CONCEPTS, DEFINITIONS, CLASSIFICATIONS

Did you know...

... that international merchandise trade statistics record all goods which add to or subtract from the stock of material resources of a country by entering or leaving its economic territory?
... that trade of the export processing zones, as well as re-exports, should be included?
... that imports are valued inclusive of freight and insurance costs (C.I.F.) while exports are valued “free on board” (F.O.B.)?...

International standards governing the measurement of trade statistics are set forth in the new UN International Merchandise Trade Statistics: concepts and definitions, 2010 (IMTS).

• IMTS 2010 (final version submitted for reproduction and translation)
    

• Compiler’s Manual
  > Download (pdf format; 2210KB)
    

• Supplement to the Compiler’s Manual (final draft submitted to UN editors on 07/03/08)
    

• International Merchandise Trade Statistics: Compilers Manual, Revision 1 (draft version available as a background document on the website of the 43rd UN Statistical Commission)
    

• Export and Import Price Index Manual: Theory and Practice
    

Classifications in use in International Merchandise Trade Statistics:

• Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (Harmonized
  System, or HS)

• Standard International Trade Classification (SITC),

  • revision 3

  • revision 4