Statistical definitions of International Trade in Goods (Change of Ownership)
I. Basic definition (Coverage – sector, area)
International trade in goods (change of ownership) (ITiG) reflects export and import performance of the Czech economy, i.e. the external trade balance of the Czech Republic as well. It measures real trade in goods carried out between the Czech and foreign entities, i.e. a change of ownership between residents and non-residents.
II. Data source
1. Statistical surveys
The data for non-residents are adjusted when translating from data on the cross-border movements of goods (CBmG) to the International trade in goods (change of ownership) (ITiG). Values of exports and imports of goods reported by Czech entities remain unchanged and they are thus identical in both statistics. The source of data on intra-Union exports and intra-Union imports of goods according to the cross border movements of goods are Intrastat declarations whose collection and first checks are carried out by the Customs Administration of the Czech Republic.
2. Administrative data sources, collected data
The system of statistics on cross border movements of goods with non-EU states called Extrastat is based on collecting data from customs declarations (Single Administrative Documents - SADs). The collection and check are carried out by the Customs Administration of the Czech Republic.
Data from statistics on cross-border movements of goods pertaining to exports and imports declared by Czech‑residents (through Intrastat and Extrastat forms).
Data from VAT tax returns – this data is used to determine the value of goods purchased and sold by non‑resident entities in the territory of the Czech Republic.
The summary reports of VIES contain data of taxpayers with fulfilment and are used to check the Intrastat data.
III. Delineation of statistical population and sample, grossing up and estimation of the non-treated part of the population (if relevant)
The duty to report data in Intrastat include individual trade transactions carried out by persons registered as VAT payers and above the threshold of CZK 12 million a year both for intra-Union exports and intra-Union imports. From 1 January 2022, reporting units may submit the Simplified Report if they exceed the threshold of CZK 12 million and at the same time do not exceed the value of CZK 20 million and do not trade in goods listed in the Communication of the CZSO No 497/2021 Coll., on the list of goods not intended for simplified reporting.
The duty to report data in Extrastat is based on EU rules (legislation in force) for trade with third countries, which is subject to customs procedures. For the declaration of such trade, written customs declarations (Single Administrative Documents – SADs) are used, which are completed by exporters (importers) or declarants.
The duty to provide value added tax returns is in accordance with the current (valid) wording of Act 235/2004 Coll., the Value Added Tax Act.
Data processing also includes mathematical and statistical imputation, which compensates for a loss of information due to non-response and statistical thresholds. If the respondent unit does not report in the relevant data flow (exports or imports of goods) for a certain period, the calculation is made using the median of the adjusted monthly values for the last 7 months prior to the current month. For units below the threshold, VAT data is used for the calculation. Data for the current month, when VAT is not available yet, is calculated by averaging the VAT values for the last 5 months. This procedure also applies to the calculation of the balance of non-residents, which is also calculated from VAT.
For the purpose of publishing more accurate data on imports of natural gas into the Czech Republic and using the possibility of requiring data from other sources according to the Annex V., section 26, paragraph 4 Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 1197/2020 of 30 July 2020 laying down technical specifications and arrangements pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 of the European Parliament and of the Council on European business statistics repealing 10 legal acts in the field of business statistics, the Czech Statistical Office uses the data from the Department of Industry, constructions and energetics which are obtained directly from the gas grid operator of the Czech gas system from 9 March 2017 (i. e. from the publishing the data on external trade statistics for the whole year 2016).
IV. Overview of main published indicators
International trade in goods (change of ownership): Imports, Exports, Turnover, Balance
From the statistics of international trade in goods (change of ownership) perspective, the values of exported goods declared at the border crossing directly by residents and taken from Intrastat and Extrastat data and the values of goods purchased by foreign entities on the territory of the Czech Republic and taken from VAT tax returns submitted by non-residents in the Czech Republic are considered exports.
The values of imported goods declared at the border crossing directly by residents and taken from Intrastat and Extrastat data and the values of goods sold by foreign entities on the territory of the Czech Republic and taken from VAT tax returns submitted by non-residents in the Czech Republic are considered imports.
The turnover of international trade in goods (based on the change of ownership) is the sum of exports from the Czech Republic and imports to the Czech Republic.
