Overview of progress and plan on

the revision of
IMTS 2010 and MSITS 2010

Markie Muryawan & Habibur Khan

United Nations Statistics Division
 Presentation Contents

Outlines

• Background
• Mandate
• Working Structure
• Motivation
• Research Topics
• IMTS
• MSITS
• Cross-cutting issues
• Timelines and Milestones and Progress Update
• Other guidelines
• Handbook on Integrating Business and Trade Statistics
• Principal Indicators for Business and Trade Statistics
• Way Forward
 Background

Manuals on
international
trade
statistics
 Background

Mandate – The 52nd Statistical Commission (2021)

Statistical • Endorsed revising IMTS 2010 and MSITS

2010, while ensuring consistency with the
Commission update of other statistical standards, such as
the SNA and BOP;
decision • Welcomed the creation of a new task team for
2021 52/107: the revision of the trade-related standards.
 Background

UN Statistical
Working Structure Commission

• The task team consists of countries and UN Committee of Other UN

Experts on Business Committees of
international organizations and Trade Statistics Experts …
• It is under the UNCEBTS
Co-leaders: Portugal
Trade Task Team Other Task Teams …
and Morocco

Sub-Task Teams Guidance Notes

Focus Groups Emerging Issues

 Background

Objectives
• Revise trade statistics manual: IMTS 2010 and MSITS 2010 in
collaboration with other stakeholders
• Enhance the integration between trade and business statistics
• Promote capacity building activities and collaborate on technical
assistance projects
• Coordinate the Integration of work program with other entities
 Research Topics

Research topics: vertical and horizontal approaches

• (Traditional) IMTS / • Integration with

MSITS focus business and other
statistics
• Data sources –
• Linkage to social
Vertical

Compilation –
Dissemination and sustainability
Horizontal
• Trade • Other relevant
classifications classifications
• Linkage to BOP • Goods/services
cross cutting
issues
 Research Topics

Research Agenda: Vertical

• v.1 Scope of IMTS and SITS • v.12 Trade Flow, Nature Of Transactions And
• v.2 Impact of the BPM updates Customs Procedure Codes
• v.3 Bilateral trade asymmetry • v.13 Valuation on specific transactions/products
• v.4 Informal Cross Border Trade • v.14 Alternative data sources – high-frequency
• v.5 Recording Principle – Change Of Ownership data sources
Instead Of Cross-Border For Selected Commodities • V.15 Upgrading SDMX-IMTS to Technical
• v.6 Trade System Specification version 3.0
• v.7 Valuation – Utilizing Invoice Value In Addition • v.16 Clarification on Cultural Products Resulting
To CIF, FOB From Creative Industries
• v.8 Price And Volume Measurement • v.17 Revision of the Standard International Trade
• v.9 Factoryless Goods Producers And Merchanting Classification (SITC)
• v.10 Measurement Of Modes Of Supply • v.18 Indicators on Trade Statistics
• v.11 SITS Classifications EBOPS
• v.x Treatment of IPPs

impact to conceptual framework

dedicated handbook
 Research Topics

Research Agenda: Horizontal

• h.1 Digital Trade
• h.2 Global Value Chains
• h.3 Linking Trade And Business Statistics
• h.4 Impact Of Trade On Environment And Sustainability
• h.5 Impact Of Trade On Well-Being, Labor, Gender And Productivity
• h.6 Foreign Affiliates Statistics (FATS)
• h.7 Classification: BEC Rev.5, Business Functions
• h.8 Impact Of ISIC (Rev.5) And CPC (3.0) Revisions

impact to conceptual framework

dedicated handbook
 Research Topics

Work-flow
Schematic for the life cycle of Guidance Notes
GN drafted by
assigned authors
=> peer-reviewed by TT-ITS

Draft GNs reviewed

by UNCEBTS
=> Approval

Global consultation including

experimentation and testing

Revision of GNs by original authors

=> Second round review
[Only if significant changes]

Manual/Compilation Guide Update

TT-ITS sends GN and
=> Approval by UNCEBTS
recommendations to UNCEBTS
=> Global consultations
=> Approval
=> UNSC Endorsement
 Timelines and Milestones

