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.
Structural business statistics (SBS) describes the structure, conduct and performance of economic activities, down to the most detailed activity level (several hundred economic sectors). SBS covers all activities of the business economy with the exception of agricultural activities, public administration and (largely) non-market services such as education and health. Main characteristics (variables) of the SBS data category:
Business demographic variables (e.g. Number of active enterprises);
"Output related" variables (e.g. Net turnover, Value added);
"Input related" variables: labour input (e.g. Number of employees and self-employed persons, Hours worked by employees); goods and services input (e.g. Purchases of goods and services); capital input (e.g. Gross investments).
Business services statistics (BS) collection contains harmonised statistics on business services. From 2008 onwards BS become part of the regular mandatory annual data collection of SBS. The BS’s data requirement includes variable “Turnover” broken down by products and by type of residence of client.
The annual regional statistics collection includes three characteristics due by NUTS-2 country region and detailed on NACE Rev 2 division level (2-digits).
3.2. Classification system
Statistical Classification of Economic Activities in the European Community (NACE): NACE Rev.2 is used from 2008 onwards. Key data were double reported in NACE Rev.1.1 and NACE Rev.2 only for 2008. From 2002 to 2007 NACE Rev. 1.1 was used and until 2001 NACE Rev.1
The product breakdown is based on the Classification of Products by Activity (CPA) as stated in the Regulation establishing CPA 2008 and its amending Commission Regulation (EU) No 1209/2014 (from reference year 2015 onwards).
3.3. Coverage - sector
Starting reference year 2021 onwards SBS cover the economic activities of market producers within the NACE Rev. 2 Sections B to N, P to R and Divisions S95 and S96. Until 2007 the SBS coverage was limited to Sections C to K of NACE Rev.1.1 and from the reference year 2008 to 2020 data was available for Sections B to N and Division S95 of NACE Rev.2.
From 2008 reference year the data collection Business services covers NACE Rev 2 codes: J62, N78, J582, J631, M731, M691, M692, M702, M712, M732, M7111, and M7112.
From 2013, as the first reference year, to 2020 information is published on NACE codes K6411, K6419 and K65 and its breakdown.
Data requirements, simplifications and technical definitions are defined in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197
3.5. Statistical unit
In Estonia most of legal units are equal to enterprise. These units produce goods or services, benefit from a certain degree of autonomy in decision-making, have a complete set of accounts, carry out one or more activities at one or more locations.
In economically significant cases (e.g. all the employment is recorded in a legal unit serving other legal units of a group) enterprise is implemented in business register and one unit from a group (enterprise) reports consolidated characteristics to SE, including the SBS characteristics.
Reference: Council Regulation (EEC) No 696 / 93 of 15 March 1993 on the statistical units for the observation and analysis of the production system in the Community.
3.5.1. Treatment of complex enterprise
Data treatment
Sample frame based on enterprises
No
Surveying all legal units belonging to a complex enterprise
No
Surveying all legal units within the scope of SBS belonging to a complex enterprise
No
Surveying only representative units belonging to the complex enterprise
Yes
Other criteria used, please specify
-
Comment
Written agreements are signed between Statistics Estonia and the enterprise group head in case of the creation of an enterprise. According to the agreement enterprise (usually group head unit) provides consolidated data.
3.5.2. Consolidation
Consolidation method
Consolidation carried out by the NSI
No
Consolidation carried out by responding enterprise/legal unit(s)
Yes
Other methods, please specify
-
Comment
Written agreements are signed between Statistics Estonia and the enterprise group head in case of the creation of an enterprise. According to the agreement enterprise provides consolidated data i.e. enterprise itself consolidates the data. All statistical questionnaires are submitted on a consolidated basis.
3.6. Statistical population
The statistical population is created on the basis of the national statistical business register (NSBR). The SBS results are in accordance with the activities on the economic territory of Estonia.
Branches of foreign enterprises with more than 19 persons employed are included in target population, while those with 19 or fewer persons employed are excluded.
Sole proprietors are not included.
3.7. Reference area
Estonia
Branches of foreign enterprises with more than 19 persons employed are included in target population, while those with 19 or fewer persons employed are excluded.
Activities of the branches abroad of enterprises of the reporting country are included as they are part of the enterprise common accounting system and separating them could be extremely time consuming and challenging.
3.8. Coverage - Time
1995-2023
The data for the reference years 1995–1999 were mainly available at NACE 2-digit level. Also the availability of variables was incomplete.
From the reference year 2000 the SBS data production is in accordance with the requirements of SBS regulation.
2000-2007 the activity classification NACE Rev.1.1 was in use. Starting from 2008 NACE Rev.2 was implemented (back casted data for 2005-2007).
