Report from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council on the implementation of the Edicom programme (1997-1999)
Date: 2003-02-25
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU statistics, action programme, administrative cooperation, consumer goods, information network, report, telematics, trans-European network, transmission network

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES

Brussels, 25.2.2003
COM(2003) 88 final

REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND
THE COUNCIL

on the implementation of the EDICOM programme
(1997-1999)

   
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Summary .................................................................................................................................... 4

1.

2.

3.

3.1.

3.2.

3.3.

3.4.

3.5.

4.

4.1.

4.2.

4.3.

INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................... 5

GENERAL OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME................................................. 6

IMPLEMENTATION OF PROGRAMME ................................................................. 7

Operational context ...................................................................................................... 7

Definitions of centralised and decentralised measures ................................................ 7

Management system..................................................................................................... 8

Performance indicators................................................................................................. 9

Monitoring of programme.......................................................................................... 12

RESULTS OF MEASURES...................................................................................... 13

Measures related to automation and telematic tools for information providers......... 13

Measures related to automation and telematic tools for administrations................... 13

Measures related to standards and formats of exchange............................................ 14

4.3.1. Development of messages.......................................................................................... 14

4.3.2. Computerisation of the management and dissemination of the Combined

Nomenclature and related products............................................................................ 14

4.3.3.

Study of the facilitation of the classification of goods by using the trade names of
products ...................................................................................................................... 15

4.4.

Measures related to methods...................................................................................... 15

4.4.1. Continuation of work of harmonising statistical methods following international

recommendations ....................................................................................................... 15

4.4.2. Analysis of simplifications that can be made to the Intrastat system as part of the

SLIM initiative........................................................................................................... 16

4.4.3.

Improving statistical methods for processing fiscal data as part of the Intrastat system17

4.4.4.

Improving the information system for statistics on trade in goods............................ 18

4.4.5.

Improving statistical processing of basic data ........................................................... 18

4.4.6. Consolidation and expansion of range of statistics on external trade ........................ 19

4.5.

Measures related to the organisation and management of the programme................ 21

5.

GENERAL REVIEW AND CONCLUSIONS.......................................................... 22

ANNEX I USE OF BUDGET 1997-1999 ............................................................................... 25

ANNEX II USE OF ELECTRONIC MEDIA.......................................................................... 34

2

Summary

The introduction of the internal market in 1993 completely changed the statistical system for
monitoring  trade  in  goods  between  Member  States  of  the  European  Union,  by  abolishing
customs  declarations  and  replacing  them  with  a  system  based  on  collecting  statistical
information directly from businesses (Intrastat1).

In order to support this significant change, the Council adopted in 1994 a Decision (Edicom)
aiming to implement an interoperable system, at European level for the collection, production
and dissemination of these statistics. The actions implemented, which came within the scope
of the priorities for the guidelines on trans-European telecommunications networks, aimed to
modernise the statistical system and promote the production of quality  harmonised statistics
whilst limiting the burden on businesses. The Council Decision, adopted in 1994 for a period
of five years2, has now expired.

The purpose of this report is to provide information on the results of the actions undertaken in
1997-1999 in connection with the 1996 Edicom Decision3, in accordance with Article 9 of the
Decision.

The main results at the completion of the programme were as follows:

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

1

2

3

the programme helped considerably in introducing the Intrastat system under suitable
conditions;

in particular, it allowed the design, development and promotion of electronic Intrastat
declaration forms distributed to more than 50 000 firms required to provide statistical
information;

the 

infrastructure 

it  allowed 
transmitting  and
disseminating statistical information to  be  modernised in the Member States  and  at
Eurostat, with a notable positive impact on information quality, dissemination times
and  arrangements  for  access  to  statistics,  especially  the  development  of  the
Comext data base, which is now a reference tool at Eurostat;

for  collecting,  processing, 

it was involved in the work of standardising messages and promoting electronic data
exchange  resulting  in  a  considerable  improvements  to  data  bases,  their  speedy
availability and reduced costs of statistical production;

it allowed the computerisation of the management and dissemination of information
related to the nomenclature, as well as the availability of such information to internal
and external users;

it was involved in improving and harmonising statistical methods, thus contributing
to better data quality;

Since 1993 Intrastat has referred to the system for collecting statistics on the trading of goods between
Member  States.  Its  main  feature  is  therefore  the  direct  collection  of  information  from  businesses,
whereas  the  "Extrastat"  system  for  trade  between  the  EU  and  non-member  countries  uses  the
information on customs declarations for statistical purposes.
This Decision was annulled following a challenge to its legal basis and was replaced by a new Decision
for the period 1997-1999.
Council  Decision  96/715/EC  of  9  December  1996  on  inter-  administration  telematic  networks  for
statistics relating to the trading of goods between Member States (OJ L 327, 18.12.1996).

3

                                                
– 

it was involved, as part of the SLIM initiative, in adapting Intrastat rules to the needs
of the internal market by ensuring a better balance between user requirements and the
burden placed on information providers.

On the basis of these results, the Commission (Eurostat) in 1999 proposed guidelines on the
future of statistics on trade in goods in a strategic document which was the outcome of broad
consultation  with  national  administrations  and  professional  circles.  These  guidelines
recommended that statistical methods be adapted and that modernisation efforts be continued
with  a  view  to  easing  further  the  burden  on  firms,  while  boosting  the  effectiveness  of  the
statistical system.

In this context, a Decision of the European Parliament and of  the  Council4 outlining a five-
year work programme was adopted in 2001. The two main objectives of the programme were:

– 

– 

to encourage the organisation of the statistical network in the most modern, rational
and  effective  manner  possible  and  to  adopt  measures  necessary  for  improving  and
harmonising the methods used, in order to produce statistics which are more reliable
and  less  expensive  for  the  information  providers  and  administrations,  become
available more quickly and better satisfy the expectations of users;

to  develop  existing  computer  tools  for  the  collection,  production,  transmission  and
dissemination of statistical data, taking into account the latest technological advances
and seeking to optimise cost-effectiveness.

The work has begun. In cooperation with the Member States the Commission will regularly
review  the  actions  financed  under  the  Decision,  in  order  to  ascertain  whether  the  stated
objectives  have  been  attained  and  to  provide  guidelines  for  improving  the  effectiveness  of
future actions.

4

Decision No 507/2001/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 March 2001 concerning
a set of actions relating to the trans-European network for the collection, production and dissemination
of  statistics  on  the  trading  of  goods  within  the  Community  and  between  the  Community  and  non-
member countries (OJ L 76 of 16.03.2001, p. 1).

4

                                                
1.

INTRODUCTION

The creation of the single market on 1 January 1993 brought with it the abolition of customs
formalities and the introduction of Intrastat, a system designed to ensure an adequate level of
information  on  trade  in  goods  between  Member  States.  The  Intrastat  rules  provided  for  the
direct collection of information from firms (which had to send the relevant statistical service a
monthly summary declaration containing information for the previous month) and laid down
the  conditions  for  optimal  use  of  computerised  processing  and  electronic  transmission  of
information.  In  order  to  ease  the  administrative  burden  both  for  firms  and  for  the  national
administrations in charge of collecting the basic data.

An initial Edicom Decision5 had been prepared in connection with this and dealt with inter-
administration  telematic  networks  for  statistics  relating  to  the  trading  of  goods  between
Member States. A Court of Justice ruling of 28 March 1996 annulled this Decision because of
a legal problem but approved the actions that had been undertaken hitherto. On 9 December
1996 the Council adopted for a period of three years a new Decision on inter-administration
telematic  networks  for  statistics  relating  to  the  trading  of  goods  between  Member  States
(Edicom).

According  to  Article  9  of  the  Decision,  "the  Commission  shall  submit  to  the  European
Parliament and the Council,  on the conclusion  of EDICOM, a report on its implementation
together, where appropriate, with proposals for further measures".

The purpose  of  this  report  is  thus  to  present  the  results  of  the  actions  undertaken  under  the
Edicom programme. Although the programme covered the period 1997-1999, the final results
of some actions begun during the third year of the programme were not available until 2001,
which explains the delay in producing this report.

Also, aware of the need to adapt statistical methods and to continue actions to modernise the
statistical system, the Commission produced at the end of 1999, without waiting for the final
results,  a  strategic  document  outlining  guidelines  for  the  future  of  statistics  relating  to  the
trading of goods. On this basis, the European Parliament and the Council adopted in 2001 a
Decision  defining  a  five-year  work  programme  covering  a  wider  sphere  of  action  than  the
1996 Edicom Decision. This work programme had been drawn up in close cooperation with
the Member States and had been the subject of a detailed ex-ante evaluation.

5

Council  Decision  94/445/EC  of  11  July  1994  on  inter-administration  telematic  networks  for  statistics
relating to the trading of goods between Member States (OJ L 183 of 19.7.1994).

5

                                                
2.

GENERAL OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME

The basic EDICOM Decision set out the guidelines for the implementation of the programme.

The general objective was "the implementation of a set of measures facilitating the conversion
of  regional,  national  and  Community  systems  towards  interoperable  systems  at  European
level, as a first stage, for the collection of returns on the trading of goods between Member
States  from  businesses,  the  validation  and  pre-processing  of  such  returns  and  the
dissemination of the statistics derived therefrom.

