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For more information on this release:
E-mail: Trade@cso.ie Norita Murphy +353 1 4984295 Damian Malone +353 1 4984206
For general information on CSO statistics:
information@cso.ie (+353) 21 453 5000 On-line ISSN 2009-5155
CSO statistical release, , 11am

Goods Exports and Imports

January 2014

Seasonally adjusted
€ million
 ExportsImportsSurplus
August 20137,6624,4903,172
September 20137,3184,1143,204
October 20137,3364,3402,996
November 20136,9714,4222,549
December 20137,6964,2853,410
January 20147,2174,1193,098

Seasonally adjusted surplus down 9% in January

Goods Exports and Imports Seasonally adjusted
go to full release

Preliminary figures for January 2014 indicate a decrease in seasonally adjusted exports of €479 million (-6%) to €7,217 million from December 2013. Seasonally adjusted imports decreased by €166 million (-4%) to €4,119 million resulting in a 9% decrease in the seasonally adjusted trade surplus to €3,098 million (see Table 2). 

Comparing January 2014 with January 2013, the value of exports increased by €302 million (+4%) to €7,031 million. The main drivers were increases of €223 million (+6%) in the exports of Chemicals and related products and €59 million (+9%) in the exports of Food and live animals.

On an overall basis the EU accounted for €3,806 million (54%) of total exports in January 2014. The USA was the main non-EU destination accounting for 23% (€1,635m) of total exports in January 2014.

Comparing January 2014 with January 2013, the value of imports rose by €86 million (+2%) to €4,528 million. Imports of Petroleum products and related materials  increased by €137 million (+42%) and Chemicals and related products increased by €62 million (+7%). The EU accounted for 64% of the value of imports in January 2014, with 33% coming from Great Britain. The USA (9%) and China (6%) were the main non-EU sources of imports.

 

 

Table 1 Goods Exports and Imports summary analysis
PeriodValueVolume index1Unit value index1 
ExportsImportsTrade surplusBase year 1990=100
€m€m€mExportsImportsExportsImportsTerms of trade2
1990 18,20415,8322,372100.0100.0100.0100.0100.0
1991 19,07016,3172,753105.6100.899.3102.397.0
1992 21,26016,7544,506121.1105.696.6100.296.4
1993 25,17918,9006,279133.4113.0103.9105.498.6
1994 28,89121,9456,946153.2127.9103.8108.196.0
1995 35,33026,1819,149184.0146.3105.7112.793.7
1996 38,60928,47910,130202.2160.9105.1111.494.3
1997 44,86832,86312,004232.4184.8106.3112.094.9
1998 57,32239,71517,607289.2218.3109.1114.695.2
1999 66,95644,32722,629336.5236.5109.5118.092.8
200083,88955,90927,980401.4275.2115.0128.089.9
2001 92,69057,38435,306422.0274.2120.9131.891.7
2002 93,67555,62838,047435.1276.6118.5126.793.5
2003 82,07647,86534,212418.4259.7108.0116.193.0
2004 84,41051,10533,304446.5283.6104.0113.591.7
2005 86,73257,46529,267456.7316.3104.5114.491.3
2006 86,77260,85725,915458.0325.2104.4117.788.7
2007 89,22663,48625,741481.8340.9101.9117.386.9
2008 86,39457,58528,810484.5300.598.0119.781.9
2009 85,80445,06140,742468.4249.298.9113.986.8
2010 89,70345,76443,940485.5241.3101.2119.284.9
2011 91,22848,30242,925507.9240.899.7126.478.8
2012 91,68849,15142,538479.1231.9105.8133.779.2
201386,88649,67237,214..........
         
