Technical notes
BASIC INDICATORS
 Trade per capita is estimated as an economy's total trade of goods and commercial services (exports + imports, balance of payments basis) divided by the population. It is calculated on the basis of data for the three latest years available.
 Trade to GDP ratio is estimated as an economy's total trade of goods and commercial services (exports + imports, balance of payments basis) divided by GDP, on the basis of data for the three latest years available. GDP is measured in nominal terms and with market exchange rates.
 Real GDP, exports and imports of goods and services (national accounts based), refer to data at constant prices or volume figures based on 2000.
 Ranks in world trade of merchandise and commercial services are defined first referring to European Union (EU (27)) members as individual traders and second referring to the EU (27) as one trader (i.e. excluding individual EU (27) members).
TRADE POLICY
The Trade Policy Review date indicates the date of the latest policy review for the economy considered.
The tariff binding coverage corresponds to the number of the Harmonized System (HS) subheadings containing at least one bound tariff line divided by the respective total number of HS subheadings of the corresponding version of the HS nomenclature. 
For MFN bound tariffs, the simple average of import duties refers to the simple average of ad-valorem (AV) and calculable ad-valorem equivalent (AVE) of final bound HS 6-digit duties. For MFN applied tariffs it refers to the simple average of AV and calculable AVE of MFN applied HS 6-digit duties. 
The non-AV duties as a percentage of total tariff lines refer to the share of HS six-digit subheadings subject to non-AV duties.  When only part of the HS six-digit subheading is subject to non-av duties the percentage share of these tariff lines is used.
Agricultural goods according to the AOA (WTO Agreement on Agriculture) definition refer to HS chapters 1 to 24 (excluding fish and fish products) and a number of manufactured agricultural products (for further information see "The Legal Texts, The Results of the Uruguay Round of Multilateral Negotiations", WTO). This definition does not correspond to the definition of agricultural products presented in the breakdown of merchandise trade by main commodity group (see below).
 Import duties collected in total tax revenue and import duties collected to total imports (goods and commercial services) are estimated in general on the basis of data for the three latest years available.
The number of services sectors with GATS commitments has been established by the WTO Secretariat on the basis of available information and in the light of the Services Sectoral Classification List (MTN.GNS/W/120).  The total number of sub-sectors is in the order of 160.  In the absence of a GATS schedule for the EU (27), the total number of services sub-sectors listed in the statistical profiles of the individual EC-12 members and of the EU (27) is that of the existing European Communities (EC) schedule.
For EU (27) members the number of notifications outstanding (NO) refers to the sum of NO of the EC and of the individual economy.
The number of contingency measures in force is based on information made available to relevant committees (annual reports G\L\830, G\L\832 and G\L\840). Please note that there is no obligation on WTO Members to notify the expiry or termination of safeguard measures.
For the number of disputes, a dispute is understood to be a proceeding initiated under the Understanding on Rules and Procedures Governing the Settlement of Disputes (DSU) and identified by a reference number (WT/DS...). Reports refer to those adopted by the WTO Dispute Settlement Body (DSB). For EU (27) individual members the numbers refer to the EC figures including those for individual members prior to their accession to the EC. For more information refer to www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/dispu_e/dispu_e.htm.
MERCHANDISE TRADE (customs-based statistics)
The share in world total exports and imports of merchandise for individual economies is calculated using world trade including intra-EU (27) trade. For the EU (27) as one trading reporter the share is calculated on the basis of world trade excluding intra-EU (27) trade.
 Breakdown by main commodity group according to the ITS (WTO International Trade Statistics) definitions: Agricultural products refer to food (SITC Rev. 3 sections 0, 1, 4 and division 22) and raw materials (SITC Rev. 3 divisions 21, 23, 24, 25 and 26). It differs from the Agricultural goods AOA definition (see above). Fuels and mining products include ores and other minerals; fuels and non-ferrous metals. Manufactures refer to iron and steel, chemicals, other semi-manufactures, machinery and transport equipment, textiles, clothing and other consumer goods. Please note that due to the products not classified in the three main product groups, the sum of shares may not add up to a 100.
 Breakdown by main destination and origin:  EU (27) members are grouped as one trading partner. Shares for unspecified destinations/origins are presented when at least one of the shares is greater than the share of the fifth main destination/origin. Re-imports are also included. 
COMMERCIAL SERVICES (balance of payments based statistics)
The share in world total exports and imports of commercial services for individual economies is calculated using world trade including intra-EU (27) trade. For the EU (27) as one trading reporter the share is calculated on the basis of world trade excluding intra-EU (27) trade.
 Breakdown by principal services items: Other commercial services refer to communication, construction, insurance, financial, computer, information, other business, and cultural and recreational services, and royalties and license fees.
INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY 
Data refer to the annual number of patents granted to (including those based on PCT international applications) and trademark registrations effected (including designations under the Madrid Agreement or Protocol) in the name of residents and non-residents of the considered economy. 
                         
Annual average percentage changes are calculated using a geometric average. EU (27) refers to the EU members as of January 2007, including EC-12 members (Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and United Kingdom) and Austria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta,  Poland, Romania, Slovak Republic, Slovenia and Sweden. The Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu is referred to as Taipei, Chinese in the tables. Tables include in general information for the period 2000 - latest available year. 
Symbols and abbreviations: EU European Union
... Not available or not reported GATS General Agreement on Trade in Services
- Not applicable GDP Gross Domestic Product
AOA WTO Agreement on Agriculture ITS WTO International Trade Statistics
CRN Central Registry of Notifications MFN Most Favoured Nation
DSU Dispute Settlement Understanding PPP Purchasing Power Parity
EIA Economic Integration Agreement RTA Regional Trade Agreement
Sources: Eurostat, New Cronos and Comext databases; IMF, Balance of Payments Statistics and Government Finance Statistics; UNCTAD, TRAINS 
database; UNSD, Comtrade database (for OECD members, UNSD-OECD Joint Trade Data Collection and Processing System);  World 
Bank, World Development Indicators; WIPO, Industrial Property Statistics; WTO and national statistics.