Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union

Unit E.2: Environmental statistics and accounts; sustainable development

L-2920 Luxembourg, LUXEMBOURG

The datasets:

• Material footprints - main indicators (env_ac_rme)
• Material footprints - details by final use of products (env_ac_rmefd)

provide model-based estimates of material flow accounts in raw material equivalents (MFA-RME) to complement the dataset ´Material flow accounts' (env_ac_mfa), also referred to as economy-wide material flow accounts (EW-MFA).

Both data sets include the indicator raw material consumption (RMC) – also referred to as material footprint. It shows the amount of extraction required to produce the products demanded by final users in the geographical reference area, irrespective of where in the world the extraction of material from the environment took place. 

The dataset env_ac_rme includes:

• domestic material extraction by material, directly taken from the EW-MFA dataset (env_ac_mfa), see also Section 15.3 and 17.2 below,
• estimates of the imports and exports in raw material equivalents (RME) by material
• derived indicators, namely raw material input (RMI) and raw material consumption (RMC), by material, see also Section 3.2 below.
• for individual countries and the aggregated EU economy.

The dataset env_ac_rmefd presents RMC in more detail by:

• material
• final products
• types of final uses
• for the aggregated EU economy

The estimates for the aggregated EU economy in the two MFA-RME datasets are compiled using the same model and are fully consistent. The estimates for individual countries in the data set env_ac_rme are either done and reported by the respective national statistical institutes or estimated by Eurostat. Notably, additivity is not given, i.e., the sum of the 27 EU Member States does not match with the aggregated EU economy.

 For more information on the complete set of material flow accounts see also the dedicated website on material flows and resource productivity.

The data set env_ac_rme has five dimensions:

1) Geopolitical entity [GEO]: European Union (EU) and national economies that voluntarily report via the questionnaire for economy-wide material flow accounts (EW-MFA). The data set also includes Eurostat’s estimates for those European countries that do not report. Eurostat employs the so-called ‘Python country RME tool' (see Handbook country tool RME tool).

2) Material flow indicator [INDIC_ENV]:

•  Domestic extraction (DE)
•  Total imports in raw material equivalents (IMP_RME)
•  Raw material input (RMI) ( = DE + IMP_RME)
•  Total exports in raw material equivalents (EXP_RME)
•  Raw material consumption (RMC) ( = RMI – EXP_RME)

3) Material category [MATERIAL]: 67 material categories, including hierarchical aggregates, denoting the type of raw material initially extracted such as biomass, metal ores, non-metallic minerals, and fossil energy materials/carriers. The country level reported data, as well as the EU aggregates for the time period 2000-2009, are only reported for the total and the four main material categories. Country level data estimated by Eurostat are not broken down by material, i.e. are provided for total materials only. See also Section 15.2 Comparability - over time.  

4) Period of time [TIME]: data are annual and in general starting with the reference year 2000. There are gaps depending on the selection of geopolitical entity [GEO] and material category [MATERIAL]. See also Section 15.2 Comparability - over time.

5) Unit [UNIT]: thousand tonnes and tonnes per capita.

The dataset env_ac_rmefd has six dimensions: 

1) Geopolitical entity [GEO]: European Union (EU)

2) Material flow indicator [INDIC_ENV]:

• Raw material consumption (RMC)
• Raw material consumption as result of final consumption expenditure (RMC_P3)
• Raw material consumption as result of final consumption expenditure of general government (RMC_P3_S13)
• Raw material consumption as result of final consumption expenditure of households (RMC_P3_S14)
• Raw material consumption as result of final consumption expenditure of non-profit institutions serving households (RMC_P3_S15)
• Raw material consumption as result of gross capital formation (RMC_P5)
• Raw material consumption as result of gross fixed capital formation (RMC_P51G)
• Raw material consumption as result of changes in inventories and acquisitions less disposals of valuables (RMC_P52_53)

3) Material category [MATERIAL]: 67 material categories, including hierarchical aggregates, denoting the type of raw material initially extracted such as biomass, metal ores, non-metallic minerals, and fossil energy materials/carriers.  

