Data dictionary

This section is Guidance

This guide explains each field contained in the bulk datasets that get published on this site.

This should be used together with the technical specification information.

Description of files

Imports file (I)

This contains details of goods imported into the UK, both from EU and non-EU countries.

This comes from both customs declarations and the Intrastat survey. Since January 2022, the Intrastat survey has only collected data relating to imports into Northern Ireland from the EU.

Exports file (E)

This contains details of goods exported from the UK, both to EU and non-EU countries.

This comes from both customs declarations and the Intrastat survey. Since January 2021 the Intrastat survey has only collected data relating to exports from Northern Ireland to the EU.

Explanatory keys

Key to flows

Reference

Meaning

I

UK Customs imports

E

UK Customs exports

 

* Inclusion of I or E references indicate that the field is present and contains data

Key to ‘Size & Type’ field

Reference

Meaning

Number (For example, 4)

Number of characters

A

Alpha

N

Numeric

C

Combined alpha and numeric

For example, 4N means it is a 4-character numeric field.

Field names A-I

Field name: ACCOUNT- CCYYMM

Full name: Month of Account

File(s): Imports (I), Exports (E)

Size and type: 6N

Description: Identifies the month of account of an item in format CCYYMM (Century, Year, Month). For non-amendment records this will be the same as the file month. For amendment records it will be the month to which the amendment relates.


Field name: ADDR-1

Full name: Address-Line 1

File(s): Imports (I), Exports (E)

Size and type: 30C

Description: First line of postal address


Field name: ADDR-2

Full name: Address-Line 2

File(s): Imports (I), Exports (E)

Size and type: 30C

Description: Second line of postal address


Field name: ADDR-3

Full name: Address-Line 3

File(s): Imports (I), Exports (E)

Size and type: 30C

Description: Third line of postal address


Field name: ADDR-4

Full name: Address-Line 4

File(s): Imports (I), Exports (E)

Size and type: 30C

Description: Fourth line of postal address


Field name: ADDR-5

Full name: Address-Line 5

File(s): Imports (I), Exports (E)

Size and type: 30C

Description: Fifth line of postal address


Field name: COD-ALPHA

Full name: COD alpha

File(s): Imports (I), Exports (E)

Size and type: 2A

Description: Alpha code for Country of Destination (Exports) or Country of Dispatch (Imports). For country and currency codes see GOV.UK.

Country of Destination (Exports): Country of ultimate destination. This is the final country to which the goods are being exported from the UK.

Country of Dispatch (Imports): Country which sent the goods to the UK. This is regardless of transhipment through intermediate countries on the way.

This may not be the country of origin or manufacture. It also may not be the last country that it came to the UK from.

The Country of Dispatch is the country where the last commercial transaction took place in either of these scenarios:

  • where a change of ownership occurs on the way 
  • where the sale occurs via an intermediary country

This could be an intermediary country, even if the goods never physically stayed in that country.


Field name: COD-SEQUENCE

Full name: COD sequence

File(s): Imports (I), Exports (E)

Size and type: 3N

Description: Numeric sequence for Country of Destination or Country of Dispatch. See 'COD-ALPHA' for definition.


Field name: COMCODE

Full name: Commodity code

File(s): Imports (I), Exports (E)

Size and type: 8N

Description: 8 digit commodity code made up of a 1-8 Combined Nomenclature (CN).


Field name: COMMODITY-ALPHA-1

Full name: Commodity code alpha description

File(s): Imports (I), Exports (E)

Size and type: 61A

Description: Description of the commodity code – line 1


Field name: COMMODITY-ALPHA-2

Full name: Commodity code alpha description

File(s): Imports (I), Exports (E)

Size and type: 48A

Description: Description of the commodity code – line 2


Field name: COO-ALPHA

Full name: COO - ALPHA

File(s): Imports (I)

Size and type: 2A

Description: Alpha code for Country of Origin. The Country of Origin is the country where the goods were originally produced. 

This may be different from the Country of Dispatch. Country of Origin will be different from Country of Dispatch if goods were sold to another country before delivery to the UK.

This field is mandatory for imports collected via customs declarations. It is not collected for Intrastat Arrivals. For example, EU to Northern Ireland imports.

From January 2022, Country of Origin was collected for imports from the EU as these were declared through customs declarations.

We strongly advise caution if using Country of Origin for EU imports analyses to make any comparisons between 2022 data and earlier periods.


Field name: COO-SEQ

Full name: COO sequence

File(s): Imports (I)

Size and type: 3N

Description: Numeric sequence for Country of Origin. See 'COO-ALPHA' for definition and usage.


