Reference metadata describe statistical concepts and methodologies used for the collection and generation of data. They provide information on data quality and, since they are strongly content-oriented, assist users in interpreting the data. Reference metadata, unlike structural metadata, can be decoupled from the data.
International trade in goods statistics (ITGS) published by Eurostat measure the value and quantity of goods traded between the EU Member States (intra-EU trade) and goods traded by the EU Member States with non-EU countries (extra-EU trade). ‘Goods’ means all movable property including electricity. ‘European’ means that the statistics are compiled on the basis of the concepts and definitions set out in EU legislation.
Trade by invoicing currency (TIC) data are part of the information available for extra-EU trade. The invoicing currency is the currency in which the commercial invoice is drawn up. Data by invoicing currency can be used for instance to explore the use of the euro in the EU’s international trade, to compare it with the role of the United States dollar (USD) or to analyse the role of the euro in the euro area and in the EU. These statistics are very useful to central banks, including the European Central Bank, for comparing the euro with other major international currencies. These data are also used by financial market segments or foreign investors.
Statistical dimensions available for TIC data:
reporting country;
partner country;
reference period;
trade flows;
product; and
currency.
3.2. Classification system
Product classification
The Standard International Trade Classification (SITC) is managed by the United Nations and correlated with the subheadings of the Harmonised System. SITC Rev. 4 comprises 2 970 basing headings which are aggregated into 262 groups, 67 divisions and 10 sections. TIC data are based on the section level complemented by the division 33 ‘oil”.
Country classification
The ‘Nomenclature of countries and territories for the external trade statistics of the Union and statistics of trade between Member States’, known as the ‘Geonomenclature’, is used to collect detailed statistics on exchanges of goods. TIC data are only disseminated at an aggregated partner level: partner ‘extra-EU’ for TIC data reported by the EU Member States and partner ‘world’ for the TIC data reported by the EFTA and enlargement countries. See the publication Geonomenclature applicable to European statistics on international trade in goods for more information (Eurostat - publications).
3.3. Coverage - sector
The scope of TIC data is the same as for monthly detailed data on extra-EU trade in goods. They cover all goods entering (imports) or leaving (exports) the national statistical territory and for which the trading partner is a non-EU country. Note that the statistical territory of the Austria corresponds to its customs territory.
As ITGS in general, TIC data cover all sectors of the economy.
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
Reporting country – Except for some specific goods like vessels and aircraft, ITGS follow the physical movements of the goods. A country should record an import when goods enter its statistical territory and an export when goods leave that territory except if those goods are in simple transit.
Partner country – At detailed level, this is the last known country of destination for exports and the country of origin for imports. However individual partner countries are not kept in the dissemination of data by invoicing currency. They are replaced by the partner area ‘extra-EU’.
Product – Goods are primarily classified by commodity code as set out in the EU Combined Nomenclature. TIC data are compiled on the basis of a correspondence table enabling the transposition of detailed data collected according to the Combined Nomenclature into the Standard International Trade Classification (SITC). TIC data are available by three product groups: Raw materials without oil (SITC sections 0-4, excluding division 33), Oil (SITC division 33) and Manufactured products (SITC sections 5-8). Additionally, since 2022 reference period, TIC data are available also by 10 individual SITC sections.
Currency – The invoicing currency is the currency in which the commercial invoice is drawn up. Its definition is provided by the customs legislation.
Only the following currencies or groups of invoicing currencies are considered for data transmission to Eurostat from Austria, as the customs declaration was the data source - for reporting years, before the entry into force of the EBS-regulation:
Euro (‘EUR’)
Aggregate of national currencies of non-euro area Member States
US dollar (‘USD’)
‘Other’ (i.e. aggregated group of currencies of all non-EU countries except the United States (US dollar))
‘Unknown’ (i.e. due to the BREXIT in 2020, only for reporting year 2020, for trade with the United Kingdom, as INTRASTAT was the data source)
Only the following currencies or groups of invoicing currencies are considered for data transmission to Eurostat from Austria, as the customs declaration is the data source - for reporting years, since the entry into force of the EBS-regulation:
Euro (‘EUR’)
Aggregate of national currencies of non-euro area Member States (‘XU3’)
UK pound sterling (‘GBP’)
US dollar (‘USD’)
Brazilian real (‘BRL’)
Canadian dollar (‘CAD’)
Swiss franc (‘CHF’)
Chinese yuan renminbi (‘CNY’)
Indian rupee (‘INR’)
Japanese yen (‘JPY’)
South Korean won (‘KRW’)
Mexican peso (‘MXN’)
Norwegian krone (‘NOK’)
Russian rouble (‘RUB’)
Singapore dollar (‘SGD’)
Turkish lira (‘TRY’)
‘Unknown’ (i.e. due to the BREXIT in 2020, for trade with the Northern Ireland Part of the United Kingdom, as INTRASTAT is the data source (‘_U’))
Other’ (i.e. aggregated group of currencies which are not the above mentioned, (‘_X’))
3.5. Statistical unit
The statistical unit is any natural or legal person lodging a customs declaration in Austria on the condition that the customs procedure is of statistical relevance.
