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.
The environmental goods and services sector (EGSS) accounts report on an economic sector that generates goods and services produced for environmental protection or the management of natural resources. Products for environmental protection prevent, reduce and eliminate pollution or any other degradation of the environment. Examples are electric vehicles, catalysts and filters to decrease pollutant emissions, wastewater and waste treatment services, noise insulation works or restoration of degraded habitats.
Products for resource management safeguard the stock of natural resources against depletion. Examples are renewable energy production, energy-efficient and passive buildings, seawater desalinization or rainwater recovery, and materials recovery.
EGSS accounts provide data on output and export of environmental goods and services and on the value added of and employment in the environmental goods and services sector. EGSS data are compiled following the statistical concepts and definitions set out in the UN System of Environmental-Economic Accounting 2012 – Central Framework.
3.2. Classification system
Data are reported cross-classified by 1) the type of environmental protection or resource management activity and 2) economic activity. Environmental protection activities are classified by environmental domain as set out in the Classification of Environmental Protection Activities - CEPA. Resource management activities are classified as set out in the Classification of Resource Management Activities - CReMA. see the revised CEPA and CReMA explanatory notes for detail. Economic activity is classified according to the Statistical Classification of Economic Activities in the European Community, Rev. 2 (2008).
3.3. Coverage - sector
EGSS comprises a sector of the economy that produces goods and services aimed at environmental protection and resource management (see SEEA CF 2012 chapter 4). Environmental goods and services either reduce environmental pressures or help maintaining the stock of natural resources or they are designed to be cleaner and more resource efficient than conventional products. Environmental goods and services can be produced by corporations, households, governments and non-profit institutions. The list of environmental activities and products has been set out in the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/2174 ('the indicative compendium of environmental goods and services').
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
EGSS has the same system boundaries as the European System of Accounts (ESA 2010) and consists of all environmental products within this production boundary. ESA defines production as the activity carried out under the control and responsibility of an institutional unit that uses input of labour, capital, goods and services to produce output of goods and services.
Only goods and services produced for environmental purposes are included in the scope of the environmental goods and services sector. 'Environmental purpose' means that a good or service helps either 1) preventing, reducing and eliminating pollution and any other degradation of the environment or 2) preserving and maintaining the stock of natural resources and hence safeguarding against depletion.
The EGSS statistics aim at compiling data for the following economic variables:
Output: consists of products that become available for use outside of the producer unit, any goods and services produced for own final use and goods that remain in the inventories at the end of the period in which they are produced. Apart from market output, output for own final use and non-market output, EGSS statistics also include ancillary output, comprising output intended for use within an enterprise.
Market output is to be valued at basic prices, that is, the prices receivable by the producer from the purchaser minus taxes and plus subsidies on products.
Output for own final use is to be valued at basic prices of similar products sold on the market or by the total costs of production.
Non-market output is to be estimated by the total costs of production.
Ancillary output is measured as a total of recurrent production costs (such as intermediate consumption, compensation of employees and consumption of fixed capital) incurred by enterprises to: 1) reduce environmental pressures arising from their production process or 2) produce environmental goods or services not intended for use outside the enterprise, but instead supporting other (non-environmental) activities undertaken within the enterprise (e.g. waste management services carried out in-house). For market producers, a mark-up for net operating surplus is added to the value of the EGSS ancillary output.
Gross Value Added: represents the contribution made by the production of environmental goods and services to GDP. It is the difference between the value of the output and intermediate consumption.
Employment: is measured in full-time equivalent jobs engaged in the production of output of environmental goods and services. Full-time equivalent is defined as total hours worked divided by the average annual working hours in a full-time job.
Exports: consist of sales, barter, gifts, or grants, of environmental goods and services from residents to non-residents.
3.5. Statistical unit
Council Regulation (EEC) No 696/93 of 15 March 1993 on the statistical units for the observation and analysis of the production system in the Community describes the different statistical units of the production system.
The recommended statistical unit for the collection and compilation of EGSS statistics (excluding general government) is the establishment. For general government, the recommendation is to use institutional units and groupings of units as defined in the European System of Accounts (ESA 2010).
