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International comparison:
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For more information on this release:
E-mail: Trade@cso.ie Ciaran Counihan +353 1 4984215 Damian Malone +353 1 4984206
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

May 2017

Seasonally adjusted
€ million
ExportsImportsSurplus
December 201610,0896,4083,681
January 201710,5855,5465,039
February 201710,8726,5834,289
March 201710,8235,8474,977
April 20179,5326,3943,139
May 201710,1765,8754,302

Seasonally adjusted goods exports increase in May

Goods Exports and Imports seasonally adjusted
go to full release

Seasonally adjusted goods exports increased by €644 million (+7%) to €10,176 million in May 2017, compared with April 2017, according to preliminary figures.

Seasonally adjusted goods imports decreased by €519 million (-8%) to €5,875 million leading to an increase of €1,163 million (+37%) in the seasonally adjusted trade surplus to €4,302 million in May 2017 (see Table 2).

Exports of Medical and pharmaceutical products increase in May

The (unadjusted) value of goods exports for May 2017 was €10,178 million, an increase of €905 million (+10%) when compared with May 2016.  The value of goods exports for the period January to May 2017 was €51,209 million, an increase of €4,715 million (+10%) when compared with the first five months of 2016.
 
Exports of Medical and pharmaceutical products increased by €604 million (+28%) to €2,794 million in May 2017 compared with May 2016.
 
Exports of food and live animals increased by €195 million (+25%) to €974 million.
  
Exports of Office machines and automatic data processing machines increased by €80 million (+37%) to €298 million over the same comparative period.

Imports of Chemicals and related products increase in May

The (unadjusted) value of goods imports for May 2017 was €6,004 million, a decrease of €295 million (-5%) when compared with May 2016.  The value of goods imports for January to May was €30,379 million, which is an increase of €1,394 million (+5%) compared with the first five months of 2016.

Imports of Chemicals and related products increased by €328 million (+26%) to €1,604 million in May 2017 compared with May 2016.

Imports of Road vehicles decreased by €77 million (-21%) to €282 million over the same comparative period.

The value of goods imports for May 2017 excluding SITC 79 (Other transport equipment, including aircraft) was €5,369 million, an increase of €524 million (+11%) when compared with the corresponding May 2016 figure of €4,845 million.  The corresponding figure for January to May 2017 was €25,329 million, an increase of €1,888 million (+8%) compared with the first five months of 2016.

Exports and imports with Great Britain increase in May

Exports to Great Britain increased by €154 million (+14%) to €1,242 million in May 2017 compared with May 2016.  The main increase was in the exports of Chemicals and related products.  Exports to Great Britain increased in January to May by €732 million (+14%) compared with the first five months of 2016.

Imports from Great Britain increased by €266 million (+21%) to €1,553 million in May 2017 compared with May 2016.  The main increase was in the imports of Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials and in Chemicals and related products (see Table 5).  Imports from Great Britain for the first five months of 2017 increased by €518 million (+8%) compared with the first five months of 2016.

Geographic breakdown of goods exports and imports

The EU accounted for €5,327 million (52%) of total goods exports in May 2017, an increase of €492 million (10%) compared with May 2016. Exports to Belgium were €1,298 million and to Germany were €791 million.

The USA was the main non-EU destination accounting for €2,412 million (24%) of total exports in May 2017.

The EU accounted for 59% of the value of goods imports in May 2017.  Total imports of €3,534 million represents a decrease of €181 million (-5%) compared with May 2016.

The USA with €1,176 million (20%) and China with €386 million (6%) were the main non-EU sources of imports. The total value of imports from non-EU countries in May 2017 was €2,470 million, a decrease of €114 million (-4%) compared with May 2016.

  

NOTE on revised data: This release includes significant revisions to 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 have been incorporated into the Trade data back to 2000. The technical note (http://www.cso.ie/en/methods/externaltrade/) 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. 

