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For more information on this release:
E-mail: Trade@cso.ie Ciarán Counihan (+353) 1 498 4215 Damian Malone (+353) 1 498 4206
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

November 2019

Seasonally adjusted
€ million
 ExportsImportsSurplus
June 201911,4917,1284,363
July 201913,8727,4156,457
August 201912,0387,3884,650
September 201912,8237,0755,749
October 201914,3267,7976,529
November 201911,9426,4845,457

Seasonally adjusted goods exports fall in November

Figure 1 Goods Exports and Imports November 2019
go to full release

Seasonally adjusted goods exports decreased by €2,384 million (-17%) to €11,942 million in November 2019 compared with October 2019, according to preliminary figures.

Seasonally adjusted goods imports also decreased by €1,312 million (-17%) to €6,484 million leading to a decrease of €1,072 million (-16%) in the seasonally adjusted trade surplus to €5,457 million in November 2019 compared with the previous month (see Table 2).

Exports of Chemicals and pharmaceutical products fall in November

The (unadjusted)* value of goods exports for November 2019 was €12,685 million representing a decrease of €271 million (-2%) when compared with November 2018. The value of goods exports for the period January to November 2019 was €140,671 million, an increase of €11,899 million (+9%) when compared with the first eleven months of 2018.

Exports of Organic chemicals decreased by €131 million (-5%) to €2,254 million.

Exports of Medical and pharmaceutical products decreased by €76 million (-2%) to €3,983 million. This represents 31% of the value of total exports.

Exports of Electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances increased by €172 million (+29%) to €769 million in November 2019 compared with November 2018.

Exports of Office machines and automatic data processing machines increased by €107 million (+24%) to €549 million over the same comparative period. 

Imports decrease by over €2 billion in November

The (unadjusted) value of goods imports for November 2019 was €6,708 million representing a decrease of €2,161 million (-24%) when compared with November 2018. The value of goods imports for January to November 2019 was €79,142 million, which is a decrease of €3,898 million (-5%) compared with January to November 2018.

Imports of Other transport equipment, including aircraft decreased by €2,088 million (-75%) to €689 million in November 2019 compared with November 2018. 

Imports of Petroleum, petroleum products and related materials increased by €64 million (+17%) to €438 million.

Imports of Office machines and automatic data processing machines increased by €95 million (+22%) to €530 million.

The value of goods imports for November 2019 excluding SITC 79 (Other transport equipment, including aircraft) was €6,019 million, a decrease of €73 million (-1%) when compared with the corresponding November 2018 figure of €6,092 million.

Exports and imports with Great Britain decrease in November

Exports to Great Britain decreased by €195 million (-15%) to €1,085 million in November 2019 compared with November 2018. The main decreases were in the exports of Chemicals and related products, and Food and live animals.  Exports to Great Britain accounted for 9% of total exports.

The value of goods exports to Great Britain in the first eleven months of 2019 was €12,449 million, a decrease of €358 million (-3%) on the first eleven months of 2018.

Imports from Great Britain fell by €127 million (-7%) to €1,593 million in November 2019 compared with November 2018. The main decreases were in the imports of Chemicals and related products and Mineral fuels, lubricants and related products (see Table 5).  Imports from Great Britain were 24% of the value of total imports in November 2019.

The value of goods imports from Great Britain for the period January to November 2019 was €16,915 million, an increase of €153 million (+1%) on January to November 2018.

Geographic breakdown of goods exports and imports

The EU accounted for €5,853 million (46%) of total goods exports in November 2019 of which €1,464 went to Germany, €778 million was exported to the Netherlands and €689 million went to Belgium. Total EU exports in November decreased by €322 million (-5%) compared with November 2018.

The USA was the main non-EU destination accounting for €4,133 million (33%) of total exports in November 2019.

The EU accounted for €4,123 million (61%) of total goods imports in November 2019, which is a decrease of €531 million (-11%) compared with November 2018.

The USA with €1,020 million (15%) and China with €488 million (7%) were the main non-EU sources of imports.

*It should be noted that the detailed data described in Paragraph 3 onwards, and the data in Tables 1, 3, 4 and 5 are not seasonally adjusted.  Only the data described in the first two paragraphs and in Table 2 are seasonally adjusted.

