Reference metadata describe statistical concepts and methodologies used for the collection and generation of data. They provide information on data quality and, since they are strongly content-oriented, assist users in interpreting the data. Reference metadata, unlike structural metadata, can be decoupled from the data.
Business Statistics Data Analysis and Dissemination Section
1.3. Contact name
Confidential because of GDPR
1.4. Contact person function
Confidential because of GDPR
1.5. Contact mail address
1 Str. Lacplesa, Riga, LV-1301
1.6. Contact email address
Confidential because of GDPR
1.7. Contact phone number
Confidential because of GDPR
1.8. Contact fax number
Confidential because of GDPR
2.1. Metadata last certified
19 August 2025
2.2. Metadata last posted
19 August 2025
2.3. Metadata last update
19 August 2025
3.1. Data description
The annual Business demography data collection covers variables which explain the characteristics and demography of the business population. The methodology allows for the production of data on enterprise births (and deaths), that is, enterprise creations (cessations) that amount to the creation (dissolution) of a combination of production factors and where no other enterprises are involved (enterprises created or closed solely as a result of e.g. restructuring, merger or break-up are not considered).
A summary of the available indicators is listed below. The data is available at EU, country and regional level, with breakdowns for type of activity, legal form and size class.
For the population of active enterprises:
Number of active enterprises
Number of enterprise births
Number of enterprise survivals up to five years
Number of enterprise deaths
Related variables on employment: 'employees' and 'persons employed' (employees and self-employed persons)
For the population of active employer enterprises:
Number of enterprises having at least one employee
Number of enterprises having the first employee
Number of enterprises having no employees anymore
Number of enterprise survivals up to five years
Related variables on employment: 'employees' and 'persons employed' (employees and self-employed persons)
For high-growth enterprises, the following indicators are available at EU and country level:
Number of high-growth enterprises (growth by 10% or more)
Number of employees of high-growth enterprises
Number of young high-growth enterprises (up to five years old high-growth enterprises)
Number of employees of young high-growth enterprise
3.2. Classification system
From 2008 onwards NACE Rev.2 classification (Statistical Classification of Economic Activities in the European Community) is used for all indicators.
The Regional breakdown of national business demography data at NUTS1, NUTS2 and NUTS3 level is based on the Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics (NUTS).
3.3. Coverage - sector
Starting with reference year 2021, BD data cover the economic activities of market producers within the NACE Rev. 2 Sections B to N, P to R and Divisions S95 and S96. The total economy is presented as Industry, construction and services (code BTSXO_S94).
For the reference years 2008-2023, data for the Sections P, Q, R and S were provided on a voluntary basis and K64.2 was not covered.
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
BD constitutes an important and integrated part of the EU Regulation 2019/2152 on European Business Statistics (EBS Regulation).
3.5. Statistical unit
Enterprise Unit.
The data series are fully compliant with the definition of a statistical unit defined in Regulation No 696/93
3.6. Statistical population
Population covers selected market activities, NACE Rev. 2 Sections B to N, P to R, S95 and S96. Coverage of target population includes branches of foreign enterprises which are registered in State Register of Enterprises, excluding Latvian enterprise branches which are operating abroad in accordance with Tax Office information.
3.7. Reference area
Republic of Latvia
3.8. Coverage - Time
1997-2023
3.9. Base period
[Not applicable]
The number of active, birth, death and survival enterprises, as well as high-growth enterprises is expressed in units.
The number of employees is counted as head counts and is expressed in units.
The number of persons employed is the sum of number of employees and self-employed persons.
The number of self-employed persons is the average number of persons who were at some time during the reference period the sole owners or joint owners of the statistical unit in which they work, measured in annual average headcounts, expressed in units.
Derived indicators are expressed in units or percentages
2023
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
Starting with reference year 2021, two new regulations form the legal basis of BD statistics:
Before reference year 2021, EU Regulation 2008/295 on structural business statistics, Annex IX, was providing a legal basis for the BD data collection. The Commission implementing EU Regulation 2014/439 ensured data collection on employer enterprises (with at least one employee), high-growth enterprises (more than 10% annual growth over three years) and their employment.
Up to reference year 2006 data have been collected under gentlemen's agreement within the context of the development of Structural Business Statistics.
