Statistical Service of Cyprus (Cystat)

Industrial Statistics Unit

Michael Karaoli str., 1444 Nicosia, Cyprus

Index of Industrial Production.

NACE Rev. 2.

 Sections B to E. All size classes are covered.

• Production Index for Mining and Quarrying.

• Production Index for Manufacturing.

• Production Index for Electricity Supply.

• Production Index for Water Supply and Materials Recovery.

There are no discrepancies with the definition of variables laid down in the Commission Implementing Regulation 2020/1197.

The observation and the reporting unit is the enterprise.

Enterprises classified in NACE Rev. 2 Sections B to E number 5.200 units in 2015.

Republic of Cyprus.

Mining and Quarrying, Electricity Supply and Water Supply have been measured on a sub-annual basis since at least the 1960s. Data on Manufacturing are available since 1980. The length of the series in the Cystat database and in the Eurostat database is as from 2000.

Base year 2015.

Index (2015=100).

Month.

Article 3 of the national Official Statistics Law, No. 25(I) of 2021 defines the functions of the Statistical Service of Cyprus regarding the production and dissemination of official statistics. Moreover, Article 13, explicitly stipulates the mandate for data collection and introduces a mandatory response to statistical enquiries by stipulating the obligation of respondents to reply to surveys and provide the data required. This relates not only to national but also to European statistics which, by virtue of Article 8 of the said Law, are incorporated in the annual and multiannual programmes of work without any further procedure. Link to the Statistics Law No. 25(I) of 2021: https://www.cystat.gov.cy/en/StaticPage?id=1074  

The legal basis for the short-term statistics is the European Business Statistics (EBS) Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 on 27 November 2019, followed by the Commission Implementing Regulation 2020/1197 laying down technical specifications and arrangements pursuant to the mentioned EBS Regulation (General Implementing Act). The former legal basis for the STS indicators is the Council Regulation No 1165/98 of 19 May 1998 concerning short-term statistics and subsequent amending regulations.

Apart from Eurostat, the index is also transmitted to the United Nations on a monthly basis.

Official statistics are released in accordance to all confidentiality provisions of the following:

• National Official Statistics Law No. 25(I) of 2021 (especially Article 16 on statistical confidentiality).
• Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2009 on European statistics and its later amendments (especially Chapter 5 on statistical confidentiality).
• European Statistics Code of Practice (especially Principle 5 on statistical confidentiality).
• CYSTAT's Code of Practice for the Collection, Publication and Storage of Statistical Data.

Links to all of the above documents:

• Statistics Law No. 25(I) of 2021: https://www.cystat.gov.cy/en/StaticPage?id=1074  
• Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 on European statistics (consolidated text):  http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:02009R0223-20150608&qid=1504858409240&from=EN
• European Statistics Code of Practice:  http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-manuals-and-guidelines/-/KS-32-11-955
• Code of Practice for the Collection, Publication and Storage of Statistical Data: https://www.cystat.gov.cy/en/StaticPage?id=1066

No data is considered confidential at the level published. The treatment of confidential data is regulated by CYSTAT's Code of Practice for the Collection, Publication and Storage of Statistical Data.  

The link is as follows: https://www.cystat.gov.cy/en/StaticPage?id=1066

In the framework of its mission, CYSTAT provides high-quality statistical information, through the web portal and social media, with the use of statistical products such as announcements, interactive tables, predefined tables, metadata, infographics and publications. The principles and the legal framework governing the dissemination of official statistical data are defined and explained in the document “Dissemination Policy”. The means of dissemination, the main statistical products and the services provided to the users, are also presented. Additionally, the document describes the procedures for data revision and error treatment. The link is as follows:Dissemination Policy of the Statistical Service of Cyprus (cystat.gov.cy)

An annual release calendar is prepared and forwarded to Eurostat. At national level, a release calendar with preliminary dates for the next four months is published at Cystat web site. Announcements are confirmed on the Friday preceding their release. Notifications about the dissemination of statistics are published in the release calendar, which is available on CYSTAT’s website. The annual release calendar, announced during the 4th quarter of the year, includes provisional dates of publication for the following year, which are finalised the week before publication.

