Trade in Services Statistics
Developments in New Zealand
Shirley Nesbit
Statistics New Zealand
for OECD-EUROSTAT MEETING OF EXPERTS IN TRADE-INSERVICES STATISTICS (TIS)
April 2004
Overview
 Background

Increasing importance of trade in services
 “Other Services” project:
Current methodology
 Project overview
 Feasibility study
 Population study

 Other trade in services developments
Travel debits
 BoP quality plan

 Questions/feedback
Trade in services - increasing importance
New Zealand's Exports of Services
Year ended December
$NZ(Million)
1997
2003
Other Services
1,149
1,954
Percentage
change
70%
Total Services*
6,412
10,770
68%
Goods
21,572
28,880
34%
Current methodology - “other services”
 Periodic benchmark census of “other services” transactors 1989, 1992, 1999, 2005
 Quarterly Survey of International Trade in Services and
Royalties
 + non-sampled estimate
 Population maintenance

Business frame update survey - selected enterprises in past 12 months, revenue/expenditure over $20,000 from overseas
located enterprise(s) or individual(s), for services?

Enterprises identified through media reports, etc

=> Annual update survey('births' survey)
Objectives of “Other Services” project
 Update census benchmark, undercoverage estimate.
 Research “issues”.
 Better meet needs of policy agencies.
 Improve compliance with eg trade in services manual.
 Update quarterly sample.
 Investigate alternative means of collecting data that may
reduce respondent burden, e.g. the use of administrative tax
data.
Other Services Project Overview
Results will determine
Feasibility Study (P1)
Other Services
data collection
framework
Investigation of issues (P2)
Resolution of these
will feed into
Provide survey pop
Other Services
Census Survey (P4)
Population Study (P3)
Output of
census survey (P5)
Results may
support using admin
data for estimation
Determine quarterly
collection/estimation
strategy
(P6)
Feasibility study
 Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) - need for W120
by modes of supply by country as per Trade in Services
manual.
 Concept testing (March-April 2004)
interview to probe respondents' record keeping systems - what data is
available, how easy to supply in the forms specified in the Manual.
 relatively easy to identify revenue (service exports) by country and type
of service
 some use zero rated GST returns to identify exports
 less easy to categorise expenditure (service imports)
 larger existing respondents compile data specifically for Statistics NZ.
 W120 feasibility depended on what data stored in systems, load varies
widely
 much more difficult to identify value by modes of supply

 Cognitive testing (May-June 2004)

test updated collection instrument
Population study
 Update population: use of (administrative) GST “zero rated
sales” and other sources to identify possible ex/importers of
services.
 Examine relationship between zero rated GST returns and
exports of services in the services survey.
 Potential use of zero rated GST to:
update the quarterly survey population
 replace/extend surveyed data in quarterly survey

Zero rated GST supplies
 Zero-rated supplies are certain taxable supplies that are taxed
at the rate of 0% rather than at the standard rate.These
include:
the sale of a "going concern”
 exported goods
 duty-free goods
 goods not in New Zealand at the time of supply
 temporary imports
 transport of passengers and goods to and from New Zealand
 certain exported services
 the first sale by a refiner of pure gold, silver, or platinum to a dealer in
fine metal for investment purposes

Other developments - travel debits
 Updating benchmark estimate to reflect current expenditure
patterns NZ travellers
Survey of Returned Travellers September 2002 -June 2004 quarter
 Expenditure by purpose (business, personal) by method of payment
(credit card, other card, travellers cheque, cash, other) by country
 Results for first year to be published soon

 Quarterly estimation methodology using current expenditure
information, including:
Survey of Debit Transactions = Overseas purchases and cash
withdrawals by New Zealand residents, using New Zealand bank
accounts
 Survey of outward bound tour operators expenditure on prepaid
overseas travel services by New Zealand residents from the survey of
outward bound tour operators.

 Updated travel debits series with March 2005 quarter BoP.
Other developments - BoP quality plan
 Discussion document to be released in May 2004 on
www.stats.govt.nz
 Prioritising BoP quality issues, unmet needs.
 Outcome = agreed BoP development plan.
Questions/feedback
 Comments?
 Questions?
 Advice?