These systems should be based in particular on the use of electronic data interchange for the
transmission of statistical returns. Computerised procedures could be made available to the
competent national  and  Community  authorities  and  to  the  parties  responsible  for  providing
statistical information by agreement with the competent national authorities."

The basic Decision was subsequently supplemented by the following Commission Decisions:

– 

– 

– 

– 

Commission  Decision  of  18  March  1999  concerning  the  approval  of  29  proposed
measures  which  qualify  in  the  1999  budget  for  Community  financing  pursuant  to
Council Decision 96/175/EC  of  9 December  1996 on inter-administration telematic
networks for statistics relating to the trading of goods between Member States;

Commission  Decision  of  31  March  1998  concerning  the  approval  of  28  proposed
measures  which  qualify  in  the  1999  budget  for  Community  financing  pursuant  to
Council Decision 96/175/EC;

Commission  Decision  of  24  April  1997  concerning  the  approval  of  29  proposed
measures  which  qualify  in  the  1999  budget  for  Community  financing  pursuant  to
Council Decision 96/175/EC;

Commission  Decision  of  20  May  1999  concerning  the  approval  of  23  proposed
measures  which  qualify  in  the  1999  budget  for  Community  financing  pursuant  to
Council Decision 96/175/EC.

The idea behind the programme was that the Intrastat system required statistical data on trade
in goods to be collected directly  from firms, by using methods and techniques  ensuring that
the data were exhaustive, reliable and up-to-date, without giving rise to the parties concerned,
especially  small  and  medium-sized  businesses,  to  a  burden  out  of  proportion  to  the  results
which users of the said statistics could reasonably expect.

To achieve this aim, the Edicom Decision proposed a programme designed to modernise in a
coherent  and  harmonised  manner  the  system  of  collecting,  processing  and  disseminating
statistics on trade in goods between Member States. Modern tools were to be developed and
promoted  to  benefit  the  various  levels  -  regional,  national  and  Community  -  of  the  system.
This measure, at the core of the programme, was to be based on common standards, methods
and procedures.

6

3.

IMPLEMENTATION OF PROGRAMME

3.1.

Operational context

The  primary  objective  of  Edicom  was  to  develop  a  telematic  network  linking  the  firms
required  to  provide  information,  the  relevant  regional  and  national  administrations  and
Eurostat, with a view to compiling statistics on trade in goods between Member States. The
context in which the programme operates is shown by the following diagram:

INTRASTAT

EUROSTAT

     Firms

Transmission of data
Dissemination
Diagram showing INTRASTAT system

Relevant national
administrations

3.2.

Definitions of centralised and decentralised measures

The  programme  was  subdivided  into  centralised  measures  run  by  the  Commission  and
decentralised  measures  to  be  implemented  by  the  Member  States  in  charge  of  collecting,
processing and transmitting data to Eurostat.

The measures to be undertaken were classified in five groups:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Automation  and  telematic  tools  for  those  responsible  for  providing  information  -
design,  development  and  promotion  of  software  for  the  collection,  validation  and
transmission of statistical information and assistance to the Member States.

Automation  and  telematic  tools  for  the  administrations  -  design,  development  and
promotion of software for the acceptance, validation and processing of data, as well
as assistance in this area.

Standards  -  design,  development  and  promotion  of  formats  for  the  exchange  of
information, and making them available.

Methods - design, documentation and promotion of methods.

Organisation/Administration/Management.

7

The  centralised  measures  were  the  subject  of  invitations  to  tender  and  the  decentralised
measures involved regulated grants to the Member States to carry out actions compatible with
the  objectives  of  the  Decision  or  aimed  at  implementing  tools  or  methods  developed  in
connection with the centralised measures.

The  annual  budget  allocated  to  each  measure  is  shown  in  Annex  1.  For  the  whole  period
1997-1999, centralised measures accounted for 43% and decentralised measures for 57%.

The  guidelines  for  the  implementation  of  the  measures  were  as  follows  (Article  4  of  the
Decision):

1.

2.

3.

to  facilitate  the  introduction  and  use  of  these  systems,  by  means  of  promotion  and
awareness  campaigns  aimed  mainly  at  businesses  and  users,  conducted  by  the
competent Community bodies by agreement with national and regional bodies;

to undertake special measures for the benefit of less-developed regional and national
bodies to enable them to take part in these systems;

to promote the use of the most appropriate telematic technologies and tools to meet
the needs of the statistical system, and their incorporation into the various computer
environments of the authorities concerned.

The similarity of the objectives of the Edicom programme with those of the IDA (interchange
of  data  between  administrations)  programme  must  be  emphasised.  The  aim  of  the  Edicom
Decision was to supplement the measures undertaken in this broader context by "operational
measures, particularly in the statistical sphere".

3.3.

Management system

Article 5 of the Edicom Decision refers to the following management system:

"The Commission shall be responsible for the implementation of Edicom. It shall be assisted
by:

(a)

(b)

the  Committee  on  the  Statistical  Programme  of  the  European  Communities,
established  by  Decision  89/382/EEC,  Euratom,  in  drawing  up,  quantifying  and
approving the annual work programme, in accordance with the procedure laid down
in Article 6;

the Committee on statistics relating to the trading of goods between Member States,
set up by Regulation (EEC) No 3330/91:

– 

– 

for  the  approval  of  calls  for  tenders  and  the  evaluation  of  projects  and
measures of a total value of more than ECU 200 000, in accordance with the
procedure laid down in Article 6,

for measures to implement Edicom other than those referred to in point (a) and
the  first  indent  of  this  point,  in  accordance  with  the  procedure  laid  down  in
Article 7.

Eurostat Unit C4 (Methodology, nomenclature and statistics of external and intra-community
trade)  and  Unit  A2  (Information  and  communication  technologies  for  the  community
statistical system) are the units which were in charge of the Edicom programme for the period
1997-1999.  A  Task  Force  comprising  representatives  of  Eurostat  and  the  Member  States

8

cooperated  actively  in  preparing  and  coordinating  work  programmes  and  actions  to  be
presented to the Statistical Programme Committee and to the Committee on Statistics relating
to the Trading of Goods.

3.4.

Performance indicators

The  most  significant  positive  results  achieved  under  the  programme  can  be  evaluated
primarily on the basis of the following indicators:

a)

Change in use of electronic media for the transmission of Intrastat declarations

The development of electronic media and standardised messages for the transmission
of Intrastat declarations was the main objective of the programme. The key elements
allowing  the  changing  situation  to  be  assessed  are  shown  below.  More  detailed
information for the European Union and each Member State can be found in Annex
2.

– 

– 

– 

– 

on  average,  for  all  the  Member  States  the  number  of  lines  transmitted  by
printed form went down by 18% between 1997 and 1999;

the  number  of  lines  transmitted  by  diskette  and  electronic  media  increased
during the same period by 15%;

the  number  of  lines  transmitted  by  EDIFACT  in  the  Cusdec/Instat  format
(recommended by Eurostat) went up by 43%;

use  of  IDEP/CN8  (electronic  form  for  Intrastat  declarations)  has  increased  in
recent years:

Year

Number of Member States

Number of firms

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

7

8

11

11

12

12

3 000

7 000

14 500

25 000

30 000

36 000

b)

Change in time taken by Member States to transmit statistics to Eurostat

The  improvement  in  the  time  taken  by  Member  States  to  transmit  statistical
declarations  to  Eurostat  is  a  result  of  modernising  the  system,  for  information
providers  and  users  of  electronic  media  for  compiling  declarations  as  well  as  for
national administrations. The result is greater compliance with Community rules and
better response to user needs.

9

– 

Transmission of detailed extra-Community data

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

Indicator 1*

Indicator 2*

34

1

14

2

11

1

8

4

2

5

-2

11

– 

Transmission of detailed intra-Community data

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

Indicator 1*

Indicator 2*

15

2

9

4

3

5

-3

8

-5

10

-8

13

Indicator 1: average time (in days) for detailed EU statistics to be available (mean of annual
average times of the 15 Member States)

Indicator 2: number of Member States complying with regulations laying down transmission
times

Note: a "-" sign indicates dispatch a data ahead of required times

c)

Change in use of Comext data base

The Comext data base allows the processing and storage of all the data for statistics
on  trade  in  goods.  This  data  base  has  been  modernised  and  its  content  continually
improved.  It  has  become  a  reference  tool  at  Eurostat,  and  its  use  has  increased
considerably.

– 

Number of on-line users of Comext

Commission

Other institutions and administrations

1997

1998

1999

546

659

759

20

50

70

10

– 

Number of on-line uses of Comext

Registrations (mio)

Number of times system
accessed

1997

1998

1999

3092

5600

10309

22478

85000

92500

– 

Access  to  Comext  (number)  -  monthly  data  -  moving  average  over  12
months

9000

8000

7000

6000

5000

4000

3000

2000

1000

0

11

– 

Registrations Comext extracts (mio) - monthly data - moving average over
12 months

900

800

700

600

500

400

300

200

100

0

3.5.

Monitoring of programme

The  Council  Decision  laid  down  that  during  the  implementation  of  the  Edicom  programme
the Commission had to report:

– 

– 

– 

regularly to the IDA Committee;

annually  to  the  Committee  on  Statistics  relating  to  Trading  in  Goods  between
Member States;

at  the  conclusion  of  the  programme,  to  the  European  Parliament  and  the  Council
with, where appropriate, proposals for further measures.

