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International comparison:
Eurostat
For more information on this release:
E-mail: Trade@cso.ie Ciarán Counihan (+353) 1 498 4215 Bernie Ryan (+353) 1 498 4235
For general information on CSO statistics:
information@cso.ie (+353) 21 453 5000 On-line ISSN 2009-5155
CSO statistical release, , 11am

Goods Exports and Imports

March 2019

Seasonally adjusted
€ million
 ExportsImportsSurplus
October 201812,2488,2533,996
November 201812,1148,1463,968
December 201812,9128,7284,184
January 201913,8246,6607,164
February 201913,1536,9906,163
March 201910,9896,8964,093

Seasonally adjusted goods exports decrease in March

Figure 1 Goods Exports and Imports seasonally adjusted
go to full release

Seasonally adjusted goods exports decreased by €2,164 million (-16%) to €10,989 million in March 2019 compared with February 2019, according to preliminary figures.

Seasonally adjusted goods imports decreased by €95 million (-1%) to €6,896 million leading to a decrease of €2,070 million (-34%) in the seasonally adjusted trade surplus to €4,093 million in March 2019 compared with the previous month (see Table 2).

Exports increased by over €400 million in March

The (unadjusted)* value of goods exports for March 2019 was €11,779 million representing an increase of €439 million (+4%) when compared with March 2018. The value of goods exports for the period January to March 2019 was €38,028 million, an increase of €4,183 million (+12%) when compared with the first three months of 2018.

The biggest rate of change in exports was of Organic Chemicals, which decreased by €1,028 million (-34%) to €1,960 million in March 2019 compared with March 2018.

Exports of Medical and pharmaceutical products increased by €607 million (+20%) to €3,676 million. This represents 31% of the value of total exports.

Exports of Electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances increased by €156 million (+37%) to €582 million, and exports of Professional, scientific and controlling apparatus increased by €132 million (+27%) to €622 million over the same comparative period.

Imports increase by €100 million in March

The (unadjusted) value of goods imports for March 2019 was €7,241 million representing an increase of €113 million (+2%) when compared with March 2018. The value of goods imports for January to March 2019 was €20,386 million, which is an increase of €298 million (+1%) compared with the first quarter of 2018.

Imports of Other transport equipment, including aircraft increased by €103 million (+7%) to €1,590 million in March 2019 compared with March 2018.

Imports of Food and live animals increased by €54 million (+9%) to €679 million.

Imports of Medical and pharmaceutical products decreased by €390 million (-41%) to €570 million over the same comparative period.

The value of goods imports for March 2019 excluding SITC 79 (Other transport equipment, including aircraft) was €5,651 million, an increase of €10 million (+0.2%) when compared with the corresponding March 2018 figure of €5,641 million.

Exports to Great Britain increase in March

Exports to Great Britain increased by €135 million (+12%) to €1,251 million in March 2019 compared with March 2018. The main increase was in the exports of Mineral Fuels, lubricants and related materials. Exports to Great Britain accounted for 11% of total exports.

The value of goods exports to Great Britain in the first three months of 2019 was €3,657 million, an increase of €301 million (+9%) on the first quarter of 2018.

Imports from Great Britain increased by €141 million (+9%) to €1,712 million compared with March 2018. The main increases were in the imports of Machinery and transport equipment, Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material and Food and live animals (see Table 5). Imports from Great Britain were 24% of the value of total imports in March 2019.

The value of goods imports from Great Britain for the period January to March 2019 was €5,099 million, an increase of €696 million (+16%) on the first three months of 2018.

Geographic breakdown of goods exports and imports

The EU accounted for €5,859 million (50%) of total goods exports in March 2019 of which €1,229 million went to Belgium and €822 million was exported to the Netherlands. Total EU exports in March decreased by €69 million (-1%) compared with March 2018.

The USA was the main non-EU destination accounting for €3,330 million (28%) of total exports in March 2019.

The EU accounted for €4,679 million (65%) of total goods imports in March 2019, which is an increase of €202 million (+5%) compared with March 2018.

