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.
Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union
1.2. Contact organisation unit
[4D1_F1] Crosscutting social indicators; Coordination
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
8 August 2025
2.2. Metadata last posted
8 August 2025
2.3. Metadata last update
8 August 2025
3.1. Data description
Sport and its spill-over effects in manufacturing, services and as well in international trade are gaining the growing impact in the worldwide economies and societies. Consequently, sport has been awarded a significant role in numerous European programs and policies like Erasmus+. The comparable statistics on number of jobs created by sport related sectors, value added generated by sport related industries and services or impact of the trade in sporting goods on total international trade volume are only few indicators that can assess the relative contribution of sport to the economic growth.
The statistics on international trade in sporting goods provide the value of imports and exports of these goods traded among Member States and internationally, enable to assess the weight of sport trade in total national trade, its contribution to EU total and allow the analysis of trade by type of sporting good.
"Goods" in this particular case means all movable property, in other terms products having a physical dimension. So, external trade in licenses and copyrights is not included.
Data source International trade statistics are stored in the database on international trade administrated by Eurostat - Comext. Comext contains statistics on 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). The trade values for other political or geographical entities like EFTA and Candidate countries are as well collected. Comext database is built around 6 main dimensions:
REPORTER
PARTNER
FLOW
PRODUCT
TIME
INDICATOR
The Reporter dimension includes the country declaring commercial transactions. In the Partner dimension the trade partners of the declaring country are included. This dimension lists all the countries of the world. The Flow dimension distinguishes exports and imports. The Indicator dimension specifies the value or volume of traded products. The Product dimension contains the items by HS, CN or SITC depending on the dataset Concerning Time, both annual and monthly breakdowns are available.
The Comext data are updated regularly and the CN classification undergoes regular revisions to ensure it is kept up to date in the light of changes in the technology and international trade patterns.
Sporting goods
The frames for the establishment of the list of sporting goods were set up by the Vilnius Definition, the Study on the Contribution of Sport to Economic Growth and Employment in the EU and 2009 UNESCO Framework for cultural statistic. For the final selection of the list, the 'sport content' and ' sport intensity' of the numerous articles identified within the Harmonised Systems (HS) nomenclature were analysed and assessed. The retained in the sport scope items have the following characteristics – they are manufactured in the sport manufacturing sector and they correspond to major sport disciplines and their equipment.
The identified codes by HS (6 digit) are aggregated in the following sport categories (see below):
Skis and related equipment;
Skates;
Water sport;
Golf;
Racket sports (tennis and badminton);
Balls;
Gymnastic, athletic and swimming equipment;
Fishing;
Bicycles;
Parachutes;
Sportswear;
Footwear;
Shotguns.
The detailed list of HS codes composing the sport aggregates can be found in the Annex 1 of Metadata.
The data are compiled for the following trade partners:
Intra-EU;
Extra-EU;
World;
Main trading partners.
3.2. Classification system
In the European Union's system of gathering trade statistics products are defined according to the Combined Nomenclature (CN) at 8-digit level. The first 6-digit codes of CN coincide with the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (HS) managed by the World Customs Organisation (WCO).
The sporting goods are identified at 6-digit level of HS as this level is sufficient for the analysis and comparisons of sport trade at international level. Please refer to Annex 1 for the detailed list of sporting goods. The Geonomenclature is used for classifying reporting countries and trading partners. For a detailed description of the HS and CN classifications, please check Eurostat’s CN catalogue.
3.3. Coverage - sector
International trade in sporting goods
Sport trade activities are those which involve buying sport products from a third party in order to sell them with no (or very little) transformation. The aim of international trade statistics as stated in the UN 2010 manual is ‘to record all goods which add to or subtract from the stock of material resources of a country by entering (imports) or leaving (exports) its economic territory’. At EU level, the ‘economic territory’ is the statistical territory of a Member State, which corresponds to its customs territory with one exception - the statistical territory but not the customs territory of Germany includes Heligoland.
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
In the EU, the external trade of goods is monitored, reported and registered in accordance with EU regulations establishing the legal frames for gathering trade statistics. The use of common definitions, classifications and the respect of common procedures guarantee the high level of quality and harmonisation of the collected data and enable the international comparisons at a very detailed level. For more information about the specificity of data collection, procedures and methodologies applied in Member States, please refer to the User guide on European statistics on international trade in goods.
