External trade - April 2019
Growth of Exports and Imports Accelerated Y-o-Y
Publication Date: 06. 06. 2019
Product Code: 241018-19
According to preliminary data in current prices, in April 2019 the external trade balance in goods ended in a surplus of CZK 17.6 bn, which was by CZK 1.2 bn higher, year-on-year (y-o-y).
Total balance in the national concept1), was favourably influenced mainly by a higher surplus in 'motor vehicles, trailers and semitrailers' by CZK 4.2 bn and 'other transport vehicles' by CZK 2.7 bn. Deficit in 'chemicals and chemical products' decreased by CZK 1.2 bn.
A bigger deficit in 'crude petroleum and natural gas' by CZK 3.4 bn and a worse balance in 'computer, electronic and optical products' by CZK 2.8 bn had the opposite effect on total balance.
In April 2019 the trade balance with the EU28 Member States ended in a surplus of CZK 68.0 bn, and thus it was by CZK 10.3 bn higher, y-o-y. The trade deficit with the non-EU countries increased by CZK 8.7 bn to reach the amount of CZK 48.8 bn.
Compared to March 2019 the seasonally adjusted exports and imports decreased by 5.6% and 5.2%, respectively. The development trend shows decreasing exports (−0.4%) and imports (−1.7%).
Compared to the same month of 2018, exports and imports grew at the same rate (7.4%) reaching CZK 316.3 bn and CZK 298.7 bn, respectively. April 2019 had the same number of working days as April 2018.
In the period from January to April 2019 the trade balance surplus in the national concept amounted to CZK 71.8 bn which represented a decrease by CZK 0.6 bn, y-o-y. From the beginning of the year exports and imports went up by 5.0% and 5.3%, respectively, y-o-y.
Detailed information on external trade in the national concept can be found at:
https://csu.gov.cz/external_trade_in_goods_according_to_the_change_of_ownership_-national_concept-.
Information on the cross-border movement of goods
According to preliminary data in current prices of the cross-border concept2), exports and imports increased by 9.0% and 7.7%, respectively, in April 2019. Total exports and imports of goods amounted to values of CZK 386.7 bn and CZK 338.7 bn, respectively.
According to the Eurostat statistics, in March 2019 the Czech Republic shares in the total exports and imports of the European Union were 3.1% and 2.7%, respectively.
Detailed information on external trade in the cross-border concept can be found at:
https://www.czso.cz/csu/czso/external_trade_in_goods_according_to_the_movement_-cross_border_concept-.
Notes:
1) The national concept of external trade reflects export and import performance of the Czech economy, i.e. the external trade balance of the Czech Republic as well. It measures real trade in goods carried out between Czech entities and foreign ones, i.e. the change of ownership between residents and non-residents.
2) The cross-border concept of external trade reflects only physical movements of goods across the border regardless of whether the trade between Czech entities and foreign ones occurs. These data are internationally comparable and can be used as indicators of development in the value of trade.
Data for companies, which are subject to the reporting duty and which failed to report data (non-response), have been imputed according to dispatches and receptions these companies reported in the previous period. Data for companies exempted from the reporting duty were estimated on the basis of the data given in the VAT return forms. The data, which were not available from the VAT return forms, are estimated on the basis of the values for previous periods.
Data for 2017 are final; data for respective months of 2018 and 2019 are preliminary.
From the reference period of January 2019 external trade data for the whole previous and the current year are updated monthly. Final data for the previous year are published in September of the current year.
Responsible head at the CZSO: Miluše Kavěnová, Director of External Trade Statistics Department, phone number (+420) 274 054 176, e-mail: miluse.kavenova@csu.gov.cz
Contact person: Karel Král, External Trade Statistics Department, phone number (+420) 274 054 253, e-mail: karel.kral@csu.gov.cz
Method of data collection: Intrastat forms and single administrative documents and value added tax return forms
End of data collection: 20th working day after the end of the reference month
Following data set: w-241013-19 External Trade of the Czech Republic –detailed breakdown (monthly): https://www.czso.cz/current-product/41320
External Trade Database is available at: http://apl.czso.cz/pll/stazo/STAZO.STAZO?jazyk=EN
Next News Release will be published on: 8 July 2019