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.
DCSE - Central Directorate for Economic Statistics SEC - Structural Statistics Service on Enterprises, Public Institutions and Non-Profit
1.3. Contact name
Confidential because of GDPR
1.4. Contact person function
Confidential because of GDPR
1.5. Contact mail address
Via Tuscolana n.1788, 00173 Roma
1.6. Contact email address
Confidential because of GDPR
1.7. Contact phone number
Confidential because of GDPR
1.8. Contact fax number
Confidential because of GDPR
2.1. Metadata last certified
30 October 2025
2.2. Metadata last posted
30 October 2025
2.3. Metadata last update
30 October 2025
3.1. Data description
Foreign Affiliates Statistics (FATS) measure the commercial presence through affiliates in foreign markets.
Inward foreign affiliates statistics (IFATS) shall mean statistics describing the activity of foreign affiliates resident in the compiling country.
In country-level business statistics foreign-controlled enterprise shall mean an enterprise resident in the compiling country over which an ultimate controlling institutional unit not resident in the compiling country has control.(Table 14 of the EBS Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197).
Variables on the country-level business activities in the IFATS data category:
Business activities in foreign control:
210301. Number of foreign-controlled enterprises
220501. Number of employees and self-employed persons in foreign-controlled enterprises
220701. Employee benefits expense in foreign-controlled enterprises
230301. Intramural R & D expenditure in foreign-controlled enterprises
230401. R & D personnel in foreign-controlled enterprises
240301. Total purchases of goods and services of foreign-controlled enterprises
240302. Purchases of goods and services for resale of foreign-controlled enterprises
250601. Net turnover of foreign-controlled enterprises
250701. Value of output of foreign-controlled enterprises
260201. Foreign-controlled enterprises’ gross investment in tangible non-current assets
250801. Value added of foreign-controlled enterprises
Business activities in total economy:
210101. Number of active enterprises
220101. Number of employees and self-employed persons
220301. Employee benefits expense
230101. Intramural R & D expenditure
230201. R & D personnel
240101. Total purchases of goods and services
240102. Purchases of goods and services for resale
250101. Net turnover
250301. Value of output
250401. Value added
260101. Gross investment in tangible non-current assets
3.2. Classification system
Classification systems used in the FATS are as follows:
Statistical classification of economic activities in the European Community (NACE Rev. 2);
List of 2-digit country codes (ISO 3166-1);
Currency codes (ISO 4217).
3.3. Coverage - sector
For all variables except for variables Intramural R & D expenditure, Intramural R & D expenditure in foreign-controlled enterprises, R & D personnel and R & D personnel in foreign-controlled enterprises: Market producers of NACE Sections B to N and P to R and divisions S95 and S96;
For variables Intramural R & D expenditure, Intramural R & D expenditure in foreign-controlled enterprises, R & D personnel and R & D personnel in foreign-controlled enterprises: Market producers of NACE Sections B to F.
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
Foreign Affiliates Statistics (FATS) measure the commercial presence through affiliates in foreign markets.
Inward foreign affiliates statistics (IFATS) shall mean statistics describing the activity of foreign affiliates resident in the compiling country.
In country-level business statistics foreign-controlled enterprise shall mean an enterprise resident in the compiling country over which an ultimate controlling institutional unit not resident in the compiling country has control.(Table 14 of the Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197).
Foreign affiliate in the framework of outward FATS is an enterprise or branch not resident in the compiling country over which an institutional unit resident in the compiling country has ultimate (direct or indirect) control.
Domestic affiliate shall mean an enterprise resident in the compiling country over which a UCI resident in the same compiling country has control.
Ultimate Controlling Institutional of a foreign affiliate (UCI) shall mean the institutional unit, proceeding up a foreign affiliate’s chain of control, which is not controlled by another institutional unit.
Control is the ability to determine the general policy of the affiliate by choosing appropriate directors, if necessary. In this context, enterprise A is deemed to be controlled by an institutional unit B when B controls, whether directly or indirectly, more than half of the shareholders' voting power or more than half of the shares.