3.5. Statistical unit
Any natural and legal person lodging a customs declaration in a Member State is reporting to the extra-EU trade statistics on the condition that the customs procedure is of statistical relevance. Within intra-EU trade statistics any taxable person carrying out an intra-EU trade transaction is responsible for providing the information. However small and medium trade operators are exempted from the obligation to provide Intrastat declarations. Member States have implemented a threshold system which allows intra-EU traders not to report on their transaction or provide less detailed information on condition that their total trade value does not exceed a certain amount during the previous or present calendar year. However, Member States assure quality standards when determining the national thresholds.
3.6. Statistical population
Trade in sporting goods of the EU and its Member States includes all goods which add or subtract from the stock of material resources of the reporting Member State by entering (imports) or leaving (exports) its economic territory. Information on the goods is provided by legal or natural person.
Any natural and legal person lodging a customs declaration in a Member State is reporting to the extra-EU trade statistics on the condition that the customs procedure is of statistical relevance.
Within intra-EU trade statistics any taxable person carrying out an intra-EU trade transaction is responsible for providing the information.
However small and medium trade operators are exempted from obligation to provide Intrastat declarations. Member States have implemented a threshold system which allows intra-EU traders not to report on their transaction or provide less detailed information on condition that their total trade value does not exceed a certain amount during the previous or present calendar year. However, Member States assure quality standards when determining the national thresholds.
3.7. Reference area
European Union (as aggregate and for each Member State), EFTA, the United Kingdom, Candidate Countries, Potential candidates.
3.8. Coverage - Time
Since 2004.
3.9. Base period
Not applicable.
The value of trade of sport goods is expressed in thousands of euro. In addition, the following indicators are computed:
Percentage of total national trade (PC_TOT) – for total sport trade.
Percentage of EU total (PC_EU27_2020) - the value of sport trade of each Member State is divided by the value of the EU total sport trade. It enables to see the contribution of Member States to the total EU sport trade for each group of sporting goods.
Percentage of total sport trade (PC).
The reference period for the information on international trade transaction should be the calendar month of dispatch/export respectively that of arrival/import of the good. However, in practice the reference period is in general the calendar month during which the customs declaration is accepted by the national authorities on extra-EU trade and for intra-EU trade the calendar month during which VAT becomes chargeable on intra-EU acquisitions. The monthly data are then aggregated to cover round years.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
Extra-EU trade legislation: Statistics relating to the trading of goods by the Community and its Member States with non-member countries are based on Regulation (EC) No 471/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council, implementing Commission Regulation (EC) No 92/2010 and implementing Commission Regulation (EC) No 113/2010.
Intra-EU trade legislation: Statistics relating to the trading of goods between Members States are based on Regulation (EC) No 638/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council, and the Implementing Commission Regulation (EC) No 1982/2004. A complete pool of texts regarding the EU legislation in the field of international trade in goods statistics is published by Eurostat and 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.
Note that confidential information can be found only in detailed data or in data by enterprise characteristics. The aggregated data or the data by invoicing currency are not detailed enough to make it possible to identify a specific trader.
The release of the new reference year t for international trade data in sporting goods is done once a year after the release of international trade data.
In line with the EU legal framework and the European Statistics Code of Practice, Eurostat disseminates European statistics on Eurostat's website (see item 10 - 'Accessibility and clarity') respecting professional independence and in an objective, professional and transparent manner in which all users are treated equitably. The detailed arrangements are governed by the Eurostat protocol on impartial access to Eurostat data for users.
Annual.
10.1. Dissemination format - News release
News releases on-line.
10.2. Dissemination format - Publications
Statistics Explained
‘Statistics Explained’ is an official Eurostat website presenting all statistical topics in an easily understandable way. Together, the articles make up an encyclopedia of European statistics, completed by a statistical glossary clarifying all terms used and numerous links to further information and the very latest data and metadata. The website is a portal for occasional and regular users alike.
All ‘Statistics Explained’ relating to sport can be accessed via this website. Eight articles are available, among them:
The articles in ‘Statistics Explained’ are regularly updated (usually once a year).
Infographics
The infographic on Sport Statistics provides an overview of data on sport which are available in Eurostat by combining attractive visualisations with relevant data. These statistics are derived from different data collections at EU level and concern such domains as employment, international trade, participation in sport events and practising of sport.
10.3. Dissemination format - online database
All detailed monthly and annual data declared via Custom declarations or via Intrastat system by EU Member States, the United Kingdom, EFTA, Western Balkan and Mediterranean countries are available in Comext and can be accessed on-line via Eurostat International trade database.