The USA with €1,024 million (14%) and China with €404 million (6%) were the main non-EU sources of imports.

*It should be noted that the detailed data described in Paragraph 3 onwards, and the data in Tables 1,3,4 and 5 are not seasonally adjusted. Only the data described in the first two paragraphs and in Table 2 are seasonally adjusted.

This map is © Ordnance Survey Ireland. All rights reserved. License number 01/05/001.
This map is © Ordnance Survey Ireland. All rights reserved. License number 01/05/001.
Table 1 Goods Exports and Imports summary analysis
PeriodValue1Volume index2Unit value index2 
ExportsImportsTrade surplusBase year 2010=100
€m€m€mExportsImportsExportsImportsTerms of trade3
2010 90,92448,69542,229 100.0  100.0  100.0  100.0  100.0
201193,19153,03540,155 106.1  110.4  96.6  98.7  97.9
2012 93,50756,17937,328 100.6  120.2  102.2  96.0  106.5
201389,18255,78733,394 101.1  123.5  97.0  92.8  104.6
201492,61662,15830,458 103.8  130.1  98.2  98.1  100.1
2015112,40770,11142,296 115.5  143.6  106.8  100.3  106.5
2016119,29274,23745,055 125.6  158.2  102.7  93.3  110.2
2017122,78582,95639,829 135.8  168.9  99.3  96.1  103.3
2018140,67891,34749,331..........
         
2016Quarter 127,81317,62310,190 119.5  158.0  100.7  89.4  112.6
 Quarter 230,30718,94411,363 129.0  159.5  102.0  94.8  107.6
 Quarter 330,36118,13112,229 126.5  152.5  103.6  94.2  110.1
 Quarter 430,81219,53811,273 127.6  162.8  104.6  94.7  110.5
2017Quarter 132,17920,98511,194 137.0  160.2  103.3  98.4  104.9
 Quarter 231,07721,7459,331 134.2  182.1  101.9  95.6  106.7
 Quarter 328,98318,55010,433 129.1  152.0  98.1  94.9  103.4
 Quarter 430,54621,6768,871 141.0  176.8  93.8  95.4  98.2
2018Quarter 133,84520,08813,757 159.0  175.2  93.7  94.2  99.5
 Quarter 235,57921,88013,699 168.6  187.6  92.7  96.0  96.8
 Quarter 334,10722,98611,122 155.2  185.6  96.6  101.4  95.3
 Quarter 437,14726,39410,753 173.0  221.4  95.2  98.4  96.8
2019Quarter 138,02820,38617,642..........
         
2016January8,8935,1433,750 120.9  142.6  95.6  87.0  110.0
 February8,5665,4813,085 105.0  144.4  106.0  91.6  115.8
 March10,3546,9993,355 132.6  187.0  100.6  89.7  112.1
 April10,0535,5934,460 125.8  144.6  104.1  93.4  111.5
 May9,3856,4122,973 123.6  164.7  99.0  94.2  105.0
 June10,8686,9383,930 137.7  169.3  102.8  96.7  106.4
 July9,4115,7383,672 120.4  144.2  101.9  96.2  106.0
 August10,4645,7234,742 130.8  146.1  103.4  93.1  111.1
 September10,4866,6703,815 128.2  167.1  105.6  93.4  113.1
 October10,1995,7104,489 129.3  142.6  103.1  95.9  107.5
 November11,2017,2473,954 140.6  183.9  104.1  94.4  110.3
 December9,4126,5812,831 113.0  162.0  106.6  93.7  113.8
         
2017January9,9077,1982,708 122.8  144.7  106.4  98.9  107.6
 February10,2356,5343,702 135.1  158.7  99.6  98.3  101.3
March12,0377,2534,784 153.0  177.2  103.9  98.1  105.8
April9,8636,8523,011 122.6  167.2  106.2  98.0  108.4
May10,5617,6202,941 139.3  193.4  100.0  94.7  105.7
June10,6537,2743,379 140.6  185.6  99.6  94.0  106.0
July9,1785,6863,492 117.4  140.2  103.2  95.1  108.5
August9,6176,3293,288 126.1  153.9  98.2  93.6  104.9
September10,1886,5343,654 143.8  161.8  93.0  96.1  96.8
October9,6457,0362,609 143.2  180.8  88.3  92.5  95.5
November10,8497,4243,425 151.6  187.0  95.0  96.0  98.9
December10,0537,2162,837 128.3  162.7  98.0  97.7  100.3
        
