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| I. Analytical Framework, Concepts, Definitions, and Classifications |
2.1.1 Concepts and definitions Statistical concept The subject of European external trade statistics is the movement of goods across frontiers of EU-Member States. Basically all physically incoming and outgoing movable goods, including electricity, is recorded and documented. Eurostat is responsible for developing the methodology on external trade statistics and on classifications. It analyses and disseminates EU statistics on external trade. In general, the concepts and definitions applied are in accordance with the international recommendations of the UN (International merchandise trade statistics: concepts and definitions, revision 2). Data on European external trade are compiled on the basis of figures collected by Member States. Member States transmit the data to Eurostat according to concepts and methods defined in the European Community legislation. Statistics on trade with non-EU countries are based on Council Regulation (EC) No 1172/95 and Commission Regulation (EC) No 1917/2000 and Statistics on trade between Member States are based on Regulation (EC) No 638/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Commission Regulation (EC) No 1982/2004. This assures a harmonised and comparable dataset. Nevertheless, Member State may apply different concepts when publishing figures for national purposes. The compilation of external trade statistics is divided into two different statistical systems: extra-EU trade statistics (Extrastat) and intra-EU trade statistics (Intrastat). Extra-EU trade statistics cover the cross-border trading of goods between Member States and non-EU countries and intra-EU trade statistics cover the trading of goods between Member States. This conceptual separation is mainly due to different data collection instruments, but it is as well a result of diverging policy impact. Whereas extra-EU trade statistics are required for a common trade and customs policy of the Community, intra-EU trade statistics measure the integration of the Member States in a common market. Indicators Detailed statistics on the trading in goods of each Member State are collected and disseminated on a monthly basis. The trade value and the quantity are the basic indicators available for all products of the Combined Nomenclature. From these detailed trade data, Eurostat compiles indices and other various indicators of which a description is given in dedicated base pages. Definitions Trade flows In the extra-EU trade framework, statistics on trade record the exports (outward flows from an EU Member State to a non-EU country) of goods, and imports (inward flows from a non-EU country to an EU Member State) of goods. More specifically, Exports to a non-EU country include: Goods, which leave the statistical territory of the Member State and are: under the customs export procedure (final export, export following inward processing, etc.) or under the customs outward‑processing procedure (usually goods destined to be processed, transformed or repaired for subsequent re‑import). Imports from a non-EU country include: Goods, which enter the statistical territory of the Member State from a non-EU country and are: (1) placed under the customs procedure for release into free circulation (goods that will be consumed in the importing Member State or dispatched to another Member State), either immediately or after a period in a customs warehouse, or (2) placed under the customs procedure for inward processing or processing under customs control (usually goods destined to be processed, transformed or repaired for subsequent re-export) either immediately or after a period in a customs warehouse. In the intra-EU trade framework, statistics on trade between Member States record: outward flows of goods from one Member State to another, which are called dispatches and inward flows of goods from one Member State to another, which are called arrivals. More specifically, Dispatches from a given Member State include: - Goods in free circulation which leave the statistical territory of the Member State bound for another Member State; - Goods which have been placed under the customs procedure for inward processing or processing under customs control (for processing, transformation or repair) in the Member State and which are destined for another Member State. Arrivals in a given Member State include: - Goods in free circulation which enter the statistical territory of the Member State; - Goods which have been placed under the customs procedure for inward processing or processing under customs control (for processing, transformation or repair) in another Member State and which enter the statistical territory of the Member State in question. When publishing trade flows Eurostat applies the terms “exports” for all outward flows from Member States and “imports” for all inward flows into Member States and no distinction is made regarding the underlying statistical systems (Extrastat respectively Intrastat). Products Products covered by external trade statistics are all movable and physical goods, including electricity. In consequence trade in services is exempted. In practice this entails sometimes inevitably allocation problems and the question is whether a good is taken into account in trade statistics or does