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.
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 issues concerning the observance of statistical confidentiality by the Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) are arranged by Articles 7, 8 and 9 of the Law 3832/2010 as in force, by Articles 8, 10 and 11(2) of the Regulation on Statistical Obligations of the agencies of the Hellenic Statistical System and by Articles 10 and 15 of the Regulation on the Operation and Administration of ELSTAT.
The Statistical Confidentiality Policy of ELSTAT includes the rules and principles implemented by ELSTAT for the observance of statistical confidentiality and is available at: ELSTAT – Statistical Confidentiality Policy
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
Both primary and secondary confidentiality are applied on the data series, flags A and D for confidentiality are applied accordingly. The flag A is used for the primary confidentiality, in the case there are too few enterprises (the rule is less than 3 enterprises). The flag D is used for the secondary confidentiality, in order to protect primary confidential data.
ELSTAT disseminates the statistics in compliance with the statistical principles of the European Statistics Code of Practice and in particular with the principle of statistical confidentiality.
ELSTAT plans to perform cross checks with confidentiality flags of Business Demography data in the future, in order to reduce the number of confidential cells.
7.2.1. Confidentiality processing
Aspect
Data treatment
Confidentiality rules applied
Yes
Threshold of number of enterprises (Number)
less than 3
Number of enterprises non confidential, if number of employments is confidential
No
Dominance criteria applied
No
If dominance criteria applied specify the threshold (Number)
-
Secondary confidentiality applied
Yes
Comment
8.1. Release calendar
National SBS data are published once a year in September. Release dates are announced in ELSTAT's release calendar.
In line with the Community legal framework and the European Statistics Code of Practice, ELSTAT disseminates national SBS statistics on its website respecting professional independence and in an objective, professional and transparent manner in which all users are treated equitably.
Quality report is transmitted to Eurostat, on an annual basis, when the compilation and validation of Structural Business Statistics is completed. SBS national metadata are published online. SBS metadata are available in Greek and in English.
11.1. Quality assurance
The applied methodology is harmonized with the relevant decisions endorsed in the meetings of the European Working Group on Structural Business Statistics (SBS) which take place under the coordination of Eurostat, as well as the recommendations of the Task Forces that are established for reviewing specific important issues related to Structural Business Statistics.
Structural Business Statistics refer to a census survey, based on ELSTAT’s available Business Register which is updated on a yearly basis.
SBS survey is conducted on the large enterprises of each sector which affect their economy. Administrative tax and other data were used for the compilation of SBS, with main source the tax declaration form “E3”, which provides most of the required information on the economic results of enterprises.
Additionally, the continuous collaboration of ELSTAT with tax and other administrative authorities that provide data to ELSTAT, harmonizing, as much as possible, the statistical variables with tax and other administrative variables and also adding questions to tax and administrative documents covering statistical needs, is further improving the quality of the statistics produced.
Coherence quality controls are applied by elaborating data in comparison with data of the previous year from the same survey.
The evaluation of the quality is performed on the basis of the quality report compiled for each reference year and to which information on all the quality indicators are recorded (relevance, accuracy and reliability, timeliness and punctuality, coherence and comparability, accessibility and clarity).
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
Data of Structural Business Statistics are provided to users for the response to their requests, in accordance with the Statistical Confidentiality Policy and the Dissemination Policy of ELSTAT.
The main users of SBS are:
Internal: government departments, national central bank, employers' organisations, trade unions, media, researchers, economic analysts, doctoral candidates, students and enterprises.
External: Eurostat, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, ECB, international organisations, etc.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
The degree of satisfaction of users is assessed by their comments and remarks expressed: a) at the annual Users’ Conferences organized by ELSTAT, b) at the meetings of the Advisory Committee of the Hellenic Statistical System (SYEPELSS), in which representatives of bodies using statistics participate and c) through the User Satisfaction Survey conducted by the competent Statistical Data Dissemination Section of ELSTAT.
12.3. Completeness
Structural Business Statistics cover the total set of variables defined by the relevant Regulations of the European Union.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
For the compilation of Structural Business Statistics, the main source is administrative and tax data, which cover the entire population of enterprises.
The administrative and tax data are subject to quality checks regarding their completeness and correctness, mainly through comparison with other available sources, as well as with the Statistical Business Register. In addition, the data are checked in terms of their consistency with the definitions of the SBS variables. In general, it is difficult to estimate the accuracy of administrative and tax data, and no quantitative indicator exists for its evaluation.
