UK overseas trade in goods statistics October 2024: methodology notes
Published 13 December 2024
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Data behind this bulletin is available through theÌýÌý·É±ð²ú²õ¾±³Ù±ð:Ìý
- Ìýdetailed Trade Statistics data at 8-digit commodity code level is available in ourÌýÌýÌýÌý
- Ìý²¹²µ²µ°ù±ð²µ²¹³Ù±ðÌýOTSÌýdata is available inÌýÌý
Data SourcesÌý
From 31 December 2020, the free movement of people and goods and services between the UK and the European Union (EU) ended. This meant the wayÌýHMRCÌýhad been collecting trade in goods statistics was revised.ÌýÌýÌý
UK toÌýEUÌýexportsÌýÌýÌý
For goods moving from 1 January 2021,ÌýGBÌýtoÌýEUÌýexport statistics have been compiled directly from customs export declarations made according to the requirements of the Taxation (Cross Border Trade) Act. Intrastat survey returns, however, continued to be collected for goods exported from Northern Ireland to theÌýEU, under the terms of the Northern Ireland Protocol.ÌýÌýÌý
Both theÌýGBÌýtoÌýEUÌýcustoms export declaration data andÌýNIÌýIntrastat export (dispatch) data were incorporated into the overall UK toÌýEUÌýexport dataset.ÌýÌý
As a result of the changes and differences outlined above, there was a break in the timeseries for published UK toÌýEUÌýexport statistics from January 2021.Ìý
UK imports fromÌýEUÌýÌýÌý
UK imports fromÌýEUÌýstatistics were not impacted by any change in 2021. The Intrastat survey continued to operate for all UK (GBÌýandÌýNI) imports (arrivals) from theÌýEU, to mitigate the effects of staging customs controls, and to comply with the Northern Ireland Protocol.Ìý
However, from 1 January 2022, Intrastat only applied for movements of goods between Northern Ireland and theÌýEU. Statistics on movements toÌýGBÌýfrom theÌýEUÌýhave been compiled directly from customs import declarations. Both theÌýEUÌýtoÌýGBÌýcustoms import declaration data andÌýNIÌýIntrastat import (arrivals) data were incorporated into the overallÌýEUÌýto UK import dataset.Ìý
As a result of the changes and differences outlined above, there was a break in the timeseries for publishedÌýEUÌýto UK import statistics from January 2022.Ìý
Northern Ireland tradeÌýÌýÌý
Figures derived from Intrastat include the following:ÌýÌýÌý
- Ìýestimates for businesses who have yet to submit detailed data on the trade they had with otherÌýEUÌýmember states this monthÌýÌýÌý
- Ìýestimates for businesses who do not have to submit detailed data on the trade they have with otherÌýEUÌýmember statesÌýÌýÌý
Estimates are included in all high-level totals including commodity (HS2) and country totals.Ìý
Non-EUÌýtradeÌý
Non-EUÌýtrade statistics are compiled from customs declarations collected by theÌýCHIEFÌý(Customs Handling of Import and Export Freight) system. Declarations collected via the Customs Declarations Service (CDS) are included: for imports from August 2020 month of account; and for exports from December 2020 month of account onwards. Detailed trade information is presented according to theÌýÌýnomenclature.Ìý
Low value tradeÌý
For trade in goods collected from custom declarations (UK trade with non-EUÌýandÌýGBÌýtrade withÌýEU), imports and exports of an individual value of £873 or less are aggregated under SITC group 931 - ‘Special transactions and commodities not classified according to kindâ€�, and classified to a single commodity code â€� 99500000. This trade is not analysed either by commodity or country. Statistics for individual commodities are therefore deficient by these amounts.ÌýÌý
For Intrastat (NI-EU), transactions (that is, invoice lines) with a value of £175 or less can be aggregated and classified to a single commodity code (9950 0000).ÌýÌý
As a result, trade in some commodities may appear as nil trade, if all trade in that commodity falls in the low value aggregate.
For August 2024 exports, more trade than normal went into Low Value aggregate, instead of the comcode or country specific trade. This was a one-off occurrence to ensure export declarations that did not ‘digitally� clear customs formalities were included in the released trade statistics.
MethodologyÌý
TheÌýUK trade in goods statistics: methodologiesÌýcovers:Ìý
- data sourcesÌýÌý
- classifications and definitionsÌý
- quality assuranceÌý
- publications andÌýÌý
- governanceÌý
It is a useful companion to the trade data, providing the definitions and methodologies on which the data are based. The most recent changes in theÌýOTSÌýmethodology are covered in this paper.ÌýÌýÌý
GoldÌý
HMRCÌýcollects data on gold. Gold may be held as a reserve asset by a monetary authority. If so, this gold is classified as monetary gold and is recorded in theÌýUK National Accounts (compiled by the Office for National Statistics) but excluded fromÌýOTS.
Gold that is not held as a reserve asset by a monetary authority is classified as non-monetary gold (NMG) and is included in theÌýOTS. This forms part of Precious metals and includes scrap and jewellery.Ìý
Data relating to monthly import and export totals for January 2020 onwards with a breakdown of non-monetary gold is available in theÌý.Ìý
Relationship with other statistical publicationsÌýÌý
The aggregate estimates here will differ slightly from those that are published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) as part of theÌý, as the 2 sets of data are compiled to different sets of rules. TheÌýONSÌýwebsite provides an overview ofÌýBoP, where you can find their detailed monthlyÌý. TheÌýBoPÌýpublication shows a high-level picture of UK trade-in-goods, whereas theÌýOTSÌýpublication shows a detailed picture of the UK’s trade-in-goods by commodity and partner country.ÌýÌýÌý
Accredited official statistics publicationÌý
TheÌýUKÌýoverseas trade in goods statistics (OTS) were independently reviewed by the Office for Statistics Regulation in October 2010 with publication of theÌýÌýin February 2011. They comply with the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics and should be labelled ‘accredited official statisticsâ€�.ÌýÌýare called National Statistics in the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007.ÌýÌý
HM Revenue & Customs released these latest statistics on overseas trade with countries on 13 December 2024 under arrangements set out in theÌý.ÌýÌý
This release includes the first provisional estimates of trade in goods between theÌýUKÌýand both countries of theÌýEUÌýand those outside theÌýEUÌýfor October 2024. At the same time revisions for all previously published non-EUÌýandÌýEUÌýdata for 2024 are also being released in line with theÌýHM Revenue & Customs Policy on Revisions.Ìý
The next three publications are due for release on the following days:Ìý
Month of Account | First release date | |
---|---|---|
November 2024 | 16 January 2025 | Ìý |
December 2024 | 13 February 2025 | Ìý |
January 2025 | 14 March 2025 | Ìý |
Our statistical practice is regulated by the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR).Ìý
OSRÌýsets the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in theÌýÌýthat all producers of official statistics should adhere to.ÌýÌý
You are welcome to contact us directly with any comments about how we meet these standards by emailingÌý[email protected].Ìý
Alternatively, you can contactÌýOSRÌýby emailingÌý[email protected]Ìýor via theÌý.Ìý