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.
PRODCOM is an annual survey conducted by Statistics Estonia. The industrial production data for Estonia is collected applying nationally adjusted, which is made more detailed for the national users, Prodcom list called TTL, The List of Manufacturing Products. It is carried out in compliance with EU regulation:
The PRODCOM survey provides information on PRODuction of the European COMmunity and is compiled from data received from Estonian manufacturers. Generally the respondents are enterprises with 10 or more employees, whose primary or secondary activity is manufacturing covering NACE 06-33. The survey sample covers approximately 2000 enterprises and nationally about 4200 products including also industrial services.
Data available includes value and physical volume of sold production and for some products volume of total production during the survey period. From reference year 2021 onwards, the Prodcom data includes the value and the physical volume of production under sub-contracted operations during the survey period.
3.2. Classification system
Prodcom survey is based on the classification called PRODCOM List, consisting of about 4000 products and covers from NACE Rev. 2 sections B, C and E. The classification is divided into “Classes” corresponding to the classes of NACE rev 2. Within the individual classes, the headings of the list are set out in ascending order of their PRODCOM codes. PRODCOM uses an eight-digit product code of the form XX.XX.XX.YY. The first four digits of the code correspond to the 4-digit classes of NACE Rev. 2. The first six digits are the Community Classification of Products by Activity (CPA) codes. The CPA provides a detailed listing of the characteristic products for each 4-digit NACE Rev. 2 economic activity. The last two digits provide a more detailed breakdown of the CPA classes into PRODCOM product headings. There is a direct link between the PRODCOM classification and the EU foreign trade Combined Nomenclature (CN). Each PRODCOM 8-digit heading covers one or more CN 8-digit headings.
At national level the classification is possible to view List of Manufacturing Products , where is used 11-digit headings system.
3.3. Coverage - sector
The survey covers all industrial enterprises with ten or more persons engaged which are totally or primarily engaged in industrial production and industrial services in the Mining, Quarrying and Manufacturing industries (Nace Rev. 2 Sectors 06 - 33, 38). As well are covered enterprises with 5–9 persons employed whose main or secondary activity is industry if coverage of the activity is less than 90% and all enterprises producing milk, ice-cream and alcoholic beverages regardless of the number of persons employed. Thus by the survey is covered 90 % of total Estonian production of NACE Rev.2 sections B, C and E ( sector 38).
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
The purpose of the statistics is to report, for each product in the Prodcom List, how much has been produced in the reporting country during the reference year.
The following definitions are defined by Estonian statistical activity Manufactured goods and industrial services:
Manufactured goods: produced industrial products (including the ones found in the stock house) from own material or under sub-contracting on the territory of Estonia during the calendar year.
Industrial services: industrial services carried out on the territory of Estonia during the calendar year (services according to the Prodcom list or taken into use due to the national needs).
Sub-contracting: production of goods from the principal’s material, fee received.
Variables gathered using the statistical report:
Produced volume: produced national production generally using the measurement unit provided by the Prodcom list
Sold volume: sold national production generally using the measurement unit provided by the Prodcom list
Sold value: sold national value (euros)
Sold value under sub-contracting: sold national value (euros) produced from the principal´s material
Exported sold value: sold national value (euros) outside from Estonia
According to the requirements in the EBS Implementing act, starting form 2021 the following three variables for industrial production are reported:
Variable 251001 Sold production volume in national currency and quantity are gathered from the questionnare
Variable 251002 Production under sub-contracted operations volume in national currency is gathered from the questionnare, the quantity is calculated based on the formula using gathered variables
Variable 251003 Actual production quantity is gathered from the questionnaire
3.5. Statistical unit
The enterprise is the observation unit surveyed by Statistics Estonia.
The production for each Prodcom product from all surveyed enterprises in the country is aggregated before the results are sent to Eurostat.
3.6. Statistical population
The survey population is made up of all industrial enterprises in NACE 06-33,38 with 10 and more persons employed whose main or secondary activity is industry; enterprises with 5–9 persons employed whose main or secondary activity is industry if coverage of the activity is less than 90%; enterprises producing milk, ice-cream and alcoholic beverages regardless of the number of persons employed.
3.7. Reference area
Estonia the whole national territory.
3.8. Coverage - Time
The period observed is one calendar year. Estonian industrial products statistics date back to the year 1940.
Before 2000 the data was not collected according to the Prodcom list and is available in our national archive in a lot aggregated form.
