Quarterly inquiry on international trade in services and international flows of goods

The data are used for the compilation of the statistics on balance of payments, national accounts, international trade in services, and international trade in goods and services.

The data from the data collection are used in the following statistics:

• Balance of payments and international investment position
• International trade in goods and services
• Annual national accounts

Registers do not provide reliable information on whether an enterprise is engaged in international trade. Therefore, an enterprise that actually should not be included is sometimes selected for the inquiry. If this is the case, please contact us at (globalisaatio.tilastot@stat.fi) and we will review the situation.

Despite this we recommend that you familiarise yourselves with the other frequently asked questions and instructions for the inquiry. The majority of the enterprises that respond in the inquiry that the enterprise does not have international trade in services have nevertheless reported service trade with a foreign enterprise in MyTax (periodic tax return data). This kind of service trade is as a rule included in the inquiry.

We can get up-to-date information only by asking the enterprise. If the situation has not changed, you respond by letting us know that the enterprise has not had international trade in services or international goods flows during the inquired period.

The inquiry is statutory (Statistics Act (280/2004). The production of the statistics is based on Regulation (EC) No 184/2005 of the European Parliament and of the Council that has been amended in Commission Regulation (EC) No. 555/2012. As a rule, enterprises answer well and we have not seen any need to impose sanctions. In addition to precise figures, we accept good estimates. You can contact us if responding to the inquiry is challenging.

Statistics are beneficial for enterprises as well. Statistics can be used by enterprises to monitor, for example, the development of pay or trade in Finland. ⁠⁠The more comprehensive the data we receive from enterprises, the better our statistics describe the activity of enterprises. Enterprises will then get better statistics as a basis for their decision-making.

To thank you for responding, there is a link on the end page to a compilation of business statistics where you can view statistical data by industry. Previous statistical releases can also be accessed on the end page and the latest statistical news on selected topics can be ordered to your email free of charge there.

Statistics are always primarily produced from data collected in other contexts. Only necessary data required for statistical production that are not available from elsewhere are collected with direct surveys. We receive only the total level of intra-EU international trade from the Tax Administration. Data on international trade are needed for this inquiry on a more detailed level. The data are inquired by country and service item, also with countries outside the EU.

You have met the criteria to be included in the sample. Enterprises engaged in small-scale international trade are also needed in the inquiry to ensure the quality of the statistics.

You can notify us about the enterprise having closed operations by email or telephone. More detailed information, such as the date of closing and the parties of the merger should, however, be included in the message in order for us to further the information to our Business Register. Figures prior to the change in operations should, however, be reported if possible.

More time is granted within strict limits. We also need time to go through and analyse the data so the data should be delivered as soon as possible. You can apply for more time for the inquiry with the web form to which you log in with the identifiers sent in the accompanying letter.

The identifiers are for each year and only one set of identifiers has been created for the enterprise for one year. You can receive them again by sending us an email at globalisaatio.tilastot@stat.fi. Please include the Business ID of your enterprise in the message.

In international trade in services a Finnish enterprise pays money to a foreign enterprise or receives money from a foreign enterprise for a service. The service is here interpreted widely as a concept – in service trade the enterprise receives or pays money for anything that is not goods. Services thus include transport, bookkeeping, administration, consulting, marketing, licence and royalty payments, maintenance and repair, construction and project deliveries, and research and development. The definition of international trade is fulfilled when money changes owners between Finnish and foreign enterprises: when a Finnish enterprise buys from a foreign enterprise or sells to a foreign enterprise. In other words, the home country of the trading party and not, for example, where the service is produced determines whether it is a question of international trade in services.

Yes, it is reported. It is of no consequence in international trade in services where the service is produced or whether the service crosses the border of Finland. It is essential in international trade in services that money changes owners between Finnish and foreign enterprises: a Finnish enterprise pays money to a foreign enterprise or receives money from a foreign enterprise for a service. For this reason, a service produced in Finland for a foreign enterprise or a service bought abroad from a foreign enterprise are both international trade in services. Imports or exports are determined according to the cash flow: if a Finnish enterprise receives money from a foreign enterprise, it is a question of service exports; if a Finnish enterprise pays money to a foreign enterprise, it is service imports.   

The inquiry covers nearly all services where money changes owners between Finnish and foreign enterprises. This covers not only business activity with other foreign enterprises, but also sales and purchases of services between enterprises belonging to the same group. Services to be reported include purchases from a foreign enterprise and sales to a foreign enterprise concerning transport, bookkeeping, consulting and marketing services, licences, IT services, R&D services, construction and project deliveries. Exceptions are travel and insurances which are not reported in the inquiry on international trade in services. Wages and salaries (excluding those paid in connection with construction and project deliveries) are also excluded from the inquiry.

In addition to services, such flows of goods that are not imported to Finland or exported from Finland but which are traded abroad are reported in the inquiry. Such are merchanting and processing abroad. Of goods crossing the borders of Finland only goods exported from Finland for construction in connection with exports of construction services are included in the inquiry.

The inquiry covers the sums paid to an enterprise belonging to the same group and the sums received from the group as long as the basis of payment is some service output (e.g. paid in a lump sum), such as transfer pricing, commissions, licences, IT support or administrative services. The sums paid to an enterprise belonging to the same group are reported in the inquiry according to the function, that is, what type of service it is (see FAQ “How do we select a suitable service item?”)

If you need assistance in finding suitable service items, please contact globalisaatio.tilastot@stat.fi. The inquiry uses around 70 different service items from nearly all business areas. More detailed data can be found in the questionnaire and the instructions. For example, insurance and tourism are excluded from the inquiry.

The sale or purchase country of the service is determined based on the country of the enterprise the Finnish enterprise receives money from or to which the Finnish enterprise pays money for a service. For example, if a Finnish enterprise pays a Spanish enterprise for goods to be delivered from France to Germany, the Finnish enterprise buys or imports freight service from Spain. The price of the transport service is then recorded as service imports from Spain.

Paid freight charges are imports because costs arise for the Finnish enterprise from international service, that is, the Finnish enterprise pays money abroad in exchange for the service offered by the foreign enterprise. Exports and imports are determined by the direction of the cash flow: receiving money is exports and paying money is imports.