International trade in services refers to the exchange of intangible services such as financial services, tourism or IT between countries. Unlike in goods trade, no physical goods are exchanged. Globalisation, technological developments and the opening-up of markets have greatly increased its importance.

The statistics on services by mode of supply provide information on how the service was provided. A distinction is made between four categories.

The statistics on services trade by enterprise characteristics enable a sound assessment of enterprises involved in international trade in services. They provide a valuable foundation for economic policy decisions and analyses.

Data can be reported based on one of two principles. When applying the asset/liability principle (ALP), FDI assets and liabilities are reported in gross terms. This principle is consistent with the international requirements for compiling the balance of payments and the stock statistics for the international investment position.

The securities holdings statistics provide a picture of the structure of securities held in Germany.