Aggregated time series from 1980-2013 are publicly available on Statistics Estonia's website, in tables TO15-TO22 (the aggregated tables are not updated since 2014). From 2009 detailed data is published following the link (tables TO77-TO66) Statistics Estonia's website
3.9. Base period
Not applicable.
Units of measure according to the List of industrial products
For volumes: Physical measurament unit required by Prodcom List, specific for each product
For values: Data is collected and stored as thousand euros.
Year 2024
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
This survey is carried out in compliance with following regulations:
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.
At local level the dissemination of data collected for the purpose of producing official statistics is guided by the requirements provided for in § 34, § 35, § 36, § 37, § 38 of the Official Statistics Act. Access to micro-data and anonymisation of micro-data are regulated by Statistics Estonia’s.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
Estonia applies the principle of passive confidentiality, which means that the data is non-confidential and the publication of all figures is allowed.
8.1. Release calendar
Notifications about the dissemination of statistics are published in the release calendar, which is available on the website Statistics of Estonia.
On 1st of October each year, the release times of the Statistical Database, news releases, main indicators by IMF SDDS and publications are announced in the release calendar (in case of publications – the release month).
The deadline to transmit data to Eurostat is 30 June of the reference year + 1.
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 and 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.
In Estonia all users have been granted an equal access to official statistics: this means that the dissemination dates of official statistics have to be announced in advance and no user category (incl. Eurostat, state authorities and mass media) can have access to the official statistics (results of official statistical surveys) before other users. Statistical information is first published in the Statistical Database. In case a news release is published based on the same data, the information provided in the relevant news release is simultaneously published in the Statistical Database. Official statistics are available on the website at 8.00 a.m. on the date announced in the release calendar.
The (detailed) data is published at the end of June every year on Statistics Estonia's website, after their submittal to Eurostat.
The data is updated at the end of December (also sent to Eurostat, as final revision).
There are also regular data users, international organizations like United Nations (Industrial and Energy Statistics Section, Fisheries & Aquaculture Department, Food and Agriculture Organization), ICAC whom the data will be recoded. For national data users the data is made public in such way, to diminish as much as possible the data requests.
10.1. Dissemination format - News release
No regular press releases.
10.2. Dissemination format - Publications
Not available.
10.3. Dissemination format - online database
Data are published under the heading „Economy / Industry” in the Statistical Database.
10.4. Dissemination format - microdata access
The dissemination of data collected for the purpose of producing official statistics is guided by the requirements provided for in § 34, § 35, § 36, § 37, § 38 of the Official Statistics Act. Access to microdata and anonymisation of microdata are regulated by Statistics Estonia’s procedure for dissemination of confidential data for scientific purposes.
10.5. Dissemination format - other
Data serve as input for other statistical activities in Statistics Estonia 10401 “Waste management”, 20407 “Consumer price index”, 20408 “Producer price index of industrial output” and 21408 “Supply and use tables”.
10.6. Documentation on methodology
Methodological description is available on the web-site as a link
PRODCOM survey is based on annual information. PRODCOM data is checked in several ways:
a) PRODCOM data are produced in close cooperation with STS, enabling the data reported in the two surveys to be checked against each other
b) PRODCOM data are compared to foreign trade and customs statistics
c) PRODCOM data are compared with SBS data
After the official data transmission, Eurostat provides the validation report.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
Statistics Estonia performs all statistical activities according to an international model (Generic Statistical Business Process Model – GSBPM). According to the GSBPM, the final phase of statistical activities is overall evaluation using information gathered in each phase or sub-process; this information can take many forms, including feedback from users, process metadata, system metrics and suggestions from employees. This information is used to prepare the evaluation report which outlines all the quality problems related to the specific statistical activity and serves as input for improvement actions.
Industrial products statistics data are collected via electronic system. Questionnaire and collecting system provide a number of arithmetic and logical controls, both mandatory and optional between the items in each form and between the forms in the whole annual report. There are a number of arithmetic and logical controls inside the questionnaire. The questionnaire cannot be filled-in successfully before all errors inside the questionnaire, detected by the checking program, have been corrected.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
The users of PRODCOM statistics are:
DG Growth (the policy arm of the Commission regarding the business sector) - measurement and monitoring of the policy agenda, especially the Lisbon targets
Other directorates (DG TRADE, COMP, MARKT, etc) (policy setting) - needs in terms of statistics is various, especially in the business domains.
Other ESTAT Units:
Environmental statistics and accounts - statistics on products such as hazardous chemicals, products whose manufacture emits greenhouse gases and other products with an environmental impact.
Food safety statistics - monitor the manufacture of food and beverages.
