Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.

G4: Innovation and digitalisation

L-2920 Luxembourg LUXEMBOURG

The Community Innovation Survey (CIS) is a survey about innovation activities in enterprises. The survey is designed to provide information on the innovativeness of sectors by type of enterprises, on the different types of innovation and on various aspects of the development of an innovation, such as objectives, sources of information, public funding or expenditures.

The CIS provides statistics broken down by countries, types of innovators, economic activities and size classes. The survey is currently carried out every two years across the EU Member States, EFTA countries and EU candidate countries.

In order to ensure comparability across countries, Eurostat together with the countries developed a standard core questionnaire (see in Annex) accompanied by a set of definitions and methodological recommendations. CIS 2016 concepts and its underlying methodology are also based on the Oslo Manual (2005) 3rd edition (see link at the bottom of the page).

CIS 2016 results were collected under Commission Regulation No 995/2012. This Regulation defines the mandatory target population of the survey referring to enterprises in the Core NACE categories (see section 3.3.) with at least 10 employees. Further activities may be covered on a voluntary basis in national datasets. Most statistics are based on the 3-year reference period 2014-2016, but some use only one calendar year (2014 or 2016).

CIS 2016 includes an ad-hoc module on innovations in logistics and new set of questions on legislation and regulations.

While European innovation statistics use aggregated national data, the microdata sets can be consulted by researchers via the SAFE Centre of Eurostat in Luxembourg or via CD-ROM releases in a more anonymised form; some countries also provide access to their microdata through national Safe Centres. Since the provision of microdata is voluntary, microdatasets do not cover all countries.

Indicators related to the enterprises are classified by country, economic activity (NACE Rev. 2), size class and type of innovation activity.

In accordance with Commission Regulation No 995/2012, the following industries and services are included in the Core target population. Results are made available with these following breakdowns:

Core NACE (NACE Rev. 2 sections & divisions B-C-D-E-46-H-J-K-71-72-73 ) (NACE code in the tables = B-M73_INN)

Core Industry (excluding construction) (NACE Rev. 2  sections B_C_D_E) (NACE code in the tables = B_E)

B: MINING AND QUARRYING

C: MANUFACTURING
  10-12: Manufacture of food products, beverages and tobacco
  13-15: Manufacture of textiles, wearing apparel, leather and related products
  16-18: Manufacture of wood, paper, printing and reproduction
    20: Manufacture of chemicals and chemical products
    21: Manufacture of basic pharmaceutical products and pharmaceutical preparations
  19-22: Manufacture of petroleum, chemical, pharmaceutical, rubber and plastic products
    23: Manufacture of other non-metallic mineral products
    24: Manufacture of basic metals
    25: Manufacture of fabricated metal products, except machinery and equipment
    26: Manufacture of computer, electronic and optical products
  25-30: Manufacture of of fabricated metal products (except machinery and equipment), computer, electronic and optical products, electrical equipment, motor vehicles and other transport equipment
  31-33: Manufacture of furniture; jewellery, musical instruments, toys; repair and installation of machinery and equipment

D: ELECTRICITY, GAS, STEAM AND AIR CONDITIONING SUPPLY

E: WATER SUPPLY; SEWERAGE, WASTE MANAGEMENT AND REMEDIATION ACTIVITIES
    36: Water collection, treatment and supply
  37-39: Sewerage, waste management, remediation activities

Core Services (NACE Rev. 2 sections & divisions 46-H-J-K-71-72-73)(NACE code in the tables = G46-M73_INN)
    46: Wholesale trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles

H: TRANSPORTATION AND STORAGE
  49-51: Land transport and transport via pipelines, water transport and air transport
  52-53: Warehousing and support activities for transportation and postal and courier activities

J: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION
    58: Publishing activities
    61: Telecommunications
    62: Computer programming, consultancy and related activities
    63: Information service activities

K: FINANCIAL AND INSURANCE ACTIVITIES
    64: Financial service activities, except insurance and pension funding
    65: Insurance, reinsurance and pension funding, except compulsory social security
    66: Activities auxiliary to financial services and insurance activities

M: PROFESSIONAL, SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL ACTIVITIES
    71: Architectural and engineering activities; technical testing and analysis
    72: Scientific research and development
    73: Advertising and market research
  71-73: Architectural and engineering activities; technical testing and analysis; Scientific research and development; Advertising and market research

Countries can also provide results for sectors in a more detailed form or for sectors that are not included in the Core NACE coverage on a voluntary basis.

