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.
Statistical Organizaction of the Republic of Slovenia (SURS).
1.2. Contact organisation unit
Department for Environment and Energy Statistics.
1.3. Contact name
Confidential because of GDPR
1.4. Contact person function
Confidential because of GDPR
1.5. Contact mail address
Litostrojska cesta 54, SI-1000 Ljubljana
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
25 March 2025
2.2. Metadata last posted
25 March 2025
2.3. Metadata last update
25 March 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 reference area is the economic territory as defined in SEEA CF 2012 and National Accounts (ESA). A unit is said to be a resident unit of a country when it has a 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
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)
1995
2023
Imports – Total trade (Table B)
1995
2023
Exports – Total trade (Table D)
1995
2023
Domestic processed output (Table F)
2000
2022
Balancing items (Table G)
2000
2023
Material flow accounts in raw material equivalents (RME) (Table I)
2013
2022
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.
Data are published anually (before data are reported to Eurostat). Release calendar is prepared at the end of every calendar year for the next calendar year.
Data tables are disseminated every year on SIStat database, general data information are given in a form of a First Release (short article) on SURS's web page. All data are publicly available.
Data are disseminated annually.
10.1. Dissemination format - News release
First Releases are published on SURS's website according to the preannounced release calendar. Data tables are published on a same date on SIStat database. All data are publicly available.
10.2. Dissemination format - Publications
Data are publshed in the following formats:
First Release (short article, with only general data included) on SURS's website;
At the end of every survey (i.e. on annual level, if not determined otherwise), national quality report is prepared and disseminated on SURS' website. Quality guidelines are closely followed by all staff. Training courses, use of best practices (from other institutions, both domestic and foreign), self-assesments and other necessary processes are also a part of quality assurance framework within the unit and institution.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
The current statistical outputs are estimated as optimal. Data collecting, processing and the dissemination process are verified.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
At national level EW-MFA and derived indicators are used by a wide range of national stakeholders such as ministries/agencies and other policy makers, university and non-university research institutes, interest groups, press and media. The indicators DMC and material productivity/efficiency ratios are used in national indicator sets for sustainable development.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
User satisfaction surveys are being carried out on an institutional level and not for this certain survey. Users can however directly contact the statistitian responsible for the survey (e-mail address and phone number are provided in SI-STAT database portal), but this is mostly used for data inquries.
12.3. Completeness
The completeness according to relevant regulations/guideliness is 100%.
12.3.1. Data completeness - rate
Not applicable.
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
All data that are obligatory to report are ready till end of December for T+12 months. When the data are ready we first publish them on the website. After that we send them to Eurostat via eDAMIS.
14.1.1. Time lag - first result
Not applicable.
14.1.2. Time lag - final result
Not applicable.
14.2. Punctuality
Questionnaire was delivered on time (in 100% of the cases). There was no delay considering legal due date.
14.2.1. Punctuality - delivery and publication
Results were delivered on time. All data were published on time.
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
Not applicable.
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
There is no reference survey, therefore comparisons with reference survey data cannot be carried out.
15.3.1. Coherence - sub annual and annual statistics
Not applicable; reported EW-MFA data are only annual.
15.3.2. Coherence - National Accounts
MFA data are coherent with main aggregated derived from European system of accounts (ESA). Data are adjusted to the residence principle.
15.4. Coherence - internal
Each set of outputs are intenally consistent.
MFA data are being processed, disseminated and reported by 1 statistitician. It is estimated that 0,33 full time equivalents are being used.
In the case of the revision of the input data, also the data in the material flow accounts are revised.
17.2.1. Data revision - average size
Adjustment data for residence principle were added for the whole serie. Data for the 1995 - 2007 period were estimated. Also data for 2023 is an estimate because data for these year are not available yet. The data for 2023 will be updated next year.
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.
We used the Eurostat country tool to calculate figures. For calculations we used data from MFA and other needed data from Eurostat's database.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Data are collected annualy.
18.3. Data collection
Data are collected from administrative data sources or are taken from other statistical survey.
18.4. Data validation
Visual and logical cheks apply (i.e. consistency with data from previous years). Statistician on SURS, responsible for this survey, checks the data and compares it with data from previous reporting cycles. If data are incomplete, statistician contacts the compilers of the administrative or statistical data with a request for clarifications and (if applicable) to resend the correct data.
18.5. Data compilation
Data are based on administrative and statistical sources. The coverage is 100%. No special data compilation process is needed (i.e. weightening, imputation, adjustment for non-response, calibration etc.). Data are recalculated and adjuistment to the residence principle is made.
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
We employ Eurostat’s correspondence table, to assign traded goods to material categories.
18.5.4. Adjustment used of conversion factors for Tables B and D
All data that we obtained from external trade statistics were provided in kilograms, so we did not have any problem to convert them into tonnes.
18.5.5. Fuel trade, residence adjustment
These data are not available.
18.5.6. Significant problems
We did not have any problem in adapting basic statistics to the concepts of accounts.
18.6. Adjustment
Not applicable; i.e. in EW-MFA no time series adjustment necessary.
18.6.1. Seasonal adjustment
Not applicable.
No comments at this point.
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
25 March 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 reference area is the economic territory as defined in SEEA CF 2012 and National Accounts (ESA). A unit is said to be a resident unit of a country when it has a 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 data refer to the calendar years.
Please use Annex 3 for providing an assessment of the overall quality of the reported data.
Data are based on administrative and statistical sources. The coverage is 100%. No special data compilation process is needed (i.e. weightening, imputation, adjustment for non-response, calibration etc.). Data are recalculated and adjuistment to the residence principle is made.
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.
Data are disseminated annually.
All data that are obligatory to report are ready till end of December for T+12 months. When the data are ready we first publish them on the website. After that we send them to Eurostat via eDAMIS.
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.
