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 department (SDES) of the French Ministry for the Ecological Transition
1.2. Contact organisation unit
SDES/SDIE/BSESE
1.3. Contact name
Confidential because of GDPR
1.4. Contact person function
Confidential because of GDPR
1.5. Contact mail address
Commissariat général au développement durable CS 16105
45061 Orléans Cedex 2
France
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
18 November 2024
2.2. Metadata last posted
19 November 2024
2.3. Metadata last update
18 November 2024
3.1. Data description
The environmental goods and services sector (EGSS) accounts report on industries that generate 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
France including overseas territories
3.8. Coverage - Time
2008-2022
3.9. Base period
Not requested for this metadata collection.
Output, gross value added, and exports are measured in million euros. 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
No information
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
Usual rules are applied as regards enterprises data.
Regarding data about turover of enterprises ("EAP" survey from Insee), following rules apply:
statistical secret when :
nil amount;
less than 3 legal units;
one legal unit represent 85% of the turnover or more.
Regarding customs data, the same rules apply.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
Confidential data are mentioned in two data sources we use for EGSS: annual production survey and customs data. All cases of figures under secret have been flagged c) and d) for preventing any recalculation.
For EAP, the rules are related to the number of enterprises involved in the category or linked to the percentage of turnover.
For customs data there are two kinds of confidentiality (product related or country related).
8.1. Release calendar
No specific calendar is applied. New results on EGSS are published into a annual web article. First results are released at the end of the year (n-2 data published at the end of year n) in the French annual report on the environment.
8.2. Release calendar access
No specific calendar applied.
8.3. Release policy - user access
No specific calendar applied.
Dissemination is carried out on an annual basis.
10.1. Dissemination format - News release
Not applicable
10.2. Dissemination format - Publications
An article presnting the last outcomes is released annually into the website of the statistical department of the Ministry of Ecological Transition.
Quality is aimed through the search of accurate data sources and through the documentation of the compiling processes.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
No specific assessment is done.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
EGSS data are mainly used by the French Ministry for an Ecological Transition, ADEME (Environment and energy control Agency) and medias.
The share of EGSS gross value added in GDP is an indicator of the French 2015-2020 national strategy of ecological transition towards a sustainable development (SNTEDD)
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
In France, specific questions relating to some domains or activities often occur, generally not for the whole EGSS accounts. There is also an increasing demand for local (sub-national) results, in particular for green jobs. Demand for local results is difficult to satisfy, however help on methodological aspects can be provided. Departments of the Ministry of Ecological Transition are more interested in circular economy than in green economy. Works are in progress for defining a comprehensive scope on circular economy.
12.3. Completeness
Progress were done these last years for improving the completeness of EGSS scope. In 2022 environmental trainings (NACE P) were compiled and in 2023 this is the case of near zero emission buildings. In 2024, ancillary output has been break down into the different industry groupings.
12.3.1. Data completeness - rate
Not requested for this metadata collection.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
Data sources used for EGSS compilation, as Insee annual production survey for goods and EPEA data for services, allow a satisfactory level of accuracy concerning output data. Gross value added and employment figures are generally estimated on the basis of ratios.
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
Provisional data estimates for year n-2 are achieved in October of year n, i.e. 21 months after the reference period.
14.1.1. Time lag - first result
First results are released at the end of the year for n-2 data through the publication of the French annual report of the environment.
14.1.2. Time lag - final result
Final results are released in July of the year n for n-3 data through the publication of the web article about eco-industries and the environmental employment.
14.2. Punctuality
The data were delivered to Eurostat the 20 November 2024 while the reporting deadline for EGSS data transmission to Eurostat was the 31 October 2024.
14.2.1. Punctuality - delivery and publication
Punctuality is generally satisfactory.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
No issue is seen as regards geographical comparability. However, results are only produced at the national level, not for the local subdivisions.
15.1.1. Asymmetry for mirror flow statistics - coefficient
15.1.3. Comparability - geographical - products not present in Indicative compendium - included
No products not present in Indicative Compendium are added.
15.2. Comparability - over time
Series are provided over the period 2008-2022.
15.2.1. Length of comparable time series
Series are provided over the period 2008-2022. All time series are homogeneous (concepts and scope are comparable over the full length of time) with two exceptions:
Near zero emission buildings are observed from 2008 to 2022. In 2013, due to the implementation of the new 2012 thermal regulation, a category of energy efficient buildings has been removed from the accounts because not more performing than the new norm. This generates a break in series in 2013 for energy saving and management (NACE F, CReMA13B). Flags B have been implemented in 2013 for NACE F, CReMA 13B and CREP.