The release calendar published at national level can be found at: https://www.cystat.gov.cy/en/AnnouncementList

As provided in article 4(1) of the Official Statistics Law (Law No. 25(I)/2021) regarding the principle of impartiality, statistics are disseminated in such a way that all users have equal and simultaneous access to the data. Also, according to the Dissemination and Pricing Policy of the Statistical Service of Cyprus (section 2.3) CYSTAT΄s main channel for dissemination of statistics is the website, which offers the same conditions to everyone and is updated at the same time every working day (12:00 noon). Privileged pre-released access (of no more than 1 day in advance) has been granted to a few selected users for specific statistics. These are specified in the Dissemination Policy (section 2.3).

In addition to the annual release calendar, users are informed of the various statistical releases through the “Alert” service provided by CYSTAT.

Link to the Dissemination and Pricing Policy of the Statistical Service of Cyprus can be found at:https://www.cystat.gov.cy/en/StaticPage?id=1064.

Monthly.

There is a regular monthly news release. The news release is accompanied by a set of Predefined Tables available in Excel format and is disseminated as absolute figures on a monthly basis on the new web portal of the Statistical Service. The Predefined Tables include data up to the fourth quarter of 2022. Data from the first quarter of 2023 onwards, are available only in the CYSTAT-DB Online Database. The index is presented in gross form only, broken down by activity (of NACE Divisions aggregates).

Link to the news release:https://www.cystat.gov.cy/en/AnnouncementList

The indices are published in the annual yearbook “Statistical Abstract” available on Cystat website.

CYSTAT-DB is the online database of the Statistical Service of Cyprus. It gives users the ability to produce the desired table, to format the presentation, to edit and make calculations and to save it in any form available. Additionally, requests can be saved and used at a later stage to get the updated table with the latest available statistics. It is an interactive tool, providing the possibility to create customized tables for the industrial indices. CYSTAT-DB can be accessed from the home page or alternatively from the pages of statistical sub-themes.

Data on the index of Industrial Production from the first quarter of 2023 onwards, are available only in the CYSTAT-DB Online Database.

There is no microdata access to outside users.

Under the provisions of the Statistics Law, CYSTAT may release microdata for the sole use of scientific research. Applicants have to submit the request form "APPLICATION FOR DATA FOR RESEARCH PURPOSES" giving thorough information on the project for which micro-data are needed.The application is evaluated by CYSTAT’s Confidentiality Committee and if the application is approved, a charge is fixed according to the volume and time consumed for preparation of the data. Micro-data may then be released after an anonymisation process which ensures no direct identification of the statistical units but, at the same time, ensures usability of the data.

The link for the application is: https://www.cystat.gov.cy/en/DataRequestContactForm?fid=7

Indices are transmitted to Eurostat to be used in calculating European aggregates and to be released as national data.

A methodological note is available on the new web portal of Cystat at the following link: https://www.cystat.gov.cy/en/KeyFiguresList?s=39

Not available.

The quality of statistics in CYSTAT is managed in the framework of the European Statistics Code of Practice which sets the standards for developing, producing and disseminating European Statistics as well as the ESS Quality Assurance Framework (QAF). CYSTAT endorses the Quality Declaration of the European Statistical System. In addition, CYSTAT is guided by the requirements provided for in Article 11 of the Statistics Law No. 25(I) of 2021 as well as Article 12 of Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 on European statistics, which sets out the quality criteria to be applied in the development, production and dissemination of European statistics.