it belong to another statistical domain (e.g. floppy discs with software). At present more than 10.000 different products are classified for external trade statistics according to the Combined Nomenclature. External trade statistics present trade flows on each single product, but produce as well aggregated data according to the entire hierarchy of the Combined Nomenclature. Data may be compiled on the chapter level (99 chapters on a two digit code) up to the 8-digit sub-heading level of the Combined Nomenclature. In addition, goods are presented according to the international trade classification of the United Nations (SITC) and Broad Economic Categories (BEC). The reporting country External trade statistics publish trade data which are collected and reported by a Member State. For extra-EU trade statistics the reporting country is the Member State where the good is placed under the relevant customs procedure. For intra–EU trade statistics the reporting country is for a dispatch the Member State from which the good leaves and for an arrival the Member State into which the good enters. Besides the presentation of trade flows from individual Member States, Eurostat publishes data on aggregated country groups. The most used aggregates are European Union (25 countries), Former European Union (15 countries) and euro-zone (12 countries). The partner country External trade statistics report on the trade flow between the reporting Member State and a partner country. The definition of the partner country depends on the trade flow and is defined as follows: - For intra and extra-outward flows, the trading partner is the country of final destination of the goods as it is known at the time of export/dispatch. - For arrivals (intra-EU trade), the trading partner is the Member State of consignment of the goods. This is the Member State from which the goods were dispatched without some halt or legal formalities inn another country apart from any transport reasons. - For imports (extra-EU trade), the trading partner is the country of origin. In general, goods obtained entirely from a given country originate in that country; goods produced in two or more countries are deemed to originate in the country where the last transformation or substantial processing took place. In certain cases (returned goods, goods which have been processed in a non-EU country, works of art), the partner country for imports is the country of consignment, i.e. the country in which the export formalities were carried out. External trade statistics compile figures on trade with a given partner country, but as well on trade with economic or geographical zones (e.g. European Union, Non-EU countries, candidate countries, Mediterranean basin countries, NAFTA countries, OPEC countries, ACP countries and ASEAN countries). 2.3.1 Classification/sectorization Classification systems: · Product classification: Products are disseminated according to aggregated levels of the Standard International Trade Classification (SITC) and the Broad Economic Categories (BEC). Classification system and conformity with official standards Within external trade statistics standardised classifications are applied to data on commodities and on countries. Regarding the product classification the Combined Nomenclature (CN) is applied for the detailed data whereas the Standard International Trade Classification (SITC Rev. 3) or the Broad Economic Categories (BEC) is used for aggregated data. The Geonomenclature is classifying the countries for external trade purposes. The nomenclature of products which are disseminated is in accordance with the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (HS) 2, 4, 6 digit level and the detailed level (8 digits) of the Combined Nomenclature (CN8). The CN is subject to annual revisions that ensure that the CN is kept up to date in the light of changes in technology or in patterns in international trade. Country and goods classifications include specific codes for example confidentiality and adjustment purposes. Combined Nomenclature (CN) – Harmonised System (HS) For extra- and intra-EU trade purposes goods are classified according to the Combined Nomenclature in the European Union. This classification is based on the Harmonised Commodity Description and Coding System (HS) managed by the World Customs Organisation (WCO). The HS uses a six digit numerical code for the coding of products and the Combined Nomenclature is further breaking down the coding into a eighth digit level according to Community needs. The CN is extended with some alphanumeric codes that are used to identify confidential or adjusted data and trade for which a breakdown of the results at a detailed level of product classification is not possible. For more details see the web site. Standard International Trade Classification (SITC Rev. 3) External trade statistics publish figures according to the international trade classification of the United Nations (SITC). The SITC version in force has a five-level hierarchical structure with purely numerical coding. The SITC enables to make comparisons on a worldwide basis. Broad Economic Categories (BEC) The Broad Economic Categories (BEC) of the United Nations arranges external trade data into end-use categories that are meaningful within the framework of the System of National Accounts (SNA), namely categories approximating the three basic classes of goods in the SNA: capital, intermediate and consumer goods. The BEC includes nineteen basic categories. The basic categories are those that are not further sub-divided in the classification. Each category of the BEC is defined in terms of divisions, groups, subgroups and basic headings of the SITC. Geonomenclature External trade statistics classifies the reporting country and the partner country according to the country nomenclature for external trade statistics - known as the "Geonomenclature” and managed by Eurostat. An ISO alpha-2 classification is applied, which means that each country is identified with a two-letter alphabetical code. The Geonomenclature is subject to annual revision in order to take into account any geopolitical changes. |