3.6. Statistical population
The statistical population is the national economy as defined in SEEA CF 2012 and the European System of Accounts (ESA 2010). It includes all economic activities undertaken by resident units.
3.7. Reference area
Finland
3.8. Coverage - Time
From 2012 to 2022
3.9. Base period
Not requested for this metadata collection.
Output, gross value added, and exports are measured in million units of national currency. Employment is measured in full time equivalents (i.e., full time equivalent jobs).
The reference period for EGSS data is the calendar year.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
EGSS accounts are compiled and reported in accordance with Regulation (EU) No. 691/2011 on European environmental economic accounts (EEEA).
The EEEA follow internationally agreed concepts and definitions set out in the SEEA Central Framework (2012), the international statistical standard adopted by the UN Statistical Commission. They present data in a way that is compatible with National Accounts (ESA, 2010).
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
There are no national level arrangements, procedures or agreements related to data sharing and exchange between data producing agencies within the national statistical system.
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
The data protection of data collected for statistical purposes is absolutely guaranteed in accordance with the Statistics Act (280/2004), the Personal Data Act (532/1999) and the Act on the Openness of Government Activities (621/1999), as well as the requirements of the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (2016/679). The data materials are protected at all stages of processing with the necessary physical and technical solutions. Statistics Finland has compiled detailed directions and instructions for confidential processing of the data. Employees have access only to the data essential for their duties. The premises where unit-level data are processed are not accessible to outsiders. Members of the personnel have signed a pledge of secrecy upon entering the service. Wilful breaching of data protection is punishable.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
The data tabulated should not reveal individual enterprises. If the data at some breakdown level contains less than 3 enterprises it must not be tabulated.According to the Statistics Act (280/2004), the data of the statistics are in the public domain.
The tables in the statistics are produced by using/editing the classification of a table on a level that is sufficiently high or general to prevent the emergence of small cell frequencies.
The Statistics Act (280/2004) defines the data on the number of enterprises as being in the public domain, which is why even small cell frequencies do not need to be protected. In quantity tables, cells containing few observations (threshold value) or dominated by one or two units (dominance rule) are protected by suppressing the value of the cell to prevent the data of an individual enterprise being revealed. In addition, other cells have been suppressed to prevent the calculation of the primarily suppressing cell values with the aid of marginal sums. The suppressed cells in released tables are marked by single quotation marks ’..’. Further information on suppression is available in the Handbook on Statistical Disclosure Control.
The data of the statistics are not released in an identifiable format outside Statistics Finland. The use of the data for scientific research and statistical surveys is possible only on the basis of a separate licensing decision and in an unidentifiable format.
8.1. Release calendar
The statistics are released annually in December, some 12 months after the end of the statistical reference year in question. Statistics Finland’s release calendar lists in advance all the statistical data and publications to be released over the year. Statistical releases can be found under statistics-specific releases. Statistical data are released on the Internet at 8 am, unless otherwise indicated. The calendar is updated on weekdays. Statistics Finland’s release calendar for the coming year is published every year in December.
Statistical data are published as database tables in the StatFin database. The database is the primary publishing site of data, and new data are updated first there. When releasing statistical data, existing database tables can be updated with new data or completely new database tables can be published.
In addition to statistical data published in the StatFin database, a release on the key data is usually published in the web service. If the release contains data concerning several reference periods (e.g. monthly and annual data), a review bringing together these data is published in the web service. Database tables updated at the time of publication are listed both in the release and in the review. In some cases, statistical data can also be published as mere database releases in the StatFin database. No release or review is published in connection with these database releases.
Releases and database tables are published in three languages, in Finnish, Swedish and English. The language versions of releases may have more limited content than in Finnish.
Information about changes in the publication schedules of releases and database tables and about corrections are given as change releases in the web service.
The values of the variables come either directly from selected source data or with the help of separately defined coefficients describing the share of environmental business. The coefficients are defined on the basis of several sources and are updated every two years. The sources used to define the coefficients are: EU Environmental Accounting Implementation Regulation (no. 2174/2015), Eurostat's environmental business product lists, statistical and register materials, research materials, coefficients used by the German Statistical Office and expert assessments.
