WRITTEN QUESTION E-0993/02

by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission

(15 April 2002)

Subject: Trade

1. Will the Commission provide a series of figures for each euro-area Member State showing exports and imports to and from other euro-area Member States as a proportion of GDP beginning in 1995 and continuing to 2001, compatible with the Eurostat series for intra-EU trade?

2. Will it additionally provide a similar series of exports and imports to and from euro-area Member States as a proportion of GDP for each of the three EU Member States which are not participating in the euro?

Joint answerto Written Questions E-0992/02, E-0993/02, E-0994/02 and E-1106/02given by Mr Solbes Mira on behalf of the Commission

(29 May 2002)

The Commission collects data on foreign exchanges from two main sources:

Foreign trade of goods

The collection system is based on two main pillars:

- Intrastat: collection bodies at national level (statistical offices, customs) collect information directly from enterprises with respect to imports/exports of goods inside the EU15 area.

- Extrastat: statistics are mainly collected by customs and cover the exchange of goods with non-EU15 area.

Both sources provide detailed information at product level and destination/origin countries. Compiled data are supplied to the Commission on a monthly basis. All Member States provide the data.

In the tables sent direct to the Honourable Member and to Parliament's Secretariat exports of goods by Member States to significant world regions (about three destinations by continent) and the respective shares to gross domestic products are provided for the period of 1990-2001. Also are sent direct to the Honourable Member and to Parliament's Secretariat tables for exports and imports of goods between Member States and the respective shares to gross domestic products are provided for the period of 1990-2001. Some missing information is due to countries not belonging to the Union at a certain period or to changes in the collection process/geographical modifications.

Balance of Payments

As stated in the Commission's reply to the Written Question E-1020/01 by the Honourable Member(1), all Member States nowadays provide Eurostat balance of payments data, including transactions (credit, debit and net) in goods and services, with a geographical breakdown of at least level-1 (World, EU15, Extra-EU15, Canada, United States, Japan, World non allocated, euro-zone, extra-euro-zone).

Moreover, countries are also asked to provide to Eurostat a more detailed geographical breakdown: Level 3 and Level 4(2). These data are, if necessary, harmonised by Eurostat and sent back to Member States who can give, or deny, permission to Eurostat to release the harmonised data by individual Member States.

The European Central Bank (ECB) is responsible for the compilation of the euro-zone Balance of Payments aggregates and it has been decided by the ECB and the Member States that the contribution of Member States for the compilation of the euro-zone Balance of Payments aggregates (intra-eurozone and extra-eurozone) should not be published. As ECB is solely responsible for these figures, they can only be requested from the ECB.

Therefore, Eurostat can only provide data by Member States for transactions in Balance of Payments of goods and services with the geographical level 1 (except for euro-zone and extra-euro-zone for the reason mentioned above) and some of the geographical zones included in level three for the longest available period, 1992-2000. An excel file for exports and imports of goods and services as well as their shares of gross domestic products is sent direct to the Honourable Member and to Parliament's Secretariat.

(1) OJ C 340 E, 4.12.2001.

(2) The list of countries that make up Level 3 and Level 4 can be consulted in the Eurostat Balance of Payments Vade Mecum, available upon request.