5368.0.55.020 - Information Paper: Proposed Implementation of the New International Standard for International Merchandise Trade Statistics, 2013  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 06/08/2013   
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APPENDIX 2: IMTS 2010 RECOMMENDATIONS AND AUSTRALIA'S COMPLIANCE


This appendix lists all the recommendations included in IMTS 2010, Australia's current level of compliance with the recommendations and where appropriate a brief explanation of Australian practice. In the small number of instances (in addition to those described in Chapter 3 (Key conceptual changes which have statistical implications for Australia)) where Australian reporting practices differ from the standards, the differences do not seriously impact on recorded trade values and no adjustments are considered necessary. For example, the recommendations about quantity measurement are not fully applied in Australia, as a net weight is not recorded for all transactions and the units of quantity reported to Customs and Border Protection are those most relevant to Australian industry1. While this may mean some incomparability of quantity data between Australia and partner country statistics the standard of quantity reporting is higher under the current methodology.


IMTS 2010 recommendationAustralia's treatment in international merchandise trade statistics
GENERAL GUIDELINES
Record all goods which add to or subtract from the stock of material resources of a country by entering (imports) or leaving (exports) its economic territoryGoods which add to or subtract from Australia's stock of material resources by entering or leaving Australia's statistical territory are recorded.
Use the change of ownership criterion on an exceptional basis when the general guideline is not applicable or sufficient for the following categories of goods: ships, aircraft, satellites, powerlines, pipelines and undersea communications cables and mobile equipmentChange of ownership may be used in exceptional circumstances.
Adopt the BPM6 definition of economic territoryBPM6 definition of economic territory is not adopted. Australia's statistical territory generally aligns with its customs territory.
Record goods when they enter or leave the economic territoryExports are recorded when the goods leave Australia. Imports are recorded when Customs and Border Protection finalises the import declaration.
SPECIFIC GUIDELINES: INCLUSIONS
Include non–monetary goldIncluded*
Include banknotes and securities, and coins not in circulationIncluded* and compliant with the valuation recommendation (value to be of the printed paper and not face value).
Include goods traded in accordance with barter agreementsIncluded*
Include goods traded on Government accountIncluded*
Include humanitarian aid, including emergency aidIncluded*
Include goods for military useIncluded*
Include goods acquired by travellers... to a significant scaleIncluded*
Include goods on consignmentIncluded*
Include media whether or not recordedIncluded* and compliant with valuation recommendation (valued at their full transaction value).
Include goods for processing with or without a change of ownershipIncluded*
Include goods which cross borders as a result of transactions between related partiesIncluded*
Include returned goods which were originally exportedIncluded*
Include electricity, gas, oil and waterGas, oil and water are included. Australia does not import or export electricity. Compliant with the valuation recommendation (to be valued net of any delivery charges not included according to the FOB/CIF valuation).
Include goods dispatched or received through postal or courier servicesIncluded*
Include migrants' effectsIncluded*
Include goods transferred from or to a buffer stock organisationIncluded*
Include goods under financial leaseIncluded and compliant with valuation recommendation (price of similar goods and excluding the value of any services)
Include ships and aircraftIncluded if there is a change of ownership between an Australian resident and a non–resident and the ship or aircraft enters or leaves Australia's statistical territory.
Include goods delivered to or dispatched from offshore installations located in the economic territory of the compiling countryIncluded, except goods extracted from the JPDA,
Include fish catch, minerals from the seabed and salvageIncluded*
Include bunkers, stores, ballast and dunnageStores, ballast and dunnage supplied to foreign vessels are included as these are reported to Customs. Bunkers supplied to foreign ships and aircraft while in Australia are estimated and included.
Include satellites and their launchers eg
a. satellite launcher produced in country A and sold to country B for use. Export from country A and an import of country B
b. satellite is produced and launched in country B on behalf of country A. Export of country B and import of country A.
a. Included if a Customs declaration is received
b. Excluded.
