External Trade - November 2013

In November 2013, according to preliminary data of ‘cross−border statistics’, exports and imports at current prices increased by 7.4% and 6.3% respectively, year-on-year (y−o−y). The trade balance ended in a surplus of CZK 38.7 bn, which was by CZK 5.1 bn higher compared to November 2012.

According to preliminary data of ‘cross−border statistics’, seasonally adjusted exports and imports rose by 2.8% and 0.3% respectively compared to October 2013. The development trend shows growing exports (+1.7%) and imports (+0.8%).

Year−on−year, exports and imports at current prices went up by 7.4% (CZK +20.5 bn) and 6.3% (CZK +15.4 bn). Exports of entities seated in the Czech Republic were higher by 7.0% (CZK +14.8 bn) and exports entities seated outside the Czech Republic were by 8.6% (CZK +5.7 bn) higher, y−o−y. Imports of entities seated in the Czech Republic increased by 6.0% (CZK +12.1 bn) and imports of entities seated outside the Czech Republic grew by 8.2% (CZK +3.3 bn).

Due to depreciation of the koruna against the both main currencies, exports and imports in terms of euro grew by 1.2% and 0.2% respectively. In terms of US dollars exports and imports increased by 6.4% and 5.4% respectively, y−o−y.

In November, the trade balance ended in a record-breaking surplus of CZK 38.7 bn which was by CZK 5.1 bn higher compared to November 2012. The balance of trade of entities seated in the Czech Republic showed a surplus of CZK 10.5 bn (against a surplus of CZK 7.8 bn in November 2012), the trade balance of entities not seated in the Czech Republic recorded a surplus of CZK 28.2 bn (compared to a surplus of CZK 25.8 bn in November 2012).

A decrease in deficit in ‘chemicals and related products’ and ‘food and live animals’ (by CZK 3.5 bn and CZK 0.8 bn respectively); and an increase in surplus in ‘manufactured goods classified chiefly by material’ and ‘miscellaneous manufactured articles’ (by CZK 0.6 bn and CZK 0.4 bn respectively) influenced the total trade balance favourably, y−o−y. On the other hand, deficit deepened in ‘mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials’ and ‘beverages and tobacco’ (both by CZK 0.1 bn). Surplus in ‘machinery and transport equipment’ (CZK +48.7 bn) and ‘crude materials, inedible, except fuels’ (CZK +0.8 bn) remained unchanged, y−o−y.

Total 'machinery and transport equipment' exports grew by 7.6% (CZK +11.5 bn), y−o−y. Exports grew mainly in ‘road vehicles’ (CZK +9.1 bn), ‘electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances’ (CZK +3.0 bn) and ‘general industrial machinery and equipment’ (CZK +1.4 bn). Total 'machinery and transport equipment' imports were by 11.2% (CZK +11.5 bn) higher, y−o−y. Imports rose mainly in ‘road vehicles’ and ‘telecommunications and sound-recording equipment’ (both by CZK +3.1 bn) and ‘power-generating machinery and equipment’ (CZK +2.3 bn). Imports of ‘mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials’ fell by 0.9% (CZK −0.2 bn), y−o−y. Imports of crude petroleum dropped by 32.2% in value and by 31.6% in volume. Imports of natural gas were higher by 22.5% in value and by 35.8% in volume.

The trade balance with EU28 Member States ended in a surplus of CZK 73.5 bn, which was by CZK 5.8 bn higher, y−o−y. Deficit of trade with non-EU countries increased by CZK 0.6 bn to amount to CZK 33.7 bn. Surplus rose in trade with Hungary (by CZK 1.7 bn) and Slovakia (by CZK 1.5 bn), Denmark (by CZK 1.4 bn), Spain (by CZK 1.3 bn) and Germany (by CZK 0.1 bn). Deficit deepened in trade with China (by CZK 1.4 bn), Poland (by CZK 1.2 bn) and the Russian Federation (by CZK 1.1 bn).

In January−November 2013 , exports grew by CZK 1.6% and imports stagnated. The trade balance surplus reached CZK 344.7 billion which was by CZK 44.4 billion higher, y-o-y. Surplus increased mainly in ‘machinery and transport equipment’ (by CZK 30.1 bn) and ‘miscellaneous manufactured articles’ (by CZK 14.6 bn). A larger deficit in ‘mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials’ (by CZK 7.4 bn) affected the total balance negatively.

The trade balance in national concept (methodology of balance of payments) reflecting performance of the Czech economy showed a surplus of CZK 12.9 bn in November 2013. The data on exports and imports of goods, calculated by using the VAT data according to this concept, are available in Table 8 and in the time series External trade in goods according to change of ownership (national concept).



Notes:

According to the CZSO sources data were obtained from 97.9% of companies (for goods dispatched) and 97.9% of companies (for goods arrived) obliged to report to the Intrastat system. Data for companies, exempted from the reporting duty, in accordance with the amended Decree No. 201/2005 Sb., and for companies that failed to report, have been imputed. The imputation methods are based on data of trade implemented that the companies reported in the previous period and data given in the VAT return forms.

The data for individual months of 2012 are final; the data for individual months of 2013 are preliminary. Preliminary data of the reference month are released together with updated data of the previous three months. All data are processed from basic reporting units and subsequently rounded.

After the accession of the Czech Republic to the European Union, two systems of data collection are used as a source on external trade statistics in cross-border conception (cross−border statistics). Extrastat records data on trade with the non-EU countries and uses some data from Single Administrative Documents. Intrastat collects data on movement of goods within the European Union for entities that are obliged to provide Intrastat data. According to legal regulations of the European Communities, entities registered for Value Added Tax have a duty to provide data for Intrastat regardless of the fact, whether an entity is or is not seated in the Czech Republic (resident or non-resident). Detailed information is available in external trade methodology: /whatisexternal_trade

Responsible manager of the CZSO: Ing. Marek Rojíček, Ph.D., Director of Macroeconomic Statistics Branch, phone (+420) 274 052 486, e-mail: marek.rojicek@csu.gov.cz
Contact: Karel Král, Director of External Trade Statistics Department, phone (+420) 274 052 161, e-mail: karel.kral@csu.gov.cz
Method of data collection: Intrastat forms and Single administrative documents.
End of data collection: 20th working day after the end of the reference month
Documents available on the CZSO website: w-6001-13 External Trade of the Czech Republic –detailed breakdown (periodicity: monthly): /produkty/external-trade-of-the-czech-republic-december-2013-gaipctvf7d
External Trade Database: http://apl.czso.cz/pll/stazo/STAZO.STAZO?jazyk=EN

Next News Release: February 6, 2014

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