NOTE on revised data

The CSO has revised the export and import data for Electric current (SITC 35) from October 2018. In October 2018, a new Integrated Single Electricity Market for the EU was introduced, which created difficulties for traders in electricity to collect the data required for Intrastat reporting. CSO has worked closely with Revenue (VIMA) and the companies involved to resolve this issue.

The resulting data revisions show a decrease in both exports and imports of Electric current. However, the trade balance for this product remains largely unaffected. The changes have mainly affected trade data with Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

The revised data are incorporated in the September 2019 Goods Exports and Imports release.

This map is © Ordnance Survey Ireland. All rights reserved. License number 01/05/001.
This map is © Ordnance Survey Ireland. All rights reserved. License number 01/05/001.
Table 1 Goods Exports and Imports summary analysis
PeriodValue1Volume index2Unit value index2 
ExportsImportsTrade surplusBase year 2010=100
€m€m€mExportsImportsExportsImportsTerms of trade3
2010 90,92448,69542,229 100.0  100.0  100.0  100.0  100.0
201193,19153,03540,155 106.1  110.4  96.6  98.7  97.9
2012 93,50756,17937,328 100.6  120.2  102.2  96.0  106.5
201389,18255,78733,394 101.1  123.5  97.0  92.8  104.6
201492,61662,15830,458 103.8  130.1  98.2  98.1  100.1
2015112,40770,11142,296 115.5  143.6  106.8  100.3  106.5
2016119,29274,23745,055 125.6  158.2  102.7  93.3  110.2
2017122,78582,95639,829 135.8  168.9  99.3  96.1  103.3
2018140,64591,95248,693 156.2  189.2  99.1  99.5  99.6
         
2017Quarter 132,17920,98511,194 137.0  160.2  103.3  98.4  104.9
 Quarter 231,07721,7459,331 134.2  182.1  101.9  95.6  106.7
 Quarter 328,98318,55010,433 129.1  152.0  98.1  94.9  103.4
 Quarter 430,54621,6768,871 141.0  176.8  93.8  95.4  98.2
2018Quarter 133,84320,08813,755 152.3  172.2  97.9  95.9  102.1
 Quarter 235,55621,88013,676 161.5  184.3  96.8  97.6  99.3
 Quarter 334,16323,21410,949 148.2  181.9  101.4  104.0  97.6
 Quarter 437,08326,77010,313 163.2  218.7  100.2  100.3  99.9
2019Quarter 137,57021,65815,912 165.6  189.6  99.9  93.8  106.5
 Quarter 238,57021,68916,881 173.2  193.0  98.2  93.8  104.7
 Quarter 337,57820,79016,787 169.8  182.9  97.4  93.4  104.4
         
2017January9,9077,1982,708 122.8  144.7  106.4  98.9  107.6
 February10,2356,5343,702 135.1  158.7  99.6  98.3  101.3
March12,0377,2534,784 153.0  177.2  103.9  98.1  105.8
April9,8636,8523,011 122.6  167.2  106.2  98.0  108.4
May10,5617,6202,941 139.3  193.4  100.0  94.7  105.7
June10,6537,2743,379 140.6  185.6  99.6  94.0  106.0
July9,1785,6863,492 117.4  140.2  103.2  95.1  108.5
August9,6176,3293,288 126.1  153.9  98.2  93.6  104.9
September10,1886,5343,654 143.8  161.8  93.0  96.1  96.8
October9,6457,0362,609 143.2  180.8  88.3  92.5  95.5
November10,8497,4243,425 151.6  187.0  95.0  96.0  98.9
December10,0537,2162,837 128.3  162.7  98.0  97.7  100.3
        
2018January12,1026,5385,565 159.6  168.8  100.1  95.4  104.9
 February10,4016,4233,978 138.1  163.8  99.4  96.7  102.8
 March11,3407,1284,212 159.1  183.9  94.1  95.5  98.5
 April10,9806,6034,377 155.4  160.9  93.4  101.1  92.4
 May11,8106,9244,886 160.1  182.1  97.4  93.7  103.9
 June12,7668,3524,413 168.9  209.9  99.7  98.1  101.7
 July11,0757,7183,357 144.6  179.8  101.1  105.8  95.6
 August11,5387,2464,293 152.9  176.4  99.6  100.9  98.7
 September11,5508,2503,300 147.1  189.4  103.6  105.2  98.4
 October12,2558,9903,265 164.1  216.5  98.6  100.8  97.8
 November12,9568,8694,087 173.5  219.8  98.9  99.6  99.3
 December11,8728,9112,961 152.1  219.9  103.2  100.6  102.5
      