2012January7,6784,4663,212483.9251.4104.7134.278.0
 February7,4023,9573,445470.5224.9103.9133.078.1
March8,6284,9873,640548.1286.5103.9131.778.9
April7,0733,7413,332449.8210.5103.8134.377.3
May7,6314,0663,564479.3231.8105.2132.579.4
June8,0653,9804,085492.8225.1107.8133.081.0
July7,8083,7994,009482.2212.9107.1134.579.7
August8,3763,8654,511508.3214.6108.8135.780.1
September7,4644,2043,260465.4242.5106.8134.979.2
October7,4704,3283,142471.4245.6106.0134.378.9
November8,3174,0424,275524.5224.0105.2133.678.8
December5,7783,7172,061372.3211.5106.8132.280.8
20133January6,7294,4422,287419.9251.3105.8133.679.2
 February6,6193,9132,706424.1222.4103.1133.077.5
March8,0864,1383,948505.8237.1105.6131.980.1
April7,4734,2393,234462.8239.0106.6134.079.6
May7,2183,9493,268452.1228.4105.4130.780.7
June7,3333,9783,355462.8225.7104.6133.278.6
July7,5933,9373,656482.5221.2103.9134.577.3
August6,9723,9852,987439.9230.9104.7130.480.3
September7,3544,0373,318467.0227.3104.0134.277.5
October7,2904,3822,907468.6249.1102.7133.077.3
November7,6674,3283,339490.4248.4103.2131.778.4
December6,5534,3442,209417.0247.2103.8132.878.2
2014January47,0314,5282,503..........
1 Monthly data have been rescaled to make their average equal to the annual   
2 Export unit value index divided by Import unit value index
3 Revised, see background notes
4 January 2014 is based on current Intrastat response levels, see background notes
.. Indices are not yet available
Table 2 Goods Exports and Imports seasonaly adjusted1 series  
PeriodValueVolume index
ExportsImportsTrade surplusBase year 1990=100
€m€m€mExportsImports
2011January7,2894,4952,795485.9263.6
 February8,0514,3223,729535.5251.8
March7,6263,8203,806520.7222.1
April7,5774,9192,658495.4289.2
May7,5683,7243,844503.9227.2
June7,8403,8334,007537.2228.2
July7,0233,8053,217470.7228.9
August7,7843,9863,798524.5240.5
September7,7993,8273,973531.2231.9
October7,4613,8613,601501.9233.9
November8,0953,8064,289541.9219.5
December7,1134,1292,984488.7239.5
2012January8,3024,5063,796516.1253.4
 February7,2863,7303,557462.3214.8
March7,7394,6233,116498.5260.9
April7,0293,5843,445443.4202.3
May7,5284,1193,409472.2229.7
June7,4714,0123,459459.5228.3
July7,8334,0033,829485.9225.1
August9,1884,2154,973561.3232.0
September7,2994,4792,820457.5261.2
October7,4924,2163,276465.4238.1
November8,0333,8514,182498.6216.0
December6,5393,8012,738430.2218.5
2013January6,7913,9782,813423.4236.5
 February6,9763,8983,078444.0222.9
March7,4143,8063,609459.7217.4
April7,3514,0623,288457.4230.4
May7,0864,0273,060446.0230.0
June7,1234,1692,953453.0235.1
July7,3264,1573,169469.6230.8
August7,6624,4903,172485.7254.9
September7,3184,1143,204466.1233.6
October7,3364,3402,996464.3240.5
November6,9714,4222,549443.8253.1
December7,6964,2853,410490.2245.2
2014January7,2174,1193,098....
1 Based on seasonal patterns up to December 2013. Accordingly all values in this table may have been revised
.. Indices are not yet available
Table 3 Goods Exports and Imports classified by commodity1€million
SITC (Rev 4)ExportsImports
JanuaryJanuaryJanuaryJanuary
2013201420132014
0Food and live animals638697485526
00Live animals other than animals of Division 0318221436
01Meat and meat preparations2342516667
02Dairy products and birds' eggs1061194865
03Fish, crustaceans, molluscs and preparations thereof45551517
04Cereals and cereal preparations23268185
05Vegetables and fruit20208189
06Sugars, sugar preparations and honey1493127
07Coffee, tea, cocoa, spices and manufactures thereof33343235
08Feeding stuff for animals (excl. unmilled cereals)21198671
09Miscellaneous edible products and preparations1241423235
1Beverages and tobacco89774645
11Beverages 82743939
12Tobacco and tobacco manufactures7375
2Crude materials, inedible, except fuels1451414949
21Hides, skins and furskins, raw121300
22Oil seeds and oleaginous fruits 0022
23Crude rubber (incl. synthetic and reclaimed) 0011
24Cork and wood1010610
25Pulp and waste paper5553
26Textile fibres and their wastes13911
27Crude fertilisers and minerals (excl. coal, petroleum and precious stones)131388
28Metalliferous ores and metal scrap83811611
29Crude animal and vegetable materials nes89911
3Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials5169493629
32Coal, coke and briquettes56308
33Petroleum, petroleum products and related materials4461327464
34Gas, natural and manufactured01136151
35Electric current1016
4Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes641916
41Animal oils and fats5311
42Fixed vegetable fats and oils111613
43Animal or vegetable fats and oils, processed; waxes0032
5Chemicals and related products3,9654,188924986
51Organic chemicals1,4631,685241294
52Inorganic chemicals15131620
53Dyeing, tanning and colouring materials20101615
54Medical and pharmaceutical products1,6171,638366374
55Essential oils; perfume materials; toilet and cleansing preparations5275278179
56Fertilisers (other than those of Division 27)004940
57Plastics in primary forms28257165
58Plastics in non-primary forms30323442
59Chemical materials and products nes2632595057
6Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material126159305334
61Leather; leather manufactures nes; dressed furskins1211
62Rubber manufactures nes552424
63Cork and wood manufactures (excl. furniture)19201215
64Paper, paperboard and articles thereof11156766
65Textile yarn, fabrics, made-up articles and related products11132831
66Non-metallic mineral manufactures nes19233033
67Iron and steel9104345
68Non-ferrous metals563448
69Manufactures of metals nes45646671
7Machinery and transport equipment7587371,4771,251
71Power generating machinery and equipment46507985
72Machinery specialised for particular industries363578241
73Metalworking machinery2365
74General industrial machinery and equipment nes and parts nes9410596107
75Office machines and automatic data processing machines288284272256
76Telecommunications and sound equipment624998105
77Electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances nes and parts189144165178
78Road vehicles (incl. air-cushion vehicles)1917194246
79Other transport equipment225048927
8Miscellaneous manufactured articles857889468512
81Prefab buildings; plumbing and electrical fixtures and fittings8111316
82Furniture and parts thereof; bedding, cushions etc8152329
83Travel goods, handbags and similar containers1198
84Articles of apparel; clothing accessories1614125120
85Footwear232524
87Professional, scientific and controlling apparatus nes27836091121
88Photographic apparatus; optical goods; watches and clocks90881719
89Miscellaneous manufactured articles nes454398165174
9Commodities and transactions not classified elsewhere57109297
Unclassified estimates239618384
       