The CIS provides information on the characteristics of innovation activities at enterprise level. It allows Europe's progress to be monitored in the area of innovation, creating a better understanding of the innovation process with analyses of the objectives and the effects of innovation. These results can also be linked to variables related to competitiveness, employment and economic growth. The concepts are in line with those recommended by the Oslo Manual (2005, 3^rd edition), which is the internationally recognised standard methodology for collecting innovation statistics.

CIS 2016 collected information on product, process, organisational and marketing innovation. CIS results offer a broad set of indicators on innovation activities, innovation development, innovation expenditures, public funding, sources of information for innovation, innovation cooperation and organisational and marketing innovation.

Main concepts and definitions used for the CIS data collection:

An innovation is the implementation of a new or significantly improved product (good or service), process, new marketing method, or new organisational method in business practices, workplace organisation or external relations. This definition of innovation encompasses a wide range of possible innovations. An innovation can be categorised as the implementation of one or more types of innovations, for instance product and process innovation. An overview of the types of innovators is available in the Annex.

The minimum requirement for an innovation to occur is that the product, process, marketing or organisational method must be new or significantly improved to the firm. This includes not only products, processes and methods that firms are the first to develop but also those that have been adopted from other firms or organisations.

Product innovative enterprises are those who introduced, during 2014-2016, new or significantly improved goods and/or services with respect to their capabilities, user friendliness, components or sub-systems. Changes of a solely aesthetic nature and the simple resale of new goods and services purchased from other enterprises are not considered as innovation.

Process innovative enterprises implemented new or significantly improved production process, distribution method or supplying activity during 2014-2016.

Organisational innovative enterprises implemented at least one new organisational method in the enterprises business practices, workplace organisation or external relations.

Marketing innovative enterprises implemented at least one new marketing concept or strategy that differs significantly from enterprises' existing marketing methods and which has not been used before. It requires significant changes in product design or packaging, product placement, product promotion or pricing. In addition, it excludes seasonal, regular and other routine changes in marketing methods.

Innovative enterprises had innovation activities during the period 2014-2016, including enterprises with on-going and abandoned activities. In other words, enterprises that had innovation activities during the period under review, regardless of whether the activity resulted in the implementation of an innovation, are innovation-active.

During the period, innovation activities can be of three categories:

● Successful, in having resulted in the implementation of an innovation (although the innovation need not have been commercially successful);

● On-going, with work in progress that has not yet resulted in the implementation of an innovation;

● Abandoned before the implementation of an innovation.

Non-innovative enterprises had no innovation activity whatsoever during the reference period. These enterprises answered only a limited set of questions of the survey.

The main statistical unit is the enterprise, as defined in the Council Regulation on statistical units (Council Regulation (EEC) No 696/93 of 15 March 1993, OJ No L76 of 3 March 1993) or as defined in statistical Business Registers.

The Regulation defines the enterprise as the smallest combination of legal units that is an organisational unit producing goods or services, which benefits from a certain degree of autonomy in decision making, especially for the allocation of its current resources. It may carry out one or more activities at one or more locations and it may be a combination of legal units, one single legal unit or part of a legal unit.

The population of the CIS is determined by the size of the enterprise and its principal activity. All enterprises with 10 or more employees in any of the Core NACE categories are included in the statistical population. For the coverage of economic activities according to their status (mandatory or on voluntary basis), see section "3.3 Coverage sector " above.

Beyond all the EU Member States, CIS 2016 has been conducted in the following countries: Norway, Iceland, and Switzerland, Serbia, Macedonia and Turkey for the associated countries. Montenegro has started pilot studies for the CIS.

CIS 2016 results, as well as results of each Community Innovation Survey, are available in separate sections in Eurobase. This articulation reflects the structure of the questionnaire and scope of each survey.

Not applicable.

CIS 2016 indicators are available according to 3 units of measure:

NBR: Number of enterprises for all indicators except for the indicators EMP14/EMP16 (total number of employees in 2014 and in 2016) for which NBR refers to the Number of employees.

THS_EUR: Thousands of euros. All financial variables are provided in thousands of euros, i.e. Turnover 2014, Turnover 2016 and Innovation expenditures in 2016.

PC: Percentage. The percentage is the ratio between the selected combination of indicator, type of innovators and - in most cases - the total category of the selected type of innovators.