Statistical unit enterprise was implemented starting from reference year 2016.
3.9. Base period
Not applicable.
Number of enterprises and number of local units are expressed in units.
Monetary data are expressed in millions of €.
Employment variables are expressed in units.
Per head values are expressed in thousands of € per head.
Ratios are expressed in percentages.
2023
Data refers to the calendar year, which in some cases corresponds to the fiscal year.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
Starting with reference year 2021 two new regulations currently form the legal basis of SBS:
The Council Regulation No 58/97 has been amended three times: by Council Regulation No 410/98, Commission Regulation No 1614/2002 and European Parliament and Council Regulation No 2056/2002. As a new amendment of the basic Regulation it was decided to recast the Regulation No 58/97 in order to obtain a new "clean" legal text. In 2008 the European Parliament and Council adopted Regulation No 295/2008 and the provisions of this Regulation were applicable from the reference year 2008 to reference year 2020. Regulation No 295/2008 was amended by Commission Regulation (EU) No 446/2014.
The dissemination of data collected for the purpose of producing official statistics is guided by the requirements provided in § 34 and § 35 of the Official Statistics Act.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
According to the Official Statistics Act, the data are published and transmitted without characteristics that permit identification of the respondents.
The data have to be classified into groups of at least three persons (primary confidentiality — too few enterprises), while the share of data relating to each person in aggregate data does not exceed x% (primary confidentiality — one enterprise dominates the data, x denotes dominance limit in Statistics Estonia and its value is confidential). The criteria of dominance for turnover, gross investment in tangible goods and personnel costs was applied. To protect the primary confidential cells, the secondary confidential cells were determined by using R package sdcTable.
Only the number of units is published in case of confidentiality reasons that preclude the publication of the data.
In case of an additional reasoned request from data users, enterprises will be asked for written consent to publish their data in an anonymous form, based on § 35 subsection 2 of the Official Statistics Act "A producer of official statistics shall disseminate data that allow direct or indirect identification of a person only with the consent of the person , except in the cases provided by this Act or if the data are considered public pursuant to law."
The confidential data is caused by the detailed activity and employment size class breakdown. As Estonia is a small country the rate of confidential cells is considerable.
7.2.1. Confidentiality processing
Data treatment
Confidentiality rules applied
Yes
Threshold of number of enterprises (Number)
3
Number of enterprises non confidential, if number of employments is confidential
Yes
Dominance criteria applied
Yes
If dominance criteria applied specify the threshold (Number)
value is confidential
Secondary confidentiality applied
Yes
Comment
-
8.1. Release calendar
According to the Official Statistics Act, a producer of official statistics shall disseminate official statistics pursuant to the release calendar published on its website.
Micro-data are disseminated if the data are used for scientific purposes pursuant to the provisions of § 38 of the Official Statistics Act.
10.5. Dissemination format - other
The SBS core variables for the selected activities are published as dashboards.
10.6. Documentation on methodology
ESMS (Euro-SDMX Metadata Structure) metadata based on the SDMX Cross-Domain Concepts is published on the Estonian Statistics website in Estonian and English.
To assure the quality of processes and products, Statistics Estonia applies the EFQM Excellence Model, EU Statistics Code of Practice and the ESS Quality Assurance Framework (QAF). Statistics Estonia is also guided by the requirements provided for in § 7. “Principles and quality criteria of producing official statistics” of the Official Statistics Act.
ESMS (Euro-SDMX Metadata Structure) metadata based on the SDMX Cross-Domain Concepts is published on the Estonian Statistics website in Estonian and English. Including Financial statistics of enterprises (annual), statistical activity code - 20300, on which SBS is based.
To assure the quality of processes and products, Statistics Estonia applies the EFQM Excellence Model, EU Statistics Code of Practice and the ESS Quality Assurance Framework (QAF).
Statistics Estonia is also guided by the requirements provided for in § 7. “Principles and quality criteria of producing official statistics” of the Official Statistics Act.
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 includes, among other things, 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.
The overall assessment of the quality of SBS data is good. Data quality is in accordance with principles of accuracy and reliability, timeliness and punctuality, coherence and compatibility.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
Main internal users:
Other departments of Statistics Estonia: national accounts, price statistics.
Governmental and municipal institutions
Different employers' organisations, trade unions.
Media
Researchers, students
Enterprises/businesses
Main external users:
Eurostat, OECD.
Internal users (National Accounts, price statistics) need more detailed breakdowns of costs and turnover by activities.
Governmental and municipal institutions are interested in statistics by counties (NUTS 4).
To fulfil the national needs, the SBS data sent to Eurostat are different from the data published at the national level: in the statistics database on the Statistics Estonia website, all the main elements of the profit and loss account (including net profit, income tax, etc.) and balance sheet indicators are published, which are the basis for compiling the SBS data.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
User satisfaction regarding the availability of SBS data is not regularly monitored.
