Working Party on International Trade in Goods and Services Statistics – WPTGS Paris, September 2008 United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Statistics Division 1 Towards IMTS, Rev.3 (1) Overview the Revision Process (2) 2008 Worldwide consultation

Working Party on International Trade in Goods and Services Statistics – WPTGS Paris, September 2008 United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Statistics Division 2 Need for IMTS Revision a)Changes in the way international merchandise trade is conducted b)Changes in the legal environment, c)Changes in related statistical frameworks, in particular the 1993 SNA and BPM, d)Changes in user needs, e)Need for further clarification of some existing concepts and improvement of the overall readability.

Working Party on International Trade in Goods and Services Statistics – WPTGS Paris, September 2008 United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Statistics Division 3 Main areas for revision and updating a)General issue of coverage i.Scope; Change of ownership b)Goods for processing c)Valuation i.Imports FOB d)Partner Country i.Country of consignment e)Sources of data and data compilation strategies i.Non-Customs data sources ii.Institutional arrangements iii.Data quality assurance

Working Party on International Trade in Goods and Services Statistics – WPTGS Paris, September 2008 United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Statistics Division 4 Outline of the revision process 2006 ⇒ Review of National Practices 2007 ⇒ Development of multi-year strategy for update and establishment of an IMTS Expert Group ⇒ Establishment of list of issues at the First meeting of the Expert Group, 3-6 Dec. 2007

Working Party on International Trade in Goods and Services Statistics – WPTGS Paris, September 2008 United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Statistics Division 5 Outline of the revision process 2008 ⇒ Endorsement of revision process by the Statistical Commission, Feb. ⇒ Worldwide consultation on a list of issues, May-July, plus workshop in September ⇒ Preparation of report on the results from the worldwide consultation in September/October ⇒ Discussion of the report and conclusions from the worldwide consultation and of the revision outline at a Virtual meeting of the Expert Group, November

Working Party on International Trade in Goods and Services Statistics – WPTGS Paris, September 2008 United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Statistics Division 6 Outline of the revision process 2009 ⇒ Discussion of status of IMTS, Rev.3 at the meeting of the Task Force on IMTS in March ⇒ Worldwide Consultation on first full provisional draft of IMTS, Rev.3, May to July ⇒ Preparation an updated provisional draft and discussion and endorsement of this draft by the Expert Group in September ⇒ Preparation of the final provisional draft of the revised recommendations and submission to the Statistical Commission by end of December

Working Party on International Trade in Goods and Services Statistics – WPTGS Paris, September 2008 United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Statistics Division 7 Outline of the revision process 2010 ⇒ Adoption of the revised recommendations (and an implementation plan) by the Statistical Commission, March 2010 ⇒ Preparation of updated Compilers’ Manual

Working Party on International Trade in Goods and Services Statistics – WPTGS Paris, September 2008 United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Statistics Division 8 Participation in the revision process a)Statistical Commission: i.endorsement of revision process and ii.approval of final text b)Expert Group and Task Force on IMTS: i.Assists UNSD in the revision process ii.Two meetings plus one virtual meeting of EG c)Direct participation of countries: i.two worldwide consultations ii.via workshops

Working Party on International Trade in Goods and Services Statistics – WPTGS Paris, September 2008 United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Statistics Division 9 Participation in the revision process Country replies to the first round of worldwide consultation: –110 countries replied so far –About 1000 individual comments - more than 50 per question –Countries provided huge resource of background information and guidance for the revised recommendations

Working Party on International Trade in Goods and Services Statistics – WPTGS Paris, September 2008 United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Statistics Division 10 Worldwide Consultation Example of Coverage

Working Party on International Trade in Goods and Services Statistics – WPTGS Paris, September 2008 United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Statistics Division 11 Coverage – Definition of IMTS and Nature of transaction covered 1. Current recommendation(s) Coverage: As a general guideline, it is recommended that international merchandise trade statistics record all goods which add to or subtract from the stock of material resources of a country by entering (imports) or leaving (exports) its economic territory. Goods simply being transported through a country (goods in transit) or temporarily admitted or withdrawn (except for goods for inward or outward processing; see IMTS, Rev.2, para. 28) do not add to or subtract from the stock of material resources of a country and are not included in the international merchandise trade statistics. Refer to IMTS, Rev.2, para Result from the 2006 NCDP Questionnaire Question: Yes in %No in %N/A in % As a general rule, do you include in trade statistics goods which enter (imports) or leave (exports) your economic territory (except for goods in transit and temporary admissions/ withdrawals)?

Working Party on International Trade in Goods and Services Statistics – WPTGS Paris, September 2008 United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Statistics Division 12 Coverage – Definition of IMTS and Nature of transaction covered 3. Result from world wide consultations Question 1: Should the basic definition of IMTS further elaborated by clarifying the terms “adding to or subtracting from the stock of material resources” (part 1 of the question), “being simply transported” (part 2) and “temporary admission” (part 3)? Yes in % No in % No Op. in % N/A in % Part 1 – Total of 110 replies82981 Developed (34)91630 Developing and transitional (76) Part 2 – Total of 110 replies Developed (34) Developing and transitional (76) Part 3 - Total of 110 replies85754 Developed (34)91603 Developing and transitional (76)82874

Working Party on International Trade in Goods and Services Statistics – WPTGS Paris, September 2008 United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Statistics Division 13 Coverage – Definition of IMTS and Nature of transaction covered 4. Selected comments (from total of 59 comments)  “Economy has to have the goods directly available. […] The definition should therefore include aspects of customs warehouses, processing and change of ownership.”  “There is the need to include some examples of cases where the goods do not add to or subtract from the country's resources. For example, more and more goods are placed into […] special customs control areas and bond zones as buffer stock by overseas owners […].”  “More clarifications concerning temporary admissions in commercial free zones would be helpful.”

Working Party on International Trade in Goods and Services Statistics – WPTGS Paris, September 2008 United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Statistics Division 14 Thank you for your attention