International trade in sporting goods data are available on-line in Eurostat Sport database.
10.4. Dissemination format - microdata access
None.
10.5. Dissemination format - other
The Bulk download facility allows users to download Eurostat datasets in a format which can easily be imported into a chosen tool for further analysis.
Statistics about international trade in goods are available in csv format from the Bulk Download web page and the Comext domain, together with metadata (classifications, data availability, etc.) and methodological notes.
10.6. Documentation on methodology
The Vilnius definition of sport related sectors and products lists a number of codes at 6 digit of Classification of Products by Activity (CPA) and classifies them in 3 levels: statistical, narrow and broad according to the intensity of input needed or output generated by sport. The Vilnius definition delimits the scope of sport in general and enables the identification of sport goods according to HS through the correspondence between this classification and CPA.
The framework considers sport and recreation as activities that may have a cultural content although their main component is not cultural. Several sporting goods are identified and included in cultural scope as related domain.
The FCS proposes a selection of sport and gambling equipment corresponding to the definition of sport embracing the following professional and amateur activities:
organized and/or competitive sports;
physical fitness and well-being;
physical recreation activities undertaken for pleasure or relaxation that diverts, amuses or stimulates including gambling and amusement parks.
In the FCS, the sport footwear or clothes are excluded from the sport scope.
This study, carried out in the context of the Expert Group on Sport, aimed at developing a common approach and harmonising the efforts in order to assess the economic impact of sport. The methodology proposed in the study elaborated by SpEA concentrates on the economic dimension of sport through the setting up of Sport Satellite Accounts. The report proposes a list of sport goods centred on equipment only and according to the Standard International Trade Classification (SITC Rev.4).
The guide describes the basic methodology and data sources used for the compilation of EU statistics on the trade of goods. It also provides some information on the differences between EU statistics and those published by Member States and international organisations. The publication is aimed at the general user of international trade in goods statistics and does not require a specialist background to be understood.
10.7. Quality management - documentation
Quality Reports on European Statistics on international trade in goods - Quality Reports provide users with a tool to assess the quality of the international trade in goods statistics published by Eurostat. The data quality can be assessed against indicators covering the following components: relevance, accuracy, timeliness and punctuality, accessibility and clarity, comparability and coherence.
Within the European Union (EU) there is a growing demand for sound and internationally comparable economic statistics on sport. During the past decades several attempts were made to set up sport satellite accounts (SSA) on national as well as European levels.
In order to address this situation, the European Commission set up an EU Working Group on Sport and Economics (EU WG) in 2006. The general assignment of this EU WG was to develop a common European approach for measuring the economic importance of sport. In the future these efforts may mature into a European satellite account for sport (European Commission, 2007). Since 2006 the first steps toward development of a harmonised framework for the SSA were made. One of the EU WG’s most important results so far is the agreement on the ‘Vilnius definition of sport’.
The need of evidence-based policies, better comparable data and involvement of Eurostat in sport comes from repeated calls from the policy level (starting from the AT presidency in 2006). The Commission responded with the Erasmus+ programme which finances different activities and studies (including studies to improve the database, the development of Satellite Accounts in MS's, Eurobarometer surveys on sport), grants, seminar etc.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
The development of sports statistics is continuously discussed with the European Commission policymakers and with the representatives of the countries.
12.3. Completeness
The sporting trade statistics are derived from the EU trade statistics, based on the EU legislation which is directly applicable in the Member States. In particular, the legislation includes a clear and precise list of all the statistical variables to be provided by the Member States to Eurostat. All the mandatory variables are provided by all the Member States.
Statistics on EU trade in sporting goods are based on the Intrastat system for the intra-EU trade and on the customs clearance system for the extra-EU trade. Thus, international trade in sporting goods statistics are not affected by errors specifically applicable to sample surveys.
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 online around 46 days after the reference month in the international trade Euro-indicators news release. The latest supplied detailed data (updates and revisions) are published at the date of the monthly press release.
Sport trade statistics are derived data and therefore are compiled and updated once a year after the compilation of the yearly data in Comext.
Comparability of external trade data of sport goods over time depends on data source used. When data collected fluctuates because of changes in the way of collecting them or due to revisions in classification, Eurostat identifies these changes by flagging the data as a "break in series".
Data on international trade are revised frequently according to national needs and practices. They become normally final from six months up to more than one year after the reference year. Revisions to older data are also possible.
