External trade monthly statistics [Monthly external trade bulletin] 11/1986/Commerce exterieur statistiques mensuelles [bulletin mensuel du commerce exterieur] 1986.

Abstract

In all Member States there are procedures which provide for the confidentiality of certain movements of goods. In such cases, the relevant individual headings are not given separately by the Member States, but care is taken to ensure that they are included in grand totals. The way in which confidentiality is handled and the extent to which it applies vary in the different Member States. Confidentiality is ensured by the Member States at the level of the six­digit Nimexe code. In the case of 'confidentiality by product', trade in one product is included with that of another or included in the Nimexe code 99.96­01, which was specifically introduced for such cases. When converting to the SITC,this product code is converted to the SITC heading 999.00. In the case of 'confidentiality by country', either no breakdown or only a partial breakdown of the trade in a particular product is shown by country. In this case, overall trade is shown under the country code '977' for each product. Care should be taken when the grand total of trade is computed that confidentiality by country cannot be split up into intra­ and extra­Community trade and thus the grand total is composed of the following: 1010 — intra­Community (EUR 12) + 1011 — extra­Community (EUR 12) + 1090 miscellaneous. Furthermore the data are based on customs documents and take no account of the corrections made by certain Member States at the end of the year to include intergovernmental exchanges. Under these circumstances, the establishment of atrade balance can result in certain cases in considerable discrepancies via-à-vis the official national figures.