1.1. Contact organisation
Federal Planning Bureau
1.2. Contact organisation unit
Sectoral and environmental accounts and analyses
1.3. Contact name
Confidential because of GDPR
1.4. Contact person function
Confidential because of GDPR
1.5. Contact mail address
Belliardstraat 14-18
1040 Brussel
Belgium
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
30 April 2025
2.2. Metadata last posted
30 April 2025
2.3. Metadata last update
30 April 2025
3.1. Data description
Economy-wide material flow accounts (EW-MFA) provide an aggregate overview, in thousand tonnes per year, of the material flows into and out of an economy. EW-MFA cover solid, gaseous, and liquid materials, except for bulk flows of water and air. Like the system of national accounts, EW-MFA constitute a multi-purpose information system. The detailed material flows provide a rich empirical database for numerous analytical purposes. Further, EW-MFA are used to derive various material flow indicators.
The National Statistical Institute (NSI) sent to Eurostat on yearly basis the EW-MFA. The accounts comprise the following reporting tables:
- Table A - Domestic extraction (DE): records material flows from the environment into the economy in a detailed breakdown by type of material
- Table B - Imports - total imports (intra- and extra-EU) and Table D - Exports – total exports (intra- and extra-EU): These physical trade tables record the imports and exports of products in thousand tonnes and grouped by materials.
- Table F - Domestic processed output (DPO): records material flows from the economy to the domestic environment (e.g. emissions to air, water and soil)
- Table G - Balancing items: reports some memorandum items which are necessary to have the full material balance related to a national economy
- Table H - Indicators: presents the EW-MFA derived indicators which are automatically calculated from Table A to G
- Table I - Material flow accounts in raw material equivalents (RME): records material flow accounts in raw material equivalents (MFA-RME). Some items are calculated automatically based on data reported in Table A and Table I.
3.2. Classification system
EW-MFA record physical flows of materials broken down by type of flow and by type of material.
The type of flow dimension corresponds to the EW-MFA questionnaire reporting tables and derived indicators, namely:
- domestic extraction (Table A)
- physical imports (Table B)
- physical exports (Table D)
- domestic processed output (Table F)
- balancing items (Table G)
- direct material input (indicator)
- domestic material consumption (indicator)
- physical trade balance (indicator)
The breakdown by type of material employs a classification of materials. This EW-MFA classification of materials is hierarchical with main material flow categories (1-digit level). Each main category is further broken down, maximal down to 4-digit-level:
1-digit: material category;
2-digit: material class;
3-digit: material group;
4-digit: material sub-group.
3.3. Coverage - sector
The data refer to national economies as defined in the system of national accounts.
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
Conceptually economy-wide material flow accounts (EW-MFA) belong to the international System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA). Furthermore, EW-MFA is one of several physical modules of Eurostat's programme on European environmental economic accounts. It is covered by Regulation (EU) No. 691/2011 on European environmental economic accounts.
EW-MFA are closely related to concepts and definitions of national accounts. Most notably they follow the residence principle, i.e. they record material flows related to resident unit's activities, regardless where those occur geographically.
Further methodological guidelines are provided in various publications by Eurostat (see Eurostat website > Environment > Methodology, heading: 'Material flows and resource productivity').
For more detailed information please see also 3.1.
3.5. Statistical unit
Statistical units change according to the different data sources (e.g. agriculture, forestry and fishery statistics, production statistics, geological surveys, energy statistics, foreign trade statistics etc.) which EW-MFA are based on.
3.6. Statistical population
EW-MFA refer to the entire national economy of the reporting country (see also 3.3 'Coverage - sector')).
EW-MFA include all materials (excluding water and air) crossing the system boundary (between the environment and the economy) on the input side or on the output side. The economy is demarcated by the conventions of the national accounting system (resident units).
Material inputs to the economy cover extractions of natural resources (excluding water and air) from the natural environment and imports of material products (goods) from the rest of the world economy (ROW).
Material outputs are disposals of materials to the natural environment and exports of material products and waste to the ROW. Information on natural resources extracted and traded products is provided by different statistical units.
3.7. Reference area
Belgium
3.8. Coverage - Time
Please see the table in 3.8.1.