Links to all of the above documents:

• European Statistics Code of Practice:  http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-manuals-and-guidelines/-/KS-32-11-955
• ESS Quality Assurance Framework (QAF): http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/64157/4392716/ESS-QAF-V1-2final.pdf/bbf5970c-1adf-46c8-afc3-58ce177a0646
• Quality Declaration of the European Statistical System: http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/4031688/8188985/KS0217428ENN_corr.pdf/116f7c85-cd3e-4bff-b695-4a8e71385fd4
• Statistics Law No. 25(I) of 2021: https://www.cystat.gov.cy/en/StaticPage?id=1074
• Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 on European statistics (consolidated text):  http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:02009R0223-20150608&qid=1504858409240&from=EN

The quality of statistics is assessed according to the following quality criteria: relevance, accuracy, timeliness, punctuality, accessibility and clarity, coherence and comparability. The quality indicators are assessed taking into account Eurostat defined methodology and recommendations. On the basis of the above criteria, the indicator is assessed as being of good quality.

United Nations, Eurostat, media, researchers, enterprises, industrial federations, trade unions, the national central bank, national accounts.

A user satisfaction survey is carried out on an annual basis since 2008 (with the exception of 2010, 2013 and 2020) but is not specific to short-term indicators. It does not allow for adequate conclusions to be made on this specific indicator. The results of the surveys are available on CYSTAT’s web portal at the link attached below. Overall, there is a high level of satisfaction of the users of statistical data published by CYSTAT.

The results of Cystat's user satisfaction survey can be found at:https://www.cystat.gov.cy/en/StaticPage?id=1144

The data are transmitted to Eurostat at the level of detail required by the Regulation. They are also published at national level at NACE Divisions aggregates.

The Industrial Production Index is mainly based on a sample survey, so errors from sampling are likely to occur. Coverage errors, measurement errors, non-response errors, processing errors are considered to be small but nevertheless actions are undertaken to reduce these different types of errors as much as possible. Estimations are made for enterprises that provide data on a quarterly basis. The estimation is being made using enterprises' previous month’s and last year’s data. These estimates are replaced as soon as the enterprises submit their quarterly VAT declarations. 

There are around 650 enterprises in the sample. The weights used for the index are based on the value added derived from the SBS survey of the base year. Enterprises with turnover more than 1,7mn euros and with employment size group 20 and more are fully covered. A sample is drawn for the rest. The quality of the sample design measured by the coefficient of variation, which indicates the degree of precision to which the estimate is compared was around 2,0%, based on the results of the previous base year 2010 data. No CV calculation has been recently measured.

Non-sampling error is not quantified, but is considered to be small. Cystat tries to reduce non-sampling error through continuous methodological improvements and survey process improvements. In particular,

• The Business Register is of fundamental importance to the compilation of the STS indices. The register is updated every year from administrative sources. Allowing coordination between the various units within Cystat, the Business Register is being updated with new, additional or amended information for the enterprises (e.g. change of contact details, employment size, economic activity codes) since the frame information is being checked to see whether it is up to date.
• The personnel working at the collection stage is well experienced and properly guided. 
• The respondents are well informed about the concepts and the items that are generally to be included/excluded.
• To minimise the respondent’s burden as much as possible, the questionnaire is designed to be clear and simple. The data collection is made using the means that each enterprise prefers (fax, telephone, e-mail or personal interview) in order to reduce non-response.
• Non-response is caused by the enterprises that cannot report the required data before submitting their VAT declaration. Estimations are made for these enterprises. These estimates are based on the trend of the enterprises' previous months' data as well as the seasonal development. These estimations are replaced as soon as the enterprises complete their quarterly VAT declarations. There are many ways of trying to encourage response including reminders to the non responding units before resorting to the enforcement measures laid down in national legislation. The response rate for the index of production in industry of the first release to Eurostat for 2022 is around 65%.
• Many checks are carried out at micro level. Data is compared with data of the previous month as well as the last year’s corresponding month. Inconsistencies or large deviations are checked. Also during the data editing process, the entered value is being checked twice.
• The coding of the economic activity (NACE Rev. 2) is changed, if necessary.
• To ensure the quality of the time series, comparative analyses are made with the previous years’s results. If inconsistencies are detected, the data are verified at micro level again by using the raw data of the questionnaire or by contacting the enterprise for explanations and confirmation of the data.
• Index results are cross-referenced with annual SBS results and any significant deviation is examined further.