This report is intended to provide a summary of the results achieved  in  connection with  the
Decision and on the new measures which have been proposed since 1999.

12

4.

RESULTS OF MEASURES

4.1.

Measures related to automation and telematic tools for information providers

The computer tools developed for compiling Intrastat declarations and the standardisation of
formats  and  messages  are  among  the  major  results  of  the  programme.  Several  tools  are
involved:  IDEP/CN8  developed  by  Eurostat,  IRIS  developed  by  the  Netherlands  statistical
office (CBS), IDES (Intra-trade Data Entry Software) and W3stat (on-line declaration form)
developed by Germany and the Intrastat E-form developed by the United Kingdom.

IDEP/CN8,  distributed  to  about  50  000  firms,  and  IRIS,  used  by  about  15  000  firms  in
Germany  and  the  Netherlands  (until  1999),  are  the  prime  examples  of  the  success  of  the
telematic tools that were developed.

A considerable effort has been made to provide annual updates of software and the Combined
Nomenclature  and upgrades  of technology in use.  DOS and Windows  versions  of the  IDEP
and IRIS software are currently available.

The main benefits of using machine-readable forms are as follows:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

easing of administrative burden in compiling declarations;

reduction in number of errors and hence improvement in data quality;

standardisation of formats for dispatching data;

production of Community-wide tools;

reduction of non-response rate among information providers.

4.2.

Measures related to automation and telematic tools for administrations

Measures  were  planned 
administrative infrastructure, especially:

to  optimise 

the  computer  processing  of 

information  and

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

modernisation  of 
regional
administrations: computer equipment, servers, information storage systems, printers,
writers, communication systems;

relevant  national  or 

infrastructure  of 

the 

the 

introduction of optical scanning systems for Intrastat printed declarations;

introduction of diskette-reading systems for Intrastat declarations on diskettes;

introduction of scanning systems for Intrastat declarations received by fax;

introduction  of  reception  systems  for  Intrastat  declarations  received  by  telematic
media (modem, on-line data transfer, etc).

Major  work  was  also  done  on  data  bases  in  the  Member  States  and  at  Eurostat  where  the
Comext  data  base,  for  processing  and  storing  all  the  data  for  statistics  on  trade  in  goods
between the Member States, was modernised.

13

On-line and regular access to Comext is currently available for about 750 internal users (all
the  Commission  directorates-general  are  connected)  and  more  than  150  external  users
(ministries,  international  organisations,  statistical  offices,  central  banks,  consultants).  With
regard to content, the data base uses more than 160 gigabytes and contains detailed data not
only  from  the  Member  States  but  also  from  countries  involved  in  the  Phare  and  Tacis
programmes,  many  other  non-member  countries  and  international  organisations  such  as  the
United  Nations  (access  to  the  Comtrade  data  base),  the  IMF,  etc.  The  system  can  be
considered  a  point  of  reference  throughout  the  world  for  statistical  data  bases  on  external
trade. In view of its size and variety of possible uses, it is a considerable tool in support of the
European Union's external and internal policies.

4.3.

Measures related to standards and formats of exchange

The  main  activities  under  this  heading  concern  the  Combined  Nomenclature  (CN)  and
EDIFACT message formats used for Intrastat declarations.

4.3.1. Development of messages

Using  the  UN/EDIFACT  standards  (ISO  standard  9735,  Electronic  Data  Interchange  For
Administrations,  Commerce  and  Transport),  CUSDEC/INSTAT,  CUSDEC/EXSTAT  and
CUSDEC/INSRES  (confirmation  of  reception)  messages  were  developed  by  the  WG5
working  group  "External  Trade"  in  cooperation  with  the  EG3  expert  group  "Taxes  and
Customs"  as  part  of  EBES-EG6  (European  Board  for  EDI  Standards,  Expert  Group  6  -
Statistics). These messages are universally used for applications for the collection of primary
data as well as for their transfer to the centralised national systems. In order to keep up with
the rapid development in the world of communications and the spread of "e-activities", work
to define messages in XML (eXtended Markup Language) has begun.

4.3.2. Computerisation  of 

the  management  and  dissemination  of 

the  Combined

Nomenclature and related products

The  Combined  Nomenclature  (CN)  of  goods  is  one  of  the  essential  metadata  used  for
commercial  transactions  as  well  as  for  compiling  statistics  on  external  trade.  It  requires
processing as a matter of priority so that it can be continually adapted to the new needs of EU
policies and to technological and commercial developments.

Since the CN is a detailed nomenclature, extensive but complex, a set of related products was
devised  with  a  view  to  making  it  easier  to  use  by  statistical  information  providers  and  by
national administrations. These related products are mainly self-explanatory texts, keywords,
explanatory  notes,  alphabetical  index,  annual  code  conversion  tables,  correlation  tables  for
other nomenclatures and code aggregates.

In  this  context,  in  order  to  manage  the  CN  and  its  related  products,  the  following  activities
were undertaken:

– 

Design  and  development  of  a  computerised  data  base  system.  This  system  is  in
response  to  the  need  to  manage  amendments  to  the  CN,  to  draw  up  working
documents  (proposals  for  amendments)  for  consideration  by  the  Customs  Code
Committee  -  Tariffs  and  Statistical  Nomenclature  Section,  to  update  the  files
containing  the  annual  versions  of  the  nomenclature  and  related  products  and  to
transfer  data  to  other  data  base  systems,  in  particular  the  IDEP/CN8,  NPS  and
Comext systems, and to do so in the 11 official languages of the Community.

14

– 

Design  and  development  of  a  computerised  system  for  the  production  of  computer
files, with a view to improving the dissemination of such information. The aim is to
meet the needs of  CN users and to provide them with printed  copies of the CN, as
well  as  several  types  of  file  (SGML,  TXT,  ACCESS,  etc)  for  use  with  other  data
base  systems  (in  particular,  IDEP/CN8,  NPS  and  Comext)  of  Eurostat,  other
Commission  departments,  national  administrations  of  the  Member  States  or
providers of statistical information.

4.3.3.

Study  of  the  facilitation  of  the  classification  of  goods  by  using  the  trade  names  of
products

In spite of all the efforts that have been made to make the Combined Nomenclature easier to
use  for  statistical  information  providers  and  national  administrations,  there  are  some  user
categories  which  still  find  it  hard  to  classify  goods  correctly.  One  of  the  reasons  for  these
problems is the difference in the terminologies used in the CN and those of professional users.
An analysis was thus conducted in order to make an objective assessment of this "terminology
gap" and to analyse to what extent an expansion of keyword files in the CN to include trade
synonyms would help to overcome these problems.

The information sources for this expansion have been surveyed and analysed. There are a lot
of them, and making use of them is complicated and costly. However, it has been shown that
modern language analysis tools would indeed make access to nomenclatures easier as part of
the practical implementation of the results of the analysis.

4.4.

Measures related to methods

The main results of the methodological work are as follows:

4.4.1. Continuation  of  work  of  harmonising  statistical  methods  following  international

recommendations

The  compilation  of  statistics  on  trade  in  goods  is  being  greatly  harmonised  at  Community
level.  To  a  large  extent,  the  rules  are  formulated  in  accordance  with  the  common  rules
contained  in  a  series  of  Community  Regulations  (basic  Regulations  of  the  Council  and,  in
some cases, of the European  Parliament,  supplemented  by  implementing  Regulations  of  the
Commission). Harmonisation has not been achieved, however. There are in particular specific
movements  or  goods  (aircraft,  ships,  satellites,  sea  products,  repairs,  etc)  for  which  the
complexity  of  the  transactions  or  the  difficulty  of  securing  information  means  that  reliable
and internationally comparable statistics cannot be obtained. International efforts to improve
the treatment of these  goods have been made,  and the  results  are  contained  in  "Statistics  of
international trade in goods - Concepts and definitions" which was recently revised by the UN
Statistical  Commission  (work  in  which  the  Commission,  in  the  form  of  Eurostat,
participated).

Also, in spite of harmonised rules for compiling Community statistics, some Member States
continue to produce national statistics according to rules which occasionally differ from those
in use at Community level in order to satisfy specific national requirements or demands.

In this context, various efforts have been made at Community level with a view to continuing
the work of harmonisation, by bringing it clearly in line with international recommendations,
and  also  with  a  view  to  making  users  better  about  the  methodological  rules  used  for  the
various statistics to which they have access.

15

Harmonising  the  treatment  of  specific  movements  or  goods  has  continued  on  the  basis  of
various work:

– 

– 

the operation of evaluating national systems, which was conducted by Eurostat using
a  detailed  questionnaire  and  visits  to  the  Member  States  and  which  highlighted
certain shortcomings in national practices;

the revision of "Statistics of international trade in goods - Concepts and definitions"
by the UN Statistical Commission.

Recommendations  have  been  made,  and  in  some  Member  States  pilot  projects  have  been
launched with the following objectives:

– 

– 

– 

identification  of  alternative  information  sources  making  it  possible  to  obtain  the
information needed for the collection of statistics or to check the information that is
available in customs or Intrastat declarations;

analysis  of  the  content  of  the  available  information,  its  usefulness  for  statistical
purposes and, where possible, its reliability;

analysis  of  the  conditions  (medium,  frequency,  deadlines,  cost,  confidentiality,  etc)
in which statistical administrations can access and use these sources.

