Migrant remittances in Europe and Central Asia

1. Migrant remittances in Europe and Central Asia Recent trends and global experiences in remittance data collection SanketMohapatra (with D. Ratha, J. Irving and A. Silwal) Development Prospects Group World Bank ECA Migration and Remittances Peer Assisted Learning Network (MiRPAL) Washington DC March 26, 2010

2. Outline • Recent trends in migration and remittances in Europe and Central Asia • Intra-regional and out of region migration • Impact of financial crisis on remittance flows • Improving remittance data collection – global experiences • Findings from global survey of central banks on collection of remittances data • Recent policy initiatives to improve remittance data collection

3. Global experiences in data collection of remittances • Draws on findings from global survey of central banks on migrant remittances - by DilipRatha, Jacqueline Irving, and SanketMohapatra (forthcoming as World Bank Working Paper) • One of the aims of global survey to gain a better understanding of how central banks collect data and other information on migrant remittance flows.

4. Survey questions on data collection • Which institutions collect data? • What are the methods? • What RSPs are covered? • How are these changing? • How are RSPs regulated? • How does regulation affect costs? • What factors affect the choice of remittance channel?

5. Inflows and outflows of remittances • Two main versions: focusing on inflows and outflows • Sent to 176 countries worldwide • 112 countries have submitted survey responses: • Of which [XX] countries are in Europe and Central Asia • Remittance receiving countries • Remittance source countries

6. Inflows are better monitored than outflows • Almost all (96%) remittance-receiving countries collect data, vs. 84% of remittance-sending countries • Data collection has been going on longer for inflows than for outflows: • 72% of remittance-receiving countries collecting data for more than 5 years • 55% of remittance-sending countries collecting data for more than 5 years

7. Under-recording of remittances • Lower priority given to recording remittance outflows by many migrant host countries—particularly where remittances are small relative to GDP • Russian Federation a notable exception • Use of cross-border data reporting thresholds • Many central banks until recently relied on data reported solely by banks; more nonbank RSPs are beginning to report data • Remittances hand carried by migrants and others visiting migrants’ home countries • In-kind remittances

8. Some lack of coordination in data collection • Within the same institution • Across national institutions • Between counterpart national institutions, including for major remittance corridors

9. Data collection/estimates of informal remittances • 42% of the remittance-receiving countries said they collect data on informal remittances • 70% of the remittance-receiving countries that collect these data reported doing so with regularity • But a considerably fewer number of remittance-receiving countries (17%) provided actual informal flows data estimates • Only two of the remittance-sending countries (Germany and Russia) indicated that they collect data on informal remittances

10. Methods of estimating informal flows

11. Regulation of RSPs is weak in remittance- receiving countries • Many new market entrants’ remittance activities are not regulated: • 39% of post offices • 37% of MFIs • 25% of mobile phone service providers • 23% of MTOs

12. Better statistics and studies are cited as areas needing attention

13. High cost was cited as top factor inhibiting use of formal channels Remittance-receiving countries

14. Policy recommendations – improving data collection • Improve procedures for remittances data collection and monitoring, including by compiling and monitoring cross-border remittance flows data at higher frequencies and disaggregated by source country where possible. • For many remittance-receiving countries, revise data compilation methods to better distinguish remittance inflows from other capital inflows. • As new RSP entrants emerge, it becomes increasingly important for countries to give priority to determining an effective means of taking into account these new channels and technologies in data collection and monitoring.

15. Policy recommendations - improving coordination within and across countries • Improve coordination in data monitoring, with more systematic data and information exchange, better communication, and more effective division of labor to avoid duplication of efforts. • Better coordination in data collection both across different institutions and between different divisions within the same institution. • For major remittance corridors, developing some means of regular, more systematic data and information sharing and exchange on migrant remittance flows between counterpart national institutions.

16. One of four thematic areas of Global Remittances Working Group (GRWG) is on improving remittances data • Technical meeting in June 2009, Washington DC (follow-up meeting in Rome in November 2009). • Technical working group will meet periodically to: • Promote sharing of detailed metadata about country practices • Develop web-based mechanism for controlled exchange of “bilateral” data, to help countries examine asymmetries • Provide global coordination mechanism for regional initiatives (such as the CEMLA program) • Promote country capacity building and technical assistance • Improving data collection efforts through household/labor force surveys • Using household surveys to improve Balance of Payments statistics • Compilation of household surveys containing migration and remittance questions/modules • Thematic Area 1 leader: Neil Fantom, Development Data Group, World Bank.