What Is EBOPS? Extended Balance of Payments Services Classification
What is EBOPS? Extended Balance of Payments Services (EBOPS) is the international analytical classification used to categorize cross-border trade in services between residents and non-residents. EBOPS underpins balance of payments (BoP) statistics and international trade in services reporting under the IMF’s BPM6 framework.
Resident vs non-resident: the balance of payments logic
At the core of EBOPS is the distinction between residents and non-residents. A service is recorded in the balance of payments when it is supplied by a resident of one economy to a resident of another.
Key distinction: EBOPS does not classify firms or establishments. It classifies transactions in services that cross an economic border.
The four modes of supply (GATS framework)
EBOPS data is commonly analyzed using the GATS Modes of Supply, which describe how a service is delivered internationally.
| Mode | Description | Illustrative example |
|---|---|---|
| Mode 1 | Cross-border supply | An architect in the U.S. emails design plans to a client in France. |
| Mode 2 | Consumption abroad | A tourist from Mexico stays at a hotel in Canada. |
| Mode 3 | Commercial presence | A U.S. bank operates a branch in Japan. |
| Mode 4 | Presence of natural persons | A consultant travels abroad to deliver on-site services. |
EBOPS structure and coding logic (MSITS 2010)
EBOPS follows a hierarchical numerical structure aligned with the Manual on Statistics of International Trade in Services (MSITS 2010).
Coding example:
9 – Telecommunications, computer, and information services
9.1 – Telecommunications services
9.2 – Computer services
This hierarchy allows analysts to aggregate or disaggregate services trade data depending on analytical needs.
The data bridge: domestic classification to EBOPS
Users often start with domestic business or product data and need to translate it into international trade formats.
| System | What it classifies | Role in the bridge |
|---|---|---|
| NAICS | Domestic establishments | Identifies the producing industry |
| NAPCS | Domestic products & services | Identifies what is produced |
| CPC | Global products | International product comparability |
| EBOPS | Cross-border service transactions | International trade & BoP reporting |
Important: Crosswalks between systems are analytical mappings. A single NAICS or NAPCS category may correspond to multiple EBOPS service categories depending on transaction context.
Common applications of EBOPS
- Balance of payments compilation
- International trade in services statistics
- WTO and GATS-related analysis
- IMF, OECD, and World Bank datasets
- Policy, academic, and macroeconomic research