4) Period of time [TIME]: data are annual starting with the year 2010.

5) Unit [UNIT]: thousand tonnes and tonnes per capita.

6) Statistical Classification of Products by Activity in the European Economic Community, 2008 [CPA08]: 63 final products groups and total

Data covers the direct and indirect material use in the geographical reference area.

Material flow accounts follow concepts and definitions defined in the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA) and are closely related to concepts and definitions as set out in the System of National Accounts (SNA) and the European System of Accounts (ESA).

The following specific concepts are used:

• Domestic extraction (DE): total amount of material extracted for further processing in the economy, by resident units from the natural environment. The data originates from Eurostat's dataset 'Material flow accounts (env_ac_mfa)' the production of which is under legal coverage: Regulation (EU) No 691/2011 on European Environmental Economic Accounts - Annex 3: Economy-wide Material Flow Accounts. The module is conceptually related to the international statistical standard System of Environmental-Economic Accounting 2012 (SEEA).
• Raw material equivalents (RME): conversion factors to express a unit of product traded into the amount of material extraction needed, anywhere in the world, to produce the traded product. The conversion factors for the EU are obtained from a hybrid input-output model. More information on these conversion factors and the methodology can be found in the documentation listed in Section 10.6 below.
• Raw material input (RMI): the amount of material in terms of RME available to the economy for use in production and consumption activities. It is the sum of domestic extraction and imports in RME (calculated at the aggregate product level, by material).
• Raw material consumption indicator (RMC): the amount of material in terms of RME needed (or, the amount of extraction, domestic and abroad, required directly and indirectly) to produce the products consumed in the geographical reference area. It is calculated as RMI minus exports in RME (calculated at the aggregate product level, by material).
  
  

The break-down of RMC in dataset env_ac_rmefd is classified by final uses as defined in the System of National Accounts. An explanation of final uses in national accounts can be found in Chapter 5 of the OECD's publication 'Understanding National Accounts', second edition. In the MFA-RME by final uses dataset, these final uses are expressed in thousand tonnes of raw material equivalent and tonnes of raw material equivalent per capita.

The data refer to direct and indirect material use by all resident economic units in the sense of SEEA Central Framework 2012 and the European System of Accounts (ESA), including households.

Not applicable, because the data are modelling estimates.

The data refer to the European Union and to national economies as defined in the system of national accounts.

Data are annual starting with the year 2000 in dataset env_ac_rme and starting with 2010 in data set env_ac_rmefd. Eurostat produces early estimates (see section 10.6 below). See also Section 15.2 Comparability - over time.

Not applicable

The material flow accounts in raw material equivalents are published in thousand tonnes and tonnes per capita.

The data refer to the calendar year.

Countries report MFA-RME on voluntary basis via the EW-MFA questionnaire.

Eurostat performs model estimations for the aggregated EU economy and at country level on a voluntary basis.

Note that one of the main data inputs into the model is under legal coverage:

• Economy-wide material flow accounts are legally covered by Regulation (EU) No. 691/2011 amended by Regulation (EU) No. 538/2014 on European environmental economic accounts (EEEA).

Not applicable

Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 on European statistics (recital 24 and Article 20(4)) of 11 March 2009 (OJ L 87, p. 164), stipulates the need to establish common principles and guidelines ensuring the confidentiality of data used for the production of European statistics and the access to those confidential data with due account for technical developments and the requirements of users in a democratic society.

Confidential data are flagged 'confidential' and not published. For aggregates of confidential data, Eurostat confidentiality rules are respected.

Note that for the EU MFA_RME estimation all domestic extraction (DE) data, including confidential data, is used in the modelling exercise. However, in the published MFA-RME, confidentiality is maintained for DE data, and RMI and RMC results inherit the confidential flags from DE. As IMP_RME and EXP_RME are modelling results, these subsets of the dataset do not contain confidential values.

