TRADE MICRODATA: OECD PERSPECTIVES

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TRADE MICRODATA OECD PERSPECTIVES

• Dominique Guellec
• Head, Trade and Business Statistics
• Statistics Directorate

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Main messages

• In order to map and understand trade flows in an
  era of globalisation (GVCs etc.) we need to
  capture the micro, business-level dimension of
  trade
• who trades?
• The TEC exercise has proved a very efficient and
  cost effective way of advancing in that
  direction it needs to be pursued and broadened.

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- The TEC database- Trade microdata Handbook-
Future perspective
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The TEC database
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Trade by Enterprise Characteristics (TEC) database

• Context
• TEC is a joint OECD-Eurostat exercise.
• Dataset are compiled by linking micro data (data
  at trader level) with business registers.
• Under guidance of the OECD Steering Group
  Business Economic Statistics and Trade (BEST),
  a first OECD set of Linkage Tables was sent out
  to participating Non-EU-OECD member countries in
  June 2007.
• Structure
• 5 datasets displaying imports/exports by ISIC
  industry (or group of industry) in terms of value
  (M) and numbers of enterprises
• I. Trade by size class
• II. Trade by top enterprises
• III. Trade by partner zones and countries
• IV. Trade by number of partner countries
• V. Trade by commodities (CPC)

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TEC database

• Content
• Up to now, OECD has received tables from Canada,
  the United States, Norway and Israel. In addition
  to that, Eurostat provided OECD with the
  respective (published) data tables of 19 EU
  member states
• EU countries 2005,2006,2007
• Canada 2003, 2006,2007,2008 exports
• USA 2003, 2005 (exports)
• Israel 2006,2007,2008 (exports)
• Norway 2003,2005,2006,2007 (aggregated data)
• Expected soon Australia, Brazil
• Comparability
• EU countries trade data are reported either for
  Intra-EU or for extra-EU, no Total trade as the
  other countries, the perimeter of these zones
  evolves with the time (EU25, EU27)
• For the majority of the countries (except
  Canada), data are not longitudinal series

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TEC database

• Accessibility DotStat

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Handbook for trade microdata
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HANDBOOK FOR TRADE MICRODATA

• The Handbook will be a joint OECD-Eurostat
  endeavour (Eurostat is currently preparing a
  highly practical compilers guide for EU
  countries).
• Objective
• Understand the relevance of matching microdata
  with trade data
• Review the main methodological issues
• Present the TEC database
• Target Audience
• Statisticians and data compilers
• Policy analysts (trade, industry)

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HANDBOOK FOR TRADE MICRODATA

• Proposed contents
• The need of matching databases
• The relevance of matching BR with other databases
  to understand economic microstructure and address
  policy relevant issues
• Technical issues
• Matching firm level data with trade statistics
• Sources of trade data and population coverage
• International comparability
• Data description (and analysis)
• TEC content and organisation
• Descriptive statistics

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HANDBOOK FOR TRADE MICRODATA

• Tentative Calendar
• End of January first draft OECD/Eurostat
• February discussion with the TEC Group
• April presentation at the TEC meeting for
  discussion and adoption

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Future perspectives on trade microdata
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Strengthening the quality of the data

• Continue this highly successful exercise
• Improve comparability (e.g. establishment v.
  enterprise)
• Intra-EU trade v. extra-EU trade
• Bring in new countries

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Making more with the data

• Trade microdata are a unique tool to explore key
  policy questions
• What is the impact of the economic downturn on
  trade? (intensive/extensive margin)
• What is the connection between trade and
  entrepreneurship? (exports by start-ups)
• How do global value chains work? (offshoring,
  outsourcing gt impact on job creations)

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How to make more with the data?

• Enriching the matched datasets
• Business Registers are a unique platform for
  further matchings gt ownership etc.
• Longitudinal datasets gt business demography
• Discussion at CSTAT very supportive. Database
  matching allows to create more value from
  existing sources while saving resources in NSOs

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With those datasets, one can

• Compile further indicators, e.g.
• Trade by multinational enterprises intrafirm
  trade.
• Persistent exporters
• Exports by young firms
• Work with/facilitate data access to analysts
• E.g. national researchers, etc.
• Experience in Canada, Italy, others?

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Questions to delegates

• Do you see the TEC database as useful?
• What is your view on the Trade microdata
  handbook?
• Is a broadening of trade micro databases useful?
  How can this be done? Do you have experience in
  that field?