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
[Not applicable]
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
No confidentiality rules applied
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
No confidentiality rules applied
7.2.1. Confidentiality rules (primary and secondary)
Data treatment
Remarks
Confidentiality rules applied
no
data are free
Threshold of number of enterprises (Number)
not applicable
not applicable
Number of enterprises non confidential, if number of employments is confidential
no
not applicable
Dominance criteria applied
no
not applicable
If dominance criteria is applied, specify the threshold (in %) and the method of applying the dominance rules
not applicable
not applicable
Secondary confidentiality applied
no
not applicable
If secondary confidentiality is applied, explain the rules and the methods used
not applicable
not applicable
7.2.2. Measures taken to reduce the number of confidential cells
Remarks
Measures taken to reduce the number of confidential cells
no
data are free
If measures have been taken, describe them briefly
not applicable
not applicable
Impact of these measures
not applicable
not applicable
8.1. Release calendar
All official statistics are published according to the data release calendar, at 13.00h.
8.2. Release calendar access
Release calendar is accessible for everyone and is published on Official statistics portal of Latvia homepage under Advance dissemination calendar
8.3. Release policy - user access
Statistical release dates and times are pre-announced.
The data which is not available in the published publications and in the published on-line databases are provided to everyone upon a specific request.
Annual
10.1. Dissemination format - News release
Press releases are not disseminated, and they are not planned for the next reference year.
In order to encourage deeper analysis of statistical information and its use in research, the CSB provides access to anonymized individual statistical information for scientific purposes, in the meantime strictly observing the principles of confidentiality.
10.5. Dissemination format - other
Not applicable
10.5.1. Metadata - consultations
[Not requested]
10.6. Documentation on methodology
Not applicable
10.6.1. Metadata completeness - rate
[Not requested]
10.7. Quality management - documentation
[Not requested]
11.1. Quality assurance
The Code of Practice is applied
11.2. Quality management - assessment
not applicable
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
not applicable
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
not applicable
12.3. Completeness
In compliance with the rules (regulations)
12.3.1. Data completeness - rate
100%
13.1. Accuracy - overall
[Not requested]
13.2. Sampling error
[Not applicable]
13.2.1. Sampling error - indicators
[Not applicable]
13.3. Non-sampling error
not applicable
13.3.1. Coverage error
[Not requested]
13.3.1.1. Over-coverage - rate
[Not requested]
13.3.1.2. Common units - proportion
[Not requested]
13.3.2. Measurement error
[Not applicable]
13.3.3. Non response error
[Not applicable]
13.3.3.1. Unit non-response - rate
[Not applicable]
13.3.3.2. Item non-response - rate
[Not applicable]
13.3.4. Processing error
Processing errors may occur due to human factor.
13.3.5. Model assumption error
[Not requested]
14.1. Timeliness
Business Demography Statistic data are prepared and transmitted to Eurostat within deadline defined by Eurostat. Revision updates may occur in case of errors found in transmitted data.
14.1.1. Time lag - first result
[Not requested]
14.1.2. Time lag - final result
[Not requested]
14.2. Punctuality
The data is prepared, transmitted and published as close to requested time as possible, however insignificant time lags may occur.
14.2.1. Punctuality - delivery and publication
[Not requested]
15.1. Comparability - geographical
[Not requested]
15.1.1. Asymmetry for mirror flow statistics - coefficient
[Not applicable]
15.2. Comparability - over time
a) First reference year available (calendar year):
2007
b) Breaks in time series and reasons for the breaks:
Breaks in series may occur due to changes in classification systems used (e.g. kind of economic activity)
c) Outliers in time series:
not applicable
15.2.1. Length of comparable time series
2007-2023
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
Business Demography and Structural Business Statistics data is 100% coherent
15.3.1. Coherence - sub annual and annual statistics
Entire population has been covered, when preliminary data is compiled. Differences with the final data occur due to corrections of imputed data and adjustments of population frame.
17.2.1. Data revision - average size
not applicable
18.1. Source data
a) Type of data source:
Statistical business register and SBS strata combined with administrative sources.
b) Coverage of SBR (Statistical Business Register):
100%
c) Matching, profiling or imputation:
Matching procedures are performed for statistical units which address and NACE code and contact information is the same.