3.6. Statistical population
The statistical population comprises all the legal or natural persons who have lodged a customs declaration with the National Customs Authority of Austria within the year.
For data transmission to Eurostat – Trade values (in national currency units) by invoicing currency. The value of traded goods is calculated at the national frontier, on a FOB (free on board) basis for exports and a CIF (cost, insurance, freight) basis for imports. Hence, only incidental expenses (freight, insurance) are included and they are incurred for:
exports in the part of the journey located on the territory of the country where the goods are exported from;
imports in the part of the journey located outside the territory of the country where the goods are imported to.
For data dissemination on Eurostat website – Share of each invoicing currency in extra-EU imports and exports.
Theoretically, the reference period for the information on international trade in goods transactions should be the calendar month of export or import of the goods. However, in practice the reference period is generally the calendar month during which the customs declaration is accepted by the National Customs Authority.
The reference years for which TIC data are disseminated result from the aggregation of monthly figures from January to December.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
General statistical legislation
Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council on European statistics
• Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/1225 specifying the arrangements for the data exchanges and amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197, as regards the Member State of extra-Union export and the obligations of reporting units
• Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/1704 further specifying the details for the statistical information to be provided by tax and customs authorities and amending Annexes V and VI of Regulation (EU) 2019/2152
Extra-EU trade legislation (or Extrastat) - legislation applicable up to 1 January 2022
Basic Act: Regulation (EC) No 471/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council
• Implementing Commission Regulation (EC) No 92/2010
• Implementing Commission Regulation (EC) No 113/2010
All regulations relevant for the European statistics on international trade in goods can be found in the publication Legislation on European statistics on international trade in goods or consulted from the Legislation page of the International trade in goods section on Eurostat website. All legal texts of the EU are accessible on Eur-Lex.
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
Not applicable.
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 on European statistics (recital 24 and Article 20(4)) of 11 March 2009 (OJ L 87, p. 164), stipulates the need to establish common principles and guidelines ensuring the confidentiality of data used for the production of European statistics and the access to those confidential data with due account for technical developments and the requirements of users in a democratic society.
As a general definition, data used by national and EU authorities for producing statistics are considered confidential if statistical units can be identified, either directly or indirectly, and information about individuals or businesses is disclosed as a result.
In the area of ITGS, generally passive confidentiality applies.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
Data by invoicing currency are not detailed enough to make it possible to identify a specific trader, as there is high aggregation for currency and in AT currently there is no request for confidentiality from CN 270900XX to SITC 333. Therefore, no specific data treatment applies.
8.1. Release calendar
TIC data are only disseminated by Eurostat. See item 8.1 ‘Release calendar’ of the related metadata ‘ext_tic - International trade in goods – trade by invoicing currency (TIC)’ for more details.
8.2. Release calendar access
TIC data are only disseminated by Eurostat. See item 8.2 ‘Release calendar access’ of the related metadata ‘ext_tic - International trade in goods – trade by invoicing currency’ for more details.
8.3. Release policy - user access
TIC data are only disseminated by Eurostat. See item 8.3 ‘Release policy - user access’ of the related metadata ‘ext_tic - International trade in goods – trade by invoicing currency’ for more details.
TIC data are only disseminated by Eurostat. See item 9 ‘Frequency of dissemination’ of the related metadata ‘ext_tic - International trade in goods – trade by invoicing currency’ for more details.