12.3. Completeness
Some indicators or groupings are not presented based on the derogation or the 1% rule.
On the basis of the 1%-rule referred in the EBS Regulation, Statistics Estonia requested for exemption from transmitting the following variables:
240104 Expenses of long term rental and operating leases
250113 Net turnover by product
250110 Net turnover from the principal activity at the NACE three-digit level
250111 Net turnover from subcontracting
260107 Investment in purchased software
According to ex-ante assessment carried out by Eurostat, the condition has been fulfilled partially in the three years prior to the reference year. In particular, the 3-year average has been above 1% for:
the ‘Number of employees and self-employed persons’ in NACE Division
B06 ‘Extraction of crude petroleum and natural gas’,
C16 ‘Manufacture of wood and of products of wood and cork, except furniture; manufacture of articles of straw and plaiting materials’ and
H50 ‘Water transport’.
in NACE Division B08 ‘Other mining and quarrying’, employment is approaching the 1% threshold.
the ‘Net-turnover’ in NACE Division C16 ‘Manufacture of wood and of products of wood and cork, except furniture; manufacture of articles of straw and plaiting materials’ .
Thus, of the above-mentioned variables, only data for NACE section B06, B08, C16 and H50 were transmitted.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
The overall accuracy of the results can be assessed as good. Data collection is exhaustive (census) – data is obtained from statistical questionnaire and administrative source (annual reports from Commercial Register). For characteristics missing in administrative information model based estimate is used, also donor imputation and mean value imputation methods are applied.
The most important sources of errors are nonresponse and modelling errors when using administrative information.
13.2. Sampling error
Not applicable (census).
13.3. Non-sampling error
Not applicable (census).
14.1. Timeliness
Action
Deadline
data-collection
08 July 2024
post-collection phase
03 December 2024
national dissemination
30 December 2024
14.2. Punctuality
EDAMIS data flow
Description
Frequency
Date of transmission
Punctuality
Date of 2nd transmission
EBSSBS_ALL_A
Final SBS (all breakdowns)
Annual
30 June 2025
+9 days
09 July 2025
EBSSBS_BSA_A
Business Services
Annual
30 June 2025
0 days
-
EBSSBS_REG_A
Regional SBS
Annual
30 June 2025
0 days
EBSSBS_BS2_1
Business Services 1
Every 2 years
30 June 2025
0 days
-
EBSSBS_SBC_3
Multiannual on Sub-Contracting
Every 3 years
30 June 2025
0 days
-
EBSSBS_ICW_5
Multiannual on Industry, Construction and Wholesale
Every 5 years
30 June 2025
0 days
-
15.1. Comparability - geographical
No inconsistencies
15.2. Comparability - over time
Length of comparable time series: 2005-2023.
The data for the reference years 1995–1999 were mainly available at NACE 2-digit level. Also the availability of variables was incomplete.
From the reference year 2000 the SBS data production is in accordance with the requirements of SBS regulation.
2000-2007 the activity classification NACE Rev.1.1 was in use. Starting from 2008 NACE Rev.2 was implemented (back casted data for 2005-2007).
Statistical unit enterprise was implemented starting from reference year 2016.
15.2.1. Time series
Time series
First reference year available (calendar year)
1995
Calendar year(s) of break in time series
2005
Reason(s) for the break(s)
new NACE version
Length of comparable time series (from calendar year to calendar year)
2005-2023
Comment
Starting from 2008 NACE Rev.2 was implemented (back casted data for 2005-2007)
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
The SBS data collection is based on active enterprises in the National Statistical Business Register (NSBR). All entities registered in Estonia are entered into the NSBR. The NSBR provides a frame of active economic entities for each year, comprising only those entities that were active in a given year, including those that were active only for a certain period of the year. The frame of active economic entities (also referred to as the statistical profile) compiled by November of each year is used as the frame for the annual statistics for that year and for the short-term statistics for the following year, from which samples are drawn. The frame of entities compiled by November does not include data for the whole year and is therefore referred to as the initial frame of active economic entities.
The final frame of active economic entities was compiled for the first time for the year 2021. The quality and coverage of administrative data sources used to update the statistical register have improved. Therefore, a final frame of active economic entities can be compiled in the official statistics of the year following the reference year when most of the annual data are available. This frame is used to produce annual business statistics, such as business demography statistics, structural business statistics etc. The final frame covers entities that were active during the calendar year, including those that were only active in the final months of the year. The main source for updating the frame of active economic entities are annual reports. These can also be used to identify the ’signs of life’ indicating economic activity of micro-enterprises, i.e. enterprises that are not registered for VAT (annual turnover up to 40,000 euros) and have no paid employees and for which no other sources of information are available. In 2021, for instance, small enterprises were added to the final frame of active economic entities mainly in service activities. The share of these enterprises in economic indicators such as turnover is not very high.