1) Dataset env_ac_rmefd: updated once a year, in September

2) Dataset env_ac_rme:

• EU data updated once a year, in September
• Country data twice a year, in January (Eurostat estimates) and in June (country reported data)

Not applicable

In line with the Community legal framework and the European Statistics Code of Practice Eurostat disseminates European statistics on Eurostat's website (see item 10 - 'Accessibility and clarity') respecting professional independence and in an objective, professional and transparent manner in which all users are treated equitably. The detailed arrangements are governed by the Eurostat protocol on impartial access to Eurostat data for users.

Data are disseminated simultaneously to all interested parties through a database update and on Eurostat's website.

1) Dataset env_ac_rmefd: updated once a year, in September

2) Dataset env_ac_rme:

• EU data updated once a year, in September
• Country data twice a year, in January (Eurostat estimates) and in June (country reported data)

(see also Section 17.2)

There are no online news releases.

The data are presented in the following Statistics Explained article:

• Material flow accounts - flows in raw material equivalents

Please consult the free dataset online:

• Material footprints - main indicators (env_ac_rme)
• Material footprints - details by final use of products (env_ac_rmefd)

For an overview of all material flow accounts datasets see the dedicated website on material flows and resource productivity 

Not applicable

Output from the EU RME model used to compile the EU aggregate for the MFA-RME is also made available via the data input file for the country RME tool. This concerns the RME coefficients for imports and exports. The data input file is updated once a year, as part of the update of the country RME tool, after the update of the EU RME model. The data input file is available via the methodology page on the environment dedicated section (see input-output modelling and tools - raw material equivalents).

Eurostat's estimates of the aggregate EU MFA-RME are based on an environmentally-extended adapted domestic technology assumption input-output model. In 2016 the model has been updated to ESA 2010 / NACE Rev.2. In 2023, the FIGARO input-output tables (64 level) were incorporated into the model, replacing ESA 2010 input-output tables. The methodology for deriving RME conversion factors and RME indicators is described in more detail in the documentation of the EU RME model. The methodology for deriving country RME estimates is described in more detail in the 'Handbook country RME tool’.

Material flow accounts in raw material equivalents are conceptually rooted in Economy-wide Material Flow Accounts (EW-MFA), see the EW-MFA handbook 2018 edition and the Eurostat methodological guide from 2001 on Economy-wide material flow accounts and derived indicators.

Early estimates of data set env_ac_rme:

Eurostat produces early estimates for the following indicators:

• Domestic extraction (DE)
• Raw material consumption (RMC)

The early estimate method for DE is described in the metadata for economy-wide material flow accounts (https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/cache/metadata/en/env_ac_mfa_sims.htm).

The early estimate for RMC is done as follows: First, the imports and exports in raw material equivalents are estimated by applying the annual change rates of physical imports and exports as derived from economy-wide material flow accounts (at the level of main material categories). In a second step, the estimated imports in raw material equivalent are added to domestic extraction and exports in raw material equivalent are deducted to arrive at RMC.

See the documentation of the EU RME model for information on the quality management of the EU RME model estimates.
For the data collected via the EW-MFA questionnaire, including the country level MFA-RME, national statistical institutes send quality reports based on which Eurostat prepares an overall evaluation of the data quality each year.

The EU RME model that is used to derive the aggregate EU results has been developed by researchers with experience in the field of environmentally-extended input–output analysis.

For quality assurance of the input data see the FIGARO input-output tables metadata and the material flow accounts metadata.

The Environmental Accounts Working Group, encompassing representatives of all Member States, Eurostat and other stakeholders, discusses quality improvements.

The indicator is widely used by the European Commission in key monitoring frameworks, including the European Green Deal, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), 8^th Environment Action Programme Monitoring Framework and the Circular Economy Monitoring Framework.

There are no systematic studies of user satisfaction. Eurostat has regular hearings with European policymakers and contacts with the research community and other stakeholders to monitor the relevance of the statistics produced and identify new priorities.

Data encompass all the sectors of the economy of the geographical reference area. Eurostat may have gap-filled the input data. Country level estimates and estimates for 2000-2009 are only reported for the total and main material categories in dataset env_ac_rme. Modelling results for the aggregate EU for the complete list of materials is available from 2010 onwards (see also Section 15.2 Comparability - over time).