The index is disseminated to Eurostat one month and 25 days after the end of the reference month and is published nationally two months after the end of the reference period.

Both Eurostat and national deadlines are respected. All releases are delivered on time, based on the scheduled release dates.

It is possible to compare the national index with that of other European countries.

Indices are comparable over time. When significant changes are introduced (e.g. change of classification, base year, methodology), historical time series are recalculated as far back as it is reasonably possible. Time series according to NACE Rev. 2 classification are available from 2005 onwards. There are no breaks in series.

The trend is compared with other indicators such as the Industrial Turnover Index, the Number of Persons Employed, Hours Worked and Gross Wages and Salaries in Industry. When SBS data become available, these are compared on an enterprise level with the yearly averages of the values reported monthly for the index; when discrepancies are identified, these reporting units are being contacted and the reason is sought. If necessary, appropriate amendments are made. Most of the times discrepancies are the result of more up to date information being available.

The components are not perfectly coherent with upper NACE levels in all presentations, since direct adjustment is performed and each activity level is adjusted independently.

No cost and burden exercise has been recently performed.

There is a formal revision policy at Cystat. Cystat publishes its Revision Policy on its web portal Revision Policy (cystat.gov.cy) describing the general rules and principles governing the procedure of revising data published by Cystat. The policy is based on the guidelines of the European Statistical System (ESS) regarding revision policies for Principal European Economic Indicators, also taking into account the Quality Assurance Framework of the ESS and the European Statistics Code of Practice. 

CYSTAT also publishes a list of scheduled revisions (regular or major revisions), also published on its web portal at: https://www.cystat.gov.cy/en/AnnouncementList.

The same practice is applied both to data released nationally and to data transmitted to Eurostat. When revised data are transmitted to Eurostat, these are flagged accordingly and accompanied by the necessary explanations.

Furthermore, CYSTAT has set its strategic goal to provide high-quality statistical information in an objective, transparent, reliable and timely manner. CYSTAT consider quality to be its main advantage in a world experiencing a growing trend of instant information which often lacks the necessary proof of quality. In order to realise strategic goals it is imperative to establish policies which ensure that an organisation is moving towards the right direction. For this reason, CYSTAT establishes the "Quality Policy" which forms the basis of all statistical activities and leads towards continuous improvement of its statistical output.

Routine revisions are carried out by Cystat in order to improve disseminated provisional figures in a way that important information is published as promptly as possible and the number of such revisions is kept to the minimum over a given period of time. Major revisions are backwards implemented for the complete time-series or up to the point where it is feasible and are coordinated across statistical domains. Major revisions are well documented and made public, with an explanation of the reasons for the revision.

When published statistical data are provisional, this is indicated both in the text and the relevant tables. When revised data are disseminated by Cystat, they are appropriately flagged both in the text and the relevant tables and are accompanied by explanatory notes, if needed.

When the revisions are major, non-regular or non-scheduled, the explanatory notes contain information explaining the reasons for revising the data and, where relevant, new methodologies or new sources. Also, Cystat carries out regularly an analysis of the revised data at statistical domain level, in order to assess and improve the quality of provisional figures published and the overall revisions procedure. 

When publishing the Industrial Production Index, data on the previous months may be revised, primarily as a result of updated information received from the responding units. The Mean Revision (MR) of year-on-year growth rates for calendar adjusted data for the Production index in industry for the totals (BTD), taking into account 36 values/growth rates, is 0,46% whereas the Mean Average Revision (MAR) is 1,55%. 