Field name: ELIGIBILITY 

Full name: Eligibility 

File(s): Imports (I) 

Size and type: 2C 

Description: Identifies the trade regime an import was eligible to be imported under. The trade regimes are:

  • Most Favoured Nation (MFN)
  • The Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS)
  • Preference
  • Preference, Unknown. 
Field names M-U

Field name: MODE-OF-TRANSPORT

Full name: Mode of Transport

File(s): Imports (I), Exports (E)

Size and type: 3N

Description: Mode of transport by which goods leave or arrive in the UK.(00 for TRADEIND ‘5’ items).

10 - sea transport (not vehicle on ferry)

20 - rail transport

30 - road transport

40 - air transport

50 - mail

60 -  Roll on, Roll off Ferries (RORO)

70 - fixed installations, for example pipeline and electrical installations

80 - inland waterway transport

90 - own propulsion, for example, imported car or lorry driven across land boundary. This can also include planes or ships delivering themselves.


Field name: NET-MASS

Full name: Net Mass

File(s): Imports (I), Exports (E)

Size and type: 14C

Description: Weight of the item in kilograms excluding packaging. Format: Leading sign + 13 digits.


Field name: PERIOD-REFERENCE

Full name: Period reference

File(s): Imports (I), Exports (E)

Size and type: 7N

Description: Identifies the account month of an item in the format YYYYMM.

For non-amendment records this will be the same as the file month. It will be the month relating to the amendment or supplementary declaration for both:

  • amendment records
  • late supplementary declarations

Field name: PORT-ALPHA

Full name: Port alpha

File(s): Imports (I), Exports (E)

Size and type: 3A

Description: Alpha code for the port of import/export.


Field name: PORT-SEQUENCE

Full name: Port sequence

File(s): Imports (I), Exports (E)

Size and type: 3N

Description: Numeric code for port of import/export.


Field name: SITC

Full name: SITC-5

File(s): Imports (I), Exports (E)

Size and type: 5N

Description: The Standard International Trade Classification is the United Nations commodity classification system. It is based on a five digit numbered code. The current version is ‘Revision 4’. Each 8 digit CN code relates to an SITC 5-digit code. SITC data is commonly published at different levels. Each level is designated as follows:

1 digit - Section

2 digit - Division

3 digit - Group

4 digit - Sub-group

5 digit - Item


Field name: STAT-VALUE

Full name: Stat Value

File(s): Imports (I), Exports (E)

Size and type: 16C

Description: Invoice or contract price of the goods (£ sterling) as used for statistical purposes. The export value is the cost of the goods to the purchaser abroad. The import value is the value of the goods including the cost, insurance and freight.

Format: Leading sign + 15 digits.


Field name: STATREG

Full name: Statistical Regime 

File(s): Imports (I)

Size and type: 1C

Description: Identifies the type of trade movement based on the Customs Procedure used. The statistical regimes are:

  • Normal
  • Inward Processing
  • Outward Processing 
  • Unknown.

Field name: SUPP-ARRIVALS DISPATCHES IMPORTS EXPORTS

Full name: Suppression

Flow(s): Imports (I), Exports (E)

Size and type: 2C

Description: Indicates whether the commodity code is subject to suppression. It also shows the level of suppression which applies (1 character field):

Below Level 1 there is no suppression.

  • Level 1 - complete suppression
  • Level 2 - suppression of countries and ports
  • Level 3 - suppression of countries, ports and total trade 

Field name: SUPPUNIT

Full name: Supp Unit

File(s): Imports (I), Exports (E)

Size and type: 14C

Description: Second quantity (for example, number) required for certain commodities, as specified in the Tariff.

Format: Leading sign + 13 digits.


Field name: TYPE 

Full name: Line of Trade Type 

File(s): Imports (I), Exports (E) 

Size and type: 1N 

Description: Indicates what line of trade type: 

1 = Declared Line of Trade 

2 = Below Threshold Trade Allocations 

3 = HS2 (Chapter) - Non-Response Estimate

4 = SITC Estimates - Non-Response Estimate

Note that compilation methods mean HS2 estimates and SITC estimates should be filtered depending on data needs. 

For example, total trade broken down by:

  • HS2 level should be using indicators (1), (2) and (3) 
  • SITC level should be using indicators (1), (2) and (4) 

Field name: USE

Full name: Use 

File(s): Imports (I) 

Size and type: 3C 

Description: Identifies the trade regime an import was imported under and if the associated duty rate was zero or non-zero. The trade regimes are:

  • Most Favoured Nation (MFN)
  • The Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS)
  • Preference
  • Preference, Unknown