General Timeline
Establishment of the Task Additional Global Adoption of IMTS/MSITS by
Team and identification of its Consultation. Drafting IMTS the UN Statistical
members and MSITS Commission

2021–2023 2025 beyond

2020 2024 2026

Global Consultation on Implementation: Undertake

research topics, Validation and Global
Consultation on the draft capacity building activities
development of guidance including the development
notes, and testing taking of the compilation guides
into account the progress for IMTS/MSITS
made by the update of BPM
and SNA

11
 Progress Update

Brief overview of activities (2022/2023)

• Revision of trade statistics manuals (IMTS and MSITS)
• Took stock of revisions to SNA and BPM and reviewed their impacts
• Drafting various guidance notes based on the list of identified research topics
• Drafted and consulted on the outlines
• Undertook the 1st global consultation on GNs (2023)
• Drafting the Handbook on Integrating Business and Trade Statistics
• Drafting the Manual on Principal Indicators on Business and Trade Statistics
• Contributing to Gender mainstreaming in business and trade statistics with IAEG-GS
 Progress Update

Specific Plan in 2024 and beyond

• The 2nd global consultations on the remaining GNs
• Validation and global consultations on the Handbook on Integrating Business and Trade
Statistics; and the Manual on Principal Indicators on Business and Trade Statistics
• Finalization and closing of research topics
• Focus on the drafting text of IMTS and MSITS; and collecting country practices for the
subsequent compilation guides
 Global Consultation

Topics – 1st Global Consultation (11 topics):

• topic #1 - definition, scope, and delineation of goods and services
• topic #2 - comprehensive review on the impact of BPM 6 updates
• topic #3 - definition and delineation of ICBT
• topic #4 - utilizing invoice value in addition to CIF and FOB
• topic #5 - measurement of digital trade
• topic #6 - linking business and trade statistics
 Global Consultation

Topics – 1st Global Consultation (11 topics): (cont.)

• topic #7 - change of ownership in IMTS vs. BoP
• topic #8 - clarification of cultural products resulting from creative industries
• topic #9 - impact of trade on well-being, labour, and productivity
• topic #10 - Manual outlines (IMTS/MSITS)
• topic #11 - HIBTS outlines
 Global Consultation

Brief outcomes of the 1st Global

Consultation:
• Results of global consultations on topics regarding the revision of trade manuals.
• There was a good response rates from all the regions.
• Many responding countries agree with the proposals.
• It was highlighted to thoroughly consider response details regarding specific topics of
interest to specific regions and where significant responses express no opinion.
• Examples that require thorough consideration include topics on the definition and
delineation of ICBT, clarification on cultural products resulting from creative industries,
and the impact of trade on wellbeing, labour, and productivity.
• It may not have been clear that the global consultations on the GNs focused on conceptual
issues because many respondents requested the inclusion of country practices
• The country practices will be included in the forthcoming Compilers’ Guides.
 Global Consultation

Plan for the 2nd global consultations (1/2)

Selected topics to be considered for the 2nd global consultation [for discussion]
• Scope of IMTS, inclusion of goods crossing the border illegally (V.4.B)
• Scope of ICBT (V.4.A)
• Global production arrangement, including FGPs and Nature of the transaction (V9
and V12)
• EBOPS (V11)
• SDMX for trade statistics (V15)
• Trade System (V6)
• Some assessment questions from HIBTS (Handbook on Integrating Business and
Trade Statistics)
• Some assessments on country practices for long-term contract (V13.A) 17
 Global Consultation

Plan for the 2nd global consultations (2/2)

Selected topics to be considered for the 2nd global consultation [for information]
• Bilateral asymmetries (V3)
• Measurement of Modes of Supply (V10)
• Impact of trade on the environment and sustainability (H4)
• Impact Of ISIC And CPC Revisions (H8)
• Use of alternative data sources (V14)
• Importance of data, models, and analyses on Global Value Chains (H2)
• Price and Volume Measurement (V8)
• Classification: BEC Rev.5 and Business Functions (H7)
• Treatment of coins of legal tenders from precious metals (V13.B)
18
 Global Consultation

Last minutes topics

Emerging topics that will be included in the manuals:
• Treatment of negative values in goods (V13.C / IMTS valuation)
• Country of origin of re-exports (IMTS partner)
• Recording of quantity units (WCO vs. non-WCO units) (IMTS quantity)
• Transit trade, non-resident traders, and centralized clearance (IMTS various
chapters)

