Strategy for ENP-South partner countries

Management Group on Statistical Cooperation (MGSC) meeting, Luxembourg, 22 – 23 March 2012

Presentation by Edward Cook (Unit A6, Eurostat)

What is a strategy?

A strategy is a clear plan of action designed to achieve a specific goal or vision

A strategy is about defining the route (activities)

to get from A to B

(bearing in mind risks and costs)

Version of scoping study discussed at the DC meeting in November 2011.

Some decisions taken, clarifications agreed, changes proposed

New version will be voted uponat DC meeting in May 2012

ENP South strategy: where are we?

Point A: The current situation

EU-MED cooperation in statistics is 16 years old. It has grown up!

There have been three successive regional programmes (MEDSTAT I, II and III), accompanied by some national activities (through TAIEX and Twinning projects).

There will be no MEDSTAT IV equivalent but there is a commitment to work together on a regional basis, for mutual benefit.

Point A: Achievement checklist

Regional co-operation on a South-South axis to complement the North-South co-operation

Capacity building in the countries

Transfer of technical knowledge

More and better data, increasingly harmonised with EU and international methodologies

Regular data exchange flows

More transparent data and wider dissemination

Leaving A: The catalysts

New long-term policy agenda for overall EU-MED cooperation

Recent events in many of the MED countries, meaning that official statistics should accompany the reform process and democratic transformations

Emergence of new topics

Point B: The target situation

Over-arching objective:

A reshaped EU-MED cooperation that is more responsive to the renewed EU-MED policy agenda

The revised ENP reference is COM(2011)303

Point B: The target situation

4 Specific objectives

The What? part:

1. Improved production of official statistics

2. Strengthened training and capacity * NEW

3. Empowered users

The How? part:

4. A permanent framework

Getting from A to B: the activities

It pays to plan ahead.

It wasn’t raining when Noah built the Ark!

(Thomas Edison)

Getting from A to B: the activities

Obj. 1 Improving the production:

A continuous harmonization of methods, practices and data

1. Choose priority topics – done (5, with Trade being 5th)

2. Establish regional working groups for topics and ToR

3. Establish harmonization programme and implement

4. Establish & implement working group on quality framework

5. Look at Codes of Practice and regional option

6. Look at new technologies for prodn and dissemination

Getting from A to B: the activities

Obj. 2 Training and capacity strengthening:

1. Strengthen national training capacities

2. Create and develop national pools of trainers

3. Design, implement and evaluate regional training plan

4. Share training materials through knowledge platforms

5. Establish regional EU-MED working group on training

Getting from A to B: the activities

Obj. 3 Empowering users:

1. Establish, implement & evaluate User Satisfaction Surveys

2. Explore ‘usability’ techniques:testing dissemination products before launch

3. Establish user-producer dialogue working groups

4. Look at user-producer analytical studies:validating the quality and relevance of data through their use

Getting from A to B: the activities

Obj. 4 Implementation framework:

1. Design of a management structure for the cooperation

- Establishment of a steering ‘forum’, comprising - the MED countries- the European Commission- EU/EFTA countries- Other regional and international partners

Getting from A to B: the activities

Obj. 4 Implementation framework:

1. Design of a management structure for the cooperation cont.

- Establishment of permanent ‘light’ management structure- hosted by Eurostat (ideally) or Union for the MED - comprising Eurostat staff & 2-3 seconded experts

- Organization of biennial meetings of the Forum (first meeting at end 2012 / start of 2013?)

Getting from A to B: the activities

Obj. 4 Implementation framework:

2. Design, validation and implementation of work programme

- Establish thematic working groups (meeting once a year)

- Preparation and implementation of the work programme

- Evaluation of the implementation

Getting from A to B: the activities

Obj. 4 Implementation framework:

3. Design, provide content, promote, and encourage use of a common knowledge platform (CIRCA-based)

4. Establish regular co-ordination mechanisms and protocols with major donors

5. Mobilize support and financing for the continued activities of the EU-MED co-operation

The risks of going off-course

Political tensions

Over-burdened local staff

Lack of coordination between actors / own-agendas

Insufficient partner support

Insufficient finance

Tentative calendar

Three phase implementation proposed:

(i) January 2012 – end 2013: Agreements and testing / transition through MED

III

(ii) January 2014 – end 2016

Installation of management framework

(iii) January 2017 onwardsPermanent structure in place

Questions

What are your reactions to the strategy?

How do you see the ‘forum’? How do you see MSt and other international organisations participating in the forum?

How do you think that this ENP-South strategy could be used elsewhere?

What else might need to be considered to make this a success?