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.
The data for this publication is taken from the same sources as the regular monthly Goods Exports and Imports releases.
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 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.
The statistics of trade with non-EU countries are compiled from the Customs declarations supplied by importers and exporters to the Customs authorities.
For more information on the Intrastat and Extrastat systems, see the Methods page for External Trade statistics on the CSO website.
The classifications for the individual products detailed in this publication are taken from the Standard International Trade Classification (SITC) list of codes. This is a UN list of commodities applied by most trading nations which classifies products at an aggregated level.
Please click for full list of SITC classifications.
While care has been taken to correctly include all goods in this publication to their relevant aggregated product name, there may, on occasion, be minor omissions or exclusions. This should not detract from the overall trends and data published.
The data in this publication from the chapter titled “Concentration of value of traders” analyses goods exports and imports data from the point of view of the activity and the size of the enterprises engaged in trade in goods. This differs from the traditional focus of trade statistics, which is on the products being traded. In other words, these chapters deal with who is trading rather than what is being traded.
The data in these chapters are based on Trade by Enterprise (TEC) data which the CSO supplies to Eurostat on an annual basis under EU Regulation 222/2009, which provides data on the size class and NACE activity sector of enterprises engaged in the export and import of goods in Ireland.
The results presented in these chapters include only enterprises whose value of exports or imports exceeds €1,000 in a calendar year. This cut-off point was chosen in order to provide a more accurate representation of the trade in goods of the most significant enterprises engaged in goods exports and imports.
NACE is the statistical classification of economic activities in the EU. The NACE sectors used to classify the enterprises in this publication are as follows.
| Sector | NACE Rev. 2 |
|---|---|
| Agri-food | 01-03 10-12 |
| Pharmaceuticals | 20, 21 |
| Other Manufacturing and Construction | 05-09, 13-19, 22-43 |
| Wholesale/Retail | 45-47 |
| Services/Other | 49-98 |
For further detail and breakdown, please see NACE activity codes.
The size classifications used to describe enterprise size in this publication are as follows:
| Micro | 0-9 employees |
| Small | 10-49 employees |
| Medium | 50-249 employees |
| Large | 250+ employees |
Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) referred to in the publication comprise enterprises in the micro, small and medium category.
Trade in goods data is collected by VIMA at VAT number level, and when matched with the Business Register, it is then aggregated to enterprise level. For this reason, there are fewer enterprises in these tables than VAT numbers registered.
The data in this publication matches the data sent by the CSO to Eurostat on a monthly basis, and so, it differs slightly from the sum of annual trade data in the CSO’s monthly trade statistical release.
The trade recorded here is on a ‘special trade’ basis, while the monthly trade statistical release is calculated on a ‘general trade’ basis. Under the ‘general trade’ system exports and imports are recorded at the time the goods are moved across the boundary of the State. In particular this means that goods imported into a custom bonded warehouse are recorded at the time of entry into the country. On a ‘special trade’ basis, goods are recorded as imported at the time of their release from the warehouse.
In addition, goods sent abroad and returned after repair and the parts used in the repair are not included in the data in this publication, as is required under Eurostat legislation. Goods sent and received for repair are included as part of the CSO’s monthly trade statistical release.
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