In the data editing process, strict data check rules are implemented to guarantee consistency in turnover values from industrial activities between the SBS and the PRODCOM survey at the unit level.
The difference between SBS and Business Demography (BD) is mainly due to the inclusion of sole proprietors (FIEs) in BD. SBS is in accordance with National Accounts (NA) and is the main data source for the non-financial corporations' sector. In 2021-2023, there were 11,000 sole proprietors (FIEs) whose data were included in BD but not in SBS. In the statistical database on the website of Statistics Estonia, the data of financial statistics of enterprises are published at the end of December, i.e. T+12 month. The database only contains data of the following legal forms - general partnership, limited partnership, private limited company, public limited company or commercial association - that have been collected either with a statistical questionnaire or using annual reports obtained from the business register. Sole proprietors (FIEs) do not have to submit an annual report. Data from income and social tax declarations submitted to the tax office are used to obtain this data for example, as an input to GDP. The tax declaration does not include many indicators that are published in the tables of financial statistics of enterprises. The data of sole proprietors (FIEs) are published by the Tax and Customs Board.
The determination of confidentiality has been made separately for companies. If the data of sole proprietors (FIEs) are added to the data of enterprises, the confidentiality flags of both datasets should be taken into account. Given that sole proprietors (FIEs) are relatively few in number — only about 11,000 in the SBS areas of activity for 2021–2023 — their inclusion would result in a large number of confidential cells in the SBS dataset. Therefore, it was decided not to include sole proprietors (FIEs) in the SBS dataset for 2021-2023. However, the BD dataset does include sole proprietors. This is the main reason for the difference between SBS and BD data.
Irregular revisions are unplanned and are made to correct significant errors.
18.1. Source data
The methodology to obtain the data is census. Data are available for active enterprises at individual level (excluding other monetary intermediation (NACE 6419).
Data for non-financial enterprises (NACE B- S excluding K) are received combining the statistical questionnaires and administrative information (annual reports). Statistical questionnaires are used to collect data from all larger enterprises, i.e. enterprises with 20 or more persons employed. In addition, statistical questionnaires are used to collect data from enterprises with less than 20 persons employed, which had extremely important economic indicators (outliers) in their kind of activity in the previous year.
Data on central banking (NACE 6411) are received from the annual report published on the Bank of Estonia website.
Data on other monetary intermediation (NACE 6419) are received from Bank of Estonia (central bank) on aggregated level. Banks and savings and loan associations are presented separately by size groups based on the number of persons employed. Labour indicators are obtained from annual reports. Additionally, data from the monthly statistical questionnaire “Wages and salaries and labour force” are used to estimate working hours. For smaller companies that are not required to submit the statistical questionnaire, imputation is also used to obtain the necessary data.
For other financial service and auxiliary to financial services activities’ (NACE 642, 643, 649, 66) enterprises data are obtained from administrative sources: annual reports containing financial indicators and data from the Tax and Customs Board, primarily related to labour. In cases where certain indicators or their components are missing, imputation is applied. In a few cases — only for 12 enterprises in 2023 — data from statistical questionnaires have been used.
For insurance companies (NACE 651), exhaustive data collection is applied. Data from annual and quarterly statistical questionnaires on financial indicators of insurance are used, submitted by all insurance companies. Additionally, data from the monthly report Wages and salaries and labour force are used to obtain working hours. This report is submitted by all large insurance companies (based on the number of persons employed) and some smaller ones. For smaller companies that are not required to submit the statistical questionnaire, imputation is used to obtain the necessary data.
For reinsurance insurance companies (NACE 652), there are no enterprises in Estonia.
For pension funds (NACE 653), data are obtained from their annual reports published on their websites. An exception is one component derived from an administrative source (Social Insurance Board), which is used in the calculation of turnover, value added, and output: 'Social tax: Register administrator (entries to funded pension funds)' and 'Allocations to mandatory funded pension funds'.
Administrative source – annual reports
The used administrative sources is Companies’ annual reports from Commercial Register (under the Ministry of Justice). The annual reports are received as companies' micro data. The data are received within an hour after the data submission to Commercial Register. Annual reports, in general, have no several revisions. The degree of completeness i.e. notes are not provided, causes the need for additional modelling.
The main characteristics directly available or with a good proxy in the annual reports are: number of employees in full-time equivalent units, turnover, turnover from industrial, construction, service, trading activities, personnel costs, wages and salaries, social security costs, changes in stocks of goods and services, changes in stocks of finished products and work in progress, changes in stocks of goods purchased for resale in the same conditions as received, balance sheet data.
