Handbook on Measuring Digital Trade

Book excerpt: Digital technologies have made it increasingly feasible for buyers and sellers to place and receive orders on a global scale. They also enable the instantaneous remote delivery of services directly into businesses and homes, including internationally. The Handbook on Measuring Digital Trade sets out a conceptual and measurement framework for digital trade that aligns with the broader standards for macroeconomic statistics. It aims to help statistical compilers to address policymakers’ needs for statistical evidence on digital trade. It includes extensive compilation guidance, drawing upon substantive inputs and case studies from both developed and developing economies and covering a variety of survey and non-survey sources. This second edition of the Handbook builds upon the concepts set out in the first edition, published in 2019. Focusing on cross-border digitally ordered goods and services, on digitally delivered services, and on the role played by digital intermediation platforms the Handbook provides a framework and template for the compilation of internationally comparable statistics on digital trade.