The compilation of the BOP requires the reporting of
transactions between residents and non-residents. In general terms, this concerns
information about these transactions. The key BOP data
are in most cases necessary to allocate these transactions to the right period and the
right category (for instance export of goods) and more specifically to make a geographical
breakdown.
In most of the European countries (among others) the collection of
information about transactions is based on the reporting of payments between residents and
non-residents (general collection system. Moreover, in some of the national reporting
systems additional information might be necessary for other, mainly checking purposes. One
payment may involve several BOP transactions, for instance a payment on a loan may consist
of interest and a redemption payment, which are treated differently in the BOP. A
survey-based system is used in Anglo-Saxon countries and requires a combination of balance
sheet data and aggregated transactions data. |
