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.
Espace de l'Europe 10, 2010 Neuchâtel, Switzerland
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
18 December 2024
2.2. Metadata last posted
18 December 2024
2.3. Metadata last update
18 December 2024
3.1. Data description
Environmental protection expenditure accounts (EPEA) describe transactions related to preventing, reducing and eliminating pollution and any other degradation of the environment. The main aggregate resulting from EPEA is national expenditure on environmental protection (NEEP), which measures the resources dedicated by resident businesses, households and government to protecting the natural environment. This aggregate covers uses of environmental protection services, investment (gross fixed capital formation) for environmental protection activities, and net transfers to the rest of the world for environmental protection. Countries are required to report on: output, consumption, imports and exports of environmental protection services, investment (gross fixed capital formation and acquisitions less disposals of non-produced non-financial assets) for the production of EP services, transfers for environmental protection.
3.2. Classification system
The scope of environmental protection is defined according to the Classification of Environmental Protection Ativities (CEPA), which distinguishes nine environmental domains. Data should be reported according to CEPA; however the mandatory part of the questionnaire restricts data collection to only some environmental domains (depending on the sector/variables).
3.3. Coverage - sector
Data should be reported by institutional sector: general government, corporations, households and the rest of the world. NPISH (non-profit institutions serving households) are not separately identified and are included under general government. The corporations sector is divided between: "corporations as specialist and secondary producers of market EP services" and "corporations other, including corporations as producers of ancillary EP output"; productive activities of households are included under corporations as market producers.
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
The construction of the EPEA closely follows the concepts, definitions and accounting rules of the core national accounts. The SEEA-CF 2012 (section 4.2) identifies environmental protection activities as those activities whose primary purpose is the prevention, reduction and elimination of pollution and other forms of degradation of the environment. These activities include, but are not limited to, the prevention, reduction or treatment of waste and wastewater; the prevention, reduction or elimination of air emissions; the treatment and disposal of contaminated soil and groundwater; the prevention or reduction of noise and vibration levels; the protection of biodiversity and landscapes, including of their ecological functions; monitoring of the quality of the natural environment (air, water, soil and groundwater); research and development on environmental protection; and the general administration, training and teaching activities oriented towards environmental protection. It proposes to use the primary purpose criterion, recognising that many economic activities are undertaken for a variety of purposes, environmental and non-environmental ones.
3.5. Statistical unit
Environmental protection expenditure accounts present data, in a way that is compatible with the data reported under ESA, on the expenditure for environmental protection, i.e. the economic resources devoted by resident units to environmental protection. EPEA use statistical units from national accounts. National accounts define and use various statistical units and groupings of units that interact economically (see ESA 2010, §§ 1.54-1.56, 2.01-2.03).
3.6. Statistical population
The statistical population is the national economy as defined in SEEA CF 2012 and the European System of Accounts (ESA 2010). It includes all economic activities undertaken by resident units to produce environmental protection specific services. While some economic activities may be undertaken only for a single purpose, many activities are undertaken for a variety of purposes. Following general principles of classification, activities are deemed to be environmental activities only if the primary purpose of the activity is consistent with the definitions of the environmental protection.
3.7. Reference area
The reference area of the statistics is Switzerland.The reference area is the economic territory as defined in the European System of Accounts (ESA 2010). A unit is said to be a resident unit of a country when it has its centre of economic interest in the economic territory of that country, that is, when it engages for an extended period (1 year or more) in economic activities in that territory.
3.8. Coverage - Time
Estimates for 2000-2013 are available besides those transmitted for the period 2014-2022.
3.9. Base period
Not applicable
Macro economic variables (output, intermediate consumption, investment etc.) are measured in million units of national currency.
The reference period for EPEA data is the calendar year.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
EPEA accounts are compiled and reported in accordance with Regulation (EU) No. 691/2011 on European environmental economic accounts (EEEA). EPEA follow internationally agreed concepts and definitions set out in the SEEA Central Framework (2012), the international statistical standard adopted by the UN Statistical Commission. They present data in a way that is compatible with National Accounts (ESA, 2010).
In 2019, this regulation was included in Annex A of the bilateral statistical agreement between Switzerland and the European Union. Since then, data transmission became obligatory for Switzerland. Before, Switzerland transmitted data on a voluntary basis.
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
Not applicable
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
The statistical production is mainly framed by the Federal Statistics Act (FStatA) of 9 October 1992 (Status as of 1 January 2016) and the Federal Act on Data Protection (FADP) of 19 June 1992 (Status as of 1 March 2019) in Switzerland. The latter aims to ensure data protection within federal statistical bodies and that published data are aggregated in a way that the persons or enterprises concerned are not recognisable.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
Not applicable
8.1. Release calendar
EPEA data is usually published annually in mid-December.
8.2. Release calendar access
A national dissemination calendar is available in the section “agenda” of the website of the Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO). The date of dissemination is generally communicated a few weeks before publication.