Quality management requires comprehensive guidance of activities. The quality management framework of the field of statistics is the European Statistics Code of Practice (CoP). The frameworks complement each other. The quality criteria of Official Statistics of Finland are also compatible with the European Statistics Code of Practice. Further information can be found on website.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
The data is compared with previous years and between various sources if available. Comparison is made with national accounts data with SBS data and industrial output and input data, supply and use data with customs' foreign trade data and industrial output and input data.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
Main users are ministries, central organizations in industry, research institutes, researches. Most requests are for regional EGSS data on a county or city level.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
User opinions are not collected.
12.3. Completeness
There are no plans to start compiling and transmitting data on missing voluntary EGSS reporting categories due to either lack of data or resources.
12.3.1. Data completeness - rate
Not requested for this metadata collection.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
The compilation system built during the EU grant project along with experts ensures the high level of accuracy. Some coefficients to calcultate EGS shares are uncertain. In addition, the data of statistics on foreign trade of services is also uncertain at some points. We are regularly improving the coefficients with national experts. SUT are also under development to improve the quality.
13.2. Sampling error
EGSS accounts are compiled using a range of primary statistical sources. The sampling and non-sampling errors are described in the metadata of the underlying statistical data.
13.2.1. Sampling error - indicators
Not requested for this metadata collection.
13.3. Non-sampling error
EGSS accounts are compiled using a range of primary statistical sources. The sampling and non-sampling errors are described in the metadata of the underlying statistical data.
13.3.1. Coverage error
Not requested for this metadata collection.
13.3.1.1. Over-coverage - rate
Not requested for this metadata collection.
13.3.1.2. Common units - proportion
Not requested for this metadata collection.
13.3.2. Measurement error
Not requested for this metadata collection.
13.3.3. Non response error
Not requested for this metadata collection.
13.3.3.1. Unit non-response - rate
Not requested for this metadata collection.
13.3.3.2. Item non-response - rate
Not requested for this metadata collection.
13.3.4. Processing error
Not requested for this metadata collection.
13.3.5. Model assumption error
Not requested for this metadata collection.
14.1. Timeliness
The average production time for annual releases is 12 months.
14.1.1. Time lag - first result
The first estimates for a reference year is available after 12 months. The first estimates could be compiled in 12 months at the earliest.
14.1.2. Time lag - final result
All source data for the compilation of the final results and the final results for a reference year are could be available after 24 months the earliest.
14.2. Punctuality
The data were delivered to Eurostat on 30 October. The reporting deadline for EGSS to Eurostat is 31 October.
14.2.1. Punctuality - delivery and publication
The delivery date and target date are usually the same.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
There are products from the indicative compendium in Regulation (EU) 2015/2174 that are not covered or deliberately excluded from EGSS accounts. Products such as lead containers for radioactive waste, maintenace and repair services for reducing water losses, desalinated water and collected rainwater; maintenance of water mains for reducing water losses, R&D services for environmental protection and resource management. Either there are no activities in these fields or there are no reliable data available.
Non-market output for NACE O is only reported for CEPA catergories 1-9. The data is provided by Environmental Protection Expenditure Accounts.
15.1.1. Asymmetry for mirror flow statistics - coefficient
15.1.3. Comparability - geographical - products not present in Indicative compendium - included
None
15.2. Comparability - over time
There is a break in time series 2011-2012 as the method for compiling statistics changed and 2012 is the first year compiled with the new method. In the old method EGSS was compiled from data based on survey to enterprises. In the new method, which follows the latest EU regulations, EGSS is compiled from already existing data sources without a survey.
The change in the definition of low energy construction was taken into consideration in 2022 data collection, for which reason starting from 2018, the turnover, value added, exports and staff-years of the environmental goods and services sector are lower than previously reported. Before the change in 2018, new buildings belonging to energy efficiency classes A and B in the EU's Energy Performance of Buildings Directive were included in low energy construction. After the renewal, only new buildings belonging to energy efficiency class A are defined as low energy buildings.
