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Date of release: July 25 2008

International Merchandise Trade Statistics
National Compilation and Reporting Practices

--- 2006 Survey Results ---

Introduction | Research countries | Research questions | List of UN recommendations

LATVIA
82 answers comply with UN recommendations (blue). (76.6%)
19 answers do not comply with UN recommendations (red). (17.8%)
6 questions have no answer. (5.6%)
Click on any question to see all responses to that question.
[Back]
1.01.  Is your national methodology of compilation and dissemination of foreign merchandise trade statistics (hereafter called 'trade statistics') based on IMTS, Rev.2 ?Yes
1.02.  Is the National Statistical Office the responsible agency for the compilation and dissemination of trade statistics ? If No, please specify in the Comments field which agency is responsible for this.Yes
1.03.  Do the following agencies provide data to your office for use in the compilation of the trade statistics: Customs administration.Yes
1.04.  Do the following agencies provide data to your office for use in the compilation of the trade statistics: Central Bank.No
1.05.  Do the following agencies provide data to your office for use in the compilation of the trade statistics: Commodity board.No
1.06.  Do the following agencies provide data to your office for use in the compilation of the trade statistics: National Energy Agency.No
1.07.  Do the following agencies provide data to your office for use in the compilation of the trade statistics: Other, If Yes, please specify in Comments field.
Comment: Tax administration provides the Central Statistical Bureau (CSB) with Value Added Tax (VAT) data for the purpose of the compilation Intra-Community trade statistics (INTRASTAT).
Yes
1.08.  Does your office have any memorandum of understanding or any similar working agreement with any of the mentioned agencies?
Comment: The CSB has agreements with the State Revenue Service, Customs Board, The Central Bank.
Yes
1.09.  If you have working agreements with other agencies, does your office regularly meet or consult with these agencies before release of the trade statistics?
Comment: Only in case of necessity
No
2.01.  Are customs declarations the main source of data? If No, please specify your main source of data in the Comments field.
Comment: Yes - for the trade statistics with non-European Union (EU)countries. For the trade statistics with EU countries monthly INTRASTAT declaration forms (enterprise surveys) are used.
No
2.02.  Do you use the following as additional sources of data: Foreign shipping manifests.No
2.03.  Do you use the following as additional sources of data: Currency exchange records or other records of monetary authorities.No
2.04.  Do you use the following as additional sources of data: Parcel and letter post records.No
2.05.  Do you use the following as additional sources of data: Aircraft and ship registers.Yes
2.06.  Do you use the following as additional sources of data: Reports of commodity boards.No
2.07.  Do you use the following as additional sources of data: Administrative records associated with taxation.Yes
2.08.  Do you use the following as additional sources of data: Enterprise surveys.Yes
2.09.  Do you use the following as additional sources of data: Other, If Yes, please provide examples in Comments.No
3.01.  As a general rule, do you include in trade statistics goods which enter (imports) or leave (exports) your economic territory (except for goods in transit and temporary admissions/ withdrawals) ?
Comment: According to the special trade system for the trade with non EU countries.
Yes
3.02.  Do you use change of ownership (between residents and non-residents) as a basis for inclusion of certain goods in trade statistics? If Yes, please provide examples in Comments.No
3.03.  Can your office compile detailed commodity by partner trade statistics on the basis of change of ownership?No
3.04.  Do you use date of lodgement of the customs declaration as an approximation for the time when goods enter/leave your territory? If No, please indicate which dates are used for this purpose in the Comments field.Yes
4.01.  Does your country use the Kyoto Convention (the International Convention on the Simplification and Harmonization of Customs procedures) as the basis for the definitions of customs procedures ?Yes
4.02.  Does the recording by customs procedures allow for the identification of: Importation of goods under clearance for home use.Yes
4.03.  Does the recording by customs procedures allow for the identification of: Reimportation of goods in the same state.Yes
4.04.  Does the recording by customs procedures allow for the identification of: Exportation of domestic goods (outright exportation).No
4.05.  Does the recording by customs proc.edures allow for the identification of: Temporary admission of goods subject to re-exportation in the same state.Yes
4.06.  Does the recording by customs procedures allow for the identification of: Re-exportation of goods in the same state.Yes
4.07.  Does the recording by customs procedures allow for the identification of: Temporary admission of goods for inward processing.Yes
4.08.  Does the recording by customs procedures allow for the identification of: Goods leaving the country after inward processing.Yes
4.09.  Does the recording by customs procedures allow for the identification of: Temporary exportation of goods for outward processing.Yes
4.10.  Does the recording by customs procedures allow for the identification of: Reimportation of goods after temporary exportation for outward processing.Yes
4.11.  Does the recording by customs procedures allow for the identification of: Goods admitted into a customs warehouse?Yes
4.12.  Does the recording by customs procedures allow for the identification of: Goods leaving a customs warehouse?Yes
