Participation in the
GDDS
Member countries of the IMF voluntarily elect to participate in
the GDDS. Participation requires: (1) committing to using the GDDS
as a framework for statistical development; (2) designating a
country coordinator; and (3) preparing metadata that describe (a)
current practices in the production and dissemination of official
statistics, and (b) plans for short- and longer-term improvements in
these practices.
Participants are requested to update their metadata if and when
significant changes in their statistical practices or plans for
improvement take place, but at least once a year.
Any changes to the GDDS mandated by the IMF Executive Board may
not be reflected in the country presentations on the Dissemination
Standards Bulletin Board (DSBB) until the next periodic update for
that country.
Principal features of the
GDDS
The GDDS framework is built around four dimensions -- data
characteristics, quality, access, and integrity -- and is intended
to provide guidance for the overall development of macroeconomic,
financial, and socio-demographic data. The framework takes into
account, across a broad range of countries, the diversity of their
economies and the developmental requirements of many of their
statistical systems.
The data dimension includes coverage, periodicity (i.e. the
frequency of compilation), and timeliness (i.e. the speed of
dissemination). The data dimension addresses the development,
production, and dissemination of two interrelated classes of data:
(1) comprehensive frameworks for each of the four economic and
financial sectors (real, fiscal, financial, and external); and (2)
indicators for each of these sectors, plus the socio-demographic
data.
With regard to comprehensive frameworks,
the objective of the GDDS is to encourage the production and
dissemination of complete sets of data with widest coverage, based
on international methodologies. Particular aggregates and balances
are provided for illustration, but the emphasis is placed on
complete data sets rather than on specific indicators. Within the
GDDS, Table A relates to comprehensive frameworks. Click here
for an example.
In addition to comprehensive frameworks, the GDDS identifies
three types of data categories and indicators, namely (1) summary
measures derived from comprehensive frameworks (for example, GDP for
national accounts); (2) data that permit tracking of principal
measures in the comprehensive frameworks (for example, the
industrial production index for real GDP); and (3) other data
relevant to the sector (for example, interest rates for the
financial sector). Within the GDDS, Table B relates to data
categories and indicators. Click here
for an example.
In addition to recommending core comprehensive frameworks and
data categories and indicators as first priorities, the GDDS also
contains encouraged extensions (from the core). For example, the
International Investment Position (IIP) is an encouraged extension
for the external sector (with the balance of payments being the core
framework), and non-guaranteed private external debt is an
encouraged extension of the public and publicly guaranteed external
debt data category.
The GDDS provides recommendations on good
practice, based on current practices of agencies compiling and
disseminating data in countries. Recommended good practices as to
coverage, periodicity, and timeliness are summarized for comprehensive
frameworks and data
categories and indicators.
The data dimension in the GDDS is closely linked to the quality
dimension, within which plans for improving data quality form an
integral part. The focus for the access and integrity dimensions is
on the development of policies and practices in line with the
objectives of dissemination of readily accessible and reliable data.
Information on access and integrity of the data and, especially, the
agencies that produce and disseminate them, is essential in building
confidence of the user community in official statistics. Within the
GDDS, Table C relates to data integrity and access. Click here
for an example.
In addition to information on the compilation and dissemination
practices, and plans for improving statistical systems, the metadata
also include contact information on national officials responsible
for the data concerned. Information on the formats and titles of
national statistical publications is also included.
Uses of the GDDS
Among the principal potential beneficiaries of the GDDS are
national statistical agencies, the users of data, and the providers
of technical assistance.
National statistical agencies can benefit by adopting the GDDS
framework to systematically evaluate and improve their statistical
systems in a comprehensive and prioritized way, across a broad range
of data and statistical agencies. Against this background, the GDDS
is one of the most important strategic projects for the Fund in the
area of statistics, where a long-standing objective has been the
improvement of data and statistical practices among the membership.
From the perspective of the user community, the GDDS can provide
a valuable body of information regarding the state of statistical
development and plans for improvement of participating countries.
The detailed metadata also provide users with a tool to better
assess the usefulness of the data for their own particular purposes.
The GDDS will also be a valuable resource of information for
bilateral and multilateral providers of technical assistance, and it
can be a tool to enhance cooperation between such providers.
The IMF disseminates the GDDS metadata of participating countries
on its website as a service to its members and the user community at
large. National agencies may also--and indeed are encouraged
to--disseminate metadata on their own website and/or in hard
copy.