On  the  basis  of  the  results  of  these  projects,  Community  rules6  (Intrastat  et  Extrastat)  have
been supplemented so that these goods can be treated in a manner that is harmonised and in
line with international recommendations. The goods or movements for which work still needs
to be done have been identified.

With  regard  to  informing  users  about  the  methodological  rules  employed  for  the  various
statistics they can access, a user guide has been prepared with special attention focused on the
differences  that  can  exist  between  the  Community  statistics  published  by  Eurostat  and
national  statistics  on  trade  in  goods  which  can  in  particular  be  used  by  other  international
organisations.

4.4.2.

Analysis  of  simplifications  that  can  be  made  to  the  Intrastat  system  as  part  of  the
SLIM initiative

The request to simplify the  Intrastat system  emerged  with the launch  of the SLIM initiative
(Simpler  Legislation  for  the  Internal  Market)  by  the  Internal  Market  Ministers  in  1996.  An
expert group was set up with the task of making concrete proposals for the simplification of
the system. The group made the following proposals:

– 

– 

– 

6

reduce the amount of information to be collected in accordance with statistical needs
and the difficulties experienced by firms;

simplify the declaration of product nomenclature, main difficulty for declarants (with
its 10  000 subheadings),  while  involving  the  trade  associations  which  are  the  main
private users of detailed statistics;

carry  out  studies  aimed  at  radically  reforming  the  statistical  system  with  a  view  to
reducing the costs borne by information providers and administrations;

Commission  Regulations (EC) Nos 1901/2000 of  7.9.2000  (OJ  L  228  of  8.9.2000)  and 1917/2000  of
9.9.2000 (OJ L 229 of 9.9.2000).

16

                                                
– 

encourage the use of modern methods of collecting and processing data among firms
and national administrations.

These proposals were used to launch a large number of methodological studies, in cooperation
with the national administrations, on the following subjects:

– 

– 

– 

usefulness  and  quality  of  certain  variables  (country  of  origin,  mode  of  transport,
nature of the transaction, etc); effect of their elimination;

possible adaptation of the threshold system;

feasibility  of  alternative  systems  challenging  the  requirement  to  produce  detailed
statistics every month; the extreme version of this proposal was a system based on a
single flow;

The methodological results of this work were as follows:

– 

– 

adoption  of a  Regulation  of the  Council  and  of  the  European  Parliament  amending
the basic Intrastat Regulation by reducing the number of variables to be collected;

adoption of a Regulation of the  Council  and  of  the  European  Parliament  amending
the  basic  Intrastat  Regulation  by  simplifying 
the  declaration  of  product
nomenclature.

The proposals for a more  fundamental reform  (alternative systems) have not resulted in any
amendment to the legislation because of a lack of agreement between the Commission and the
Member  States  during  technical  committee  discussions.  The  principle  of  continuing  this
approach  was  nevertheless  included  in  the  broader  and  longer-term  strategic  guidelines,
adopted in 1999, on the future of statistics relating to the trading of goods.

4.4.3.

Improving  statistical  methods  for  processing  fiscal  data  as  part  of  the  Intrastat
system

From the outset, the Intrastat system was built on the basis of a very close link with the VAT
reporting system on intra-Community trade in goods. The main features of this link were as
follows:

– 

– 

– 

Providers  of  statistical  information  are  identified  on  Intrastat  declarations  by  their
VAT number. Statistical  services  can  thus  manage  the  register  of  intra-Community
operators and carry out the necessary cross-checks.

The tax authorities of the Member States are required at least every three months to
provide  the  statistical  services  with  a  list  of  operators  who  have  been  involved  in
dispatches or arrivals, together  with the amounts of the transactions. Most Member
States also have access to the data declared by those liable to tax as part of the VIES
system  (VAT  Information  Exchange  System)..  The  statistical  authorities  can  thus
check the exhaustiveness and quality of the statistical data and also  supplement the
statistical  base  with  the  data  that  are  available  on  operators  below  the  so-called
"assimilation" threshold, which provides exemption from statistical obligations.

Finally,  the  link  with  the  fiscal  system  is  a  condition  for  the  very  existence  of
Intrastat in its current form, as it will cease to apply "on the date of changeover to a
unified system of taxation in the Member State of origin" (Article 1 of the  Intrastat
Regulation).

17

Since the link with the VAT system is a key element of the operation of the system, several
actions  have  been  taken  designed  to  optimise  the  use  of  fiscal  data  by  statistical  authorities
and  also  to  forestall  the  risk  of  this  link's  disappearing  in  the  event  of  changes  to  fiscal
legislation.

The main results achieved were as follows:

– 

– 

– 

initially, a review of the operation of the current link between Intrastat and the fiscal
system, particularly in the light of the variety of organisation in the Member States;

recommendations  at  the  level  of  national  organisation  and  use  of  fiscal  sources  to
improve the quality and availability of statistical data;

a  forward  analysis  of  the  possible  consequences  of  the  disappearance  of  the  link
between  Intrastat  and  the  fiscal  system,  especially  in  order  to  identify  information
sources that could replace fiscal information.

4.4.4.

Improving the information system for statistics on trade in goods

The introduction of Intrastat in 1993 and the development of methodological work since then,
prompted by the SLIM initiative, have resulted in a need for measures aimed at ensuring that
users  of  statistics  are  better  informed  and  at  organising  the  management  of  methodological
material.  This  objective  takes  concrete  form  in  the  regular  publication  of  an  Edicom  and
Intrastat  "Newsletter"  and  the  launch  of  a  project  for  an  information  system  containing  the
methodological reference documentation concerning statistics on trade in goods.

A data base, partly operational, has thus been developed with a dual purpose:

– 

– 

management  of  internal  documentation  at  Eurostat,  with  easier  access  to  this
information;

providing  users  with  better  information  about  comprehensive  basic  methodological
documentation  comprising  a  number  of  sections:  guide  to  concepts  and  definitions
used  at  Community  level;  a  guide  for  users  of  statistics;  a  guide  for  departments
responsible for compiling statistics on trade in goods; access to metadata and to the
acquis communautaire.

4.4.5.

Improving statistical processing of basic data

The fundamental objectives were to improve the quality and availability of the data that were
disseminated and to allow the collection burden to be reduced by means of suitable statistical
processing. The main measures were as follows:

– 

Studies of adjustment methods:

The aim of these studies was to improve data reliability by estimating unreported trade. This
can  occur  as  a  result  of  applying  thresholds  or  because  of  non-response.  Estimates  of
statistical value using invoiced value, which is better known by firms, were also studied.

– 

Production forward indicators for external trade

The  time  taken  by  the  Member  States  to  transmit  data  did  not  allow  intra-  and  extra-
Community  trade  statistics  to  be  produced  within  the  deadlines  compatible  with  user
requirements, especially in the case of the macroeconomic aggregates.

18

Studies were launched to improve transmission times, at both Member State and centralised
levels, in order to develop techniques that would make it possible to forecast late submissions.
Several methods were tested and evaluated (sampling, modelling of time series, regression).
A computer application was developed and introduced to estimate data that were missing or
submitted late by certain Member States.

– 

Bilateral analyses of statistics between Member States

Following  the  introduction  of  Intrastat  in  1993,  cases  of  significant  asymmetry  between
Member  State  trade  flows  were  noticed.  These  have  a  considerable  impact  on  balances  of
payments  and  national  accounts.  Bilateral  studies  were  conducted  to  identify  and  correct,
wherever possible, the various possible causes of asymmetry.

– 

Improving information checks

The checks conducted on data transmitted by the Member States were mainly checks on the
formal  validity  of  the  information.  To  improve  data  quality,  it  was  decided  to  develop
probability checks on quantitative data.

The main results achieved were as follows:

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

The  deadlines  for  supplying  intra-Community  statistics  were  considerably  reduced.
A  tool  for  estimating  missing  data  is  regularly  used  for  the  first  publication  of
monthly data.

The quality of the published data has been improved thanks, in particular, to better
statistical adjustments.

Checks of basic information improved  (especially,  checks on  the  exhaustiveness  of
responses by large firms).

A programme  for  detecting outliers has been devised.  Reports  are  regularly  sent  to
the national collection authorities to inform them of suspect trends.

Member States have been able to simplify the Intrastat declaration, while monitoring
the  effect  of  simplifications  on  data  quality  (e.g.,  elimination  of  collecting  data  on
statistical value).

The main causes of asymmetry between Member States were identified and, in some
cases,  dealt  with.  However,  the  available  data  did  not  make  it  possible  to  make  a
significant reduction in overall intra-EU asymmetry.

A  test  model  for  reconciling  intra-EU  flows,  based  on  analysis  of  time  series,  was
devised.

4.4.6. Consolidation and expansion of range of statistics on external trade

New statistical information needs were identified, relating in particular to the globalisation of
the economy and the creation of monetary union.

