Dutch RMC estimated using EU27 RME coefficients Prepared for the joint EEA-Eurostat workgroup Roel Delahaye Statistics Netherlands

Brief description / Coverage Dutch RMC for 2001 and 2008 Import and export converted to RME by using EU27 coefficients provided by Eurostat Analyses of results and comparison between DMC and RMC Does the estimated RMC prove an reliable indicator?

Data requirements RME coefficients as estimated by Schoer and Kovanda are used: 166 product groups and 52 raw material categories, for 2001 and 2005, for EU27 import and export. MFA data at the level of National Accounts commodities (± 300), differentiated in intra- and extra-EU trade (non-ferro needed further breakdown), data on extraction Import and export of services. Linking NA commodities with product groups

Assumptions made Relation between product groups and NA commodities. Re-exports are omitted. EU27 export coefficients are used for Dutch intra-EU imports Intra and extra EU trade volumes in 2001 are on the basis of EU15 RME coefficients for 2005 were used to estimate, RMC for 2008 Composition of Dutch extra-EU imports is expressed by EU average Dutch production structure is expressed by EU average

RMC

Import of products expressed in RME

DMC

RMC versus DMC

Conclusions Results can be accounted for but it remains difficult to judge the plausibility of the results Once the computations have been set up (couple of months) it is fairly easy (couple of weeks) to annually estimate material resource use embodied in imports and exports. Due to uncertainty in small trade volumes (for example non-ferro ores) it might better to have RME coefficients of metal content per euro. Some RME coefficients need adjusting for the Dutch situation: peat is not a fossil fuel but compost, large production of flowers.