 

 

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
2000 83,98654,96029,026 86.7  107.8  106.5  104.7  101.7
2001 92,73056,45536,275 104.6  116.0  97.5  99.9  97.6
2002 94,05955,10638,953 110.7  122.0  93.4  92.7  100.8
2003 82,58548,51534,070 99.2  112.6  91.6  88.4  103.5
2004 84,94951,55733,392 101.9  108.7  91.7  97.4  94.1
2005 87,17358,46328,710 101.3  125.7  94.6  95.5  99.1
2006 87,49763,83323,664 99.4  132.4  96.9  99.0  97.8
2007 90,58065,93924,640 102.9  141.8  96.8  95.5  101.4
2008 88,50359,33629,168 93.2  126.8  104.4  96.1  108.6
2009 87,58648,20339,382 103.5  108.3  93.1  91.4  101.8
2010 90,92448,69542,229 100.0  100.0  100.0  100.0  100.0
2011 93,19153,03540,155 106.1  110.4  96.6  98.7  97.9
2012 93,50756,17937,328 100.6  120.2  102.2  96.0  106.5
2013 89,18255,78733,394 101.1  123.5  97.0  92.8  104.6
2014 92,61662,15830,458 103.8  130.1  98.2  98.1  100.1
2015 112,40770,11142,296 115.5  143.6  106.8  100.3  106.5
2016 117,57872,18845,390 125.6  158.2  102.7  93.3  110.2
          
2014Quarter 121,76515,2276,538 102.1  129.8  93.7  96.5  97.2
 Quarter 223,55914,7458,814 105.9  127.7  97.8  94.9  103.0
 Quarter 323,27115,3457,926 103.6  127.5  98.9  98.9  100.0
 Quarter 424,02116,8407,180 103.3  139.1  102.3  99.5  102.9
2015Quarter 126,04316,8649,179 110.0  138.6  104.0  99.9  104.2
 Quarter 228,70516,98311,721 114.7  134.9  110.1  103.6  106.4
 Quarter 327,47716,73810,739 114.5  134.9  105.5  102.1  103.5
 Quarter 430,18319,52610,657 123.6  168.1  107.4  95.4  112.5
2016Quarter 127,30017,20610,094 119.5  158.0  100.7  89.4  112.6
 Quarter 229,92618,42011,505 129.0  159.5  102.0  94.8  107.6
 Quarter 329,88617,60812,278 126.5  152.5  103.6  94.2  110.1
 Quarter 430,46718,95311,513 127.6  162.8  104.6  94.7  110.5
2017Quarter 131,49618,45913,037 134.8  154.9  102.8  97.9  105.0
          
2014January7,0855,1811,904 99.6  131.8  93.9  96.9  96.9
 February6,9594,6112,348 98.9  116.3  92.9  97.7  95.1
 March7,7205,4342,286 107.9  141.3  94.4  94.8  99.6
 April7,3224,8662,455 102.7  129.3  94.1  92.7  101.5
 May8,1584,9723,187 109.6  130.1  98.2  94.2  104.2
 June8,0804,9073,172 105.4  123.6  101.2  97.9  103.4
 July7,2525,2671,984 96.3  133.1  99.4  97.5  101.9
 August7,7734,7952,978 104.8  118.7  97.9  99.6  98.3
 September8,2475,2832,964 109.6  130.8  99.3  99.6  99.7
 October7,9325,5862,347 102.7  139.0  101.9  99.0  102.9
 November7,8645,5842,280 99.1  138.2  104.7  99.5  105.2
 December8,2245,6712,553 108.1  140.0  100.4  99.8  100.6
          
2015January8,2905,3682,922 106.3  131.7  102.9  100.5  102.4
 February8,3485,1363,212 106.9  129.5  103.0  97.8  105.4
 March9,4056,3603,045 116.8  154.6  106.2  101.4  104.8
 April9,6145,6373,977 115.0  131.8  110.3  105.4  104.6
 May9,1805,5353,645 109.5  127.7  110.6  106.8  103.6
 June9,9115,8114,099 119.5  145.3  109.4  98.5  111.0
 July9,4135,7653,648 115.1  138.3  107.9  102.7  105.0
 August8,6265,2093,416 112.1  122.5  101.6  104.8  97.0
 September9,4385,7633,675 116.3  143.8  107.1  98.7  108.5
 October10,7546,3364,418 128.0  164.7  110.9  94.8  116.9
 November10,1796,1963,983 128.2  158.0  104.8  96.6  108.4
 December9,2516,9942,256 114.5  181.6  106.6  94.9  112.3
          
