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

2. 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?

3. 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

4. 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

5. RMC

6. Import of products expressed in RME

7. DMC

8. RMC versus DMC

9. 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.