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) measure the value and quantity of goods traded with the rest of the world. ‘Goods’ means all movable property including electricity. ITGS published by Turkstat are compiled on the basis of the concepts and definitions set out in UN and EU legislation.
Trade by invoicing currency (TIC) data are part of the information available for international trade in goods for Turkiye. The invoicing currency is the currency in which the commercial invoice is drawn up. Exports and imports expressed in shares by invoicing currency can be used to explore the role of each currency in invoicing, as compared to its role in global trade, and to analyse the stability of invoicing currency patterns over time.
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;
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.
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 individual SITC sections 0 to 9:
Food and live animals (SITC0), beverages and tobacco (SITC1), crude materials, inedible, except fuels (SITC2), mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials (SITC3), animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes (SITC4), chemicals and related products, n.e.s (SITC5), manufactured goods classified chiefly by material (SITC6), machinery and transport equipment (SITC7), miscellaneous manufactured articles (SITC8), commodities and transactions not classified elsewhere in the SITC: code ‘SITC9’ .In addition, Oil (division 33) is required to be reported individually.
Country classification
Individual partner countries are not kept in the dissemination of data by invoicing currency. They are replaced by the partner areas ‘extra-EU’ for the EU Member States and ‘world’ for the EFTA and enlargement countries.
3.3. Coverage - sector
The scope of TIC data is the same as for monthly detailed data on foreign trade in goods. They cover all goods entering (imports) or leaving (exports) the statistical territory of Turkiye. Note that the statistical territory of Turkiye corresponds to its customs territory.
As ITGS in general, TIC data cover all sectors of the economy. The scope of TIC data is the trade with the rest of the world.
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 ‘world’.
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). Under the EBS legislation, TIC data are available by individual SITC sections 0 to 9:
Food and live animals (SITC0), beverages and tobacco (SITC1), crude materials, inedible, except fuels (SITC2), mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials (SITC3), animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes (SITC4), chemicals and related products, n.e.s (SITC5), manufactured goods classified chiefly by material (SITC6), machinery and transport equipment (SITC7), miscellaneous manufactured articles (SITC8), commodities and transactions not classified elsewhere in the SITC: code ‘SITC9’. In addition, Oil (division 33) is required to be reported individually.
Before year 2022, the set of products was different.
TIC data was available by three product groups before year 2022;
1_raw materials without oil (SITC sections 0-4, excluiding division 33);
2_Oil (SITC division 33);
3_Manufactured products (SITC sections 5-8).
Currency – The invoicing currency is the currency in which the commercial invoice is drawn up. Its definition is provided by the customs legislation. Customs declarations are used as data source.
The set of collected currencies has been evolving over time. Initially, only 5 currencies were collected (EUR, USD, _X, XU3 and _T). Since 2020 reference year, _U currency was added.
The full set mentioned below has been collected only since 2022 reference year. Only the following currencies or groups of invoicing currencies are considered for data transmission to Eurostat.
Euro (‘EUR’);
UK pound sterling (‘GBP’);
US dollar (‘USD’);
National currencies of non-euro area Member States (‘XU3’);
Other not specified currencies (‘_X’);
Unknown currency (‘_U’);
Total ‘_T’;
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’).
3.5. Statistical unit
The statistical unit is any natural and legal person lodging a customs declaration in Turkiye on the condition that the customs procedure is of statistical relevance.
3.6. Statistical population
The statistical population comprise all the legal or natural persons who lodged a customs declaration with the Turkish National Customs Authority.
3.7. Reference area
Turkiye
3.8. Coverage - Time
TIC data disseminated by Eurostat
TIC data are accessible on Eurostat’s website through different paths: the data navigation tree and Comext.
TIC data are disseminated in dataset ‘ext_lt_invcur’ under the ‘International trade’ theme and the ‘International trade in goods’ sub branch:
TIC data disseminated at national level
TIC data is not disseminated at national level
3.9. Base period
Not applicable.
Shares of each invoicing currency or group of invoicing currencies in world imports and exports for EFTA and enlargement countries.
The shares are calculated by Eurostat on the basis of the trade values (in national currency units) by invoicing currency transmitted by reporting countries.
TIC data are updated every year by the end of March with a new reference year. As only TIC data relating to even years (e.g. 2018, 2020, 2022) are to be mandatorily provided to Eurostat, the geographical coverage is incomplete for reference periods corresponding to odd years (e.g. 2021).
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.
According to the Statistics Law of Turkiye No: 5429
Foreign trade statistics are published by TurkStat.
TurkStat is authorized in determination of methods and calendar of publication of statistics.
Data are collected for statistical purposes and “passive confidentiality” is used.
According to the Article 13 of Turkish Statistical Law, confidential data can be accessed only by the ones involved in the production of official statistics, to the extent that they need for performing their duties properly. If the number of the statistical unit in any cell of the data table formed by aggregating the individual data are less than three or one or two of the statistical units are dominant even if the number of units is three or more, the data in the concerned cell are considered confidential.