The survey on large enterprises is exhaustive and is not used as the primary source for the SBS variables transmitted to Eurostat. However, the collected information can be used in selected cases to complement administrative data, to derive auxiliary breakdowns (e.g. hours worked, part-time employment, agency worker expenses) or to cross-check results.
When estimation methods are required (e.g. proportion of a component variable method, predictive models, simple ratio adjustment method), they are applied mainly to fill gaps or reconcile administrative and auxiliary survey information, not to extrapolate from a sample.
On the basis of the above, the accuracy of Structural Business Statistics is evaluated as very high.
13.2. Sampling error
Not applicable.
13.3. Non-sampling error
Not applicable.
14.1. Timeliness
The time-lag between the reference period of Structural Business Statistics data and their availability is 18 months.
Structural Business statistics are calculated annually for reference year T.
Data collection takes place between T+10 to T+16 months after the end of the reference period.
Data transmission to Eurostat takes place at T+18 months.
Data dissemination at national level takes place at T+21 months.
14.2. Punctuality
All deadlines are met.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
The same statistical concepts applied in the entire national territory.
15.2. Comparability - over time
The time series of Structural Business Statistics starts from the reference year 2000.
In the reference year 2008 there is a discontinuity in the comparability over time of the time series due to the revision of the statistical classification of economic activities that is used (transition from the classification NACE Rev 1.1. to the classification NACE Rev. 2). In order to address the discontinuity in the time series due to the use of different statistical classifications, data on Structural Business Statistics for the year 2008 have been compiled with both the statistical classifications NACE Rev. 1.1 and NACE Rev. 2.
In the reference year 2014 there is a discontinuity in the comparability over time of the time series due to the change in the compilation method of Structural Business Statistics with the transition from the sampling survey and the extrapolation of the results to the population of enterprises, to the introduction of the use of administrative, tax data. Due to the fact that ELSTAT was not granted with access to analytical administrative, tax data for the reference year 2013 and the previous years, this discontinuity in the time series of Structural Business Statistics is not possible to be addressed. The Greek SBS data for the reference year 2014 onwards, introduce a break in the timeseries. In the reference year 2018 there is a discontinuity in the comparability over time of the time series, due to the full implementation of the statistical unit "enterprise".
15.2.1. Time series
Aspect
Time series
First reference year available (calendar year)
2000
Calendar year(s) of break in time series
2008 / 2014
Reason(s) for the break(s)
NACE revision / change in the compilation method
Length of comparable time series (from calendar year to calendar year)
2008-2014 and 2014-2023
Comment
-
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
Not available.
15.4. Coherence - internal
The internal data consistency (between the characteristics) is tested by ELSTAT during the final data processing stages and validation. Inconsistent results out of the established thresholds are rare.
The access of ELSTAT to data of administrative sources that are used for the compilation of Structural Business Statistics is free of charge. Also, using data from administrative sources to update Structural Business Statistics does not cause any burden on the surveyed legal units.
The use, by ELSTAT, of automated logical and statistical checks for the processing of the above data results in saving time and resources for the compilation of Structural Business Statistics.
The small scaled survey on the large enterprises of the different economic activity classes is conducted by ELSTAT’s staff.
17.1. Data revision - policy
The Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) adopts the current revision policy defining standard rules and principles for data revisions, in accordance with the European Statistics Code of Practice and the principles for a common revision policy for European Statistics contained in the Annex of the European Statistical System (ESS).
17.2. Data revision - practice
There was no revision for the year 2023.
18.1. Source data
The primary data used for the compilation of Structural Business Statistics are administrative and tax data covering the full population of enterprises, complemented by data from the Statistical Business Register of ELSTAT.
The administrative data are transmitted from the Independent Authority of Public Revenue (IAPR) and include: (a) financial data of freelancers, natural and legal persons who are legally obliged to submit tax declarations on their income from economic activity, (b) data on employee compensations derived from the Electronic Earnings Attestations that employers are required to submit regarding their employees.
In addition, ELSTAT conducts an exhaustive survey on large enterprises. The information collected (such as analytical financial data on income and expenditure) is not the main source for SBS variables transmitted to Eurostat, but is used as auxiliary input for certain indicators (e.g. hours worked, part-time employment, expenses on agency workers) and for cross-checking administrative data.