3.8.1. Coverage – Time: by questionnaire table
| Questionnaire table |
From (YEAR) |
To (YEAR) |
Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic extraction (Table A) |
1990 |
2023 |
|
| Imports – Total trade (Table B) |
1990 |
2023 |
|
| Exports – Total trade (Table D) |
1990 |
2023 |
|
| Domestic processed output (Table F) |
1990 |
2023 |
Most of the data for 2022 and 2023 are estimates |
| Balancing items (Table G) |
1990 |
2023 |
Calculated with the table G estimation tool |
| Material flow accounts in raw material equivalents (RME) (Table I) |
2008 |
2020 |
Domestic extraction available for 1990-2023 |
3.9. Base period
Not applicable because EW-MFA are not reported as indices.
The unit of measure is thousand tonnes.
The data refer to the calendar years.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
Economy-wide material flow accounts (EW-MFA) are legally covered by Regulation (EU) 691/2011 on European Environmental Economic Accounts.
The Federal Planning Bureau of Belgium has been entrusted with the analysis of sustainable development policies and the construction of satellite accounts to the national accounts by the Belgian government, by means of the law of 21 December 1994 on social and diverse provisions.
Annexes:
law determining the tasks of the Federal Planning Bureau (in French)
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
Not applicable in national level this information is required at European level only.
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
Law of 4 July 1962 on public statistics.
There are no dataset specific rules.
Annexes:
Law of 4 July 1962 on public statistics (in French)
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
A cell is considered non confidential if its value is based on at least 3 entities, and none of these 3 entities counts for 80% or more of the value.
8.1. Release calendar
EW-MFA data are released each year at the end of April after their approval by the scientific committee and the council of the Institute for National Accounts and their ensuing delivery to Eurostat.
8.2. Release calendar access
see URL
Annexes:
publication calendar of the Institute for National Accounts (in French)
8.3. Release policy - user access
EW-MFA data are publicly available on the website of the Federal Planning Bureau. There is no official press release about the publication of the data. The press is nevertheless informed about the fact that a new publication is available.
yearly
10.1. Dissemination format - News release
non-existent
10.2. Dissemination format - Publications
Federal Planning Bureau, Institute for National Accounts, Economy-Wide Material Accounts 2008-2023, April 2025 (available in French and Dutch).
Annexes:
EW-MFA Belgium 2025
10.3. Dissemination format - online database
EW-MFA database 1995-2023
Annexes:
EW-MFA Belgium 2025
10.3.1. Data tables - consultations
Will be calculated and provided by EUROSTAT.
10.4. Dissemination format - microdata access
no microdata available
10.5. Dissemination format - other
The EW-MFA data are also disseminated by Eurostat by means of the Eurobase website.
10.5.1. Metadata - consultations
Will be calculated and provided by EUROSTAT.
10.6. Documentation on methodology
The 2020 methodology for the Belgian EW-MFA has been devised in the context of grant agreement 881528 — 2019-BE-ENVECO.
10.6.1. Metadata completeness - rate
Will be calculated and provided by EUROSTAT.
10.7. Quality management - documentation
There is no document describing the measures to assure the quality of EW-MFA data apart from the Eurostat quality report, the contents of which are included in this Metadata file.
11.1. Quality assurance
The EW-MFA standard tables contain in-built plausibility checks, while Eurostat provides a validation procedure.
The data are also validated by the scientific committee of the Institute for National Accounts.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
The following weaknesses have been identified:
It is impossible to calculate the adjustment for the residence principle for air transport in the trade tables for years prior to 2014. This is only of minor importance, though. The adjustments are really small related to the total trade in materials.
Data quality is lower for:
- MF.1.2.2.1 Fodder crops (including biomass harvest from grassland): The part on biomass harvest from grassland has to be estimated for the largest part due to a lack of data. In order to obtain estimates for biomass harvested from grassland, we combined STATBEL crop production data with STATBEL farm survey data on the area of different types of grassland. For the period 1990-2011 the latter contain information on temporary and permanent grassland for biomass harvesting. We were able to calculate biomass harvested from grassland in tons per are for the period 2007-2011. The average value over this period was then applied to the area of temporary and permanent grassland for biomass harvesting during the period 1990-2006 in order to obtain values for biomass harvested from grassland. In order to obtain an estimate for biomass harvested from grassland for 2014-2023, we calculated a 2007-2013 average biomass harvested from grassland/other fodder crops ratio, which is quite stable around 20%, and applied this to the production of the other fodder crops.