Include goods in electronic commerce – goods that physically move across country borders but are ordered and paid for electronicallyIncluded*
Include gifts and donationsIncluded*
Include power lines, pipelines and undersea communications cable when:
a. dispatched from one country for installation in another; and
b. installed in international waters and there is a change of ownership between a resident and a non–resident
Included*. If installed in international waters the goods are included whether or not there is a change of ownership between a resident and a non–resident.
Include used goodsIncluded*
Include waste and scrapIncluded*
Include mobile equipment that changes ownership while outside the country of residence of its original ownerExcluded
Include goods received or sent abroad by international organisationsIncluded*
SPECIFIC GUIDELINES: EXCLUSIONS
Exclude goods simply being transported through a country e.g. goods in transitExcluded
Exclude goods temporarily admitted or dispatchedExcluded
Exclude monetary goldExcluded
Exclude issued banknotes and securities and coins in circulationExcluded
Exclude goods consigned to and from the territorial enclavesExcluded
Exclude non–financial assets, ownership of which has been transferred from residents to non–residents without crossing bordersExcluded
Exclude goods treated as part of trade in services
a. goods acquired by travellers
b. newspapers and periodicals sent under direct subscription
c. goods supplied by and to enclaves of foreign governments eg embassies, military bases
d. media carrying customised software or originals
Excluded
Exclude goods under merchantingExcluded
Exclude goods under operating leaseExcluded
Exclude from imports goods lost or destroyed after leaving the economic territory but before entering the intended country of import. Include these goods in export statisticsExcluded. These goods are included in exports from Australia.
Exclude satellites and their launchers moved to and launched from another country without change of ownershipExcluded
Exclude goods functioning as a means of transport e.g. ships, aircraft, containers to transport cargoExcluded
Exclude content delivered electronicallyExcluded
SPECIFIC GUIDELINES: SEPARATE RECORDING
Exclude but separately record goods for repair or maintenanceExcluded and separately recorded.
Exclude but separately record quantity of waste and scrap with no commercial valueExcluded. Quantity is not separately recorded.
Exclude but separately record goods entering or leaving the economic territory illegally e.g. smuggled goods, trade in stolen vehicles, shipments of narcotic substancesExcluded but not separately recorded.
Include in export statistics, goods lost or destroyed after leaving the exporting country but before entering the importing country and after ownership has been acquired by the importer. Exclude but separately record in importing country for adjustment purposes. Included in export statistics. Excluded but not separately recorded in import statistics.
TRADE SYSTEM
Use the Revised Kyoto Convention (RKC) and the definitions of customs terms used in the RKC annexesAustralia is a contracting party to the RKC. Australia has implemented the binding provisions in the General Annex that have general application across a number of Customs procedures. Of the ten optional Specific Annexes, Australia has accepted six Specific Annexes in full and chapters of a further two.
Elements of the statistical territory. Make clear which elements exist and are included in the statistical territoryCompliant with IMTS 2010.
Include and identify re–imports and re–exportsCompliant with IMTS 2010.
Customs procedure codes. Make information about the customs procedure applied to each individual transaction part of the customs dataset for trade statisticsSome customs procedures e.g. treatment codes defining temporary imports are clear in the transactions information supplied to the ABS by Customs and Border Protection. Information at the transactions level is confidential and cannot be disseminated.
Use the general trade systemCompliant with IMTS 2010.
COMMODITY CLASSIFICATIONS
Use the HS for the collection, compilation and dissemination of statisticsCompliant with IMTS 2010.
Use SITC for the dissemination and analysis of statisticsCompliant with IMTS 2010.
VALUATION
Record a statistical value for all goods covered in the statistics, whether sold, exchanged or provided without paymentCompliant with IMTS 2010.
Adopt the WTO Agreement on Customs Valuation for both imports and exportsCustoms and Border Protection has adopted the WTO Agreement for imports.
