1.1. Contact organisation
[4D0] European Commission (including Eurostat)
1.2. Contact organisation unit
[4D1_02] Eurostat - Innovation and digital transformation
1.3. Contact name
Confidential because of GDPR
1.4. Contact person function
Confidential because of GDPR
1.5. Contact mail address
2920 Luxembourg LUXEMBOURG
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
14 October 2025
2.2. Metadata last posted
14 October 2025
2.3. Metadata last update
14 October 2025
One of the six Commission priorities for the period 2019-2024 is A Europe fit for the digital age. The strategy is built on three pillars: (1) technology that works for the people; (2) a fair and competitive digital economy; and (3) an open, democratic and sustainable society. The aim is to make the digital transformation work for people and businesses while helping to achieve the target of a climate-neutral Europe by 2050.
Moreover, in 2021, the Commission — in its Digital Decade — presented a vision and avenues for Europe’s digital transformation by 2030, evolving around four cardinal points: skills, secure and sustainable digital infrastructures, digital transformation of businesses, and digitalisation of public services.
Digital sovereignty was one of the priorities, among the actions for secure digital services and markets, detailed by the Commission in its communications on shaping Europe’s digital future and on Europe’s digital decade. The UE’s strategy aims to achieve autonomy and strategic control over its digital future, encompassing data, technology, infrastructure, and skills.
The 2025 State of the Digital Decade report called for action on digital transformation, security and technological sovereignty. It underlined that the EU’s digital transformation is a central driver for ensuring that Europe remains competitive, resilient, reduces its excessive dependencies and enhance its technological sovereignty (COM(2025) 290 final).
Moreover, certain WTO Members including the EU have joined the Information Technology Agreement (ITA), which requires each participant to eliminate and bind customs duties at zero for all products specified in the agreement, facilitating duty-free global trade. The ITA covers a large number of high technology products, including computers, telecommunication equipment, semiconductors, semiconductor manufacturing and testing equipment, software, scientific instruments, as well as most of the parts and accessories of these products.
The new, expanded ITA agreement concluded recently will reduce the costs for consumers and for manufacturing IT products in Europe. It will offer new market access for many of Europe's high-tech companies. As such, it will contribute to the further development of the digital economy in the EU.
4.1. Data description
The statistics on international trade in information and communications technology (ICT) goods and services can provide insights on importance of ICT trade between the EU countries (intra-EU) and ICT goods and services traded by EU countries with non-EU countries (extra-EU). They measure the value of the international trade in ICT goods and services.
Following the definition of the OECD Guide to Measuring the Information Society 2011, “ICT products must primarily be intended to fulfil or enable the function of information processing and communication by electronic means, including transmission and display”.
The list of ICT goods was defined using the 2007 version of the Harmonised System (HS). This definition was revised in 2010 and then adapted to HS 2012 and HS 2017 by UNCTAD in collaboration with UNSD. The most recent list consists of 93 goods defined at the 6-digit level of HS 2017. The ICT goods include:
- Total ICT goods
- Computers and peripheral equipment
- Communication equipment
- Consumer electronic equipment
- Electronic components
- Miscellaneous ICT goods
The full list of HS codes constituting the ICT goods and each of the sub-categories, as well as the previous revisions of the definition can be found at Classifications | UNCTAD Data Hub and in the annex to this metadata.
ICT services can be defined, as BPM6(*) component telecommunication, computer and information services. These can be further disaggregated into sub-components:
- telecommunication services,
- computer services
- computer software
- software originals
- other computer services
- information services
- news agency services
- other information services.
For further detailed clarification of the definition and the scope please refer to the Manual on Statistics of International Trade in Services 2010, p. 70.
The data include three types of statistics:
International trade in ICT goods – presenting annual data on the value of ICT goods traded between the EU countries (intra-EU trade) and ICT goods traded by EU countries with non-EU countries (extra-EU trade). They include the value in euros of the imports and exports for the total ICT goods and 5 sub-categories. These statistics are derived based on the available detailed data on the EU trade since 1988 by HS2-4-6 and CN8. The information is also presented as the share of ICT goods in total trade, and as the share of each ICT goods group within total ICT goods trade, in the table Share of ICT goods in total international trade in goods.
