Year−on−year, total balance in national concept was unfavourably influenced mainly by an decrease of surplus in balance of 'machinery and transport equipment' (by CZK 3.5 bn), 'miscellaneous manufactured articles' (by CZK 0.9 bn) and 'manufactured goods classified chiefly by material' (by CZK 0.7 bn). Further, deficit deepened in trade in 'chemicals and related products' (by CZK 1.7 bn); and balance of 'crude materials, inedible except fuels' worsened by CZK 0.9 bn as a surplus turned into a deficit. A drop in deficit in 'mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials' by CZK 3.5 bn had a positive effect on the total balance.

The trade balance with EU28 Member States ended in a surplus of CZK 49.2 bn, which was by CZK 4.3 bn more, y−o−y. Deficit of trade with non-EU countries increased by CZK 8.1 bn to amount to CZK 41.2 bn.

In July, national concept exports grew by 2.4% (to CZK 275.9 bn) and imports by 4.0% (to CZK 269.1 bn), y−o−y.

In January−July 2015, trade surplus in national concept reached CZK 109.4 bn which represented a y−o−y increase of CZK 0.4 bn. From the beginning of the year exports and imports grew by 6.7% and 7.0% respectively, y−o−y.

The CZSO has carried out the regular annual update. The final 2014 data in national concept says, that y-o-y exports and imports grew by 13.0% to CZK 3 149.2 bn and 12.1% to CZK 3 003.2 bn respectively. The trade balance for the year 2014 reached a surplus of CZK 146.0 bn against CZK 106.5 bn in 2013.

Detailed information on external trade in national concept is available on website: https://www.czso.cz/csu/czso/vzonu_ts. Preliminary data are based on the cross-border trade of residents and estimates of internal trade between residents and non-residents. These estimates will be updated next month.

National concept of external trade reflects export and import performance of the Czech economy, i.e. the external trade balance of the Czech Republic as well. It measures real trade in goods carried out between the Czech and foreign entities, i.e. a change of ownership between residents and non-residents. On the other hand, cross-border concept of external trade reflects only physical movements of goods across the border regardless of whether the trade between the Czech and foreign entities occurs. These data are internationally comparable and can be used as indicators of development of value of the trade.

In July 2015, according to preliminary data of ‘cross-border concept’ in current prices, exports and imports grew by 4.1% and 5.9% respectively, y−o−y.

Month-on-month, in ‘cross-border concept’ seasonally adjusted exports and imports rose by 1.0% and 1.2% respectively. The development trend shows increasing exports (+1.1%) and imports (+1.0%).

Y-o-y, exports and imports in terms of euro increased by 5.5% and 7.3% respectively in July. In terms of US dollars exports and imports fell by 14.4% and 12.9% respectively.

Total exports of goods in ‘cross-border concept’ (goods leaving the Czech Republic territory) amounted to value of CZK 321.7 bn and total imports in ‘cross-border concept’ (goods entering the Czech Republic territory) reached CZK 290.6 bn.

Total 'machinery and transport equipment' exports grew by 5.1% (CZK +8.7 bn). Exports grew mainly in 'road vehicles' (by CZK +4.7 bn), 'electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances' (by CZK +2.0 bn) and 'general industrial machinery and equipment' (by CZK +0.9 bn). Total 'machinery and transport equipment' imports rose by 10.7% (CZK +12.8 bn), y−o−y. Imports were higher mainly in 'telecommunications and sound-recording equipment' (CZK +5.0 bn), office machines, automatic data-processing machines'(CZK +4.1 bn) and 'road vehicles' (CZK +2.6 bn). Imports of 'mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials’ dropped by 7.5% (CZK −1.7 bn), y−o−y. Imports of crude petroleum decreased by −30.5% in value and by −1.4% in volume. Imports of natural gas were higher by +38.1% in value and by +48.3% in volume.

In January−July 2015, exports and imports in cross-border concept grew by 7.0% and 8.0% respectively.

The final 2014 data says, that y-o-y exports and imports in cross-border concept grew by 14.3% to CZK 3 628.8 bn and 13.3% to CZK 3 199.6 bn respectively.  

Detailed information on external trade in ‘cross-border concept’ is available on website: https://www.czso.cz/csu/czso/vzoph_ts.

Exports and imports in ‘national concept’ are derived from adjustments of data on movement of goods across the border (‘cross-border concept’). Goods which are moved in/from the territory of the Czech Republic by foreign entities are excluded and, on the other hand goods traded between the Czech and foreign entities on the territory of the Czech Republic are taken into account. Table 5 on website: https://www.czso.cz/csu/czso/vzonu_ts shows this adjustment.

The both concepts of external trade include the value of goods sent for inward or outward processing. Goods sent for processing are excluded from the value of exports and imports in the balance of payments and in the national accounts according to ESA and BPM6.

The data in national concept are used as an input data source for the balance of the payments and the national accounts.

The published data are based on data obtained of 98.9% of companies (for goods dispatched) and 98.7% of companies (for goods arrived) obliged to report to the Intrastat system. Data for companies that failed to report (non-response) have been imputed according to dispatches and arrivals that these companies reported in the previous periods. Data for companies exempted from the reporting duty were estimated on the basis of the data given in the VAT return forms. The VAT data which are not available are extrapolated on the basis of the values in previous periods.

The data for individual months of 2014 are final; the data for individual months of 2015 are preliminary. All data are processed from basic reporting units and subsequently rounded.

Detailed methodology information is available on website of the CZSO:

National concept:
https://www.czso.cz/csu/czso/2-vzonu_m

 Cross-border concept:
https://www.czso.cz/csu/czso/whatisexternal_trade

Responsible manager of the CZSO: Ing. Jaroslav Sixta, Ph.D. phone (+420) 274 054 253, e-mail: jaroslav.sixta@czso.cz
Contact: Mgr. Karel Král phone (+420) 274 052 161, e-mail: karel.kral@czso.cz
Method of data collection: Intrastat forms and Single administrative documents.
Value Added Tax declaration forms
End of data collection: 20th working day after the end of the reference month
Documents available on the CZSO website: w-241013-15 External Trade of the Czech Republic –detailed breakdown (periodicity: monthly): https://www.czso.cz/csu/czso/external-trade
External Trade Database: http://apl.czso.cz/pll/stazo/STAZO.STAZO?jazyk=EN

Next News Release: October 6, 2015

This press release was not edited for language.