With the 2024 data update, there is now a break in time series for NACE C from year 2020 onwards. Both paper cardboard made from recycled material (NACE 17) and iron, steel and iron alloys made from recycled material (NACE 24) have been removed since they are out of scope for EGSS.
Since 2021, there is no data source for the construction work and building design services related to renewable energy power plants, resulting in break in time series.
15.2.1. Length of comparable time series
The number of reference periods in time series from last break is 4 years.
The comparable time series are for years 2012-2017 and from year 2021 onwards.
15.2.2. Comparability - over time detailed
The comparable time series are for years 2012-2017 and from year 2021 onwards.
There is a break in time series 2011-2012 as the method for compiling statistics changed. The change in the definition of low energy construction was taken into consideration in 2022 data collection, for which reason starting from 2018, the turnover, value added, exports and staff-years of the environmental goods and services sector are lower than previously reported. With the 2024 data update, there is now a break in time series for NACE C from year 2020 onwards. Both paper cardboard made from recycled material (NACE 17) and iron, steel and iron alloys made from recycled material (NACE 24) have been removed since they are out of scope for EGSS. In addition, since 2021, there is no data source for the construction work and building design services related to renewable energy power plants, resulting in break in time series.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
Progression has been made to have better coherence with EPEA account. Each account's data is used to compile data sets for coherence.
15.3.1. Coherence - sub annual and annual statistics
EGSS is mainly compiled from NA and SUTs. National accounts' sub annual and annual statistics are coherent.
15.3.2. Coherence - National Accounts
EGSS is mainly compiled from NA and SUTs which itself ensures the coherence well. The compilation procedure is also built to ensure the coherence.
Non-market output for NACE O is provided by EPEA. Otherwise ensuring coherence can be challenging since different data sources are used for EGSS and EPEA. However, both statistics are compiled with compliance to their manuals to ensure best coherence possible.
15.3.4. Coherence - other statistics
None
15.4. Coherence - internal
EGSS is mainly compiled from NA and SUTs which itself ensures the coherence well. The compilation procedure is also built to ensure the coherence. The compilation system built during the past EU grant project along with experts ensures the coherence while the NA definitions are built in the compilation procedure.
0.5 FTE
16.1. Cost and Burden - other accounts
17.1. Data revision - policy
Revisions – i.e. improvements in the accuracy of statistical data already published – are a normal feature of statistical production and result in improved quality of statistics. The principle is that statistical data are based on the best available data and information concerning the statistical phenomenon. On the other hand, the revisions are communicated as transparently as possible in advance. Advance communication ensures that the users can prepare for the data revisions.
The reason why data in statistical releases become revised is often caused by the data becoming supplemented. Then the new, revised statistical figure is based on a wider information basis and describes the phenomenon more accurately than before.
Revisions of statistical data may also be caused by the calculation method used, such as annual benchmarking or updating of weight structures. Changes of base years and used classifications may also cause revisions to data.
17.2. Data revision - practice
Revisions are made when compiling new data set. Usually the reason for revisions are updates in NA and SUT data or new source material.
17.2.1. Data revision - average size
Submitted data been revised since the last obligatory data submission. NACE E CReMA 10 has been removed since it is not possible separate activities for reducing the loss of water. Exports and GVA exceeding output were corrected. Nature tourism has been excluded from EGSS figures. In addition, non-market output for NACE O and ancillary output for some NACEs were added.
17.2.2. Status of data
18.1. Source data
Statistics Finland: National accounts, supply and use tables, SBS, industrial output and input, foreign trade of services, energy statistics. Customs: foreign trade. Natural Resources Institute: agriculture and forestry statistics. Energy Authority: investments in power plants using renewable energy sources. The Housing Finance and Development Centre of Finland: energy saving in new buildings.
18.1.1. Source data - detailed - environmental accounts
Non-market output for NACE O is provided by EPEA.
18.1.2. Source data - detailed - other statistics
EGSS is mainly compiled from NA and SUTs.
18.1.3. Source data - survey
None
18.1.4. Source data - detailed - other macro economic data (trade, VAT etc.)
None
18.2. Frequency of data collection
The data is collected annually.
18.3. Data collection
Data from external sources is given either at request or collected online.
