1. International Statistical Conference: INDEC's 50th Anniversary
"50 Years Since the Creation of INDEC: Lessons for a New Statistical Law“
Louis Marc Ducharme, Director of the IMF Statistics Department
January 31, 2018
Buenos Aires, Argentina

2. Overview
Official Statistics are an Essential Public Service The IMF’s Data Quality Assessment Framework Effective Inter-agency Coordination and Collaboration The Importance of Data Users and the IMF Data Standards

3. Official Statistics are an Essential Public Service
Fact-based decision-making relies on regular, timely, impartial, and high-quality statistical information
A sound legal framework
is key for official statistics to gain public trust
is a fundamental prerequisite for an effective statistical system
varies with country circumstances but shares key elements of the UN “Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics”
is conducive to overall data quality
enables statistical agencies to keep up with statistical innovations (e.g., Big Data)

4. The IMF’s Data Quality Assessment Framework
The Data Quality Assessment Framework (DQAF) identifies key features of good governance for the production cycle of statistics
The six-part framework is organized around a set of prerequisites and five dimensions of data quality:
0. prerequisites of quality
The Legal and institutional environment is supportive of statistics:
Clear responsibilities and legal authority to collect data
Confidentiality and privacy measures to safeguard respondents’ data
Legal grounds for data access and sharing are in place
1. assurances of integrity
2. methodological soundness
3. accuracy and reliability
4. serviceability
5. accessibility

5. Effective Inter-agency Coordination and Collaboration
A sound legal framework is a precondition but not sufficient to make a statistical system work
Statistical legislation can only be as effective as the degree to which is implemented
Decentralized statistical systems may require additional inter-agency agreements outside the law (like MoUs)
Agencies should work in partnerships for full access to administrative data (e.g., tax data) while respecting confidentiality and privacy standards obligations
Promoting statistical purposes in the design of administrative systems is desirable
For compiling certain statistics (e.g., integrated sectoral accounts and balance sheets) inter- agency collaboration is imperative, including through Memoranda of Understanding
Expertise with administrative data will pave the way to deal with access to private (Big) data

6. The Importance of the Data User and the
IMF Data Standards
Sound statistical legislation takes into account the user perspective -- relevance, accessibility, timeliness
The IMF Data Standards operationalize the Data Quality Assessment Framework
Key aspects include:
Data coverage, frequency, and timeliness
Access by the public
Integrity and Quality of the disseminated data
Three tiers:
Special Data Dissemination Standard (SDDS) – 61 subscribers – Argentina was among the first in 1996
14 SDDS Plus adherents
110 Enhanced General Data Dissemination System (e- GDDS) participants

7. Thank you