External Trade - March 2013

Y−o−y: Exports fell more than imports

07.05.2013
Code: r-6001-13
 




In March 2013, according to preliminary data of ‘cross−border statistics’, exports and imports at current prices fell by 7.1% and 6.5%, year-on-year (y−o−y), respectively. The trade balance ended in a surplus of CZK 32.3 bn, which was by CZK 4.1 bn lower compared to March 2012.

According to preliminary data of ‘corss−border statistics’, seasonally adjusted exports fell by 1.2% while imports rose by 0.5% compared to February 2013. The development trend shows decreasing exports (−0.7%) and imports (−0.1%).

Year−on−year, exports and imports at current prices fell by 7.1% (CZK −19.9 bn) and 6.5% (CZK −15.7 bn) respectively. Lower y−o−y exports have been registered since December 2012; declining imports have been obvious since November 2012. Exports of entities seated in the Czech Republic were lower by 5.6% (CZK −12.1 bn) and entities seated outside the Czech Republic fell by 12.1% (CZK −7.7 bn). Imports of entities seated in the Czech Republic dropped by 7.1% (CZK −14.5 bn) while imports of entities seated outside the Czech Republic decreased by 3.4% (CZK −1.3 bn).

Due to depreciation of the CZK against the both main currencies, external trade decreased in EUR (exports −10.7% and imports −10.1%) and in US dollars (exports −12.3% and imports −11.7%).

In March, the trade balance ended in a surplus of CZK 32.3 bn which was by CZK 4.1 bn lower y−o−y. The balance of trade of entities seated in the Czech Republic showed a surplus of CZK 12.3 bn (against a surplus of CZK 10.0 bn in March 2012), the trade balance of entities not seated in the Czech Republic recorded a surplus of CZK 20.1 bn (compared to a surplus of CZK 26.5 bn in March 2012).

Y−o−y, surplus fell in ‘machinery and transport equipment’ (by CZK 8.5 bn), ‘crude materials, inedible, except fuels’ (by CZK 0.4 bn) and ‘miscellaneous manufactured articles’ (by CZK 0.1 bn); and deficit in ‘food and live animals’ deepened (by CZK 0.5 bn). On the other hand, a decrease in deficit in ‘mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials’ (by CZK 3.3 bn) and in ‘chemicals and related products’ (by CZK 0.4 bn) influenced the total balance favourably. The trade in ‘manufactured goods classified chiefly by material’ and ‘beverages and tobacco’ recorded an increase in surplus (by CZK 0.9 bn and CZK 0.4 bn respectively).

Total 'machinery and transport equipment' exports went down by 11.7% (CZK −18.0 bn) and total 'machinery and transport equipment' imports were lower by 9.5% (CZK −9.5 bn) y−o−y. Exports and imports fell mainly in ‘road vehicles’ (CZK −7.7 bn and CZK −2.8 bn respectively), ‘office machines, automatic data−processing machines’ (CZK −4.9 bn and CZK −2.2 bn respectively) and ‘power-generating machinery and equipment’ (both CZK−1.8 bn). Imports of ‘mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials’ dropped by 10.0% (CZK −2.6 bn), y−o−y. Imports of crude petroleum declined by 3.6% in value and by 3.8% in volume. Imports of natural gas were lower by 12.3% in value and by 14.9% in volume.

The trade balance with EU Member States reached a surplus of CZK 62.1 bn, which was by CZK 4.0 bn lower, y−o−y. Deficit of trade with non-EU countries increased by CZK 0.3 bn to CZK 29.2 bn. Surplus rose in trade with Germany (by CZK 1.8 bn) and Turkey (by CZK 1.7 bn). On the other hand, surplus fell in trade with France (by CZK 1.3 bn), the United Kingdom, Switzerland and the Ukraine (all by CZK 1.1 bn) and Slovakia (by CZK 0.4 bn). Deficit deepened in trade with China (by CZK 2.8 bn) and the Russian Federation (by CZK 0.5 bn); and balance deteriorated in trade with the Netherlands (by CZK 1.2 bn) as a surplus turned into a deficit.