8.3. Release policy - user access
The data are publicly disseminated on the EPEA webpage of the Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO) in an objective, professional and transparent manner in which all users are treated equitably. The users who are interested in these data may subscribe a news mail (available in French, German and Italian) for being informed about the dissemination of data and other publications in the area “Territory and environment”.
See 8.1
10.1. Dissemination format - News release
There is usually no specific press release for the annual dissemination of EPEA data.
10.2. Dissemination format - Publications
EPEA data are mainly published in form of indicators on a dedicated webpage. For each indicator, a graphical representation is available with the possibility to download the corresponding data. Some EPEA indicators are included in environment, climate or sustainable development indicator systems published by the Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO).
10.3. Dissemination format - online database
A summary table is available on the webpage dedicated to “Environmental protection expenditure” (see section “Tables” in the box named “Further information”). They present EPEA data by environmental domain, institutional sector and components for the longest time series available.
10.3.1. Data tables - consultations
Not applicable
10.4. Dissemination format - microdata access
Not applicable
10.5. Dissemination format - other
See S.10.2
10.5.1. Metadata - consultations
Not applicable
10.6. Documentation on methodology
A very short description of the methodology is available in the section “Methodologies” in the box “Further information” of the webpage dedicated to EPEA (see URL under S.10.3). It gives some basic specifications related to the considered definitions and the main principles to ensure national and international comparability. For the interested users, it also includes a link to Eurostat’s manual.
10.6.1. Metadata completeness - rate
Not applicable
10.7. Quality management - documentation
Not available
11.1. Quality assurance
Automatic quality checks and controls are implemented as much as possible in the production process, in order to detect potential problems as early as possible. At the end, the outputs are compared with the results of the last data transmission. If important changes are observed from one year to the next, an explanation has to be found in order to validate the result. It implies to analyse in detail the variations in the data sources and to check the entire production process if necessary.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
The data production is in a constant improvement process. The procedures are improved from one year to the next, by adding automatic controls and plausibility checks. Moreover, data providers are systematically asked to provide corrected data if there are any changes or revisions in the data that they have previously delivered.
Overall, yes, although a distinction between spending on air protection and on climate protection as well as a distinction between spending on biodiversity protection and on landscape protection would be welcome for some users, i.e. for the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN). But producing quality estimates at this level of detail with the data currently available in Switzerland would be a real statistical challenge.
12.3. Completeness
The reported data complies with the reporting obligations under Regulation 691/2011.
12.3.1. Data completeness - rate
Not applicable
13.1. Accuracy - overall
This statistic is based on the best available data. However, there are some known deficiencies and the applied methodology is in a permanent process of improvement.
13.2. Sampling error
Not applicable as EPEA compilation is based on other official statistics
13.2.1. Sampling error - indicators
Not applicable
13.3. Non-sampling error
Not applicable as EPEA compilation is based on other official statistics
13.3.1. Coverage error
Not applicable
13.3.1.1. Over-coverage - rate
Not applicable
13.3.1.2. Common units - proportion
Not applicable
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
Not applicable
13.3.5. Model assumption error
Not applicable
14.1. Timeliness
First estimates are usually available 12 months after the end of a reference year (n). Final results are usually available 24 months after the end of a reference year (n).
14.1.1. Time lag - first result
Not applicable
14.1.2. Time lag - final result
Not applicable
14.2. Punctuality
The data were delivered to Eurostat on 18 December. The reporting deadline for EPEA to Eurostat is 31 December.
14.2.1. Punctuality - delivery and publication
Not applicable
15.1. Comparability - geographical
EPEA statistics are comparable between geographical areas.
15.1.1. Asymmetry for mirror flow statistics - coefficient
Not applicable
15.2. Comparability - over time
There are breaks in series concerning certain variables and/or environmental domains of table S13_S15 related to General Government and NPISH (please see data with the footnote "b)" in the questionnaire). These breaks in series are due to the introduction of the revised financial statistic in 2008, on which the COFOG statistic is based.
15.2.1. Length of comparable time series
Not applicable
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
EPEA statistics are reconcilable with those obtained through other data sources or statistical domains.
15.3.1. Coherence - sub annual and annual statistics
Not applicable
15.3.2. Coherence - National Accounts
EPEA stattistics are consistent with national accounts (NA) data, mainly by using whenever possible data from the NA (COFOG, SUT, production account, sequence of accounts etc.) and by re-scaling data from other sources to NA totals by applying ratios.
15.4. Coherence - internal
EPEA and EGSS data are consistent by using the same data sources and the same methods to estimate the same variables, while of course taking into account the differences between these two accounts as described e.g. in the EPEA Handbook, chapter 4.3.1.
About 0.25 full-time equivalents (FTE) are required for the production and the dissemination of EPEA data and indicators.
17.1. Data revision - policy
The data is usually subject to routine revision each year (see S.17.2).
17.2. Data revision - practice
Three types of revisions are defined: routine revisions, methodological revisions and non-scheduled revisions.