Indirect control means that an institutional unit may have control through another affiliate which has control over enterprise A.
Active enterprise is a statistical units which at any time during the reference period was ‘enterprise’, as defined in Regulation (EEC) No 696/93, and also active during the same reference period. A statistical unit is considered to have been active during the reference period if, in said period, it either realized positive net turnover or produced outputs or had employees or performed investments.
Employees and self-employed persons are persons who work for an observation unit on the basis of a contract of employment and receives compensation in the form of wages, salaries, fees, gratuities, piecework pay or remuneration in kind; and persons who are the sole owners or joint owners of the statistical unit in which they work. Family workers and outworkers, whose income is a function of the value of the outputs of the statistical unit, are also included.
Employee benefits expense contains all expenses arising in relation with employee benefits, recognized by the statistical unit during the reference period. Those are are all forms of consideration given by the statistical unit in exchange for service rendered by employees or for the termination of employment.
Research and experimental development (R & D) comprise creative and systematic work undertaken in order to increase the stock of knowledge – including knowledge of humankind, culture and society – and to devise new applications of available knowledge. Expenditures on intramural R & D represent the amount of money spent on R & D that is performed within a reporting unit. Intramural R & D expenditures are all current expenditures plus gross fixed capital expenditures for R & D performed within a statistical unit during a specific reference period whatever the source of funds. R & D current expenditures include labour costs for internal R & D personnel and other current costs (costs for external R & D personnel, purchase of services.). Gross fixed capital expenditures for R & D include: acquisition of land, acquisition of buildings, acquisition of information and communication equipment, acquisition of transport equipment, acquisition of other machinery and equipment, acquisition of capitalised computer software, acquisition of other intellectual property products.
R & D personnel in a statistical unit include all persons engaged directly in R & D, whether employed by the statistical unit or external contributors fully integrated into the statistical unit’s R & D activities, as well as those providing direct services for the R & D activities (such as R & D managers, administrators, technicians and clerical staff).
Total purchases of goods and services contains all amount of goods and services purchased by the statistical unit, recognized in accounting as either current assets or expenses during the reference period.
Purchases of goods and services for resale in are purchases of goods for resale to third parties without further processing. It also includes purchases of services by ‘invoicing’ service companies, i.e. those whose turnover is composed not only of agency fees charged on a service transaction (as in the case of estate agents) but also the actual amount involved in the service transaction, e.g. transport purchases by travel agents.
Net turnover consists of all income arising during the reference period in the course of ordinary activities of the statistical unit, and is presented net of all price reductions, discounts and rebates granted by it.
Value of output represents the value of the total output of the statistical unit, generated during the reference period.
Value added is a composite indicator of net operating income, adjusted for depreciation, amortization and employee benefits, all components being recognized as such by the statistical unit during the reference period.
Gross investment in tangible non-current assets includes all additions to tangible non-current assets, recognized as such by the statistical unit during the reference period, except any increases from revaluations or reversals of previously recognized impairment losses and from reclassifications (transfers) of other tangible non-current assets.
Description of the coverage of Special Purpose Entities (SPE): In line with the EBS compilers manual for FATS
Description of the treatment of equally shared control: This case is considered as a specific item in our survey questionnaire. We investigate them with company websites and reports from the National competition regulation authority. We then follow the recomendations of the EBS compilers manual for FATS
Description of the treatment of multiple minority ownership: This case is considered as a specific item in our survey questionnaire. We investigate them with company websites and reports from the National competition regulation authority. We then follow the recomendations of the EBS compilers manual for FATS
3.5. Statistical unit
The statistical unit of FATS is the enterprise as defined in line with the Regulation (EEC) No 696/93 on the statistical units for the observation and analysis of the production system in the Community.