19

The main actions undertaken in response to these needs were as follows:

– 

Statistics related to firms

Economic  analysis  of  international  trade  requires  a  better  understanding  of  the  amount  of
trade  between  affiliated  firms,  as  well  as  a  measurement  of  external  trade  broken  down  by
firms' sector of activity. Pilot studies have been carried out in several Member States in order
to  identify  the  most  relevant  collection  methods  for  measuring  intra-firm  trade  and  also  to
measure  the  trade  conducted  by  firms  that  are  subsidiaries  of  foreign  groups.  Studies  have
also been undertaken to obtain data by sector of activity by means of links between registers
of external trade operators and general business registers.

– 

Production of series adjusted seasonally and by working days

Since  the  dissemination  of  raw  series  does  not  allow  accurate  observation  of  sub-annual
trends in external trade flows, an application for calculating CSV/NWD series was devised.

– 

Information on data quality

Communication about the quality of Intrastat data was very poor. It was decided to compile
and disseminate quality reports at Member State and Eurostat level.

– 

Indices of external trade

The  application  for  calculating  external  trade  indices  was  completely  rewritten  for  an  SAS
environment.  These  new  programmes  make  it  possible  to  calculate  indices  for  any
combination of declarant countries, partners and products, according to user requirements.

In addition, specific survey systems for import/export prices were compared.

– 

Convergence with balances of payments and national accounts

Comparability  of  external  trade  statistics  with  the  equivalent  indicators  disseminated  in
connection with the balances of payments and national accounts is based on the assumption
that overall imports are measured according to their FOB (free on board) value. Studies were
carried out on the different methods of estimating the CIF/FOB conversion rate used by the
Member States.

– 

Dissemination of data

In  response  to  user  needs,  indicators  or  publications  with  specific  reference  to  certain
geographic areas were developed (e.g. monetary union or candidate countries).

Also, the various geographic groupings used by the Member States were analysed.

The main results obtained were as follows:

– 

– 

The  possible  collection  methods  for  measuring  intra-firm  trade  were  defined  and
evaluated.

The  links  with  general  business  registers  were  expanded.  However,  some  Member
States are still not in a position to make such links (especially for extra-EU trade) and
thus cannot produce statistics by sector of activity.

20

– 

– 

– 

– 

Series  adjusted  seasonally  and  by  working  days  are  produced  and  published  every
month.

Quality reports have been disseminated, especially on Eurostat's Internet site, using a
common structure. Eleven Member States out of 15 have produced their own quality
reports with a standard presentation.

The  deadlines  for  supplying  the  external  trade  indices  have  been  considerably
reduced. The new programmes make it possible to cope with all user requirements,
either in connection with the EMU or the future enlargement of the EU.

A review of the methods of estimating the CIF/FOB conversion rate was carried out.
This review reveals tremendous differences in the methods and resulted obtained.

4.5.

Measures related to the organisation and management of the programme

In this group of measures, mention must be made of the meetings of the Edicom Task Force,
which  was  behind  most  measures  and  which  was  responsible  for  managing  and  monitoring
the programme.

Training and seminars were also organised in the Member States and made a big contribution
to promoting Intrastat and Idep among firms.

21

5.

GENERAL REVIEW AND CONCLUSIONS

The  result  of  the  actions  undertaken  (see  Part  4)  shows  that  they  allowed  a  noticeable
improvement  in  the  quality  of  intra-Community  statistics  after  the  reorganisation  that  took
place in 1993. In particular, joint efforts made it possible to attain objectives that would have
been impossible if efforts had been made solely at Member State level.

The main results at the end of the programme were as follows:

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

the programme helped considerably in introducing the Intrastat system under suitable
conditions;

in particular, it allowed the design, development and promotion of electronic Intrastat
declaration forms distributed to more than 50 000 firms required to provide statistical
information;

the 

infrastructure 

it  allowed 
transmitting  and
disseminating statistical information to  be  modernised in the Member States  and  at
Eurostat, with a notable positive impact on information quality, dissemination times
and  arrangements  for  access  to  statistics,  especially  the  development  of  the
Comext data base;

for  collecting,  processing, 

it  allowed  suitable  messages  to  be  compiled  and  information  transmission  to  be
standardised in an international context (cooperation with the United Nations), thus
facilitating  data  exchange  and  comparability  not  only  at  the  level  of  the  European
Union  but  also  at  international  level  (in  particular,  by  expanding  the  collection  of
data to include a number of non-member countries);

it allowed the computerisation of the management and dissemination of information
related to the nomenclature, as well as the availability of such information to internal
and external users;

it was involved in improving and harmonising statistical methods, thus contributing
to better data quality;

it was involved, as part of the SLIM initiative, in adapting Intrastat rules to the needs
of the internal market by ensuring a better balance between user requirements and the
burden placed on information providers.

Extra- and intra-Community trade statistics have entered a new phase of development. They
must primarily meet the growing and more demanding information needs of users in a climate
of  uncertainty  about  the  administrative  environment  of  the  collection  system  and  about
available resources, at both Community and national levels. In response to these challenges,
the  Commission  (Eurostat)  in  1999  proposed  a  number  of  strategic  guidelines  designed  to
increase data accuracy and reliability, to speed up the availability of statistics, to change the
range  of  statistics  on  offer  and  to  prepare  a  more  extensive  overhaul  of  the  system  in  the
medium/long term.

In this regard, a new Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council was adopted in
2001 in order :

22

– 

– 

encourage modern, rational and effective organisation of the trans-European network
for  the  collection,  processing  and  dissemination  of  intra-  and  extra-Community
statistics;

to  develop  computer  tools  for  the  collection,  processing,  transmission  and
dissemination  of  statistical  information,  taking  into  account  the  latest  technological
advances and seeking to optimise cost-effectiveness.

The work has begun. In cooperation with the Member States the Commission will regularly
review the actions financed under the new Decision, in order to ascertain whether the stated
objectives  have  been  attained  and  to  provide  guidelines  for  improving  the  effectiveness  of
future actions.

23

ANNEX I

USE OF BUDGET 1997-1999

24

DECISION 1997 Phase I - BREAKDOWN OF DECENTRALISED EXPENDITURE

Member States

Amount of Decision

Amount spent

Belgium

Denmark

Germany

Greece

Spain

France

Ireland

Italy

Luxembourg

Netherlands

Austria

Portugal

Finland

Sweden

United Kingdom

TOTAL

240.000

160.000

300.000

160.000

200.000

280.000

160.000

260.000

150.000

190.000

170.000

170.000

160.000

180.000

220.000

240.000

160.000

300.000

160.000

200.000

280.000

160.000

260.000

150.000

190.000

170.000

170.000

160.000

180.000

220.000

3.000.000

3.000.000

25

DECISION 1997 Phase II - BREAKDOWN OF DECENTRALISED EXPENDITURE

Member States

Amount of Decision

Amount spent

Belgium

Denmark

Germany

Greece

Spain

France

Ireland

Italy

Luxembourg

Netherlands

Austria

Portugal

Finland

Sweden

100.000

80.000

130.000

80.000

175.000

130.000

80.000

120.000

32.000

178.000

55.000

80.000

80.000

80.000

100.000

80.000

130.000

80.000

175.000

130.000

80.000

120.000

32.000

178.000

55.000

80.000

80.000

80.000

United Kingdom

100.000

100.000

TOTAL

1.500.000

1.500.000

26

DECISION 1998 - BREAKDOWN OF DECENTRALISED EXPENDITURE

Member States

Amount of Decision

Amount spent

Belgium

Denmark

Germany

Greece

Spain

France

Ireland

Italy

Luxembourg

Netherlands

Austria

Portugal

Finland

Sweden

United Kingdom

TOTAL

374.600

227.200

533.000

183.200

325.100

492.900

192.400

446.000

146.100

619.200

239.400

221.100

201.100

275.000

387.700

299.255

227.200

533.000

177.620

192.013

492.900

188.727

321.734

103.950

619.200

234.515

221.100

201.100

274.660

387.700

4.864.000

4.474.674

27

DECISION 1999 - BREAKDOWN OF DECENTRALISED EXPENDITURE

Member States

Amount of Decision

Amount spent

Belgium

Denmark

Germany

Greece

Spain

France

Ireland

Italy

Luxembourg

Netherlands

Austria

Portugal

Finland

Sweden

United Kingdom

TOTAL

433.800

263.000

617.200

212.100

376.500

570.700

222.800

516.500

169.200

687.000

277.100

256.000

232.800

318.300

449.000

350.929

263.000

617.200

210.069

345.649

570.000

139.093

206.600

169.200

687.000

277.100

256.000

232.800

318.300

449.000

5.602.000

5.091.940

28

DECISION 1997 Phase I - BREAKDOWN OF CENTRALISED
EXPENDITURE

Title of project

Amount of Decision

Amount spent

Infrastructure and organisation
. Meetings/Task Force/Seminars
. Assistance and support activities
Trade in goods between Member States
. Optimisation of Intrastat operation
. SLIM initiative / Member State studies

Information system for statistics on trade in
goods
. Development of data bases
. Maintenance of COMEXT system

Classification of trade in goods
. Management of amendments
. Access to CN
. Related products
. Language consolidation and extension
. Documentation system

Publication / Studies
. Extraction / World Trade System
. Computerised editions of external trade publications
. Desktop publishing 2
. Notes to publications
. Production of indices
. Conversion of indices
. Adaptation of process of alignment of intra-EU trade

