Comtrade SDMX, Web Services and Data Exchange

General Information

Please refer to these articles for general information about Comtrade SDMX, Web Services and Data Exchange:

http://comtrade.un.org/kb/article.aspx?id=10050
http://comtrade.un.org/kb/article.aspx?id=10051
http://comtrade.un.org/kb/article.aspx?id=10052

You can get the SDMX format by clicking the SDMX download in any of query result pages (for an example at http://comtrade.un.org/db/dqBasicQueryResults.aspx?cc=62&px=BE&r=251&p=705&rg=2&so=6)

The SDMX key families and simple power point presentation about Comtrade SDMX are attached at this article http://comtrade.un.org/kb/article.aspx?id=10050

ComtradeTools

There is no need to use special tool to access Comtrade Web Service. Data can be obtained via web browser by providing the right url (see example below).

However, there are many limitations with web browser: limited data download size and difficulty to create url string.

ComtradeTools was developed to help user downloading data with synchronization and DTS engine built-in (it is possible to import data to SQL Server directly).

For an example, if you want to download new data for EU25 countries,  you just need to specify a project in ComtradeTools and run it. The next time you run it again, it will only download the latest addition.

Note: ComtradeTools is a command line program. Step by step instruction can be found at http://comtrade.un.org/ws/comtradetools.aspx

Reminder: ComtradeTools is not required tool. Anybody can make its own download tool.

URL Example

Country code :  381 = Italy
Classification :  H1 = HS1996
Years : 2002 and 2003
http://comtrade.un.org/ws/getSdmxV1.aspx?px=H1&r=381&y=2003,2002&cc=TOTAL&p=0&comp=false
Country code :  36 = Australia
Classification :  S2 = SITC Rev.2
Year : 2004
http://comtrade.un.org/ws/getSdmxV1.aspx?px=s2&r=36&y=2004&cc=TOTAL&p=0&comp=false