Users are invited to consult the "CIS 2016 - Calculation details of all the indicators" detailing all the available computed derivations (see the Annexes at the bottom of the page).

In CIS 2016, most questions and by consequence most indicators cover the reference period 2014-2016, i.e. the 3-year period from the beginning of 2014 to the end of 2016.

As regards the indicators on innovation expenditures for product and process innovations, the reference period is only one year, 2016.

Moreover, basic economic indicators (Turnover and Employment) were also requested for 2014 and for 2016 in the CIS 2016 questionnaire.

CIS 2016 survey was based on Commission Regulation No 995/2012, implementing Decision No 1608/2003/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the production and development of Community statistics on science and technology.

This Regulation establishes innovation statistics on a statutory basis and makes the delivery of certain variables compulsory. In addition, it defines the obligatory cross-coverage (combination of sector and size class).

Not applicable.

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.

Primary and secondary confidentiality of CIS data are flagged by the countries.

The objective is not only to protect cells against absolute and approximate disclosure but also to minimize information loss in order to increase the usefulness of the CIS data. Eurostat takes the complete flagging as given and is not executing any additional measure than removing flagged data while publishing the results. Primary and secondary confidentiality is respected for any data publicly released.

The European aggregates are not made available if one or two countries sent confidential data for the concerned indicator.

No official calendar is available for CIS data release. However, CIS data can be expected in the course of the second semester of even-numbered years.

No official calendar is available for CIS data release. However, CIS data can be expected in the course of the second semester of even-numbered years.

In line with the Community legal framework and the European Statistics Code of Practice Eurostat disseminates European statistics on Eurostat's website (see item 10 - 'Accessibility and clarity') respecting professional independence,  in an objective, professional and transparent manner in which all users are treated equitably. The detailed arrangements are governed by the Eurostat protocol on impartial access to Eurostat data for users.

Since 2004, Community Innovation Surveys have been conducted every two years.

News releases on-line.

Not specific

Please consult free data on-line Eurobase/ Science and Technology section Community Innovation Survey (CIS).

The CIS microdata sets are available exclusively for research purpose. The access is provided according to contracts established between Eurostat and the corresponding research institutions.

Two versions of microdata are made available, they differ on the level of information retained:

• Secure use files: confidential data as obtained from the national authorities. They allow only indirect identification of the statistical units concerned. The access to these data is only possible in the Eurostat SAFE Centre.
• Scientific use files: anonymised microdata sets extracted from the aforementioned data. The individual statistical records have been modified in order to minimise, in accordance with current best practice, the risk of indirect identification of the statistical units to which they relate. This access is given via distribution of encrypted CD-ROM.

In both cases, regional level data are not available in the datasets and the enterprises cannot be tracked from a wave to another, given that CIS data is not panel data.

The implementation frameworks for release of EU microdata for scientific purposes are defined in the Commission Regulation (EC) No 831/2002.

Detailed information on CIS microdata access are available at the following link: http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/microdata/community-innovation-survey

CIS data is also used, amongst others, in the European Innovation Scoreboards.

Please see Annex.

Users interested in quality aspects of the previous surveys may refer to the CIS 2016 Synthesis Quality Reports will be available in the Annex of this document or for previous waves to the annex of metadata related to the previous waves.

In accordance with Annex III to Commission Regulation No 995/2012, the provision of Quality Reports by each Member States is now mandatory. This report includes key quality indicators such as non-response rates, coefficient of variation, etc.

The CIS Quality Report that has to be filled by the countries is in conformity with the ESS (European Statistical System) Standard for Quality Reports structure.

A high degree of harmonisation in concepts and methods has been achieved through the adoption of Commission Regulation N° 995/2012, the Oslo Manual for the compilation of innovation statistics and the Harmonised CIS Questionnaire.

However, countries may deviate from the Harmonised Questionnaire by introducing additional questions and/or modifying existing questions in order to satisfy specific national needs.

The CIS 2016 provides an understanding of the types of innovation introduced by enterprises, their features and their development. Amongst others, information on sources of information, cooperation, methods for maintaining or increasing competitiveness is provided by the survey. CIS also allows some cross-analyses using economic indicators such as the Number of employees or Turnover.

Since 2000, the CIS has also become a major data source for the Innovation Union Scoreboard and the Regional Innovation Scoreboard.

