Distributive trade statistics

Items for discussion and decision distributive trade statistics

C. Conclusions of the Expert Group on Distributive Trade Statistics

Only 73 countries confirmed that they compiled some distributive trade statistics.

In 2005, the Statistics Division established the Expert Group on Distributive Trade Statistics in order to obtain assistance and guidance during the revision of existing United Nations recommendations on distributive trade statistics.

However, in many national statistical offices, distributive trade statistics are not sufficiently developed.

Moreover, a pilot version of the United Nations distributive trade statistics database for storage, processing and dissemination of distributive trade statistics will be developed and its outline will be presented to the Expert Group.

Since that session, the Commission has not had distributive trade statistics on its agenda.

It was agreed that the scope of distributive trade statistics should include wholesale trade, retail trade and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles.

The Statistical Commission, recognizing the economic importance of distributive trade, acknowledging that the availability and quality of national data on distributive trade needs improvement and expressing concern regarding the international comparability of such data, may wish

However, where necessary, those definitions could be adjusted to reflect the peculiarities of distributive trade.

In general, the survey confirmed that distributive trade statistics definitely need revisiting and careful re examination.

In 2004, the Statistics Division developed a multi year strategy for updating international recommendations on distributive trade statistics.

The newly established United Nations Expert Group on Distributive Trade Statistics held its first meeting in August 2005.

Strategy of the Statistics Division for updating international recommendations on distributive trade statistics and the status of its implementation

(d) To support the work of the Statistics Division in building a worldwide database to store and disseminate distributive trade statistics in order to assist countries in making the most effective use of the compiled data, including measuring the structure and dynamic of their distributive trade on an internationally comparable basis.

Special attention was given to the need to develop a set of recommendations regarding the compilation of indices of distributive trade, such as the index of retail trade and the index of wholesale trade.

Within the services sector, the main activities in terms of gross value added are business activities, distributive trade, education and public administration.

Distributive trade is an important activity that provides employment to a significant segment of the population and contributes greatly to gross domestic product.

Adaptive governance (flexible, distributive, and learning based).

It also came to light that countries frequently use very different definitions of the scope of distributive trade and of compiled variables thus making international comparisons quite difficult.

It was concluded that national statistical offices should cooperate with other national agencies, if necessary, to develop a viable programme for distributive trade index numbers and volume measurement.

In the second half of 2007, the Division will begin technical assistance activities for developing countries to help build their capability to compile and disseminate distributive trade statistics.

In 1977, at the request of the Commission, the United Nations Statistics Division published a manual entitled Organization and Conduct of Distributive Trade Surveys (ST ESA STAT SER.F 19).

In this context, further improvement in the compilation, analysis and dissemination of internationally comparable distributive trade statistics is recognized by the Statistics Division as one of its immediate priority activities.

A second solution is what can be called distributive federalism.

The experts agreed, in particular, that a list of such indicators, useful to the distributive trade industry and for analytical purposes, should be developed and recommended for national and international reporting.

Assuming that the share of non compilers is higher among countries that did not respond, the number of countries that do not compile distributive trade statistics is deemed to be quite high.

Regarding data compilation, the experts agreed that high priority should be given to the identification and collection of data items needed by the distributive trade industry and by compilers of national accounts.

They welcomed the initiative by the Statistics Division to revise international recommendations on distributive trade statistics and endorsed its programme of work, including its objectives, proposed actions and schedule for the revision process.

The experts recognized a business register as an indispensable tool for effective data collection and concluded that statisticians dealing with distributive trade should participate actively in the maintenance creation of such a register.

The survey and the follow up clarifications revealed that about 40 per cent of the countries that responded are unable to conduct quarterly monthly surveys and to compile indices of distributive trade and or performance indicators.

(c) To stress that it is essential that the revision of distributive trade statistics is carried out in full consultation with national statistical offices and is seen as part of building an integrated economic statistics programme

In order to achieve this in a true democracy, India must ensure distributive justice.

During 2006, the Statistics Division will continue to consult with the Expert Group on Distributive Trade Statistics and countries on issues relevant to the preparation of the provisional draft recommendations and will draft an outline of the future document.

This, I believe, is unachievable, and its distributive consequences are unacceptable. The social tensions would be enormous.

This partly reflects the failure of public policy to ameliorate the distributive consequences of rapid economic growth.

In the absence of such institutions, distributive conflict can easily spill over into protests, riots, and civil disorder.

The agenda for the meeting included such items as (a) scope and classifications (b) statistical and reporting units (c) data items and their definitions (d) data sources and data collection methods (e) indices and performance indicators and (f) distributive trade statistics and compilation of national accounts.

I accept that the most powerful anti poverty program is economic growth, but it works only if and when it is accompanied by distributive justice.

The one thing I think I disagree with about Yochai's presentation is when he said the Internet causes this distributive capacity for innovation to come alive.

In France, the debate has stalled altogether due to bitter distributive conflicts, deep division within the Left, and the Right's absence of an economic and social vision.

The United Nations Statistical Commission, at its eighteenth session in 1974, adopted international recommendations on statistics of distributive trades and services (see ST ESA STAT SER.M 57).

This requires significant institutional strengthening to integrate economic and social policies more explicitly and to evaluate the distributive impact of economic policies on the improvement of people's livelihoods.

One proposed solution is for these countries to engineer the equivalent of a devaluation a uniform decrease in wages. This, I believe, is unachievable, and its distributive consequences are unacceptable.