The revisions of source data impacting sport trade are assessed and analysed once a year.
17.2. Data revision - practice
All reported errors (once validated) result in corrections of the disseminated data.
Reported errors are corrected in the disseminated data as soon as the correct data have been validated.
Data may be published even if they are missing for certain countries or flagged as provisional or of low reliability for certain countries.
European aggregates are updated for consistency with new country data.
New data are only used to update disseminated data if provided according to the provision schedule set by Eurostat, or in the case of reported errors.
In addition to the validation made on the primary data, the sport trade data are validated as well before being uploaded.
18.5. Data compilation
The sport goods aggregates are calculated based on the harmonised figures provided by the Member States to Eurostat according to the Community concept.
Sporting goods
In the selection of sport articles, a conservative method was adopted in order to rather 'underestimate' the trade flows. The retained list is limited to articles that are fully related to sport or present a strong sport character as follow:
All the goods manufactured by NACE Rev.2. sector: Manufacture of sport goods (32.3);
All the goods constituting essential sport equipment and identified as such in the HS;
Some sportswear and footwear articles necessary for practising sport;
Some goods used both in sport and recreation context (boats and bicycles)
The sport trade statistics are presented in two datasets:
Intra and extra-EU trade in sport goods by product (sprt_trd_prd)
This table displays the trade values of sport goods for aggregated partners in thousands, as a percentage of total national trade, as a percentage of total sport trade and as a percentage of total EU Member States trade.
Intra and extra-EU trade in sport goods by product and partner (sprt_trd_prt)
This table displays the trade values of sport goods for main importing and exporting Partners outside the EU Member States. Because of the important weight of the European countries in the sport trade, the EU MS are as well kept in Partner dimension in order to better complete the picture of sport trade.
The detailed list of sport goods by HS is provided in the Annex 1 of the Metadata.
Sport and its spill-over effects in manufacturing, services and as well in international trade are gaining the growing impact in the worldwide economies and societies. Consequently, sport has been awarded a significant role in numerous European programs and policies like Erasmus+. The comparable statistics on number of jobs created by sport related sectors, value added generated by sport related industries and services or impact of the trade in sporting goods on total international trade volume are only few indicators that can assess the relative contribution of sport to the economic growth.
The statistics on international trade in sporting goods provide the value of imports and exports of these goods traded among Member States and internationally, enable to assess the weight of sport trade in total national trade, its contribution to EU total and allow the analysis of trade by type of sporting good.
"Goods" in this particular case means all movable property, in other terms products having a physical dimension. So, external trade in licenses and copyrights is not included.
Data source International trade statistics are stored in the database on international trade administrated by Eurostat - Comext. Comext contains statistics on 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). The trade values for other political or geographical entities like EFTA and Candidate countries are as well collected. Comext database is built around 6 main dimensions:
REPORTER
PARTNER
FLOW
PRODUCT
TIME
INDICATOR
The Reporter dimension includes the country declaring commercial transactions. In the Partner dimension the trade partners of the declaring country are included. This dimension lists all the countries of the world. The Flow dimension distinguishes exports and imports. The Indicator dimension specifies the value or volume of traded products. The Product dimension contains the items by HS, CN or SITC depending on the dataset Concerning Time, both annual and monthly breakdowns are available.
The Comext data are updated regularly and the CN classification undergoes regular revisions to ensure it is kept up to date in the light of changes in the technology and international trade patterns.
Sporting goods
The frames for the establishment of the list of sporting goods were set up by the Vilnius Definition, the Study on the Contribution of Sport to Economic Growth and Employment in the EU and 2009 UNESCO Framework for cultural statistic. For the final selection of the list, the 'sport content' and ' sport intensity' of the numerous articles identified within the Harmonised Systems (HS) nomenclature were analysed and assessed. The retained in the sport scope items have the following characteristics – they are manufactured in the sport manufacturing sector and they correspond to major sport disciplines and their equipment.
The identified codes by HS (6 digit) are aggregated in the following sport categories (see below):
Skis and related equipment;
Skates;
Water sport;
Golf;
Racket sports (tennis and badminton);
Balls;
Gymnastic, athletic and swimming equipment;
Fishing;
Bicycles;
Parachutes;
Sportswear;
Footwear;
Shotguns.
The detailed list of HS codes composing the sport aggregates can be found in the Annex 1 of Metadata.
The data are compiled for the following trade partners:
Intra-EU;
Extra-EU;
World;
Main trading partners.