18.4. Data validation
The data is compared with previous years and between various sources if available.
18.5. Data compilation
The main sources for EGSS output are national accounts and supply and use tabels.
GVA is calculated using EGSS-shares linked to NACE 2-digit levels and environmental domains (CEPA, CReMA). These shares are calculated during EGSS-output calculation. GVA is calculated multiplying these EGSS-shares with national accounts data.
EGSS exports are compiled mainly from supply and use tables with some help from foreign trade statistics.
For EGSS employment, NA data is used with specific EGSS-coefficients.
Total output, GVA and employment are calculated by using national accounts industry-level data abput the share of market output from total output.
18.5.1. Imputation - rate
Not requested for this metadata collection.
18.5.2. Data compilation - by variable and type of output
The main sources for EGSS output are national accounts and supply and use tabels. EGSS-shares are calculated by estimating the share of EGSS output from national accounts output.
GVA is calculated using EGSS-shares linked to NACE 2-digit levels and environmental domains (CEPA, CReMA). These shares are calculated during EGSS-output calculation. GVA is calculated multiplying these EGSS-shares with NA data.
EGSS exports are compiled mainly from supply and use tables with some help from foreign trade statistics.
For EGSS employment, NA data is used with specific EGSS-shares.
Environmental specific services, cleaner and more resource-efficient products and other (connected) products are not differentiated from each other. The EGSS output from corporations is considered as market output while the EGSS output from NACE O is considered to be non-market output.
Since NA doesn't compile data about ancillary output and output for own-final use, it is not compiled separately in EGSS either. Instead, EGSS total output is compiled by using NACE 2-digit level shares from NA.
18.5.3. Data compilation - by NACE
The datacompilation is based on NAs NACE 2-digit level data.
18.5.4. Data compilation – CReMA 13B memo item
The ratio of 0.15 for CReMA 13B memo item is based on an expert evaluation.
18.6. Adjustment
There are no seasonal adjustments.
18.6.1. Seasonal adjustment
Not requested for this metadata collection.
The environmental goods and services sector (EGSS) accounts report on an economic sector that generates goods and services produced for environmental protection or the management of natural resources. Products for environmental protection prevent, reduce and eliminate pollution or any other degradation of the environment. Examples are electric vehicles, catalysts and filters to decrease pollutant emissions, wastewater and waste treatment services, noise insulation works or restoration of degraded habitats.
Products for resource management safeguard the stock of natural resources against depletion. Examples are renewable energy production, energy-efficient and passive buildings, seawater desalinization or rainwater recovery, and materials recovery.
EGSS accounts provide data on output and export of environmental goods and services and on the value added of and employment in the environmental goods and services sector. EGSS data are compiled following the statistical concepts and definitions set out in the UN System of Environmental-Economic Accounting 2012 – Central Framework.
12 December 2024
EGSS has the same system boundaries as the European System of Accounts (ESA 2010) and consists of all environmental products within this production boundary. ESA defines production as the activity carried out under the control and responsibility of an institutional unit that uses input of labour, capital, goods and services to produce output of goods and services.
Only goods and services produced for environmental purposes are included in the scope of the environmental goods and services sector. 'Environmental purpose' means that a good or service helps either 1) preventing, reducing and eliminating pollution and any other degradation of the environment or 2) preserving and maintaining the stock of natural resources and hence safeguarding against depletion.
The EGSS statistics aim at compiling data for the following economic variables:
Output: consists of products that become available for use outside of the producer unit, any goods and services produced for own final use and goods that remain in the inventories at the end of the period in which they are produced. Apart from market output, output for own final use and non-market output, EGSS statistics also include ancillary output, comprising output intended for use within an enterprise.
Market output is to be valued at basic prices, that is, the prices receivable by the producer from the purchaser minus taxes and plus subsidies on products.
Output for own final use is to be valued at basic prices of similar products sold on the market or by the total costs of production.
Non-market output is to be estimated by the total costs of production.