Exports of organic wine in 2012 are observed from 2012 onwards. This generates a break in series in 2012 for exports by organic farming (NACE A, CEPA4). This has a minor impact on other totals.
15.2.2. Comparability - over time detailed
Comparability is warranted over the period 2008-2022, with two cases of breaks in series (see 15.2.1).
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
See details in 15.3.2 and 15.3.3
15.3.1. Coherence - sub annual and annual statistics
Sub annual statistics are not provided for EGSS in France.
15.3.2. Coherence - National Accounts
No explicit procedure is applied to ensure coherence with macroeconomic statistics. However, indicators are built upon aggregates that are related to national accounts figures. Examination of resulting time series allows to detect some inconsistencies.
On a practical side, we endevour to reach a coherence with national accounts, in particular for industries 37 ans 38.
For NACE 37, we directly use NA data, however by product and not by industry. This point has a real importance for NACE 37 and 38.
For NACE 38, NA data are not sufficiently detailed insofar waste management is to be dissociated with materials recovery. We then use specific data with the aim of converging to the total output of products in 38.
15.3.3. Coherence - EPEA
EPEA data is an input for EGSS for many services activities and also for ancillary activities. For goods and equipments some gaps exist, especially in waste or wastewater management. Data sources and concepts are different in both data collections.
15.3.4. Coherence - other statistics
None
15.4. Coherence - internal
Comparison with national accounts aggregates are done especially for industries in NA with a high coverage of environmental activities (NACE 37-39).
For specific environmental activities for which NA cannot be used, different professional data sources are used. Arbitration is done for selecting information that are the closest to the phenomenon to be observed.
0.8 FTE
16.1. Cost and Burden - other accounts
For EGSS, one person is in charge to compile the accounts. Other works cover the scope of green economy (EGSS + peripherical activities) and employment in circular economy.
For EPEA, two persons are in charge of the accounts (with additional works like implementing resource management data).
For ETEA, one person is in charge of the compilation, however his main tasks are related to green jobs or occupations and trainings for the ecological transition.
There is one person in charge of ESST accounts and ecosystem accounts (plus other tasks).
For physical environmental accounts which I do not develop, generally one person is in charge of one data collection (MFA, AEA, forest accounts...).
17.1. Data revision - policy
Data revision is relying on two factors:
revision affecting the different data sources used.
change in the methods used for estimating variables.
17.2. Data revision - practice
Revisions depend on the data sources used and the changes in the methodology applied.
17.2.1. Data revision - average size
Magnitude of revisions (only totals in 2021 between the current and the previous data collection):
Output : - 21 %
GVA: - 22,5 %
Employment : - 30,4 %
Exports: - 2 %
The main reason of this downwards revision relies in a change in compiling energy efficient buildings. From now on dwellings or buildings that do not have a better level of perfomance than the current norm (the thermal regulation in force) are excluded. This has a major impact.
For wastewater and waste management services, amounts have been upwards revised.
For wastewater, national accounts data are still used but instead of using data by industry products data are used. This is because so called residual sales (sewage services by local governments) are to be found in O84, NACE 37 being not complete.
For waste management national accounts are not directly used but adjustment were done for converging to the total output in the NA for products of 38. Waste management is also concerned by discrepancies between the results by industry and the results by products (for the same reason than before, due to the allocation of residual sales in O84 in the NA published by Insee.
For noise management, regarding insulating windows the scope has been extended to all buildings, including new constructed ones.
For exports the downwards revision is linked to the removal of a series relating to the foreign trade in waste treatment and depollution services. This series is subject to major revision from year to year with additional confidential data included into the last table published on Eurostat database.
17.2.2. Status of data
All 2022 data are provisional.
18.1. Source data
Different kinds of data sources are used: EAP (Enquêtes Annuelles de Production - annual production survey carried out by the National Statistical Institute (INSEE) for industries from B to E (except industrial food industry).
For services, mainly EPEA data are used.
For NACE A and CEPA 4, more specifically organic farming, data published by "Agence Bio" (public interest group) are of interest and used. For CReMA 13A & 13B we use data provided by ADEME (French Agency for ecological transition) for production and employment.
For forest management EFA accounts, national accounts and MSA data ("Mutualité sociale agricole" - social protection fund for farmers) are used.
For exports data produced by the Customs directorate and ADEME are mobilised.
Almost all GVA and employment data are estimated on the basis of ratios.
18.1.1. Source data - detailed - environmental accounts
EPEA data are used as a source for EGSS for different services activities relating to air protection, waste management, soil depollution, noise reduction, biodiversity preservation, nuclear waste management, R&D and cross cutting activities.