4.13.  Does the recording by customs procedures allow for the identification of: Goods admitted into a commercial free zone (zones where only minimal repackaging and similar processing of goods is allowed) ?No
4.14.  Does the recording by customs procedures allow for the identification of: Goods leaving a commercial free zone?No
4.15.  Does the recording by customs procedures allow for the identification of: Goods admitted into an industrial free zone (zones where specific processing or manufacturing of goods is allowed) ?No
4.16.  Does the recording by customs procedures allow for the identification of: Goods leaving an industrial free zone?No
4.17.  Does the recording by customs procedures allow for the identification of: Goods in customs transit?Yes
5.01.  Do you include in your trade statistics goods entering or leaving the following territorial elements: industrial free zones.No
5.02.  Do you include in your trade statistics goods entering or leaving the following territorial elements: commercial free zones.No
5.03.  Do you include in your trade statistics goods entering or leaving the following territorial elements: customs warehouses.No
5.04.  Do you include in your trade statistics goods entering or leaving the following territorial elements: premises designated for inward processing.Yes
5.05.  Do you include in your trade statistics goods entering or leaving the following territorial elements: territorial waters, and continental shelf.N/A
5.06.  Do you include in your trade statistics goods entering or leaving the following territorial elements: offshore territories, possessions, dependencies etc (including outer space installations).N/A
5.07.  Do you include in your trade statistics goods entering or leaving the following territorial elements: your country's embassies, military bases and other territorial enclaves in other countries.No
5.08.  If your country is a member of a customs union, do the trade data cover: both trade with countries outside the union and intratrade with the member states of the union?Yes
5.09.  If your country is a member of a customs union, do the trade data cover: only trade with countries outside the union and exclude intratrade with the member states?No
5.10.  Do you disseminate trade statistics only according to the general trade system ?No
5.11.  Do you disseminate trade statistics only according to the special trade system ?Yes
5.12.  Do you disseminate trade statistics according to both the general and special trade system ?No
6.01.  Do you use the Harmonized System (HS) as the basis for your detailed commodity trade database? If Yes, please give the number of digits at which you maintain your commodity codes in the Comment field.
Comment: In Latvia Combined Nomenclature is applied (8 digit level).The first 6 digits correspond to the HS.
Yes
6.02.  Do you use the Harmonized System for dissemination purposes?Yes
6.03.  Do you publish any data in terms of Standard International Trade Classification (SITC) ?No
6.04.  Do you publish any data in terms of Common Product Classification (CPC) ?No
6.05.  Do you publish any data in terms of the Classification by Broad Economic Categories (BEC) ?No
6.06.  Do you publish any data in terms of International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities (ISIC) ?No
6.07.  Do you collect quantity data?Yes
6.08.  Do you record or estimate net weight for quantity measurement of all commodities, where applicable?No
6.09.  Do you record or estimate the World Customs Organizations (WCO) recommended units of quantity for each of the headings of the HS?N/A
7.01.  Are you using provisions of the WTO Agreement on Valuation as the basis for calculating the statistical value of goods ?Yes
7.02.  Is the statistical value of imported goods a CIF-type value?Yes
7.03.  Are data for international freight and insurance associated with the importation of goods available separately?No
7.04.  Do you compile and publish value of imported goods as a FOB-type value?No
7.05.  Is the statistical value of exported goods an FOB-type value?Yes
7.06.  Do you record and maintain information on the currency which was used in specifying the value on the customs declaration?Yes
7.07.  In conversion of foreign currencies into national currency, do you use a rate published by the official authorities of your country?Yes
7.08.  If both buying and selling rates are available, do you use for conversion purposes a midpoint between the two?No
7.09.  Do you use the exchange rate which is in effect at the date of exportation or importation? If No, please indicate which exchange rates are used for this purpose in the Comments field.Yes
7.10.  If an exchange rate is not available for the date of exportation or importation, do you use the average rate for the shortest period applicable?Yes
8.01.  Do you identify your trade partners on the basis of the definition of the statistical territory as given by your partners themselves?Yes
8.02.  Do you compile import statistics by: country of origin?Yes
8.03.  If Yes, do you broadly follow the origin criteria outlined in the Kyoto Convention?Yes
8.04.  Do you compile import statistics by: country of consignment?Yes
8.05.  Do you compile import statistics by: country of purchase?No
8.06.  Do you compile import statistics by: other? If Yes, please specify in Comments field.No
8.07.  Do you record for imports: country of requested preferential treatment.No
8.08.  Do you record for imports: country of granted preferential treatment.No
8.09.  Do you compile export statistics by: country of last known destination?Yes
8.10.  Do you compile export statistics by: country of consignment?No
8.11.  Do you compile export statistics by: country of sale?No
8.12.  Do you compile export statistics by: other? If Yes, please specify in Comments field.No
9.01.  Do you use a threshold value below which customs declarations are not required to be filed ? If Yes, please specify the level of the threshold in the Comments field.