International trade in ICT services by NACE Rev.2 activities of enterprises involved in the trade – presenting annual data on the value in thousand euro of the trade in telecommunications, computer, and information services (according to the Extended Balance of Payments Services Classification 2010 (EBOPS 2010)). The data present the trade in ICT services by detailed geographical partner, including transactions among EU countries (intra-EU), and transactions of EU countries with non-EU countries (extra-EU). These statistics offer information on the imports and exports of ICT services by type of primary economic activity of enterprises involved in the trade. These statistics are part of the available data on the Services trade by enterprise characteristics (STEC) by EBOPS 2010 items and NACE Rev.2 activities.
International trade in ICT services by type of ICT service – presenting annual data on the value in million euro of the trade in ICT services by type of ICT service according to the sixth edition of the Balance of Payments and International Investment Position Manual (BPM6) and by detailed geographical partner (intra-EU and extra-EU). These statistics provide information on the total value of credits (or exports) and debits (or imports) for each balance of payments (BoP) item and on the net result or "balance" (credits minus debits) of the transactions with each partner. These statistics are part of the available data on the international trade in services (since 2010) (BPM6). The information is also presented as the share of ICT services in total trade, and as the share of each type of ICT service within total ICT service trade, in the table Share of ICT services in total international trade in services.
(*) Sixth edition of the Balance of Payments and International Investment Position Manual
4.2. Unit of measure
For the table:
International trade in ICT goods [isoc_it_ict_gd]: euro
Share of ICT goods in total international trade in goods [isoc_it_ict_gs]: percentage of total international trade in goods, percentage of total ICT goods trade.
Services trade by enterprise characteristics (STEC) by EBOPS 2010 items and NACE Rev.2 activities [ext_stec02]: thousand euro
International trade in services (since 2010) (BPM6) [bop_its6_det]: million euro
Share of ICT services in total international trade in services [isoc_it_ict_ss]: percentage of total international trade in services, percentage of total ICT service trade.
4.3. Reference Period
Calendar year.
The data on the trade in ICT goods are derived from monthly information on international trade in goods transactions, for which theoretically the reference period should be the calendar month of export or import of the goods. However, in practice the reference period for extra-EU trade is generally the calendar month during which the customs declaration is accepted by customs authorities. The reference period for intra-EU trade may be adapted in case of sales or purchases to the calendar month during which the VAT on the intra-EU supplies or acquisitions becomes chargeable. The chargeable event relates to the issue date of the invoice.
4.4. Accuracy - overall
For the international trade in ICT goods data, please see the accuracy description for the international trade in goods source data metadata International trade in goods - detailed data (ext_go_detail).
For the international trade in ICT services, please see the accuracy description for the international trade in services data metadata Services trade by enterprise characteristics (STEC) and International trade in services (since 2010) (BPM6).
4.5. Source data
4.5.1. Source data - Organisation
Eurostat
4.5.2. Source data - Comment
For the table on international trade in ICT goods and share of ICT goods in total international trade in goods: EU trade since 1988 by HS2-4-6 and CN8 [ds-045409]
For the international trade in ICT services by NACE Rev.2 activities: Services trade by enterprise characteristics (STEC) by EBOPS 2010 items and NACE Rev.2 activities [ext_stec02]
For the international trade in ICT services by type of ICT service and share of ICT services in total international trade in services: International trade in services (since 2010) (BPM6)[bop_its6_det]
5.1. Frequency of dissemination
5.1.1. Frequency of dissemination - Grade
Every year5.1.2. Frequency of dissemination - Comment
Annual
5.2. Timeliness
5.2.1. Timeliness - Grade
T+1 year5.2.2. Timeliness - Comment
For the table on international trade in ICT goods, Member States shall provide Eurostat with monthly detailed data within 40 calendar days after the reference month for extra-EU trade (*) and within 70 calendar days after the reference month for intra-EU trade. First results (including estimates) on Euro area and EU trade balances are published on line around 46 days after the reference month in the Euro-indicators news release on international trade in goods. The latest supplied detailed data (new reference periods and revisions) are published at the date of the monthly news release.
For the international trade in ICT services by NACE Rev.2 activities, annual data are reported 18 months after the end of the reference period.
For the international trade in ICT services by type of ICT service, annual data are disseminated in December/January and preliminary figures based on BoP quarterly data in May.