| II. Scope of the data |
2.2.1 Scope Scope of the data Geographical Coverage External trade statistics cover in principal trade flows entering or leaving the statistical territory of the Member States. The statistical territory of the Member States correspond to their customs territory as defined in the Community Customs Code. Transaction Coverage Inclusions The following transactions are generally included in external trade statistics: Barter trade, goods on consignment, goods on financial lease, goods traded between enterprises under common ownership, goods traded on government account processing and repair trade. Exclusions The following transactions are excluded in trade statistics for conceptual or methodological reasons: - Goods in simple transit: The reporting on operations in transit countries are excluded when the good travels directly through the transit country or stops for reasons only related to its transport. - Temporary trade: Goods moving abroad or entering the reporting Member State for a well defined duration and without undergoing any change except normal depreciation (e.g. hire, operational leasing). The exemption depends on fiscal and customs obligations. - Particular trade not subject of a commercial transaction (e.g. advertisement material, commercial samples) - Supply for national arm forces stationed abroad, embassies and emergency aid for disaster areas. - Means of payment and monetary gold - Goods for and after repairs A comprehensive list of goods excluded for methodological reasons is given in the Annex I of the Commission Regulations (EC) No 1917/2000 (Extrastat) and Commission Regulation (EC) No 1982/2004 (Intrastat). Specific movements of goods There are some movements of goods of such a nature that their inclusion in external trade statistics merits separate mention. These goods are defined as specific movements, whose features are significant for the interpretation of the information. More specifically, the features may relate to the movement as such, the nature of the goods, the transaction which gives rise to the movement of the goods or the exporter or importer of the goods, in particular industrial plant; vessels and aircraft; sea products; goods delivered to vessels and aircraft; staggered consignments; military goods; goods to or from offshore installations; spacecraft; motor vehicle and aircraft parts; electricity and gas; and waste products. These goods need specific provisions regarding the scope of trade or the data sources. For most of these goods harmonised rules are determined by the Commission Regulations (EC) No 1917/2000 (Extrastat) and (EC) No 1982/2004 (Intrastat). Trade system European external trade statistics applies the special trade system which means that goods from a non-EU country which are received into customs warehouses are not recorded in external trade statistics unless they subsequently go into free circulation in the Member State of receipt (or are placed under the customs procedures for inward processing). Similarly, outgoing goods from customs warehouses are not recorded as exports. Transaction threshold External trade statistics apply a transaction threshold system. Transaction below a certain value or quantity does not have to be reported by the Member States. For extra-EU trade statistics this threshold is appointed to 1000 EUR or 1 000 kg in net mass. In addition to the threshold system by operators (described later), for intra-EU trade statistics the threshold concerns values below 100 EUR. Coverage of Trade Operators Any natural and legal person carrying out a customs declaration in a Member State is reporting to the extra-EU trade statistics on the condition that the customs procedure is of statistical relevance. Within intra-EU trade statistics any natural and legal person registered for VAT in a Member State and carrying out an intra-Community trade transaction is responsible for providing the information. This condition excludes private individuals from reporting on their intra Community transactions. In addition, small and medium trade operators are mainly exempted. Member States have implemented a threshold system which allows intra-Community traders not to report on their transaction or provide less detailed information on condition that their total trade value does not exceed a certain amount during the previous or present calendar year. However, Member States assure quality standards when determining the national thresholds. |
| III. Accounting Conventions |