10.1. Dissemination format - News release
TIC data are only disseminated by Eurostat. See item 10.1 ‘Dissemination format - News release’ of the related metadata ‘ext_tic - International trade in goods – trade by invoicing currency’ for more details.
10.2. Dissemination format - Publications
TIC data are only disseminated by Eurostat. See item 10.2 ‘Dissemination format - Publications’ of the related metadata ‘ext_tic - International trade in goods – trade by invoicing currency’ for more details.
10.3. Dissemination format - online database
TIC data are only disseminated by Eurostat. See item 10.3 ‘Dissemination format - online database’ of the related metadata ‘ext_tic - International trade in goods – trade by invoicing currency’ for more details.
TIC data are only disseminated by Eurostat. See item 10.6 ‘Documentation on methodology' of the related metadata ‘ext_tic - International trade in goods – trade by invoicing currency’ for more details.
10.6.1. Metadata completeness - rate
100%
10.7. Quality management - documentation
TIC data are only disseminated by Eurostat. See item 10.7 ‘Quality management - documentation’ of the related metadata ‘ext_tic - International trade in goods – trade by invoicing currency’ for more details.
11.1. Quality assurance
Basically, the data validity and credibility of the records is checked in the frame of the Extrastat data processing, as the data on the invoicing currency is obtained from customs declarations for both flows – imports and exports. Additional credibility checks are executed, when the TIC data is compiled to detect and explain certain changes in the data over time.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
See item 11.2 ‘Quality management - assessment' of the related metadata ‘ext_tic - International trade in goods – trade by invoicing currency’ for more details.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
TIC data are only disseminated by Eurostat. See item 12.1 ‘Relevance - User Needs’ of the related metadata ‘ext_tic - International trade in goods – trade by invoicing currency’ for more details.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
TIC data are only disseminated by Eurostat. See item 12.2 ‘Relevance - User Satisfaction’ of the related metadata ‘ext_tic - International trade in goods – trade by invoicing currency’ for more details.
12.3. Completeness
See item 12.3 ‘Completeness’ of the related metadata ‘ext_tic - International trade in goods – trade by invoicing currency’ for more details.
See item 15.1 ‘Comparability - geographical' of the related metadata ‘ext_tic - International trade in goods – trade by invoicing currency’ for more details.
15.1.1. Asymmetry for mirror flow statistics - coefficient
Not applicable.
15.2. Comparability - over time
There were no methodological changes in Austria in the most recent years. Nevertheless in 2013 there was the EU-wide change related to the definition of the intra- versus extra-EU areas following Croatia's adhesion to the EU in 2013. The most significant change came with the recent Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 on European business statistics.
15.2.1. Length of comparable time series
Comparable TIC data are available for the years 2010 – 2018, 2020, 2022, 2024. Note: The time series is available since 2010 according to mandatory bi-annual compilation and delivery of TIC-data as well as the additional voluntary compilation and delivery of TIC-data for the other years. 2019, 2021 and 2023 TIC data was not compiled in Austria.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
See item 15.3 ‘Coherence - cross domain' of the related metadata ‘ext_tic - International trade in goods – trade by invoicing currency’ for more details.
15.3.1. Coherence - sub annual and annual statistics
Not applicable.
15.3.2. Coherence - National Accounts
Not applicable.
15.4. Coherence - internal
See item 15.4 ‘Coherence - internal' of the related metadata ‘ext_tic - International trade in goods – trade by invoicing currency’ for more details.
TIC data are derived from information collected via customs declarations. No specific data collection is then necessary, which means that the burden is null for the respondents, i.e. for the traders and businesses. The cost of TIC data only relates to the compilation step carried out by the National Statistical Authorities, which is considered as minor given the small number of records
17.1. Data revision - policy
There is no revision of TIC data, delivered to Eurostat.
17.2. Data revision - practice
Statistics by invoicing currency are only exceptionally revised.
17.2.1. Data revision - average size
Not available.
18.1. Source data
TIC data are derived from the combination of two types of information collected via customs declarations:
Trade in goods transactions; and
The invoicing currency associated to these transactions.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Collection of trade in goods data: every month via customs declarations from Austrian customs.
Collection of the invoicing currency: every month via customs declarations from Austrian customs.
