External trade in ICT goods (discontinued), 2002

2002 was the first year in the period 1996-2002 with a decline in trade with ICT goods.. Imports dropped by 13.3 per cent to NOK 29.6 billion while exports decreased by 20.7 per cent to NOK 12 billion. Because of this the ratio between exports and imports decreased from 44.3 per cent in 2001 to 40.5 per cent in 2002. Of the six product groups defined as ICT goods, only measurement- and control equipment had exports surplus. The export surplus for this product group amounted to NOK 348 million in 2002. This corresponded to a growth of NOK 49 million from the year before. For 2000 and the earlier years, this product group also experienced an exports deficit.

Exports and imports of ICT goods increased by 64.4 and 51.5 per cent respectively in the period 1996-2001. For all product groups, except from crude oil, natural gas, ships and oil platforms, there were registered a growth in exports and imports of 39.3 and 29.2 respectively in the same period. From 2001 to 2002 external trade with ICT goods dropped more than the sum of other product groups. Because of this, the growth in exports from 1996 to 2002 are nearly the same for ICT goods and the sum of other product groups, 30.3 and 28 per cent respectively. In spite of a decline in imports of ICT goods, the growth in imports for the period 1996-2002 were 9.5 points per cent larger than the sum of other product groups.

In 2002, telecommunications equipment, measurement- and control equipment and computers were the three top export groups, with NOK 4.1, 3.3 and 2.1 billion respectively. Telecommunications equipment accounted for about 34 per cent of the value of ICT exports. In 2002, computers made up the largest import group by far, accounting for NOK 12.3 billions or about 42 per cent of the value of ICT imports. Telecommunications equipment and consumer electronics followed, with NOK 6.5 billion and 4.3 billion respectively.

Delimitations

This article is based on a delimitation drawn up by the national statistical offices in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Sweden and Norway. The delimitation includes the product groups telecommunications equipment, consumer electronics, computers, electronic components, office machines and measurement- and control equipment and are described in greater detail in "About the statistics." Exports and imports of software are not included in the delimitation. Preliminary figures from the External trade in goods constitute the foundation for the article. All figures in current prices.

Tables:

• Table 1 Exports and imports of ICT goods. 1996-2002. Million NOK
• Table 2 External trade in million NOK 1996-2002. Index. 1996=100
• Table 3 The export-import ratio of ICT goods. 1996-2002. Per cent
• Table 4 Exports and imports of ICT goods as a proportion of total external trade. 1996-2001. Million NOK