WRITTEN QUESTION E-1349/03

by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission

(10 April 2003)

Subject: Intra-EU trade

Further to the answers given to my Written Questions E-1020/01(1), E-0992/02 to E-0994/02 and E-1106/02(2), will the Commission provide an updated, geographical analysis of exports of goods and non-factor services by Member State to include 2001 and 2002, and will it further express such figures as a percentage of each country's GDP for the period in question?

(1) OJ C 340 E, 4.12.2001, p. 149.

(2) OJ C 205 E, 29.8.2002, p. 244.

Answer given by Mr Solbes Mira on behalf of the Commission

(26 May 2003)

The Commission provides to the Honourable Member and the Parliament's Secretariat an updated geographical analysis of Intra-Community trade in goods and services expressed both, in EUR million and as percentages of each country's gross domestic product (GDP).

It should be stated that the tables containing the analysis for trade in goods are derived from Foreign Trade Statistics(1), while the tables containing the analysis for trade in services are derived from Balance of Payments Statistics. 2002 figures shown in the tables covering trade in goods should be considered as provisional and, therefore, subject to revision in the coming months. More definitive figures will only be available at the end of the year 2003. The tables covering trade in services do not include figures for the year 2002, as the information required will only become available in December 2003.

It should be stressed that Foreign Trade Statistics collected by the Commission (Eurostat) are based on the community concept. They often differ from the data published at the national level, which are based on the national concept.

Also, as stated in the reply by the Commission to the Honourable Member's Written Questions E-2464/02 and E-2465/02(2), the data provided by Member States to the Commission (Eurostat) to compile the Balance of Payments of the Union are based on a different methodology (principle of consignment) than the one used by Member States for compiling and publishing their national Balance of Payments (principle of origin). This difference should be kept in mind before interpreting the figures.

(1) See the answer provided by the Commission to the Honourable Member's Written Questions E-0992/02 to E-0994/02 and E-1106/02.

(2) OJ C 28 E, 6.2.2003, p. 243.