Eurostat

International trade in goods statistics are an important data source for many public and private sector decision-makers at international, European Union and national level. For example, at the European Union level, international trade data are extensively used for multilateral and bilateral negotiations within the framework of the common commercial policy, to define and implement anti-dumping policy, to evaluate the progress of the Single Market and many other policies. Moreover, they constitute an essential source for the compilation of balance of payments statistics and national accounts. International trade in goods statistics cover both extra- and intra-EU trade: Extra-EU trade statistics cover the trading of goods between Member States and a non-member countries. Intra-EU trade statistics cover the trading of goods between Member States. "Goods" means all movable property including electricity. Detailed and aggregated data are published for the Euro area, the European Union and for each Member State separately. Main components: Data record the monthly trade between Member States in terms of arrivals and dispatches of goods as well as the monthly trade in terms of imports and exports between Member States and non-member countries. However, in publications only the term “exports” for all outward flows and “imports” for all inward flows are applied for both intra-EU trade and extra-EU trade. Extra-EU trade imports and exports are recorded in the Member State where the goods are placed under the customs procedures. Extra-EU trade statistics do not record goods in transit, goods placed into customs warehouses or goods for temporary admission. 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. Classification systems: - Product classification: For detailed data, products are disseminated according to the Combined Nomenclature (CN8), which first six digit codes coincide with the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (HS), products are disseminated as well according to the Standard International Trade Classification (SITC) and the Broad Economic Categories (BEC). - Country classification: The Geonomenclature is used for classifying reporting countries and trading partners. Nomenclatures and correspondence tables are available at the Eurostat’s classification server RAMON. The following basic information is provided by Eurostat: - reporting country, - reference period, - trade flow, - product, - trading partner - mode of transport. Detailed data are disseminated according to the Combined Nomenclature (HS2, HS4, HS6 and CN8 levels) for the following indicators: - trade value (in Euro), - trade quantity in 100 kg, - trade quantity in supplementary units (published for some goods according to the Combined Nomenclature). Aggregated data cover both short and long term indicators. Short term indicators are disseminated according to major SITC and BEC groups for the following indicators: - gross and seasonally adjusted trade value (in million Euro), - unit-value indices, - gross and seasonally adjusted volume indices, - growth rates of trade values and indices. Long term indicators are disseminated according to major SITC groups for the following indicators: - trade value (in billion Euro), - shares of Member States in EU and world trade, - shares of main trading partners in EU trade, - volume indices. Adjustments are applied by the Member States to compensate the impact of exemption thresholds, which release the information providers from statistical formalities, as well as, to take into account the late or not response of the providers. In addition, Eurostat applies seasonal adjustments to aggregated time series.