Total6,7297,0314,4424,528
1 January 2014 is based on current Intrastat response levels, see background notes  
2 Estimates for which a commodity classification is not available
Table 4 Goods Exports and Imports classified by country1€million
     
CountryExportsImports
JanuaryJanuaryJanuaryJanuary
2013201420132014
Austria50391414
Belgium7298568485
Bulgaria4516
Croatia2-2-0
Cyprus2200
Czech Republic30463244
Denmark45493034
Estonia1222
Finland3429912
France332315184164
Germany508441410388
Great Britain9498971,2751,483
Greece252632
Hungary211488
Italy2242037368
Latvia4222
Lithuania2372
Luxembourg4443
Malta2221
Netherlands288298272226
Northern Ireland1091258185
Poland55753233
Portugal26221110
Romania323396
Slovakia55611
Slovenia2314
Spain1772496662
Sweden62513735
EU Country not specified32699118
Total EU3,7263,8062,7522,908
  of which Euro-Zone42,4102,4991,1391,054
     
Australia535976
Brazil2118159
Canada55462113
China188147227292
India18173234
Japan15119880243
Malaysia23151817
Mexico55572023
Norway37276486
Russia48462015
Saudi Arabia584100
Singapore45452961
South Africa191844
South Korea26263735
Switzerland21244684116
Taiwan7101517
Thailand8162733
Turkey41402439
USA1,6111,635757425
Other countries326314121128
Country unknown5248724
     
Total6,7297,0314,4424,528
1 January 2014 is based on current Intrastat response levels, see background notes
2 Croatia joined the EU on 1 July 2013   
3 Includes estimates for traders below the Intrastat threshold and transactions where the EU
  country was not specified     
4 Euro-zone members from January 2014: Austria, Belgium, Germany, Spain, Finland, France,
   Luxembourg, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, Malta, Cyprus, Slovakia,
   Estonia and Lativa    
5 Trade for which the country of origin or country of final destination is unknown 
Table 5 Goods Exports and Imports classified by commodity and principal countries1€million
  ExportsImports
 Country by Section level of SITCJanuaryJanuaryJanuaryJanuary
2013201420132014
Great Britain9498971,2751,483
0Food and live animals257259190217
1Beverages and tobacco17161615
2Crude materials, inedible, except fuels30321211
3Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials4058371549
4Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes3143
5Chemicals and related products345263145166
6Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material5163127126
7Machinery and transport equipment113104216200
8Miscellaneous manufactured articles7574149152
9Commodities and transactions not classified elsewhere19284543
Other EU2,32,7802,9061,4781,425
0Food and live animals232258212209
1Beverages and tobacco25232520
2Crude materials, inedible, except fuels73721518
3Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials10105715
4Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes221210
5Chemicals and related products1,7161,817371424
6Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material5459115125
7Machinery and transport equipment300307460364
8Miscellaneous manufactured articles34232094113
9Commodities and transactions not classified elsewhere2538118126
USA1,6111,635757425
0Food and live animals10102727
1Beverages and tobacco302501
2Crude materials, inedible, except fuels2233
3Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials0000
4Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes--00
5Chemicals and related products1,2241,184149132
6Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material9231927
7Machinery and transport equipment6285493168
8Miscellaneous manufactured articles2703036164
9Commodities and transactions not classified elsewhere4334
China4 188147227292
0Food and live animals262513
1Beverages and tobacco0000
2Crude materials, inedible, except fuels9923
3Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials0000
4Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes0000
5Chemicals and related products56581321
6Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material122330
7Machinery and transport equipment7633104141
8Miscellaneous manufactured articles19208190
9Commodities and transactions not classified elsewhere0033
Rest of World1,2021,445705903
0Food and live animals1141465570
1Beverages and tobacco171258
2Crude materials, inedible, except fuels30261713
3Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials006565
4Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes0033
5Chemicals and related products624865246243
6Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material11132125
7Machinery and transport equipment206209204378
8Miscellaneous manufactured articles1521728492
9Commodities and transactions not classified elsewhere49275
  