3.6. Statistical population
For all variables except for variables 230101 (Intramural R & D expenditure), 230301 (Intramural R & D expenditure in foreign-controlled enterprises), 230201 (R & D personnel) and 230401 (R & D personnel in foreign-controlled enterprises): Market producers of NACE Sections B to N and P to R and divisions S95 and S96;
For variables 230101 (Intramural R & D expenditure), 230301 (Intramural R & D expenditure in foreign-controlled enterprises), 230201 (R & D personnel) and 230401 (R & D personnel in foreign-controlled enterprises): Market producers of NACE Sections B to F.
3.7. Reference area
Italy
3.8. Coverage - Time
Data are available from 2003 untill 2023
3.9. Base period
Not applicable
Number of enterprises and employment variables are recorded in absolute figures.
Monetary data of enterprises are recorded in thousands in Euro.
2023
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
National IFATS data are published once a year together OFATS.
For reference year 2023 release dates are announced in November 11, 2024.
8.2. Release calendar access
Every year, ISTAT publishes a calendar of scheduled releases. The publication date of the Inward Fats Statistics Report is included in this calendar and can be accessed at the following address: Calendario delle diffusioni e degli eventi – Istat.
8.3. Release policy - user access
In line with the Community legal framework and the European Statistics Code of Practice, ISTAT disseminates national IFATS statistics on ISTAT website, respecting professional independence and in an objective, professional and transparent manner in which all users are treated equitably.
Annual for all variables except for variables 230101 (Intramural R & D expenditure), 230301 (Intramural R & D expenditure in foreign-controlled enterprises), 230201 (R & D personnel) and 230401 (R & D personnel in foreign-controlled enterprises): Market producers of NACE Sections B to N and P to R and divisions S95 and S96;
Biennial (every odd-numbered year) for variables 230101 (Intramural R & D expenditure), 230301 (Intramural R & D expenditure in foreign-controlled enterprises), 230201 (R & D personnel) and 230401 (R & D personnel in foreign-controlled enterprises): Market producers of NACE Sections B to F.
10.1. Dissemination format - News release
The news release will be published on the Istat website on 11 November 2024
10.2. Dissemination format - Publications
Statistical yearbooks published on the Istat website in 2025
10.3. Dissemination format - online database
Online database is not available
10.3.1. Data tables - consultations
Not available
10.4. Dissemination format - microdata access
ISTAT makes available free of charge the microdata files related to its surveys for study and research purposes, or for statistical-scientific aims, in compliance with current regulations.
After the pubblication of the news release the microdata will be available at the laboratory ADELE respecting the access protocol with authorization to be requested: Microdati – Istat.
10.5. Dissemination format - other
In addition to dissemination at national level, the data was sent to Eurostat on 5 August 2025
10.5.1. Metadata - consultations
Not available
10.6. Documentation on methodology
Methodological documents will be available with the pubblication of the news release.
10.6.1. Metadata completeness - rate
Not available
10.6.2. Availability of statistical metadata
Metadata are available on the ISTAT website
10.6.3. Web links if metadata are published electronically
At the national level, information on the Inward Fats survey can be found at the following address:
Users of inward FATS are: Internal users, European Commission services, international organisations, ministries, chambers of commerce, trade unions, journalists, researchers etc. User needs go beyond what data compilers can provide.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
not available
12.3. Completeness
The data is complete
12.3.1. Data completeness - rate
Please see Table 12.3.1 in the Annex at the bottom.
13.1.2. UCI Approach applied to identify the relevant population of reporting units
We use the UCI approch to identify the relevant population, in line with the EBS compilers manual for FATS.
We have a panel of enterprices resident in Italy uder foreign control. The primary source to updated this panel is an ad hoc survey. Additional sources used to update this panel are the Business Register, the Enterprise group business register, EGR, LCU, private database and an accurate monitoring of foreign entry/exit based on new papers, mass media and annual reports.