The annual reports are data source for mass imputation i.e. for imputation of enterprises in the population but not collected with statistical questionnaires. These are smaller enterprises with less than 20 persons employed.
Frame
The business register for statistical purposes maintained by Statistics Estonia serves as the frame for SBS and other business-related statistical data collection activities.
Business statistics are compiled on the basis of the data economically active entities. In order to produce business statistics, Statistics Estonia keeps a business register for statistical purposes. Its data are obtained from the commercial register, non-profit associations and foundations register, register of taxable persons, and state register of state and local government institutions. In addition to legal registers, other data sources are used, such as the data of the Estonian Tax and Customs Board as well as statistical and financial reports, etc. In the business register for statistical purposes, statistical units for producing official statistics are specified, economic entities on the basis of international standards are classified, and economically active entities are identified. Entities are considered to be economically active if, in a given year, they have shown signs of activity: turnover, paid employees, investments. ‘Signs of life' indicating economic activity identified from other sources are also taken into account.
Initial frame of active economic entities
All entities registered in Estonia are entered into the business register for statistical purposes. However, unlike legal registers, the statistical business register provides a frame of active economic entities for each year, comprising only the entities that were active in a given year, including those that were active only for a certain period of the year. The frame of active economic entities (also referred to as the statistical profile) compiled by November of each year is used as the frame for the annual statistics for that year and for the short-term statistics for the following year, from which samples are drawn. The data for the frame of economic entities are published in the statistical database in the January of the following year to provide users with information on the previous year as soon as possible. The frame of entities compiled by November does not include data for the whole year and is therefore referred to as the initial frame of active economic entities.
Final frame of active economic entities
The quality and coverage of administrative data sources used to update the statistical register have increased. Therefore, a final frame of active economic entities can be compiled in official statistics by November of the year following the reference year when most of the annual data are available. This frame is used to produce annual business statistics, such as business demography statistics, structural business statistics (annual economic indicators of enterprises), etc. The final frame of active economic entities was compiled for the first time for the year 2021.
Difference between initial and final frame of active economic entities
Unlike the initial frame, the final frame covers entities that were active during the calendar year, including those that were only active in the final months of the year. The main source for updating the frame of active economic entities are annual reports. These can also be used to identify the ’signs of life’ indicating economic activity of micro-enterprises, i.e. enterprises that are not registered for VAT (annual turnover up to 40,000 euros) and have no paid employees and for which no other sources of information are available.
18.1.1. Data sources overview
Data sources overview: enterprises
Data sources overview: local units
Survey data
Yes
No
VAT data
No
No
Tax data
Yes
Yes
Financial statements
Yes
No
Other sources, please specify:
Yes
Comment
Local units have been created using employment register (in Estonian Töötamise register – TÖR) and income and social tax declarations (TSD) data.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Annual data collection.
18.3. Data collection
Enterprises
To obtain SBS data on non-financial enterprises (NACE B- S excluding K), several questionnaires (EKOMAR) are used, which are slightly modified according to the enterprise’s principal activity. As an example, a questionnaire and instructions for construction enterprises in pdf form ekomar-f41-2023-year.
For insurance companies (NACE 651), annual and quarterly statistical questionnaires are used. By combining the data collected through these questionnaires, SBS indicators are derived. Annual questionnaire in pdf form: Insurance 2023. year, quarterly questionnaire in pdf form: Insurance 2023. quarter
The pdf questionnaires are for information only.
To collect data from enterprises, Statistics Estonia uses the web-based electronic data collection system eSTAT - environment for electronic data submission. In eSTAT statistical questionnaires are prefilled with data from annual reports (annual financial statements). Variables not available in administrative source are added by data providers. eSTAT gives to data provider a possibility before submission of questionnaire to check the correctness of data and correct the errors. There are mostly arithmetical checks - completeness, internal consistency, plausibility checks.
For enterprises that do not have to submit statistical questionnaires, data from annual reports are used or, if they are not available, data are imputed.
Local units
Starting with the reference year 2021, a new methodology is used to obtain data of local units. Local units have been created using employment register (in Estonian Töötamise register – TÖR) and income and social tax declarations (TSD) data. This turned out to be possible with the implementation of the TÖR. TÖR is a register that collects information on employment and is kept by the Estonian Tax and Customs Board. All employers, including a private person who hires another private person, have the obligation to register employment. Among other things, the employee's personal identification code, the date of commencement of employment, the address of the workplace must be entered in the employment register.
TÖR was used to find local units, their kind of activity and employment. Local units were identified based on workplace address information, and local unit NACE codes were assigned using a specially developed model that was supposed to be based on the occupational data of people working in the local unit.
