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.
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 economy or the Republic of Serbia determined by resident units.
Starting from 1999 the Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia has not at disposal and may not provide available certain data relative to AP (Autonomous Province) of Kosovo and Metohija and therefore these data are not included in the coverage for the Republic of Serbia (total).
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)
2001
2023
Imports – Total trade (Table B)
2001
2023
Exports – Total trade (Table D)
2001
2023
Domestic processed output (Table F)
2008
2022
Balancing items (Table G)
-
-
Material flow accounts in raw material equivalents (RME) (Table I)
2008
2023
Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia calculatad RME using revised verison of RME country tool from 1st April 2025.
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.
Confidentiality is based on the principles according to the Official Statistics Law (“Official Gazette of RS” no. 104/09).
Confidential data are not published.
8.1. Release calendar
Calendar of releases is available at SORS website on the 1st day of December every year for the forthcoming year (http://www.stat.gov.rs/en-US/calendar).
All SORS releases are launched at 12.00.
Any divergence from the defined time schedule are announced in advance and explained in the Calendar.
The results of official statistics are available at the same time to all users on impartial basis; any privileged access by external users before their release is not allowed.
Quality report are provided, according to Regulation 691/2011.
11.1. Quality assurance
The SORS quality management system is relied on the Serbian official statistics mission and vision, as well as on the European Statistics Code of Practice – CoP and the Total Quality Management – TQM principles, which together make the common quality framework of the European Statistical System (ESS).
Data are collected from reliable sources in line with methodology and ensuring a high degree of comparability.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
The key users of Material Flow Accounts are the state institutions (Ministries, agencies etc), other national users (environmental analysts, non-government organizations, students, general public etc.), EU and international institutions.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
No systematic user satisfaction survey related to Material Flow Accounts.
12.3. Completeness
The Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia has provided all mandatory variables for Material Flow Indicators according to Regulation 691/2011 / EC.
The data are updated up to 2023.
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.
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'
2008
A
All
For the period 2001-2009 data were collected according to Nomenclature of Industrial products (aligned with NACE Rev 1.1) and for the period 2010-2023 data were collected according to Nomenclature of Industrial products (aligned with Prodcom 2008). Correspondence table between the EW-MFA categories of metal ores, non-metallic minerals with Prodcom codes (Prodcom 2007 and Prodcom 2008) was used as a starting point for deciding what codes from National Nomenclature of Industrial products to use. Revised data cover period from 2008.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
The data are coherent with National Accounts and Environmental Accounts.
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 applicable.
15.4. Coherence - internal
The data reported are internally coherent (totals are equal to the sum of the breakdowns).
Not applicable.
17.1. Data revision - policy
The SORS general revision policy constitutes the global frame ensuring that each statistical domain shall define its own revision policy in compliance with its specific nature.
The general SORS revision policy determines:
general rules of revisions of the published data,
forms of informing users as regards the possible causes of revisions,
The data source for Table I is Eurostat revised version of Country RME tool from 1st April 2025 to estimate country-level estimates of imports and exports in RME and raw material consumption (RMC).
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Annual.
18.3. Data collection
Data are taken over from stratistical sources.
18.4. Data validation
Methodological and logical checks between different variables are performed and the consistency of data over time is checked as well.
18.5. Data compilation
The main aggregates are derived using bottom-up approach, i.e. by summing up data.
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
Yes, the Eurostat's correspondence table was used to assign traded goods to material categories.
18.5.4. Adjustment used of conversion factors for Tables B and D
No, all data from trade statisics are in tonns.
18.5.5. Fuel trade, residence adjustment
No, we don't undertake residence adjustments for fule trade because of the lack of data.
18.5.6. Significant problems
The main problem is adjustment to resident principle because of the lack of necessary statistical data.
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
29 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 economy or the Republic of Serbia determined by resident units.
Starting from 1999 the Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia has not at disposal and may not provide available certain data relative to AP (Autonomous Province) of Kosovo and Metohija and therefore these data are not included in the coverage for the Republic of Serbia (total).
The data refer to the calendar years.
Please use Annex 3 for providing an assessment of the overall quality of the reported data.
The main aggregates are derived using bottom-up approach, i.e. by summing up 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.
Annual.
Data are available with a timeliness of T+ 12 months after the end of the reference year.
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.
