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.
[SI1] Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia (SURS)
1.2. Contact organisation unit
Environmental Statistics Division, Department of Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting Statistics
1.3. Contact name
Restricted from publication
1.4. Contact person function
Restricted from publication
1.5. Contact mail address
Litostrojska cesta 54, p.p.3570, 1001 Ljubljana
1.6. Contact email address
Restricted from publication
1.7. Contact phone number
Restricted from publication
1.8. Contact fax number
Restricted from publication
31 December 2025
2.1. Metadata last certified
31 December 2025
2.2. Metadata last posted
31 December 2025
2.3. Metadata last update
31 December 2025
3.1. Data description
The Economic Accounts for Agriculture (EAA) provide an overview of the agricultural activities in a systematic and comparable way to serve as basis for analyses, forecasts and political measures. The methodology is laid down in Annex I of the Regulation (EC) 138/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council. The EAA methodological manual provides further details and clarifications (LINK).
3.2. Classification system
The EAA are a satellite account of the European System of Accounts (ESA), therefore EAA constitute an integral part of the ESA. As such, they are compiled based on NACE Rev. 2, the statistical classification of economic activities in the European Community. The list of activities, which defines the agricultural industry corresponds, in principle, to Division 01 of that classification: Crop and animal production, hunting and related service activities. However, some differences exist that are detailed in Annex I of Regulation (EC) 138/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council.
3.3. Coverage - sector
The sector covers all units involved in agricultural production, even if some of those units have other more important economic activities even if the purpose of these activities is not commercial. However, kitchen gardens (producing for own-consumption only) are not included. The list of agricultural activities covered by EAA corresponds to the seven groups of Division 01 of NACE Rev 2 activities (01.1 to 01.7), with the following caveats/differences:
inclusion of the production of wine and olive oil (exclusively using grapes and olives grown by the same holding),
exclusion of certain activities which, in NACE Rev. 2, are considered as agricultural services (e.g. the operation of irrigation systems - only agricultural contract work is taken into account here).
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
The EAA are a satellite account of the ESA providing complementary information and concepts adapted to the particular nature of the agricultural industry.
The EAA are shown as a sequence of inter-related accounts. As the EAA are based on the industry concept, the sequence of accounts is limited to the first accounts of the current accounts:
the production account (its balancing item: value added)
the generation-of-income account (its balancing item: operating surplus).
Nevertheless EAA contains other accounts (of the ESA) at least partly:
the entrepreneurial income account (one of the current accounts) and
the capital account (one of the accumulation accounts).
The EAA provide a wide range of indicators on the economic activities of the agricultural sector: these include output, intermediate consumption, gross and net value added, gross fixed capital formation (GFCF), both at current prices and at reference year prices, as well as compensation of employees, other taxes and subsidies on production, net operating surplus or net mixed income, property income and net entrepreneurial income at current prices. (see for more details points 1.40-1.48 in Annex I of Regulation (EC) 138/2004.)
Three income indicators are defined in the EAA:
Index of the real income of factors in agriculture per annual work unit (indicator A).
Index of real net agricultural entrepreneurial income per unpaid annual work unit (indicator B).
Net entrepreneurial income of agriculture (indicator C).
See for more details chapter 5 in Annex I of Regulation (EC) 138/2004.
3.4.1. Components of the Production account : Output
Agricultural output is the total of the agricultural products and the goods and services produced in inseparable non-agricultural secondary activities during the accounting period. It is recorded as a resource in the production account and it is valued and recorded at the time it is generated, i.e. when produced and not when paid by the purchaser.
In the compilation of the EAA, output is progressively broken down in quantity terms (see point 2.037 of Regulation (EC) 138/2004). Output is valued at the basic price. The basic price is the price receivable by the producers from the purchaser for a unit of a good or service produced, minus any tax (i.e. taxes on products) payable on that unit plus any subsidy (i.e. subsidies on products) receivable on that unit. The basic price excludes any transport charges invoiced separately by the producer. It also excludes holding gains and losses on financial and non-financial assets. The valuation of output at the basic price makes it necessary to distinguish between taxes (other than VAT) on products and subsidies on products, on the one hand, and other taxes and subsidies on production, on the other.
The components of output in the production account are detailed in ANNEX II of the Regulation (EC) 138/2004. The other categories are wider, defined by the countries according to their special characteristics. The table below covers the list of products included under ‘other’ categories.
List of 'Other products'
Items
Other cereals except wheat and spelt, rye and meslin, barley, oats and summer cereals mixture, grain maize, rice
Triticale
Buckwheat
Millet
Sorghum
Other cereals
Other oleaginous products except Rape and turnip rape seed, Sunflower, Soya
Pumpkins for oil
Other oilseeds (e.g. Linseed for oil, hemp for oil, poppy)
Other industrial crops: others than Oil seeds and oleaginous fruits (including seeds), Protein crops (including seeds), Raw tobacco, Sugarbeet, Fibre plants, Hops
Spices, herbs, medicinal plants and other industrial crops
Other fresh vegetables except Cauliflower, Tomatoes
Various vegetables such as cabbage, lettuce, cucumbers, peppers, onions, garlic, beans, peas, leeks, celery, melons, root vegetables and mushrooms. Other vegetables not elsewhere classified
Other fresh fruit, except apples, pears, peaches
Various fresh fruit such as plums and apricots, strawberries, blueberries, currants and raspberries, blackberries and elderberries, aronia, walnuts and other nuts, persimmons, chestnuts, figs, quinces, kiwi and other fruit not elsewhere classified.