Machine-readable forms
. HelpDesk/Management support and maintenance
. Development of WINDOWS IDEP/CN8
. EDICOM project support

Standardisation/Telecommunications
. EDIFACT standardisation
. Support for Telecom introduction

Equipment
. Purchase and maintenance of equipment

Reconciliation exercise

Harmonisation of methods

Statistical analyses
. Analysis of data - Quality
. Data processing support

Globalisation, statistical methodology, support for studies

Dissemination system for statistics on trade in goods
. CD ROM COMEXT

Collection and production

215.000

213.200

360.000

357.600

255.000

254.000

420.000

419.372

370.000

369.100

390.000

385.138

210.000

206.900

100.000

100.000

120.000

125.000

40.000

150.000

145.000

99.787

99.200

119.100

124.250

38.500

149.875

143.800

TOTAL

3.000.000

2.979.822

29

DECISION 1997 Phase II - BREAKDOWN OF CENTRALISED
EXPENDITURE

Title of project

Amount of Decision

Amount spent

Machine-readable forms
. Support and maintenance
. Re-design of IDEP/CN8
. Windows version of IDEP/CN8

Information system for statistics on trade in
goods
. Confidentiality of statistics in Comext
. Mirror statistics in Comext
. Conversion of two index calculation systems from VM/CMS to
Unix

Studies in Member States
. Simplification of variables
. Thresholds
. Single flow
. Data adjustment - Quality
. Links with VAT
. Reconciliation: intra-EU trade
. Globalisation

Technical studies by Eurostat
. Information feedback to information providers
. Telecommunications study
. Cooperation with software companies

EDICOM meeting and equipment

Classification of trade in goods
. Study on simpler classification of goods
. FEBI study on trade names of products

Dissemination of data
. Development of Internet service; production of publication
"Statistics in Brief"
. Maintenance of Comext CD/ROM

Trade in goods between Member States
. SLIM initiative - single flow
. SLIM initiative - sampling

500.000

487.850

270.000

168.000

230.000

229.560

150.000

150.000

30.000

30.000

130.000

126.500

140.000

135.228

140.000

138.000

TOTAL

1.590.000

1.465.138

30

DECISION 1998 - BREAKDOWN OF CENTRALISED EXPENDITURE

Title of project

Amount of Decision

Amount spent

Coordination of assistance and support

Organisation of Task Forces/meetings/seminars

Infrastructure/computer equipment

Implementation of SLIM
. Analysis and summary
. Simulation of alternative systems

Statistical concepts and methods
. Impact of United Nations concepts
. Globalisation

Statistical analyses
. Quality analyses
. Data adjustment
. Technical support

Telematic tools/machine-readable forms
.  IDEP/CN8 support and maintenance. EDICOM project management
support
. EDIFACT support for EDICOM
. Assistance for EDICOM project
. Support and corrective and ongoing maintenance of the Windows
version of IDEP/CN8
. Infrastructure, meetings

Statistical production of data bases
. Collection and pre-processing
. Comext development
. Support and assistance

Classification
. Related products
. Access to CN
. Language consolidation and extension

Exploitation of data and derived data
. Desktop
. Indices/Conversion
. Alignment of intra-EU trade
. News releases and "Statistics in Brief"

Dissemination on-line
. CD-ROM production and development
. Internet

200.000

150.000

150.000

200.000

199.080

150.000

149.740

198.300

220.000

218.000

300.000

298.800

920.000

913.814

450.000

447.776

500.000

493.820

400.000

398.213

300.000

299.850

Analyses, methods and specific EDICOM measures
846.000
. Analysis of alternative collection systems; integration in European Statistical System (ESS)
. Simpler classification of goods
. Administrative source of data
. Intrastat/VAT
. Cost-benefit analyses
. Other measures

789.284

TOTAL

4.636.000

4.556.677

31

DECISION 1999 - BREAKDOWN OF CENTRALISED EXPENDITURE

Title of project

Amount of Decision

Amount spent

Coordination of assistance and support

Organisation of Task Force/meetings

Organisation of seminars (under Title A7)

Infrastructure/computer equipment

Systemic design of EDICOM programme and reporting

Implementation of SLIM
. Analysis and summary
. Simulation of alternative systems

Statistical concepts and methods
. Impact of United Nations concepts
. Globalisation

Quality measures
. Improvement of checking systems and adjustment methods
. Technical support
. Other quality measures

Telematic tools/machine-readable forms
. Corrective and ongoing maintenance of IDEP/CN8 (DOS and Windows
versions)
. Corrective and ongoing maintenance of EDIFACT messages
 used for external trade statistics
. Assistance to Member States (IDEP/CN8, telecommunications,
EDIFACT), assistance for EDICOM project
. Technical studies, pilot projects
. Infrastructure, meetings

Statistical production of data bases
. Collection and pre-processing
. Comext development
. Support and assistance

Classification
. Related products
. Access to CN
. Language consolidation and extension

Exploitation of data and derived data
. Desktop
. Indices/Conversion
. Alignment of intra-EU trade
. News releases and "Statistics in Brief"

Dissemination on-line
. CD-ROM production and development
. Internet

Analyses, methods and specific EDICOM measures
. Integration in European Statistical System (ESS)
. Intrastat/VAT
. Adaptation of national systems to new Community
rules
. Trade statistics manual
. Meta-information modules
. Reconciliation exercise modules
. Rapid Data Exchange
. Other measures

200.000

100.000

50.000

150.000

250.000

200.000

123.985

100.000

0

149.714

49.315

199.750

220.000

219.400

450.000

443.800

1.042.000

1.041.645

596.000

595.876

450.000

449.589

400.000

350.295

300.000

296.359

990.000

747.055

TOTAL

5.398.000

4.766.783

32

ANNEX II

USE OF ELECTRONIC MEDIA

33

The figures shown in the following pages are taken from the "EDI" questionnaires which are
completed once a year by the Member States. They make it possible to assess the trend in the
use of electronic media by the European Union as a whole and by each Member State.

An initial table shows the figures for all 15 Member States of the European Union, followed
by 15 tables giving the figures for each Member State.

The following information is available:

Number  of  "PSI"  arrivals  and  dispatches:  number  of  firms  providing  statistical  information
(arrivals and dispatches)

(PSI = provider of statistical information)

Number of declarations (arrivals and dispatches)

Number of lines (arrivals and dispatches)

Percentage value of total trade (arrivals and dispatches)

34

EU-15
Average month in the referenced period (first half of the year)

1997

220.646

60.601

14.694

23.692

952

55.990

241.065

67.732

87.993

62.533

9.044

65.821

1998

226.428

67.398

17.185

30.473

899

64.487

273.510

79.760

103.461

73.337

9.678

79.560

1999

217.052

67.779

20.933

32.236

884

33.500

261.242

79.121

101.013

75.206

6.974

80.455

2.473.846

3.832.864

631.397

2.158.830

3.854.691

909.548

1.067.722

1.273.470

173.464

57.983

2.029.449

3.901.278

1.196.678

1.530.060

55.799

3.624.603

4.489.956

4.684.421

177.441

175.812

167.341

46.504

10.610

15.540

561

45.495

53.417

12.685

21.040

537

54.773

54.289

16.279

20.927

573

24.675

313.752

333.479

308.929

68.758

42.825

30.260

4.028

55.405

2.868.959

7.042.311

825.399

585.766

194.725

84.466

54.087

34.336

3.818

79.696

2.225.877

8.111.998

1.107.012

709.537

64.568

89.013

58.796

38.462

2.737

90.162

2.002.173

8.160.428

1.397.876

897.768

68.600

5.805.414

8.514.018

8.630.696

Number of PSIs - Arrival

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Number of declarations - Arrival

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Number of lines - Arrival

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Percentage value of total trade - Arrival

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Number of PSIs - Dispatch

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Number of declarations - Dispatch

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Number of lines - Dispatch

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Percentage value of total trade - Dispatch

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Any Comment: 

35

BELGIUM
Average month in the referenced period (first half of the year)

Number of PSIs - Arrival

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Number of declarations - Arrival

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Number of lines - Arrival

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Percentage value of total trade - Arrival

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

1997

11500

1165

1100

65

325000

117500

100000

17500

77,00%

23,00%

1998

13315

4556

3460

5

1543

11700

4135

191793

135822

46,94%

53,06%

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

20,00%

42,89%

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Number of PSIs - Dispatch

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Number of declarations - Dispatch

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Number of lines - Dispatch

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Percentage value of total trade - Dispatch

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

2,50%

11500

1165

1100

65

325000

117500

100000

17500

77,00%

23,00%

9199

3791

3460

5

1543

8462

3125

125235

113520

44,59%

55,41%

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

20,00%

11,68%

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

2,50%

Any Comment: 

36

1999

9104

3510

1389

3024

1875

9104

3510

1389

3024

1875

160716

107251

72141

90468

88924

41,44%

37,28%

21,28%

43,35%

15,22%

6718

2871

1085

2305

1651

6718

2871

1085

2305

1651

114237

100645

46681

89633

57693

37,49%

39,29%

23,23%

47,32%

15,19%

DENMARK
Average month in the referenced period (first half of the year)

Number of PSIs - Arrival

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Number of declarations - Arrival