Comment: Yes for the INTRASTAT system
No
9.02.  If you use a threshold value, do you make estimates of trade below the threshold and include them in your trade statistics ?
Comment: Only for the INTRASTAT system
Yes
9.03.  Does the Customs administration of your country use ASYCUDA (Automated SYstem for CUstoms DAta) for automated entry and checking of customs declarations ?Yes
9.04.  Is physical inspection of cargo by Customs based on risk assessment?Yes
9.05.  Does the Customs administration of your country conduct seminars to train traders and their agents in the filing of customs declarations ?Yes
9.06.  Does your office use Eurotrace to process the customs records ? If No, please specify (in the Comments field) which software you use for treating basic transactions.
Comment: Tailor made system based onSQL server using SPSS software.
No
9.07.  Do you use commodity prices or unit values to assess the credibility of customs records ? If Yes, please specify in the Comments field.
Comment: For control purposes unit values are used. Outliers are checked.
Yes
9.08.  Do you use estimates to replace missing values at detailed record level? If Yes, please specify in the Comments field.No
9.09.  Do you use estimates to replace missing quantities at detailed record level?No
9.10.  If Yes, do you use different estimation methods (for quantities) depending on the kind of commodities traded ? Please specify, if necessary.N/A
9.11.  Since the year 2000, did you conduct bilateral or multilateral reconciliation studies with your trading partners or do you plan to conduct such studies in the near future?
Comment: The CSB plans to conduct mirror studies with the separate EU countries in 2006-2007.
Yes
10.01.  Do you compile trade statistics by mode of transport.
Comment: Refers onlyto the trade with non-EU countries.
Yes
10.02.  If you compile trade statistics by mode of transport, do you identify the following modes: air.Yes
10.03.  If you compile trade statistics by mode of transport, do you identify the following modes: sea.Yes
10.04.  If you compile trade statistics by mode of transport, do you identify the following modes: inland waterway.Yes
10.05.  If you compile trade statistics by mode of transport, do you identify the following modes: railway.Yes
10.06.  If you compile trade statistics by mode of transport, do you identify the following modes: road.Yes
10.07.  If you compile trade statistics by mode of transport, do you identify the following modes: pipeline.Yes
10.08.  If you compile trade statistics by mode of transport, do you identify the following modes: other? If Yes, please specify in Comments field.
Comment: Postal consignment and own propulsion.
Yes
11.01.  Data become available in how many days after the closing of the reference period (exactly or approximately): for monthly data, please type the number of days in the Comments fields.
Comment: Approximately 40 days the preliminary data.
Yes
11.02.  Data become available in how many days after the closing of the reference period (exactly or approximately): for quarterly data, please type the number of days in the Comments fields.
Comment: Approximately 40 days the preliminary data.
Yes
11.03.  Data become available in how many days after the closing of the reference period (exactly or approximately): for annual data, please type the number of days in the Comments fields.
Comment: Approximately 40 days the preliminary data. The final data approximately 120 days.