2.4.1 Valuation The Statistical Value External trade statistics apply harmonised principles when compiling the statistical value of trade flows. In general all goods should be valued with the total amount which would be invoiced in case of sale or purchase at the national border of the reporting Member State. In practice the statistical value of the good is based in most of the cases for intra-EU trade on the taxable amount determined for VAT purposes and for extra-EU trade on the value determined for customs purposes. However, for some trade transactions the amount determined for fiscal or customs purposes is not applicable. This concerns mainly processing transactions, transaction not involving transfer of ownership and return of goods. In these cases the total sale or purchase amount of the good has to be estimated. The statistical value does not include taxes on export or import, such as customs duties, value added tax, excise duty, levies, export refunds or other taxes with similar effect. It includes only incidental expenses (freight, insurance) incurred, in the case of exports/dispatches, in the part of the journey located on the territory of the reporting Member State and, in the case of imports/arrivals, in the part of the journey located outside the territory of the reporting Member State. It is said to be a FOB value (free on board), for exports/dispatches, and a CIF value (cost, insurance, freight) for imports/arrivals. The statistical value of the trade flow is transmitted by the Member States in their national currency and converted by Eurostat into Euro if necessary. The Quantity Measurements The quantity of a commodity is documented essentially in kilograms. This is the intrinsic weight of the commodity. It is defined as the weight of the commodity without any packing (net mass). However, because of methodological aspects for some goods the collection of the net mass is not obligatory for intra-trade statistics. A list of the codes of these goods is published in Annex II of the Commission Regulation (EC) No 1901/2000. However, some Member States do not transmit anymore the net mass when the supplementary unit is collected for intra-trade statistics as from 2006. For selected types of commodities the quantity is also recorded and documented in a supplementary unit as this furnishes further useful information (e.g. Carats, Gross Tonnage, Kilowatt Hours, Litre, Square Metre, Cubic Metre, Number of Items, Terajoule). Further information whether a supplementary unit is collected for a given good is available in the Combined Nomenclature. 2.4.2 Recording basis Reference Period The reference period for the information on external trade transaction should be the calendar month of dispatch/export respectively that of arrival/import of the good. However, in practice the reference period is in general the calendar month during which the customs declaration is accepted by the national authorities on extra-EU trade and for intra-EU trade the calendar month during which VAT becomes chargeable on intra Community acquisitions. |
| IV. Nature of the Basic Data Sources |
3.1.1 Source data collection programs Data sources: The statistical information is mainly provided by the traders on the basis of Customs (extra-EU) and Intrastat (intra-EU) declarations. Data are collected by the competent national authorities of the Member States and compiled according to a harmonised methodology established by EU regulations before transmission to Eurostat. Data sources used The Member States collect, compile and transmit the external trade statistics to Eurostat according to specific Council regulations supplemented by various Commission regulations. The information providers are generally enterprises with a trade above the thresholds system. Type of survey External trade statistics collect exhaustive data above the thresholds exempting the information providers (companies) from statistical formalities. - Extra-EU trade statistics are collected on the basis of the statistical part of the single administrative document (SAD) provided by the Customs authorities when transactions are above the extra-EU transaction threshold (1000 EUR or 1000 kg in net mass). - Intra-EU trade statistics are collected on the basis of the Intrastat declarations provided by the trade operators not exempted from the statistical obligation, i.e. legal or natural VAT registered persons in the reporting Member State who have carried out an annual intra-Community trade above the Intrastat exemption threshold during the previous year or reached the threshold during the current year. In addition to the data collected from SAD and Intrastat declarations, Member States compile and provide Eurostat with adjustments in order to compensate the impact of the trade not collected due to the threshold system. Therefore, the trade coverage should be close to 100%. Techniques of data collection Extra-EU trade statistics data are collected by using the statistical copy of the customs declaration. Trade operators fulfilling their reporting obligations to the Customs authorities in a Member State are providing at the same occasion the statistical data. The statistical information depends, therefore, very much on customs practices, definitions and policies and only few dimensions are collected purely for statistical purpose. The dependence on customs procedures entails to a high quality and nearly total coverage of data on trade with non-EU countries. Intra-EU trade