20194January13,4847,5975,886 179.2  204.6  99.3  91.5  108.5
 February12,4126,4445,968 168.2  171.1  97.4  92.9  104.9
 March11,6747,6164,058 149.5  193.2  103.1  97.1  106.1
 April12,8177,2385,579 170.4  200.7  99.9  93.0  107.4
 May13,6927,1826,511 182.2  188.8  99.2  93.7  105.8
 June12,0617,2694,792 166.9  189.4  95.4  94.7  100.8
 July13,3707,2936,077 180.3  192.2  97.9  93.5  104.7
 August11,7286,4935,235 157.3  177.0  98.4  90.4  108.8
 September12,4807,0045,475 171.8  179.4  95.9  96.2  99.6
 October14,2698,2975,972 195.8  221.5  96.2  92.3  104.2
November12,6856,7085,977 173.8  182.4  96.3  90.6  106.2
1 Trade statistics revised since 2000, see background notes.
2 Monthly data have been rescaled to make their average equal to the annual.
3 Export unit value index divided by Import unit value index.
4 Revised. November 2019 is based on current Intrastat response levels. See background notes.
Table 2 Goods Exports and Imports seasonally adjusted1 series
PeriodValueVolume index
ExportsImportsTrade surplusBase year 2010=100
€m€m€mExportsImports
2017Quarter 132,98320,42812,555 137.6  154.3
 Quarter 230,27022,0488,222 131.1  186.1
 Quarter 329,33219,4989,835 131.4  162.1
 Quarter 430,54421,2149,329 142.2  170.7
2018Quarter 133,99020,31313,677 150.7  170.2
 Quarter 234,69821,77212,926 158.6  184.0
 Quarter 335,04124,51010,531 152.9  195.3
 Quarter 437,21225,49611,716 164.2  208.8
2019Quarter 137,50621,79315,713 165.4  190.9
 Quarter 237,60221,52316,079 168.2  190.7
 Quarter 338,73421,87816,856 176.5  193.8
      
2017January10,7777,0463,731 129.5  140.8
 February11,1627,0234,138 141.8  168.3
 March11,0446,3594,685 141.4  153.9
 April9,8607,4052,454 124.0  181.5
 May10,5597,4563,104 136.6  192.1
 June9,8527,1882,664 132.7  184.7
 July9,7296,0493,680 124.5  151.1
 August9,6906,6643,026 126.4  163.3
 September9,9146,7863,129 143.3  172.0
 October9,8396,7783,061 141.9  172.4
 November9,9626,9792,982 140.5  172.9
 December10,7437,4573,286 144.3  166.7
       
2018January12,5146,9335,581 162.2  172.9
 February11,0146,9934,021 143.5  175.7
 March10,4626,3874,075 146.4  162.0
 April11,1296,8864,244 161.2  170.4
 May11,7726,5705,201 157.2  176.3
 June11,7988,3163,481 157.3  205.3
 July11,9038,0063,897 157.3  188.8
 August11,4317,8353,596 152.1  195.3
 September11,7078,6693,038 149.3  201.9
 October12,2498,3793,870 157.7  199.2
 November12,0738,1343,939 163.4  203.8
 December12,8908,9833,907 171.5  223.4
       
