## IMF Executive Board Discusses Measuring the Digital Economy

_IMF News, April 5, 2018_

## Source details

**Canonical URL:** [IMF Executive Board Discusses Measuring the Digital Economy](https://www.imf.org/en/news/articles/2018/04/03/pr18122-imf-executive-board-discusses-measuring-the-digital-economy)

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## Bibliographic details
- Published: April 5, 2018

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### Event and publication details
- Press Release No. 18/122
- Date: April 5, 2018
- Media Relations Press Officer: Pemba Tshering Sherpa
- Phone: +1 202 623-7100
- Email: MEDIA@IMF.org
- Board discussion date: March 28, 2018

### Scope and focus of the staff paper
- The paper assesses the current state of play in measurement of the digital sector in macroeconomic and financial statistics.
- It focuses on a digital sector comprising the producers at the core of digitalization: online platforms, platform-enabled services, and suppliers of Information and Communications Technology goods and services.
- The paper proposes a perimeter for the digital sector, distinguishing it from the broader digital economy.

### Core analytic themes addressed
- Inter-related core aspects examined:
  - GDP
  - Welfare
  - Globalization
  - Productivity
- The paper analyzes challenges in measuring the economic and financial activity related to the digital sector by systematically reviewing the state of play of statistics on:
  - Prices
  - National accounts
  - External sector
  - Monetary and financial developments

### Key findings and observations
- Measuring the digital sector poses measurement challenges across macroeconomic and financial statistics.
- A clear perimeter for the digital sector is proposed to separate it from the broader digital economy.
- Improving access to data is central to overcoming measurement challenges.

### Policy recommendations and steps proposed
- Improve statistics agencies’ access to administrative data:
  - Administrative data defined as data collected by or available in government agencies as an integral part of their regular activities.
  - This requires cooperation of national government agencies.
- Improve access to “Big Data” through partnerships:
  - Cooperation should extend to partnerships between the private and the public sectors, including international organizations.

### Notable quote
- “The paper proposes a perimeter for the digital sector, distinguishing it from the broader digital economy” — Gabriel Quirós, Deputy Director of the IMF Statistics Department.

*IMF Executive Board Discusses Measuring the Digital Economy — Press Release No. 18/122 (April 5, 2018)*

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## References

- [Measuring the Digital Economy](https://www.imf.org/en/publications/policy-papers/issues/2018/04/03/022818-measuring-the-digital-economy)
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_Source: https://www.imf.org/en/news/articles/2018/04/03/pr18122-imf-executive-board-discusses-measuring-the-digital-economy_