Data Sources and legal framework
The survey on international trade of goods with non-EU countries is carried out according to the following EU legislation: Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 of the European Parliament and of the Council on European business statistics; Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197 laying down technical specifications and arrangements pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2019/2152; Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/1704 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 by further specifying the details for the statistical information to be provided by tax and customs authorities and amending its Annexes V and VI; Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/1225 specifying the arrangements for the data exchanges pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 and amending Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197, as regards the Member State of extra-Union export and the obligations of reporting units.
The Extrastat monthly survey is carried out processing fiscal-administrative data (Single Administrative Document – SAD) according to statistical definitions and classifications. Since January 2024, the survey includes data on “quasi-exports” (exports of domestic goods registered by other EU countries customs). These data come from the exchange of microdata between European Statistical Institutes (CDE – Customs data exchange) and are available after the first publication of foreign trade with non-EU countries. The flows of "quasi-exports" of domestic goods registered by other EU countries customs are therefore included in the extra EU trade data with the first revision in the following month and released in the Press Release Foreign Trade and import prices. At the same time, the flows of “quasi-export” of goods of other EU countries registered by Italian Custom are exclude from the extra EU trade data.
Since 2000, in accordance with the EU legislation, exports and imports below the exclusion thresholds (commercial transactions values less than 1.000 Euros, starting since 2010) are monthly included as aggregate data. From 1 January 2021, the United Kingdom is no longer part of the customs and tax territory (VAT and excise duties) of the European Union and the economic relations between the two systems, after Brexit, are governed by the agreement reached between the parties on 24 December 2020. However, based on the provisions of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland – already annexed to the United Kingdom/EU Withdrawal Agreement – in order to avoid a physical border between the two Territories, Northern Ireland remains subject to EU VAT legislation for foreign trade in goods.
In terms of foreign trade data collection, this implies that from 1 January 2021 trade flows to and from Great Britain are derived from customs declarations (SAD), those to and from Northern Ireland from Intrastat declarations.
Given the different timing of receipt of the Intrastat and Extrastat sources, which does not make available Intrastat declarations at the time of the first publication of foreign trade data for non-EU countries, the preliminary data of the United Kingdom and, therefore, of the non-EU27 area, disseminated in this Press Release, do not include Northern Ireland data. These will be included in the non-EU foreign trade data on the occasion of the first review in the following month and dissemination in the Press Release Foreign trade and import prices.
Since September 2011, a new approach for the compilation of external trade statistics on natural gas in gaseous state and electricity has been implemented. Data on physical quantities are monthly collected from reliable sources, while for the other variables required by EU regulations (total trade in values and breakdown of volumes and values by partner countries) new estimation procedures have been developed.
Since December 2022, preliminary extra EU27 import data of natural gas in the gaseous state are estimated using quantity data (from Snam Rete Gas S.p.a.) and price data (average unit value derived from customs declarations), referring to the same reference month. This has been made possible thanks to the advance provision of declarations relating to this product by the Italian Customs Agency. It is recalled that, in compliance with the customs obligations on importation of natural gas by pipeline, the customs declarations lodged during the month refer to imports that took place in the previous month. The advance provision, by making the import declarations for the reference month available immediately, allows for more accurate preliminary estimates of import data for this product.