- MF.1.3.1 and MF.1.3.2 Timber and fuel wood: consists of 2 regional parts, but both are not available for the entire time series. For Flanders data is available for the period 1991-2009. The 1990 value is based on a ratio with respect to the Walloon values. As of 2010, the Flemish part is an extrapolation based on the evolution of employment in NACE 02 and the average extraction per unit of employment in the years 2003-2009. Only the Walloon part is data-based. For Wallonia data are available for the period 1995-2018. For the period 1990-1994 domestic extraction values are calculated on the basis of the average extraction per unit of employment in NACE 02 for the 2-1995-2000 period. As of 2019 the domestic extraction values for Wallonia are an extrapolation on the basis of the average extraction per unit of employment in the period 2013-2018. The total for wood is split into the two required components, timber and fuelwood, on the basis of Eurobase database for_remov, which shows this distinction for the period 1999-2011 and the year 2017, albeit expressed in cubic metres. The application of the percentage shares calculated on the basis of cubic metres, implies that we assume that the weight per cubic metre is equal for all types of wood extraction. The percentage shares for the period 2012-2016 were linearly interpolated between the 2011 and 2017 values. For the year 2020 we can take the percentage shares from the European Forest Accounts. These shares were also applied for the period 2021-2023. For the years 2018-2019, we linearly interpolated the shares between 2017 and 2020 values.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
The data are used as part of the sustainable development indicators, published by the Federal Planning Bureau.
Annexes:
SDI domestic material consumption
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
No measurement
12.3. Completeness
It is impossible to calculate the adjustment for the residence principle for air transport in the trade tables for years prior to 2013. This is only of minor importance, though. The adjustments are really small related to the total trade in materials.
12.3.1. Data completeness - rate
Will be calculated and provided by EUROSTAT.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
Please use Annex 3 for providing an assessment of the overall quality of the reported data.
Annexes:
EW-MFA Annex 3
13.2. Sampling error
Not applicable because data are not based on a sample survey.
13.2.1. Sampling error - indicators
Not applicable because data are not based on a sample survey.
13.3. Non-sampling error
Not applicable.
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
The data set with reference year 2023 was ready by the first half of March 2025. This does not imply that at that moment the data were available to the public, though. This is the case only after approval by both the Scientific Committee and the Direction Committee of the Institute for the National Accounts. As a consequence, the Belgian EW-MFA are publicly available only by the end of April. The EW-MFA 2025 were made public on 30 Arpil 2025.
The production and publication of the EW-MFA 2025 took 0.9 person-months.
14.1.1. Time lag - first result
16 months
14.1.2. Time lag - final result
16 months, except if changes are necessary following Eurostat validation.
14.2. Punctuality
All data were delivered on time.
14.2.1. Punctuality - delivery and publication
Will be calculated and provided by EUROSTAT.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
Data on EW-MFA are compiled according to harmonised guidelines provided by Eurostat and hence comparable across European countries reporting EW-MFA data to Eurostat.
15.1.1. Asymmetry for mirror flow statistics - coefficient
Not applicable because physical imports and exports as recorded in EW-MFA are not specified by origin and/or destination.
15.2. Comparability - over time
Please see the table in 15.2.1.1.
15.2.1. Length of comparable time series
Will be calculated and provided by EUROSTAT.
15.2.1.1. Comparability - over time detailed
Please use below table for explaining b)-flags (breaks in time series):
| Year (of the break in series) | Questionnaire table(s) | MF-code(s) | Reason for' break in time series' |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Table F | MF.7.3 | The Waterbase WISE Emissions database has been updated for Belgium for the period 2010-2019. |
| 2020 | Table F | MF.7.4.4 | A break in the time series of the domestic processed output of compost in 2020. Reason: break in env_wasmun source data. |
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
no cross domain checking
15.3.1. Coherence - sub annual and annual statistics
Not applicable; reported EW-MFA data are only annual.
