National Institute for Statistics

Business Statistics Directorate /Division for Statistics on Production and Foreign Trade

ISTAT
Via Tuscolana 1788
00173 Roma
Italia

For reference year 2021 and onwards, the Commission Implementing Regulation EU 2020/1197 is laying down technical specifications and arrangements pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 of the European Parliament and of the Council. According to the requirements in the EBS General Implementing Act, the following three variables for industrial production are required:

• Variable 251001 (Sold production): national currency and (except for industrial services) quantity as defined in the PRODCOM List in force at the end of the reference period.

•Variable 251002 (Production under sub-contracted operations): (except for industrial services) national currency and quantity as defined in the PRODCOM List in force at the end of the reference period.

• Variable 251003 (Actual production): quantity as defined in the PRODCOM List in force at the end of the reference period.The survey sample for reference year 2022 is little less than 42,000 enterprises with approximately 65,000 local units, covering about 230 industries, derived from sub-sectors of the total manufacturing sector, and about 4,000 products (that include also industrial services). With the entry into force of the EBS (EU) regulation on European business statistics, the inclusion of the KAU (Kind of activity unit) statistical unit in the Registers managed by the National Statistical Institutes becomes mandatory. Consequently, this unit of analysis is also adopted in the PRODCOM survey.

In PRODCOM classification, products are grouped by the NACE Rev.2, 4-digits industrial sectors, in which they are primarily produced (i.e. characteristic products). The value and volume data shown for a product, therefore, includes not only the production by enterprises classified to the NACE sector where it is primarily produced but also its secondary production by enterprises classified to the other NACE Rev.2 sectors. Classification of Products: The PRODCOM list is divided into "Classes" corresponding to the classes of NACE Rev.2. Within the individual classes, the headings of the list are set out in ascending order of their PRODCOM codes. PRODCOM uses an eight-digit product code of the form XX.XX.XX.YY. The first four digits of the code correspond to the 4-digit classes of NACE Rev.2. The first six digits are the Community Classification of Products by Activity (CPA) codes. The CPA provides a detailed listing of the characteristic products for each 4-digit NACE Rev.2 economic activity. The last two digits provide a more detailed breakdown of the CPA classes into PRODCOM product headings. There is a direct link between the PRODCOM classification and the EU foreign trade Combined Nomenclature (CN). Each PRODCOM 8-digit heading covers one or more CN 8-digit headings. At national level: To view the national classification, please see ATECO2007 ("http://www.istat.it/it/archivio/17888") .

The annual survey covers all industrial enterprises with 3 or more employees, engaged in industrial production and industrial services in the Mining, Quarrying, and Manufacturing industries.Under PRODCOM, the NACE Rev.2 classification is having covered the sections B and C, comprising divisions 07-33, but excepting 09 and 19 and from reference year 2019, is included part of division 38. In order to fulfil the regulation provisions (to reach 90% representativeness), a probabilistic sample based survey strategy has been designed. It involves a sample of small industrial enterprises (from 3 to 19 employees) and the totality of units that belong to medium and large companies (20 employees and over). The sampling method is based on an equiprobabilistic selection in each stratum, obtained by the combination of the three variables: class of employees, class of economic activity and geographical breakdown. Variables that are used to evaluate the sample size in each stratum are: turnover, added-value and number of employees. The size is obtained by applying the Bethel method.

From 2021 onwards, the following information is requested for each variable:

The sold production (including industrial services) defined as sold (invoiced) production, which may be carried out under the primary or secondary activities of the enterprise. It includes production sold (invoiced) between different kind-of-activity units belonging to the same enterprise.
The production under sub-contracted operations, which has been sold (invoiced) to the principal. The production may be carried out under the primary or secondary activities of the enterprise.
The actual production includes any production carried out during the reference period and within the economic territory.
With regard to subcontracting relationships we do not have the information of who is the owner of the goods.