20184January12,1036,5385,565 166.7  171.8  95.8  93.8  102.2
 February10,4026,4233,980 144.2  166.6  95.2  95.0  100.2
 March11,3407,1284,212 166.1  187.1  90.1  93.9  96.0
 April11,0026,6034,399 162.3  163.7  89.5  99.4  90.0
 May11,8116,9244,886 167.0  185.6  93.2  92.1  101.2
 June12,7668,3524,414 176.4  213.6  95.5  96.4  99.1
 July11,0757,7183,356 151.0  182.9  96.8  104.0  93.1
 August11,4937,1814,313 161.6  182.7  93.9  96.9  96.9
 September11,5408,0873,453 153.0  191.3  99.2  103.4  95.9
 October12,2548,8553,400 171.4  220.3  94.4  99.1  95.3
 November13,0018,8824,119 181.2  223.6  94.7  97.9  96.7
 December11,8928,6583,234 166.5  220.4  96.6  98.1  98.5
      
20194January13,6996,7306,969..........
 February12,5506,4166,135..........
March11,7797,2414,538..........
1 Trade statistics revised since 2000, see background notes.
2 Monthly data have been rescaled to make their average equal to the annual.
3 Export unit value index divided by Import unit value index.
4 Revised. March 2019 is based on current Intrastat response levels. See background notes.
.. Indices not yet available.
Table 2 Goods Exports and Imports seasonally adjusted1 series
PeriodValueVolume index
ExportsImportsTrade surplusBase year 2010=100
€m€m€mExportsImports
2016Quarter 127,86616,68211,184 119.7  149.6
 Quarter 229,75919,10110,659 126.5  161.3
 Quarter 330,22119,06911,152 125.7  161.2
 Quarter 431,01019,29411,716 129.0  159.6
2017Quarter 132,98320,42812,555 137.6  154.3
 Quarter 230,27022,0488,222 131.1  186.1
 Quarter 329,33219,4989,835 131.4  162.1
 Quarter 430,54421,2149,329 142.2  170.7
2018Quarter 133,99220,31313,679 157.4  173.2
 Quarter 234,72121,77212,949 165.5  187.3
 Quarter 334,98524,26810,717 160.2  199.4
 Quarter 437,27425,12612,148 174.3  211.3
2019Quarter 137,96620,54617,420....
       
2016January9,4495,0914,358 127.0  145.3
 February8,9445,5283,417 108.7  143.8
 March9,4736,0643,409 123.3  159.6
 April9,8755,7214,154 125.3  148.7
 May9,6436,5123,132 124.8  167.8
 June10,2416,8683,373 129.4  167.4
 July9,2026,1963,006 118.3  156.8
 August 10,6985,9874,711 132.1  155.2
 September10,3216,8863,435 126.7  171.6
 October10,3565,8014,555 130.1  144.4
 November10,4206,8593,562 130.0  171.3
 December10,2346,6343,600 127.0  163.1
       
2017January10,7777,0463,731 129.5  140.8
 February11,1627,0234,138 141.8  168.3
 March11,0446,3594,685 141.4  153.9
 April9,8607,4052,454 124.0  181.5
 May10,5597,4563,104 136.6  192.1
 June9,8527,1882,664 132.7  184.7
 July9,7296,0493,680 124.5  151.1
 August9,6906,6643,026 126.4  163.3
 September9,9146,7863,129 143.3  172.0
 October9,8396,7783,061 141.9  172.4
 November9,9626,9792,982 140.5  172.9
 December10,7437,4573,286 144.3  166.7
       
