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Explore the evolution and implications of simplifying Intrastat reporting, including past simplifications and current pressures. Dive into single flow and exemption threshold strategies, evaluating their pros and cons while considering impact on reporting burden, timeliness, and data accuracy. Discover key arguments for dispatches and arrivals in a single flow system, and assess threshold options for SME exemptions. Uncover the necessity of harmonization and data exchange for long-term single flow integration. Stay informed on the future direction of Intrastat reporting for streamlined trade statistics.
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Simplification of Intrastat:Current State of Play 8th International Trade Statistics Expert Meeting, OECD, Paris, 17th September 2007 Ales Capek Eurostat
Content • Past simplifications • Single flow – pros and cons • Increase of exemption threshold – pros and cons • Conclusions
Past simplifications • Intrastat itself was a simplification - thresholds - monthly summaries instead of individual transactions - less data elements
Past simplifications (ctd.) • Exemption threshold – from 99% to 97% coverage • Simplification threshold - from 5% to 6% of trade • Optional data • Simplified reporting (industrial plants, small transactions, staggered consignments) • Modernization of CN
Current pressure on simplification • Lisbon process • Political drive (Presidencies, ECOFIN Council) • Commission Communication on reduction of response burden, simplification and priority setting in the field of community statistics
2 main simplification options • Single flow • Increase of the exemption threshold • Assesment criteria: - reduction of reporting burden - impact on timeliness - impact on accuracy of data
Single flow – dispatches or arrivals • Arguments for dispatches: • Fewer PSI of bigger size having better information and administration systems • Speed of reporting • Link to VIES • Lower non-response
Single flow – dispatches or arrivals (ctd.) • Arguments for arrivals: • Missing country of origin on dispatch side • Overestimation of dispatches due to VAT fraud • Less confidentiality on arrival side • Users interested in arrival data
Single flow - pros • Reduction of reporting burden • Decrease of workload on statistical offices (depends on design of the system) • Quality of commodity classification • Response speed • Decrease of non-response (depends on thresholds)
Single flow - cons • Break in time series due to asymmetries (trade, BoP, national accounts) • Lack of confidence in partner MS data resulting in continued collection of arrival data • Timeliness – need to wait for the last Member State
Single flow – cons (ctd.) • Loss of data for national purposes • CIF – FOB valuation • Differences in reporting thresholds between Member States • Differences in methodologies between Member States (special simplifications, adjustments)
Threshold option - pros • SMEs exempted from reporting obligation • Negligible impact on time series • Data for national purposes preserved • Neutral for timeliness of data (or even better) • Response speed • Decrease of non-response
Threshold option - cons • More estimates of trade below threshold necessary - leading to decrease in accuracy • Increase of asymmetries
Conclusions • Short/medium term: increase in exemption threshold (arrivals only or both flows?) • Arguments: - timeliness - little impact on time series - availability of national data elements - easy to implement - comparable impact on reporting burden as single flow
Conclusions (ctd.) • Prerequisites for possible single flow in the long term - reduction of asymmetries - estimation of missing or delayed data to solve timeliness problem - quality checks to satisfy national needs - data exchange system - harmonization of data collection and processing systems