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 non-financial business economy with the exception of agricultural activities and personal services. Limited information is available on banking, insurance and pension funds.
Main characteristics (variables) of the SBS data category:
Business demographic variables (e.g. Number of enterprises)
"Output related" variables (e.g. Turnover, Value added)
"Input related" variables: labour input (e.g. Employment, Hours worked); goods and services input (e.g. Total of purchases); capital input (e.g. Material investments)
3.2. Classification system
Statistical Classification of Economic Activities in the European Community (NACE): NACE Rev.1 was used until 2001, NACE Rev. 1.1 since 2002, and NACE Rev 2 is used from 2008 onwards. Key data were double reported in NACE Rev.1.1 and NACE Rev.2 for 2008. From 2009 onwards, only NACE Rev.2 data are available.
The regional breakdown of the EU Member States is based on the Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics (NUTS). Detailed information about the consecutive NUTS Regulations can be found at Eurostat's website
The SBS coverage was limited to Sections C to K of NACE Rev.1.1 until 2007. Starting from the reference year 2008 data is available for Sections B to N and Division S95 of NACE Rev.2. With 2013 as the first reference year information is published on NACE codes K6411, K6419 and K65 and its breakdown.
Data is available on the Statistics Iceland website.
Annual
10.1. Dissemination format - News release
Yearly publication of data, either with news release or updating data only. Newest news release in english: https://statice.is/publications/news-archive/enterprises/structural-business-statistics-2019/
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. 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.
15.3. 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, environmental protection expenditure statistics, research and development, labour 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 new 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, the OECD sources since 2004 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.
18.3. Data collection
Annual data collection
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.
Monetary characteristics of the different countries are 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 non-financial business economy with the exception of agricultural activities and personal services. Limited information is available on banking, insurance and pension funds.
Main characteristics (variables) of the SBS data category:
Business demographic variables (e.g. Number of enterprises)
"Output related" variables (e.g. Turnover, Value added)
"Input related" variables: labour input (e.g. Employment, Hours worked); goods and services input (e.g. Total of purchases); capital input (e.g. Material investments)
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
