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.
[4D1_G4] Eurostat - Unit G.4: Trade in services; Globalisation
1.3. Contact name
Confidential because of GDPR
1.4. Contact person function
Confidential because of GDPR
1.5. Contact mail address
1.6. Contact email address
Confidential because of GDPR
1.7. Contact phone number
Confidential because of GDPR
1.8. Contact fax number
Confidential because of GDPR
2.1. Metadata last certified
19 November 2025
2.2. Metadata last posted
20 May 2026
2.3. Metadata last update
20 May 2026
3.1. Data description
These data is the result of the ongoing work related to the conversion of the international trade in services statistics (ITSS) from the EBOPS 2010 classification into the classification by Broad Economic Categories (BEC Rev.5). The data are based on expert estimates made at Eurostat and there are no country data transmissions done for the BEC data set.
International Trade in Services Statistics (ITSS) are typically reported using the EBOPS 2010 classification, which groups services by type rather than by their intended economic use.
This data set presents the International tade in services (ITS) data by Broad Economic Categories (BEC).
The breakdown by BEC provides a complementary perspective and shows the end use of services, specifically distinguishing between intermediate services (used as inputs in production) and final services (for end consumption).
This distinction is crucial for analyzing Global Value Chains (GVCs), where intermediate services play a key role as production inputs.
3.2. Classification system
The classification by Broad Economic Categories (BEC Rev.5) is an international product classification, mainly designed to provide a set of broad product categories for analysing trade statistics. BEC is a high-level aggregation of existing detailed product classifications, such as the Standard International Trade Classification (SITC), the Harmonised Commodity and Coding System (HS) and the Central Product Classification (CPC).
The main analytical use of the BEC classification is to understand the predominant use of services: either final use (final consumption), or as inputs to other economic activities (intermediate consumption).
3.3. Coverage - sector
BEC data cover total exports / imports of services, traded between residents and non-residents by BEC categories.
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
Services are the outcome of production activities that alter the conditions of the consuming units or facilitate the exchange of products or financial assets. Unlike tangible goods, services cannot typically be separated from their production process, nor can ownership rights be established over them. Exports and imports of services refer to the exchange of services between residents and non-residents, with their value determined at market prices.
In the BEC dataset the exports and imports of services are broken down by:
Geographical breakdown, which is the country or area where the counterpart unit is resident;
Partner breakdown: Extra-EU27 and rest of the world
[BEC723] Health, pharmaceuticals, education, cultural, sport - services - final consumption
[BEC821] Government, military and other - services - intermediate consumption
3.5. Statistical unit
Any individual, corporation or other institution that provides information on the transactions between the residents and non-residents of a country during a given period.
3.6. Statistical population
The total exports and imports of services between residents and non-residents by BEC.
3.7. Reference area
The data generally cover the European Union (EU) and the EU Member States.
3.8. Coverage - Time
The data cover EU-level and EU MSs data from 2013 onwards.
3.9. Base period
Not applicable
Data are presented in millions of Euro.
Data are annual and refer to the calendar year.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
Not applicable
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.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
Confidentiality - if data are of truly confidential nature according to the above mentioned regulation (data which allow statistical units to be identified, either directly or indirectly), they have to be flagged confidential, and they will not be published by Eurostat.
Quality is assured by the application of concepts according to theclassification by Broad Economic Categories (BEC Rev.5) and thorough validations.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
Not applicable.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
The main users of STEC data are the European Commission policy directorate generals (EC DGs), scientists, businesses and citizens. The data users are regularly consulted to identify unfulfilled user needs.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
Not applicable.
12.3. Completeness
Not applicable.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
The data are estimated using ITSS and data linking techniques to distribute it to the BEC. The accuracy depends on the quality of the underlieng ITS data.
13.2. Sampling error
Not applicable.
13.3. Non-sampling error
Not applicable.
14.1. Timeliness
Not applicable.
14.2. Punctuality
Not applicable.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
The underlying methodological framework ensures a high degree of comparability across countries.
15.2. Comparability - over time
The source data are generally considered highly comparable over time.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
Coherence with the annual ITS data is required.
15.4. Coherence - internal
The data are internally consistent.
The data set is produced and disseminated at Eurostat. There are no additional cost and burden for the EU MSs.
17.1. Data revision - policy
Revisions to BEC data are likely to be influenced by any updates made to the underlying source data, which generally include ITS and business register data.
Following a revision of the ITS totals for a given reference year, BEC totals are also revised.
Further details on ITS revisions can be found in the reference metadata file and in section 4.1 of the BoP Vademecum, "Timetable and revision policy."
17.2. Data revision - practice
Not applicable.
18.1. Source data
The main data source is the International trade in services data. In the cases when a single EBOPS item corresponds to multiple BEC codes, Eurostat applied additional information and modelling techniques to allocate the EBOPS code among the relevant BEC categories. This mapping was estimated using data from Services Trade by Enterprise Characteristics (STEC) statistics, Structural Business Statistics (SBS), National Accounts, and modelling.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Not applicable.
18.3. Data collection
Not applicable.
18.4. Data validation
The ITS data are linked to the BEC, consistency and integrity of the data set are guarantieed during the validations.