A user satisfaction survey is generally not carried out. Countries receive mainly ad-hoc feedback from users.

Almost all countries transmitted all compulsory statistics on innovation in the 2016 survey edition.

Not available.

Not available.

Not available.

According to Commission Regulation No 995/2012, national CIS statistics must be delivered to Eurostat within 18 months from the end of the reference year.

Most countries conformed to the Regulation and transmitted the data by the requested time. Eurostat made available CIS 2016 data in February 2019.

The majority of countries were punctual in delivering CIS data to Eurostat.

In order to ensure comparability across countries, Eurostat, in close cooperation with the EU Member States and other countries, has developed a standard core questionnaire for each CIS round, with an accompanying set of definitions and methodological recommendations. Most countries follow the proposed filtering used in the Harmonized Survey. In some instances, the questions asked on basic economic information are placed at the beginning of the national survey. Items related to "Turnover" and "Average number of employees" were obtained from national statistical Business registers or from other surveys. In addition, question 1.1 on the structure of the surveyed enterprise has been derived from the business register has also been derived from the Business Register. Certain data that should be covered under the EC Regulation 995/2012 may appear to be missing in all tables. However, this is due to there being no enterprises in these industries in the population frame.

However, in the CIS 2016 context, deviations from the target population or from the Harmonised Questionnaire are listed here below:

Austria (AT): the questions 2.5 and 6.1 from the Harmonised Questionnaire were not included in the national questionnaire. The following national questions were included in the questionnaire: in question 7.3 "All other countries" were distinguished into "USA", "China/India", "Other"; after question 9.1 two questions on "Innovation and public procurement" were added which were similar to section 10 in the CIS 2014; in question 13.1 two categories were added: a) lead time advantage before competitors b) complexity of goods or services.

Belgium (BE): due to confidentiality constraints the official Belgian business register could not be used. Instead, as frame population the register available from the Belgian National Social Security Office which contains all active employers in Belgium (the December's 2016 version has been used). This register was agreed upon by Statistics Belgium as being statistically equivalent to the official business register. Voluntary questions: 5.3, 7.1, 11.1, 11.2, 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 13.1 and section 14 were not included in the CIS 2016 national questionnaire. Deviations compering to the Harmonised Survey in questions 1.3, 2.4, 2.5, 3.1.b., 4.1., 5.2 and 6.1. As well as the question 8.1. also for other organizational innovations.The additional question on seasonal changes was included in the question 9.1. In question 10.1 and 12.3 one option on hampering factors was included that both innovators and non-innovators had to respond. Belgium has included the question on public procurement (cf. questions 10.1 and 10.2. in CIS 2014). More details were asked besides ‘GP’ and ‘HO’. A major change in our CIS 2016 compared to previous waves is that the survey form no longer had a filter preceding the detailed questions on various types of innovation activities (R&D, acquisition of machinery, training, etc.) and innovation expenditure (questions 5.1 and 5.2 in the harmonized survey form provided by Eurostat). The questions on cooperation for innovation, on public funding for innovation and on hampering factors were also asked for all respondents, including non-innovators.

The Czech Republic (CZ):questions 1.4, 2.5, 5.3, 7.1, 11.1, 11.2, 12.1, 12.2, 12.3 and section 14 (all questions) were not included in the national questionnaire. Additional questions included in the national questionnaire: impacts/results of the introduction of product/process innovations, request for introduction of product/process innovations.

Germany (DE): the national business register of the German national statistical office (Destatis) has been used for a basis for deriving population totals. Since the most recent data at the time of sampling referred to 2015, projections for 2016 have been made by ZEW based on data from sector-specific statistics of Destatis. In addition, the Business Register data were adjusted in the following way:
- Turnover for NACE divisions 64 and 65 in the business register does only include turnover for which VAT applies and is not comparable to the definition of turnover as used in the CIS (gross interest receipts, gross premium written). In order to estimate comparable data for turnover, information from Federal Agencies responsible for banking and assurance businesses as well as data from company reports was used;
- Since the employment data of the business register do not include civil servants, employment data have been complemented for the number of civil servants based on company reports for former public enterprises with civil servants (post, telecommunication, banking, railway transport);
- Since the German CIS surveys large enterprises which are active in multiple main sectors (at NACE divisions) for each division separately, business register have been adjusted accordingly;
- For NACE division 72 (research and development), data for public research organisations have been subtracted from business register data.
The following questions were added to the national questionnaire: number of employees and turnover in 2015; share of employees with a higher education degree in 2015; the enterprise's market share in the main product market in 2014 and 2016; whether the enterprise implemented innovations in the field logistics between 2014 and 2016 and - if yes - which were the reasons for doing it; 8 items on the market environment; 5 items on the competition strategies; introduction of product innovations that extend an enterprise's product range, share in total sales of these product innovations; introduction of process innovations that led to a reduction in unit costs, share of unit cost reduction; introduction of process innovations that led to an increase in the quality of products, increase in sales due to this increase in quality; planned innovation activities for 2017 and 2018; amount of innovation expenditures planned for 2017 and 2018; number of innovation projects conducted during 2014 to 2016 (total projects, completed projects, abandoned projects, ongoing projects, news started projects); obstacles to innovation; financial data: expenditure for wages and salaries, expenditure for material and services, expenditure for energy, expenditure for further education, expenditure for marketing and advertising, expenditure for software, capital expenditure, volume of tangible assets, profit margin.

