The C&SD follows closely the definitions, concepts and methods on statistical matters and classification systems promulgated by international organisations such as the United Nations, International Labour Organisation and International Monetary Fund in compiling statistics. The adoption of internationally accepted standards helps ensure a definite level of quality in the statistics compiled and comparability with statistics of other economies. Major international standards adopted are listed below :

	International Standards Adopted
Population Census	Principles and Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses (Revision 2), UN
Demographic Statistics	Principles and Recommendations for a Vital Statistics System (Revision 2), UN
Labour Statistics	Conceptual Framework Recommended by the ILO
National Accounts Statistics	The System of National Accounts 1993 (1993 SNA), Commission of the European Communities, IMF, OECD, UN and World Bank
Balance of Payments Statistics	Balance of Payments Manual (Fifth edition), IMF External Debt Statistics: Guide for Compilers and Users, IMF OECD Benchmark Definition of Foreign Direct Investment (Third edition), OECD Coordinated Portfolio Investment Survey Guide (Second edition), IMF
Price and Household Expenditure Statistics	Consumer Price Index Manual: Theory and Practice (2004), ILO, IMF, OECD, Eurostat, UNECE and World Bank Resolution concerning Consumer Price Indices (2003), ILO Resolution concerning Household Income and Expenditure Statistics (2003), ILO
External Merchandise Trade Statistics	International Merchandise Trade Statistics: Concepts and Definitions (Revision 2), UN
Trade in Services Statistics	Manual on Statistics of International Trade in Services, UN, EC, IMF, OECD, UN Conference on Trade and Development, and WTO
Programme of Economic Surveys	UN's International Recommendations on   Industrial Statistics   Construction Statistics   Statistics of the Distributive Trades and Services
Science and Technology Statistics	OECD's methodology manuals on   Proposed Standard Practice for Surveys on Research and Experimental Development - Frascati Manual   Proposed Guidelines for Collecting and Interpreting Technological Innovation Data - Oslo Manual   Using Patent Data as Science and Technology Indicators - Patent Manual   The Measurement of Human Resources Devoted to Science and Technology - Canberra Manual   Manual for the Measurement and Interpretation of Technology Balance of Payments Data - TBP Manual