15.3.2. Coherence - National Accounts
It is impossible to calculate the adjustment for the residence principle for air transport in the trade tables for years prior to 2014.
15.4. Coherence - internal
Data are internally consistent
production cost of the EW-MFA 2025 = 0.9 person-months
17.1. Data revision - policy
When data are revised, the entire series is recalculated according to the new methodology.
17.2. Data revision - practice
Table A
All 2023 values were updated from estimates to regular values.
MF.1.1 Crops: The way in which missing data in the apro_cpnh1 database has been changed for several crops, in order to avoid just repeating a fixed value for several years.
1) other root crops n.e.c.: 2020-2023 has been estimated by applying the evolution of the sum of potatoes and sugar beet to the 2019 value for other root crops n.e.c.
2) linseed (oilflax): 1993-2003+2009-2010+2014-2023 has been estimated by applying the (1990-1992+2004-2008+2011-2013)-average ratio of linseed over fibre flax to the corresponding values for fibre flax.
3) tobacco and hops: average production in ton per are was calculated over the period 1990-2009+2011-2013, after which this average was applied to the production area in 2010 and 2014-2023.
4) celeriac: average production in ton per are was calculated over the period 1999-2023, after which this average was applied to the production area in 1990-1998.
5) nuts: 2019-2023 has been estimated by applying the average production in ton per are during 2012-2018, to the production area in 2019-2023. The 1990-1999 production is based on the FAO data for Belgium-Lucembourg and the 2000-2018 average Belgian share. In the 2024 EW-MFA, the 2019-2022 share had been kept constant at the 2018 value and also taken into account to calculate the average. However, only the 2000-2018 values are based on actual data, so only these should be taken into account.
MF.1.3 Wood: The extrapolation of the Flemish data for the production in the period 2010-2023 has been done on the basis of the evolution of employment in Flemish NACE 02 and the average Flemish production per employee in the period 2003-2009, instead of using a fixed ratio to Walloon production. Furthermore, instead of using a fixed average share of industrial roundwood in total roundwood during the 2012-2016 period, we interpolated the share between 2011 and 2017.
MF.1.3 MEMO: Net increment of timber stock (memo item ) was corrected for the entire 1990-2023 time series to make it compatible with the European Forest Accounts.
MF.1.4.3 Hunting and gathering : For the first time an estimate was made of the domestic extraction of biomass due to hunting, on the basis of data on the numbers of animals shot and average weights of different animals. Calculations were made for the period 1999-2023.
MF.3 Non-metallic minerals: changes are due to changes in PRODCOM data.
MF.3.A Excavated earth was updated on the basis of the most recent version of the Walloon EW-MFA (1995-2018)
MF.4.1.2 Hard coal: 2016-2021 revised on the basis of the IEA Coal questionnaire
Table B: Imports
2023 data for MF.1.3.1 Timber (industrial roundwood) were corrected.
Data on fuels bunkered for 2021-2023 were updated
Table D: Exports
2023 data for MF.1.3.1 Timber (industrial roundwood), MF.1.5.3 Dairy products, birds eggs, and honey, MF.2.3 Products mainly from metals and MF.4.2.1 Crude oil, condensate and natural gas liquids (NGL) were corrected.
Data on fuels bunkered for 2021-2023 were updated
17.2.1. Data revision - average size
Will be calculated and provided by EUROSTAT.
18.1. Source data
Data sources used to produce economy-wide material flow accounts are described in the sub-concepts 18.1.1 (and Annex) and 18.1.2.
18.1.1. Source data - Table A, B, D, F and G
Please use Annex 1 to report the detailed data sources for questionnaire tables A, B, D, F and G.
Annexes:
EW-MFA Annex 1
18.1.2. Source data - Table I
Table I was produced by means of the Eurostat country RME tool. In this section we present the data that have to be filled out in each of the individual sheets of this tool.