Wage data for employees of local units is obtained from income and social tax declarations (TSD). For this purpose, the TÖR and TSD datasets were linked using employees' personal codes.
18.4. Data validation
Statistics Estonia uses the web-based electronic data collection system eSTAT which gives to data provider a possibility before submission of report to check the correctness of data and correct the errors. There are mostly arithmetical checks.
In data processing phase (using data processing information system VAIS) the data editing continues by using a lot of arithmetical — completeness, internal consistency, plausibility — checks. The data are also compared with similar data from annual reports, short-term statistics, PRODCOM on unit and aggregated level.
In addition, additional checks have been created at the level of enterprises using SAS or R software, which also create reports in Excel form for enterprises with errors and warnings.
At the aggregate data level - the field of activity and the size groups of the employed - the data is compared with the previous year. For this purpose, a solution for making reports based on R and Excel has been created. Appeared errors are corrected before publication in VAIS, warnings are either corrected or a reasonable explanation is found.
Before transmission to Eurostat, data tables are checked using EDAMIS (Electronic Data Files Administration and Management Information System) both individually and between tables (inter-series checks).
18.5. Data compilation
The methodology to obtain the data is census. SBS data are available for active enterprises at the individual level (starting from reference year 2019). An exception applies to banks and savings and loan associations, i.e. NACE activity 6419, for which the data are aggregated by activity and by size class of persons employed.
The methodology to obtain the data for non-financial enterprises (NACE B–S excluding K) is census, combining the statistical questionnaire (EKOMAR) and administrative information. For imputation, available information from administrative sources, i.e. annual reports, is used. For characteristics missing in annual reports, model-based estimates are applied. In the absence of annual reports, donor imputation, previous year’s data, and mean value imputation methods are used. Before 2019, the Horvitz-Thompson estimator was used for grossing-up, i.e. estimating population totals.
The methodology for obtaining data on enterprises engaged in financial services and auxiliary financial services activities is a combination of statistical questionnaires and administrative information.
Data on central banking (NACE 6411) are obtained from the annual report published on the Bank’s website. Data on other monetary intermediation (NACE 6419) are received from the Bank of Estonia. For other financial service and auxiliary financial service activities (NACE 642, 643, 649, 66), data are collected mainly from administrative sources, i.e. annual reports, and also from the Tax and Customs Board. For insurance companies (NACE 651), exhaustive data collection is applied using statistical questionnaires.
For pension funds (NACE 653), data are obtained from their annual reports i.e. administrative information
Sources of data (including imputation):
Kind of activity
Source
% of enterprises
Non-financial enterprises (NACE B-S, excluding K and O)
Annual reports (administrative data)
90,5%
Statistical questionnaire
2,6%
Previous year data
0,1%
Data from another statistical questionnaires
0,0%
Donor imputation
0,0%
Combined method
0,6%
Mean value imputation
6,2%
Financial enterprises (NACE K641)
Administrative data
100%
Financial enterprises (NACE K642, 643, 649, 66)
Annual reports (administrative data)
99,7%
Data from another statistical questionnaires
0,3%
Insurance (NACE K651)
Statistical questionnaire
100%
Pension funds (NACE K653)
Annual reports (administrative data)
100%
18.6. Adjustment
SBS data refer to a calendar year (or in some exceptional cases, a 12-month period beginning or ending in the reporting year).
No further comments.
Structural business statistics (SBS) describes the structure, conduct and performance of economic activities, down to the most detailed activity level (several hundred economic sectors). SBS covers all activities of the business economy with the exception of agricultural activities, public administration and (largely) non-market services such as education and health. Main characteristics (variables) of the SBS data category:
Business demographic variables (e.g. Number of active enterprises);
"Output related" variables (e.g. Net turnover, Value added);
"Input related" variables: labour input (e.g. Number of employees and self-employed persons, Hours worked by employees); goods and services input (e.g. Purchases of goods and services); capital input (e.g. Gross investments).
Business services statistics (BS) collection contains harmonised statistics on business services. From 2008 onwards BS become part of the regular mandatory annual data collection of SBS. The BS’s data requirement includes variable “Turnover” broken down by products and by type of residence of client.
The annual regional statistics collection includes three characteristics due by NUTS-2 country region and detailed on NACE Rev 2 division level (2-digits).
Data requirements, simplifications and technical definitions are defined in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197
In Estonia most of legal units are equal to enterprise. These units produce goods or services, benefit from a certain degree of autonomy in decision-making, have a complete set of accounts, carry out one or more activities at one or more locations.