2018January12,5156,9335,582 169.4  175.9
 February11,0166,9934,022 149.9  178.7
 March10,4626,3874,075 152.9  164.9
 April11,1516,8864,265 168.3  173.4
 May11,7726,5705,202 163.9  179.8
 June11,7988,3163,482 164.3  208.8
 July11,9038,0063,897 164.3  192.1
 August11,3877,7653,622 160.8  202.3
 September11,6968,4973,199 155.4  203.9
 October12,2488,2533,996 164.7  202.6
 November12,1148,1463,968 170.6  207.4
 December12,9128,7284,184 187.7  224.0
       
2019January13,8246,6607,164....
 February13,1536,9906,163....
March10,9896,8964,093....
1 Based on seasonal patterns up to December 2018. Accordingly all values in this table may have been revised.
Table 3 Goods Exports and Imports classified by commodity1
€million
SITC (Rev 4)ExportsImports
MarMarJan-MarJan-MarMarMarJan-MarJan-Mar
20182019201820192018201920182019
0Food and live animals9559772,6012,6946256791,8081,945
0Live animals other than animals of Division 0318215560573530
1Meat and meat preparations3563429629508388249245
2Dairy products and birds' eggs2012164985888291209211
3Fish, crustaceans, molluscs and preparations thereof596415817326257071
4Cereals and cereal preparations3340100130100114273349
5Vegetables and fruit27259372108114308322
6Sugars, sugar preparations and honey1213363429368792
7Coffee, tea, cocoa, spices and manufactures thereof323591994963154175
8Feeding stuff for animals (excluding unmilled cereals)303483958371233247
9Miscellaneous edible products and preparations1871875264936171189203
1Beverages and tobacco1031283083836882170210
11Beverages 1031283073836778166198
12Tobacco and tobacco manufactures000024411
2Crude materials, inedible, except fuels1641404714538493224267
21Hides, skins and furskins, raw9929250000
22Oil seeds and oleaginous fruits 10252278
23Crude rubber (including synthetic and reclaimed) 00001123
24Cork and wood1416404614174154
25Pulp and waste paper441613561220
26Textile fibres and their wastes121133331134
27Crude fertilisers and minerals (excluding coal, petroleum and precious stones)1210333213153943
28Metalliferous ores and metal scrap997927926621216067
29Crude animal and vegetable materials nes1210383226296069
3Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials691502124984684801,4061,650
32Coal, coke and briquettes111232342248117
33Petroleum, petroleum products and related materials47581361333342891,017964
34Gas, natural and manufactured112298105269337
35Electric current107841329138139332
4Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes76191625236766
41Animal oils and fats6516141134
42Fixed vegetable fats and oils113222205957
43Animal or vegetable fats and oils, processed; waxes00002255
5Chemicals and related products7,0826,84421,42423,7581,6701,3284,9793,803
51Organic chemicals2,9881,9607,2098,474262268769725
52Inorganic chemicals2010643729298484
53Dyeing, tanning and colouring materials1112343520226065
54Medical and pharmaceutical products3,0693,67611,14612,0499595702,9321,703
55Essential oils; perfume materials; toilet and cleansing preparations5747341,7971,912112125315355
56Fertilisers (other than those of Division 27)11236364155174
57Plastics in primary forms37411081168886250239
58Plastics in non-primary forms43411291235062159191
59Chemical materials and products nes3383699351,00987102258266
6Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material2011965715834394891,3091,498
61Leather; leather manufactures nes; dressed furskins12761255
62Rubber manufactures nes97242225287989
63Cork and wood manufactures (excluding furniture)2828798022266976
64Paper, paperboard and articles thereof131537427295220258
65Textile yarn, fabrics, made-up articles and related products171344394144123132
66Non-metallic mineral manufactures nes38371121154656138159
67Iron and steel171646487777208245
68Non-ferrous metals10929294450157161
69Manufactures of metals nes6869192202110111311372
7Machinery and transport equipment1,4571,8424,1845,3912,8973,1447,5578,220
71Power generating machinery and equipment787520320377107218279
72Machinery specialised for particular industries7453220165170147405436
73Metalworking machinery22761593635
74General industrial machinery and equipment nes and parts nes169162447464138152422471
75Office machines and automatic data processing machines (including computers)3473831,0711,3142933608411,268
76Telecommunications and sound equipment111128270379167186455439
77Electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances nes and parts4265821,2641,683211263660753
78Road vehicles (including air-cushion vehicles)322887803393301,1201,049
79Other transport equipment (including aircraft)2174306151,0971,4871,5903,4003,490
8Miscellaneous manufactured articles1,2351,3963,8353,9666577501,9852,224
81Prefab buildings; plumbing and electrical fixtures and fittings1113395323267281
82Furniture and parts thereof; bedding, cushions etc141644454350129146
83Travel goods, handbags and similar containers226610123338
84Articles of apparel; clothing accessories18184950140154418465
85Footwear431193639104110
87Professional, scientific and controlling apparatus nes4906221,4901,638148167444466
88Photographic apparatus; optical goods; watches and clocks1211053533453338100115
89Miscellaneous manufactured articles nes5756171,8441,821224264685802
9Commodities and transactions not classified elsewhere1636731044045118123
Unclassified estimates25263147183155128464381
           