Fiber plants
Not applicable
Other crop products: Others: not elsewhere classified
Not applicable
Other animals Other than cattle, pigs, equines, sheep and goats, poultry
Rabbits
Other animal products: others than milk, eggs, raw wool, silkworm cocoons
Honey
Beeswax
Pollen
Raw hides and skins
Processing of agricultural products:
Items
Other animal products other than milk
Not applicable
Other inseparable non-agricultural secondary activities (goods and services) Other than Processing of agricultural products
Not applicable
3.4.2. Components of the Production account : Intermediate consumption
Intermediate consumption represents the value of all goods and services used as inputs in the production process, excluding fixed assets, the consumption of which is recorded as fixed capital consumption.
The inputs used for intermediate consumption should be valued at the purchaser prices for similar goods and services applicable at the time of their insertion in the production process. The purchaser price includes taxes less subsidies on products (but excludes deductible taxes like VAT on the products). It also includes any transport charges paid separately by the purchaser to take delivery at the required time and place.
The components of intermediate consumption in the production account are detailed in ANNEX II of the Regulation (EC) 138/2004. The other categories are wider, defined by the countries according to their special characteristics. The table below only covers the list of products included under ‘other’ categories.
List of 'Other products'
Items
Energy; lubricants other than electricity, gas, other fuels and propellants
Lubricants used in agricultural production (e.g. engine oils and greases).
Other goods and services other than listed under 2.108 in the Reg.
Agricultural services and miscellaneous costs (DMS) in crop and livestock production, packaging materials, supporting materials (stakes, fences), binding materials, drying and weighing services, plastic films, insurance, sugar for beekeeping and other minor goods and services not elsewhere classified.
3.4.3. Components of the Generation of income account
In the generation of income account, the distributive transactions relate to other taxes on production, other subsidies on production and the compensation of employees.
The components of the generation of income account are detailed in ANNEX II of the Regulation (EC) 138/2004.
3.4.4. Components of the Entrepreneurial income account
The entrepreneurial income account records certain types of property income (mainly land rents, interest and property income attributed to insurance policy holders).
The components of the entrepreneurial income account are detailed in ANNEX II of the Regulation (EC) 138/2004.
3.4.5. Elements of the Capital account
In addition to gross fixed capital formation (GFCF), the capital account records distributive transactions corresponding to aid for investment and other capital transfers.
The elements of the capital account are detailed in ANNEX II of the Regulation (EC) 138/2004.
3.5. Statistical unit
The statistical unit is the local kind of activity unit.
In order to provide more detailed information and to analyse flows generated by the production process and the use of goods and services, it is necessary to select units which emphasise relationships of a technical-economic kind. This means that, institutional units are broken-down into smaller and more homogeneous units with regard to the kind of production (local kind-of-activity units/local KAUs) (ESA 2010, 2.147). The local KAU is defined as the part of a KAU which corresponds to a local unit. The institutional unit's information system is capable of indicating or calculating for each local KAU at least the value of output, intermediate consumption, compensation of employees, the operating surplus and employment and gross fixed capital formation (ESA 2010, 2.148). The agricultural holding is the local KAU most appropriate to the agricultural industry. However, the variety of agricultural activities that can be performed on agricultural holdings makes them a special type of local KAU. The strict application of the ESA rule to units and their group should in fact result in a division of the agricultural holding into several separate local KAUs in cases where several activities of the NACE Rev. 2 four-digit class are performed on the same holding and the information required according to the explanations above is available. The adoption of the agricultural holding as the local KAU of the agricultural industry in the national accounts (NA) and EAA is based on a statistical approach.
The speciality and the aim of EAA is to cover all agricultural activity carried out by an agricultural holding or any other local KAU not having agriculture as its main activity.
The use of the local KAU as the basic unit for the agricultural industry entails recording non-agricultural secondary activities where they cannot be distinguished from the main agricultural activity (inseparable non-agricultural secondary activities of local agricultural KAUs). The selection criterion for inseparable non-agricultural secondary activities is rather the type of activity than the nature of the product. For example, agro-tourism services provided by a farm are only included if they cannot be separated from its agricultural activities.
3.6. Statistical population
The agricultural industry includes all local KAUs at local level which perform the economic activities, as principal or secondary activity corresponds to Division 01 in NACE Rev. 2 (cf. 1.60 to 1.66 of EAA Reg.)