A sample survey in mining and quarrying, manufacturing, electricity and water supply and materials recovery is used for the compilation of the index. The sample size consists of around 650 enterprises. The sample is updated every 5 years with the change of base year. In special cases, such as deaths/births of significant enterprises, the sample may be again updated appropriately. Administrative data is also being used.  

Monthly.

The majority of the enterprises are contacted by telephone, e-mail or fax. There exists close co-operation with the data providers so as to ensure high quality of the data. All enterprises are contacted as many times as necessary in order to get the data on time. Administrative data is also provided directly to Cystat.

Standard MS Office professional software (MS Excel) is used for the compilation of the index. The data is checked when it arrives before any further actions. Plausibility checks are made, for instance on the number of observations and range of variable values. Particular attention is given to outlier observations. Contacts with enterprises are performed for verification of data, where necessary. Before the transmission to Eurostat, the structure of the data file and format is checked in detail.

A volume Laspeyres index is compiled, with a fixed base year.

• In mining and quarrying, the results for the majority of the enterprises are aggregated for the important products. The quantity relative between the reference period and the base period for each of these products is weighted by their share of the base period value of production in order to produce the index for quarrying.
• In manufacturing, quantity relatives are calculated for each product or deflated (using the industrial output price index at the NACE 3-digit level) production value depending on the type of data collected. When data has been collected by product, the various quantity relatives are combined using weights based on their production value. Once an index has been compiled for all enterprises, regardless of the origin of the data, these are combined by weighting the index for each enterprise within a single activity size stratum according to its production value. These indices at the stratum level are combined into indices for each group and higher levels of NACE (including MIGs) using value added at factor cost as weights.
• The same method as in manufacturing is used in electricity and materials recovery as well. In water supply, the quantity data is aggregated for each of the two types of water enterprises (desalination and distribution) and a simple index is compiled for them.

These indices are then aggregated using value added as weight. Weights are calculated based on the value added in the base year (derived from the SBS survey).

• Indicate the software used and version

JDemetra+, version 2.2.3

• Indicate the model/filter selection (manual vs. automatic)

Generally, automatic selection is used but, quite often, manual selection is necessary in cases when the automatic selection does not produce well fitted models.

• How often are the models and the respective parameters re-estimated

Systematically, models are re-estimated when the final gross data of the previous year are available. Also, models are re-estimated in case of multiannual gross data revisions. Parameters can be re-estimated more frequently in cases the model does not provide a good fit.

• Indicate the horizon of revisions (how often are the seasonally adjusted time series revised and how far backwards)

Seasonally adjusted time series are revised with each new period back to the first reference date.

• Indicate seasonal adjustment decomposition (additive vs. multiplicative)

Automatic decomposition is used. For the components of the Index with positive values, the decomposition is always multiplicative. For series with zero values, it is a case-by-case treatment.

• Indicate the model used

Models may change at least once a year and vary among the different components of each Index. Some of the ARIMA models used for the various series of this Index are: [(0,1,1)(0,1,1)], [(1,1,1)(0,1,1)], [(1,0,0)(0,1,1)], [(0,1,1)(0,0,0)], etc.

• Indicate the critical value for outlier detection

3.5

• Indicate the filter length (automatically chosen vs. user-defined)

TRAMO-SEATS method (therefore there is no filter, question not applicable) is used.

• Indicate the date of seasonal breaks in the series

There are no seasonal breaks.

• Indicate if indirect adjustment via components is used

No, we use direct adjustment, adjusting the aggregate and the components independently.

• Indicate whether residual seasonality is checked and from which level of detail the aggregation is started

Residual seasonally is checked for all levels. The direct adjustment method is used.

• Indicate the consistency amongst the different levels of breakdown

In the direct adjustment method, the different levels of breakdown do not need to be consistent. In the choice between no residual seasonality and level consistency, our choice is to provide good quality seasonally adjusted series without residual seasonality.

No additional comments.