EU Enterprises and EU Trade Associations (national administrations) - international comparisons.
The public (research institutions, students, media) - varied, mainly intra EU comparisons.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
Since 1996, Statistics Estonia has conducted reputation and user satisfaction surveys.
12.3. Completeness
All production data in Estonia covered by the PRODCOM regulation are reported.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
ACCURACY - Accuracy, in the general statistical sense, denotes the closeness of computations or estimates to the exact or true values.
Sampling issues relevant for PRODCOM surveys
Target population
The target population covers all enterprises which manufacture at least one product included in the PRODCOM List. The link with the NACE classification is used to identify the enterprises which are most likely to manufacture products included in the PRODCOM List.
The PRODCOM regulation states that all EU enterprises which carry out one of the activities in "Mining and Quarrying" and "Manufacturing" (i.e. sections B, C and E of NACE Rev. 2) should be covered by the PRODCOM survey.
Sampling frame
The Statistical Business Register (SBR) is the source for drawing and maintaining the sampling frame of the PRODCOM survey. The sampling frame of the PRODCOM survey includes all enterprises, authorities and organizations that carry out any target industrial activity and have 10 employees or more.
In Estonia generally the respondents are legal units with 10 and more persons employed, whose primary or secondary activity is manufacturing. In exceptional cases legal units with less than 10 persons employed are included into the survey.
Sampling design
The national sample of enterprises has to be designed in such a way that it leads to representative results of the national economy level and of each product included in the PRODCOM List (i.e. heading level).
In undertaking the PRODCOM survey, there are three conditions to be met:
in each Member State at least 90% of production in each (four-digit) NACE class must be recorded;
all enterprises of 10 or more employees in Sections B and C of NACE Rev. 2 should be covered;
if a Member State’s production in a NACE class represents less than 1% of the Community total for that NACE class, then data for the headings in that class does not need to be collected.
In 2024, the unit response rate was of 77,7 % of all enterprises surveyed.
Since the Prodcom survey is a census, the population and sample coincide, and over-coverage, under-coverage, and multiple listing rates are not calculated separately
13.2. Sampling error
Not applicable.
13.3. Non-sampling error
The missing data are estimated by using alternative administrative sources or other statistical surveys, mainly SBS. In other cases where is not possible to estimate the missing volumes, the Eurostat Median Price is used to obtain unit price. Errors of respondents are checked, mistakes are corrected on primary level of data. In order to provide complete data, the missing data are imputed.
There are negligible non-sampling errors concerning coverage, multiple listings and data collections. Improvement actions taken include registry updates, careful logical and accounting controls and constant contact with the reporting units. The multiple listings are precluded because all of the enterprises are identified by a unique number. For data collection eSTAT (the web channel for electronic data submission) is used. eSTAT is also used to monitor the completion of questionnaires and includes instructions and arithmetic and logical controls. The questionnaire cannot be submitted, if it is not correctly completed.
Non-response rate (2024 provisional data):
Un-weighted unit non-response rate 22,3%
Item non-response rate 3,1%
Imputation rate (2024 provisional data): Un-weighted imputation rate for sold production value 4,5%.
14.1. Timeliness
According to EU Regulation 2020/1197 the data transmission deadline is T+6M, which means that the data shall send within six months after the end of the reference year. Preliminary data is published 180 days after the end of the reference year (T + 180D) and final data is published 360 days after the end of the reference year (T + 360D).
14.2. Punctuality
The data have been published at the time announced in the release calendar.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
The data are comparable with the data of other European Union (EU) countries, because a common methodology is used for data collection and release. All EU countries produce PRODCOM statistics, which is the system for the collection and dissemination of statistics of industrial goods based on the PRODCOM List (8-digit codes). In Estonia, the The List of Manufacturing Products(TTL) is used, which is based on the PRODCOM List and has 11-digit codes, with Estonian codes added according to the interest of users (for example oil shale). Statistics Estonia’s database includes only sold production volume and value, total production is not published.
15.2. Comparability - over time
The data are comparable since year 2000.
The data for 2000–2007 have been recalculated according to the new version of the Statistical Classification of Economic Activities NACE Rev. 2 (Estonian Classification of Economic Activities 2008 (EMTAK 2008)). Due to changes resulting from the revision of the international product classification of the Harmonized System (HS) every five years, there are significant changes also in the Combined Nomenclature (CN) and PRODCOM List. The classification PRODCOM List is updated each year, and accordingly also the List of Estonian Products (TTL). Due to annual changes and updates, the time series are not comparable for all codes.