19
 Handbook/Guidelines

Handbook on Integrating Business and Trade

Statistics
Objectives
• Provide the conceptual and methodological framework related to the
integration of business and trade statistics
• Include technical guidance for building and strengthening capacities on the
Micro Data Linking (MDL) process
• Share country experiences related to the linking business and trade
• Guide countries to produce linking business and trade (goods and services)
statistics in an international comparable manner
Timelines/Progress
• Finalization of the drafting by Q1-2024 followed by the global consultation

20
 Handbook/Guidelines

Handbook on Integrating Business and Trade Statistics working outline

1.1. Motivations and policy relevance
1. Introduction 1.2. Scope and objectives
2.1. Statistical Business Register
2.2. Business statistics
2. Data Sources, their conceptual framework and
2.3. International trade statistics
potentials for data linking 2.4. Other useful data sources
2.5. Institutional environment and statistical preconditions
3. Microdata linking methods 3.1. Data linking

4. Linking business and trade in goods statistics 4.1. Process for linking business and trade in goods statistics

5. Linking business and trade in services statistics 5.1. Process for linking business and trade in services statistics
6.1. Quality dimensions and proposed quality indicators
6. Quality and comparability 6.2. Scope and comparability between linking business with trade in goods and services
7.1. Confidentiality dimensions
7. Dissemination and principles of confidentiality 7.2. Data and metadata dissemination for TEC
7.3. Data and metadata dissemination for STEC
8.1. Integrating gender in business and trade statistics
8.2. New opportunities for the measurement of the digital economy and globalization
8.3. Extensions to Balance of Payment statistics
8.4. Linking to social statistics
8. Research agenda 8.5. Subnational statistics
8.6. Expanding the indicators related to linking trade and business statistics
8.7. Issues related to linking trade in goods statistics with trade in services statistics21
8.8. Other relevant analysis
 Handbook/Guidelines

Vol 2 of Principal Indicators for Business and Trade

Statistics
Objectives
• UNCEBTS has identified the need to develop Volume 2 of the Manual on Principal
Indicators for Business and Trade Statistics.
• Goals: Meet policy needs and Easier and better reading of trade data.
• The indicators should be designed to enable better quality and analysis of international
trade statistics.
• Identification of a first set of indicators that could be recommended for countries as a
reference list for trade statistics areas;
Timelines/Progress
• The 22 detailed sheets on trade indicators are drafted
• Finalization and global consultation in 2024
22
Draft structure: outline
Chapter Questions to be addressed
1. Introduction
2. Role of international • What can international trade statistics contribute?
trade statistics • Which questions and problems can it help to solve?
• Which are its limitations?
• Which are its specific constraints and resources?
• How is international trade statistics connected with other domains?
3. Core indicators • Which are recommended indicators that can be constructed from
(classical) international trade statistics alone?
4. Aspirational (cross- • How can international trade statistics benefit from closer integration with
cutting) indicators other domains?
• Which recommended indicators can be constructed based on that
integration?
Annex: indicator sheets
 Way forward

Summary of the main on-going action points

• Sub-TTs will revise the GNs considering the global consultations and Meeting
discussion results. Revised GNs can be a mix of conceptual and compilation
issues (i.e., the general format can be concepts, global consultations, or
examples). Examples could be for Compilers' Guide, if necessary. Co-leads will
decide on the nature of revisions required.
• Annotated outlines for IMTS and MSITS is being drafted and discussed by the TT-
ITS and included in the global consultations in 2024. Further identify the specific
paragraphs/sections to be added, improved and resized
• FATS will stay in MSITS but not be part of IMTS. There is no need for a guidance
note.
• Timelines for the IMTS/MSITS are now in 2026, Handbook on Integrating Business
and Trade Statistics (HIBTS) and Manual on the Principal Indicators for Business
and Trade Statistics are in 2025.
24
 Way forward

Call to action:

• You are invited to provide inputs to the GNs and the outline of the
Manuals (during the 2nd global consultation)

• Support us as Contributors & Reviewers to the drafting team

25
Thank you!