General

1. International Measurement of CultureDraft Recommendations from the Workshop Paris, 4-5 December, 2006

2. General • Wide interest in culture statistics • Wide frustration that there is much discussion but follow up seems lacking • Seems to be increasing interest in political arena • Need for international agencies to collaborate and not duplicate efforts • Social impacts may be more headline catching but no agreement on robust quantification

3. General (2) • Visibility is important • Small samples are a problem due to non-homogeneous populations. • Rising thresholds also a problem for culture where there are many small companies • Statistics agenda seems to be accelerating • Need to be flexible not proscriptive • OECD should be proactive • Politicians will not wait for perfect data

4. Recommendations - General • OECD should provide a forum for discussion • Use its office to surf the rising tide of political interest.

5. Framework is Crucial • Should include activities ranging from creation to consumption/conservation • General agreement on core areas • Ongoing discussion on areas such as sports, advertising, architecture, design, crafts, etc. • Even on the core areas, there is considerable divergence at the detailed level • UNESCO project on revising FCS ongoing

6. Framework – Details (1) • Frame work should be modular – hangars in a wardrobe. • Actual definition is less important than fact of single definition. • Classification more important than structure • Comparability is again a recurring theme • Robustness → comparability → credibility • Economic value is more than just economic impact • Value from non-transactions may be significant but difficult to translate to quantitative data

7. Framework – Details (2) • Framework definition must be clear, unequivocal, detailed • Ideally tied to international classification standards • Most general-purpose standards not sufficient for culture • Need to work towards improving international standards • Long revision cycles for most standards mean that alternative short-term approach also required

8. Framework – Details (3) • Better to concentrate on a core area and try to achieve real comparability • Should focus on perhaps only two hangers in the wardrobe (case studies)

9. Trade Statistics • Many of the same problems as industry classifications • Concordance between HS CPC EBOPS • More Details • Crafts and New Media • Diversity (e.g., domestic content) • Non-government data can be useful but need to focus on official sources • Need to go beyond customs data • Ho to measure electronic transactions • Non-tariff barriers at least as important as tariff barriers

10. Recommendations:Framework • Agree to not absolutely finalize OECD Framework, pending final UNESCO report • Agree to continue work of a subset of areas e.g.: • Film and Video • Radio and Television • Performing Arts • Publishing • Libraries • Museums • Focus on only 2 areas, • Concentrate of developing solid detailed definitions that can be related to all standards in use

11. Recommendations:Framework definition • Create expert group, including UNESCO, to complete work on submission of ISCO updates. • For remaining aspects, work with an agreed upon subset of culture areas. • Using expert groups to develop detailed translations to all major classification standards being used by members, including algorithms for apportioning mixed classes • Use these translations to collect data from OECD member countries

12. Measures • International Comparable Measures should • Be measurable • Be truly comparable • Be rational at international level • Be useful for national policy makers • Both social and economic measures are important • Less agreement on appropriate social measures but definitely need more detailed data • General agreement on some economic measures • Public Expenditures important but needs further development of good methodology for the areas where the framework expert group has developed detailed translations

13. Recommendations: Measures • Continue to work with external groups to establish appropriate measures of social impact to be included in a suite of measures • Collect data on Output, GDP, Employment, • Work with UNESCO and others to support development of trade statistics • Participation considered important but still much exploration required • Work with external groups to assemble comparable data on participation

14. Satellite Accounts • Decision is strategic • Forces coherence and provides rigour to culture data and comparability with economies as a whole • Should start from a wider rather than narrower definition – easier to split out a sector than add one in • Flexibility - can be developed in stages don’t need to everything at once • Raise the profile of culture within government organizations • Countries interested would benefit from an international forum • Convenio Andrés Bello, Chile, Mexico, Finland willing to share expertise

15. Recommendations – Satellite Accounts • OECD explore the possibility of setting up a group of experts • Initially to promote the use of satellite accounts for culture in member countries • Subsequently to develop a methodological design for the implementation of satellite accounts