2019January13,6077,5196,088 180.8  210.1
 February13,0087,0215,987 177.2  180.8
 March10,8917,2533,638 138.3  181.9
 April12,7547,3365,419 169.7  204.3
 May13,3577,0606,297 176.0  183.3
 June11,4917,1284,363 159.0  184.6
 July13,8727,4156,457 189.3  195.8
 August12,0387,3884,650 162.2  199.4
 September12,8237,0755,749 178.0  186.1
 October14,3267,7976,529 188.0  203.1
November11,9426,4845,457 161.7  178.7
1 Based on seasonal patterns up to December 2018. Accordingly all values in this table may have been revised.
Table 3 Goods Exports and Imports classified by commodity1
€million
SITC (Rev 4)ExportsImports
NovNovJan-NovJan-NovNovNovJan-NovJan-Nov
20182019201820192018201920182019
0Food and live animals1,03299810,20310,7737246657,1557,157
00Live animals other than animals of Division 0380813654234530196247
01Meat and meat preparations3413173,5713,4889087941925
02Dairy products and birds' eggs2302342,3942,8156572776794
03Fish, crustaceans, molluscs and preparations thereof55425295412724268274
04Cereals and cereal preparations41433994921281021,1751,196
05Vegetables and fruit26263002891121141,2311,230
06Sugars, sugar preparations and honey13151381393137337356
07Coffee, tea, cocoa, spices and manufactures thereof35343593846052565604
08Feeding stuff for animals (excluding unmilled cereals)312731333410880982838
09Miscellaneous edible products and preparations1791791,8351,8675965685693
1Beverages and tobacco1441701,3051,5458789830905
11Beverages 1441701,3041,5458681786852
12Tobacco and tobacco manufactures0010274553
2Crude materials, inedible, except fuels1561301,7791,5488478862931
21Hides, skins and furskins, raw9698660000
22Oil seeds and oleaginous fruits 12812222926
23Crude rubber (including synthetic and reclaimed) 0011111011
24Cork and wood14121581642217176198
25Pulp and waste paper545746344255
26Textile fibres and their wastes1211123121111215
27Crude fertilisers and minerals (excluding coal, petroleum and precious stones)12111371311615158168
28Metalliferous ores and metal scrap90761,0769002320231235
29Crude animal and vegetable materials nes1381211081617204223
3Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials28849678034965315,4005,028
32Coal, coke and briquettes910971026717058
33Petroleum, petroleum products and related materials11676796373744384,1073,994
34Gas, natural and manufactured1018910677978857
35Electric current871735599146119
4Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes5560613131251250
41Animal oils and fats444951111514
42Fixed vegetable fats and oils11991918208204
43Animal or vegetable fats and oils, processed; waxes002111122832
5Chemicals and related products7,6797,41179,34986,5631,3261,30218,80815,282
51Organic chemicals2,3852,25424,02127,5293952873,2173,958
52Inorganic chemicals10181692362428306299
53Dyeing, tanning and colouring materials11111281182021228231
54Medical and pharmaceutical products4,0603,98343,19146,56149160810,9096,622
55Essential oils; perfume materials; toilet and cleansing preparations7606827,2707,3301241251,2451,284
56Fertilisers (other than those of Division 27)0011103320430392
57Plastics in primary forms42364214198772929874
58Plastics in non-primary forms44494504846656633704
59Chemical materials and products nes3673773,6883,8758685910919
6Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material2092052,1842,1935235035,0395,498
61Leather; leather manufactures nes; dressed furskins333032221818
62Rubber manufactures nes8987992829305341
63Cork and wood manufactures (excluding furniture)28252902773329280314
64Paper, paperboard and articles thereof15161501698884844927
65Textile yarn, fabrics, made-up articles and related products13141481474746476505
66Non-metallic mineral manufactures nes45574474726159562613
67Iron and steel17151721759072779861
68Non-ferrous metals1191121295660547552
69Manufactures of metals nes68567486941191221,2301,367
7Machinery and transport equipment2,1412,08617,31921,1004,5322,47934,60633,643
71Power generating machinery and equipment771248118801001588891,315
72Machinery specialised for particular industries811017286891531181,7381,495
73Metalworking machinery2527271412134127
74General industrial machinery and equipment nes and parts nes1901901,7831,8961721531,6931,709
75Office machines and automatic data processing machines (including computers)4425493,9304,6244365304,1254,811
76Telecommunications and sound equipment154971,1911,2612031921,6801,910
77Electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances nes and parts5977694,8277,5823022742,5923,098
78Road vehicles (including air-cushion vehicles)29343113423763523,1813,193
79Other transport equipment (including aircraft)5702173,7113,7992,77668918,57615,985
8Miscellaneous manufactured articles1,4751,50414,55815,1408788858,0208,626
81Prefab buildings; plumbing and electrical fixtures and fittings14111411203129272291
82Furniture and parts thereof; bedding, cushions etc19231812024855497545
83Travel goods, handbags and similar containers3322351714137145
84Articles of apparel; clothing accessories29232102181961871,7881,847
85Footwear4435353837388428
87Professional, scientific and controlling apparatus nes5916435,8296,3011701691,6951,756
88Photographic apparatus; optical goods; watches and clocks1221091,2641,3074243382405
89Miscellaneous manufactured articles nes6946886,8766,9223363512,8623,210
9Commodities and transactions not classified elsewhere38324183473525420292
Unclassified estimates250576315981511211,6481,529
           