Denmark (DK): statistics are collected as one part of a single questionnaire that also covers enterprises' research and development (R&D). The data is collected together with a small range of questions related to R&D. Besides the Core NACE industries, the Danish population also includes enterprises in section A and N-U. However, these enterprises not covered by the CIS frame are not included in the data transmitted to Eurostat.
Estonia (EE): some voluntary questions were excluded e.g an assessment of the strategy, expectation of product novelty (first in Estonia, in Europe, in the world), expectation of the change the innovation expenditures and effect of legislation or regulations on innovation activities. Deviation in the question about foreign equity and division of market for CIS countries and other countries.

Greece (EL): the Statistical Business Register of reference year 2015, maintained by the Hellenic Statistical Authority, was used as sampling frame.
Following requests of key CIS users and to fulfil national needs, the following additions have been made in the CIS 2016 model questionnaire: a question was added at the end of section 5, asking for the area in which the enterprise’s innovation activities contributed the most, providing a list of areas/fields of special interest (Agro-food, Biosciences, ICT, Energy, etc.). The ad-hoc module on “Public sector contracts and innovation”, as formed in the CIS 2014 model questionnaire, was also included in CIS 2016. The questions related to global value chains, which were added in the national CIS 2014 questionnaire, were repeated in CIS 2016 under section 14.

Spain (ES): variable ‘LARMAR’ not implemented in the national questionnaire (question 1.3), as well as questions 1.4, 2.5, 5.1, 5.3, from 11-12, 14 and 15.4. Innovation activities were requested for year 2016 only and not for the period 2014-2016. ‘Design’ is not requested separately, it is included in ‘Other’. Therefore, the latter is overestimated. Question 5.2: The ‘All other innovation activities including design, training, marketing, and other relevant activities’ item was not asked as such in the national questionnaire but divided instead in three other items: ‘Training for innovation activities’, ‘Introduction of innovations in the market’ and ‘Design, other preparations for production and/or distribution’. Question 10.1 was implemented but with changes in the literature. We keep the old question in these terms for not break the historical series.

Finland (FI): questions 1.2, 2.5, 5.3, 11.2, 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 13.1 and 14.1-14.5. were not included in the national questionnaire. As well as, questions 15.2 and 15.4 for basic information on an enterprise (for sales and for employees with tertiary degree). Additional questions included in the national questionnaire: a question on utilisation of big data and public sector open data, a question on utilisation of digitalisation, four questions on cooperation and connections between universities and enterprises (question for cooperation ‘yes/no’, question for importance of different types of results from cooperation, question for recent changes in cooperation and question on expectations for next years' cooperation ‘yes/no’).

France (FR): questions 1.4, 5.3, 10.1, 12.1-12.3 are not included in the French questionnaire; questions 11.1, 11.2, 13.1, 15.4 redefined Deviations in the question 7.1: only one item for clients or customers instead of one for clients/customers from private sector and one for clients/customers from public sector. Deviation in the question 7.3: only one item for clients or customers instead of one for clients/customers from private sector and one for clients/customers from public sector; data are estimated, based on the CIS 2014 results. Additional questions included in the national questionnaire: question 3.3 (were your process innovation not implemented by your competitors); question 6.1 (item for tax credit for R&D and innovation activities (CIR, CII)); question 7.4 (most important innovation cooperation partner); question 14.3 (item for 'improve distribution delay'); a question about the respondent burden and a question for comments.

