This paper tests a new approach by linking merchandise trade to general business registers (sectoral high-tech trade). It highlights that the data shown using the "traditional" approach to calculate the trade value of the high-tech industries via correspondence tables represents relatively well the exports to third countries (Extratrade) but not so well the exports to other EU Member States (Intratrade). The analysis also showed that the "traditional" approach gives a better estimation of the values exported by high-tech industries than of the values imported by them. Therefore, calculating the trade value of high-tech industries via correspondence tables can lead to an overestimation of their trade, especially with respect to their imports. In addition, the paper shows the methodological issues encounter when linking (high-tech) foreign trade data with business registers, it presents some first analytical results of the "high-tech trade by enterprise characteristics" especially with respect to the share of high-tech goods traded by the high-tech industries, and it gives an outlook for further research.

LOSCHKY Alexander;  NUORTILA Karo; 

2009-12-18

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

JRC55222

http://www.olis.oecd.org/olis/2009doc.nsf/linkTo/std-ses-wptgs7,    https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC55222,