Metody pomiaru obrotów międzynarodowego handlu usługowego
Methods of Measuring International Trade in Services

Summary/Abstract: Research on the international trade in services have a relatively short history. A significant constraint of the studies constitutes improving methodology of the research which has been forming until now. It is related, among others, to the collection of the statistics covering all the GATS’ modes of services supply. This article aims at the presentation of the methods of measuring international trade in services based on the recommendations of MSITS. The research tools include study of the literature, in particular Manual on Statistics of International Trade in Services as well as Balance of Payments and International Investment Position Manual. The process of argumentation starts with the discussion of the trade in services methodologies used by IMF and WTO and it underlines the main differences between them. Then the principal MSITS’ rules of collection of international trade in services are presented. The discussion emphasizes their constraints and inadequacies which could affect the results of the international trade in services studies. The analysis shows that the researches on trade in services should not be solely based on the balance of payments statistics, as they do not cover commercial presence mode of supply (GATS-3). For that reason foreign affiliates trade in services statistics (FATS) should be exploited in a broader scope.

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