Library

Trade Classification Systems

All of the imports and export codes used by the United States arebased on the international Harmonized System (HS). The HS assigns 6-digit codes for general categories. Countries which usethe HTS are allowed to define commodities at a more detailed level than 6-digits, but all definitions must be within that 6-digit framework. The U.S. defines products using 10-digit HTS codes. Exports codes(which the U.S. calls Schedule B) are administered by the U.S. Census Bureau. Import codes (called HTSA) are administered by the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC).

• Harmonized System (HS)
• Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSA)
  U.S. Merchandise import codes.
• Schedule B Export Codes
  U.S. Merchandise export codes
• North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS)
  Developed by the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, NAICS defines products and services. It replaced the SIC system below.
• Standard Industrial Classification (SIC)
• Standard International Trade Classification (SITC)
  International trade classification system.

Click here for translating a HS code into its corresponding SITC & NAICS codes or NAICS & SITC codes into HS codes.

Click here for correspondence between NAICS and SIC codes

For more international economic and social classification systems please click here.

For more national classification systems please click here.

U.S. Trade Policy and Agreements

Articles and Working Papers (from the general economics guide)

Office of the U.S. Trade Representative
Many U.S. agencies are involved in the formulation of trade policy. All fall under the coordination of the Office of the United States Trade Representative. The USTR Web site covers agreements, preference programs, policies on industry sectors, and more. Of particular interest:
  -USTR Reports & Publications
   Includes the annual Trade Policy Agenda and National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign
   Trade Barriers
  -Trade Agreements

U.S. International Trade Commission
The Commission "provides trade expertise to both the legislative and executive branches of government, determines the impact of imports on U.S. industries, and directs actions against certain unfair trade practices, such as patent, trademark, and copyright infringement."

Foreign Agricultural Service, USDA
Agricultural trade policy.

Trade Data - United States

United States

Foreign Trade Division - Census Bureau
Monthly trade press releases; top trading partners; trade statistics by various commodity classification and country breakdowns, including balance of trade; state export data; historical series back to 1960; trade regulations.

Bureau of Economic Analysis
Trade statistics for business services.

USA Trade Online (U.S. Economics & Statistics Administration)
(2001- )
Note: Available only from within the Bowdoin Library
U.S. imports and exports data by trading partner or commodity. USA Trade Online contains nearly the same data (just slightly less) as that on the CD-ROM/DVD products below.

TradeStats Express (U.S. International Trade Administration)
(1989- )
Customized outputs of national and state data

Interactive Tariff and Trade DataWeb (U.S. International Trade Commission)
Customized trade data reports. Requires free registration.

Foreign Trade Highlights (U.S. International Trade Administration)
(Most data late 1990's-)
Data on U.S. international trade in goods and services. Emphasis is on goods trade: aggregate exports and imports; U.S. commodity and country/regional trade balances; and shifts in the commodity composition of U.S. exports and imports with major trading partners and regions.

FAS Online (U.S. Foreign Agricultural Service)
(Dates of coverage vary)
Imports and exports agricultural trade data at the national and state levels.

U.S. Imports of Merchandise
Govt Doc C 3.278/2: (Monthly; Library has 2002- )
CD-ROM/DVD product contains the entire Foreign Trade Division database of imports data; based on the Harmonized Tariff Classification system; monthly and year-to-date statistics.

U.S. Imports History
Govt Doc C 3.278/2: (Annual; Library has 1989- )
Cumulates U.S. Imports of Merchandise

U.S. Exports of Merchandise
Govt Doc C 3.278/3: (Monthly; Library has 2001- )
CD-ROM/DVD product contains the entire Foreign Trade Division database of exports data; based on the Harmonized Tariff Classification system; monthly and year-to-date statistics.

U.S. Exports History
Govt Doc C 3.278/3: (Annual; Library has 1989- )
Cumulates U.S. Exports of Merchandise

Trade Data - State-Level

Maine International Trade Center
Although mostly in the business of providing technical assistance and trade counseling, there are a number of useful reports and statistics for Maine-related trade data.

TradeStats Express (International Trade Administration)
1999-
Interactive database; contains exports from states to countries and regions.

Foreign Trade Division - Census Bureau
State exports by top 25 countries (2001- ); state exports by top 25 commodities (1999- )

Foreign Agricultural Service
(Dates of coverage vary)
Imports and exports agricultural trade data at the national and state levels.

Trade Data - Regional

FTAA Hemispheric Database (Inter-American Development Bank)
Tariff and trade statistics data for the Americas

DATAINTAL Web (Institute for the Integration of Latin America and the Caribbean)
Imports and exports data for 30 countries in the Americas

Oxford Latin American Economic History Database
Export and import data as well as other demographic, financial, and economic indicators.

European Union
  -Gateway to European Union Trade Topics
  -Eurostat (statistics)

Trade and Economic Statistics
A comprehensive listing of regional trade statistics Web sites around the globe. From The Federation of International Trade Associations.

Trade Data - International

Europa World Yearbook (online version has current information only)
Main Libr JN1.E85 (Annual; Library has 1963-1966,1971,1975-1988)
Main Ref. JN1.E852 (Annual; Library has 1989- )
Quick source for external trade, trading partners, and commodity information.

SourceOECD International Trade by Commodity
NOTE: REQUIRES IE 5.01 OR HIGHER. Yearly statistical data on imports and exports in OECD countries, selected non-OECD countries, as well as in the OECD main country groupings. It provides detailed data in value (thousands USD) and quantity by commodities and by partner countries.

SourceOECD Monthly Statistics of International Trade
NOTE: REQUIRES IE 5.01 OR HIGHER. Statistics on international trade of OECD countries. Data are broken down by economic groupings, by country and by region, and include seasonally adjusted series as well as calculated indicators.

SourceOECD Services Statistics
NOTE: REQUIRES IE 5.01 OR HIGHER. National accounts statistics on output and employment in service activities and trade in services statistics.

UN Commodity Trade Statistics Database
Annual (1960's- ) international trade statistics provided by individual countries, with detail by commodities and trading partners.

Statistics Database (World Trade Organization)
The Trade Profiles section provides a summary of the structural trade situation and trade policy measures of members, observers and other selected economies. The Time Series section is a searchable database on international trade in merchandise and commercial services - no country to country data.

International Trade Statistics (World Trade Organization)
(Dates of coverage vary)
"Some 250 tables and charts depict trade developments from various perspectives and provide a number of long-term time series. Major trade developments are summarized and discussed in the first part of the report under Overview. Detailed trade statistics are provided in Appendix tables."

Direction of Trade Statistics (International Monetary Fund)
For 1980 - present data
For 1948-1980 use the networked CD-ROM
Value of merchandise exports and imports by trade partners.

International Trade Statistics Yearbook (U.N.)
Main Ref. HF91.U473 (Annual; Library has 1950- )
Vol. 1 contains data arranged by country for: imports and exports by principal countries and regions; imports and exports by principal commodities by SITC code. Vol. 2 contains imports and exports trade data arranged by commodity.

Trade Organizations

Global and Regional Governmental and Non-governmental Organizations (World Customs Organization)
A list of links for World Trade Organization, World Bank, Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC), Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), North American Free Trade Association (NAFTA), etc.