Total6,7297,0314,4424,528
1 January 2014 is based on current Intrastat response levels, see background notes
2 Croatia joined the EU on 1 July 2013
3 Includes estimates for traders below the Intrastat threshold and transactions where the EU country was not specified
4 China includes Hong Kong and Macao

Background Notes

 

Introduction

Goods Exports and Imports statistics provide data on the movement of goods between countries. The statistics are a combination of Customs-based non-EU trade statistics and data from the Intrastat Survey of Irish traders involved in trade with other EU member states. The collection of trade data is the responsibility of VIMA (a branch of Revenue). The CSO is responsible for processing and disseminating the data.

Revisions

Trade figures are subject to revision on the incorporation of late Intrastat and VAT returns and corrections made by traders. When the preliminary results for a month are published, the results for months -1 (December 2013 in this publication), -4 (September 2013) and -8 (May 2013) are revised.

Intrastat System

The Intrastat system has two components. Firstly, the Intrastat survey (conducted by the Revenue Commissioners), in which traders, above the Intrastat survey trade thresholds, make detailed monthly returns giving information on the quantity and value of all exports to or imports from EU countries.

The total number of traders required to make a detailed import return is around 6,700 while around 1,900 must make a detailed export return. The response rate in terms of number of traders in January 2014 was 61%, covering an estimated 88% of the total value of intra-EU trade (these response rates will have increased by the next time we publish data for January).

The second component of the Intrastat system is the regular VAT return, on which all traders are required to record the total value of goods imported from and exported to other EU countries. This information provides the basis for determining total EU trade for those traders below the Intrastat survey thresholds. It is also used to maintain the register of EU traders.

Extrastat System

The statistics of trade with non-EU countries are compiled from the documents supplied by importers and exporters to the Customs authorities. The document is the Single Administrative Document (SAD) used for Customs clearance purposes.

Estimation

The figures in this release include estimates for traders above the Intrastat thresholds who did not make detailed returns for the period and for traders below the thresholds who did not provide aggregate intra-EU trade figures on their VAT returns.

Estimates for Intrastat non-respondents are apportioned to individual commodities and countries whenever previous Intrastat returns are available. Estimates for traders below the Intrastat thresholds are assigned to partner country where possible, but not to commodity.

Imports incorporate an upward adjustment of 1.75% of total imports, which is included in ‘Unclassified estimates’. This special adjustment arises from the difficulty of comprehensively covering all EU imports through the Intrastat survey system. The unclassified category also includes certain miscellaneous adjustments.

More information is now being processed on lower value transactions. Prior to January 2012, transactions below €254 were grouped together, this value has now decreased to €127. Therefore, this has resulted in more detail being available at commodity level in Table 3 and at country level in Tables 4 and 5.

Unit Value Indices

The monthly unit value index measures monthly unit value trends relative to the annual levels in the preceding year using value weights relating to that year’s trade (Laspeyres index).

The annual index is compiled using value weights for both the current and previous year (Fisher index) to allow for change in the structure of trade in goods.

The monthly index series should be regarded as interim measures suitable for month-to-month comparisons within a given year. Previous monthly indices are revised when late returns are received.

When the annual unit value index is compiled, the monthly unit value indices are rescaled to make their average equal to the annual index.

Seasonally Adjusted Series

Monthly exports, imports, trade surplus and the volume series for exports and imports have been seasonally adjusted using the US Bureau of the Census X-11 Variant of the Census Method 11 Seasonal Adjustment Program. In the main, monthly projections are based on series recalculated at the end of the previous year.

Services Exports and Imports

The quarterly Balance of Payments (BOP) statistics provide detail on Services exports and imports.

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