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.
The EuroGroups register (EGR) is the statistical business register of Eurostat and the EU Member States and European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries for multinational enterprise groups. The purpose of the EGR is to offer to statistical users a tool for coordinating frame population, to derive consistent statistical output with an improved quality in measuring global activities of European enterprises part of multinational enterprise groups.
The EGR produces data in yearly cycles and covers microdata on the groups and their enterprises and legal units. The EGR aims to register all multinational enterprise groups that have enterprises in EU Member States or EFTA countries, including European and non-European groups.
The Member States, EFTA countries and Eurostat exchange data on multinational enterprise groups and on the units belonging to those groups for the purposes of the European framework for statistical business registers to ensure the quality of the multinational enterprise group’s information in the Union.
The EGR brings together microdata on multinational enterprise groups from the EU and the EFTA countries' national statistical institutes, in line with the requirements of the Regulation (EU) No 2152/2019, and from a commercial data source for data outside the EU and EFTA.
3.2. Classification system
Classification systems and main code lists used in the EGR are as follows:
Statistical classification of economic activities in the European Community (NACE Rev. 2);
The coverage of the data transmitted to the EGR is defined in the Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 on European business statistics.
For the purposes of the European framework for statistical business registers, the following economic activities are considered:
any activity comprising the offer of goods and services on a given market;
non-market services contributing to the GDP;
direct and indirect holdings of active legal units.
Holding assets and/or liabilities are also considered an economic activity.
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
Global group head
The global group head (GGH) of an enterprise group is the parent legal unit that is not controlled either directly or indirectly by any other legal unit. The subsidiary legal units of a subsidiary legal unit are considered to be subsidiaries of the parent legal unit.
Global decision centre
The global decision centre (GDC) of an enterprise group is the unit where the enterprise group level’s strategic decisions are taken. A group may have several decision-making centres or several units dedicated to a particular internal function, for example accounting or human resources. However, the decisions about the group are made only in the GDC. The GDC may be the GGH or another legal unit under the GGH.
Ultimate Controlling Institutional unit
The ultimate controlling institutional unit (UCI) of a foreign affiliate means the institutional unit higher up a foreign affiliate’s chain of control that is not controlled by another institutional unit.
3.5. Statistical unit
The statistical units maintained in the EGR are defined in accordance with the Regulation (EEC) No 696/93 on the statistical units for the observation and analysis of the production system in the Community.
The EGR frame contains the following units: Legal units, Enterprises and Multinational enterprise groups.
Legal units include:
- legal persons whose existence is recognized by law independently of the individuals or institutions which may own them or are members of them,
- natural persons who are engaged in an economic activity in their own right.
The legal unit always forms, either by itself or sometimes in combination with other legal units, the legal basis for the statistical unit known as the 'enterprise'.
Enterprise
The enterprise is the smallest combination of legal units that is an organizational unit producing goods or services, which benefits from a certain degree of autonomy in decision-making, especially for the allocation of its current resources. An enterprise carries out one or more activities at one or more locations. An enterprise may be a sole legal unit.
Multinational enterprise group
A multinational enterprise group is an enterprise group that has at least two enterprises or legal units located in different countries. In business statistics also term ‘global enterprise group’ is used.
3.6. Statistical population
The data transmitted to the EGR during the cycle is made of the following datasets.
The data set with information on all incorporated resident legal units for the EGR Identification Service.
ISRLE file including the full population of resident legal units is sent to EGR for identification.
The data set with information on foreign legal units for the EGR Identification Service.
ISNORLE file including the full population of foreign legal unit recorded in national statistical business register is sent to EGR for identification.
The data set with information on legal units.
LEU file including all resident legal unit belonging to a global enterprise group is sent to EGR for processing.
The data set with information on relationships of ownership and control.
REL file including all relationships between legal units is sent to EGR for processing:
two resident legal units
one resident and one foreign legal unit
two foreign legal units from non EU+EFTA countries.
Relationships in the REL are:
control relationships (>50%)
minority relationships (<50%)
The data set with information on enterprises.
ENT file including all enterprises made of legal unit sent in LEU files is sent to EGR for processing.
The Data set with information on links between enterprises and legal units.
LEL file including all links between enterprise (ENT) and legal units (LEU) is sent to EGR for processing.
