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.
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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-Central Framework). 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
The national economy
3.8. Coverage - Time
Please see the table in 3.8.1.
STATEC is now producing MFA for T-1, as well as tables F and G.
3.8.1. Coverage – Time: by questionnaire table
Questionnaire table
From (YEAR)
To (YEAR)
Comments
Domestic extraction (Table A)
2000
2024
some data in MF.1 are estimated for 2023 and MF 1.1.4, MF 1.2.2, MF.3.8 are provisional for 2023
Imports – Total trade (Table B)
2000
2024
MF1.3.1, MF 2.3 and MF 4.3 are provisional for 2023
Exports – Total trade (Table D)
2000
2024
MF 2.3 is provisional for 2023
Domestic processed output (Table F)
2000
2022
2023-2024 (partially)
2000-2014 estimated for MF 7.3
2000-2007 and 2022-2023 estimated for MF7.2 MEMO
2000-2007 estimated by Eurostat for MF.7.1, MF 7.4.8 and MF 7.5)
2022-2023 - estimated for MF7.4.8 and MF 7.5
Balancing items (Table G)
2000
2022
2023-2024 (partially)
Material flow accounts in raw material equivalents (RME) (Table I)
2000
2022
Imports and Exports in RME were reported on 30 April 2024. No recalculation has been performed for the 30 April 2025 deadline.
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.
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
Not applicable in national level this information is required at European level only.
Confidential data are not shown. The most common approach is to present only aggregation of the confidential data point with the non-confidential data that is the nearest suitable data point.
8.1. Release calendar
Not available
8.2. Release calendar access
Not available
8.3. Release policy - user access
Not available
Annually
10.1. Dissemination format - News release
Not available.
10.2. Dissemination format - Publications
Not available.
10.3. Dissemination format - online database
Data tables could be found on EUROSTAT website but also on the Web portal on official statistics in Luxembourg http://www.statistiques.public.lu
The Web portal permits an online visualization of the data under tabular or graphic formats.
Data could also be download under the following format : .xls .csv .xml
10.3.1. Data tables - consultations
Data tables are only available online
10.4. Dissemination format - microdata access
Not applicable.
10.5. Dissemination format - other
Not available.
10.5.1. Metadata - consultations
Will be provided by EUROSTAT.
10.6. Documentation on methodology
Not available.
10.6.1. Metadata completeness - rate
Will be calculated and provided by EUROSTAT.
10.7. Quality management - documentation
Not available.
11.1. Quality assurance
Not available.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
Not available.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
Not available.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
Not available.
12.3. Completeness
Table A (Production), Table B (imports), Table D (exports), Table G (Balancing items) and Table I (RME) are provided by STATEC and are complete.
Table F(Domestic processed output) is provided by STATEC for reference years 2000-2024 . Years 2000-2007 for MF.7.1, MF 7.4.8 and MF 7.5 are estimated by Eurostat.
Table I is provided by STATEC for reference years 2000-2022.
Aggregates related to tables A to G are automatically calculated in table H.
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.
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
12 months after the end of the reference period
14.1.1. Time lag - first result
Not applicable.
14.1.2. Time lag - final result
Not applicable.
14.2. Punctuality
Data on t-1 are provided
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'
All years
All tables
No break in time series
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
not evaluated
15.3.1. Coherence - sub annual and annual statistics
Not applicable; reported EW-MFA data are only annual.
15.3.2. Coherence - National Accounts
not evaluated
15.4. Coherence - internal
not available
not available
17.1. Data revision - policy
Normal revision is a revision carried out during the annual compilation process. Statistics could be slightly different from the previous campaign due to update in data sources (mainly t-1 and t-2) or break in series could be observed due to a methodological change. Normal revisions are published at the end of compilation campaign and in the same time as the dissemination of the new results (year t-2).
Exceptional revision is a revision carried out at anytime. Statistics could be largely different from the previous results due to the correction of an error appeared during the compilation. Exceptional revision is published at anytime and directly after the correction of the error.
17.2. Data revision - practice
STATEC carries out various surveys where monetary values and quantities are collected.
During each campaign, STATEC verifies the consistency between these variables and, if needed, requests revisions from respondents.
This process implies that data are provisional for several years (e.g. MF 3.8.).
For the 2025 data collection, slight revisions occurred for years 2000-2007, 2010-2016 and 2016-2023 for MF 1.4.3 in table A, due to the revision of hunting statistics data. For years 2021-2023, the product MF 3.8 was also slightly revised due to the updates in the source data. Other slight revisions occur also for MF 1.1, MF1.2 and MF1.3.
Tables B and D for reference years 2020-2023 were revised for some products, due partially to the continuous improvement in the underlying trade statistics data and partially to the updates in the correspondence between the classification of international trade in goods statistics and the EW-MFA classification of materials for imports and exports (Annex 4 of the EW-MFA questionnaire).
For table F, revisions occured for MF 7.1, for refernce years 2008-2021, due to the updates in the AEA.
For table G, revisions occured for MF 8.1.1, for refernce years 2008-2021, due to the updates in the AEA.
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.
Table I is now calculated based on the Eurostat's RME tool (version February 2024). Internal data available at STATEC were used in the RME tool. The proposed price adjustments are done for all materials, except biomass.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Data are collected and stored annually in the framework of MFA compilation process
18.3. Data collection
MFA are produced based on data coming from surveys.
18.4. Data validation
Basic data are verified before entering the MFA compilation process
MFA statistics are validated before the generation of final results
18.5. Data compilation
See comments below.
18.5.1. Imputation - rate
Not applicable.
18.5.2. Estimation approaches for specific items
Please use Annex 2 to describe estimation approaches for specific items.
18.5.3. Adjustment used of correspondence table for Tables B and D
No adjustment is needed
18.5.4. Adjustment used of conversion factors for Tables B and D
No adjustment is needed
18.5.5. Fuel trade, residence adjustment
Data on fuel trade are extracted from Energy database.
In this database, energy statistics are available following residential principle.
18.5.6. Significant problems
No major problem
18.6. Adjustment
Not applicable; i.e. in EW-MFA no time series adjustment necessary.
18.6.1. Seasonal adjustment
Not applicable.
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-Central Framework). 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.
The national economy
The data refer to the calendar years.
Please use Annex 3 for providing an assessment of the overall quality of the reported 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.
Annually
12 months after the end of the reference period
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.
