in hand by ECLAC staff and national staff to monitor the Plan Spread the experience to others: adapt and learn from the pilot countries experience (with horizontal cooperation and technical assistance) Building a Strategic Plan for Uruguay 1 A Strategic Plan in the framework of the Regional Plan 2 Strategic Plan for Uruguay 3. What support is required?

Implementation of 1993 SNA released in March 2009: 2005 base year current and constant annual SUT (intermediate consumption matrix, national and foreign origin detailed) without Institutional Sectors Accounts Lack of resources (recent years): in supporting economic statistics, mostly supplied by NSI In NA team: by adding the responsibility of compiling BOP with no additional resources 2 Strategic Plan for Uruguay 2.1 Background 2.2 Diagnostic 2.3 Implementation Plan

An opportunity (2012): – Strategic Plan for the Central Bank: a strategic initiative: to improve the scope of NA and to adopt international recommendations – Strategic Regional Plan: apply to become a pilot country Ask for the ROSC (IMF) and for ECLAC support 2 Strategic Plan for Uruguay 2.1 Background 2.2 Diagnostic 2.3 Implementation Plan

Diagnostic (2012) based on recommended tools (ECLAC mission and ROSC (IMF): 1.Statistical Requisites auto diagnostic 2.Milestones for the implementation 3.Minimum Requirement Data Set (MRDS) (Minimum, Recommended, Desirable) 4.Conceptual Compliance Questionnaire 5.Data Quality Assessment Framework (DQAF-IMF) 2 Strategic Plan for Uruguay 2.1 Background 2.2 Diagnostic 2.3 Implementation Plan

Conclusions of the Diagnostic: limited SNA scope (Uruguayan NA dont fulfil Minimum Required Data) accuracy and reliability problems (mostly due to lack of statistical sources) 2 Strategic Plan for Uruguay 2.1 Background 2.2 Diagnostic 2.3 Implementation Plan

What are the main national policy challenges? quick knowledge about the impact of the international situation, deal with inflation, exchange rate policy, fiscal policy retain foreign capital when the situation in developed countries improves open new foreign markets for goods and services achieve improvements in infrastructure investment (increase productivity and competitiveness) improve investment without neglecting the environment achieve improvements in human capital; continue to reduce poverty and to improve distribution of income public sector reform and sustainability of social security system 2 Strategic Plan for Uruguay 2.1 Background 2.2 Diagnostic 2.3 Implementation Plan

What are the implications for the scope and detail of the accounts and supporting statistics? Better short-term statistics (mostly on the expenditure side) Financial accounts statistics by sectors Government accounts Distribution of income accounts External sector statistics (FDI, Exports of Services, etc) Capital formation, Employment, Productivity Environmental statistics 2 Strategic Plan for Uruguay 2.1 Background 2.2 Diagnostic 2.3 Implementation Plan

In summary, high priority to: Institutional Sector Accounts (N/A since 1990) some improvement on short term statistics 2 Strategic Plan for Uruguay 2.1 Background 2.2 Diagnostic 2.3 Implementation Plan

Plan based on 4 pillars: 1.Strengthen the institutional framework for basic statistics (dimension worst evaluated by ROSC) 2.Compile a new benchmark base year (jointly for NA and BOP) using SUT 3.Expand the present NA scope (including Institutional Sector Accounts, and at least to satisfy all Minimun Required and most of Recommended Data) 4.Adopt new recommendations in a priority framework 2 Strategic Plan for Uruguay 2.1 Background 2.2 Diagnostic 2.3 Implementation Plan

Stages of the Plan StagesActivitiesSpan/DeadlineDescription Stage 0 Statistics Sources and Training statistical or software projects Stage 1 Reference year compilation (SUT, IEA) Data consistency and arbitrage process. SUT and IEA for the reference year. Harmonization BOP-NA Stage 2 Annual and quarterly NA series ( ) compilation SUT and IEA for Chained volume measures Stage 3Release2019New web platform for users 2 Strategic Plan for Uruguay 2.1 Background 2.2 Diagnostic 2.3 Implementation Plan

There are first order problems and secondary problems 3. What support is required? 3.1 Advocacy and institutional agreements 3.2 Supporting statistics 3.3 The users 3.4 Training, Horizontal Cooperation, Technical Assistance First order problems (Fundamental problems; long term resolution) Advocacy Institutional agreements Supporting statistics Commitment of users Secondary problems (Tools to support the implementation) Training Horizontal Cooperation Technical assistance Manuals and Handbooks in the appropriate language

It is necessary: Memorandum of Understanding (MOU): ECLAC-CBU-NSI Targets: Cooperation agreement; Support for NSI Agreed: Inter-institutional Working Groups to improve basic statistics (Classifications, Business Register, Economic Survey and Construction Statistics, already working) Following Commission Twice a year report to authorities with the support of ECLAC 3. What support is required? 3.1 Advocacy and institutional agreements 3.2 Supporting statistics 3.3 The users 3.4 Training, Horizontal Cooperation, Technical Assistance to raise political support to the project to establish institutional commitments beyond individual responsibilities

MOU provides political support: –raises awareness among the authorities –assists on the accountability by monitoring the National Plan MOU expedites and supports institutional agreements: Facilitates: diagnostic and establishment of priorities in a cooperatively way Promotes joint work: Inter-institutional Working Groups Provides tools for monitoring 3. What support is required? 3.1 Advocacy and institutional agreements 3.2 Supporting statistics 3.3 The users 3.4 Training, Horizontal Cooperation, Technical Assistance

In Uruguay it is not possible to improve the scope of SNA (let alone the implementation of 2008 SNA): without looking for new basic statistics without involving National Statistical Institute (NSI) 3. What support is required? 3.1 Advocacy and institutional agreement 3.2 Supporting statistics 3.3 The users 3.4 Training, Horizontal Cooperation, Technical Assistance International support is necessary to better involve the National Statistical System in an integrated statistical approach

On the supply side: Enterprises register Economic Activity Structural Surveys Agricultural costs Construction activity Informal sector Cross elements: Trade margins are outdated (most from 1997) On the expenditure side: Household Expenditure Survey is outdated (2006) Gross Capital Formation Exports and Imports of Services Institutional Sectors: Companies accounting data from Tax Declaration Registry are not available It doesnt exist a Central Balance Sheet Data Office Major gaps in information: 3. What support is required? 3.1 Advocacy and institutional agreement 3.2 Supporting statistics 3.3 The users 3.4 Training, Horizontal Cooperation, Technical Assistance

Users often dont ask for NA, as they are not aware of its usefulness In medium term something can be done to encourage this: Examples: Organize Seminars: to explain NA uses, to allow discussions between researchers on suggested subjects Organize Users Surveys and feedback 3. What support is required? 3.1 Advocacy and institutional agreement 3.2 Supporting statistics 3.3 The users 3.4 Training, Horizontal Cooperation, Technical Assistance Although results only will be visible in the long run, it is very important to involve users along this process

Training: introductory courses for the new team advanced courses and international workshops to discuss specific topics Horizontal Cooperation: to learn about procedures and practical issues, mainly to compile Institutional Sector Accounts Technical Assistance: mainly for basic statistics Manuals and compilation guides in appropriate language 3. What support is required? 3.1 Advocacy and institutional agreement 3.2 Supporting statistics 3.3 The users 3.4 Training, Horizontal Cooperation, Technical Assistance

Scaling up the coordination and resources for implementation of the SNA Building a Strategic Plan for Uruguay Lourdes Erro Meeting on Scaling up the coordination and resources for the implementation of the SNA. Luxemburg May 2013