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.
enterprises purchasing or supplying goods and services abroad (2-5);
the number of enterprises carrying out international sourcing (6);
jobs created and lost resulting from international sourcing (7-8);
motivations and barriers for sourcing (9);
events affecting GVC arrangements (10)
For variables (2-5), the dataset includes only enterprises that report at least EUR 100 000 in goods or services purchased from or supplied abroad in the final year of the reference period.
All data are provided as absolute values and presented by NACE activity, business function, geographical partner area, size class, motivation and barrier types, and other breakdowns required by the regulation.
International sourcing refers to the partial or full movement of business functions abroad within or outside the enterprise group, during 2021-2023. Variables (2-5) apply only to enterprises exceeding the EUR 100 000 threshold for goods/services purchased or supplied abroad.
Business functions are divided into core and support categories and specific functional areas (e.g. ICT, management and administration). Motivations and barriers follow the fixed lists provided in the regulation, and importance factors use the standard four-level scale (very important, moderately important, not important, not applicable/do not know).
3.5. Statistical unit
The statistical unit used for the GVC statistics is the enterprise, as defined in Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 on European business statistics and the Business Register Regulation.
3.6. Statistical population
The target population consists of all market-producing enterprises in NACE Sections B-N with at least 50 employees and self-employed persons in the final year of the reference period.
For variables (2-5), only enterprises reporting at least EUR 100 000 of goods or services purchased from or supplied abroad are included, in line with the Annex of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/918 .
Variables cover activities that may have occurred during this three-year period.
Variables (1-5) refer specifically to the final year of the period (2023).
Variables (6-10) cover actions that took place at any time between 1 January 2021 and 31 December 2023.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 repealing 10 legal acts in the field of business statistics (EBS Regulation). The topic Global Value Chains is listed in Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2019/2152.
Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/918 laying down technical specifications of data requirements for the topic Global Value Chains pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2019/2152.
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
Not applicable.
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
Confidentiality of individual data is protected by Statistics Law:
Section 7. Competence of the Statistical Institution in Production of Official Statistics.
The statistical institution shall: ensure statistical confidentiality in accordance with the procedures laid down in this Law.
Section 17. Data Processing and Statistical Confidentiality.
Section 19. Dissemination of Official Statistics:
The statistical institution shall disseminate official statistics in a way that does not allow either directly or indirectly identify a private individual or a State institution in cases other than those laid down in Section 25 of this Law;
The statistical institution shall publish the official statistics which have been produced within the framework of the Official Statistics Programme in a publicly available form and by a predetermined deadline on the portal of official statistics. Until the moment of publication of official statistics this statistics shall not be published.
Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 on European statistics (recital 24 and Article 20(4) of 11 March 2009 (OJ L 87, p. 164), stipulates the need to establish common principles and guidelines ensuring the confidentiality of data used for the production of European statistics and the access to those confidential data with due account for technical developments and the requirements of users in a democratic society.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
GVC data are not confidential.
8.1. Release calendar
All official statistics are made publicly available according to the data release calendar, at 13:00.
8.2. Release calendar access
Release calendar is accessible for everyone and is published on Official statistics portal of Latvia homepage.
8.3. Release policy - user access
Statistical release dates and times are pre-announced.
The data which is not available in the published publications and in the published on-line databases are provided to everyone upon a specific request.
A selection of aggregated GVC indicators, such as the number of enterprises sourcing abroad, purchasing or supplying goods and services abroad and the distribution of employment by business function, is published in the national online statistical database.
10.4. Dissemination format - microdata access
In order to encourage deeper analysis of statistical information and its use in research, the CSB provides access to anonymized individual statistical information for scientific purposes, in the meantime strictly observing the principles of confidentiality.
10.5. Dissemination format - other
Not available.
10.6. Documentation on methodology
Methodological information is provided in the national metadata accompanying the GVC data transmission and in the GVC Compilers’ Manual published by Eurostat.
