1. Overview #
Trade flows (or trade regimes) represent the classification of goods movements based on:
- Direction of trade (imports / exports)
- Customs procedures applied to the goods
- Statistical treatment under international standards
The list of flows is defined in the reference tables (https://comtradeplus.un.org/ListOfReferences – under the “Trade Flow”) and implemented in the API and datasets.
These flows are derived from:
- Statistical standards, notably
International Merchandise Trade Statistics (IMTS 2026). It describes domestic exports, foreign imports, re-exports and re-imports - Customs procedures, particularly those defined in the
Revised Kyoto Convention (Specific Annex F – Processing). It focuses on inward and outward processing.
2. Core Flows #
These correspond to the standard IMTS concepts of cross-border trade.
2.1 Total Imports (M) #
Goods entering the economic territory.
2.2 Total Exports (X) #
Goods leaving the economic territory.
3. Origin-Based Subclassification #
UN Comtrade distinguishes trade flows based on whether goods are domestically produced or foreign-origin.
3.1 Domestic Exports (DX) #
Exports of goods that:
- Are produced or substantially transformed in the reporting country
3.2 Re-exports (RX) #
Exports of goods that:
- Were previously imported
- Are exported again without substantial transformation
3.3 Foreign Imports (FM) #
Imports of goods that:
- Are of foreign origin
3.4 Re-imports (RM) #
Imports of goods that:
- Were previously exported
- Are re-imported without substantial transformation
4. Processing-Related Flows (Kyoto Convention – Annex F) #
UN Comtrade extends the basic IMTS flows using customs procedure codes, especially those related to processing.
4.1 Inward Processing (IP) #
Definition (WCO):
Goods imported for processing and subsequently exported, with conditional duty relief.
Derived flows: #
- MIP — Imports for Inward Processing
Goods imported under inward processing procedure - XIP — Exports after Inward Processing
Resulting goods exported after processing under inward processing
4.2 Outward Processing (OP) #
Definition (WCO):
Goods exported for processing abroad and subsequently imported.
Derived flows: #
- XOP — Exports for Outward Processing
Goods exported for processing abroad - MOP — Imports after Outward Processing
Goods imported after outward processing
5. Full Set of Trade Regime Flows #
Based on the trade regimes reference table, the flows include:
| Code | Flow description | Relationships |
|---|---|---|
| M | Total Imports | M = FM + RM + MIP + MOP |
| X | Total Exports | X = DX + RX +XIP + XOP |
| DX | Domestic exports | |
| RX | Re-exports | |
| FM | Foreign imports | |
| RM | Re-imports | |
| MIP | Imports for inward processing | |
| XIP | Exports after inward processing | |
| MOP | Imports after outward processing | |
| XOP | Exports for outward processing |
Note that in UN Comtrade, the flows of M and X always exist, but the breakdowns may not. Some countries may report RX or DX, and others may report XIP or MOP. Be cautious when analyzing the sub-flows.