Generally, the reporting unit is the Legal Unit as a proxy for the enterprise; the observation unit is Local Unit(s). From 2021 onwards the reporting unit is the KAU. However, we are using profiling in order to follow some dominant enterprises.

The survey population is made up of all industrial enterprises in NACE 07-33 (excepting 09 and 19) and 3832, with more than 20 employees and a sample of small industrial enterprises (from 3 to 19 employees).The population is selected every year from Statistical Business Register.

Italy - whole national territory.

The period observed is one calendar year. Italian industrial products statistics date back to 1996. For 1996 to 2007, the files contain the original data based on NACE Rev.1.1. For 2008 onwards, the files contain data that has been converted where possible to NACE Rev.2.
Data are available on Eurostat’s website; new data Browser accessible at the link: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/explore/all/icts?lang=en&subtheme=prom&display=list&sort=category.

Not applicable.

For Volume: Physical measurement unit required by Prodcom list, specific for each product.

For Value: Thousand Euro (excluding VAT and excise duties).

Year 2022.

The survey is carried out in compliance with following regulations: European Union law: Regulation No. 2019/1933 of the Commission, of 6 November 2019, establishing the "Prodcom list" of industrial products referred to Regulation (EEC) no. 3924/91 of the Council (GUUE 29 November 2019, n. L 309). From 1 January 2021, the survey is subject to the EBS Regulation (EU Regulations 2019/2152 and 2020/1197). National law: the process is included in the National Statistical Program (PSN) annually approved by Decree of the President of Republic. The (DPR) of 15 December 2022, approving PSN 2020-2022, updating 2021-2022. The statistical survey is mandatory to be filled-in by the private units. More info about national law regarding statistics here:  http://www.istat.it/it/istituto-nazionale-di-statistica/organizzazione/normativa.

Not applicable.

According to the article n. 9 of the Legislative Decree n. 322 of 6 September 1989 data collected by statistical offices within the statistical surveys included in the National Statistical Programme may not be disclosed other than in aggregated form such that no reference to identifiable people can be extracted. Furthermore, they may be used only for statistical purposes. Data may not be communicated or disseminated neither to any external subject, public or private, nor to any department of the public administration other than in aggregate form and using modalities which prevent the identification of the people involved. In any case, data cannot be used to identify again the people involved. The Code of Conduct annexed to the Legislative Decree no. 196 of 30 June 2003 (Personal Data Protection Code) and Legislative Decree no. 101 of 19 September 2018 (General Data Protection Regulation) provides special rules concerning the processing of personal data for statistical purposes within Sistan. In order to make statistical secrecy confidentiality and protection of personal data effective, Istat is currently taking appropriate organizational, logistical, methodological and statistical measures in accordance with internationally established standards. In accordance with the Legislative Decree no. 196 of 30 June 2003 (Personal Data Protection Code) and subsequent modifications and additions, respondents are informed of their rights and obligations with regard to the provision of information, and they are assured that the information they provide will be used for statistical purposes only. Special aggregation rules have been developed to ensure that indirect disclosure of individual data does not occur when aggregations of data are presented. For instance, access to individual data is restricted to staff who require the information in the performance of their duties. Provisions are in place to supervise analysts that require access to disaggregated data.

The Statistics Italy's confidentiality policy for PRODCOM data established that a certain PRODCOM code will be flagged where there are less than 3 reporting companies (for each published indicator).

The annual data for 2022 will be available at: https://esploradati.istat.it/databrowser/#/en/dw/categories/IT1,Z0600IND,1.0/IND_PRODUCTION/DCSP_PRODCOM 

The release calendar can be accessed at: https://www.istat.it/it/informazioni-e-servizi/per-i-giornalisti/appuntamenti/calendario-diffusioni-ed-eventi

The information is available on line on https://www.istat.it/it/archivio/223053

Data are disseminated at national level on yearly basis.

A statistic report is expected by the end of the year.

