Statistical presentation

Data description

The balance of payments records the value of the economic transactions which are made within a given period between the Danish balance of payments area and the rest of the world. Until September 2000 the account also covered the Faroe Islands and Greenland, but since then it has only covered Denmark.

The balance of payments can be divided into three main accounts: the current account showing income and expenditure, the capital account and the financial account showing how a deficit/surplus on current account is financed/spent or transactions within these two accounts. The following main items are entered under current account: goods, services, income, and current transfers.

The most frequently used statistical measure is the current account balance sometimes also referred to as the balance of payments surplus or deficit.

Classification system

The classifications of the balance of payments follow The Balance of Payments Manual, which is published by the IMF in 2009 (BPM6). The geographical distribution follows the Eurostat guidelines on that subject.

Sector coverage

Sector coverage is generally not relevant for balance of payments statistics, since the entire economy is covered. The statistic “Danish manufacturing companies’ international production” is however delimited to only cover enterprises within the manufacturing industry, defined as “C Manufacturing” in NACE Rev. 2.0

Statistical concepts and definitions

Resident person: A resident person is a Dane resident in Denmark or a foreign citizen who is resident in Denmark and who intends to be a resident in Denmark for at least one year. Students and patients remain residents of their home countries though. For the statistics on “Danish manufacturing companies’ international production” the merchanting transactions are recorded at gross values, while the statistics on balance of payments records Merchanting at net values. When the term “total sale” is used, including which the sales prices for merchanting goods, it is not identical to the definition of exports in the balance of payments.

Resident business: A resident business enterprise is either a Danish enterprise in Denmark or a foreign enterprise which has been engaged or intends to be engaged in economic activities in Denmark. This means that branches or subsidiaries in Denmark of non-resident enterprises are regarded as resident enterprises, while branches or subsidiaries of resident Danish enterprises abroad are regarded as non-resident enterprises.

Statistical unit

Generally for balance of payments statistics the statistical unit is not relevant, but for the statistic “Danish manufacturing companies’ international production” the statistical unit is the enterprise.

Statistical population

For the balance of payments, the population constitutes all resident units in Denmark which carry out economic activity with foreign residents. For the manufacturing companies' international production, the population constitutes companies whose main activity is in the manufacturing industry and who are involved in foreign trade.

Reference area

The statistics record the economic transactions by Danish residents with residents of the rest of the world.

Time coverage

These statistics cover the time period from 2005 and onwards.

Base period

Not relevant for these statistics.

Unit of measure

The statistics are compiled in DKK.

Reference period

Calendar month.

Frequency of dissemination

Information about the balance of payments is published monthly at an aggregated level and quarterly at a less aggregated level.

Legal acts and other agreements

Data originates from other statistics. The European Parliament and Council Regulation (EC) No 184/2005 of 12 January 2005 on Community statistics concerning balance of payments, international trade in services and foreign direct investment is applied.

Cost and burden

There is no direct response burden since data originates from other statistics.

Comment

Balance of payments and the International investment position .