In economically significant cases (e.g. all the employment is recorded in a legal unit serving other legal units of a group) enterprise is implemented in business register and one unit from a group (enterprise) reports consolidated characteristics to SE, including the SBS characteristics.
Reference: Council Regulation (EEC) No 696 / 93 of 15 March 1993 on the statistical units for the observation and analysis of the production system in the Community.
The statistical population is created on the basis of the national statistical business register (NSBR). The SBS results are in accordance with the activities on the economic territory of Estonia.
Branches of foreign enterprises with more than 19 persons employed are included in target population, while those with 19 or fewer persons employed are excluded.
Sole proprietors are not included.
Estonia
Branches of foreign enterprises with more than 19 persons employed are included in target population, while those with 19 or fewer persons employed are excluded.
Activities of the branches abroad of enterprises of the reporting country are included as they are part of the enterprise common accounting system and separating them could be extremely time consuming and challenging.
2023
Data refers to the calendar year, which in some cases corresponds to the fiscal year.
The overall accuracy of the results can be assessed as good. Data collection is exhaustive (census) – data is obtained from statistical questionnaire and administrative source (annual reports from Commercial Register). For characteristics missing in administrative information model based estimate is used, also donor imputation and mean value imputation methods are applied.
The most important sources of errors are nonresponse and modelling errors when using administrative information.
Number of enterprises and number of local units are expressed in units.
Monetary data are expressed in millions of €.
Employment variables are expressed in units.
Per head values are expressed in thousands of € per head.
Ratios are expressed in percentages.
The methodology to obtain the data is census. SBS data are available for active enterprises at the individual level (starting from reference year 2019). An exception applies to banks and savings and loan associations, i.e. NACE activity 6419, for which the data are aggregated by activity and by size class of persons employed.
The methodology to obtain the data for non-financial enterprises (NACE B–S excluding K) is census, combining the statistical questionnaire (EKOMAR) and administrative information. For imputation, available information from administrative sources, i.e. annual reports, is used. For characteristics missing in annual reports, model-based estimates are applied. In the absence of annual reports, donor imputation, previous year’s data, and mean value imputation methods are used. Before 2019, the Horvitz-Thompson estimator was used for grossing-up, i.e. estimating population totals.
The methodology for obtaining data on enterprises engaged in financial services and auxiliary financial services activities is a combination of statistical questionnaires and administrative information.
Data on central banking (NACE 6411) are obtained from the annual report published on the Bank’s website. Data on other monetary intermediation (NACE 6419) are received from the Bank of Estonia. For other financial service and auxiliary financial service activities (NACE 642, 643, 649, 66), data are collected mainly from administrative sources, i.e. annual reports, and also from the Tax and Customs Board. For insurance companies (NACE 651), exhaustive data collection is applied using statistical questionnaires.
For pension funds (NACE 653), data are obtained from their annual reports i.e. administrative information
Sources of data (including imputation):
Kind of activity
Source
% of enterprises
Non-financial enterprises (NACE B-S, excluding K and O)
Annual reports (administrative data)
90,5%
Statistical questionnaire
2,6%
Previous year data
0,1%
Data from another statistical questionnaires
0,0%
Donor imputation
0,0%
Combined method
0,6%
Mean value imputation
6,2%
Financial enterprises (NACE K641)
Administrative data
100%
Financial enterprises (NACE K642, 643, 649, 66)
Annual reports (administrative data)
99,7%
Data from another statistical questionnaires
0,3%
Insurance (NACE K651)
Statistical questionnaire
100%
Pension funds (NACE K653)
Annual reports (administrative data)
100%
The methodology to obtain the data is census. Data are available for active enterprises at individual level (excluding other monetary intermediation (NACE 6419).
Data for non-financial enterprises (NACE B- S excluding K) are received combining the statistical questionnaires and administrative information (annual reports). Statistical questionnaires are used to collect data from all larger enterprises, i.e. enterprises with 20 or more persons employed. In addition, statistical questionnaires are used to collect data from enterprises with less than 20 persons employed, which had extremely important economic indicators (outliers) in their kind of activity in the previous year.
Data on central banking (NACE 6411) are received from the annual report published on the Bank of Estonia website.
Data on other monetary intermediation (NACE 6419) are received from Bank of Estonia (central bank) on aggregated level. Banks and savings and loan associations are presented separately by size groups based on the number of persons employed. Labour indicators are obtained from annual reports. Additionally, data from the monthly statistical questionnaire “Wages and salaries and labour force” are used to estimate working hours. For smaller companies that are not required to submit the statistical questionnaire, imputation is also used to obtain the necessary data.