Total11,34011,77933,84538,0287,1287,24120,08820,386
1 Trade statistics revised since 2000. March 2019 is based on current Intrastat response levels. See background notes.
2 Estimates for which a commodity classification is not available.
Table 4 Goods Exports and Imports classified by country1
€million
CountryExportsImports
MarMarJan-MarJan-MarMarMarJan-MarJan-Mar
20182019201820192018201920182019
Austria40311149426308890
Belgium1,6801,2294,6415,064147121370370
Bulgaria71023302278
Croatia3910170133
Cyprus227260011
Czech Republic49761421923437140134
Denmark56491661575553140136
Estonia21641135
Finland4326887713123850
France4695751,3731,4786521,0961,7002,325
Germany8747992,4702,9241,0025422,5251,843
Great Britain1,1161,2513,3563,6571,5721,7124,4025,099
Greece2522103133471220
Hungary 2922857212122736
Italy 263274740992122108606331
Latvia541715451214
Lithuania32988102735
Luxembourg13203556631512
Malta4350111124
Netherlands6128221,7202,153294306759810
Northern Ireland166181469527131143366362
Poland79742453074054135199
Portugal354510211419195457
Romania323188114992023
Slovakia671721451315
Slovenia8923252377
Spain228200597562121113385322
Sweden66722222308353217177
EU country not specified214142635112220198356
Total EU5,9285,85916,94319,0934,4774,67912,27212,845
  of which United Kingdom1,2821,4323,8254,1841,7031,8554,7695,461
Euro-Zone34,3124,07012,11213,7552,4272,3836,6176,311
        
Australia654922318013103528
Brazil1719586223154950
Canada1451113732522755112173
China44876591,1341,8124244041,2071,275
India262779884454149186
Japan207160840660112122326318
Malaysia13164749296687174
Mexico12511134434832329190
Norway2521102593238161192
Russia35481081705465155152
Saudi Arabia62491181381022
Singapore554418513125269390
South Africa203668948102324
South Korea51501541405061167196
Switzerland4225351,7111,9014342133164
Taiwan2022926421296193
Thailand11103825263890117
Turkey48891652684450142179
USA3,1563,3309,92710,8461,2611,0243,6602,987
Other countries3503389921,039180179582576
Country unknown571197144609203244492475
Total Non-EU5,4125,92016,90318,9352,6512,5627,8167,541
 
