Imports and exports based on change of ownership

What does the survey comprise?

Purpose

The survey provides monthly information about developments in value, volume and prices of total imports and exports of goods.

Domain

The survey covers total imports and exports of goods according to the concepts and definitions of the ESA 2010. This means that goods are exported or imported if their ownership changes from Dutch resident to non-resident or vice versa.

Year survey started

The series based on 2015=100 started in January 1995 and was first published on October 11 2018. The discontinued series based on 2010=100 is to be found in the archive.

Frequency

Monthly.

Publication strategy

The figures are published 6 to 7 weeks after the end of the month under review. The figures are available in StatLine, the electronic database of Statistics Netherlands. Statistics Netherlands also publishes a monthly economic monitor clarifying recent economic developments. The monthly figures are consistent with the figures published in the quarterly National Accounts. This means that the monthly figures are provisional until the quarterly National Accounts figures become definite.

How is the survey conducted?

Main sources

Monthly volume changes of total imports and exports of goods are calculated from the value of imports and exports as measured in the monthly statistics on international trade in goods according to the change of ownership principle. To calculate volume changes, the values of imports and exports are corrected for price changes. Deflators for imported and exported goods are derived from monthly producer prices, combined with a weighting schedule based on the quarterly National Accounts and the value figures of imports and exports.

JDemetra+ is used to adjust the value and volume figures for differences in the number of working days. The method corrects for national holidays, leap days and the difference between weekdays and weekends.

Quality of the results

Comparability

The figures are comparable over time.

Revisions

Import and export figures may be adjusted as new or updated source information from the monthly international trade statistics and producer prices becomes available.

In addition, the figures are adjusted retrospectively to fit those of imports and exports of goods in the quarterly National Accounts and the annual National Accounts. A complete revision of the National Accounts is carried out once every five years.