10.7. Quality management - documentation
Documentation on methodology is available on the website Official Statistics of Latvia
11.1. Quality assurance
CSB has introduced Quality Management System (QMS). The system is directed towards providing high user satisfaction and ensuring compliance with regulatory enactments. Based on the structure of Generic Statistical Business Process Model (GSBPM), QMS defines and at the level of procedures describes processes of statistical production as well as sets the persons responsible for the monitoring of processes at all stages of the statistical production. QMS defines the sequence how processes are implemented (i.e., activities to be performed (incl. verifications of processes and statistics, sequence and implementation requirements thereof, as well as persons responsible for the implementation)), procedures used in the evaluation of processes and statistics, as well as any improvements needed.
Since 2018, QMS of the CSB has been certified by the standard ISO 9001:2015 “Quality Management Systems. Requirements” (certified scope: Production of official statistics – planning, development, data acquisition, processing, analysis and dissemination).
Automated validation checks ensure completeness, internal consistency and compliance with definitions and breakdowns set out in Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/918 .
11.2. Quality management - assessment
Quality of statistics is assessed in accordance with the existing requirements of external and internal regulatory enactments and in accordance with the established quality criteria.
Regulation (EC) no 223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council on European statistics states that European Statistics shall be developed, produced and disseminated on the basis of uniform standards and of harmonised methods. In this respect, the following quality criteria shall apply: relevance, accuracy, timeliness, punctuality, accessibility, clarity, comparability and coherence.
CSB, as the governing body of the national statistical system, has determined common general (institutional level) quality requirements for statistical institutions of Latvia, applying European Statistics Code of Practice. The 16 principles of the European Statistics Code of Practice.
Overall assessment of data quality is good.
Internal coherence between variables and breakdowns is reviewed, and external coherence is checked against other business statistics domains. Common limitations include item non-response in detailed breakdowns and occasional inconsistencies in administrative variables.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
Main users:
Eurostat
Ministry of Economics
Investment and Development Agency of Latvia
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
No formal user satisfaction survey has been carried out specifically for the GVC domain.
Users may submit their opinions and comments on data quality by contacting the CSB via email at pasts@csp.gov.lv. This feedback mechanism is publicly accessible and is included in the metadata documentation for each statistical indicator.
12.3. Completeness
All mandatory variables and breakdowns required by Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/918 were transmitted for the 2021-2023 reference period. The 1 percent rule was not applied for the 2021-2023 reference period. Data cover all required combinations of NACE sections B-N, size classes, business functions and geographical areas as specified in the regulation.
Overall accuracy is assessed using checks on coverage, internal coherence and consistency with related business statistics. Most units in the target population provided usable data, and validation procedures reduced the impact of inconsistent responses. Some uncertainty remains for detailed variables, particularly those requiring subjective assessments such as sourcing motives and barriers.
Estimated coverage error and non-response error are assessed as medium.
Measurement, data processing and modelling errors are not measured and could not be assessed.
13.2. Sampling error
Census survey.
The survey response rate was approximately 96.3 percent.
Recorded unit non-response rate in the overall context is on the average.
Overall accuracy is assessed using checks on coverage, internal coherence and consistency with related business statistics. Most units in the target population provided usable data, and validation procedures reduced the impact of inconsistent responses. Some uncertainty remains for detailed variables, particularly those requiring subjective assessments such as sourcing motives and barriers.
13.3. Non-sampling error
The unit non-response is adjusted using imputation. Reminding e-mails are sent to respondents, notification about not filled in questionnaire has been shown in the application of web-questionnaire and reminding phone calls are also made in order to minimise the unit non-response.
The impact of imperfection of the relevant business register on the quality of the key statistics is assessed as low.
14.1. Timeliness
Data are transmitted to Eurostat within the legal deadline of T+21 months.
Processing stages were completed according to the national timetable:
Data collection takes place at t+12 months after the end of the reference period;
Data validation and preparation for transmission takes place at t+20 months;
Data dissemination at national level takes place at t+24 months.
14.2. Punctuality
Data collection, editing and validation activities followed the established timetable.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
Geographical comparability is supported by the harmonised definitions and breakdowns specified in the GVC Implementing Act. Methodological guidance from Eurostat ensures a common framework across EU Member States. No national deviations from the European definitions were applied.