18.1.1. Concepts and sources
no imputations done in Statistical Business Register
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Annual data collection
18.3. Data collection
not applicable
18.3.1. Data matching
a) Data matching process and tools:
No specific tools for data matching. Initial strata of newly born enterprises for reference period is compared with combined strata of enterprises which died in previous reference period. Necessary data (address, phone, mail, kind of economical activity and legal form) is taken from Statistical Business Register.
b) Matching:
All 100% matches are considered as reactivations.
Other matches may be additionally manually checked to be sure that potential newly born enterprise uses new combination of production factors (e.g. new investor and new product line).
18.3.2. Manual checks
Manual checks are performed for enterprises with 20 employees and more.
18.4. Data validation
The calculated data series are validated using Eurostat validation tool.
18.5. Data compilation
No imputations are made in DB or SBS or BR stratas.
Estimated number of deaths for reference period is calculated by comparing data with two previous periods. Data compared is: employment, turnover, all available data from state revenue service (e.g. taxes paid). In case if there is even a smallest sign of economic activity (e.g. tax paid 1 €) during any period of time in observed years, then an enterprise of self-employed person is not counted in estimated death number.
18.5.1. Imputation - rate
[Not requested]
18.6. Adjustment
[Not applicable]
18.6.1. Seasonal adjustment
[Not applicable]
The annual Business demography data collection covers variables which explain the characteristics and demography of the business population. The methodology allows for the production of data on enterprise births (and deaths), that is, enterprise creations (cessations) that amount to the creation (dissolution) of a combination of production factors and where no other enterprises are involved (enterprises created or closed solely as a result of e.g. restructuring, merger or break-up are not considered).
A summary of the available indicators is listed below. The data is available at EU, country and regional level, with breakdowns for type of activity, legal form and size class.
For the population of active enterprises:
Number of active enterprises
Number of enterprise births
Number of enterprise survivals up to five years
Number of enterprise deaths
Related variables on employment: 'employees' and 'persons employed' (employees and self-employed persons)
For the population of active employer enterprises:
Number of enterprises having at least one employee
Number of enterprises having the first employee
Number of enterprises having no employees anymore
Number of enterprise survivals up to five years
Related variables on employment: 'employees' and 'persons employed' (employees and self-employed persons)
For high-growth enterprises, the following indicators are available at EU and country level:
Number of high-growth enterprises (growth by 10% or more)
Number of employees of high-growth enterprises
Number of young high-growth enterprises (up to five years old high-growth enterprises)
Number of employees of young high-growth enterprise
19 August 2025
BD constitutes an important and integrated part of the EU Regulation 2019/2152 on European Business Statistics (EBS Regulation).
Enterprise Unit.
The data series are fully compliant with the definition of a statistical unit defined in Regulation No 696/93
Population covers selected market activities, NACE Rev. 2 Sections B to N, P to R, S95 and S96. Coverage of target population includes branches of foreign enterprises which are registered in State Register of Enterprises, excluding Latvian enterprise branches which are operating abroad in accordance with Tax Office information.
Republic of Latvia
2023
[Not requested]
The number of active, birth, death and survival enterprises, as well as high-growth enterprises is expressed in units.
The number of employees is counted as head counts and is expressed in units.
The number of persons employed is the sum of number of employees and self-employed persons.
The number of self-employed persons is the average number of persons who were at some time during the reference period the sole owners or joint owners of the statistical unit in which they work, measured in annual average headcounts, expressed in units.
Derived indicators are expressed in units or percentages
No imputations are made in DB or SBS or BR stratas.
Estimated number of deaths for reference period is calculated by comparing data with two previous periods. Data compared is: employment, turnover, all available data from state revenue service (e.g. taxes paid). In case if there is even a smallest sign of economic activity (e.g. tax paid 1 €) during any period of time in observed years, then an enterprise of self-employed person is not counted in estimated death number.
a) Type of data source:
Statistical business register and SBS strata combined with administrative sources.
b) Coverage of SBR (Statistical Business Register):
100%
c) Matching, profiling or imputation:
Matching procedures are performed for statistical units which address and NACE code and contact information is the same.
Annual
Business Demography Statistic data are prepared and transmitted to Eurostat within deadline defined by Eurostat. Revision updates may occur in case of errors found in transmitted data.
[Not requested]
a) First reference year available (calendar year):
2007
b) Breaks in time series and reasons for the breaks:
Breaks in series may occur due to changes in classification systems used (e.g. kind of economic activity)
