BEA releases detailed annual international services statistics, typically in October, which consist of statistics on trade in services and on services supplied through affiliates of multinational enterprises (MNEs). The statistics provide detail on U.S. trade in services by type and by country and area, and on services supplied through affiliates by industry and by country and area.
Updated annual statistics on trade in services were released on October 24 through BEA's Interactive Data Application. This release presents preliminary statistics for 2015 and revised statistics for 2013 and 2014. Statistics for prior years were not revised.
Updated annual statistics on services supplied through affiliates of MNEs were released on December 19. This release presents preliminary statistics for 2014 and revised statistics for 2013. Statistics for prior years were not revised.
Several changes were introduced with the release on October 24:
- The number of countries and areas reported for trade in services (tables 2.2-2.3) increased from 49 to 90. The countries for which services trade statistics were published separately for the first time are: Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Brunei, Bulgaria, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Jordan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Morocco, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Oman, Panama, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey, and Vietnam. Country groupings that were published for the first time are: CAFTA-DR countries (Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement countries, which includes Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua); NAFTA countries (North American Free Trade Agreement countries, which includes Canada and Mexico); and United Kingdom Islands, Caribbean (which includes Montserrat, British Virgin Islands, and Cayman Islands).
- Statistics on information and communications technology (ICT) and potentially ICT-enabled services (sometimes referred to as digitally enabled services) were released in new tables 3.1-3.3. These statistics were first presented in the May 2016 Survey of Current Business article 'Trends in U.S. Trade in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Services and in ICT-Enabled Services.'
- Tables 3.1-4.3 have been renumbered 4.1-5.3.
An additional change was introduced with the release on December 19:
- Detailed statistics on services supplied to U.S. persons through U.S. affiliates of foreign MNEs by country of the ultimate beneficial owner and by industry of the affiliate were released in new table 5.4.
Statistics on trade in services and on services supplied through affiliates of MNEs were highlighted in BEA's annual international services article in the December issue of the Survey of Current Business.