Eurostat is involved in technical co-operation in the ESCAP region under two programmes: the TACIS programme in the Newly Independent States and the Lomé programme for the ACP (Africa, Caribbean and Pacific countries). Details of latest developments are given in Annex 1 for the NIS and in Annex 2 for the other countries in the Asia/Pacific region.

Annex 1

Information on the TACIS/Eurostat activities in NIS countries belonging to ESCAP

TACIS assistance in reforming the statistical system of NIS started in 1993 with two programmes: training (1993-95) and technical assistance. The technical assistance programme was mainly aiming at exchanging basic information on Eurostat focal areas (foreign trade, business registers, business statistics).

Starting from 1994, coherent projects were drafted in Eurostat focal areas, and in other areas indicated as priorities by the recipient countries. When necessary, a limited provision of computer equipment was provided to support the projects.

Until now the NIS countries, with the exception of Russia which has a national TACIS programme, worked on the basis of an inter-state programme. Presently they are negotiating programmes of statistical co-operation within the framework of individual national TACIS programmes.

High level advising was addressed at organisation and legal issues in the first co-operation period. Eurostat high level advisers visit trans-Caucasian countries yearly, whereas they play a more ad "hoc role" in Russia and in Central Asia.

Semi-residence is operating in the trans-Caucasian countries. A resident adviser for Central Asia and Mongolia has his headquarters in Tashkent. In Russia a resident statistical adviser started service in September 96.

Since 1993, yearly high level meetings allowed the Heads of the Statistical Offices of the NIS to exchange views on priorities, challenges and progress made in reforming the statistical service with their colleagues of other NIS countries and with Western partners. Proceedings of all seminars in Russian have always been distributed to the recipient countries.

A considerable amount of statistical methodology is offered to the recipient countries at every occasion. Translations of basic manuals have been made (Van der Lippe "Economic Statistics"; Statistisches Bundesamt, "Business statistics"; Eurostat manual on business register, Dutch manual on business statistics). Basic nomenclatures (CPA, PRODCOM) have also been translated into Russian.

TACIS co-operation is co-ordinated mainly through the yearly TACIS Steering Committee meeting.

In all focal areas progress has been made, even if at different speed.

Almost all country have set up a business register which can be used for statistical purposes.

In business statistics the use of sampling depends on the degree of privatisation. Pilot sample surveys have been launched or are under preparation.

Countries are requesting assistance to monitor informal economy. Eurostat believes that this kind of assistance should not replace more structured assistance in business statistics and should not replace the creation of good registers. In any case in order to have good estimates of informal economy, it is necessary to rely on household statistics, labour statistics and national accounts, therefore the work needs to be co-ordinated with the work done by other international organisations in the respective sectors.

In foreign trade statistics, customs statistics based on the Single Administrative Document (SAD) is in place in all countries. Countries, planning to participate in the Customs Union, participated in the Eurostat seminar on Intrastat and are requesting for more assistance on the matter.

Some support has been given for publishing and disseminating statistical information which is a new activity for the statistical offices of NIS countries.

The countries need further support in marketing statistical information and in promoting official statistics through it.

Jointly with OECD a second interstate seminar on business tendency surveys has been organised.

TACIS participates in the costs and organisation of two interstate seminars with ECE Geneva on business registers and demographic statistics. Concerning the second methodological documentation is being translated into Russian.

The general situation by region is the following:

Russian Federation

Good working relationships have characterised the last year of co-operation. Good progress has been made in all co-operation areas, in particular:

