The ISWGNA (comprising Eurostat, International Monetary Fund, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, United Nations, and the World Bank) received its mandate from the United Nations Statistical Commission (UNSC) to:

Provide strategic vision, direction and coordination for the methodological development and implementation of the System of National Accounts (SNA) in national, regional and international statistical systems

Revise and update the SNA and develop supporting normative international statistical standards and other methodological documents on national accounts and supporting statistics

Promote the development of databases at international, regional and national level on national accounts statistics

Promote the implementation of the SNA and supporting statistics

Promote the use of national accounts and supporting statistics in policy formulation

SNA News and Notes is a biannual information service of the ISWGNA prepared by the United Nations Statistics Division. It was introduced in 1995 to communicate the activities of ISWGNA member organisations and countries. The aim is to "..keep all countries informed of new developments, experiences gained in the course of implementation, seminars and workshops and other matter..."

SNA News and Notes does not necessarily express the official position of any of the members of ISWGNA.

The ISWGNA holds several meetings or teleconferences throughout the year.

The ISWGNA regularly reports progress on its programme of work to the UNSC.