Florian Kohler - FSO 3 May 2012 – Task Force on Material Flow Accounts Estimation of trade flows in RME for Switzerland Preliminary results with EU27 coefficients Florian Kohler - FSO 3 May 2012 – Task Force on Material Flow Accounts

The Swiss context 2010: 47% of the DMI is imported

The Swiss context  High interest to convert trade flows in RME 2010: 47% of the DMI is imported Finished products represent an increasing share of the imports  High interest to convert trade flows in RME

Data used for the preliminary estimates Hybrid vector for imports or exports Products: trade statistics in HS nomenclature Energy: energy statistics Services: monetary IOT (only 2001, 05 and 08) RME coefficients Eurostat coefficients for EU27 (state June 2011) for 52 raw material categories and 166 products for 2000 and 2005 (01-04 linear regression and 06-08 equal to 05) Correspondence table Eurostat correspondence table CN  166 products adapted for the HS

Preliminary results The imports in RME are more than three times higher than effective imports

Preliminary results DMC = 12 tons per inhabitant, RMC = 16 tons per inhabitant Foreign DMC = 36 %, Foreign RMC = 51% Note: services are included in the RMC only in 2001, 05 08

Preliminary results RMC shows bigger annual fluctuations than DMC Note: services are included in the RMC only in 2001, 05 08

Preliminary results RMI is 66% of the TMR Note: services are included in the RMC only in 2001, 05 08

About the method The methodological approach can be implemented quite easily at national level also to estimate time series. Because coefficients are evaluated for 166 products, the quality of correspondence table between CN (11’000 products) and these products is crucial. The exclusion of the secondary metals (but also of all secondary materials) seems not easy and can have high impact on the results. For some products national adaptations would be necessary (ex. for CH: electricity or jewellery/watches).

About the preliminary results Comparing to other studies and the previous estimates of the TMR, results seem plausible but at this stage it is difficult to evaluate the quality of such estimates High annual variations observed for RMC or RMI can be largely explained by variation in import/export of precious metals These variations can hide the global trend

RME at national level ? To go beyond “one shot” pilot studies we need to have a common methodological approach (“best practice”) to have comparable estimates between countries that the methodological development of the chosen approach is maintained and insured centrally by Eurostat in partnership with NSIs precise concepts, rules and guidelines to make, when necessary, national adaptation of the coefficients

Thanks for your attention