NEW GOVERNMENT CONSUMPTION STATISTICS: PURCHASES OF GOODS MEASURED BY ELECTRONIC INVOICES

Abstract

This study is focused on bridging the knowledge gap regarding the measurement of public purchases for foreign trade analysis in Brazil. It presents a methodology and results about the construction of new descriptive statistics on the consumption of goods by the government (Federal level, States and Municipalities) using Electronic Invoices - (NF-e). The statistics were directly compiled in the category used in foreign trade goods transactions in Brazil: The Common Mercosur Nomenclature (NCM). The statistics reveal value and quantity purchased, average price, and coefficients on the participation of imported goods in the value of total government consumption, detailed for approximately 10,300 NCM codes. The results of this exercise represent the most universal mapping of the governmental consumption of goods in Brazil, at its highest level of disaggregation. They created new managerial information that enhance transparency of government spending and also can be useful to public accounting and public policy analyses in general.