1.1. Sheet I-1 COMEXT 182
This sheet is accompanied by data from the COMEXT database on external trade, expressed in millions of euros as well as in tonnes, with a distinction between intra- and extra-EU trade. These data have been compiled according to the community principle. For most EU-countries, the difference with trade according to the national principle, which should be adhered to for the environmental economic accounts, is negligible. However, for countries with harbours serving a vast foreign hinterland, such as Belgium, the difference is known to be substantial. The trade data in this sheet were therefore not based on the accompanying input file, as rather filled with data according to the national principle. In order to do so, we had to convert the standard international trade CN8 codes to RME182-codes. For this purpose, we made use of conversion tables provided by Eurostat.
1.2. Sheet I-2 Tot IMP EXP Nat Acc
This sheet contains trade data from the national accounts in millions of euros: total exports (P6), total exports of goods (P61), total exports of services (P62), total imports (P7), total imports of goods (P71) and total imports of services (P72). No adjustments were necessary to the data from the accompanying input data file.
1.3. Sheet I-3 IMP SUPPLY 64
This sheet is accompanied by data on 2010-2019 imports and supply at basic prices in millions of euros for 65 CPA product codes. However, there was a mistake in the tables due to a difference in the number of products in the Belgian supply tables. The Belgian supply tables published on the website of the NBB, and copied into the Eurostat RME-tool, only contain 63 CPA product codes, but they also contain 65 lines due to the inclusion of trade margins and transport margins. Furthermore, in sheet I-3, CPA 68 is split into “Real estate services excluding imputed rents” and “Imputed rents of owner-occupied dwellings”. This is not the case in the Belgian supply tables published on the NBB website. Another difference consists in the fact that sheet I-3 contains a line for CPA U “Services provided by extraterritorial organisations and bodies”. This is not the case in the Belgian supply tables. As a consequence, we had to shift some of the lines in sheet I-3 for the years 2010-2019 in order to put all the data in the correct lines.
After these changes, the values for 2010-2014 corresponded exactly to the supply tables published on the NBB website. However, the values for 2015 did not. So, we replaced them by the values found on the NBB website. We also added data for 2008-2009 from the supply tables published by the NBB. The 2020 data were gap filled by the RME tool.
1.4. Sheet I-4 EXP 64
This sheet is accompanied by data on exports in millions of euros for 65 CPA product codes for the years 2010, 2014-16 and 2019. The data were slightly different from the data found in the use tables published on the NBB website. We therefore used the latter for the entire 2008-2019 time series. The 2020 values were gap filled by the RME tool.
The same problems following from the difference in the number of products between the official tables and the ones in the RME tool had to be dealt with.
1.5. Sheet I-5 IMP Services
This sheet is accompanied by data on 2010-2019 total and extra-EU imports in millions of euros for 43 CPA product codes (CPA 33 to CPA U). As far as total imports are concerned everything is of course identical to sheet I-3. This also implies that 2020 is gap filled by the RME tool. Values for extra-EU imports were taken from sheet I-1 for 2008-2019.
1.6. Sheet I-6 Energy balance IMP-EXP
This sheet is accompanied by data on exports, imports, marine bunkers and aviation bunkers for different types of fuels, expressed in tonnes of oil equivalents, for the period 2008-2021. The data source is the Eurostat database on energy balances. No adjustments were made to the data in the input data file.
1.7. Sheet I-7 Energy balance Nuclear heat
This sheet is accompanied by data on the primary production of nuclear heat, expressed in tonnes of oil equivalents, for the period 2008-2021. The data source is the Eurostat database on energy balances. No adjustments were made to the data in the input data file.
1.8. Sheet I-8 Bunker fuels IOT concept
This sheet has to be filled with 2008-2021 data on imports and exports of bunker fuels, expressed in tonnes. Imports correspond to bunkering by resident units abroad, exports to bunkering by non-resident units on the Belgian territory. Imports and exports of bunker fuels are calculated for the PEFA. The energy data in TJ are transformed into tonnes for the EW-MFA.
1.9. Sheet I-9 EW-MFA
This sheet is filled with data from the EW-MFA on domestic extraction, imports, exports, Domestic Material Consumption (DMC) and direct material input by main raw material categories and for nuclear fuel for the period 2008-2021.