The Data set with information on enterprise groups of which country is the GDC country for the EuroGroups Register.
GEG file including all groups data is sent to the EGR for processing.
The groups’ variables are updated after receiving the preliminary frame:
Global decision center (GDC)
Ultimate Controlling Institutional unit (UCI)
Number of employees
Net turnover
3.7. Reference area
Whole world
3.8. Coverage - Time
The EGR frames are available from reference year 2008 onwards. NSI transmits data for the EGR production cycle since 2008 year.
3.9. Base period
Not applicable
The economic variables on employment are recorded in absolute figures.
The net turnover for enterprises is recorded in EUR.
The net turnover and net total asset is recorded in millions in EUR.
The reference period for data sent to the EGR reflects the picture of 31 December of the given reference year.
Data transmitted to EGR during the EGR 2023 cycle includes data for the 2023 reference year. The identification, economic variables (number of employees, turnover and economic activity) refer to the 2023 reference year.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
The content of the national data sent to EGR is defined according the Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 on European business statistics.
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197 of 30 July 2020 is laying down the technical specifications and arrangements pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 of the European Parliament and of the Council on European business statistics.
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
The legal framework setting up the procedures for EGR data exchanges and access to confidential data for the purpose of the European framework for statistical business registers are defined in the Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 on European business statistics (Art.10).
The national legislative measures or other formal procedures which prevent unauthorised disclosure of data that identify a person or economic entity either directly or indirectly include:
In the process of statistical data collection, processing and analysis and dissemination of statistical information, Statistics Lithuania fully guarantees confidentiality of the data submitted by respondents (households, enterprises, institutions, organisations and other statistical units), as defined in the Confidentiality policy guidelines of Statistics Lithuania;
Statistical Disclosure Control Manual, approved by Order No DĮ-26 of 19 January 2024 of the Director General of Statistics Lithuania;
The State Data Governance Information System Data Security Regulations and Rules for the Secure Management of Electronic Information in the State Data Governance Information System, approved by Order No DĮ-202 of 27 August 2021 of the Director General of Statistics Lithuania.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
EGR data are stored by the Commission (Eurostat) and by the national statistical authorities (NSAs) in the EU Member States and EFTA countries in a secure area with restricted and controlled access.
The transmission of the EGR data is done in an encrypted form and by electronic means via the Commission (Eurostat) single entry point for exchange of confidential data EDAMIS (europa.eu).
Rules applied for treating the data set to ensure statistical confidentiality and prevent unauthorised disclosure are defined according to the policy rules (see section 7.1).
8.1. Release calendar
Not applicable.
8.2. Release calendar access
Not applicable.
8.3. Release policy - user access
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
10.1. Dissemination format - News release
Not applicable.
10.2. Dissemination format - Publications
Not applicable.
10.3. Dissemination format - online database
Not applicable.
10.4. Dissemination format - microdata access
The micro-data exchange of confidential data on multinational enterprise groups and on the statistical units belonging to those groups takes place, exclusively for statistical purposes, between EU Member States and EFTA countries and the European Commission (Eurostat).
Where such exchange of confidential data is carried out to ensure the quality of the multinational enterprise groups information in the Union and the exchange is explicitly authorised by the competent NSA which provides the data, national central banks may be party to the exchange of confidential data, exclusively for statistical purposes.
NSI exchanges information on multinational enterprise groups with:
Statistics Lithuania may, on the basis of contracts concluded with higher education institutions or research institutes, provide statistical data to researchers of these higher education institutions and research institutes to carry out specific statistical analyses for research purposes. Statistical data are provided in accordance with the provisions specified in the Description of Procedure for Data Depersonalisation and Pseudonymisation . More information is available on the Official Statistics Portal, in the section Data Provision.
Statistics Lithuania aiming to better satisfy the need for statistical information, provides users with opportunities to access open data sets with data on statistical observation units. More information is available on the Official Statistics Portal, in the section Open Data.
In 2007, a quality management system, conforming to the requirements of the international quality management system standard ISO 9001, was introduced at Statistics Lithuania. Main trends in activity of Statistics Lithuania aimed at quality management and continuous development in the institution are established in the Quality Policy.
11.1. Quality assurance
Eurostat Data Quality Programme monitors the quality and compliance of the data transmitted by the countries to EGR using the instruments of the EBS quality framework.