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

1997

3806

1312

1664

825

2266

4169

22741

38211

1310

1998

3877

1433

1468

896

2005

4312

24290

43332

1473

1999

4106

1494

1364

947

1911

4174

21988

40383

1333

Non EDIFACT format

59642

66149

61039

Number of lines - Arrival

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

37321

122677

81484

41487

39429

130861

83214

49629

38930

128135

73938

44310

Non EDIFACT format

162674

164446

157763

Percentage value of total trade - Arrival

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

38,00%

32,00%

30,00%

16,00%

38,67%

32,74%

28,58%

18,02%

37,62%

31,22%

31,16%

16,63%

Non EDIFACT format

46,00%

43,31%

45,00%

Number of PSIs - Dispatch

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Number of declarations - Dispatch

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

2464

802

391

379

865

2742

30416

18923

766

2384

848

368

382

834

2779

38918

27144

748

2312

869

351

385

835

2549

42135

29316

642

Non EDIFACT format

48573

65314

70810

Number of lines - Dispatch

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

28090

157460

41770

31236

28505

180339

52788

35668

25049

213590

54215

38936

Non EDIFACT format

167995

197459

228870

Percentage value of total trade - Dispatch

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

40,00%

36,00%

24,00%

11,00%

39,69%

36,08%

24,08%

12,53%

39,08%

35,58%

25,34%

11,85%

Any Comment: 

Non EDIFACT format

49,00%

47,78%

49,07%

37

GERMANY
Average month in the referenced period (first half of the year)

Number of PSIs - Arrival

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Number of declarations - Arrival

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Number of lines - Arrival

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Percentage value of total trade - Arrival

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Number of PSIs - Dispatch

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Number of declarations - Dispatch

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Number of lines - Dispatch

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Percentage value of total trade - Dispatch

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

1997

30000

15000

1998

31000

14500

1999

30000

13200

15000

14500

13200

92000

3308

102000

4097

110000

6000

3308

4097

6000

280000

1323000

315000

1266000

332000

1343000

1323000

1266000

1343000

43,00%

57,00%

43,33%

56,67%

41,73%

58,27%

57,00%

56,67%

58,27%

30000

6900

30500

7500

29500

7200

6900

7500

7200

220000

4037

227000

4889

220000

6900

4037

4889

6900

660000

3480000

676000

4073000

652000

4230000

3480000

4073000

4230000

37,00%

63,00%

35,58%

64,42%

37,44%

62,56%

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

63,00%

64,42%

62,56%

Any Comment: 

38

GREECE
Average month in the referenced period (first half of the year)

Number of PSIs - Arrival

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Number of declarations - Arrival

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Number of lines - Arrival

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Percentage value of total trade - Arrival

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

1997

11000

95

11

106

1998

14182

115

15

130

1999

17900

158

37

195

11000

14482

18090

95

11

106

104500

17970

320

18290

115

15

130

74785

11031

400

11431

174

40

214

84131

8247

1972

10249

93,30%

6,26%

0,44%

92,33%

6,50%

1,17%

89,14%

9,54%

1,32%

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

100,00%

100,00%

100,00%

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Number of PSIs - Dispatch

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Number of declarations - Dispatch

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Number of lines - Dispatch

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Percentage value of total trade - Dispatch

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

2000

2582

3000

3

1

4

46

3

49

59

15

74

2000

2582

3200

3

1

4

46

3

49

49

13

62

13300

10250

11807

10

10

20

800

30

829

731

207

938

98,00%

1,60%

0,40%

90,91%

8,66%

0,43%

92,70%

5,54%

1,76%

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

100,00%

100,00%

100,00%

Any Comment: 

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

39

SPAIN
Average month in the referenced period (first half of the year)

Number of PSIs - Arrival

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Number of declarations - Arrival

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Number of lines - Arrival

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Percentage value of total trade - Arrival

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Number of PSIs - Dispatch

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Number of declarations - Dispatch

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Number of lines - Dispatch

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Percentage value of total trade - Dispatch

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Any Comment: 

40

1997

22589

7821

85

7906

1998

22730

9062

326

9062

1999

17855

11048

1015

12063

0

0

0

23221

6786

89

8692

24845

10538

352

10538

18122

11176

1020

12196

0

0

0

98320

117327

2285

119552

98259

108069

10102

108069

74082

124661

22169

146830

0

0

0

38,54%

58,25%

1,75%

61,46%

36,00%

61,00%

3,00%

61,00%

17,63%

72,73%

9,64%

82,37%

0,00%

0,00%

0,00%

14980

5739

69

6069

15217

6941

226

6941

11775

8670

715

9285

0

0

0

15157

6547

73

6620

16942

8221

248

8221

11913

8655

719

9374

0

0

0

67946

62599

883

63482

69568

66423

1942

66423

51973

79159

7409

86568

0

0

0

36,37%

61,50%

2,13%

63,63%

32,00%

65,00%

3,00%

65,00%

16,80%

72,61%

10,59%

83,20%

0,00%

0,00%

0,00%

Average month in the referenced period (first half of the year)

FRANCE

Number of PSIs - Arrival

Media

Electronic format

Number of declarations - Arrival

Media

Electronic format

Number of lines - Arrival

Media

Electronic format

Percentage value of total trade - Arrival

Media

Electronic format

Number of PSIs - Dispatch

Media

Electronic format

Number of declarations - Dispatch

Media

Electronic format

Number of lines - Dispatch

Media

Electronic format

Percentage value of total trade - Dispatch

Media

Electronic format

Any Comment: 

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

1997

56558

7229

7179

2358

1998

57681

8217

8093

3201

7017

7394

1999
58908
8287
9312
4298

7009

627801

613052

148453

117105

604650

612189

298228

252402

606315
561288
396416
335120

1942101

2086950

2149842

50,00%

37,00%

13,00%

9,34%

44,90%

36,60%

18,50%

13,30%

40,80%
34,10%
25,10%
16,50%

38,87%

38,60%

39,10%

56558

7229

7179

2358

57681

8217

8093

3201

7017

7394

58908
8287
9312
4298

7009

640992

889925

426778

117105

570239

924122

559827

252402

526508
890905
711059
335120

1942101

2086950

2149842

39,56%

39,14%

21,30%

7,91%

33,60%

38,50%

27,90%

11,90%

30,80%
35,50%
33,70%
14,00%

53,66%

52,60%

52,80%

41

IRLAND
Average month in the referenced period (first half of the year)

Number of PSIs - Arrival

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Number of declarations - Arrival

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Number of lines - Arrival

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Percentage value of total trade - Arrival

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Number of PSIs - Dispatch

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Number of declarations - Dispatch

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Number of lines - Dispatch

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Percentage value of total trade - Dispatch

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Any Comment: 

1997

4820

920

176

465

631

5360

977

176

465

688

91167

75858

5090

27266

1998

5113

951

161

491

621

5327

1019

181

536

1999

5019

1007

67

465

609

5379

1085

73

507

664

651

88483

84983

4528

34241

70831

92466

2640

34524

53682

51215

60582

64,00%

31,00%

5,00%

11,00%

57,00%

40,00%

3,00%

11,00%

53,00%

44,00%

3,00%

12,00%

25,00%

30,00%

33,00%

1303

1329

1308

299

23

107

215

318

19

105

118

302

13

116

199

1455

1379

1408

324

23

107

240

21022

39607

638

9498

335

20

120

235

20455

35696

479

11212

335

15

117

233

15343

42967

402

13265

30747

24897

30104

45,00%

53,00%

2,00%

9,00%

43,00%

56,00%

1,00%

18,00%

39,00%

58,00%

3,00%

19,00%

46,00%

38,00%

40,00%

42

ITALY
Average month in the referenced period (first half of the year)

Number of PSIs - Arrival

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

1997

21361

13093

1998

21709

15086

1999

21600

15150

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

1517

2237

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

28833

29714

Number of declarations - Arrival

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Number of lines - Arrival

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Percentage value of total trade - Arrival

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Number of PSIs - Dispatch

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

22261

13644

25222

15459

25000

16000

116514

226113

104370

221786

113442

286986

28,00%

72,00%

27,00%

73,00%

24,00%

76,00%

24387

14947

24270

16865

24000

17000

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

1517

2237

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

28833

29714

Number of declarations - Dispatch

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Number of lines - Dispatch

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Percentage value of total trade - Dispatch

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Any Comment: 

25763

15790

28271

17328

24500

16000

264139

616310

248082

670741

200997

791238

30,00%

70,00%

27,00%

73,00%

25,00%

75,00%

43

LUXEMBOURG
Average month in the referenced period (first half of the year)