Statistica annuale della produzione industriale - Anno 1996 (2000), Info: Col.informazioni (http://www3.istat.it/dati/catalogo/schedavolume.php?ID=726)
Statistica annuale della produzione industriale - Anno 1997 (2001), Info: Col.informazioni (http://www3.istat.it/dati/catalogo/schedavolume.php?ID=736)
Statistica annuale della produzione industriale - Anno 1998 (2001), Info: Col.informazioni (http://www3.istat.it/dati/catalogo/schedavolume.php?ID=747)
Statistica annuale della produzione industriale - Anno 1999 (2002), Info: Col.informazioni (http://www3.istat.it/dati/catalogo/schedavolume.php?ID=785)

Online DB (data from 2011) https://esploradati.istat.it/databrowser/#/en/dw/categories/IT1,Z0600IND,1.0/IND_PRODUCTION/DCSP_PRODCOM

As part of microdata release, Istat offers a research data center: ADELE Laboratory (Laboratory for Elementary Data Analysis), a "secure" site accessible by researchers and academics enabling them to conduct their own statistical analyses on microdata from the Institute's surveys in compliance with legislation concerning the confidentiality of personal data (https://www.istat.it/en/information-and-services/researchers/laboratory-for-elementary-data-analysis).

Tables: Statistica annuale della produzione industriale. Anno 2004 https://www.istat.it/it/archivio/13543

Tables: Statistica annuale della produzione industriale. Anno 2005 http://www.istat.it/it/archivio/13524

Tables: Statistica annuale della produzione industriale. Anno 2006 http://www.istat.it/it/archivio/13432

Tables: Statistica annuale della produzione industriale. Anno 2007 http://www.istat.it/it/archivio/9815

Tables: Statistica annuale della produzione industriale. Anno 2008 http://www.istat.it/it/archivio/12602

Tables: Statistica annuale della produzione industriale. Anno 2009 http://www.istat.it/it/archivio/43647

Tables: Statistica annuale della produzione industriale. Anno 2010 http://www.istat.it/it/archivio/73150

Tables: Statistica annuale della produzione industriale. Anno 2011 http://www.istat.it/it/archivio/102585

On webpage of online database, there is a short description of methodology (https://esploradati.istat.it/databrowser/#/en/dw/categories/IT1,Z0600IND,1.0/IND_PRODUCTION/DCSP_PRODCOM in Reference Metadata)

No documentation on quality management are available on NSI's site.

Since ‘90s Istat adopted a systematic approach to ensure quality in both statistical information and service to the community. For this purpose, the Institute has defined a quality policy providing itself with appropriate tools as well as management changes to carry it out.

Istat quality policy is coherent with the European framework developed by Eurostat, taking up its main principles and definitions. In 2005, the European Statistics Code of Practice (revised in 2011) established the principles to follow in order to ensure and strengthen both accountability and governance of the European Statistical System and the National Statistical Systems within it.

Essential points of Istat quality policy are:

Process quality: consisting in the production of accurate statistical information efficiently and effectively;
Product quality: consisting in the dissemination of high-quality timely statistical data which are relevant for the users, also the potential ones;
Documentation: consisting in the storage and availability of information necessary not only for a proper use of data but also to ensure transparency in all the production activities of statistical data;
Respect for respondents: consisting in the reduction of response burden and in the respect of respondent's privacy;
Strengthening of statistical literacy: consisting in promoting a proper use of statistical information in policy-making to better support decisions and policies;
Users' orientation: consisting in making statistical information easily accessible and understandable and in satisfying user needs as much as possible.
For details: https://siqual.intra.istat.it/SIQual/sintesi.do?id=5000076

The Information System provides a number of arithmetic and logical controls, both mandatory and optional between the items in each form and between the forms in the whole annual report. There are a number of arithmetic and logical controls inside the PRODCOM form. The System calculates both the totals and the unit price. The PRODCOM questionnaire cannot be completed successfully before all errors inside the questionnaire, detected by the checking program, to be corrected.