At national level, the quality of the data sent to EGR is assured as follows:
Monitoring of the quality indicators of statistical processes and their results and self-evaluation of statistical survey managers is regularly carried out in order to identify areas which need improvement and to promptly eliminate shortcomings.
More information on assurance of quality of statistical information and its preparation is published in the Quality Management section on the Statistics Lithuania website.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
Data quality is in line with the principles of accurancy and reliability, timeliness and punctuality, coherence and compatibility.
A quality assessment procedure includes:
automatic validation procedures to check coherence between statistical units and their variables,
data format and logical content of data
crosschecks with other sources and data from previous years
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
The main users of statistical information are Statistical divisions, whose needs are satisfied without a breach of the confidentiality principle.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
Not available.
12.3. Completeness
All indicators established by the legislation and their components are published.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
The accuracy of the data transmitted to the EGR is:
Units
Assessment
Legal units
Very good
Relationships between legal units
Good
Enterprises characteristics
Good
Enterprises perimeters
Good
Multinational enterprise group (with Global decision centre in my country)
Good
This accuracy assessment is based on:
Regular validation procedures carried out during the integration of statistical and administrative sources
Comparison of data with other administrative sources (e.g., tax authority)
Limited availability of updated information for multinational groups with headquarters in the country, but overall reliable data structure
The main issues regarding accuracy of the data and issue importance are as follows:
Units
Issue
Assessment
Legal units
Occasional delays in updates from administrative sources
Low
Relationships between legal units
Incomplete or outdated links between units
Medium
Enterprises characteristics
Minor inconsistencies between sources
Low
Enterprise perimeter
Difficulties in timely reflecting structural changes
Low
Multinational enterprise group (with Global decision centre in my country)
Limited access to updated group structures and ownership data
Medium
The actions taken to reduce bias (if any) and to improve accuracy of the data are as follows:
Ensuring the quality of administrative data by identifying outliers, missing values, and duplicates, analyzing the results obtained, and correcting the data where necessary
Implementing automated data cross-checking procedures between statistical and administrative data sources
Conducting manual verification of complex unit relationships and enterprise group structures.
13.2. Sampling error
Not applicable.
13.3. Non-sampling error
Not applicable.
14.1. Timeliness
The EGR process refers to a reference year T and is run yearly over a period of 11 months, between May T+1 and March T+2.
14.2. Punctuality
Data is sent in accordance with an EGR cycle calendar.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
Statistical information is comparable across the EU.
15.2. Comparability - over time
Statistical information is fully comparable.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
The definitions of the indicators are coherent with the definitions of corresponding indicators used in structural business statistics, except for the number of enterprises belonging to the global enterprise groups controlled by foreign enterprises. The survey on Lithuanian enterprises controlled by foreign entities also covers enterprises controlled by foreign natural persons.
15.4. Coherence - internal
Indicators are coherent.
Not available.
17.1. Data revision - policy
Not applicable
17.2. Data revision - practice
Not applicable
18.1. Source data
Main administrative data source for delineation of enterprise groups is the State Tax Inspectorate’s questionnaire FR0438 (Controlled units and controlling persons having rights and liabilities), the Information System of Legal Entities Participants (JADIS) of the SE Centre of Registers. Other data sources used: EuroGroups register, statistical data received from statistical surveys on enterprises controlled by Lithuanian entities abroad and Lithuanian enterprises controlled by foreign entities, Information Systems for Participants in Legal Units, Statistical Business Register, annual financial statements of enterprise group and other public data (mass media, Internet).
18.2. Frequency of data collection
National data sent to EGR annually.
18.3. Data collection
Data are obtained from administrative sources according to the agreements. Since December 2021, data from the State Tax Inspectorate’s Controlled units and controlling persons having rights and liabilities questionnaire have been obtained through the State Data Governance Information system link with the State Tax Inspectorate’s Oracle database, data format – tables and since March 2022 data of the Information System of Legal Entities Participants (JADIS) through the web service of the SE Centre of Registers, format – xml files. Data from statistical data sources are used to prepare indicators for enterprise groups.
18.4. Data validation
Statistical data are compared with the data of the previous periods; the differences are analysed. Questionable results are checked using statistical data sources and, if errors are detected, corrected.
