C.  Enterprise and establishment surveys for trade in services statistics purposes

6.12.        Enterprise or establishment surveys are often used to collect data needed for the compilation of resident and non-resident trade in services statistics. They may take various forms, such as an extensive survey covering many or all services (often excluding most of the data needed to compile transport, travel and government goods services n.i.e. (not included elsewhere), or a specialized survey which may be developed for various reasons, such as to avoid an unnecessary burden on firms that are not likely engaged in trading certain specific services, or for sectors that are important enough for the development of a dedicated survey, such as manufacturing services or business process outsourcing services. Existing enterprise surveys, such as structural business surveys or research and development surveys, may also be used to collect trade in services data.

6.13.        Surveys that collect data on trade in services cover the value of exports of services, or credits, and imports of services, or debits, broken down by type of service (at least, for the services sectors of primary interest to the compiling economy), with an identification of the country of the counterpart in the transaction (i.e., the partner country). Other recommended elements for data collection on the value of exports and imports of services include the identification of trade between related parties (intrafirm trade) and of the way those services were traded (mode of supply).

6.14.        Various options exist for collecting data according to the above-mentioned elements via surveys. Given the complexities surrounding trade in services, surveys should always be accompanied by explanatory notes to help respondents understand the type of information required. The frequency of data collection, and the associated level of detail,  will depend on the needs identified before the data collection is established (see chapter 3, on institutional arrangements). While the present chapter covers the aspects more directly related to trade in services data collection, readers can also refer to the BPM6 Compilation Guide for further information. In particular, the model survey forms shown in appendix 8 provide useful guidance as to the type of information and questions to be included in trade in services survey forms. The model forms of interest include: International Trade in Services, Manufacturing Services, Resident Transport Operators, Transactions with Nonresident Transport Operators, Construction, International Insurance Transactions and International Pension Services.

6.15.        In all surveys, questions should be clearly phrased, using wording that businesses understand, while ensuring that they fit the Extended Balance of Payments Services Classification (EBOPS) 2010 definitions, including complementary groupings, so that the data can be used in subsequent compilations of trade in services statistics. In some instances, such as for insurance or financial services, the information to be collected cannot be the value of the service rendered itself, but will have to be deduced from data reported in the survey forms, often derived from accounting records of such data as insurance premiums and claims. This would also apply if, for some services categories, a more detailed list than that of EBOPS 2010 is included in questionnaires.[1] When elaborating survey forms and notes, the present Guide strongly encourages compilers to refer to the Central Product Classification (CPC) to define the service items in terms of levels of details, or for the explanatory notes. A correspondence table between EBOPS 2010 and CPC version 2 is provided in an online annex to MSITS 2010.[2]

6.16.        Section C first presents general guidance on the use of generic trade in services surveys (C.1), and then describes the use of specific surveys, namely, transportation surveys (C.2), manufacturing services surveys (C.3), surveys to insurance and financial corporations (C.4), research and development and innovation surveys (C.5), surveys of tourism related activities (C.6), construction surveys (C.7) and other specific surveys (C.8) that can also be used to derive trade in services information. 

 

 Next: D. Foreign affiliate statistics and the international supply of services

 


[1] This would be particularly relevant for specific services surveys.