18.3. Data collection
Collection of trade in goods data
The standard source of information on trade transactions is the customs declaration submitted by businesses and, in some cases, by private individuals involved in an international transaction of goods with a non-EU country. Since years, Statistics Austria receives nearly 100% of all customs declarations from the Austrian Customs Authorities in electronic format.
Collection of the invoicing currency
The invoicing currency is the currency in which the commercial invoice is drawn up. It is mandatory information to be collected by the Customs National Authorities for imported goods. In Austria information on the invoicing currency is obtained from the customs declaration for both flows – imports and exports.
Plausibility check of the header: All transmitted data of the EXTRASTAT system provided by the Customs Authorities are merged to a valid or registered company key with help of the foreign trade register. The plausibility check of the header for EXTRASTAT is fully automated.
Detailed plausibility check: During the detailed plausibility check all incoming records are monitored in form and content. One plausibility step can include several checks. Formal plausibility checks of raw data are essentially limited to the filling of the characteristics reported and to the formal validity of the data. Missing data and other errors, like wrong product codes (misclassification), invalid partner country etc., are detected.
Quality control: This is the control of all CN 8-digits of the Combined Nomenclature performed on publication level, in which the correctness of the quantity-value relations, the nature of transaction, processing, country combinations and combination of commodity codes are checked. Subsequent to this control, the sum of all detailed data on lowest CN 8-digit level (macro level) are examined and corrected by a monthly comparison in terms of quantity-value-relations on the one hand and noticeable volatility in terms of their temporal development on the other hand.
Austrian TIC data disseminated by Eurostat have passed the following quality checks:
Intra-dataset checks: completeness of the dataset and uniqueness of the records, validity of the codes, validity of code combinations across the different dimensions, inter-record consistency checks;
Intra-domain check: check of the coherence between trade values published in the TIC dataset and trade values coming from aggregated and detailed trade in goods data.
18.5. Data compilation
At national level:
TIC data is compiled in Austria according to the requirements regarding the TIC data delivery to Eurostat communicated by Eurostat. TIC data is neither compiled nor published on national level by Statistics Austria.
At European level:
The share of each invoicing currency in the imports and exports of Austria is calculated on the basis of the transmitted trade values.
18.5.1. Imputation - rate
At national level:
EXTRASTAT is a secondary data source which is already checked for completeness of declaration by the Customs Authorities before transmitting the data sets to Statistics Austria. Hence, concerning EXTRASTAT, incomplete data sets do not occur and only plausibility checks have to be done. As the information on the invoicing currency can be obtained from customs declarations for both flows – imports and exports, imputation is basically not needed.
At European level:
No imputation is made by Eurostat.
18.6. Adjustment
Not applicable.
18.6.1. Seasonal adjustment
Not applicable.
International trade in goods statistics (ITGS) published by Eurostat measure the value and quantity of goods traded between the EU Member States (intra-EU trade) and goods traded by the EU Member States with non-EU countries (extra-EU trade). ‘Goods’ means all movable property including electricity. ‘European’ means that the statistics are compiled on the basis of the concepts and definitions set out in EU legislation.
Trade by invoicing currency (TIC) data are part of the information available for extra-EU trade. The invoicing currency is the currency in which the commercial invoice is drawn up. Data by invoicing currency can be used for instance to explore the use of the euro in the EU’s international trade, to compare it with the role of the United States dollar (USD) or to analyse the role of the euro in the euro area and in the EU. These statistics are very useful to central banks, including the European Central Bank, for comparing the euro with other major international currencies. These data are also used by financial market segments or foreign investors.
Statistical dimensions available for TIC data:
reporting country;
partner country;
reference period;
trade flows;
product; and
currency.
28 May 2025
Reporting country – Except for some specific goods like vessels and aircraft, ITGS follow the physical movements of the goods. A country should record an import when goods enter its statistical territory and an export when goods leave that territory except if those goods are in simple transit.
Partner country – At detailed level, this is the last known country of destination for exports and the country of origin for imports. However individual partner countries are not kept in the dissemination of data by invoicing currency. They are replaced by the partner area ‘extra-EU’.