20164January8,7615,0313,730 120.9  142.6  95.6  87.0  110.0
 February8,4345,3683,066 105.0  144.4  106.0  91.6  115.8
 March10,1046,8073,297 132.6  187.0  100.6  89.7  112.1
 April9,9215,4804,442 125.8  144.6  104.1  93.4  111.5
 May9,2736,2992,974 123.6  164.7  99.0  94.2  105.0
 June10,7326,6424,090 137.7  169.3  102.8  96.7  106.4
 July9,2985,6263,672 120.4  144.2  101.9  96.2  106.0
 August10,3335,6104,723 130.8  146.1  103.4  93.1  111.1
 September10,2556,3733,882 128.2  167.1  105.6  93.4  113.1
 October10,0965,5484,547 129.3  142.6  103.1  95.9  107.5
 November11,0927,0484,044 140.6  183.9  104.1  94.4  110.3
 December9,2796,3572,922 113.0  162.0  106.6  93.7  113.8
          
20174January9,7305,6674,064 122.6  141.7  104.7  98.5  106.3
 February9,9706,1243,846 130.9  153.5  100.5  98.3  102.3
 March11,7966,6695,128 150.9  169.4  103.2  97.0  106.3
 April9,5355,9163,619 124.4  149.9  101.1  97.3  104.0
 May10,1786,0044,174 139.2  158.4  96.5  93.4  103.3
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. May 2017 is based on current Intrastat response levels. See background notes.
Table 2 Goods Exports and Imports seasonally adjusted1 series
PeriodValueVolume index
ExportsImportsTrade surplusBase year 2010=100
€m€m€mExportsImports
2013Quarter 121,73113,4748,257 93.8  121.8
 Quarter 222,02313,9668,057 102.1  122.5
 Quarter 322,93514,0938,841 105.9  123.8
 Quarter 422,66014,3198,342 104.5  127.0
2014Quarter 121,80714,4487,359 102.0  124.2
Quarter 223,18314,8348,349 105.1  128.0
Quarter 323,36916,2647,105 104.0  134.1
Quarter 424,62416,8047,820 105.5  138.8
2015Quarter 126,28616,06210,224 112.0  130.9
 Quarter 228,46017,27111,189 112.9  134.8
 Quarter 327,21117,6129,599 113.7  143.5
 Quarter 430,82319,20511,618 125.8  167.6
2016Quarter 127,36116,29111,070 119.7  149.6
 Quarter 229,38518,57610,810 126.5  161.3
 Quarter 329,74918,52111,227 125.7  161.2
 Quarter 430,66018,71511,945 129.0  159.6
2017Quarter 132,28117,97614,305 135.3  149.3
      
2013January6,9774,4572,520 93.6  124.6
 February7,1704,5972,574 93.3  122.4
March7,5844,4203,164 94.6  118.3
April7,5314,6032,928 98.8  121.5
May7,2464,5892,657 101.2  121.4
June7,2464,7752,472 106.2  124.7
July7,5684,6662,902 110.5  122.2
August7,8764,9322,944 105.0  128.9
September7,4904,4952,995 102.3  120.2
October7,5014,7652,736 105.7  125.9
November7,2334,9082,325 99.4  130.7
December7,9274,6463,281 108.5  124.5
2014January7,2734,7132,560 102.9  121.7
 February7,4154,6122,803 104.2  117.9
 March7,1195,1231,996 99.0  133.0
 April7,0804,5722,508 100.6  123.0
 May8,1715,2642,907 109.9  134.6
 June7,9324,9982,934 104.8  126.4
 July6,9515,5911,360 92.7  140.2
 August8,3885,3843,004 113.3  131.3
 September8,0305,2892,741 105.9  130.7
 October7,8735,5092,364 100.2  135.3
 November7,4085,7991,609 94.1  144.6
 December9,3435,4963,848 122.2  136.4
 