60% census survey/ sample survey
0% Structural Business Statistics (SBS)
0% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)
5% EuroGroups Register (EGR)
15% Statistical Business Register (SBR)
0% Administrative sources
5% Private data sources
0% Publicly available sources
15% Other data sources (indication of the sources: LCU, accurate monitoring of foreign entry/exit based on new papers, mass media and annual reports)
13.1.3. Update date (or frequency of updates) of the information regarding the country of the UCI by the “source administration”
We do not use administrative sources. We use SBS Frame which contains all the economic variables
13.1.4. Description of other method used to improve the accuracy of the UCI
To improve the accuracy of UCI information we use information from surveys, the national register and the EGR. We also use information from the LCU division private database and an accurate monitoring of foreign entry/exit based on new papers, mass media and annual reports.
13.2. Sampling error
Not relevant for our frame.
13.2.1. Sampling error - indicators
Not relevant for our frame.
13.3. Non-sampling error
Specific actions are planned to reduce non-sampling errors
13.3.1. Coverage error
To reduce coverage errors we use all the sources at our disposal, National business register, Enterprise group business registe, EGR, information deriving from the survey, LCU reports, private database and an accurate monitoring of foreign entry/exit based on new papers, mass media and annual reports.
13.3.1.1. Over-coverage - rate
Not available
13.3.1.2. Common units - proportion
Sample survey 60%
Manual profiling (business register, Enterprise group business register, EGR) 20%
Manual profiling (LCU, private database, mass media, new papers and annual report) 20%
13.3.1.3. Misclassification errors
Not relevant
13.3.1.4. Under- and over-coverage problems
Not relevant
13.3.2. Measurement error
We do not collect the economic variables but they come from SBS. The survey only detects the UCI and in this case ad hoc controls are envisaged to reduce the error.
13.3.3. Non response error
Unit non-response occurs when not all the reporting units in the sample participate in the survey.
Item non-response occurs when a respondent provides some, but not all, of the information requested or if the information reported is unusable (note that entirely unusable questionnaires are already counted in the unit non-response).
IFATS statistics are calculated annually for reference year T.
Data collection takes place every two yearsat. In 2025, data for the years 2023 and 2024 were collected
Data transmission to Eurostat takes place at t+20 months.
Data dissemination at national level takes place at t+23 months.
14.1.1. Time lag - first result
Data trasmission to Eurostat on 5 august 2024
First and Final data dissemination at national level takes place at t+23 months. There is only one publication
14.1.2. Time lag - final result
First and Final data dissemination at national level takes place at t+23 months. There is only one publication
14.2. Punctuality
The punctuality of the data collection and dissemination was respected
14.2.1. Punctuality - delivery and publication
Dissemination of IFATS 2023 final data to Eurostat was on 5 August 2024 (25 days before 31st August 2025, the target date).
National dissemination of OFATS 2024 will be on 11th November 2025 (expected date).
15.1. Comparability - geographical
Not applicable
15.1.1. Asymmetry for mirror flow statistics - coefficient
Not applicable
15.2. Comparability - over time
Length of time series: 2003-2023
Length of comparable time series: 2003-2017, 2018-2020. 2021-2023
2018 Break in series - change of statistical unit (from legal unit to enterprise)
2021 Break in series - a new Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 (EBS Regulation) replaced the old FATS regulation introducing change of the NACE classification and extension in coverage (NACE K-P-Q-R-S)
15.2.1. Length of comparable time series
Length of time series: 2003-2023
Length of comparable time series: 2003-2017, 2018-2020. 2021-2023
2018 Break in series - change of statistical unit (from legal unit to enterprise)
2021 Break in series - a new Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 (EBS Regulation) replaced the old FATS regulation introducing change of the NACE classification and extension in coverage (NACE K-P-Q-R-S)
15.2.2. Reasons and differences in concepts and measurement methods for breaks in time series
2018 Break in series - change of statistical unit (from legal unit to enterprise)
2021 Break in series - a new Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 (EBS Regulation) replaced the old FATS regulation introducing change of the NACE classification and extension in coverage (NACE K-P-Q-R-S)
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
The data is coherent
15.3.1. Coherence - sub annual and annual statistics
Not applicable
15.3.2. Coherence - National Accounts
Not applicable
15.3.3. Coherence – National Statistical Business Register (NSBR)
Not available
15.3.4. Coherence – Structural Business Statistics (SBS)
The data is coherent with SBS
15.3.5. Coherence – R & D
The data is coherent with R&D
15.3.6. Coherence – Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)
Not applicable. IFATS survey was carried out by ISTAT independently from the FDI survey framework, set up and maintained by the Bank of Italy.