Starting with the year 2021, with the implementation of the EBS Regulation a break of series appears as a result of the fact that the production under sub-contracted operations was collected separately from the own account production made by the units.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
The data are comparable with: 1) the data for turnover of industrial production collected with the annual EKOMAR questionnaire (SBS, structural business statistics); 2) data collected for product categories oil shale, peat and wood processing products using the short-term business statistics (STS) questionnaires (industry (monthly), energy and fuel); 3) the data of total exports by enterprise and country collected with the foreign trade in goods monthly questionnaire. To ensure data accuracy, comparability checks are run against SBS and STS data.
15.4. Coherence - internal
Coherence ensured due to online survey and validation process, which includes arithmetic and qualitative checks.
As well the outputs of the statistical activity are coherent. Higher-level aggregations are derived from detailed data according to pre-defined procedures.
At the end of the PRODCOM questionnaire, it is asked the needed duration (in minutes) to complete the questionnaire.
For 2024 the average duration was 1,46 hours.
Costs are not available
17.1. Data revision - policy
The data revision policy and notification of corrections are described in the dissemination policy of Statistics Estonia.
17.2. Data revision - practice
The published data may be revised if the methodology is modified, errors are discovered, new or better data become available.
18.1. Source data
Statistics are collected by non-probability sampling which means that it is a full coverage survey with a cut-off threshold (i.e. cut-off sample).
Generally the respondents are enterprises with 10 and more persons employed, whose primary or secondary activity is manufacturing.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Annually.
18.3. Data collection
Data are collected and the submission of questionnaires is monitored through eSTAT (the web channel for electronic data submission). The questionnaires have been designed for independent completion in eSTAT and include instructions and controls. The questionnaires and information about data submission are available on Statistics Estonia’s website.
Data are collected with the official statistics annual questionnaires “Tööstustooted” (Industrial Products).
18.4. Data validation
The validation process consists of arithmetic and quality checks, incl. comparison with other data. Before data dissemination their internal coherence is checked.
18.5. Data compilation
Data is collected according to the list of industrial products based on the international classification List of Products of the European Community (Prodcom List). In the case of missing or unreliable data, imputation is used, for example by using administrative sources.
18.6. Adjustment
Not applicable.
No comments.
PRODCOM is an annual survey conducted by Statistics Estonia. The industrial production data for Estonia is collected applying nationally adjusted, which is made more detailed for the national users, Prodcom list called TTL, The List of Manufacturing Products. It is carried out in compliance with EU regulation:
The PRODCOM survey provides information on PRODuction of the European COMmunity and is compiled from data received from Estonian manufacturers. Generally the respondents are enterprises with 10 or more employees, whose primary or secondary activity is manufacturing covering NACE 06-33. The survey sample covers approximately 2000 enterprises and nationally about 4200 products including also industrial services.
Data available includes value and physical volume of sold production and for some products volume of total production during the survey period. From reference year 2021 onwards, the Prodcom data includes the value and the physical volume of production under sub-contracted operations during the survey period.
28 August 2025
The purpose of the statistics is to report, for each product in the Prodcom List, how much has been produced in the reporting country during the reference year.
The following definitions are defined by Estonian statistical activity Manufactured goods and industrial services:
Manufactured goods: produced industrial products (including the ones found in the stock house) from own material or under sub-contracting on the territory of Estonia during the calendar year.
Industrial services: industrial services carried out on the territory of Estonia during the calendar year (services according to the Prodcom list or taken into use due to the national needs).
Sub-contracting: production of goods from the principal’s material, fee received.
Variables gathered using the statistical report:
Produced volume: produced national production generally using the measurement unit provided by the Prodcom list
Sold volume: sold national production generally using the measurement unit provided by the Prodcom list
Sold value: sold national value (euros)
Sold value under sub-contracting: sold national value (euros) produced from the principal´s material
Exported sold value: sold national value (euros) outside from Estonia
According to the requirements in the EBS Implementing act, starting form 2021 the following three variables for industrial production are reported:
Variable 251001 Sold production volume in national currency and quantity are gathered from the questionnare
Variable 251002 Production under sub-contracted operations volume in national currency is gathered from the questionnare, the quantity is calculated based on the formula using gathered variables
Variable 251003 Actual production quantity is gathered from the questionnaire
The enterprise is the observation unit surveyed by Statistics Estonia.
The production for each Prodcom product from all surveyed enterprises in the country is aggregated before the results are sent to Eurostat.