(*) Data on trade with UK result from the aggregation of figures collected via Intra-EU statistics (trade with UK (in respect of Northern Ireland)) and via customs declarations (trade with UK (excluding Northern Ireland)). Intra-EU statistics data are generally available with a 1-month time lag. This means that data on trade with UK might be available later than data on trade with the other non-EU countries.
6.1. Reference area
6.1.1. Reference Area - Grade
> 75% EU MS and EU aggregate6.1.2. Reference Area - Comment
For the table on international trade in ICT goods: European Union (as aggregate and for each EU Member State) and Euro area (as aggregate and for each EA Member State)
For the international trade in ICT services by NACE Rev.2 activities, the data generally cover the European Union, the EU Member States, Iceland and Norway.
For the international trade in ICT services by type of ICT service, the data generally cover the European Union, EU Member States, candidate countries (Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania, Serbia, Turkey, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo), Iceland, Norway and Switzerland. In terms of partner country data both quarterly and annual statistics under balance of payments has a specific geographical coverage. Details are summarised in the BoP Vademecum.
6.2. Comparability - geographical
6.2.1. Comparability - geographical - Grade
> 75% EU MS6.2.2. Comparability - geographical - Comment
Data are generally comparable between all EU Member States and other presented countries.
For details international trade in ICT goods data, please see the geographical comparability description for the international trade in goods source data metadata International trade in goods - detailed data (ext_go_detail).
For the international trade in ICT services, please see the accuracy description for the international trade in services data metadata Services trade by enterprise characteristics (STEC) and International trade in services (since 2010) (BPM6).
6.3. Coverage - Time
6.3.1. Time Coverage - Grade
> 10 years6.3.2. Time Coverage - Comment
For the international trade in ICT goods:
- European Union and Euro area as reporting entity since 2000;
- Member States since 1988 or a more recent year, depending on the dataset and reporting country;
- EFTA countries since 1995: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland;
- United Kingdom until October 2020 as reference period (*);
- United Kingdom (in respect of Northern Ireland) from January 2021 as reference period (**); and
- Enlargement countries (candidate countries and potential candidates) since 2002: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey.
(*) As a reporting country, the UK is no longer legally obliged to transmit any data to Eurostat since the end of the transition period (31 December 2020). This concerns new reference periods, as well as revisions of data previously transmitted to Eurostat. Currently the ITGS data transmitted by the UK to Eurostat cover the full year 2019, and months January to October 2020. Pending a new agreement on statistical cooperation between the EU and the UK, Eurostat will not publish any new data for reporter UK, whether via the database or other products, such as statistical publications.
(**) The data transmitted by the United Kingdom, in the context of the Withdrawal Agreement Protocol on Ireland / Northern Ireland, do not include information on the trade in goods between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom was requested to complete the data transmission with this missing information.
For the international trade in ICT services by NACE Rev.2 activities, the first reference year for the data reported under the Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 is 2022. These data were transmitted to Eurostat in June 2024 (T+18 months after the end of the reference period). Thus the EU aggregates are available for reference year 2022 and onwards. On voluntary basis, some countries have reported data for earlier years. These data are also disseminated on Eurostat reference database.
For the international trade in ICT services by type of ICT service, annual data according to the BPM6 methodology are available from 2010 onwards.
6.4. Comparability - over time
6.4.1. Comparability - over time - Grade
> 4 data points6.4.2. Comparability - over time - Comment
For the international trade in ICT goods table, a particular issue of comparability over time concerns the product classification used for trade in goods detailed data. The most detailed data are collected and published by eight-digit codes of the Combined Nomenclature (CN). Some changes are made to the CN every year. Eurostat maintains conversion tables between successive versions of the CN in order to improve comparison over time. Please see the details in the comparability over time description for the international trade in goods source data metadata International trade in goods - detailed data (ext_go_detail).
For the international trade in ICT services, the source data are generally considered highly comparable over time. For details, please see the comparability over time description for the international trade in services data metadata Services trade by enterprise characteristics (STEC) and International trade in services (since 2010) (BPM6).
7.1. Dissemination format - Publications
7.2. Dissemination format - online database
International trade in ICT goods [isoc_it_ict_gd]
Share of ICT goods in total international trade in goods[isoc_it_ict_gs]
International trade in services (since 2010) (BPM6)[bop_its6_det]
Share of ICT services in total international trade in services[isoc_it_ict_ss]
