The third session of the ASEAN Community Statistical System (ACSS)Committee has adopted enabling mechanisms for comparable ASEANstatistics, clearer policies and guidelines on data sharing,confidentiality and enhanced dissemination and communication of ASEANStatistics.

According to a press releaseissued by the ASEAN Secretariat on September 16, the session took placein Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei from September 10-12, during which theheads of the national statistical systems of the ASEAN member countriesagreed on the group’s statistics development direction to ensure therelevance to the ASEAN Community and at the same time contribute to theglobal and regional statistics development.

Accordingly, the ACSS Committee approved the outcomes of the Mid-TermReview of the ACSS Multi-Year Action Year 2011-2015 and discussed thedraft 2016-20 ACSS Strategic Plan and the draft ASEAN CommunicationStrategy.

At the meeting, the Task Force onInternational Merchandise Trade Statistics was transformed to a WorkingGroup on International Merchandise Trade Statistics, and the Task Forceon Statistics on International Trade in Services to a Working Group onStatistics on International Trade in Services in order to facilitate thedevelopment and harmonisation of trade in goods and trade in servicesstatistics.

This year’s event was chaired byDeputy Director General of the Brunei Department of Economic Planningand Development Haji Abd Amin bin Haji Hashim and attended by the headsof the national statistical systems of the ASEAN member states, theASEANStats, and representatives from international organisations andASEAN’s dialogue partners.

The next session will be held in Nay Pyi Taw , Myanmar in September 2014.-VNA