15.3.7. Coherence – EuroGroups Register (EGR)
Not available
15.4. Coherence - internal
Not available
Cost associated with the collection and production aren't estimable. Statistical burden is minimum because we use SBS and R&D data for the economic varibles. The survey is used only for the validation of UCI.
17.1. Data revision - policy
Data are revised for higher quality, also depends on revisions of SBS data
The primary source is an ad hoc survey on firms under foreign control in Italy. Additional sources are the Business Register, the Enterprise group business register, EGR, LCU, private database and an accurate monitoring of foreign entry/exit based on new papers, mass media and annual reports.
18.1.1. Methodological approach
Census survey for large and medium companies (50+ person employed ) and stratified random sample for the small one. Census survey: the companies included in this population are selected in relation to thresholds of coverage defined by employees, turnover and by sector of economic activity .Stratified random sample: simple stratified by sector of economic activity. This information updates a panel of foreign affiliates in Italy, where additional sources are used to ckeck and validate not updated records.
18.1.2. Use of cut-off thresholds
NO
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Every two years
18.3. Data collection
Statistical survey is the main method of data collection in Inward FATS. Questionnaire is sent to all large enterprises and to a simple for smaller enterprises
Source to define your population:
60% census survey/ sample survey
0% Structural Business Statistics (SBS)
0% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)
5% EuroGroups Register (EGR)
15% Statistical Business Register (SBR)
0% Administrative sources
5% Private data sources
0% Publicly available sources
15% Other data sources (indication of the sources: LCU, accurate monitoring of foreign entry/exit based on new papers, mass media and annual reports)
Economic data obtained using:
0% census survey
0% sample survey
100% Structural Business Statistics (SBS)
0% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)
0% EuroGroups Register (EGR)
0% Statistical Business Register (SBR)
0% Administrative sources
0% Private data sources
0% Publicly available sources
0% Other data sources (indication of the sources: ...)
18.4. Data validation
Data are validated before publishing with quality checks and an accurate monitoring of foreign affiliates entry/exit
18.5. Data compilation
Control data is collected via electronic questionnaire, economic data is taken from SBS
18.5.1. Imputation - rate
Not available
18.5.2. Use of a method to deal with non-response (both unit and item non-response)
For the UCI an integrated approach is used wich involves the use of various sources (target population of previous year, BR, EGR).
Once the target population has been defined, the economic variables are taken from SBS and R&D
18.5.3. Share of estimated values
The data is not estimated:
0% share of estimated values, Frame population is complete
Foreign Affiliates Statistics (FATS) measure the commercial presence through affiliates in foreign markets.
Inward foreign affiliates statistics (IFATS) shall mean statistics describing the activity of foreign affiliates resident in the compiling country.
In country-level business statistics foreign-controlled enterprise shall mean an enterprise resident in the compiling country over which an ultimate controlling institutional unit not resident in the compiling country has control.(Table 14 of the EBS Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197).