2015January8,6415,0073,633 110.1  126.5
 February8,9665,3163,650 115.2  130.5
 March8,6795,7392,941 110.6  135.6
 April9,7405,6784,061 117.7  129.0
 May9,3765,8873,489 107.8  133.7
 June9,3455,7063,639 113.3  141.7
 July9,0766,1022,974 113.6  147.5
 August9,1505,7253,425 117.8  137.4
 September8,9865,7863,200 109.6  145.7
 October10,8206,2504,570 128.0  165.5
 November9,5216,1083,413 120.4  158.1
 December10,4826,8463,635 129.0  179.1
   
2016January9,3094,9804,330 127.0  145.3
 February8,8075,4143,393 108.7  143.8
 March9,2445,8973,347 123.3  159.6
 April9,7465,6054,141 125.3  148.7
 May9,5286,3963,131 124.8  167.8
 June10,1126,5753,538 129.4  167.4
 July9,0926,0753,017 118.3  156.8
 August 10,5645,8684,695 132.1  155.2
 September10,0936,5783,515 126.7  171.6
 October10,2525,6374,615 130.1  144.4
 November10,3196,6703,649 130.0  171.3
 December10,0896,4083,681 127.0  163.1
      
2017January10,5855,5465,039 129.3  138.0
 February10,8726,5834,289 137.3  162.9
March10,8235,8474,977 139.4  147.0
April9,5326,3943,139 125.8  162.7
 May10,1765,8754,302 136.5  157.4
1 Based on seasonal patterns up to December 2016. Accordingly all values in this table may have been revised.
Table 3 Goods Exports and Imports classified by commodity1
€million
SITC (Rev 4)ExportsImports
MayMayJan-MayJan-MayMayMayJan-MayJan-May
20162017201620172016201720162017
0Food and live animals7799743,9794,4485466002,7052,835
00Live animals other than animals of Division 031517771211285665
01Meat and meat preparations2853051,4451,5007582386386
02Dairy products and birds' eggs1352226228255470272306
03Fish, crustaceans, molluscs and preparations thereof38522252662226111113
04Cereals and cereal preparations31341561708695421432
05Vegetables and fruit2528116125108115513521
06Sugars, sugar preparations and honey181499663435161156
07Coffee, tea, cocoa, spices and manufactures thereof32321581574143221230
08Feeding stuff for animals (excluding unmilled cereals)22251101276567327343
09Miscellaneous edible products and preparations1782459711,0914958236282
1Beverages and tobacco931084965177778353324
11Beverages 891084715156767301297
12Tobacco and tobacco manufactures4024210105228
2Crude materials, inedible, except fuels1271416157367276360371
21Hides, skins and furskins, raw81053550000
22Oil seeds and oleaginous fruits 1165341314
23Crude rubber (including synthetic and reclaimed) 00011154
24Cork and wood1512685614116357
25Pulp and waste paper562631442423
26Textile fibres and their wastes111156551166
27Crude fertilisers and minerals (excluding coal, petroleum and precious stones)1112585212166069
28Metalliferous ores and metal scrap6478294428172194103
29Crude animal and vegetable materials nes1112545519189495
3Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials79582643583593641,4821,917
32Coal, coke and briquettes1110564991657113
33Petroleum, petroleum products and related materials61411942652952941,0851,482
34Gas, natural and manufactured02185251331305
35Electric current64123513916
4Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes693248202799123
41Animal oils and fats58284322810
42Fixed vegetable fats and oils1134162379103
43Animal or vegetable fats and oils, processed; waxes001032129
5Chemicals and related products5,2925,99126,20129,1041,2761,6045,8507,266
51Organic chemicals2,0232,0319,3108,6403793191,6121,466
52Inorganic chemicals171153592831122137
53Dyeing, tanning and colouring materials153868157182395102
54Medical and pharmaceutical products2,1902,79411,61614,9355108452,3373,782
55Essential oils; perfume materials; toilet and cleansing preparations6916883,4093,434108124541535
56Fertilisers (other than those of Division 27)11332931203214
57Plastics in primary forms29261531487891344391
58Plastics in non-primary forms41462002155459240256
59Chemical materials and products nes2863561,3891,5147381355384
6Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material1841909049134194361,9452,012
61Leather; leather manufactures nes; dressed furskins2214141298
62Rubber manufactures nes6738322528133126
63Cork and wood manufactures (excluding furniture)20221041152324103115
64Paper, paperboard and articles thereof141364647172355352
65Textile yarn, fabrics, made-up articles and related products151474643942193188
66Non-metallic mineral manufactures nes39431861904149205217
67Iron and steel161567675968268297
68Non-ferrous metals91034457049244224
69Manufactures of metals nes636432232291102435484
7Machinery and transport equipment1,4111,2287,5858,3542,7221,93712,03311,443
71Power generating machinery and equipment415824128179111288428
72Machinery specialised for particular industries7678309269110119597554
73Metalworking machinery1391210144750
74General industrial machinery and equipment nes and parts nes140163685786123125666647
75Office machines and automatic data processing machines (including computers)2182981,4241,4432753041,3941,412
76Telecommunications and sound equipment7379359398116130603624
77Electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances nes and parts4884742,6993,4781952171,0141,045
78Road vehicles (including air-cushion vehicles)25271431343592821,8811,634
79Other transport equipment (including aircraft)349481,7151,5531,4546355,5445,050
8Miscellaneous manufactured articles1,2191,3466,0546,2216326803,2823,250
81Prefab buildings; plumbing and electrical fixtures and fittings12136659172292104
82Furniture and parts thereof; bedding, cushions etc181785803444177197
83Travel goods, handbags and similar containers22111112135457
84Articles of apparel; clothing accessories2621125115137139726702
85Footwear4320182830149153
87Professional, scientific and controlling apparatus nes4905622,5132,617139149731695
88Photographic apparatus; optical goods; watches and clocks1001184855573145175185
89Miscellaneous manufactured articles nes5666102,7482,7652352381,1791,156
9Commodities and transactions not classified elsewhere29271111183034146168
Unclassified estimates254105255392147168729669
           