8 August 2025
In the EU, the external trade of goods is monitored, reported and registered in accordance with EU regulations establishing the legal frames for gathering trade statistics. The use of common definitions, classifications and the respect of common procedures guarantee the high level of quality and harmonisation of the collected data and enable the international comparisons at a very detailed level. For more information about the specificity of data collection, procedures and methodologies applied in Member States, please refer to the User guide on European statistics on international trade in goods.
Any natural and legal person lodging a customs declaration in a Member State is reporting to the extra-EU trade statistics on the condition that the customs procedure is of statistical relevance. Within intra-EU trade statistics any taxable person carrying out an intra-EU trade transaction is responsible for providing the information. However small and medium trade operators are exempted from the obligation to provide Intrastat declarations. Member States have implemented a threshold system which allows intra-EU traders not to report on their transaction or provide less detailed information on condition that their total trade value does not exceed a certain amount during the previous or present calendar year. However, Member States assure quality standards when determining the national thresholds.
Trade in sporting goods of the EU and its Member States includes all goods which add or subtract from the stock of material resources of the reporting Member State by entering (imports) or leaving (exports) its economic territory. Information on the goods is provided by legal or natural person.
Any natural and legal person lodging a customs declaration in a Member State is reporting to the extra-EU trade statistics on the condition that the customs procedure is of statistical relevance.
Within intra-EU trade statistics any taxable person carrying out an intra-EU trade transaction is responsible for providing the information.
However small and medium trade operators are exempted from obligation to provide Intrastat declarations. Member States have implemented a threshold system which allows intra-EU traders not to report on their transaction or provide less detailed information on condition that their total trade value does not exceed a certain amount during the previous or present calendar year. However, Member States assure quality standards when determining the national thresholds.
European Union (as aggregate and for each Member State), EFTA, the United Kingdom, Candidate Countries, Potential candidates.
The reference period for the information on international trade transaction should be the calendar month of dispatch/export respectively that of arrival/import of the good. However, in practice the reference period is in general the calendar month during which the customs declaration is accepted by the national authorities on extra-EU trade and for intra-EU trade the calendar month during which VAT becomes chargeable on intra-EU acquisitions. The monthly data are then aggregated to cover round years.
The value of trade of sport goods is expressed in thousands of euro. In addition, the following indicators are computed:
Percentage of total national trade (PC_TOT) – for total sport trade.
Percentage of EU total (PC_EU27_2020) - the value of sport trade of each Member State is divided by the value of the EU total sport trade. It enables to see the contribution of Member States to the total EU sport trade for each group of sporting goods.
Percentage of total sport trade (PC).
The sport goods aggregates are calculated based on the harmonised figures provided by the Member States to Eurostat according to the Community concept.
Sporting goods
In the selection of sport articles, a conservative method was adopted in order to rather 'underestimate' the trade flows. The retained list is limited to articles that are fully related to sport or present a strong sport character as follow:
All the goods manufactured by NACE Rev.2. sector: Manufacture of sport goods (32.3);
All the goods constituting essential sport equipment and identified as such in the HS;
Some sportswear and footwear articles necessary for practising sport;
Some goods used both in sport and recreation context (boats and bicycles)
The sport trade statistics are presented in two datasets:
Intra and extra-EU trade in sport goods by product (sprt_trd_prd)
This table displays the trade values of sport goods for aggregated partners in thousands, as a percentage of total national trade, as a percentage of total sport trade and as a percentage of total EU Member States trade.
Intra and extra-EU trade in sport goods by product and partner (sprt_trd_prt)
This table displays the trade values of sport goods for main importing and exporting Partners outside the EU Member States. Because of the important weight of the European countries in the sport trade, the EU MS are as well kept in Partner dimension in order to better complete the picture of sport trade.
The detailed list of sport goods by HS is provided in the Annex 1 of the Metadata.
Statistics on trade in sporting goods are derived data and are compiled based on the extraction of annual data from Comext database.
Annual.
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 online around 46 days after the reference month in the international trade Euro-indicators news release. The latest supplied detailed data (updates and revisions) are published at the date of the monthly press release.
Sport trade statistics are derived data and therefore are compiled and updated once a year after the compilation of the yearly data in Comext.
Comparability of external trade data of sport goods over time depends on data source used. When data collected fluctuates because of changes in the way of collecting them or due to revisions in classification, Eurostat identifies these changes by flagging the data as a "break in series".
