sissevedude

Sissevedude is the Estonian term for imports—the act and result of bringing goods or services from abroad into a country for sale, use, or further processing. In statistical and economic contexts, sissevedud most commonly refer to imported goods, with separate accounting often used for imports of services.

Definition and scope: Imports include goods shipped from outside the country and entered through customs. In national accounts, imports of goods and services are treated as a deduction from domestic production in the expenditure approach to GDP, expressed as GDP = C + I + G + (X − M). In practice, statistics distinguish imports of goods from imports of services, and policymakers analyze both to understand economic conditions.

Measurement and data: In Estonia and the European Union, import statistics rely on customs declarations and official reporting to national and EU-level statistical agencies. The EU divides trade with third countries (imports from outside the EU) from intra-EU trade. Intrastat covers trade among EU member states, while imports from outside the EU are recorded through Extrastat and related customs data. Tariffs, value-added tax, and other duties may apply at import, influencing prices and flows.

Importance and policy: Imports supply capital goods, consumer goods, energy, and intermediate inputs that support domestic production and consumer access. They affect prices, exchange rates, and the trade balance. Policy tools include tariffs or quotas on certain goods, VAT on imports, and broader fiscal or monetary measures. As an EU member, Estonia employs the EU trade framework and the common external tariff for imports from non-EU countries.

Context: The term is used by Statistics Estonia (Statistikaamet) and other bodies to analyze trade patterns and macroeconomic performance, reflecting Estonia’s status as a small open economy.