The confidential data compiled, processed and preserved for the production of official statistics cannot be delivered to any administrative, judiciary or military authority or person, cannot be used for purposes other than statistics or as an instrument of proof. Civil servants and other staff in charge of compiling and processing these data are obliged to comply with this rule. This obligation continues after the related personnel leave their duties and posts.
The rulers of the institutions and organisations producing official statistics shall take all measures to prevent any illicit access, use or revelation of the confidential data.
Data or information obtained from sources that are open to all people shall not be deemed confidential.
Data confidentiality ceases when a statistical unit gives written approval for the revelation of confidential data concerning itself.
Confidential data can be published only as combined with other data so as not to allow any direct or indirect identification.
(Additional clause: 25 November 2008-5813/2 article) For the data considered confidential due to the indirect identification in foreign trade statistics, these confidentiality rules are implemented when a statistical unit applies with a written application requiring consideration of its data as confidential.
In principle, suppressions made on commodity code. If this application isn't enough, net mass, partner country, customs can be suppressed.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
For TIC data, there is no specific confidentiality data treatment.
TIC data are the results of the aggregation of public trade data which data is generated after the implementaion of confidentiality rules.
8.1. Release calendar
TIC data are not disseminated in Turkiye, only transmited to Eurostat
8.2. Release calendar access
TIC data are not disseminated in Turkiye, only transmited to Eurostat
8.3. Release policy - user access
TIC data are not disseminated in Turkiye, only transmited to Eurostat
TIC data are not disseminated in Turkiye, only transmited to Eurostat.
10.1. Dissemination format - News release
TIC data are not disseminated in Turkiye, only transmited to Eurostat
10.2. Dissemination format - Publications
TIC data are not disseminated in Turkiye, only transmited to Eurostat
10.3. Dissemination format - online database
TIC data are not disseminated in Turkiye, only transmited to Eurostat
10.3.1. Data tables - consultations
TIC data are not disseminated in Turkiye, only transmited to Eurostat
10.4. Dissemination format - microdata access
TIC data are not disseminated in Turkiye, only transmited to Eurostat
10.5. Dissemination format - other
Not applicable.
10.5.1. Metadata - consultations
TIC data are not disseminated in Turkiye, only transmited to Eurostat
10.6. Documentation on methodology
TIC data are not disseminated in Turkiye, only transmited to Eurostat
TIC data 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 disseminated at national level
TIC data are not disseminated in Turkiye, only transmited to Eurostat
TIC data 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.
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 not disseminated in Turkiye, only transmited to Eurostat
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
Dissemination and Communication Department publishes annual users evaluation report to see how many requests are received for what subject and their share, how they reach to TurkStat (by email, post, phone, etc), which media is used to send (CD-Rom, e-mail, ftp etc), how long does it take to answer, what kind of users are they (from university, student, bank, company, etc). This publication is very useful for also data producers to see unmet user’s needs.
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.
In TurkStat, all the data required for TIC data have already been compiled in Eurostat standarts.
15.1.1. Asymmetry for mirror flow statistics - coefficient
Not applicable.
15.2. Comparability - over time
Turkstat have provided TIC data from years 2015 and Turkstat will continue to provide TIC data every year including optional years.
15.2.1. Length of comparable time series
From 2015 onwards
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
TIC data is compiled from customs declarations like monthly detailed foreign trade data. Export and import value by currencies are published by TurkStat in monthly data. TIC data is coherent with monthly foreign trade by currencies data.
15.3.1. Coherence - sub annual and annual statistics
Not applicable.
15.3.2. Coherence - National Accounts
Not applicable.
15.4. Coherence - internal
TIC data are checked with foreign trade with currencies data before transmited to Eurostat.
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
Every month, main foreign trade data are revised and published with following news release. Annual data are finalized in July of following year (T+6). So TIC data is compiled within 90 days after reference year and then final data is provided in July of following year.
TIC data are not disseminated at national level so, Turkiye have no formal revision policy.
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 of these transactions.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Collection of trade in goods data: every month via customs declarations
Collection of the invoicing currency: every month via customs declarations
18.3. Data collection
TIC data are collected every month via customs declarations. Declarations are received in electronic formats from the Ministry of Trade. No more paper declarations are used. According to Service Level Agreement between TurkStat and the Ministry of Trade, main data is transmitted on the first week of following month for reference month via ftp which is used for secure data exchange.
18.4. Data validation
At national level, unit value analysis is made for validation of currency fields of customs declarations.
