1. Bettina Wistrom OECD Statistics Directorate
ORGANISATION DE COOPÉRATION ET DE DEVELOPMENT ÉCONOMIQUES
OECD
OCDE
ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT
Monitoring Progress on Implementation of the Manual and Assessing Data Quality.
Bettina Wistrom
OECD Statistics Directorate
STATISTICS DIRECTORATE –
INTERNATIONAL TRADE &
STRUCTURAL ECONOMIC STATISTICS 1 1

2. Introduction
Pressing need from trade analysts and negotiators for more relevant, detailed data
Are we progressing ? How to monitor progress?
Suggested approach:
Look at core recommendations in Manual
Quality and comparability : 1)OECD quality framework, 2)multilateral and bilateral mirror data, 3)Methodological Soundness Questionnaire.

3. New Core Recommendations
Collect Balance of Payments (BOP) trade in services data
i) Using Extended Balance of Payments Services Classification (EBOPS)
ii) By partner country
Collect Foreign Affiliates Trade in Services (FATS) statistics for basic variables- sales, value added, employment, exports and imports
i) By activity (ICFA)
N.B. Concept of modes of supply is fundamental but needs more statistical development

4. Balance of Payments Services
BOP trade in services data are relatively well established following IMF’s 5th Manual
Significant progressive improvements in detail and comparability since mid-nineties
Data collection by IMF/OECD/Eurostat currently being adapted to EBOPS classification
Partner country data published by Eurostat and (since 2002) by OECD
2003 OECD partner country data cover 27 countries and 75% of world exports

5. Reporting of exports of ‘new’ BPM5 major services components by IMF countries

6. Reporting of selected BPM5 supplementary service items

7. Foreign Affiliates Trade in Services (FATS) Statistics
FATS statistics are relatively underdeveloped compared with BOP
Data collection expanding at Eurostat, OECD and UNCTAD
OECD FATS statistics database covers 5 basic variables (sales, value added, employment, exports and imports)
Inward and outward FATS
By activity (not ICFA)
By partner
First OECD publication of FATS statistics 2002, based on and 1999 surveys covers 20 countries in varying detail survey to be published end 2004 expected to provide more information on a larger number of countries.

8. Current Situation of OECD Member Countries’ Development of EBOPS and FATS (May 2003)
Country
Number of
EBOPS
components
reported
FATS inward
FATS outward 1
Australia 48
No (but planned 2004 )
No (but planned end 2003 2
Austria 22
Yes 3
Belgium -
Luxembourg 62 No 4
Canada 45 5
Czech Republic 75 6
Denmark 7
Finland 52 8
France 47 9
Germany 58 10
Greece 55 11
Hungary 20 12
Iceland 26 13
Ireland 41 14
Italy 15
Japan 25 16
Korea 17
Mexico 30 18
Netherlands 44 19
New Zealand 29
Norway 56 21
Poland
Portugal 68 23
Slovak Republic 31 24
Spain 53
Sweden
Switzerland 27
Turkey 28
United Kingdom 46
United States

9. Assessing Data Quality
Given difficulty of measurement – how to assess data quality?
OECD quality framework
Partner country mirror data – in principle there should be something very close to symmetry (note there are a few inherent conceptual asymmetries)
Provide a measure of comparability/monitored over time
Bilateral approach
Multilateral approach
Methodological Soundness Questionnaire (Launched by Eurostat –OECD 2003) will look at country approaches

10. OECD quality framework
Relevance of data could be improved by a presentation by modes.
Accuracy and comparability monitored by using mirror statistics and asymmetry coefficients.
Timeliness closely linked to coherence in case of trade-in-services data. UNSD ITS database project could help on that.
Interpretability improved with metadata linked to data.
Room for improvement for accessibility.

11. Some selected examples of bilateral BOP services asymmetries

12. Average of absolute values of calculated bilateral asymmetry coefficients.
Total services
0.22
Transportation
0.28
Travel
0.42
Other commercial services
Government services
0.57

13. Some selected examples of multilateral BOP services asymmetries

14. Average of absolute values of calculated Multilateral asymmetry coefficients.
Total services
0.165
Transportation
0.15
Travel
0.215
Other commercial services
0.375
Government services
0.55

15. Mirror data and asymmetry coefficients to identify irregularities
Monitor asymmetry indicators over time:
-Highest/lowest discrepancies between reported flows and mirror data
-Asymmetry coefficient negative/positive (i.e. relative under/overestimation of reported flows compared to mirror data.)

16. Methodological Soundness Questionnaire
OECD-Eurostat joint initiative sent out in June 2003
30 countries filled the questionnaire.
Results will be discussed with the experts first before being made more widely available.
Help to compare national practices and foster good practice.

17. Conclusions and Questions.
On the criteria outlined above significant progress is being made
Much progress (but not all) concentrated so far in OECD countries BOP Services, FATS and Partner Country Data
Is the approach outlined on data quality appropriate ?
Do we need to monitor any other aspect of country reporting ?
Any other comments ?