1.10. Sheet I-10 Electricity mix
This sheet is accompanied by data from the Eurostat database on energy balances for the period 2008-2020 on the percentage shares of different inputs to produce electricity. No adjustments are necessary.
1.11. Sheet I-11 Secondary metal ratio
This sheet has to be filled with data on the share of secondary metal production to total metal production by metals. The input data file contains percentages calculated on the basis of USGS reports (for copper, aluminium, lead), the BIR Report for steel, and the ILZSG for zinc. For Belgium all data are available except for aluminium. There is some production of aluminium alloys (CPA 24.42.11.54) in Belgium. No data could be found on the input structure of the company producing this product. As a consequence, it was impossible to determine the share of its production based on secondary raw materials.
1.12. Sheet I-12 SBS basic metals
This sheet contains data from the Structural Business Statistics (SBS) on basic metal production in millions of euros. The source is Eurostat database sbs_na_ind_r2. Unfortunately, for Belgium the table contains confidential data. Where possible, we calculated the data by means of interpolation. The other gaps were filled assuming fixed shares of individual metals in total manufacturing of basic precious and other non-ferrous metals. The production of precious metals was calculated as a rest category.
1.13. Sheet I-13 Monetary reference figures
This sheet contains national accounts data on total Gross Domestic Product (GDP), exports and imports in chain linked volumes, with index 2005=100. The input data file contains all these data for the period 2008-2021. No adjustments were necessary.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
yearly
18.3. Data collection
No surveys.
18.4. Data validation
Validation checks are built into the EW-MFA questionnaire. These are applied, after which explanations are added in footnotes where necessary.
Furthermore, a comparison is made with the previous year version of the EW-MFA in order to check for large differences.
If necessary and possible, source data are corrected.
18.5. Data compilation
No surveys.
18.5.1. Imputation - rate
Not applicable.
18.5.2. Estimation approaches for specific items
See Annex 2
Annexes:
EW-MFA Annex 2
18.5.3. Adjustment used of correspondence table for Tables B and D
Eurostat's correspondence table is used.
18.5.4. Adjustment used of conversion factors for Tables B and D
Where necessary Annex 6 of the EW-MFA questionnaire is used to convert data into tonnes.
18.5.5. Fuel trade, residence adjustment
The Belgian environmental accounts make a residence principle adjustment for road transport, air transport (as of 2013), maritime transport and inland water transport.
ROAD TRANSPORT
The methodology to adjust fuel use for road transport consists of two steps. The first step entails the derivation of the kilometers driven by residents abroad and the kilometers driven on the Belgian territory by foreigners with the help of the balance of vehicle kilometers. This can be done for three types of vehicles: passenger cars, light duty vehicles and heavy duty vehicles. In step two the balance of vehicle kilometers is connected with data on fuel use on the Belgian territory by vehicle type.
The balance of vehicle kilometers is calculated by the Federal Public Service (FPS) Mobility. Separate data exist for passenger cars, light duty vehicles and heavy duty vehicles on the number of vehicle kilometers driven by Belgian residents irrespective of the territory where the kilometers were driven (estimated on the basis of kilometers recorded by technical vehicle control institutions), by Belgian residents and foreigners together in Belgium (estimated on the basis of traffic counting), and by Belgian residents in Belgium. On the basis of these data one can calculate the number of vehicle kilometers driven by Belgian residents abroad and by foreigners in Belgium.
Once the balance of vehicle kilometers has been established for passenger cars, heavy duty vehicles and light duty vehicles, the next step in order to be able to apply the residence principle to the EW-MFA trade tables is to calculate for each vehicle type the fuel use linked to the vehicle kilometers by Belgian residents abroad on the one hand and to the vehicle kilometers by non-residents in Belgium on the other hand.
Data on total fuel consumption expressed in tonnes by vehicle type, calculated on the basis of regional transport models, are available for the three regions in Belgium: Brussels-Capital, Flanders and Wallonia. These data are territorial, and thus reflect fuel consumption by both Belgian residents and non-residents on Belgian roads.
The fuel consumption by vehicle type was subsequently divided by the total number of vehicle kilometers driven on Belgian roads by both residents and non-residents in order to obtain fuel consumption in tonne per kilometer. For each vehicle type it is thus assumed that the average Belgian vehicle has the same fuel consumption per kilometer as the average foreign vehicle.