Total12,95612,685128,773140,6718,8696,70883,04079,142
1 Trade statistics revised since 2000. November 2019 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
NovNovJan-NovJan-NovNovNovJan-NovJan-Nov
20182019201820192018201920182019
Austria33503923852924301296
Belgium1,66068916,45214,5971341411,5431,508
Bulgaria93595150334436
Croatia344353211115
Cyprus23223800223
Czech Republic50435415269280674601
Denmark70676876264747472471
Estonia111918211820
Finland27262752551613141170
France4174594,9904,9831,10456610,1459,744
Germany8021,4649,53512,70162675410,0046,802
Great Britain1,2801,08512,80812,4491,7211,59316,76316,915
Greece2299453710566563
Hungary 31253043011130335187
Italy 3712693,4063,5591301361,4841,303
Latvia778070434441
Lithuania332932149103103
Luxembourg7614074346036
Malta331223612914
Netherlands6207787,0738,0742642842,7962,884
Northern Ireland1891921,8901,9961351361,3891,448
Poland1811201,0751,0887572621756
Portugal42364073851419187255
Romania27293113521088597
Slovakia687387765151
Slovenia51076106242635
Spain2182012,3452,1751221161,3541,254
Sweden781318459035453624631
EU country not specified29101193112715302677
Total EU6,1755,85364,60767,0404,6554,12349,67546,417
  of which United Kingdom1,4681,27614,69714,4451,8561,72918,15218,363
Euro-Zone34,2494,11445,89048,2852,4782,08628,35324,582
        
Australia7278791712121210196
Brazil18202822913119221209
Canada87831,2861,3434239487514
China46627594,8208,1095414884,9334,826
India29683014324460529592
Japan2483433,0622,7301141051,3531,088
Malaysia19161901895756390969
Mexico1541511,3331,4033532321338
Norway28253282206671929560
Russia45444895863933522370
Saudi Arabia4641509577101186
Singapore60636365283592435335
South Africa2449257399109108114
South Korea3546559493101120748849
Switzerland5544185,9735,14760516591,753
Taiwan30183073434331334468
Thailand19181371593736398394
Turkey44515346028160535608
USA3,8764,13336,77043,2782,1171,02015,29112,933
Other countries3774063,6654,2022162112,2532,629
Country unknown535411,9351,889522372,8013,074
Total Non-EU6,7816,83264,16673,6314,2142,58433,36532,725
         
