U.S. International Services Cross-Border Trade in 2007 and Services Supplied Through Affiliates in 2006

摘要

THE BUREAU of Economic Analysis (BEA) takes a broad perspective in this presentation of U.S. international sales and purchases of services by including information on (1) services that cross borders and are thus included in the international transactions accounts as exports and imports and (2) services supplied by multinationals' affiliates through the channel of direct investment. This approach acknowledges the extent to which multinational companies (MNCs) provide services using affiliates located in - but owned outside of - the markets they serve and highlights the importance of proximity to customers in the delivery of services, which leads many companies to serve foreign markets, partly or wholly, through their affiliates. In 2006 (the latest year for which data on services supplied through affiliates are available), as in previous years, the majority of both services supplied and services obtained internationally was through affiliates (table A and chart 1).