Total9,27310,17846,49451,2096,2996,00428,98530,379
1 Trade statistics revised since 2000. May 2017 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
MayMayJan-MayJan-MayMayMayJan-MayJan-May
20162017201620172016201720162017
Austria26371561602226116121
Belgium1,1041,2985,9865,744106119593574
Bulgaria68353922239
Croatia44171510202
Cyprus4316110011
Czech Republic33311501573530205160
Denmark42522452543537162173
Estonia3221111145
Finland172810115020116866
France3784092,0902,0947705213,1093,880
Germany6307913,2354,1407495223,0482,880
Great Britain1,0891,2425,1905,9211,2871,5536,3166,835
Greece1823115116452026
Hungary 27231311051284646
Italy 2031981,042998104117537651
Latvia352819221825
Lithuania421510463339
Luxembourg482939331311
Malta3325131064
Netherlands4684682,3302,3632361951,113968
Northern Ireland14215066771689104444498
Poland1331286145124253238250
Portugal4655157202191693102
Romania2434122131783842
Slovakia1043723441616
Slovenia7831301132415
Spain3052411,3011,15695132482571
Sweden66573133153734198207
EU country not specified23816130241182111394
Total EU4,8355,32724,32925,6853,7153,53417,09518,271
  of which United Kingdom1,2311,3925,8576,6371,3761,6576,7607,333
Euro-Zone33,2283,58216,69917,2802,1471,6839,2609,956
         