Product – Goods are primarily classified by commodity code as set out in the EU Combined Nomenclature. TIC data are compiled on the basis of a correspondence table enabling the transposition of detailed data collected according to the Combined Nomenclature into the Standard International Trade Classification (SITC). TIC data are available by three product groups: Raw materials without oil (SITC sections 0-4, excluding division 33), Oil (SITC division 33) and Manufactured products (SITC sections 5-8). Additionally, since 2022 reference period, TIC data are available also by 10 individual SITC sections.
Currency – The invoicing currency is the currency in which the commercial invoice is drawn up. Its definition is provided by the customs legislation.
Only the following currencies or groups of invoicing currencies are considered for data transmission to Eurostat from Austria, as the customs declaration was the data source - for reporting years, before the entry into force of the EBS-regulation:
Euro (‘EUR’)
Aggregate of national currencies of non-euro area Member States
US dollar (‘USD’)
‘Other’ (i.e. aggregated group of currencies of all non-EU countries except the United States (US dollar))
‘Unknown’ (i.e. due to the BREXIT in 2020, only for reporting year 2020, for trade with the United Kingdom, as INTRASTAT was the data source)
Only the following currencies or groups of invoicing currencies are considered for data transmission to Eurostat from Austria, as the customs declaration is the data source - for reporting years, since the entry into force of the EBS-regulation:
Euro (‘EUR’)
Aggregate of national currencies of non-euro area Member States (‘XU3’)
UK pound sterling (‘GBP’)
US dollar (‘USD’)
Brazilian real (‘BRL’)
Canadian dollar (‘CAD’)
Swiss franc (‘CHF’)
Chinese yuan renminbi (‘CNY’)
Indian rupee (‘INR’)
Japanese yen (‘JPY’)
South Korean won (‘KRW’)
Mexican peso (‘MXN’)
Norwegian krone (‘NOK’)
Russian rouble (‘RUB’)
Singapore dollar (‘SGD’)
Turkish lira (‘TRY’)
‘Unknown’ (i.e. due to the BREXIT in 2020, for trade with the Northern Ireland Part of the United Kingdom, as INTRASTAT is the data source (‘_U’))
Other’ (i.e. aggregated group of currencies which are not the above mentioned, (‘_X’))
The statistical unit is any natural or legal person lodging a customs declaration in Austria on the condition that the customs procedure is of statistical relevance.
The statistical population comprises all the legal or natural persons who have lodged a customs declaration with the National Customs Authority of Austria within the year.
Austria
Theoretically, the reference period for the information on international trade in goods transactions should be the calendar month of export or import of the goods. However, in practice the reference period is generally the calendar month during which the customs declaration is accepted by the National Customs Authority.
The reference years for which TIC data are disseminated result from the aggregation of monthly figures from January to December.
See item 13.1 ‘Accuracy - overall' of the related metadata ‘ext_tic - International trade in goods – trade by invoicing currency’ for more details.
For data transmission to Eurostat – Trade values (in national currency units) by invoicing currency. The value of traded goods is calculated at the national frontier, on a FOB (free on board) basis for exports and a CIF (cost, insurance, freight) basis for imports. Hence, only incidental expenses (freight, insurance) are included and they are incurred for:
exports in the part of the journey located on the territory of the country where the goods are exported from;
imports in the part of the journey located outside the territory of the country where the goods are imported to.
For data dissemination on Eurostat website – Share of each invoicing currency in extra-EU imports and exports.
At national level:
TIC data is compiled in Austria according to the requirements regarding the TIC data delivery to Eurostat communicated by Eurostat. TIC data is neither compiled nor published on national level by Statistics Austria.
At European level:
The share of each invoicing currency in the imports and exports of Austria is calculated on the basis of the transmitted trade values.
TIC data are derived from the combination of two types of information collected via customs declarations:
Trade in goods transactions; and
The invoicing currency associated to these transactions.
TIC data are only disseminated by Eurostat. See item 9 ‘Frequency of dissemination’ of the related metadata ‘ext_tic - International trade in goods – trade by invoicing currency’ for more details.
See concepts 14.1.1 and 14.1.2.
See item 15.1 ‘Comparability - geographical' of the related metadata ‘ext_tic - International trade in goods – trade by invoicing currency’ for more details.
There were no methodological changes in Austria in the most recent years. Nevertheless in 2013 there was the EU-wide change related to the definition of the intra- versus extra-EU areas following Croatia's adhesion to the EU in 2013. The most significant change came with the recent Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 on European business statistics.
