Introduction

The global consultation on the draft Classification of Statistical Activities Version 2.1 (CSA Ver. 2.1) has been launched by the United Nations Statistics Division under the auspices of theUnited Nations Committee of Experts on International Statistical Classification (UNCEISC) fromJune – August 2025.

TheClassification of Statistical Activities (CSA) is an analytical classification that provides a hierarchical structure of categories about statistical activities. It is organized at the top level by statistical domains which relate the broad type of statistical activities, covering subject-matter activities, activities related to infrastructure and methodology, and strategic and management activities for official statistics.

The United Nations Statistical Commission at its 54th session in 2023 endorsed the Classification of Statistical Activities CSA 2.0 as an international standard classification [Decision 54/112(f) of E/CN.3/2023/37]. At its 55th session in 2024, the Commission recommended that the UNCEISC consider a proposal from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and the World Health Organization (WHO) to introduce a limited update for the inclusion of a new data domain on food security and nutrition [Decision 55/110(e) of E/CN.3/2024/36]. At its 56th session in 2025, the Commission approved the initiation of this limited update to create a stand-alone food security and nutrition domain [Decision 56/117(g) of E/CN3/2025/37].

The draft CSA 2.1 was developed by UNSD under the auspices of the UNCEISC in collaboration with FAO, UNICEF, and WHO. The main structural change is the creation of a new statistical activity 511 "Food Security and Nutrition" under Domain 5 (Cross-cutting Statistics). This update also clarifies boundaries with existing activities by revising the explanatory note for 20301 (Agriculture, forestry, and fishing) to exclude food-security and nutrition statistics. This change in the CSA structure will help address critical challenges concerning statistical activities on food security and nutrition.

Documents

Below are the relevant documents for the 2025 Global Consultation:

• Cover note on the Global Consultation
• Classification of Statistical Activities, Version 2.1 – Draft manual for global consultation
• Amendment proposal for the inclusion of a new data domain on food security and nutrition and related adjustments

Next Steps

Following the conclusion of this Global Consultation, the final draft CSA 2.1 is expected to become available at the end of November 2025 and submitted to the United Nations Statistical Commission for endorsement in 2026.

If you have any questions, please contact the UNSD classifications hotline atchl@un.org.

UNSD classifications

International coordination

Meetings and events