The balance of international trade in goods (based on the change of ownership) is the difference between exports from the Czech Republic and imports to the Czech Republic.
V. Data revision policy - corrections, revisions, refinement procedure of estimations
When data for the reference month is published, six previous months are updated. All months with preliminary data are updated when data for January, March and July is published. Final data shall be published always in September of the following year. See also Revision policy.
VI. Comparability
1. Comparability over time
The international trade in goods data are published on a monthly basis, at current prices. This valuation is a limiting factor for comparability over time as it does not sufficiently take into account different price levels and their changes over time. The current prices data are mainly used to assess the structure of the statistical domain in a given year. Conversion to the previous year's prices is used to remove price influences on the relevant indicator. Conversion to the previous year's prices is used to remove price influences on the relevant indicator. The previous year's prices allow comparisons of economic variables over a long period of time.
2. Comparability with other outputs
Data on international trade in goods (change of ownership) are the basic source data for the compilation of GDP according to the expenditure method as well as the current account of the balance of payments. In addition to the data from the statistics on international trade in goods (change of ownership), other items such as individual imports below thresholds, the illegal economy, etc. are included in the above-mentioned macroeconomic statistics.
The valuation of goods is also different, when in international trade in goods imports are expressed in prices at the border of the importing country (CIF), while national accounts and the balance of payments work with the value of imports at the border of the exporting country (FOB). The difference between the two valuations of the goods is in the cost of transport and insurance of the goods. In addition, since September 2014, international trade in goods (change of ownership) statistics has been included in the national accounts and balance of payments without including processing trade, while processing trade is still included in the monthly data published by the statistics of international trade in goods (change of ownership).
In the translation from the cross-border movements of goods data to the international trade in goods (change of ownership), only the data for non-residents are adjusted. The values of exports and imports of goods reported by Czech entities are remain unchanged and are thus identical in both statistics.
3. International comparability
A user who would like to find internationally comparable data on international trade in terms of change of ownership in the Eurostat database has to search for imports and exports of goods and services in the section on national accounts, under GDP and main aggregates. This data is also published under the same terms by the Czech Statistical Office (CZSO), specifically in the National Accounts.
The CZSO also presents data for “cross border movements of goods”. It may seem that the data presented by Eurostat are comparable to the cross-border data published by the CZSO, some differences can be identified here as well. The differences are due to the fact that while the information provided by Eurostat is largely harmonized, Member States may publish data based on other (national) concepts and definitions. For example, when tracking transactions in a structure according to individual countries, the CZSO publishes imported goods in the CBmG and in the ITiG according to their country of origin (this is referred to as the “national concept”). On the other hand, Eurostat reports “imports” on the basis of the partner country, i.e. the country of dispatch, which is known as the “community concept”. This is the most significant example of various differences which arise. More detailed information on this issue can be found on the CZSO website under this link: Differences between data published by the Czech Statistical Office and Eurostat - Cross border movements of goods
VII. Seasonal Adjustment (if relevant)
The International trade in goods (change of ownership) statistics publish seasonally adjusted data, however, not in the entire scope, but only the basic indicators. Restrictions apply to commodity and territorial breakdowns. The seasonal adjustment of the balance and turnover of international trade is carried out by the 'indirect method'. The seasonally adjusted balance of international trade in goods is the difference between adjusted exports and adjusted imports of goods; adjusted turnover is the sum of these components. The seasonal adjustment takes into account trend, cycle, seasonal, calendar and irregular components.
VIII. Dissemination (description of the publication system, references to Eurostat outputs or national outputs may be provided)
The figures for the International trade in goods (change of ownership) are published on a monthly basis according to the schedule of publications - International trade in goods (change of ownership) released in the CZSO Catalogue of Products. All products issued by the CZSO are published on dates determined in advance, usually at 9 a.m. The international trade in goods (change of ownership) statistics present data in the following formats:
Latest figures in News Releases
Selected tables from the Public Database
IX. Additional methodological information and external references
Audit results: Statistics of external trade in goods
Methodology of the International trade in goods (change of ownership)
The schedule of publications - International trade in goods (change of ownership)
How to use some international trade statistics terms correctly
Cross border movements of goods
Contacts - International Trade Statistics Department