18.5. Data compilation
The conversion from EBOPS 2010 items to BEC Rev.5 categories was made using the fine-tuned correlation table, published on RAMON Eurostat classifications server with the modelled allocation shares. This table is based on a correspondence table between the Classification by Broad Economic Categories revision 5 (BEC Rev. 5), the Central Product Classification, version 2.1 (CPC 2.1) and the Extended Balance of Payments Services Classification, version 2010 (EBOPS 2010), published by the UNSD. The fine-tuned table builds upon the EBOPS-CPC-BEC conversion table and provides modelled allocation shares of the EBOPS items to the relevant BEC Rev.5 categories (the estimations are evidence based and applicable for the EU).
More specifically, when a single EBOPS item corresponds to multiple BEC codes, Eurostat applied additional information and modelling techniques to allocate the EBOPS code among the relevant BEC categories. This mapping was estimated using data from Services Trade by Enterprise Characteristics (STEC) statistics, Structural Business Statistics (SBS), National Accounts, and modelling based on the count-seed RAS methodology.
In some instances, an allocation could not be determined because the available data were only available at a more aggregated level. These cases include:
Operating leasing services (SJ33),
Trade-related services (SJ34),
Other direct insurance services (SF13), and
Explicitly charged financial services (SG1).
For these items, Eurostat applied an estimated proportional allocation. However, in most cases, this does not affect the classification between Intermediate and Final consumption, as all associated BEC categories share the same end-use.
18.6. Adjustment
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
These data is the result of the ongoing work related to the conversion of the international trade in services statistics (ITSS) from the EBOPS 2010 classification into the classification by Broad Economic Categories (BEC Rev.5). The data are based on expert estimates made at Eurostat and there are no country data transmissions done for the BEC data set.
International Trade in Services Statistics (ITSS) are typically reported using the EBOPS 2010 classification, which groups services by type rather than by their intended economic use.
This data set presents the International tade in services (ITS) data by Broad Economic Categories (BEC).
The breakdown by BEC provides a complementary perspective and shows the end use of services, specifically distinguishing between intermediate services (used as inputs in production) and final services (for end consumption).
This distinction is crucial for analyzing Global Value Chains (GVCs), where intermediate services play a key role as production inputs.
20 May 2026
Services are the outcome of production activities that alter the conditions of the consuming units or facilitate the exchange of products or financial assets. Unlike tangible goods, services cannot typically be separated from their production process, nor can ownership rights be established over them. Exports and imports of services refer to the exchange of services between residents and non-residents, with their value determined at market prices.
In the BEC dataset the exports and imports of services are broken down by:
Geographical breakdown, which is the country or area where the counterpart unit is resident;
Partner breakdown: Extra-EU27 and rest of the world
[BEC723] Health, pharmaceuticals, education, cultural, sport - services - final consumption
[BEC821] Government, military and other - services - intermediate consumption
Any individual, corporation or other institution that provides information on the transactions between the residents and non-residents of a country during a given period.
The total exports and imports of services between residents and non-residents by BEC.
The data generally cover the European Union (EU) and the EU Member States.
Data are annual and refer to the calendar year.
The data are estimated using ITSS and data linking techniques to distribute it to the BEC. The accuracy depends on the quality of the underlieng ITS data.
Data are presented in millions of Euro.
The conversion from EBOPS 2010 items to BEC Rev.5 categories was made using the fine-tuned correlation table, published on RAMON Eurostat classifications server with the modelled allocation shares. This table is based on a correspondence table between the Classification by Broad Economic Categories revision 5 (BEC Rev. 5), the Central Product Classification, version 2.1 (CPC 2.1) and the Extended Balance of Payments Services Classification, version 2010 (EBOPS 2010), published by the UNSD. The fine-tuned table builds upon the EBOPS-CPC-BEC conversion table and provides modelled allocation shares of the EBOPS items to the relevant BEC Rev.5 categories (the estimations are evidence based and applicable for the EU).
More specifically, when a single EBOPS item corresponds to multiple BEC codes, Eurostat applied additional information and modelling techniques to allocate the EBOPS code among the relevant BEC categories. This mapping was estimated using data from Services Trade by Enterprise Characteristics (STEC) statistics, Structural Business Statistics (SBS), National Accounts, and modelling based on the count-seed RAS methodology.
In some instances, an allocation could not be determined because the available data were only available at a more aggregated level. These cases include:
Operating leasing services (SJ33),
Trade-related services (SJ34),
Other direct insurance services (SF13), and
Explicitly charged financial services (SG1).
For these items, Eurostat applied an estimated proportional allocation. However, in most cases, this does not affect the classification between Intermediate and Final consumption, as all associated BEC categories share the same end-use.
The main data source is the International trade in services data. In the cases when a single EBOPS item corresponds to multiple BEC codes, Eurostat applied additional information and modelling techniques to allocate the EBOPS code among the relevant BEC categories. This mapping was estimated using data from Services Trade by Enterprise Characteristics (STEC) statistics, Structural Business Statistics (SBS), National Accounts, and modelling.
Annual.
Not applicable.
The underlying methodological framework ensures a high degree of comparability across countries.
The source data are generally considered highly comparable over time.