Ancillary output is measured as a total of recurrent production costs (such as intermediate consumption, compensation of employees and consumption of fixed capital) incurred by enterprises to: 1) reduce environmental pressures arising from their production process or 2) produce environmental goods or services not intended for use outside the enterprise, but instead supporting other (non-environmental) activities undertaken within the enterprise (e.g. waste management services carried out in-house). For market producers, a mark-up for net operating surplus is added to the value of the EGSS ancillary output.
Gross Value Added: represents the contribution made by the production of environmental goods and services to GDP. It is the difference between the value of the output and intermediate consumption.
Employment: is measured in full-time equivalent jobs engaged in the production of output of environmental goods and services. Full-time equivalent is defined as total hours worked divided by the average annual working hours in a full-time job.
Exports: consist of sales, barter, gifts, or grants, of environmental goods and services from residents to non-residents.
Council Regulation (EEC) No 696/93 of 15 March 1993 on the statistical units for the observation and analysis of the production system in the Community describes the different statistical units of the production system.
The recommended statistical unit for the collection and compilation of EGSS statistics (excluding general government) is the establishment. For general government, the recommendation is to use institutional units and groupings of units as defined in the European System of Accounts (ESA 2010).
The statistical population is the national economy as defined in SEEA CF 2012 and the European System of Accounts (ESA 2010). It includes all economic activities undertaken by resident units.
Finland
The reference period for EGSS data is the calendar year.
The compilation system built during the EU grant project along with experts ensures the high level of accuracy. Some coefficients to calcultate EGS shares are uncertain. In addition, the data of statistics on foreign trade of services is also uncertain at some points. We are regularly improving the coefficients with national experts. SUT are also under development to improve the quality.
Output, gross value added, and exports are measured in million units of national currency. Employment is measured in full time equivalents (i.e., full time equivalent jobs).
The main sources for EGSS output are national accounts and supply and use tabels.
GVA is calculated using EGSS-shares linked to NACE 2-digit levels and environmental domains (CEPA, CReMA). These shares are calculated during EGSS-output calculation. GVA is calculated multiplying these EGSS-shares with national accounts data.
EGSS exports are compiled mainly from supply and use tables with some help from foreign trade statistics.
For EGSS employment, NA data is used with specific EGSS-coefficients.
Total output, GVA and employment are calculated by using national accounts industry-level data abput the share of market output from total output.
Statistics Finland: National accounts, supply and use tables, SBS, industrial output and input, foreign trade of services, energy statistics. Customs: foreign trade. Natural Resources Institute: agriculture and forestry statistics. Energy Authority: investments in power plants using renewable energy sources. The Housing Finance and Development Centre of Finland: energy saving in new buildings.
The data is disseminated yearly.
The average production time for annual releases is 12 months.
There are products from the indicative compendium in Regulation (EU) 2015/2174 that are not covered or deliberately excluded from EGSS accounts. Products such as lead containers for radioactive waste, maintenace and repair services for reducing water losses, desalinated water and collected rainwater; maintenance of water mains for reducing water losses, R&D services for environmental protection and resource management. Either there are no activities in these fields or there are no reliable data available.
Non-market output for NACE O is only reported for CEPA catergories 1-9. The data is provided by Environmental Protection Expenditure Accounts.
There is a break in time series 2011-2012 as the method for compiling statistics changed and 2012 is the first year compiled with the new method. In the old method EGSS was compiled from data based on survey to enterprises. In the new method, which follows the latest EU regulations, EGSS is compiled from already existing data sources without a survey.
The change in the definition of low energy construction was taken into consideration in 2022 data collection, for which reason starting from 2018, the turnover, value added, exports and staff-years of the environmental goods and services sector are lower than previously reported. Before the change in 2018, new buildings belonging to energy efficiency classes A and B in the EU's Energy Performance of Buildings Directive were included in low energy construction. After the renewal, only new buildings belonging to energy efficiency class A are defined as low energy buildings.
With the 2024 data update, there is now a break in time series for NACE C from year 2020 onwards. Both paper cardboard made from recycled material (NACE 17) and iron, steel and iron alloys made from recycled material (NACE 24) have been removed since they are out of scope for EGSS.
Since 2021, there is no data source for the construction work and building design services related to renewable energy power plants, resulting in break in time series.