The survey population is made up of all industrial enterprises in NACE 06-33,38 with 10 and more persons employed whose main or secondary activity is industry; enterprises with 5–9 persons employed whose main or secondary activity is industry if coverage of the activity is less than 90%; enterprises producing milk, ice-cream and alcoholic beverages regardless of the number of persons employed.
Estonia the whole national territory.
Year 2024
ACCURACY - Accuracy, in the general statistical sense, denotes the closeness of computations or estimates to the exact or true values.
Sampling issues relevant for PRODCOM surveys
Target population
The target population covers all enterprises which manufacture at least one product included in the PRODCOM List. The link with the NACE classification is used to identify the enterprises which are most likely to manufacture products included in the PRODCOM List.
The PRODCOM regulation states that all EU enterprises which carry out one of the activities in "Mining and Quarrying" and "Manufacturing" (i.e. sections B, C and E of NACE Rev. 2) should be covered by the PRODCOM survey.
Sampling frame
The Statistical Business Register (SBR) is the source for drawing and maintaining the sampling frame of the PRODCOM survey. The sampling frame of the PRODCOM survey includes all enterprises, authorities and organizations that carry out any target industrial activity and have 10 employees or more.
In Estonia generally the respondents are legal units with 10 and more persons employed, whose primary or secondary activity is manufacturing. In exceptional cases legal units with less than 10 persons employed are included into the survey.
Sampling design
The national sample of enterprises has to be designed in such a way that it leads to representative results of the national economy level and of each product included in the PRODCOM List (i.e. heading level).
In undertaking the PRODCOM survey, there are three conditions to be met:
in each Member State at least 90% of production in each (four-digit) NACE class must be recorded;
all enterprises of 10 or more employees in Sections B and C of NACE Rev. 2 should be covered;
if a Member State’s production in a NACE class represents less than 1% of the Community total for that NACE class, then data for the headings in that class does not need to be collected.
In 2024, the unit response rate was of 77,7 % of all enterprises surveyed.
Since the Prodcom survey is a census, the population and sample coincide, and over-coverage, under-coverage, and multiple listing rates are not calculated separately
Units of measure according to the List of industrial products
For volumes: Physical measurament unit required by Prodcom List, specific for each product
For values: Data is collected and stored as thousand euros.
Data is collected according to the list of industrial products based on the international classification List of Products of the European Community (Prodcom List). In the case of missing or unreliable data, imputation is used, for example by using administrative sources.
Statistics are collected by non-probability sampling which means that it is a full coverage survey with a cut-off threshold (i.e. cut-off sample).
Generally the respondents are enterprises with 10 and more persons employed, whose primary or secondary activity is manufacturing.
The (detailed) data is published at the end of June every year on Statistics Estonia's website, after their submittal to Eurostat.
The data is updated at the end of December (also sent to Eurostat, as final revision).
There are also regular data users, international organizations like United Nations (Industrial and Energy Statistics Section, Fisheries & Aquaculture Department, Food and Agriculture Organization), ICAC whom the data will be recoded. For national data users the data is made public in such way, to diminish as much as possible the data requests.
According to EU Regulation 2020/1197 the data transmission deadline is T+6M, which means that the data shall send within six months after the end of the reference year. Preliminary data is published 180 days after the end of the reference year (T + 180D) and final data is published 360 days after the end of the reference year (T + 360D).
The data are comparable with the data of other European Union (EU) countries, because a common methodology is used for data collection and release. All EU countries produce PRODCOM statistics, which is the system for the collection and dissemination of statistics of industrial goods based on the PRODCOM List (8-digit codes). In Estonia, the The List of Manufacturing Products(TTL) is used, which is based on the PRODCOM List and has 11-digit codes, with Estonian codes added according to the interest of users (for example oil shale). Statistics Estonia’s database includes only sold production volume and value, total production is not published.
The data are comparable since year 2000.
The data for 2000–2007 have been recalculated according to the new version of the Statistical Classification of Economic Activities NACE Rev. 2 (Estonian Classification of Economic Activities 2008 (EMTAK 2008)). Due to changes resulting from the revision of the international product classification of the Harmonized System (HS) every five years, there are significant changes also in the Combined Nomenclature (CN) and PRODCOM List. The classification PRODCOM List is updated each year, and accordingly also the List of Estonian Products (TTL). Due to annual changes and updates, the time series are not comparable for all codes.
Starting with the year 2021, with the implementation of the EBS Regulation a break of series appears as a result of the fact that the production under sub-contracted operations was collected separately from the own account production made by the units.