The EW-MFA dataset (env_ac_mfa) is compiled on the basis of observable information coming from surveys and registration systems. In contrast, the estimates of datasets env_ac_rme and env_ac_rmefd are not directly observable. Eurostat country level estimates are calculated with the Python country RME tool (see section 3). This implies that assumptions and modelling techniques are determining the results. References to documentation on the EU RME model and the country RME tool can be found in Section 10.6.

Not applicable

Not applicable

EU RME model calculations are usually undertaken in August. Results are usually published in September, 21 months after the end of the last reference year. Country level estimates are published in June after validation of the data collected via the EW-MFA questionnaire and Eurostat estimates at country level have been updated.

Not applicable, because there is no release calendar.

The estimation models to obtain the EU and country-level estimates produced by Eurostat have harmonized methodologies. The same applies to the data reported by countries utilising Eurostat’s country RME tool. On the other hand, there are countries reporting using their own estimation models. This can potentially hamper comparability across countries.

Additionally, some bias may be assumed from Eurostat’s country RME model itself due to application of average EU RME coefficients, which might be suboptimal for in particular smaller economies.

For the aggregate EU estimates, the comparability over time is good because the model has remained relatively stable. Results for earlier years are recalculated each year using the latest input data available. The input data have clear statistical concepts and definitions. With the use of the FIGARO input-output tables, the data availability limits the publication of the full set of modelling results to years from 2010 onwards. Results for 2000-2009 are only published for the total and main material categories, because these values are estimated by chain-linking the 2010 results backwards using change rates from the previous Nace Rev. 1.1 dataset. 

For country-level data, comparison over time is considered good, certainly better than cross-country comparability.

The model estimates are coherent with national accounts and European environmental-economic accounts. Domestic extraction (DE) data is published both in MFA-RME and in EW-MFA, but the original source is EW-MFA. The DE data in MFA-RME is fully coherent with DE data in EW-MFA datasets.

The internal coherence is very high, because it is ensured by the accounting framework.

Eurostat’s country-level estimates (obtained from the Python country RME model) are benchmarked with the estimates for the aggregated EU (obtained from the EU RME model). However, for half of the Member States the data set includes estimates reported by the country. This leads to some differences between EU figures and the sum of individual Member States.

Eurostat has external contracts to undertake the model estimations for the aggregate EU and at country level. Currently the related costs are estimated to be around 90-100 kEUR per year. In addition, some estimated 30-50 working-days of Eurostat staff are spent per year.

The general policy is to synchronise with revisions of the main input data, namely:

• FIGARO input-output tables
• Economy-wide material flow accounts

Data are usually not revised after publication.

The main input data for the EU RME model are:

• FIGARO input-output tables
• Domestic extraction from economy-wide material flow accounts (env_ac_mfa)

For an overview of the other datasets used as input to the model, see the documentation listed in Section 10.6.

Country level estimates are collected via the EW-MFA questionnaire.

Eurostat estimates at country level are derived by the Python country RME tool, which closely follows the methodology of the RME country tool. However, a few modifications of the methodological approach are explained in the ‘Handbook country RME tool’

Not applicable because modelling. Most input data sources for the EU RME model are collected annually.

One of the main input datasets for the EU RME model is collected by Eurostat and is legally covered:

• Regulation No 691/2011 on European environmental economic accounts

For information on the input data validation see the supply, use and input–output tables metadata and the material flow metadata. See also the documentation listed in Section 10.6.

The aggregate EU estimates are obtained with environmentally-extended input–output modelling, see Section 10.6.

For information on the input data compilation see the FIGARO input-output tables metadata and the material flow metadata.

Countries may use Eurostat's country RME tool (see Section 19) or a country specific model to estimate country level MFA-RME.

Not applicable.

In order to facilitate the compilation of material flow accounts in raw material equivalents (RME) at the country level, Eurostat has published the 'Country RME tool', accompanied by the 'Handbook country RME tool' and a file with input data. This tool allows the user to estimate country-level estimates of MFA-RME and related indicators, such as imports and exports in RME, raw material input (RMI) and raw material consumption (RMC).