15.2. Comparability - over time
The 2021-2023 cycle is the first official GVC data collection under the European Business Statistics (EBS) Regulation.
However, Latvia has previous experience with voluntary or pilot GVC surveys carried out before the EBS framework. Broad conceptual continuity exists between the earlier exercises and the current official collection, as key definitions, business function categories and geographical breakdowns follow the same methodological foundations.
Nevertheless, differences in survey design, sampling approach, questionnaire content or follow-up procedures may limit full comparability with earlier voluntary results.
No methodological breaks exist within the 2021-2023 cycle itself.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
Cross-domain coherence is generally ensured through comparisons with related statistics such as SBS, FATS, TEC and STEC. Differences may arise due to varying reference periods, reporting thresholds (such as the EUR 100 000 criterion for trade variables) or domain-specific definitions. These discrepancies are limited and do not substantially affect the interpretation of GVC results.
15.4. Coherence - internal
Internal coherence is supported by validation checks that ensure consistency across activity, size class, business function and geographical breakdowns.
Logical rules are applied to verify relationships between variables, and follow-up procedures address inconsistencies where necessary.
Enterprises reporting international sourcing are expected to appear in the relevant business function or partner breakdowns.
The survey is limited to enterprises with 50 or more persons employed and some variables are pre-filled.
Companies that operate only in the domestic market often face challenges in aligning their operations with reporting requirements.
The majority of respondents (46%) agreed that the questions in the survey were clear and easy to understand. However, 28% expressed disagreement, and 26% were neutral. This indicates that while overall clarity is perceived positively, there is a notable portion of respondents who experienced difficulties. It is necessary to review the wording of certain questions. This will help improve clarity and reduce ambiguity, enhancing the overall respondents experience.
Business functions, number of persons employed, jobs lost or created due to international sourcing: these were all to a certain extent problematic for enterprises to report.
The average completion time for the questionnaire was estimated at around 1 hour.
17.1. Data revision - policy
Revision Policy is an important component of good governance practice addressed more and more often in the international statistical society. The objective of the Revision Policy is to lay down the order of review or revision of the prepared and published data. The first chapter of the present document explains the terms applied in the Revision Policy, the second chapter shortly characterises the CSB Revision Policy, whereas the third chapter stipulates the revision cycle of the statistical data produced by the CSB.
GVC data for the period 2021- 2023 are final and will not be changed.
18.1. Source data
The data are collected through statistical survey "Global value chains" (1-GVC) of enterprises in NACE sections B-N with 50 or more persons employed.
CSB of Latvia used Business register to create the population. For enterprises that consist of only one legal units (LeU), the enterprise is equal to the LeU. For these cases, general business statistics methods apply. For enterprises that consist of 2 or more LeUs, than all most important LeU in an enterprise are included in the sample and then consolidate data on the enterprise level. For these cases, LeU level approach apply.
The type of questionnaires used in the survey are electronic format in Electronic Data Collection system on CSB homepage, as well as respondents can print out the paper questionnaires in CSB homepage and submit them by post, send by e-mail or bring them personally.
The collection period lasted around four months (September-December 2024) to allow enterprises sufficient time to complete the questionnaire.
The explanations and other significant notes for the enterprises and integrated the necessary notes, explanations, remarks in the Web questionnaire to help the enterprises to fill in the questionnaire.
Reminder e-mails are sent as well as reminders by phone are made to companies in order to speed up or increase the rate of response.
Approximately 29 percent of survey were submitted on time.
Approximately 17 percent calls were made to help respondents to finish filling out the questionnaire or for some clarifications.
18.4. Data validation
The following validation rules are applied before the data transmission to Eurostat:
completeness checks (data integrity rules);
validity checks (internal consistency).
Data editing is done during the data collection period. Data validation rules are described in the data production system MD ISDMS (Metadata Driven Statistical Data Management System) and appear automatically after data entering in the system. Data is corrected manually. Primary data validation rules are worked-in the electronic version of the survey (respondent can not transmit the data before those errors are corrected).
Data checking and editing of imputed data is also done within the data production system MD ISDMS – errors are detected automatically, corrected and re-imputed.