Turkish 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:
Main data source is customs declarations. Goods are primarilly classified by 12 digit commodity code (GTIP-customs tariff statistics position) in which first 8 digit is CN. TIC data are compiled by using correspondence table enabling transposition of detailed data collected according to 12 digit commodity code into the Standard International Trade Classification (SITC). TIC data are available by SITC sections 0-9 and SITC division 33
The value of imports and exports is the value in national currency of Turkish Liras in TIC data. The accuracy of TIC data depends mainly on the accuracy of customs declarations.
At European level:
The share of each invoicing currency in the imports and exports of the reporting country is calculated on the basis of the transmitted trade values. Additionally, Eurostat derives TIC data for the EU and the euro area as reporting entities by aggregating the trade values reported by the Member States.
18.5.1. Imputation - rate
At national level:
No imputaion is made at national level for currencies and values for TIC data
At European level:
No imputation is made by Eurostat.
18.6. Adjustment
Not applicable.
18.6.1. Seasonal adjustment
Not applicable.
No further comments.
International trade in goods statistics (ITGS) measure the value and quantity of goods traded with the rest of the world. ‘Goods’ means all movable property including electricity. ITGS published by Turkstat are compiled on the basis of the concepts and definitions set out in UN and EU legislation.
Trade by invoicing currency (TIC) data are part of the information available for international trade in goods for Turkiye. The invoicing currency is the currency in which the commercial invoice is drawn up. Exports and imports expressed in shares by invoicing currency can be used to explore the role of each currency in invoicing, as compared to its role in global trade, and to analyse the stability of invoicing currency patterns over time.
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;
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 ‘world’.
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). Under the EBS legislation, TIC data are available by individual SITC sections 0 to 9:
Food and live animals (SITC0), beverages and tobacco (SITC1), crude materials, inedible, except fuels (SITC2), mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials (SITC3), animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes (SITC4), chemicals and related products, n.e.s (SITC5), manufactured goods classified chiefly by material (SITC6), machinery and transport equipment (SITC7), miscellaneous manufactured articles (SITC8), commodities and transactions not classified elsewhere in the SITC: code ‘SITC9’. In addition, Oil (division 33) is required to be reported individually.
Before year 2022, the set of products was different.
TIC data was available by three product groups before year 2022;
1_raw materials without oil (SITC sections 0-4, excluiding division 33);
2_Oil (SITC division 33);
3_Manufactured products (SITC sections 5-8).
Currency – The invoicing currency is the currency in which the commercial invoice is drawn up. Its definition is provided by the customs legislation. Customs declarations are used as data source.
The set of collected currencies has been evolving over time. Initially, only 5 currencies were collected (EUR, USD, _X, XU3 and _T). Since 2020 reference year, _U currency was added.
The full set mentioned below has been collected only since 2022 reference year. Only the following currencies or groups of invoicing currencies are considered for data transmission to Eurostat.
Euro (‘EUR’);
UK pound sterling (‘GBP’);
US dollar (‘USD’);
National currencies of non-euro area Member States (‘XU3’);
Other not specified currencies (‘_X’);
Unknown currency (‘_U’);
Total ‘_T’;
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’).
The statistical unit is any natural and legal person lodging a customs declaration in Turkiye on the condition that the customs procedure is of statistical relevance.
The statistical population comprise all the legal or natural persons who lodged a customs declaration with the Turkish National Customs Authority.
Turkiye
TIC data are updated every year by the end of March with a new reference year. As only TIC data relating to even years (e.g. 2018, 2020, 2022) are to be mandatorily provided to Eurostat, the geographical coverage is incomplete for reference periods corresponding to odd years (e.g. 2021).
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.
Shares of each invoicing currency or group of invoicing currencies in world imports and exports for EFTA and enlargement countries.
The shares are calculated by Eurostat on the basis of the trade values (in national currency units) by invoicing currency transmitted by reporting countries.
At national level:
Main data source is customs declarations. Goods are primarilly classified by 12 digit commodity code (GTIP-customs tariff statistics position) in which first 8 digit is CN. TIC data are compiled by using correspondence table enabling transposition of detailed data collected according to 12 digit commodity code into the Standard International Trade Classification (SITC). TIC data are available by SITC sections 0-9 and SITC division 33
The value of imports and exports is the value in national currency of Turkish Liras in TIC data. The accuracy of TIC data depends mainly on the accuracy of customs declarations.
At European level:
The share of each invoicing currency in the imports and exports of the reporting country is calculated on the basis of the transmitted trade values. Additionally, Eurostat derives TIC data for the EU and the euro area as reporting entities by aggregating the trade values reported by the Member States.
TIC data are derived from the combination of two types of information collected via customs declarations:
Trade in goods transactions; and
The invoicing currency of these transactions.
TIC data are not disseminated in Turkiye, only transmited to Eurostat.
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.
In TurkStat, all the data required for TIC data have already been compiled in Eurostat standarts.
Turkstat have provided TIC data from years 2015 and Turkstat will continue to provide TIC data every year including optional years.