Variables on the country-level business activities in the IFATS data category:
Business activities in foreign control:
210301. Number of foreign-controlled enterprises
220501. Number of employees and self-employed persons in foreign-controlled enterprises
220701. Employee benefits expense in foreign-controlled enterprises
230301. Intramural R & D expenditure in foreign-controlled enterprises
230401. R & D personnel in foreign-controlled enterprises
240301. Total purchases of goods and services of foreign-controlled enterprises
240302. Purchases of goods and services for resale of foreign-controlled enterprises
250601. Net turnover of foreign-controlled enterprises
250701. Value of output of foreign-controlled enterprises
260201. Foreign-controlled enterprises’ gross investment in tangible non-current assets
250801. Value added of foreign-controlled enterprises
Business activities in total economy:
210101. Number of active enterprises
220101. Number of employees and self-employed persons
220301. Employee benefits expense
230101. Intramural R & D expenditure
230201. R & D personnel
240101. Total purchases of goods and services
240102. Purchases of goods and services for resale
250101. Net turnover
250301. Value of output
250401. Value added
260101. Gross investment in tangible non-current assets
30 October 2025
Foreign Affiliates Statistics (FATS) measure the commercial presence through affiliates in foreign markets.
Inward foreign affiliates statistics (IFATS) shall mean statistics describing the activity of foreign affiliates resident in the compiling country.
In country-level business statistics foreign-controlled enterprise shall mean an enterprise resident in the compiling country over which an ultimate controlling institutional unit not resident in the compiling country has control.(Table 14 of the Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197).
Foreign affiliate in the framework of outward FATS is an enterprise or branch not resident in the compiling country over which an institutional unit resident in the compiling country has ultimate (direct or indirect) control.
Domestic affiliate shall mean an enterprise resident in the compiling country over which a UCI resident in the same compiling country has control.
Ultimate Controlling Institutional of a foreign affiliate (UCI) shall mean the institutional unit, proceeding up a foreign affiliate’s chain of control, which is not controlled by another institutional unit.
Control is the ability to determine the general policy of the affiliate by choosing appropriate directors, if necessary. In this context, enterprise A is deemed to be controlled by an institutional unit B when B controls, whether directly or indirectly, more than half of the shareholders' voting power or more than half of the shares.
Indirect control means that an institutional unit may have control through another affiliate which has control over enterprise A.
Active enterprise is a statistical units which at any time during the reference period was ‘enterprise’, as defined in Regulation (EEC) No 696/93, and also active during the same reference period. A statistical unit is considered to have been active during the reference period if, in said period, it either realized positive net turnover or produced outputs or had employees or performed investments.
Employees and self-employed persons are persons who work for an observation unit on the basis of a contract of employment and receives compensation in the form of wages, salaries, fees, gratuities, piecework pay or remuneration in kind; and persons who are the sole owners or joint owners of the statistical unit in which they work. Family workers and outworkers, whose income is a function of the value of the outputs of the statistical unit, are also included.
Employee benefits expense contains all expenses arising in relation with employee benefits, recognized by the statistical unit during the reference period. Those are are all forms of consideration given by the statistical unit in exchange for service rendered by employees or for the termination of employment.
Research and experimental development (R & D) comprise creative and systematic work undertaken in order to increase the stock of knowledge – including knowledge of humankind, culture and society – and to devise new applications of available knowledge. Expenditures on intramural R & D represent the amount of money spent on R & D that is performed within a reporting unit. Intramural R & D expenditures are all current expenditures plus gross fixed capital expenditures for R & D performed within a statistical unit during a specific reference period whatever the source of funds. R & D current expenditures include labour costs for internal R & D personnel and other current costs (costs for external R & D personnel, purchase of services.). Gross fixed capital expenditures for R & D include: acquisition of land, acquisition of buildings, acquisition of information and communication equipment, acquisition of transport equipment, acquisition of other machinery and equipment, acquisition of capitalised computer software, acquisition of other intellectual property products.
R & D personnel in a statistical unit include all persons engaged directly in R & D, whether employed by the statistical unit or external contributors fully integrated into the statistical unit’s R & D activities, as well as those providing direct services for the R & D activities (such as R & D managers, administrators, technicians and clerical staff).