• Statistical classifications. Eurostat has a leading role in assisting the Russian Federation to establish a classification system which is harmonised with the international standards developed by the UN and Eurostat;
• business registers. A law on register was drafted and approved by the Duma in spring 1995. Statistical surveys should now be implemented to obtain a larger range of useful indicators. Further co-operation actions should assist Goskomstat in a correct introduction of activity classifications.
• Business statistics. A decision has been taken to pass from a sector to a structural approach. The organisation of sample surveying also for SME has started and the use of business accounting for statistical purposes has been considered. A number of surveys has been launched in several domains (trade, services, transport, housing, etc). Assistance has started in informal economy.
• Foreign trade statistics. Subdivision of tasks between Customs and Statistical Committee has been sorted out. Training in data collection of a large group of customs officials and statisticians has taken in France and UK
• Organisation of a National System of Business Tendency Surveys. In 1995, four business monthly surveys in industry have been carried out with harmonised methodology.
• Labour cost: The first results of 1995 survey have been introduced. A survey has been implemented in 1996.
• Employment. Quarterly labour force surveys are being introduced.
• Statistical dissemination. A Goskomstat library and centre for business information and the conducts of marketing are being created.
• R&D and innovation statistics. Pilot surveys on government and R&D funding and on innovation statistics are underway. Relevant publications will follow.
• Eurostat plans to add indicators on Russia to the next edition of the "Basic Statistics of the European Union".

We have also been requested to co-operate in regional statistics, adjustment of the consumer price index and in training of civil servants.

Trans-Caucasian Countries

Although we continue to group these countries in TACIS co-operation (they have the same semi-resident and high level adviser; Statistics Netherlands is their partner in Europe; their experts meet in a number of sub-regional actions), the statistical systems of the three countries are evolving in rather a different way.

A statistical law exists in the three countries.

The three offices underwent internal re-organisation. Armenia merged statistical office and computer centre. In Azerbaijan the privatisation process is very slow, therefore the statistical office has not taken so radical decisions yet. In Georgia institutional uncertainties related to the internal political situation of the countries are reflected in the internal office organisation.

The Armenian statistical office started to publish reports on the economic and social situation of the country in Armenian, Russian, and occasionally in English.

Thanks to bilateral co-operation with Turkey the statistical office of Azerbaijan published the "Statistical Yearbook" which compares 1995 data with the period 1990-1994.

Georgia issued the balance of payment for the period January-September 1995.

TACIS projects in Eurostat focal areas (business registers, business statistics, external trade) have registered goods progress and have been supported by basic computer equipment, necessary to implement the planned work. We provide assistance also in Publications and public relations.

In Armenia we also offer assistance in Demographic statistics. A law on census has been drafted and a migration survey was organised in November 1995. Basic methodology has been produced in preparation of the census of 2000 which can be shared with other NIS countries.

Central Asian Countries

According to the reports of the Eurostat high-level adviser and of the semi-resident adviser (resident since 06/96), good progress has been made in the statistical organisation of the Central Asian countries.

The National Statistical Office of Tajikistan has special difficulties because of the civil war situation in the country. The delegations of Central Asian countries requested during the January 1996 Steering Committee intensive support for this country.

All countries, except Turkmenistan, have a law on statistics. In Turkmenistan there is a draft statistical law. The governments passed different decisions about statistics, for instance in Kazakhstan about "Reconstructing statistics, primary accounting and bookkeeping", in Turkmenistan a decree by the President concerning the State Programme of Turkmenistan's transition to the internationally accepted statistical system, in Uzbekistan the government passed a resolution of "New approaches to the statistical monitoring of the results of the socio-economic development and to the evaluation of the development of the transition process" and in Tajikistan a law about business register.

Within the TACIS co-operation in 1994/95, Central Asian countries received computer equipment and software. This support for equipment will be reinforced during 1996. The staff of the statistical offices improved knowledge of western languages.

In 1994 the Kazakh Parliament took the decision to move the capital to Aqmolar (Tselinograd) in 2000. There are plans to move Goskomstat in 1997.

Mongolia

The TACIS supporting programme for Mongolia started in 1995 with a first fact finding mission.

The Mongolian Government has approved a statistical law in April 1994 and a programme aimed at moving indicators to international standards. Important measures have been undertaken to introduce international methodologies in the compilation of foreign trade statistics, balances of payment, government finance statistics, industrial statistics and consumer prices.

There is a statistical register of enterprises. General Customs Administration has introduced Harmonised System (HS) and the Statistical Office uses ISIC-Rev. 2. for classifying economic activities. The Mongolian Government has given priority to the collection of data in the scope of small enterprises, price competitiveness of Mongolian industries and statistics on transport and communication.

Annex 2
10/10/96
UE statistical co-operation projects in ASIA and the Pacific

NB: : CSO = Central Statistical Office