Yes
11.04.  Do you make documentation on your sources and methods publicly available ?Yes
11.05.  Do you publicly announce scheduled release dates?Yes
11.06.  Do you make data available on a Web site?Yes
11.07.  Do you regularly revise data (when additional information is available)?Yes
11.08.  Do you make your annual data available: according to the Gregorian calendar (January to December) ?Yes
11.09.  Do you make your annual data available: on any other period basis? if Yes, please specify in the Comments field.No
11.10.  Do you make aggregate data (by major trading partners or by commodity groups) publicly available on a monthly basis?Yes
11.11.  Do you make detailed data by commodity and partner publicly available on a quarterly basis?No
11.12.  When confidentiality is applied to certain products, do you always report the full trading partner detail at the next higher level of commodity aggregation that adequately protects confidentiality ? If No, please specify how confidentiality is applied in the Comments field.Yes
12.01.  Do you INCLUDE in trade statistics the following: non-monetary gold.Yes
12.02.  Do you INCLUDE in trade statistics the following: unissued banknotes and securities, and coins not in circulation.Yes
12.03.  If Yes, do you value unissued banknotes and securities and coins not in circulation on a basis of the transaction value of the printed matter or stamped metal?Yes
12.04.  Do you INCLUDE in trade statistics the following: goods traded in accordance with barter agreements.Yes
12.05.  Do you INCLUDE in trade statistics the following: goods traded on government account.Yes
12.06.  Do you INCLUDE in trade statistics the following: food and other humanitarian aid.Yes
12.07.  Do you INCLUDE in trade statistics the following: goods for military use.Yes
12.09.  Do you INCLUDE in trade statistics the following: goods acquired by all categories of travellers, including non-resident workers, to a significant scale (i.e., excluding goods for their own use) as defined by national law; for example, so-called Shuttle Trade.No
12.10.  Do you INCLUDE in trade statistics the following: goods on consignment.Yes
12.11.  Do you INCLUDE in trade statistics the following: goods used as carriers of information and software developed for general or commercial use (e.g., packaged sets containing CD-ROM or DVD with stored computer software and/or data); Note: this category excludes materials developed "to order".No
12.12.  If Yes, do you value these goods on a basis of their full transaction value?N/A
12.13.  Do you INCLUDE in trade statistics the following: goods for processing (i.e., goods sent abroad or brought into your country for processing, including processing under contract and processing under the inward processing procedure).Yes
12.14.  If Yes, do you record goods for processing and the goods resulting from such processing on a gross basis before and after processing?Yes
12.15.  Do you INCLUDE in trade statistics the following: goods which cross borders as a result of transactions between parent corporations and their direct investment enterprises (affiliates/branches).Yes
12.16.  Do you INCLUDE in trade statistics the following: returned goods.Yes
12.17.  Do you INCLUDE in trade statistics the following: electricity and gas.Yes
12.18.  Do you INCLUDE in trade statistics the following: water.N/A
12.19.  Do you INCLUDE in trade statistics the following: goods dispatched through postal or courier services.Yes
12.20.  Do you INCLUDE in trade statistics the following: migrants' effects.No
12.21.  Do you INCLUDE in trade statistics the following: goods transferred from or to a buffer stock organization.Yes
12.22.  Do you INCLUDE in trade statistics the following: goods under financial lease (i.e., a lease of one year or more).Yes
12.23.  Do you INCLUDE in trade statistics the following: ships, aircraft and other mobile equipment.Yes
12.24.  Do you INCLUDE in trade statistics the following: goods delivered from the rest of the world to offshore installations located in the economic territory of your country, and goods dispatched to the rest of the world from offshore installations located in the economic territory of your country.N/A
12.25.  Do you INCLUDE in trade statistics the following: fish catch, minerals from the seabed and salvage landed from foreign vessels in national ports.Yes
12.26.  Do you INCLUDE in trade statistics the following: fish catch, minerals from the seabed and salvage acquired by national vessels on the high seas from foreign vessels.No
12.27.  Do you INCLUDE in trade statistics the following: bunkers, stores, ballast and dunnage acquired by national vessels/aircraft from foreign vessels/aircraft in the economic territory of your country.Yes
12.28.  Do you INCLUDE in trade statistics the following: bunkers, stores, ballast and dunnage landed in national ports from foreign vessels/aircraft.Yes
12.29.  Do you INCLUDE in trade statistics the following: bunkers, stores, ballast and dunnage supplied to foreign vessels/aircraft in the economic territory of your country.Yes
12.30.  Do you INCLUDE in trade statistics the following: empty bottles not meant for refilling.No
12.31.  Do you INCLUDE in trade statistics the following: waste and scrap, the value of which is positive.Yes
12.32.  Do you INCLUDE in trade statistics the following: local border trade.No
12.33.  Do you INCLUDE in trade statistics the following: gifts, if to significant scale as defined by national law.No
12.34.  Do you INCLUDE in trade statistics the following: goods seized by customs and subsequently resold.No
12.35.  Do you INCLUDE in trade statistics the following: estimates of unrecorded trade.
Comment: Only for trade with EU countries.