Before data transmission to Eurostat, the aggregated data are checked using Eurostat provided validation service.
Validation is performed at both microdata and aggregated levels and incorporates feedback from Eurostat's validation process.
18.5. Data compilation
Item non-response has been detected and corrected during the data collection period (respondent can not transmit the data before those errors are corrected).
In the case of non-response, established imputation methods or auxiliary information from registers or administrative sources are used.
Final aggregates are produced according to the required breakdowns, including activity, business function, type of goods or services and geographical area.
enterprises purchasing or supplying goods and services abroad (2-5);
the number of enterprises carrying out international sourcing (6);
jobs created and lost resulting from international sourcing (7-8);
motivations and barriers for sourcing (9);
events affecting GVC arrangements (10)
For variables (2-5), the dataset includes only enterprises that report at least EUR 100 000 in goods or services purchased from or supplied abroad in the final year of the reference period.
All data are provided as absolute values and presented by NACE activity, business function, geographical partner area, size class, motivation and barrier types, and other breakdowns required by the regulation.
International sourcing refers to the partial or full movement of business functions abroad within or outside the enterprise group, during 2021-2023. Variables (2-5) apply only to enterprises exceeding the EUR 100 000 threshold for goods/services purchased or supplied abroad.
Business functions are divided into core and support categories and specific functional areas (e.g. ICT, management and administration). Motivations and barriers follow the fixed lists provided in the regulation, and importance factors use the standard four-level scale (very important, moderately important, not important, not applicable/do not know).
The statistical unit used for the GVC statistics is the enterprise, as defined in Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 on European business statistics and the Business Register Regulation.
The target population consists of all market-producing enterprises in NACE Sections B-N with at least 50 employees and self-employed persons in the final year of the reference period.
For variables (2-5), only enterprises reporting at least EUR 100 000 of goods or services purchased from or supplied abroad are included, in line with the Annex of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/918 .
Overall accuracy is assessed using checks on coverage, internal coherence and consistency with related business statistics. Most units in the target population provided usable data, and validation procedures reduced the impact of inconsistent responses. Some uncertainty remains for detailed variables, particularly those requiring subjective assessments such as sourcing motives and barriers.
Estimated coverage error and non-response error are assessed as medium.
Measurement, data processing and modelling errors are not measured and could not be assessed.
Number of enterprises in units;
Employment variables are expressed in units.
Item non-response has been detected and corrected during the data collection period (respondent can not transmit the data before those errors are corrected).
In the case of non-response, established imputation methods or auxiliary information from registers or administrative sources are used.
Final aggregates are produced according to the required breakdowns, including activity, business function, type of goods or services and geographical area.
The data are collected through statistical survey "Global value chains" (1-GVC) of enterprises in NACE sections B-N with 50 or more persons employed.
CSB of Latvia used Business register to create the population. For enterprises that consist of only one legal units (LeU), the enterprise is equal to the LeU. For these cases, general business statistics methods apply. For enterprises that consist of 2 or more LeUs, than all most important LeU in an enterprise are included in the sample and then consolidate data on the enterprise level. For these cases, LeU level approach apply.
Data are transmitted to Eurostat within the legal deadline of T+21 months.
Processing stages were completed according to the national timetable:
Data collection takes place at t+12 months after the end of the reference period;
Data validation and preparation for transmission takes place at t+20 months;
Data dissemination at national level takes place at t+24 months.
Geographical comparability is supported by the harmonised definitions and breakdowns specified in the GVC Implementing Act. Methodological guidance from Eurostat ensures a common framework across EU Member States. No national deviations from the European definitions were applied.
The 2021-2023 cycle is the first official GVC data collection under the European Business Statistics (EBS) Regulation.
However, Latvia has previous experience with voluntary or pilot GVC surveys carried out before the EBS framework. Broad conceptual continuity exists between the earlier exercises and the current official collection, as key definitions, business function categories and geographical breakdowns follow the same methodological foundations.
Nevertheless, differences in survey design, sampling approach, questionnaire content or follow-up procedures may limit full comparability with earlier voluntary results.
No methodological breaks exist within the 2021-2023 cycle itself.