EFA (European Forest Accounts) are used for forest management activities.
18.1.2. Source data - detailed - other statistics
Data sources provided by specialised institutions are used for :
Energy management : Ademe (renewable energy, energy refurbishment), Effinergie (energy efficient buildings), energy statistics (renewable energy produced, biofuels).
Organic farming : Agence Bio.
18.1.3. Source data - survey
There are no specific survey covering the whole EGSS scope.
However Antipol survey from Insee is used to compile data on ancillary output with an environmental protection purpose.
18.1.4. Source data - detailed - other macro economic data (trade, VAT etc.)
National accounts (E37) data are used for wastewater management services.
Data compiled by Customs directorate are mobilised for exports of manufactured goods.
Social statistics databases from Insee (Flores, self-employed workers file) are used for estimating employment in waste management and secondary raw materials recovery activities.
SBS data (Esane scheme) are used for estimating GVA and employment : application of the ratios GVA/Output and FTE/Output of the relating industry to the environmental activity/product output.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Annual
18.3. Data collection
No information
18.4. Data validation
No information
18.5. Data compilation
See details in the different points of this section.
18.5.1. Imputation - rate
Not requested for this metadata collection.
18.5.2. Data compilation - by variable and type of output
Market output : Annual production survey (EAP) by Insee is used for a lot of goods and equipments. EAP provides for each industrial product the sales amount except taxes during the year. Data from ADEME are used for energy management, data from Agence Bio are used for estimating employment, output and value added by organic farming. EFA accounts are used for compiling CReMA 11A.
Non market output: In some cases non market output is identified (streets cleaning, public producers acting for soils and water protection or biodiversity, R&D by public structures, part of environmental training, general administration for environment (CEPA9). The main source used is EPEA.
Ancillary output : Insee Antipol survey provides the amount of operating expenditures incurred by companies (NACE B-D) for preserving the environment.
GVA and employment are estimated with ratios for all kinds of output and all environmental domains except for wastewater management (use of national accounts), waste management and secondary raw materials recovery (use of SBS data, Flores database). Hence, for a specific environmental activity, once output is estimated, GVA is calculated by applying to the latter the ratio GVA/Output of the related industry. Employment is calculated by applying to the same output the ratio FTE/Output of the related industry.
Exports are related to market output. Customs and Ademe data are mobilised for different products sold abroad (electric vehicles, control and measures devices, renewable energy equipment, insulating products.
18.5.3. Data compilation - by NACE
The breakdown by NACE is based on the classification of products (CPA) for all data provided by EAP survey. For other sources the NACE code is generally provided. Unless a link is established with the most relevant NACE industry.
18.5.4. Data compilation – CReMA 13B memo item
For estimating the CReMA 13B memo item a 20 % share is applied to the output/value added/employment to near zero emission buildings (NZEB).
This percentage is the one mentioned in the Eurostat guidance note relating to energy efficient buildings. No alternative solution was found in the specialised litterature.
18.6. Adjustment
No adjustment done
18.6.1. Seasonal adjustment
Not requested for this metadata collection.
The environmental goods and services sector (EGSS) accounts report on industries that generate 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.
18 November 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.
France including overseas territories
The reference period for EGSS data is the calendar year.
Data sources used for EGSS compilation, as Insee annual production survey for goods and EPEA data for services, allow a satisfactory level of accuracy concerning output data. Gross value added and employment figures are generally estimated on the basis of ratios.
Output, gross value added, and exports are measured in million euros. Employment is measured in full time equivalents (i.e., full time equivalent jobs).
See details in the different points of this section.
Different kinds of data sources are used: EAP (Enquêtes Annuelles de Production - annual production survey carried out by the National Statistical Institute (INSEE) for industries from B to E (except industrial food industry).
For services, mainly EPEA data are used.
For NACE A and CEPA 4, more specifically organic farming, data published by "Agence Bio" (public interest group) are of interest and used. For CReMA 13A & 13B we use data provided by ADEME (French Agency for ecological transition) for production and employment.
For forest management EFA accounts, national accounts and MSA data ("Mutualité sociale agricole" - social protection fund for farmers) are used.
For exports data produced by the Customs directorate and ADEME are mobilised.
Almost all GVA and employment data are estimated on the basis of ratios.
Dissemination is carried out on an annual basis.
Provisional data estimates for year n-2 are achieved in October of year n, i.e. 21 months after the reference period.
No issue is seen as regards geographical comparability. However, results are only produced at the national level, not for the local subdivisions.