Also, data on the status of enterprises (active, inactive, etc.), on the branch of their economic activity, on the residence of the enterprise, on employment (number of persons employed and number of employees) and on the local units of enterprises are received from the Statistical Business Register.
18.1.1. Data sources overview
Aspect
Data sources overview
Survey data
Yes
VAT data
Yes
Tax data
Yes
Financial statements
Yes
Other sources, please specify
-
Comment
-
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Annual data collection.
18.3. Data collection
Surveys:
The method used for the basic data collection from the reporting units is the electronic questionnaire in which built-in/consistency checks are applied. The respondents are contacted by email and in case of non-response re-contacted firstly by email and secondarily by phone.
Administrative data:
Data are transmitted to ELSTAT from IAPR, according to the Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2014, between ELSTAT, the ex General Secretariat for Public Revenues (GSPR-currently IAPR), the General Secretariat for Information Systems (GSIS) and the ex Social Security Institution (IKA-currently EFKA). The tax data that are transmitted to ELSTAT from the IAPR, as well as their transmission time are specified in the Annexes of the Agreement that was signed in June 2016 between ELSTAT and GSPR.
There are no planned changes in methods.
18.4. Data validation
Validation rules of EUROSTAT are applied.
18.5. Data compilation
Data from administrative sources
When the administrative data are received from IAPR, a comparison of their total number of records is made with all the other relevant administrative data files that ELSTAT is receiving from IAPR for the updating requirements of the Statistical Business Register. A comparison with the corresponding file of the previous year is made as well.
Moreover, the cases of enterprises that are recorded more than once in the file with the administrative data are checked. This is possible to occur when supplementary or modifying tax declarations are submitted by enterprises to IAPR.
After that, accounting-mathematical checks are conducted, concerning the following basic categories:
fields that are related to the identity of the enterprise
activity branch
reference period
verification of totals
checks on the existence of basic financial data per enterprise
correlation of employment and personnel costs data
checks on negative values
checks on the correctness of the financial result
checks on the total income from services
The work of the correction of administrative data with the use of mathematical – accounting checks is divided into manual (at the enterprise level), automated and other corrections.
After the phase of processing and correction of the administrative data (E3 form), the calculation of the statistical variables follows. The calculation of the statistical variables is conducted with the use of a correspondence table between the E3 tax form fields and the statistical variables, which has been compiled by ELSTAT. Exceptions from this process are the statistical variables “number of persons employed” and “number of employees” which are directly received by the Statistical Business Register, as well as the variable “wages and salaries” that is calculated from the administrative datafile Electronic Earnings Attestation.
When the calculation of the statistical variables is completed, coherence and comparability checks are conducted and the processing of the data at the level of statistical variables initiates
In particular, the following individual processing – checking tasks are performed:
For specific activities (processing and trading of smoke products, alcoholic beverages, petroleum and pharmaceutical products), the values of turnover and of total purchases of goods and services are checked and corrected, when necessary, in order not to include the special consumption tax, rebates and claw backs.
Examination, at enterprise level, of negative values in the statistical variables turnover and gross investments in tangible goods.
Examination of the consistency between variables “personnel cost” and “wages and salaries”. The personnel cost is calculated from the fields of E3 tax form, while wages and salaries from the fields of the Electronic Earnings Attestation. Therefore, consistency problems may occur for some enterprises, as they come from different sources.
Examination of the consistency of the variables “number of employees” and “wages and salaries”. This check mainly concerns the cases of enterprises that did not submit the Electronic Earnings Attestation or they have submitted it with zero data, but, at the same time, information on the existence of employees in these enterprises are available by another source (e.g. ex Social Security Institution (IKA-currently EFKA)).
Moreover, for the administrating companies of the maritime sector, a special treatment takes place, as regards the estimation of the statistical variables for the established offices/branches of non-resident enterprises as provided in article 25 of L. 27/1975. The relative activity codes of NACE Rev. 2 classification are: 5020, 5222, 5229.
These administrating companies are branches of non-resident enterprises and, in their majority, they declare only the personnel cost and the expenses they make for purchasing goods and services (the expenses of the office for the administration of the vessels), without submitting financial data on turnover either through the Structural Business Statistics survey or through the tax forms (E3, F2, etc).
Data collected through the survey on large enterprises
The data that are collected on large enterprises through the electronic questionnaire, are checked in terms of their completeness, validity and correctness in relation to the documents that these enterprises have also submitted (balance sheets, financial statements, tax forms, etc). Then, the calculation of the variables follows.