For other financial service and auxiliary to financial services activities’ (NACE 642, 643, 649, 66) enterprises data are obtained from administrative sources: annual reports containing financial indicators and data from the Tax and Customs Board, primarily related to labour. In cases where certain indicators or their components are missing, imputation is applied. In a few cases — only for 12 enterprises in 2023 — data from statistical questionnaires have been used.
For insurance companies (NACE 651), exhaustive data collection is applied. Data from annual and quarterly statistical questionnaires on financial indicators of insurance are used, submitted by all insurance companies. Additionally, data from the monthly report Wages and salaries and labour force are used to obtain working hours. This report is submitted by all large insurance companies (based on the number of persons employed) and some smaller ones. For smaller companies that are not required to submit the statistical questionnaire, imputation is used to obtain the necessary data.
For reinsurance insurance companies (NACE 652), there are no enterprises in Estonia.
For pension funds (NACE 653), data are obtained from their annual reports published on their websites. An exception is one component derived from an administrative source (Social Insurance Board), which is used in the calculation of turnover, value added, and output: 'Social tax: Register administrator (entries to funded pension funds)' and 'Allocations to mandatory funded pension funds'.
Administrative source – annual reports
The used administrative sources is Companies’ annual reports from Commercial Register (under the Ministry of Justice). The annual reports are received as companies' micro data. The data are received within an hour after the data submission to Commercial Register. Annual reports, in general, have no several revisions. The degree of completeness i.e. notes are not provided, causes the need for additional modelling.
The main characteristics directly available or with a good proxy in the annual reports are: number of employees in full-time equivalent units, turnover, turnover from industrial, construction, service, trading activities, personnel costs, wages and salaries, social security costs, changes in stocks of goods and services, changes in stocks of finished products and work in progress, changes in stocks of goods purchased for resale in the same conditions as received, balance sheet data.
The annual reports are data source for mass imputation i.e. for imputation of enterprises in the population but not collected with statistical questionnaires. These are smaller enterprises with less than 20 persons employed.
Frame
The business register for statistical purposes maintained by Statistics Estonia serves as the frame for SBS and other business-related statistical data collection activities.
Business statistics are compiled on the basis of the data economically active entities. In order to produce business statistics, Statistics Estonia keeps a business register for statistical purposes. Its data are obtained from the commercial register, non-profit associations and foundations register, register of taxable persons, and state register of state and local government institutions. In addition to legal registers, other data sources are used, such as the data of the Estonian Tax and Customs Board as well as statistical and financial reports, etc. In the business register for statistical purposes, statistical units for producing official statistics are specified, economic entities on the basis of international standards are classified, and economically active entities are identified. Entities are considered to be economically active if, in a given year, they have shown signs of activity: turnover, paid employees, investments. ‘Signs of life' indicating economic activity identified from other sources are also taken into account.
Initial frame of active economic entities
All entities registered in Estonia are entered into the business register for statistical purposes. However, unlike legal registers, the statistical business register provides a frame of active economic entities for each year, comprising only the entities that were active in a given year, including those that were active only for a certain period of the year. The frame of active economic entities (also referred to as the statistical profile) compiled by November of each year is used as the frame for the annual statistics for that year and for the short-term statistics for the following year, from which samples are drawn. The data for the frame of economic entities are published in the statistical database in the January of the following year to provide users with information on the previous year as soon as possible. The frame of entities compiled by November does not include data for the whole year and is therefore referred to as the initial frame of active economic entities.
Final frame of active economic entities
The quality and coverage of administrative data sources used to update the statistical register have increased. Therefore, a final frame of active economic entities can be compiled in official statistics by November of the year following the reference year when most of the annual data are available. This frame is used to produce annual business statistics, such as business demography statistics, structural business statistics (annual economic indicators of enterprises), etc. The final frame of active economic entities was compiled for the first time for the year 2021.
Difference between initial and final frame of active economic entities
Unlike the initial frame, the final frame covers entities that were active during the calendar year, including those that were only active in the final months of the year. The main source for updating the frame of active economic entities are annual reports. These can also be used to identify the ’signs of life’ indicating economic activity of micro-enterprises, i.e. enterprises that are not registered for VAT (annual turnover up to 40,000 euros) and have no paid employees and for which no other sources of information are available.
Annual.
Action
Deadline
data-collection
08 July 2024
post-collection phase
03 December 2024
national dissemination
30 December 2024
No inconsistencies
Length of comparable time series: 2005-2023.
The data for the reference years 1995–1999 were mainly available at NACE 2-digit level. Also the availability of variables was incomplete.
From the reference year 2000 the SBS data production is in accordance with the requirements of SBS regulation.
2000-2007 the activity classification NACE Rev.1.1 was in use. Starting from 2008 NACE Rev.2 was implemented (back casted data for 2005-2007).
Statistical unit enterprise was implemented starting from reference year 2016.