No
13.01.  Do you EXCLUDE from trade statistics the following: monetary gold (i.e., that gold which is exchanged between national or international monetary authorities or authorized banks).Yes
13.02.  Do you EXCLUDE from trade statistics the following: issued banknotes and securities and coins in circulation.Yes
13.03.  Do you EXCLUDE from trade statistics the following: goods temporarily admitted or dispatched.Yes
13.04.  Do you EXCLUDE from trade statistics the following: goods in transit.Yes
13.05.  Do you EXCLUDE from trade statistics the following: goods moving between your country and territorial enclaves of your country in other countries (e.g., your embassies, military or other installations).Yes
13.06.  Do you EXCLUDE from trade statistics the following: non-financial assets, ownership of which has been transferred from residents to non-residents, without crossing borders.Yes
13.07.  Do you EXCLUDE from trade statistics the following: goods acquired by all categories of travellers, including non-resident workers, for their own use and carried across the border in amounts or values not exceeding those established by national law.Yes
13.08.  Do you EXCLUDE from trade statistics the following: newspapers and periodicals sent under direct subscription.Yes
13.09.  Do you EXCLUDE from trade statistics the following: goods purchased by foreign embassies, military or other installations located in your country, for their own use.Yes
13.10.  Do you EXCLUDE from trade statistics the following: fish caught on the high seas by national vessels of your country and landed in its economic territory.Yes
13.11.  Do you EXCLUDE from trade statistics the following: goods which are acquired and relinquished within your country, by non-residents, within the same recording period, and which do not cross the frontiers of the country.Yes
13.12.  Do you EXCLUDE from trade statistics the following: goods under operational lease (i.e., a lease of less than one year).Yes
13.13.  Do you EXCLUDE from trade statistics the following: goods which left the economic territory of the exporting country but lost or destroyed before entering the economic territory of your country.Yes
13.14.  Do you EXCLUDE from trade statistics the following: empty bottles which are returned to be refilled.Yes
13.15.  Do you EXCLUDE from trade statistics the following: any category of used or second-hand goods ? If Yes, please specify in the Comments field.No
13.16.  Do you EXCLUDE from trade statistics the following: waste and scrap having no positive value.Yes
13.17.  Do you EXCLUDE from trade statistics the following: mobile equipment that changes ownership while outside the country of residence of its original owner; if Yes, please indicate in Comments whether you record the transaction separately.No
13.18.  Do you EXCLUDE from trade statistics the following: fish catch, minerals from the seabed and salvage sold from national vessels in foreign ports or from national vessels on the high seas to foreign vessels; if Yes, please indicate in Comments whether you record the transaction separately.
Comment: NO
Yes
13.19.  Do you EXCLUDE from trade statistics the following: bunkers, stores, ballast and dunnage that are acquired by national vessels/aircraft outside the economic territory of your country; if Yes, please indicate in Comments whether you record the transaction separately.
Comment: NO
Yes
13.20.  Do you EXCLUDE from trade statistics the following: bunkers, stores, ballast and dunnage that are supplied by national vessels/aircraft to foreign vessels/aircraft outside the economic territory of your country or landed in foreign ports from national vessels/aircraft. If Yes, please indicate in Comments whether you record the transaction separately.
Comment: NO
Yes
13.21.  Do you EXCLUDE from trade statistics the following: goods purchased by international organizations located in the economic territory of your country, from your country, for their own use; if Yes, please indicate in Comments whether you record the transaction separately.
Comment: NO
Yes
13.22.  Do you EXCLUDE from trade statistics the following: goods for repair; if Yes, please indicate in Comments whether you record the transaction separately.
Comment: Yes
Yes
13.23.  If No (so, if you include goods for repair), do you value goods for repair at the value of the repair only?N/A
13.24.  Do you EXCLUDE from trade statistics the following: goods entering or leaving the economic territory of your country illegally; if Yes, please indicate in Comments whether you record the transaction separately.
Comment: NO
Yes
13.25.  Do you EXCLUDE from trade statistics the following: goods exported from your country but lost or destroyed after ownership has been acquired by the importer; if Yes, please indicate in Comments whether you record the transaction separately.
Comment: NO
Yes