Fuel consumption per kilometer was finally applied to the number of vehicle kilometers driven by Belgians abroad as well as to the number of vehicle kilometers driven by non-residents in Belgium. This gives an estimate of fuel consumption in tonnes by Belgians abroad and by non-residents in Belgium. And this is exactly what is needed to adjust the EW-MFA to the residence principle. Fuel consumption by Belgians abroad has been added to the imports table of the EW-MFA, while fuel consumption by non-residents in Belgium has been added to the exports table.
This method allows us to calculate the road transport adjustments until 2017 only, however. The calculation of the vehicle kilometer balance was discontinued as of 2018. The 2017 percentage adjustments are applied to the 2018-2023 period.
AIR TRANSPORT
Resident adjustment for air transport are based on the OECD data for CO2 emissions. These emissions were translated into TeraJoules for the PEFA and into tonnes for the EW-MFA. They are only available as of 2013. No extrapolation into the past was undertaken.
INLAND WATERWAYS TRANSPORT
Energy use for inland waterways transport is taken from the regional energy balances, which show the use of energy for inland waterways transport on the respective regional territories. Adding these together we obtain the use of energy for inland waterways transport on the Belgian territory, expressed in TeraJoules. For 2021 the use of diesel for inland waterways transport for Brussels-Capital was estimated using that year's growth rate in Flanders+Wallonia. For 2022 the use of diesel for inland waterways transport for Wallonia was estimated using that year's growth rate in Flanders+Brussels-Captial. The TeraJoules were converted into kilo-tonnes on the basis of the conversion factor for the gross calorific value of diesel found in Appendix A3.8 of the Energy Statistics Manual of the International Energy Agency. As the 2025 PEFA, containing 2023 data, was not available yet at the moment of production of the 2025 EW-MFA, we had to use 2022 data for 2023.
The Eurostat database on the measurement of inland waterways transport of goods (iww_go_anave) contains data on the tonne-kilometers of all inland waterways ships in Belgium by nationality. Assuming there to be no difference in the energy use per tonne-kilometer between a Belgian and a foreign inland water ship, this enables the split of the territorial value for energy use in a part attributable to residents and a part attributable to non-residents. The latter is to be considered as exports of fuel.
The Eurostat database iww_go_anave also contains information on the tonne-kilometers by Belgian inland water ships abroad. Assuming Belgian inland water ships abroad to use the same amount of energy per tonne-kilometer as Belgian ships in Belgium, this information enables the calculation of fuel use for inland waterways transport by Belgian residents abroad. The latter is to be considered as imports of fuel.
MARITIME TRANSPORT
The adjustment for maritime transport starts from the data on international marine bunkers of diesel and heavy fuel found in the Flemish energy balance, converted into tonnes by means of the average net calorific values found in the oil questionnaire, the total use of NACE 50A (maritime transport) of product 19A (petroleum products) in the SUT (supply and use tables), and from the calculation of the share of foreign ships in the gross weight of goods transported to and from main ports, based on data found in Eurostat database mar_go_am.
First, the total monetary use of product 19A by resident companies is split into diesel and heavy fuel oil on the basis of the Flemish energy balance (assuming resident and non-resident companies to use the same mix of oil products) and prices for the two products obtained from the Federal Public Service Economy. Then the prices are used to calculate the use of diesel and heavy fuel oil by residents in physical terms. These are converted into tonnes by means of the average net calorific values found in the oil questionnaire. Then the share of foreign ships in the gross weight of goods transported to and from main ports is applied to the international marine bunkers found in the Flemish energy balance. This results in an estimate of the diesel and heavy fuel purchased in Belgium by non-residents (to be added to exports in the EW-MFA). The rest of the international marine bunkers is purchased by residents. The amount of diesel and heavy fuel purchased by Belgian resident ships abroad is calculated by deducting the estimated part bought in Belgium from total use found in the monetary use tables (transformed into tonnes on the basis of an average price). This part is added to imports.
18.5.6. Significant problems
Data on biomass harvested from grassland are only available for 2007-2013.