statistics are collected directly from trade operators as a consequence of the abolishment of customs control at the borders between the Member States. The reporting burdens are simpler, compared with the Extrastat system and private individual and small scale traders are excluded. However, any natural or legal person registered for VAT in a Member State carrying out intra-Community trade and being above a certain threshold is obliged to report monthly on its intra-Community trade to the competent national statistical authorities. The national authorities use data on the total taxable amount of intra-Community acquisitions and deliveries provided by the fiscal authorities to identify the target population and maintain registers on trade operators. With the support of Eurostat, more and more electronic data transmission systems are implemented in the Member States facilitating the communication between the national authorities and the trade operators. Therefore, the use of traditional paper declarations (Single customs declaration and standardised Intrastat declaration) is declining. Data Transmission According to the Extrastat and Intrastat legislations, Eurostat should be provided with: - extra and intra-EU aggregated statistics within 40 days after the reference month, - extra-EU detailed statistics within 6 weeks after the reference month, - intra-EU detailed statistics within 10 weeks after the reference month. However, not all Member States are currently able to meet these transmission timetables. Eurostat publishes preliminary EU and Euro-zone aggregates using, if necessary, estimates for missing countries. Inevitably, the data first sent for a month are subject to later revision, as a consequence of errors, omissions or late declarations by information providers. 3.1.3 Source data timeliness Transmission deadlines: According to the Community legislation, extra-EU trade data should be supplied by Member States to Eurostat within 6 weeks after the end of the reference month. Intra-EU data should be supplied within 6 weeks (aggregated) and 10 weeks (detailed). External trade Euro-Indicators are compiled from these aggregated and detailed data. |
| V. Compilation Practices |
3.3.2 Other statistical procedures Compilation of European aggregates EU and euro-zone aggregates are calculated on the basis of the harmonised figures provided by the Member States according to the Community concept. Seasonally adjusted figures are calculated by Eurostat with a common methodology and computer programs: raw data by country are first adjusted by the number of working days on the basis of each national calendar. Outliers are detected and removed using the “Time series Regression with ARIMA noise, Missing values and Outliers” (Tramo) procedure. The figures obtained are, in turn, seasonally adjusted by using the “Signal Extraction in ARIMA Time Series” (Seats) procedure developed by Maravall & Gomes. The results by country are then aggregated to provide the data on the EU and euro-zone totals. The seasonal adjustment is based on statistical ARIMA models that are re-defined every year whereas the parameters are re-estimated every month. Indices are calculated by Eurostat, using a common methodology and computer programs: monthly raw data are processed at the most detailed level in order to calculate elementary unit-values defined by trade value/quantity. These unit-values are divided by the average unit-value of the previous year to obtain elementary unit-value indices, from which outliers are detected and removed. Elementary unit-value indices are then aggregated over countries and commodities, by using the Laspeyres, Paasche and Fisher formulae. Finally, the Fisher unit-value indices are chained back to the reference year (2000=100) and are used to approximate the import and export price movements. Value-indices are calculated as the percentage change between the trade value of the current month and the average monthly trade value of the previous year. These value indices are used to derive volume indices as follows: value index = unit-value index x volume index. The growth rates of unit-value and volume indices enable the user to decompose value changes into price and volume components. Base Period The base year for the index calculation of the aggregated data is at present the calendar year 2000. Adjustments Adjustments are applied on the value of trade between Member States to take into account late response and transactions below the statistical thresholds. For intra-EU trade adjustment of quantities are also made when Member States operate a simplification threshold or/and when information on quantities for certain products is not collected. 3.4.1 Validation of intermediate results Data validation of statistical data The prime responsibility for ensuring the accuracy of the external trade data rests with national authorities. Further checks are carried out by Eurostat, essentially to ensure that the transmission of the requested data has been carried out satisfactorily, that datasets are complete, error-free, and there are no extreme values (outliers). |
| VI. Other Aspects |
4.3.3 Dissemination of revision studies and analyses · Quality assessment: A quality report on foreign trade statistics (PDF) is available from the Eurostat web site. | ||
| Footnotes | ||
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