Total12,95612,685128,773140,6718,8696,70883,04079,142
1 Trade statistics revised since 2000. November 2019 is based on current Intrastat response levels. See background notes.
2 Includes estimates for traders below the Intrastat threshold and transactions where the EU country was not specified.
3 Euro-zone members from January 2015: Austria, Belgium, Germany, Spain, Finland, France, Luxembourg, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, Malta, Cyprus, Slovakia, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
4 China includes Hong Kong and Macao.
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 SITCNovNovJan-NovJan-NovNovNovJan-NovJan-Nov
20182019201820192018201920182019
Great Britain1,2801,08512,80812,4491,7211,59316,76316,915
0Food and live animals4023513,7153,6592852782,8853,008
1Beverages and tobacco21201932052931280329
2Crude materials, inedible, except fuels34294033731616187200
3Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials19424493353002762,8092,411
4Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes111512444038
5Chemicals and related products3822463,7523,6512201872,4732,299
6Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material91759478991881811,8331,996
7Machinery and transport equipment1841941,8461,9163443313,1353,701
8Miscellaneous manufactured articles1211011,1531,1302442292,1162,126
9Commodities and transactions not classified elsewhere242733326991601,005807
Other EU24,8964,76951,79954,5912,9342,53032,91229,501
0Food and live animals3763654,0524,2812942852,9872,909
1Beverages and tobacco43483874464143407423
2Crude materials, inedible, except fuels89749738223129304335
3Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials882431477380825925
4Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes4442422323164161
5Chemicals and related products3,1132,74633,62136,1314934579,9495,512
6Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material86958888981831861,8031,944
7Machinery and transport equipment6157555,8965,8441,5461,15313,96414,652
8Miscellaneous manufactured articles5316375,2715,5761792081,7171,888
9Commodities and transactions not classified elsewhere32374264047066793753
USA3,8764,13336,77043,2782,1171,02015,29112,933
0Food and live animals31232973593416259226
1Beverages and tobacco6482545690221716
2Crude materials, inedible, except fuels323426554755
3Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials00104137411063741,038
4Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes-0000011
5Chemicals and related products2,8233,16326,93632,4573073253,1723,448
6Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material16171621673637382394
7Machinery and transport equipment3823003,2633,5761,5613999,7656,395
8Miscellaneous manufactured articles5525425,3765,8171211221,1501,246
9Commodities and transactions not classified elsewhere445149118125113
China36627594,8208,1095414884,9334,826
0Food and live animals7484698799554151
1Beverages and tobacco01380001
2Crude materials, inedible, except fuels535238433730
3Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials005110000
4Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes01140000
5Chemicals and related products168941,4411,4195431573361
6Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material2237224443449496
7Machinery and transport equipment3585351,9805,3102712622,3952,424
8Miscellaneous manufactured articles54395585081571391,3751,398
9Commodities and transactions not classified elsewhere0000656363
Rest of World2,2431,94022,57722,2441,5561,07613,14114,966
0Food and live animals1491761,4411,67510781983962
1Beverages and tobacco16191771971613126136
2Crude materials, inedible, except fuels25233172892825288310
3Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials13511918482701,392654
4Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes0022344650
5Chemicals and related products1,1931,16213,59812,9052523012,6423,663
6Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material15161502077356572668
7Machinery and transport equipment6013024,3344,4548103325,3476,471
8Miscellaneous manufactured articles2161852,2002,1081781861,6621,967
9Commodities and transactions not classified elsewhere2721239223878384
         
Total12,95612,685128,773140,6718,8696,70883,04079,142
1 Trade statistics revised since 2000. November 2019 is based on current Intrastat response levels. See background notes.
2 Includes estimates for traders below the Intrastat threshold and transactions where the EU country was not specified.
3 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 to the Trade in Goods statistics

Since May 2015, significant revisions were incorporated into International Trade in Goods statistics. While the most significant revision is due to recording trade in aircraft on a "transfer of economic ownership" basis, other revisions were incorporated into the Trade data back to 2000. 

Along with the aircraft revisions Goods Exports revisions also include upward revisions due to revaluing some products that had previously been recorded on a “transfer of economic ownership” basis, which was not in line with goods statistics methodology. Also Goods Imports revisions include downward revisions due to a change in the estimation methodology for non-response.

The technical note gives more detail on the revised trade in aircraft methodology and explains the impact the revisions will have on Trade in Goods, National Accounts and Balance of Payments.

Standard 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 (October 2019 in this publication), -4 (July 2019) and -8 (March 2019) are revised. Following the move to a "transfer of economic ownership" basis for recording exports and imports of aircraft, SITC 79 figures are subject to revision on the incorporation of transactions from quarterly Balance of Payments (BoP) surveys. Such revisions will generally be incorporated into Goods Exports and Imports releases that coincide with quarterly BoP publications, i.e. when initial results are published for January, April, July and October.

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 5,200 while around 2,200 must make a detailed export return. The response rate in terms of number of traders in November 2019 was 61%, covering an estimated 91% of the total value of intra-EU trade (these response rates will have increased by the next time data for November is published).

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.

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.

The unit value index series has been rebased to 2010 from 1990. In the course of this rebasing, a detailed examination of the series was undertaken. This exercise has produced a number of modifications enabling production of a more robust series.

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.

Methodology

There are methodological differences between the measurement of exports and imports in this release compared with Industrial Production, National Accounts and Balance of Payments statistics. This release records the movement of all goods over the frontier at the valuation placed on the goods at the time of crossing the frontier. Industrial Production, National Accounts and Balance of Payments statistics take account of additional aspects of cross-frontier activities such as goods sent abroad for processing where goods cross the frontier without change of ownership. The CSO releases for those statistics provide more information on their methodology.

Services Exports and Imports

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

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