Data on the production of straw are available only for 2007-2013.
Trade data in physical terms have to be checked for errors/outliers.
PEFA data necessary to calculate residence principle adjustments are not available for the reference year (the most recent year to be reported) because the PEFA is only ready by September.
18.6. Adjustment
Not applicable; i.e. in EW-MFA no time series adjustment necessary.
18.6.1. Seasonal adjustment
Not applicable.
No further comment.
Economy-wide material flow accounts (EW-MFA) provide an aggregate overview, in thousand tonnes per year, of the material flows into and out of an economy. EW-MFA cover solid, gaseous, and liquid materials, except for bulk flows of water and air. Like the system of national accounts, EW-MFA constitute a multi-purpose information system. The detailed material flows provide a rich empirical database for numerous analytical purposes. Further, EW-MFA are used to derive various material flow indicators.
The National Statistical Institute (NSI) sent to Eurostat on yearly basis the EW-MFA. The accounts comprise the following reporting tables:
- Table A - Domestic extraction (DE): records material flows from the environment into the economy in a detailed breakdown by type of material
- Table B - Imports - total imports (intra- and extra-EU) and Table D - Exports – total exports (intra- and extra-EU): These physical trade tables record the imports and exports of products in thousand tonnes and grouped by materials.
- Table F - Domestic processed output (DPO): records material flows from the economy to the domestic environment (e.g. emissions to air, water and soil)
- Table G - Balancing items: reports some memorandum items which are necessary to have the full material balance related to a national economy
- Table H - Indicators: presents the EW-MFA derived indicators which are automatically calculated from Table A to G
- Table I - Material flow accounts in raw material equivalents (RME): records material flow accounts in raw material equivalents (MFA-RME). Some items are calculated automatically based on data reported in Table A and Table I.
30 April 2025
Conceptually economy-wide material flow accounts (EW-MFA) belong to the international System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA). Furthermore, EW-MFA is one of several physical modules of Eurostat's programme on European environmental economic accounts. It is covered by Regulation (EU) No. 691/2011 on European environmental economic accounts.
EW-MFA are closely related to concepts and definitions of national accounts. Most notably they follow the residence principle, i.e. they record material flows related to resident unit's activities, regardless where those occur geographically.
Further methodological guidelines are provided in various publications by Eurostat (see Eurostat website > Environment > Methodology, heading: 'Material flows and resource productivity').
For more detailed information please see also 3.1.
Statistical units change according to the different data sources (e.g. agriculture, forestry and fishery statistics, production statistics, geological surveys, energy statistics, foreign trade statistics etc.) which EW-MFA are based on.
EW-MFA refer to the entire national economy of the reporting country (see also 3.3 'Coverage - sector')).
EW-MFA include all materials (excluding water and air) crossing the system boundary (between the environment and the economy) on the input side or on the output side. The economy is demarcated by the conventions of the national accounting system (resident units).
Material inputs to the economy cover extractions of natural resources (excluding water and air) from the natural environment and imports of material products (goods) from the rest of the world economy (ROW).
Material outputs are disposals of materials to the natural environment and exports of material products and waste to the ROW. Information on natural resources extracted and traded products is provided by different statistical units.
Belgium
The data refer to the calendar years.
Please use Annex 3 for providing an assessment of the overall quality of the reported data.
Annexes:
EW-MFA Annex 3
The unit of measure is thousand tonnes.
No surveys.
Data sources used to produce economy-wide material flow accounts are described in the sub-concepts 18.1.1 (and Annex) and 18.1.2.
yearly
The data set with reference year 2023 was ready by the first half of March 2025. This does not imply that at that moment the data were available to the public, though. This is the case only after approval by both the Scientific Committee and the Direction Committee of the Institute for the National Accounts. As a consequence, the Belgian EW-MFA are publicly available only by the end of April. The EW-MFA 2025 were made public on 30 Arpil 2025.
The production and publication of the EW-MFA 2025 took 0.9 person-months.
Data on EW-MFA are compiled according to harmonised guidelines provided by Eurostat and hence comparable across European countries reporting EW-MFA data to Eurostat.
Please see the table in 15.2.1.1.