Exports statistical value is FOB value; Imports statistical value is CIF value. Countries are encouraged to compile FOB value importsFOB value is standard for exports and imports. Imports on a CIF basis are available.
Use official exchange rates to convert data. Convert data at the time of importation or exportationExchange rates provided by the Reserve Bank Australia (RBA) are used by Customs and Border Protection and the ABS. The official exchange rate at the time of export from the foreign country is used to convert import transactions. The ABS processing system converts export transactions reported in one of twenty eight allowable currencies to Australian dollars using the official RBA exchange rate at the time of export from Australia.
QUANTITY MEASUREMENT
Quantity is collected, estimated and reported using the World Customs Organisation (WCO) standard units and in net weightUnits of quantity reflect the quantities used in Australia which are not always WCO standard units. Net weight is recorded if the unit of quantity is a weight unit i.e. grams, kilograms, tonnes.
Provide quantity conversion factors to the WCO standard unitsNot provided.
PARTNER COUNTRY
Follow the RKC provisions for determining country of originAustralia is a signatory to the WTO Rules of Origin Agreement but has not accepted the Specific Annex K of the RKC which deals with country of origin.
Record country of origin for imports and country of last known destination for exportsCompliant with IMTS 2010.
Record country of consignment for importsNot specifically reported to Customs and Border Protection. In some cases the overseas port may indicate the country of consignment .
When calculating trade balances use country of origin and country of last known destinationCompliant with IMTS 2010.
Use the trading partner's definition of economic territoryThe definition of the economic territory of Australia's trading partners is defined by the DFAT. In most cases these align with the trading partner's definition.
MODE OF TRANSPORT
Compile and disseminate mode of transport at the most detailed commodity levelCompliant with IMTS 2010.
Mode of transport classification – clearly indicate the contents of the mode of transport categoriesCompliant with IMTS 2010.
DATA COMPILATION STRATEGIES
Use customs recordsCompliant with IMTS 2010.
Cooperate with customs experts to correctly allocate customs procedure codesThere is close cooperation between the ABS and Customs and Border Protection. Some customs procedures are identifiable in the information received from Customs and Border Protection e.g. treatment codes for some temporary imports.
Use non–customs records to supplement data to ensure full coverageVery little supplementation of Customs and Border Protection records.
Where non–customs data are used ensure the data are integrated to minimise reporting burdenVery little supplementation of Customs and Border Protection records.
Establish institutional arrangements to ensure the compilation of high quality statisticsCompliant with IMTS 2010.
DATA QUALITY AND METADATA
Systematic approach to data qualityCompliant with IMTS 2010.
Develop a standard for quality reportsCompliant with IMTS 2010.
Complete or update quality reports every five yearsCompliant with IMTS 2010.
Base quality reports on a set of quantitative and qualitative indicatorsCompliant with IMTS 2010.
The dimensions of data quality include relevance, accuracy, timeliness, coherence etcCompliant with IMTS 2010.
Quality indicators cover all dimensions of quality; are based on the consistent application of a sound methodology and the indicators are easy to interpret by usersCompliant with IMTS 2010.
Include metadata as an integral part of the dissemination of statisticsCompliant with IMTS 2010.
DISSEMINATION
Use passive confidentialityCompliant with IMTS 2010.
While still protecting confidential information release data at the next highest levelConfidentiality procedures are different in Australia but they are compliant with the spirit of this recommendation.
Announce in advance the dates of statistical releases and revisionsCompliant with IMTS 2010.
Treat all users equally and disseminate data without preferenceCompliant with IMTS 2010.
SUPPLEMENTARY TOPICS
Produce and publish volume indexes and price indexes for total imports and total exports and significant commodity groups on a regular basisIndexes are published in other ABS publications including International Trade Price Indexes, Australia (cat. no. 6457.0).

1 The IMTS 2010 quantity measurement recommendations are in substance the same as those included in IMTS Rev.2.
* These goods are included if a Customs declaration is lodged and the value of the goods exceeds the Customs thresholds.