Routine revisions are carried out every year : Each year, the data for the years concerned are revised if the sources of the basic data have been revised. For example, the complete time series is actualized at each revision of the National Accounts (NA). Any errors found are also corrected.
Methodological revisions are divided into : • Benchmark revisions induced by new estimation methods or new data sources • Conceptual revisions induced by new international recommendations In the case of such revisions, data for the complete time series are recalculated according to the new data or concepts and nomenclatures of the new system.
Non-scheduled revisions : An unplanned revision is carried out when, for example, it is not possible to wait until the next planned revision, e.g. as a result of an unforeseeable revision of a major data source that significantly affects the estimates.
17.2.1. Data revision - average size
Not applicable
18.1. Source data
Our main source data are National Accounts (NA) and Environmental goods and services sector (EGSS).
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Source data are collected annually.
18.3. Data collection
Not applicable
18.4. Data validation
Controls and plausibility checks are implemented as often as possible in the various steps of the production process in order to detect possible problems as early as possible. The source data is mainly controlled by checking the changes from year to year and also by comparing it with other data sources when available. If some data seems suspicious, the data provider is contacted to get additional information and clarify. The output data are mainly controlled by comparing the results with the results of the previous data transmission. The changes are analysed both in absolute and relative terms. Relatively important variations have to be clarified and explained by checking the entire production process and by analysing the source data in more detail.
We check the quality of the data collected to compile EPEA as much as possible. When possible, we compare different data sources or perform other checks (e.g. plausibility and coherence of the ratio D1/FTE).
18.5. Data compilation
Not applicable
18.5.1. Imputation - rate
Not applicable
18.6. Adjustment
Not applicable
18.6.1. Seasonal adjustment
Not applicable
No further comments.
Environmental protection expenditure accounts (EPEA) describe transactions related to preventing, reducing and eliminating pollution and any other degradation of the environment. The main aggregate resulting from EPEA is national expenditure on environmental protection (NEEP), which measures the resources dedicated by resident businesses, households and government to protecting the natural environment. This aggregate covers uses of environmental protection services, investment (gross fixed capital formation) for environmental protection activities, and net transfers to the rest of the world for environmental protection. Countries are required to report on: output, consumption, imports and exports of environmental protection services, investment (gross fixed capital formation and acquisitions less disposals of non-produced non-financial assets) for the production of EP services, transfers for environmental protection.
18 December 2024
The construction of the EPEA closely follows the concepts, definitions and accounting rules of the core national accounts. The SEEA-CF 2012 (section 4.2) identifies environmental protection activities as those activities whose primary purpose is the prevention, reduction and elimination of pollution and other forms of degradation of the environment. These activities include, but are not limited to, the prevention, reduction or treatment of waste and wastewater; the prevention, reduction or elimination of air emissions; the treatment and disposal of contaminated soil and groundwater; the prevention or reduction of noise and vibration levels; the protection of biodiversity and landscapes, including of their ecological functions; monitoring of the quality of the natural environment (air, water, soil and groundwater); research and development on environmental protection; and the general administration, training and teaching activities oriented towards environmental protection. It proposes to use the primary purpose criterion, recognising that many economic activities are undertaken for a variety of purposes, environmental and non-environmental ones.
Environmental protection expenditure accounts present data, in a way that is compatible with the data reported under ESA, on the expenditure for environmental protection, i.e. the economic resources devoted by resident units to environmental protection. EPEA use statistical units from national accounts. National accounts define and use various statistical units and groupings of units that interact economically (see ESA 2010, §§ 1.54-1.56, 2.01-2.03).
The statistical population is the national economy as defined in SEEA CF 2012 and the European System of Accounts (ESA 2010). It includes all economic activities undertaken by resident units to produce environmental protection specific services. While some economic activities may be undertaken only for a single purpose, many activities are undertaken for a variety of purposes. Following general principles of classification, activities are deemed to be environmental activities only if the primary purpose of the activity is consistent with the definitions of the environmental protection.
The reference area of the statistics is Switzerland.The reference area is the economic territory as defined in the European System of Accounts (ESA 2010). A unit is said to be a resident unit of a country when it has its centre of economic interest in the economic territory of that country, that is, when it engages for an extended period (1 year or more) in economic activities in that territory.
The reference period for EPEA data is the calendar year.
This statistic is based on the best available data. However, there are some known deficiencies and the applied methodology is in a permanent process of improvement.
Macro economic variables (output, intermediate consumption, investment etc.) are measured in million units of national currency.
Not applicable
Our main source data are National Accounts (NA) and Environmental goods and services sector (EGSS).
See 8.1
First estimates are usually available 12 months after the end of a reference year (n). Final results are usually available 24 months after the end of a reference year (n).
EPEA statistics are comparable between geographical areas.
There are breaks in series concerning certain variables and/or environmental domains of table S13_S15 related to General Government and NPISH (please see data with the footnote "b)" in the questionnaire). These breaks in series are due to the introduction of the revised financial statistic in 2008, on which the COFOG statistic is based.