1997

2100

850

160

765

245

2130

862

163

780

245

65000

54000

8000

45500

1998

2100

910

290

910

290

2210

1130

300

1130

1999

1971

931

335

980

286

2074

1154

360

1215

300

299

61300

40700

5000

40700

49667

40414

22452

43635

16500

5000

19231

29,63%

19,08%

8,25%

47,94%

48,71%

36,78%

14,51%

38,35%

46,34%

37,27%

16,39%

41,21%

6,70%

12,96%

12,45%

760

480

80

370

190

790

490

82

382

190

830

530

130

380

280

910

720

140

570

290

10000

7000

2500

7500

9300

17500

3400

17700

748

534

147

407

274

850

720

153

592

281

7616

5109

5045

7204

2000

3200

2950

21,90%

12,89%

8,25%

40,20%

34,16%

47,92%

17,93%

56,75%

34,30%

47,91%

17,79%

58,50%

5,16%

9,09%

7,20%

Number of PSIs - Arrival

Media

Electronic format

Number of declarations - Arrival

Media

Electronic format

Number of lines - Arrival

Media

Electronic format

Percentage value of total trade - Arrival

Media

Electronic format

Number of PSIs - Dispatch

Media

Electronic format

Number of declarations - Dispatch

Media

Electronic format

Number of lines - Dispatch

Media

Electronic format

Percentage value of total trade - Dispatch

Media

Electronic format

Any Comment: 

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

44

NETHERLANDS
Average month in the referenced period (first half of the year)

Number of PSIs - Arrival

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Number of declarations - Arrival

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Number of lines - Arrival

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Percentage value of total trade - Arrival

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Number of PSIs - Dispatch

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Number of declarations - Dispatch

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Number of lines - Dispatch

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Percentage value of total trade - Dispatch

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Any Comment: 

1997

5000

7000

1500

87

1413

4000

6500

1300

81

1219

1998

4800

6100

2300

100

1999

4500

6150

2550

50

8300

8000

5400

6500

2500

100

4900

6400

3100

50

8200

7950

42000

670000

88000

13000

56000

750000

155000

15000

52000

710000

190000

12000

75000

890000

820000

22,00%

72,00%

6,00%

1,50%

15,50%

72,20%

12,30%

1,00%

12,50%

69,00%

18,50%

1,00%

98,50%

99,00%

99,00%

2100

6200

1300

100

1200

1800

6100

1100

90

1010

2700

5400

2000

100

2400

5550

2600

50

7300

7100

3000

5700

2200

100

2800

5500

2500

50

7800

7500

36000

1400000

167000

8500

28000

1800000

320000

9000

26000

1600000

360000

7000

150500

2111000

1900000

21,00%

71,00%

8,00%

1,00%

11,40%

76,40%

12,20%

1,00%

9,50%

74,30%

16,20%

1,00%

99,00%

99,00%

99,00%

45

AUSTRIA
Average month in the referenced period (first half of the year)

Number of PSIs - Arrival

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Number of declarations - Arrival

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Number of lines - Arrival

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Percentage value of total trade - Arrival

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Number of PSIs - Dispatch

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Number of declarations - Dispatch

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Number of lines - Dispatch

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Percentage value of total trade - Dispatch

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Any Comment: 

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Monthly average.

1997

5912

5033

1090

6123

24111

7283

2258

9541

83818

346627

111525

458152

27,19%

52,74%

20,07%

72,81%

3228

2159

496

2655

7218

2062

440

2502

22663

120920

48187

169108

24,29%

57,95%

17,76%

75,71%

1998

7291

5184

1966

7150

26982

6590

5521

12111

94235

410992

193769

604761

26,91%

47,18%

25,91%

73,09%

3230

2049

802

2851

7720

2190

785

2975

24409

160769

66518

227267

23,31%

51,01%

25,68%

76,69%

1999

5978

4258

2715

6973

20509

5079

4474

9553

71425

389917

260041

649958

21,34%

41,99%

36,67%

78,66%

2778

1694

1096

2790

6793

1799

1226

3025

22062

119123

96130

215253

21,60%

45,22%

33,18%

78,40%

46

PORTUGAL
Average month in the referenced period (first half of the year)

Number of PSIs - Arrival

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Number of declarations - Arrival

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Number of lines - Arrival

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Percentage value of total trade - Arrival

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Number of PSIs - Dispatch

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Number of declarations - Dispatch

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Number of lines - Dispatch

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Percentage value of total trade - Dispatch

Media

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

Electronic format

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Any Comment: 

1997

13185

0

0

0

1998

13885

72

0

72

1999

12902

566

106

672

13258

16142

13324

0

0

0

72

0

72

567

107

674

105971

114324

102412

0

0

0

1034

0

1034

9708

2313

12021

100,00%

97,50%

0,00%

0,00%

0,00%

2,50%

0,00%

2,50%

86,78%

8,55%

4,67%

13,22%

4477

5545

0

0

0

16

0

16

5387

6463

0

0

0

16

0

16

5131

178

29

206

5291

178

29

207

28249

30479

0

0

0

233

0

233

27308

1518

263

1781

100,00%

98,20%

91,77%

0,00%

0,00%

0,00%

1,80%

0,00%

1,80%

5,52%

2,70%

8,23%

47

FINLAND
Average month in the referenced period (first half of the year)

1997

4660

520

1600

1600

520

6415

719

24059

24059

1998

4120

530

1400

1810

120

6207

587

26835

27272

1999

3776

858

885

1392

351

5849

1166

25320

25888

719

150

598

54749

34146

88085

88085

57126

33545

100269

107469

55033

48674

84987

96932

34146

26345

36729

44,50%

10,00%

45,50%

45,50%

46,70%

10,10%

43,20%

45,40%

43,00%

21,50%

35,50%

45,40%

10,00%

7,90%

11,60%

1700

210

600

600

210

4009

1355

5587

5587

1355

22163

14571

11732

11732

1500

450

600

960

90

4052

1548

5846

6226

1168

23665

19412

12579

14479

1631

267

170

325

112

3754

1566

5786

5974

1378

22024

19863

10902

13907

14571

17512

16858

43,40%

29,10%

27,50%

27,50%

42,60%

31,20%

26,20%

29,30%

42,80%

34,70%

22,40%

26,60%

29,10%

28,10%

30,50%

Number of PSIs - Arrival

Media

Electronic format

Number of declarations - Arrival

Media

Electronic format

Number of lines - Arrival

Media

Electronic format

Percentage value of total trade - Arrival

Media

Electronic format

Number of PSIs - Dispatch

Media

Electronic format

Number of declarations - Dispatch

Media

Electronic format

Number of lines - Dispatch

Media

Electronic format

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Percentage value of total trade - Dispatch

Media

Electronic format

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Any Comment: 

Number of PSIs - nil returns not included

48

SWEDEN
Average month in the referenced period (first half of the year)

1997

11063

88

752

840

11684

91

17408

17499

95297

2748

36537

39285

1998

8760

266

688

954

8950

272

19703

19975

83446

8454

40280

48734

1999

9762

604

477

1081

8354

420

19375

19795

81868

10866

40411

51277

75,00%

1,60%

23,40%

25,00%

71,74%

4,35%

23,91%

28,26%

65,84%

8,86%

25,29%

34,15%

7098

48

233

281

7339

49

14153

14202

73109

1586

65999

67585

5350

152

206

358

5479

161

15150

15311

67058

5679

68645

74324

6076

374

208

582

5147

232

15385

15617

69051

8891

72683

81574

80,00%

1,60%

18,40%

20,00%

75,93%

3,70%

20,37%

24,07%

72,44%

4,75%

22,81%

27,56%

Number of PSIs - Arrival

Media

Electronic format

Number of declarations - Arrival

Media

Electronic format

Number of lines - Arrival

Media

Electronic format

Percentage value of total trade - Arrival

Media

Electronic format

Number of PSIs - Dispatch

Media

Electronic format

Number of declarations - Dispatch

Media

Electronic format

Number of lines - Dispatch

Media

Electronic format

Percentage value of total trade - Dispatch

Media

Electronic format

Any Comment: 

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

49

UNITED KINGDOM
Average month in the referenced period (first half of the year)

1997

17092

475

477

0

952

0

1998

15865

416

478

0

894

0

1999

13671

558

681

96

884

259

21456

19731

16363

4726

4318

0

9044

0

346388

111846

61618

0

173464

0

73,90%

14,90%

11,20%

0,00%

26,10%

0,00%

4956

4722

0

9678

0

175630

39225

18758

0

57983

0

73,50%

14,10%

12,40%

0,00%

26,50%

0,00%

4402

5372

757

6974

2043

136597

39665

27198

2736

55799

8350

67,70%

18,60%

13,70%

3,80%

86,90%

9,30%

14886

13495

11056

323

238

0

561

0

294

238

0

532

0

434

538

104

573

295

20092

18440

14006

1585

2443

0

4028

0

656286

134823

59902

0

194725

0

74,60%

13,90%

11,50%

0,00%

25,40%

0,00%

1269

2551

0

3818

0

294632

43764

20804

0

64568

0

73,60%

14,70%

11,70%

0,00%

26,00%

0,00%

2073

2569

497

2737

1409

230198

56689

32880

6589

68600

14379

62,60%

22,60%

14,80%

5,40%

89,50%

5,10%

Number of PSIs - Arrival

Media

Electronic format

Number of declarations - Arrival

Media

Electronic format

Number of lines - Arrival

Media

Electronic format

Percentage value of total trade - Arrival

Media

Electronic format

Number of PSIs - Dispatch

Media

Electronic format

Number of declarations - Dispatch

Media

Electronic format

Number of lines - Dispatch

Media

Electronic format

Percentage value of total trade - Dispatch

Media

Electronic format

Any Comment: 

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

Paper

Diskette

Telecom

CUSDEC/INSTAT

Other EDIFACT messages 

Non EDIFACT format

50