18.5. Data compilation
Statistical indicator calculated by grouping and summing up primary data by type of enterprise group (all-resident enterprise group, multinational enterprise group domestically or foreign controlled) and the kind of economic activities.
Control links between legal units are determined and the operational hierarchical structure of the enterprise group with the global group head at the top is defined. The global group head is a legal unit which is not controlled directly or indirectly by any other legal unit. In order to identify a control link between legal units, two rules are applied:
a legal unit directly owns more than 50% of the voting rights of another legal unit;
a legal unit indirectly owns more than 50% of the voting rights of another legal, through subsidiaries.
Using the legal unit identification code, data of the legal units belonging to the enterprise group are retrieved from statistical data sources. Data are used to determine the enterprise group’s indicators.
The process of the preparation of statistical indicators is described in more detailed way in the Order of Management the Statistical Business Register (the document is internal and not publicly available) approved by Order No. DĮ-106 of 28 April 2023 of the Director General of Statistics Lithuania.
18.6. Adjustment
Not applicable.
No comment.
The EuroGroups register (EGR) is the statistical business register of Eurostat and the EU Member States and European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries for multinational enterprise groups. The purpose of the EGR is to offer to statistical users a tool for coordinating frame population, to derive consistent statistical output with an improved quality in measuring global activities of European enterprises part of multinational enterprise groups.
The EGR produces data in yearly cycles and covers microdata on the groups and their enterprises and legal units. The EGR aims to register all multinational enterprise groups that have enterprises in EU Member States or EFTA countries, including European and non-European groups.
The Member States, EFTA countries and Eurostat exchange data on multinational enterprise groups and on the units belonging to those groups for the purposes of the European framework for statistical business registers to ensure the quality of the multinational enterprise group’s information in the Union.
The EGR brings together microdata on multinational enterprise groups from the EU and the EFTA countries' national statistical institutes, in line with the requirements of the Regulation (EU) No 2152/2019, and from a commercial data source for data outside the EU and EFTA.
25 March 2025
Global group head
The global group head (GGH) of an enterprise group is the parent legal unit that is not controlled either directly or indirectly by any other legal unit. The subsidiary legal units of a subsidiary legal unit are considered to be subsidiaries of the parent legal unit.
Global decision centre
The global decision centre (GDC) of an enterprise group is the unit where the enterprise group level’s strategic decisions are taken. A group may have several decision-making centres or several units dedicated to a particular internal function, for example accounting or human resources. However, the decisions about the group are made only in the GDC. The GDC may be the GGH or another legal unit under the GGH.
Ultimate Controlling Institutional unit
The ultimate controlling institutional unit (UCI) of a foreign affiliate means the institutional unit higher up a foreign affiliate’s chain of control that is not controlled by another institutional unit.
The statistical units maintained in the EGR are defined in accordance with the Regulation (EEC) No 696/93 on the statistical units for the observation and analysis of the production system in the Community.
The EGR frame contains the following units: Legal units, Enterprises and Multinational enterprise groups.
Legal units include:
- legal persons whose existence is recognized by law independently of the individuals or institutions which may own them or are members of them,
- natural persons who are engaged in an economic activity in their own right.
The legal unit always forms, either by itself or sometimes in combination with other legal units, the legal basis for the statistical unit known as the 'enterprise'.
Enterprise
The enterprise is the smallest combination of legal units that is an organizational unit producing goods or services, which benefits from a certain degree of autonomy in decision-making, especially for the allocation of its current resources. An enterprise carries out one or more activities at one or more locations. An enterprise may be a sole legal unit.
Multinational enterprise group
A multinational enterprise group is an enterprise group that has at least two enterprises or legal units located in different countries. In business statistics also term ‘global enterprise group’ is used.
The data transmitted to the EGR during the cycle is made of the following datasets.
The data set with information on all incorporated resident legal units for the EGR Identification Service.
ISRLE file including the full population of resident legal units is sent to EGR for identification.
The data set with information on foreign legal units for the EGR Identification Service.
ISNORLE file including the full population of foreign legal unit recorded in national statistical business register is sent to EGR for identification.
The data set with information on legal units.
LEU file including all resident legal unit belonging to a global enterprise group is sent to EGR for processing.