The main users of PRODCOM data can be presented in different groups, namely:

EXTERNAL/ INTERNATIONAL (OUTSIDE NSI): Eurostat;

EXTERNAL/ NATIONAL (OUTSIDE NSI), like:
Institutions at national level - governmental (Ministry of Economy; Ministry of Agriculture and Food, ENEA the Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development);
Institutions at national level - non-governmental (Trade associations; Researchers and students, Companies);

INTERNAL (INSIDE NSI): Environmental statistics, National accounts, STS, Agriculture statistics, Business Register.

No user satisfaction survey has been done for PRODCOM.

In Italy are inquired all codes of the Procom list.

Quality indicator: 100%.

In advance there are some codes that exist only for Italian dissemination (are typical Italian production i.e. in the food industry).

For reference year 2022, the response rate is 54% of all enterprises surveyed. 

The main causes of non-response are: misclassification of economic activity (activities outside of sections B and C, NACE Rev.2), inactive, merger, split off, unreachable unit.

After checking if the company has stopped or suspended its activity during the reference year, the non-responses were estimated using the previous year data and data from other sources. In case of partial responses, that concerns basically missing volume data, estimates for missing volumes are done by using the median unit price from the other respondent companies."

A probabilistic sample has been designed. It involves a sample of small industrial enterprises (from 3 to 19 employees) and the totality of the local units that belong to medium and large companies (20 employees and over).
For the selection of the probability sample, a stratified random sampling plan was adopted, at one stage, with constant selection probability for all the units belonging to the same stratum. The unit selection layer was constructed by concatenating the modes of the following variables:
- Nace class (4 digits)
- 2 classes of employees (3-19, 20 and over)
- 5 territorial divisions (North-West, North-East, Centre, South, Islands).
The optimal sample size is obtained by applying the Bethel method. 
In order to ensure adequate coverage, productive local units belonging to companies having main activities outside the industrial sectors covered by PRODCOM are included in the survey as well. The required coverage levels for PRODCOM survey is achieved by means of a grossing up technique. The estimation technique currently adopted makes use of a calibration method based on the auxiliary variables number of enterprises and number of employees belonging to industrial companies included in the target population. The sampling CV (coefficients of variation) of each statistic (added-value and number of employees) is estimated by the ratio between square root of sampling variance estimate and parameter estimate in each estimation domain.

Coefficient of Variation = 0.05 for each statistic (added-value and number of employees) (for the formula see ESS handbook for quality and metadata reports Part C Guidelines for ESS Quality and Performance Indicators - https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-manuals-and-guidelines/-/ks-gq-21-021). This value is set in the phase of the sampling selection using the Bethel procedure.

Measurement errors: Respondents have problems with the questions about the produced volume, sometimes they have to provide estimations.
Non-response errors: After the first publication, new response will cause adjustments.
Response rates:Unweighted response rate (number of enterprises): 54%

Item non-response:
Item non-response rate has not calculated because would be heavily influenced by the accuracy of the selection made by Statistics Italian that provides for each respondent a selection of Prodcom product groups, which are expected to be relevant to the respondent, based on historical data and the NACE classification. This selection will often contain product groups in which the respondent has no production.
The frame for unit Local units is Italian Statistical Business Register managed by Istat (National Statistical Institute of Italy).
The quality actions to control unit nonresponse are:

Survey presentation letter signed by Istat President
Guarantees on statistical confidentiality
Editing and imputation procedures are used to correct for item nonresponse and measurement errors
Data are validated to the following actions:
Coherence control with data from other surveys or sources
Coherence control with previous data of the same survey
Control of influential unit data, strongly contributing to computation of aggregates (e.g. large enterprises).

Data are disseminated at national level Yearly.

Data are provided to Eurostat Yearly within t+6 months.

In Italy, the PRODCOM data are usually published without delay in relation to the scheduled date.

Not applicable.

With implementation of the EBS Regulation, a break of series due to the fact that the production subject to subcontracted operations was collected separately from own-account production from the year 2021.

