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 2division 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 2013, as the first reference year, to 2020 information is published on NACE codes K6411, K6419 and K65 and its breakdown.
From 2008 reference year data collection BS covers NACE Rev 2 codes: J62, N78, J582, J631, M731, M691, M692, M702, M712, M732, M7111, and M7112.
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
SBS constitutes an important and integrated part of the new European Business Statistics Regulation (EU) 2019/2152
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.
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
Not applicable.
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
Data is not confidential.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
Data is not confidential.
7.2.1. Confidentiality processing
Data treatment
Confidentiality rules applied
no
Threshold of number of enterprises (Number)
Number of enterprises non confidential, if number of employments is confidential
no
Dominance criteria applied
no
If dominance criteria applied specify the threshold (Number)
Statistics Iceland is a professionally independent research institution which develops, produces and disseminates statistics about society. Statistics Iceland’s policy is to work according to sound methodology and appropriate statistical procedures based on impartiality, objectivity and statistical confidentiality. Furthermore, the Statistics Iceland’s objective is to produce accurate, reliable, coherent and comparable statistics in accordance with the needs and expectations of its users and in a timely, user friendly and secure manner.
Since first published in 2015, SBS statistics have received extensive news coverage and interest from all relevant user groups.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
No index for user satisfaction is available.
12.3. Completeness
The dataset is complete from 2008 onwards. There are no gaps or missing data parts.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
Administrative data is used. The response rate in terms of turnover is approx 97%.
13.2. Sampling error
Not applicable.
13.3. Non-sampling error
Administrative data is used. The response rate in terms of turnover is approx 97%.
14.1. Timeliness
Preliminary data is normally sent to Eurostat within 10 months after the end of the reference year and final data is sent 18 months after the end of the reference year.
14.2. Punctuality
Data is sent to Eurostat with the accepted time lag. T+10 for preliminary data and T+18 for final data.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
Icelandic SBS data is comparable to data from other countries and EU aggregates.
15.2. Comparability - over time
All data available is comparable over time.
15.2.1. Time series
Time series
First reference year available (calendar year)
2008
Calendar year(s) of break in time series
Reason(s) for the break(s)
Length of comparable time series (from calendar year to calendar year)
2008-2023
Comment
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
Non confidential national and EU data are released at the finest possible level of detail. Yet the general principle "the higher the level of aggregation (the more aggregated the data), the better the quality" applies to SBS. Detailed data for small countries have to be used with a certain caution.
Data on Structural business statistics can be found in the following related domains:
Regional statistics;
Research and development;
Llabour cost statistics;
Labour force survey;
European business trends;
Short-term statistics.
In these collections data similar to SBS can be found. It should be noted that methodological differences exist which can explain inconsistencies. Apparent inconsistencies between SBS data and the data from labour cost statistics, labour force survey and short term statistics have been examined.
The OECD also collects and disseminates enterprise statistics in its Structural Business Statistics Database, containing the database known as SSIS (Structural Statistics for Industry and Services) and SEC (Statistics by Enterprise Size Class). In order to reduce the response burden on member countries and to harmonise SBS data collections between Eurostat and OECD, since 2004 the OECD sources data from Eurostat for EU countries (according to the terms of a "Memorandum of Understanding" signed by both organisations). Comparable data on other OECD countries is collected by the OECD and made available to Eurostat.
15.4. Coherence - internal
Data is coherent.
Statistics Iceland uses administrative data for compiling SBS statistics to minimize burden.
The tax return database is updated yearly with data from the previous year and PAYE data is updated yearly as well.
18.4. Data validation
At Eurostat level data is validated before publishing. A number of logical checks between different variables are performed and the consistency of data over time is checked as well.
18.5. Data compilation
Data is compiled according to
Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 repealing 10 legal acts in the field of business statistics (EBS Regulation);
Monetary characteristics of the different countries may be converted to and/or rounded to millions of euro.
No additional 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 2division level (2-digits).
23 September 2025
SBS constitutes an important and integrated part of the new European Business Statistics Regulation (EU) 2019/2152
Preliminary data is normally sent to Eurostat within 10 months after the end of the reference year and final data is sent 18 months after the end of the reference year.
Icelandic SBS data is comparable to data from other countries and EU aggregates.
