DESA’s Statistics Division is organizing an Expert Group meeting on International Statistical Classifications on 13-15 May in New York

The objective of the meeting is to agree on priorities and work arrangements for international classifications work over the next years.

It also aims to further the work on the implementation of recently revised classifications in the International Family of Statistical Classifications, such as the International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities (ISIC) and the Central Product Classification (CPC), to review classifications currently under development and consider other issues relevant to the application and use of international standard classifications.

For more information:
Calendar of Events of DESA’s Statistics Division

Expanding the coordination and resources for the implementation of the System of National Accounts will be in focus for a meeting on 28-29 May in Luxembourg

Despite some progress in a number of countries, many developing countries are still a long way from actually adjusting their supporting collections of economic statistics for implementing the System of National Accounts (SNA).

The forty-fourth session of the United Nations Statistical Commission (UNSC) requested DESA’s Statistics Division, in collaboration with the Inter-secretariat Working Group on National Accounts (ISWGNA), supporting countries and other regional organisations, to scale up coordination, advocacy and resources for the implementation of the SNA and supporting statistics at the national level where required.

This seminar, which brings together the ISWGNA, the Advisory Expert Group on National Accounts (AEG) and representative from a number of countries with less developed statistical systems, aims to develop proposals for scaling up the effectiveness of the coordination and funding for the implementation of the SNA for consideration by the ISWGNA and to discuss practical issues related to the topics to be discussed by the AEG. 

For more information:
Calendar of Events of DESA’s Statistics Division

Technical meeting on “Tax treaty administration and negotiation” will be held on 30–31 May at UN Headquarters in New York 

DESA’s Financing for Development Office (FfDO) and the International Tax Compact (ITC) are jointly organizing this meeting held within the context of a capacity development project, undertaken jointly by the two organizations, aimed at strengthening the capacity of Ministries of Finance, National Tax Authorities, and other competent authorities in developing countries to effectively identify and assess their needs in the area of double tax treaty negotiation and administration. 

The purpose of the New York meeting is to present, discuss and revise a series of draft papers on selected issues in administration and negotiation of tax treaties, which are being prepared by experts. These papers are to address the actual skills gaps and challenges faced by developing countries in administering and negotiating their tax treaties, which were identified during a meeting held in Rome on 28-29 January 2013, with the participation of 25 national experts from developing countries.

Following the meeting, the papers on administration of tax treaties will be revised and will comprise the UN Handbook on Selected Issues in Administration of Double Tax Treaties for Developing Countries. Participants in this meeting are also invited to participate in the Special meeting of ECOSOC on international cooperation in tax matters on 29 May.

For more information:
Technical meeting on “Tax treaty administration and negotiation”