For each domain is checked the coherence with previous data.

No control coherence with other statistical surveys for different nature and/or frequencies, for different approaches, classifications and methodological standards.

Growth rate in the region of acceptance.

Average company's time to fill in the survey: about 2 hours.

Actions to reduce burden: pre-filled questionnaire and single sign (access with a unique user id and password), using enterprise portal.

The data are sent to Eurostat by the end of June (T+6). First revision is planned in September (T+9). If a last revision is necessary, it is carried out in December (T+12).

Revised previous years data are provided when if errors are found.

The survey sample is selected from Statistical Business Register 2020. PRODCOM estimates cover Italy’s registered businesses for over 90% (we made census for enterprises with 20 or more employees, which totals over 30.000 units).

For the enterprises with less than 20 employees we made a sample of over 10.000 units. VAT and turnover is classified to NACE divisions 07-33 and 38. Businesses are selected by employment size, industry classification and geographical breakdowns, using a stratified random sample. Additional constraints are built into the sample design so to decrease the form filling response burden on smaller businesses. The number to be selected has been calculated to minimize the burden of sampling, without compromising the calculation of final estimates.

The sampling method is based on an equiprobabilistic selection in each stratum obtained by the combination of two three variables: class of employees, class of economic activity and geographical repartitions. The variables used to evaluate the sample size in each stratum are: turnover and number of employees. The determination of sample size and its allocation between the stratum occurred requiring that the expected error in the estimated total (error expressed in terms of coefficient of variation) of the variables considered were less than 5 percent in each domain of study represented by the class of economic activity. The allocation of the sample in the layers was achieved by adopting a multivariate allocation algorithm proposed by Bethel, which is a generalization of the method of Neymann for only one variable, and that allows to minimize the sample size so as to satisfy the constraints precision of the estimates for each of the variables considered of interest, relative to the domain estimation.

On a yearly basis.

Self-administered data collection by e-questionnaire (Computer Assisted Web Interviewing-CAWI)

The web questionnaire and instructions for companies are available at https://imprese.istat.it

The quality actions to control unit nonresponse are:

Survey presentation letter signed by Istat President

Guarantees on statistical confidentiality

Coercive measure: the answer to the statistical process is mandatory with penalties for enterprises with over 100 employees.

Data are validated to the following actions:

Coherence control with previous data of the same survey
Control of influential unit data, strongly contributing to computation of aggregates (e.g. large enterprises).

Steps of data compilation in PRODCOM statistics of Italy:

1. Error detection based on consistency edits

2. Manual error correction forcing wrong values on the base of deterministic rules as reported in a manual or document

3. Manual error correction forcing wrong values on the base of previous correct data of the same survey

4. Manual error correction based on reporting unit follow-up

5. Manual coding assisted by paper lists (manuals, listings) or computer screens

6. Data entry by Istat section in charge of the survey

7. Splitting questionnaire according to various record types

8. Deterministic error and outlier detection and imputation based on deterministic rules (IF-THEN)

9. Error and outlier detection and imputation by clerical reviewers based on experience

10. Error and outlier detection and imputation by clerical reviewers based on data from previous editions of the same survey

11. Error and outlier detection and imputation by clerical reviewers based on questionnaire review

12. Error and outlier detection and imputation by clerical reviewers based on respondent follow-up

13. Deterministic error and outlier detection and imputation by clerical reviewers based on experience

14. Deterministic error and outlier detection and imputation by clerical reviewers based on data from previous editions of the same survey

15. Deterministic error and outlier detection and imputation by clerical reviewers based on data from other surveys or sources

16. Deterministic error and outlier detection and imputation by clerical reviewers based on questionnaire review

17. Deterministic error and outlier detection and imputation by clerical reviewers based on respondent follow-up

18. Deterministic error and outlier detection and imputation by clerical reviewers based on the available auxiliary variables

19. Estimate calculation

Not applicable for PRODCOM data.

No comment.