TOTEC: Experimental total trade by enterprise characteristics using innovative methods for linking processing under contact transactions in goods and services trade

ongoing

The project aims to develop a unified dataset integrating trade in goods and services by enterprise characteristics, with a specific focus on transactions related to processing under contract. Current statistics on international trade by enterprise characteristics – TEC (Trade by Enterprise Characteristics) and STEC (Services Trade by Enterprise Characteristics) – are compiled separately, resulting in challenges such as different reporting population, partner country attribution, and exemption thresholds, especially in processing under contract transactions that are within the scope of both goods and services trade statistics. TOTEC (Total Trade by Enterprise Characteristics) addresses this gap by proposing innovative microdata linking methods that combine ITGS (International Trade in Goods Statistics) and ITSS (International Trade in Services Statistics) data at the enterprise level. The project will first evaluate legal and technical feasibility, then develop and implement matching algorithms using microdata on processing under contract from the German Federal Statistical Office and Deutsche Bundesbank. This will facilitate identifying processing transactions reported in both datasets and understanding asymmetries in reporting units and partner countries. The ultimate objective is to produce experimental TOTEC tables aligned with Eurostat specifications, offering novel insights into enterprises' total trade activities. If feasible, these methods may be incorporated into the regular statistical production process. The project contributes to EU policy by enhancing data integration, supporting evidence-based policymaking, and improving comparability across Member States. Results will be published in the form of a final report, fostering knowledge transfer within the ESS and ECB statistical systems.