Estimation of statistical variables that cannot be calculated from the administrative data
For the large enterprises, for which data are collected through the survey, the collected data are used.
For the rest of the enterprises of the active enterprises population, which are classified in the activity branches that are covered by the Structural Business Statistics, the following techniques – methods are applied:
Proportion of a component variable
Predictive models
Simple Ratio adjustment method
Synthesis of results
After the processing phases described previously have been completed, as well as after the completion of the survey on the large enterprises, the synthesis of Structural Business Statistics is conducted.
The SBS results for 2023 are compiled with the full implementation of the statistical unit enterprise. In particular, the SBS results of 2023 were initially compiled from the surveyed legal units. Then by eliminating from the results the intra-flows data (collected through a dedicated special survey) between the legal units of the same enterprises, the SBS results for 2023 were calculated with the implementation of the statistical unit “enterprise”.
18.6. Adjustment
Not applicable.
No specific comments included.
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).
The total of active enterprises residing in Greece and being market producers of NACE Sections B to N and P to R and divisions S95 and S96.
The statistical business register is the frame for identifying units for the population. No thresholds are applied.
Greece
Data refer to calendar year 2023.
For the compilation of Structural Business Statistics, the main source is administrative and tax data, which cover the entire population of enterprises.
The administrative and tax data are subject to quality checks regarding their completeness and correctness, mainly through comparison with other available sources, as well as with the Statistical Business Register. In addition, the data are checked in terms of their consistency with the definitions of the SBS variables. In general, it is difficult to estimate the accuracy of administrative and tax data, and no quantitative indicator exists for its evaluation.
The survey on large enterprises is exhaustive and is not used as the primary source for the SBS variables transmitted to Eurostat. However, the collected information can be used in selected cases to complement administrative data, to derive auxiliary breakdowns (e.g. hours worked, part-time employment, agency worker expenses) or to cross-check results.
When estimation methods are required (e.g. proportion of a component variable method, predictive models, simple ratio adjustment method), they are applied mainly to fill gaps or reconcile administrative and auxiliary survey information, not to extrapolate from a sample.
On the basis of the above, the accuracy of Structural Business Statistics is evaluated as very high.
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.
Data from administrative sources
When the administrative data are received from IAPR, a comparison of their total number of records is made with all the other relevant administrative data files that ELSTAT is receiving from IAPR for the updating requirements of the Statistical Business Register. A comparison with the corresponding file of the previous year is made as well.
Moreover, the cases of enterprises that are recorded more than once in the file with the administrative data are checked. This is possible to occur when supplementary or modifying tax declarations are submitted by enterprises to IAPR.
After that, accounting-mathematical checks are conducted, concerning the following basic categories:
fields that are related to the identity of the enterprise
activity branch
reference period
verification of totals
checks on the existence of basic financial data per enterprise
correlation of employment and personnel costs data
checks on negative values
checks on the correctness of the financial result
checks on the total income from services
The work of the correction of administrative data with the use of mathematical – accounting checks is divided into manual (at the enterprise level), automated and other corrections.
After the phase of processing and correction of the administrative data (E3 form), the calculation of the statistical variables follows. The calculation of the statistical variables is conducted with the use of a correspondence table between the E3 tax form fields and the statistical variables, which has been compiled by ELSTAT. Exceptions from this process are the statistical variables “number of persons employed” and “number of employees” which are directly received by the Statistical Business Register, as well as the variable “wages and salaries” that is calculated from the administrative datafile Electronic Earnings Attestation.
When the calculation of the statistical variables is completed, coherence and comparability checks are conducted and the processing of the data at the level of statistical variables initiates
In particular, the following individual processing – checking tasks are performed:
For specific activities (processing and trading of smoke products, alcoholic beverages, petroleum and pharmaceutical products), the values of turnover and of total purchases of goods and services are checked and corrected, when necessary, in order not to include the special consumption tax, rebates and claw backs.
Examination, at enterprise level, of negative values in the statistical variables turnover and gross investments in tangible goods.
Examination of the consistency between variables “personnel cost” and “wages and salaries”. The personnel cost is calculated from the fields of E3 tax form, while wages and salaries from the fields of the Electronic Earnings Attestation. Therefore, consistency problems may occur for some enterprises, as they come from different sources.
