The Way Forward

Carol S. Carson AEG Meeting

March 19-23, 2007

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Plan of the presentation

• March 2008 deliverable

• Indicative timeline for 2007

• Ways of working

• The big question

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March 2008 deliverable

• Described at Statistical Commission as “the SNA framework in terms of accounting conventions, the accounts, and the integration of the accounts and incorporates the adopted recommendations on the 44 issues

• Working assumption: chapters 1-17 plus annexes on accounts and classifications

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March 2008 deliverable (cont’d)

• Chapters: closer look– Introduction and overview: 1 and 2– Accounting conventions: 3-5 – Accounts: 6-13– Typical summary presentations:14 (?slimmed)– Supply and use: 15 (?IO moved to 2009)– Price and volume measures: 16– Cross-cutting and other special issues: 17

• 10 chapters: incorporate comments• 7 chapters: initial “drafts”, incorporate comments

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March 2008 deliverable (cont’d)

• Thus, “by residual,” at least chapters 18-27 plus anything pushed out of the 2008 deliverable become the 2009 deliverable– Some decisions about the 2009 deliverable

will be made in deciding on the 2008 contents– Some further decisions about the 2009

deliverable will be held until mid-2007 to take into account experience in the meantime

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Indicative timeline for 2007

start:

• Editor– Complete chapter 17– “draft” 1-5, 15, and 16

by end June– Tables, glossary, etc.

and incorporate comments on 6-14 and 17

– Incorporate comments on 1-5, 15, and 16

finish:

April• Others

– AEG and others: comment on 6 and 7

– ISWGNA: ready comments on chapters 6-14 and 17

– AEG and others: comment on 1-5, 15, and 16 by end August

– ISWGNA: ready comments on 1-5, 15, and 16

December

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Ways of working: Tasks

• Editor: – Revise FSCR to be interim reference – Continue to prepare drafts or bring others’

submissions into harmony in substance and style

• ISWGNA:– Advice for Editor– Support for Editor: e.g., assembling comments in

Editor-friendly way– Provide codes in line with updated classifications

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… working: Tasks (cont’d)

• AEG– Comment on chapters – Advice: second AEG meeting in 2007 unlikely,

so participate in e-consultations (? with some informal get togethers)

• Project manager: Various communication and coordination tasks, including about disposition of comments

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… working: Adjustments (cont’d)

• Drafting– More caution on changes not stemming from

the 44 issues and 39 clarifications– Identify sources of main changes And continue comparison at the several stages

• Review– Provide more guidance on kind of comments

that are welcome– Ask for comment by paragraph number

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Big question

• Question: Can we deliver the framework of the 1993 SNA Rev. 1 on time?

• Risks– Tight sequences

• the need to keep to deadlines

– Substantive hang ups• the need to monitor them and adapt

– Bottlenecks• the need to monitor them and adapt

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The big question (cont’d)

• My answer: Yes, with hard work, good cooperation, and focus.

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Thank you

Contact:: ccarson@imf.org