Australia13272513337993835
Brazil1616937413236377
Canada66824184824739283240
China42164651,1682,5453033861,6121,742
India23241231544655254255
Japan160205766940118116595549
Malaysia171484762126129128
Mexico971185716473319147140
Norway226596180127131390579
Russia365714621082184184
Saudi Arabia55654233511133
Singapore5182237296241411679
South Africa151983938113542
South Korea49533392546662357416
Switzerland2546462,1982,38219050602262
Taiwan232795962831159108
Thailand181484743735173171
Turkey38561982195160223244
USA2,7082,41212,09814,3381,1821,1765,2445,678
Other countries3833582,2411,658184181922937
Country unknown55811931198724462238
Total Non-EU4,4384,85122,16525,5242,5842,47011,89012,107
         
Total9,27310,17846,49451,2096,2996,00428,98530,379
1 Trade statistics revised since 2000. May 2017 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.
4China 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 SITCMayMayJan-MayJan-MayMayMayJan-MayJan-May
20162017201620172016201720162017
Great Britain1,0891,2425,1905,9211,2871,5536,3166,835
0Food and live animals2833071,4261,5182212251,0891,114
1Beverages and tobacco211682762622124102
2Crude materials, inedible, except fuels353815116213136772
3Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials42121721491731988371,040
4Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes0145451922
5Chemicals and related products3375081,4842,1451994589481,370
6Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material8082389383146150712732
7Machinery and transport equipment1721508688552462231,2321,178
8Miscellaneous manufactured articles8894476462170174860842
9Commodities and transactions not classified elsewhere30341381678784428364
Other EU23,7464,08519,13919,7642,4281,98110,77911,437
0Food and live animals2813681,4371,6182312661,1491,246
1Beverages and tobacco33331691533441160159
2Crude materials, inedible, except fuels66663243962527121127
3Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials197661052512138101
4Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes58254213186379
5Chemicals and related products2,2562,61211,50911,9814484582,1542,429
6Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material7071354350170151727710
7Machinery and transport equipment4823912,5392,6771,2737675,1745,504
8Miscellaneous manufactured articles4984472,5572,167137144738708
9Commodities and transactions not classified elsewhere34821602747197356374
USA2,7082,41212,09814,3381,1821,1765,2445,678
0Food and live animals2744143209192210286
1Beverages and tobacco28461862212188
2Crude materials, inedible, except fuels351720341923
3Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials1602429203463115
4Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes-0000010
5Chemicals and related products1,7731,5457,6329,1952514681,2052,361
6Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material1621831093939167168
7Machinery and transport equipment4472062,0482,1337264843,1072,376
8Miscellaneous manufactured articles3975301,9492,394114115541497
9Commodities and transactions not classified elsewhere2151527783243
China3 2164651,1682,5453033861,6121,742
0Food and live animals6591369394231216
1Beverages and tobacco00220000
2Crude materials, inedible, except fuels663734241920
3Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials00000000
4Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes0011-000
5Chemicals and related products46713663903129147130
6Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material5312123044156187
7Machinery and transport equipment532421961,500156196776867
8Miscellaneous manufactured articles415218321277104476496
9Commodities and transactions not classified elsewhere0000562624
Rest of World1,5131,9748,9008,6421,0999085,0334,688
0Food and live animals1231646047097284353373
1Beverages and tobacco1112576515136156
2Crude materials, inedible, except fuels1727861242828134129
3Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials039275140119443661
4Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes0011341721
5Chemicals and related products8801,2565,2095,3943471911,396977
6Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material131366603451184215
7Machinery and transport equipment2572391,9331,1893202671,7441,518
8Miscellaneous manufactured articles194223888986133143668706
9Commodities and transactions not classified elsewhere1725341773333
          
Total9,27310,17846,49451,2096,2996,00428,98530,379
1 Trade statistics revised since 2000. May 2017 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 (http://www.cso.ie/en/methods/externaltrade/) 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 (April 2017 in this publication), -4 (January 2017) and -8 (September 2016) 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 3,500 while around 2,100 must make a detailed export return. The response rate in terms of number of traders in May 2017 was 64%, covering an estimated 93% of the total value of intra-EU trade (these response rates will have increased by the next time data for May 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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