Total purchases of goods and services contains all amount of goods and services purchased by the statistical unit, recognized in accounting as either current assets or expenses during the reference period.
Purchases of goods and services for resale in are purchases of goods for resale to third parties without further processing. It also includes purchases of services by ‘invoicing’ service companies, i.e. those whose turnover is composed not only of agency fees charged on a service transaction (as in the case of estate agents) but also the actual amount involved in the service transaction, e.g. transport purchases by travel agents.
Net turnover consists of all income arising during the reference period in the course of ordinary activities of the statistical unit, and is presented net of all price reductions, discounts and rebates granted by it.
Value of output represents the value of the total output of the statistical unit, generated during the reference period.
Value added is a composite indicator of net operating income, adjusted for depreciation, amortization and employee benefits, all components being recognized as such by the statistical unit during the reference period.
Gross investment in tangible non-current assets includes all additions to tangible non-current assets, recognized as such by the statistical unit during the reference period, except any increases from revaluations or reversals of previously recognized impairment losses and from reclassifications (transfers) of other tangible non-current assets.
Description of the coverage of Special Purpose Entities (SPE): In line with the EBS compilers manual for FATS
Description of the treatment of equally shared control: This case is considered as a specific item in our survey questionnaire. We investigate them with company websites and reports from the National competition regulation authority. We then follow the recomendations of the EBS compilers manual for FATS
Description of the treatment of multiple minority ownership: This case is considered as a specific item in our survey questionnaire. We investigate them with company websites and reports from the National competition regulation authority. We then follow the recomendations of the EBS compilers manual for FATS
The statistical unit of FATS is the enterprise as defined in line with the Regulation (EEC) No 696/93 on the statistical units for the observation and analysis of the production system in the Community.
For all variables except for variables 230101 (Intramural R & D expenditure), 230301 (Intramural R & D expenditure in foreign-controlled enterprises), 230201 (R & D personnel) and 230401 (R & D personnel in foreign-controlled enterprises): Market producers of NACE Sections B to N and P to R and divisions S95 and S96;
For variables 230101 (Intramural R & D expenditure), 230301 (Intramural R & D expenditure in foreign-controlled enterprises), 230201 (R & D personnel) and 230401 (R & D personnel in foreign-controlled enterprises): Market producers of NACE Sections B to F.
Italy
2023
The data is accurate
Number of enterprises and employment variables are recorded in absolute figures.
Monetary data of enterprises are recorded in thousands in Euro.
Control data is collected via electronic questionnaire, economic data is taken from SBS
The primary source is an ad hoc survey on firms under foreign control in Italy. Additional sources are the Business Register, the Enterprise group business register, EGR, LCU, private database and an accurate monitoring of foreign entry/exit based on new papers, mass media and annual reports.
Annual for all variables except for variables 230101 (Intramural R & D expenditure), 230301 (Intramural R & D expenditure in foreign-controlled enterprises), 230201 (R & D personnel) and 230401 (R & D personnel in foreign-controlled enterprises): Market producers of NACE Sections B to N and P to R and divisions S95 and S96;
Biennial (every odd-numbered year) for variables 230101 (Intramural R & D expenditure), 230301 (Intramural R & D expenditure in foreign-controlled enterprises), 230201 (R & D personnel) and 230401 (R & D personnel in foreign-controlled enterprises): Market producers of NACE Sections B to F.
IFATS statistics are calculated annually for reference year T.
Data collection takes place every two yearsat. In 2025, data for the years 2023 and 2024 were collected
Data transmission to Eurostat takes place at t+20 months.
Data dissemination at national level takes place at t+23 months.
Not applicable
Length of time series: 2003-2023
Length of comparable time series: 2003-2017, 2018-2020. 2021-2023
2018 Break in series - change of statistical unit (from legal unit to enterprise)
2021 Break in series - a new Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 (EBS Regulation) replaced the old FATS regulation introducing change of the NACE classification and extension in coverage (NACE K-P-Q-R-S)