Examination of the consistency of the variables “number of employees” and “wages and salaries”. This check mainly concerns the cases of enterprises that did not submit the Electronic Earnings Attestation or they have submitted it with zero data, but, at the same time, information on the existence of employees in these enterprises are available by another source (e.g. ex Social Security Institution (IKA-currently EFKA)).
Moreover, for the administrating companies of the maritime sector, a special treatment takes place, as regards the estimation of the statistical variables for the established offices/branches of non-resident enterprises as provided in article 25 of L. 27/1975. The relative activity codes of NACE Rev. 2 classification are: 5020, 5222, 5229.
These administrating companies are branches of non-resident enterprises and, in their majority, they declare only the personnel cost and the expenses they make for purchasing goods and services (the expenses of the office for the administration of the vessels), without submitting financial data on turnover either through the Structural Business Statistics survey or through the tax forms (E3, F2, etc).
Data collected through the survey on large enterprises
The data that are collected on large enterprises through the electronic questionnaire, are checked in terms of their completeness, validity and correctness in relation to the documents that these enterprises have also submitted (balance sheets, financial statements, tax forms, etc). Then, the calculation of the variables follows.
Estimation of statistical variables that cannot be calculated from the administrative data
For the large enterprises, for which data are collected through the survey, the collected data are used.
For the rest of the enterprises of the active enterprises population, which are classified in the activity branches that are covered by the Structural Business Statistics, the following techniques – methods are applied:
Proportion of a component variable
Predictive models
Simple Ratio adjustment method
Synthesis of results
After the processing phases described previously have been completed, as well as after the completion of the survey on the large enterprises, the synthesis of Structural Business Statistics is conducted.
The SBS results for 2023 are compiled with the full implementation of the statistical unit enterprise. In particular, the SBS results of 2023 were initially compiled from the surveyed legal units. Then by eliminating from the results the intra-flows data (collected through a dedicated special survey) between the legal units of the same enterprises, the SBS results for 2023 were calculated with the implementation of the statistical unit “enterprise”.
The primary data used for the compilation of Structural Business Statistics are administrative and tax data covering the full population of enterprises, complemented by data from the Statistical Business Register of ELSTAT.
The administrative data are transmitted from the Independent Authority of Public Revenue (IAPR) and include: (a) financial data of freelancers, natural and legal persons who are legally obliged to submit tax declarations on their income from economic activity, (b) data on employee compensations derived from the Electronic Earnings Attestations that employers are required to submit regarding their employees.
In addition, ELSTAT conducts an exhaustive survey on large enterprises. The information collected (such as analytical financial data on income and expenditure) is not the main source for SBS variables transmitted to Eurostat, but is used as auxiliary input for certain indicators (e.g. hours worked, part-time employment, expenses on agency workers) and for cross-checking administrative data.
Also, data on the status of enterprises (active, inactive, etc.), on the branch of their economic activity, on the residence of the enterprise, on employment (number of persons employed and number of employees) and on the local units of enterprises are received from the Statistical Business Register.
Annual.
The time-lag between the reference period of Structural Business Statistics data and their availability is 18 months.
Structural Business statistics are calculated annually for reference year T.
Data collection takes place between T+10 to T+16 months after the end of the reference period.
Data transmission to Eurostat takes place at T+18 months.
Data dissemination at national level takes place at T+21 months.
The same statistical concepts applied in the entire national territory.
The time series of Structural Business Statistics starts from the reference year 2000.
In the reference year 2008 there is a discontinuity in the comparability over time of the time series due to the revision of the statistical classification of economic activities that is used (transition from the classification NACE Rev 1.1. to the classification NACE Rev. 2). In order to address the discontinuity in the time series due to the use of different statistical classifications, data on Structural Business Statistics for the year 2008 have been compiled with both the statistical classifications NACE Rev. 1.1 and NACE Rev. 2.
In the reference year 2014 there is a discontinuity in the comparability over time of the time series due to the change in the compilation method of Structural Business Statistics with the transition from the sampling survey and the extrapolation of the results to the population of enterprises, to the introduction of the use of administrative, tax data. Due to the fact that ELSTAT was not granted with access to analytical administrative, tax data for the reference year 2013 and the previous years, this discontinuity in the time series of Structural Business Statistics is not possible to be addressed. The Greek SBS data for the reference year 2014 onwards, introduce a break in the timeseries. In the reference year 2018 there is a discontinuity in the comparability over time of the time series, due to the full implementation of the statistical unit "enterprise".
