Glossary:Broad economic categories (BEC)
The classification by Broad Economic Categories (BEC) is an international product classification. Its main purpose is to provide a set of broad product categories for the analysis of trade statistics. Eurostat releases data for two versions of the BEC classification, BEC revision 4 and BEC revision 5. The fourth revision is limited to goods while the fifth revision also includes services.
Both versions allow goods and services to be distinguished by end-use into:
- intermediate consumption,
- gross fixed capital formation and
- final consumption.
The fifth revision added three new distinctions:
- primary / processed,
- generic / specific and
- durable / non-durable.