Hungary (HU): in the CIS 2016 one question on the ’Effect of legislation or regulations on innovation activities’ (question 11.1) had been omitted. The reason for that is that it would have entailed an excessive additional burden on respondents (49 additional data entries, difficult to respond in such details). Nonetheless, we kept question 11.2 which we found appropriate to give an overview on the same topic.

Italy (IT): the only deviation from the Harmonised Questionnaire concerns the detailed information on design expenditures.

Lithuania (LT): voluntary questions not included in the national questionnaire (by harmonized questionnaire numeration): 2.5, 5.3 11. 12.1 12.2 12.3 13.1 14.5 15.2 and 15.4.
Additional included in the national questionnaire: in the question 5.2 included additional point ‘Design’; in the question 6.1 included additional point ‘From other international programs (excluding EU programs)’; questions about the innovations with environmental benefits (numeration of questions in the national Harmonised Questionnaire): 13.1 ‘During the three years 2014 to 2016, did your enterprise introduce a product (good or service), process, organisational or marketing innovation with any of the following environmental benefits?’ and ‘13.2 Does your enterprise have procedures in place to regularly identify and reduce your enterprise’s environmental impacts?’.

Luxembourg (LU): the variable MARLOC (category “A. Local / regional within [your country]”) is not collected because the concept is difficult to apply in Luxembourg. The EU optional questions are not collected.
Additional questions included on general information: ‘During the three years 2014 to 2016, how would you describe the competitive environment on the main market you were operating in?’ and ‘To what extent do the following factors describe the competitive environment on the main market?’. On intramural research and development and on extramural research and development (the whole section is specific to LU). Section on product innovation, an additional question added: ‘Please provide a short description of the new or significantly improved goods or services.’ Section on process innovation, additional questions: ‘Please provide a short description of the new or significantly improved processes or methods.’ and ‘Did the process innovations introduced during the three years 2014 to 2016 lead to a decrease in the production cost per unit in 2016?’. Small deviations have been introduced in the national questionnaire whilst asking for more information on innovation activities and expenditures (question 5.1 for the corresponding indicators RMAC and RMACX, and question 6.1 for FUNGMT, FUNEU and FUNRTD). The Section H on sources of information and co-operation,
slight deviations are observed concerning the following response categories:
EU category 6.1 is split into two national categories “Within your enterprise” and “Within your enterprise group”; the national question H5 matching the EU question 7.1 uses the wording “how important…” instead of “how effective…”.

Malta (MT): the common CIS Questionnaire for data collection is used, but there are some small deviations in the national questionnaire from the common CIS questionnaire. In the national questionnaire for question 7.3. ‘Please indicate the type of innovation co-operation partner by location’, the modalities for ‘Government or public research institutes’ and ‘Private research institutes’ are grouped in one modality: ‘Government, public or private research institutions’.

The Netherlands (NL): question 1.1 derived from the Business Register. Questions 1.4, 5.3, 7.1, 10.1, 11.1, 11.2 and section 14 excluded in order to reduce the burden for enterprises that receive our national survey. In question 15.1 only the turnover for 2016 was asked. In question 15.3 only the average number of employees in 2016 was asked. The Netherlands has kept two questions from the last harmonised CIS (2014) in the national survey: "Were any of your process innovations introduced during the three years 2014 to 2016 new to your market?" and "Did your enterprise undertake any innovation activities as part of a contract to provide goods or services to a public sector organisation?".

Norway (NO): deviation in question 2.5 ("no" and "don't know" options omitted). Minor deviations in question 5.1 (continuously/occasional R&D omitted), question 6.1 (if yes-option collapsed into phrasing of EU-funding option) and 13.1 (utility models not applicable in Norway). Matrix in question 11.1 rephrased and slightly modifies into separate questions merging "...no major problems" and "not relevant". Section 14 omitted in its entirety.
Additionally, some data (employees, turnover, education, enterprise group) are gathered from other authorative sources and not included in the questionnaire as such. Included question on "Objectives for your product and process innovations" from previous CIS rounds. Expanded co-operation partners location list for direct comparability with previous Norwegian surveys.

