Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
OECD is the international economic organization that was established in 1961 in Paris. It is the successor of The Organisation for European Economic Cooperation (OEEC) established to run the Marshall Plan for reconstruction of a continent ravaged by war.
Poland has been the member of the OECD since 1996. The OECD mission is to promote policies that improve the economic and social well-being of people around the world, following the motto ‘Better policies for better lives’. OECD conducts research and conceptual work focusing on the most important social and economic issues. Important aspects of the OECD functioning include issuing publications which are among the most-anticipated reports on the perspectives of the global economy and the economic situation of individual countries.
Since early 1990’s Statistics Poland has taken an active part in works of the OECD committees and working groups, where wide range of discussed topics covers the entire economic and social problems. Statistics Poland takes part in OECD initiatives by providing statistical data in a monthly, quarterly, annually system (depending on type of data and OECD’s demands), as well as participates in the OECD working groups meetings devoted to the statistical issues. For example, in 2017 data sent by Statistics Poland to OECD covered 30 different areas.
Simultaneously Statistics Poland participates actively in the realization of the OECD statistics development strategies which directions are outlined during annual Statistical Committee meetings. This Committee was created in 2004, then in 2013 on the Council Resolution it was changed into the Committee on Statistics and Statistical Policy – CSSP. This change was dictated by the need to strengthen the role of the Committee dealing with statistics in a decentralized system of the OECD, and to designate higher priority to the outcomes of the statistical works referring to strategic issues as far as the implemented policies are concerned. The Committee constitutes the key instrument aiming to improve, in the framework of OECD, the statistics quality and to strengthen the cooperation between the state members of this organization. It also ensures a forum for a dialogue between political policy makers, analysts and data producers.
Polish official statistics takes part in the Committee activities concerning the improvement of the statistics quality, international comparability of data and also the improvement of methodological works. These works concern the methods of data sharing processes, designing systems of indices allowing to assess groups of more complex phenomena and also monitoring the progress of works conducted in the context of OECD initiatives. Among the most important actions taken by the Committee, it is necessary to mention many initiatives leading to a better capture of statistics phenomena having impact on the economic growth and social welfare, such as measuring the scientific work, innovations, patents, investments in information and communication technologies, using ICT technology by enterprises and households, development of human capital statistics and international mobility, entrepreneurship, globalization and productivity, and finally the quality of life.
Working Parties also operate in the OECD statistical system and deal with different areas of statistics, with the steering role of the Bureaus. Statistics Poland takes an active part in these works.