The data set with information on relationships of ownership and control.
REL file including all relationships between legal units is sent to EGR for processing:
two resident legal units
one resident and one foreign legal unit
two foreign legal units from non EU+EFTA countries.
Relationships in the REL are:
control relationships (>50%)
minority relationships (<50%)
The data set with information on enterprises.
ENT file including all enterprises made of legal unit sent in LEU files is sent to EGR for processing.
The Data set with information on links between enterprises and legal units.
LEL file including all links between enterprise (ENT) and legal units (LEU) is sent to EGR for processing.
The Data set with information on enterprise groups of which country is the GDC country for the EuroGroups Register.
GEG file including all groups data is sent to the EGR for processing.
The groups’ variables are updated after receiving the preliminary frame:
Global decision center (GDC)
Ultimate Controlling Institutional unit (UCI)
Number of employees
Net turnover
Whole world
The reference period for data sent to the EGR reflects the picture of 31 December of the given reference year.
Data transmitted to EGR during the EGR 2023 cycle includes data for the 2023 reference year. The identification, economic variables (number of employees, turnover and economic activity) refer to the 2023 reference year.
The accuracy of the data transmitted to the EGR is:
Units
Assessment
Legal units
Very good
Relationships between legal units
Good
Enterprises characteristics
Good
Enterprises perimeters
Good
Multinational enterprise group (with Global decision centre in my country)
Good
This accuracy assessment is based on:
Regular validation procedures carried out during the integration of statistical and administrative sources
Comparison of data with other administrative sources (e.g., tax authority)
Limited availability of updated information for multinational groups with headquarters in the country, but overall reliable data structure
The main issues regarding accuracy of the data and issue importance are as follows:
Units
Issue
Assessment
Legal units
Occasional delays in updates from administrative sources
Low
Relationships between legal units
Incomplete or outdated links between units
Medium
Enterprises characteristics
Minor inconsistencies between sources
Low
Enterprise perimeter
Difficulties in timely reflecting structural changes
Low
Multinational enterprise group (with Global decision centre in my country)
Limited access to updated group structures and ownership data
Medium
The actions taken to reduce bias (if any) and to improve accuracy of the data are as follows:
Ensuring the quality of administrative data by identifying outliers, missing values, and duplicates, analyzing the results obtained, and correcting the data where necessary
Implementing automated data cross-checking procedures between statistical and administrative data sources
Conducting manual verification of complex unit relationships and enterprise group structures.
The economic variables on employment are recorded in absolute figures.
The net turnover for enterprises is recorded in EUR.
The net turnover and net total asset is recorded in millions in EUR.
Statistical indicator calculated by grouping and summing up primary data by type of enterprise group (all-resident enterprise group, multinational enterprise group domestically or foreign controlled) and the kind of economic activities.
Control links between legal units are determined and the operational hierarchical structure of the enterprise group with the global group head at the top is defined. The global group head is a legal unit which is not controlled directly or indirectly by any other legal unit. In order to identify a control link between legal units, two rules are applied:
a legal unit directly owns more than 50% of the voting rights of another legal unit;
a legal unit indirectly owns more than 50% of the voting rights of another legal, through subsidiaries.
Using the legal unit identification code, data of the legal units belonging to the enterprise group are retrieved from statistical data sources. Data are used to determine the enterprise group’s indicators.
The process of the preparation of statistical indicators is described in more detailed way in the Order of Management the Statistical Business Register (the document is internal and not publicly available) approved by Order No. DĮ-106 of 28 April 2023 of the Director General of Statistics Lithuania.
Main administrative data source for delineation of enterprise groups is the State Tax Inspectorate’s questionnaire FR0438 (Controlled units and controlling persons having rights and liabilities), the Information System of Legal Entities Participants (JADIS) of the SE Centre of Registers. Other data sources used: EuroGroups register, statistical data received from statistical surveys on enterprises controlled by Lithuanian entities abroad and Lithuanian enterprises controlled by foreign entities, Information Systems for Participants in Legal Units, Statistical Business Register, annual financial statements of enterprise group and other public data (mass media, Internet).
Not applicable.
The EGR process refers to a reference year T and is run yearly over a period of 11 months, between May T+1 and March T+2.
Statistical information is comparable across the EU.