Poland (PL): there are two questionnaires: for industry and for service sector. Questionnaire for industry sector includes additionally: turnover from sales of goods (total and new or significantly improved); expenditures on innovation activities more detailed - by kinds of innovation activity and source of funds; public support is additionally surveyed by type of programme; cooperation within cluster initiatives; intellectual property protection; technology transfer.Questionnaire for service sector includes additionally: expenditures on innovation activities more detailed - by kinds of innovation activity and source of funds; public support is additionally surveyed by type of programme; cooperation within cluster initiatives; intellectual property protection. The persons employed are used for the CIS survey instead of employees.

Sweden (SE): did not include the following questions from the harmonised questionnaire: 1.4, 5.3, 7.1, 11.1-11.2, 14.2 and 14.4. Questions 10.1 and 10.2 from CIS t-2 regarding public sector contracts was included in CIS t even though it was not included in the harmonised questionnaire.

Slovenia (SI): description of the most important product (goods or services) innovation, description of the most important process innovation, expenditure for innovation activities design, training, marketing and other relevant activities were added to the national questionnaire. For the first time CIS data was collected through web survey comparing to previous CIS waves.

Slovakia (SK): all questions from the Harmonised Questionnaire except all questions in section 11 (Effect of legislation or regulations on innovation activities) and last four items in question 12.3 (section Non-innovators) were included in national questionnaire. Sequence of one module is different from the model questionnaire. Module on basic economic information about enterprise is at the beginning of the national questionnaire.

CIS 2016 includes the most recent changes recommended by the latest Oslo Manual guidelines: CIS 2016 reports data on product, process, organisation and marketing innovation.

The ad-hoc module in the 2016 survey is on legislation and regulation and, innovations in logistics.

The changes to the CIS 2016 compared to CIS 2014 were driven by four main factors: 

1) the introduction of a new question on business strategies to be used for profiling and policy use; 

2) the introduction of a new question on the expected change in innovation expenditures in one and two years ahead (i.e. T+1 and T+2) for making the data more timely and policy relevant; 

3) a new set of questions on legislation and regulations and, 

4) a module on innovations in logistics.

1. Innovation-related variables are unique to each CIS data collection therefore comparisons with other statistics are not possible.

2. However, the coherence between CIS and SBS statistics is very satisfactory on common variables (Turnover, Employees).

No imputation has been done for missing data: EU aggregates have been calculated only when all countries data are available.

Information is not available.

Not applicable.

The figures are revised only when inconsistencies are found. Upon release, data are final unless otherwise stated.

All aggregations and indicators presented in CIS collections are based on data from national CIS data collections.

Countries generally carry out a stratified sample survey in order to collect the data, whilst a limited number of countries use a census or a mix of census and sample survey. The target population is to be broken down into strata for sampling purposes. The dimensions to be used for this purpose are Size (according to the number of employees) and the Economic Activity classification (NACE). These two dimensions are highly correlated with Innovation activity. The size-classes should at least be broken down in 3 categories: 10-49 employees (small enterprises), 50-249 employees (medium-sized enterprises), 250 + employees (large enterprises). Stratification by NACE Rev. 2 has been in general by 2-digit level (division) or groups of division.

The sampling frame to be used for the sample is mostly the official statistical Business Register.

The frequency of CIS is biennial.

Eurostat collects aggregated data and microdata from countries every two years. At national level, data are mainly collected via online or mail surveys. A few countries choose also other collection methods such as telephone or face to face interviews.

Participating countries have to fill Excel or csv templates, both including all requested indicators according to the corresponding type of innovators, NACE category and size class.

Once filled by the countries, files are sent to Eurostat by Edamis and converted into a csv file by Eurostat for the upload on the production database.

Both micro- and aggregated data are checked, then corrected for detected inconsistencies. Quality controls are done on aggregated and microdata at both national and Eurostat level. The vast majority of variables are cross-checked to verify the consistency of answers. A quality report is produced by countries in order to report any deviation.

At national level, as in any regular sample survey, countries extrapolate the collected data with appropriate weighting schemes in order to obtain the population totals. At Eurostat level, European aggregates are summed up from national data.

If non-response in a national survey based on the ratio between non-responding and operating enterprises in the sample population as a whole exceeds 30%, a non-response analysis is recommended. At least a 10% sample of the relevant non-respondents should be drawn, and a non-response survey then undertaken.

In CIS surveys, some countries add extra questions for national purposes; similarly, some countries exclude some or all optional questions.

The disseminated CIS 2016 data tables contain differenent concept of coding than previous CIS waves. The CIS 2016 mapping documents is availabe in Annex.