In January−March 2013, exports and imports fell by 4.4% and 5.2% respectively. The trade balance surplus amounting to CZK 96.0 billion was up by CZK 1.4 billion y-o-y. The trade balance improved mainly in ‘mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials’ (deficit down by CZK 5.4 bn) and ‘miscellaneous manufactured articles’ (surplus up by CZK 2.5). A decrease in surplus in ‘machinery and transport equipment’ (by CZK 7.6 bn) affected total balance negatively.

The trade balance in national concept (methodology of balance of payments) reflecting performance of the Czech economy showed a surplus of CZK 17.8 bn in March 2013. The data on exports and imports of goods, calculated by using the VAT data according to this concept, are available in Table 8 and in the time series External trade in goods according to change of ownership (national concept).


Notes:
According to the CZSO sources data were obtained from 97.3% of companies (for goods dispatched) and 97.3% of companies (for goods arrived) obliged to report to the Intrastat system. Data for companies, exempted from the reporting duty, in accordance with the amended Decree No. 201/2005 Sb., and for companies that failed to report, have been imputed. The imputation methods are based on data of trade implemented that the companies reported in the previous period and data given in the VAT return forms.
The data for individual months of 2011 are final; the data for individual months of 2012 and 2013 are preliminary. Preliminary data of the reference month are released together with updated data of the previous three months. All data are processed from basic reporting units and subsequently rounded.
After the accession of the Czech Republic to the European Union, two systems of data collection are used as a source on external trade statistics in cross-border conception (cross−border statistics). Extrastat records data on trade with the non-EU countries and uses some data from Single Administrative Documents. Intrastat collects data on movement of goods within the European Union for entities that are obliged to provide Intrastat data. According to legal regulations of the European Communities, entities registered for Value Added Tax have a duty to provide data for Intrastat regardless of the fact, whether an entity is or is not seated in the Czech Republic (resident or non-resident). Detailed information is available in external trade methodology: /csu/czso/whatisexternal_trade
Responsible manager of the CZSO: Ing. Marek Rojíček, Ph.D., Director of Macroeconomic Statistics Branch, phone (+420) 274 052 486, E-mail: marek.rojicek@czso.cz
Contact: Karel Král, Director of External Trade Statistics Department, phone (+420) 274 052 161, E-mail: karel.kral@czso.cz
Method of data collection: Intrastat forms and Single administrative documents.
End of data collection: 20 th working day after the end of the reference month
Documents available on the CZSO website: w-6001-13 External Trade of the Czech Republic –detailed breakdown (periodicity: monthly): /csu/czso/external-trade-of-the-czech-republic-december-2013-gaipctvf7d
External Trade Database: http://apl.czso.cz/pll/stazo/STAZO.STAZO?jazyk=EN
Next News Release: June 6, 2013

This press release was not edited for language.



  • avzo050713.doc

  • Annexes:
  • Table 1 External trade in goods in CZK million, year-on-year indices (‘cross-border statistics’)
  • Table 2 External trade in goods by sections of SITC, in CZK million, share percentage, year-on-year indices (‘cross-border statistics’)
  • Table 3 External trade in goods by group of countries in CZK million, share percentage, year-on-year indices (‘cross-border statistics’)
  • Table 4 External trade in goods in EUR million, year-on-year indices (‘cross-border statistics’)
  • Table 5 External trade in goods in USD million, year-on-year indices (‘cross-border statistics’)
  • Table 6 Time series decomposition – exports, seasonal adjustment (‘cross-border statistics’)
  • Table 7 Time series decomposition – imports, seasonal adjustment (‘cross-border statistics’)
  • Table 8 Main external trade statistics indicators based on the national concept (the principle of change in ownership)
  • Table 9 External trade by the residency of reporting entities in 2011 and 2012 (‘cross-border statistics’)
  • Graph 1 Exports in CZK billion (‘cross-border statistics’)
  • Graph 2 Imports in CZK billion (‘cross-border statistics’)
  • Graph 3 Balance in CZK million, year-on-year-changes (‘cross-border statistics’)
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Published: 07.05.2013
The data are valid as of the release date of the publication.


Contact: Information Services Unit - Headquarters, tel.: +420 274 056 789, email: infoservis@czso.cz