Total11,34011,77933,84538,0287,1287,24120,08820,386
1 Trade statistics revised since 2000. March 2019 is based on current Intrastat response levels. See background notes.
2 Includes estimates for traders below the Intrastat threshold and transactions where the EU country was not specified.
3 Euro-zone members from January 2015: Austria, Belgium, Germany, Spain, Finland, France, Luxembourg, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, Malta, Cyprus, Slovakia, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
4 China includes Hong Kong and Macao.
5 Trade for which the country of origin or country of final destination is unknown.
Table 5 Goods Exports and Imports classified by commodity and principal countries1
€million
  ExportsImports
Country by Section level of SITCMarMarJan-MarJan-MarMarMarJan-MarJan-Mar
20182019201820192018201920182019
Great Britain1,1161,2513,3563,6571,5721,7124,4025,099
0Food and live animals351366952998260296746804
1Beverages and tobacco1422435623295474
2Crude materials, inedible, except fuels333010910016194758
3Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials1611372396318294792971
4Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes2244441211
5Chemicals and related products3153081,064930237256662735
6Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material8583246251158196466550
7Machinery and transport equipment1771794894942893478291,111
8Miscellaneous manufactured articles95116300334174195520565
9Commodities and transactions not classified elsewhere283377939175274221
Other EU24,8124,60813,58715,4362,9052,9667,8697,746
0Food and live animals3713839831,035265287776798
1Beverages and tobacco34429111632387997
2Crude materials, inedible, except fuels1027325923331357898
3Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials2236598310175282233
4Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes54141116154341
5Chemicals and related products3,1852,8398,94310,4699785412,7081,496
6Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material8278230232156168474510
7Machinery and transport equipment5505711,5341,6831,0981,5782,7443,785
8Miscellaneous manufactured articles4245371,3721,445151159449477
9Commodities and transactions not classified elsewhere35461011297871235211
USA3,1563,3309,92710,8461,2611,0243,6602,987
0Food and live animals1820637426126771
1Beverages and tobacco43491331661134
2Crude materials, inedible, except fuels42127361018
3Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials00201734725170
4Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes--000000
5Chemicals and related products2,3742,3857,3348,115233229927697
6Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material13164147323397102
7Machinery and transport equipment2463299178988595752,2161,567
8Miscellaneous manufactured articles4555251,3961,50892108280323
9Commodities and transactions not classified elsewhere34111412133535
China34876591,1341,8124244041,2071,275
0Food and live animals8368199187351014
1Beverages and tobacco00010000
2Crude materials, inedible, except fuels34141154129
3Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials00000-00
4Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes00010000
5Chemicals and related products16014330639731258391
6Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material731473939119139
7Machinery and transport equipment1874004381,094235205634646
8Miscellaneous manufactured articles4640162114106120330360
9Commodities and transactions not classified elsewhere0000561716
Rest of World1,7701,9315,8426,2789661,1342,9493,279
0Food and live animals1321414044007179209258
1Beverages and tobacco1216404412143334
2Crude materials, inedible, except fuels23317810029307685
3Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials3016124663307276
4Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes0011551313
5Chemicals and related products1,0471,1693,7783,848192277599785
6Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material151740475453152196
7Machinery and transport equipment2963648051,2224154381,1341,111
8Miscellaneous manufactured articles214178605565134168405499
9Commodities and transactions not classified elsewhere1153150882121
         
Total11,34011,77933,84538,0287,1287,24120,08820,386
1 Trade statistics revised since 2000. March 2019 is based on current Intrastat response levels. See background notes.
2 Includes estimates for traders below the Intrastat threshold and transactions where the EU country was not specified.
3 China includes Hong Kong and Macao.

Background Notes

Introduction

Goods Exports and Imports statistics provide data on the movement of goods between countries. The statistics are a combination of Customs-based non-EU trade statistics and data from the Intrastat Survey of Irish traders involved in trade with other EU member states. The collection of trade data is the responsibility of VIMA (a branch of Revenue). The CSO is responsible for processing and disseminating the data.

Revisions to the Trade in Goods statistics

Since May 2015, significant revisions were incorporated into International Trade in Goods statistics. While the most significant revision is due to recording trade in aircraft on a "transfer of economic ownership" basis, other revisions were incorporated into the Trade data back to 2000. 

Along with the aircraft revisions Goods Exports revisions also include upward revisions due to revaluing some products that had previously been recorded on a “transfer of economic ownership” basis, which was not in line with goods statistics methodology. Also Goods Imports revisions include downward revisions due to a change in the estimation methodology for non-response.

The technical note gives more detail on the revised trade in aircraft methodology and explains the impact the revisions will have on Trade in Goods, National Accounts and Balance of Payments.

Standard Revisions

Trade figures are subject to revision on the incorporation of late Intrastat and VAT returns and corrections made by traders. When the preliminary results for a month are published, the results for months -1 (February 2019 in this publication), -4 (November 2018) and -8 (July 2018) are revised. Following the move to a "transfer of economic ownership" basis for recording exports and imports of aircraft, SITC 79 figures are subject to revision on the incorporation of transactions from quarterly Balance of Payments (BoP) surveys. Such revisions will generally be incorporated into Goods Exports and Imports releases that coincide with quarterly BoP publications, i.e. when initial results are published for January, April, July and October.

Intrastat System

The Intrastat system has two components. Firstly, the Intrastat survey (conducted by the Revenue Commissioners), in which traders, above the Intrastat survey trade thresholds, make detailed monthly returns giving information on the quantity and value of all exports to or imports from EU countries.

The total number of traders required to make a detailed import return is around 5,200 while around 2,200 must make a detailed export return. The response rate in terms of number of traders in March 2019 was 62%, covering an estimated 93% of the total value of intra-EU trade (these response rates will have increased by the next time data for March is published).

The second component of the Intrastat system is the regular VAT return, on which all traders are required to record the total value of goods imported from and exported to other EU countries. This information provides the basis for determining total EU trade for those traders below the Intrastat survey thresholds. It is also used to maintain the register of EU traders.

Extrastat System

The statistics of trade with non-EU countries are compiled from the documents supplied by importers and exporters to the Customs authorities. The document is the Single Administrative Document (SAD) used for Customs clearance purposes.

Estimation

The figures in this release include estimates for traders above the Intrastat thresholds who did not make detailed returns for the period and for traders below the thresholds who did not provide aggregate intra-EU trade figures on their VAT returns.

Estimates for Intrastat non-respondents are apportioned to individual commodities and countries whenever previous Intrastat returns are available. Estimates for traders below the Intrastat thresholds are assigned to partner country where possible, but not to commodity.

More information is now being processed on lower value transactions. Prior to January 2012, transactions below €254 were grouped together, this value has now decreased to €127. Therefore, this has resulted in more detail being available at commodity level in Table 3 and at country level in Tables 4 and 5.

Unit Value Indices

The monthly unit value index measures monthly unit value trends relative to the annual levels in the preceding year using value weights relating to that year’s trade (Laspeyres index).

The annual index is compiled using value weights for both the current and previous year (Fisher index) to allow for change in the structure of trade in goods.

The monthly index series should be regarded as interim measures suitable for month-to-month comparisons within a given year. Previous monthly indices are revised when late returns are received.

When the annual unit value index is compiled, the monthly unit value indices are rescaled to make their average equal to the annual index.

The unit value index series has been rebased to 2010 from 1990. In the course of this rebasing, a detailed examination of the series was undertaken. This exercise has produced a number of modifications enabling production of a more robust series.

Seasonally Adjusted Series

Monthly exports, imports, trade surplus and the volume series for exports and imports have been seasonally adjusted using the US Bureau of the Census X-11 Variant of the Census Method 11 Seasonal Adjustment Program. In the main, monthly projections are based on series recalculated at the end of the previous year.

Methodology

There are methodological differences between the measurement of exports and imports in this release compared with Industrial Production, National Accounts and Balance of Payments statistics. This release records the movement of all goods over the frontier at the valuation placed on the goods at the time of crossing the frontier. Industrial Production, National Accounts and Balance of Payments statistics take account of additional aspects of cross-frontier activities such as goods sent abroad for processing where goods cross the frontier without change of ownership. The CSO releases for those statistics provide more information on their methodology.

Services Exports and Imports

The quarterly Balance of Payments (BoP) statistics provide detail on Services exports and imports.

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