3.7. Reference area
The data refer to the Republic of Slovenia and cover the entire national territory as defined by its administrative borders. There are no territorial exclusions. Slovenia has no overseas territories.
Accounts for year n are calculated of the base period is year n-1. Data are derived by chain linking at prices of year 2015 (and at any other reference year prices).
EAA data at current prices and at prices for the preceding year are given in millions of units of national currency.
Agricultural labour input data are given in thousand annual work units (AWU).
2023 calendar year.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
EU legislation:
EAA are legally covered by Regulation (EC) No 138/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 December 2003 on the economic accounts for agriculture in the Community as amended. Transmission of data for the regional EAA (REAA) at NUTS 2 level became obligatory in September 2023. Before September 2023, Eurostat collected REAA data on a voluntary basis.
National legislation:
National level – Slovenia
At the national level, the collection, processing and dissemination of agricultural economic statistics, as well as all official statistics, are governed by the National Statistics Act (Zakon o državni statistiki; Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, No. 45/1995, 9/2001 and subsequent amendments). This Act constitutes the main legal framework for official statistics in Slovenia. It defines the role and status of the Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia (SURS), guarantees its professional and organisational independence, regulates the scope and implementation of statistical surveys, the use of administrative and other data sources, ensures statistical confidentiality, and establishes compliance with national and European statistical standards.
In accordance with the National Statistics Act, official statistical activities are carried out within the framework of a Medium-Term Programme of Statistical Surveys (five-year programme) and an Annual Programme of Statistical Surveys. These programmes define the statistical surveys, administrative data collections and statistical outputs to be implemented in a given period, including those related to the Economic Accounts for Agriculture.
European legal basis and reporting obligations
The principal legal basis for the compilation of the Economic Accounts for Agriculture (EAA) is Regulation (EC) No 138/2004, which establishes the common methodology, definitions, classifications and transmission requirements for the EAA across the European Union. The EAA are compiled as a satellite account consistent with the European System of Accounts (ESA 2010). Regional Economic Accounts for Agriculture (REAA) are governed by Regulation (EC) No 138/2004 as amended by Regulation (EU) 2022/590.
Quality reporting obligations for the Economic Accounts for Agriculture are laid down in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1542, which specifies the structure, content and quality indicators of the quality reports to be transmitted by Member States to Eurostat.
In addition, Regulation (EU) 2022/2379 of the European Parliament and of the Council establishes an integrated framework for agricultural input and output statistics. While the EAA continue to be governed by Regulation (EC) No 138/2004, this regulatory framework supports consistency, coherence and comparability of the underlying agricultural statistics used for EAA compilation.
Institutional responsibilities
Within the national statistical system, the Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia (SURS) is responsible for the methodological development, collection, compilation, validation and dissemination of the Economic Accounts for Agriculture. As part of its institutional mandate, SURS ensures compliance with the applicable national and European legal frameworks and transmits EAA data and related quality documentation to Eurostat in accordance with the prescribed methodological standards, formats and reporting deadlines.
6.1.1. Responsible institution for compilation of EAA
Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia (SURS).
6.1.2. Responsible institution for compilation of Agricultural Income Index
Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia (SURS).
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
At the national level, arrangements and procedures for data sharing and coordination related to the compilation of the Economic Accounts for Agriculture (EAA) are embedded in the institutional framework of the national statistical system, coordinated by the Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia (SURS). Cooperation between SURS and other national institutions is governed by the National Statistics Act and supported by established coordination practices and formal agreements (e.g. Memoranda of Understanding or Protocols) within the statistical system.
A key partner in this framework is the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food, including its Agency for Agricultural Markets and Rural Development, which provides administrative data relevant for the compilation of the EAA, in particular records on agricultural subsidies, payments and rural development measures. Additional administrative sources, such as the Register of Agricultural Holdings, data from the Financial Administration (where relevant), and other sectoral administrative databases, are made available to SURS in accordance with legal provisions requiring public institutions to supply data for statistical purposes.
Data sharing arrangements define data transmission modalities, schedules, confidentiality safeguards, responsibilities for quality assurance and metadata provision, as well as procedures for coordination in case of methodological changes affecting the EAA. These mechanisms ensure that data supplied by national institutions are consistent, timely and suitable for use in agricultural economic accounts.
At the European level, data sharing and coordination are carried out within the framework of Slovenia’s obligations under European statistical legislation. SURS regularly transmits EAA data and related metadata to Eurostat through secure electronic data transmission systems, in line with agreed formats, transmission calendars and quality requirements. Methodological coordination is supported through Eurostat manuals, guidelines and expert working groups, in which Slovenia actively participates to ensure harmonised implementation of EAA concepts, classifications and compilation practices across Member States. The transmission process strictly adheres to the principle of statistical confidentiality, in compliance with Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 on European statistics.
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
SURS has a legal and moral obligation to appropriately protect the data it collects and processes before publication. The area of statistical confidentiality and the protection of sensitive information of reporting units (persons, households, enterprises, etc.) is legally regulated by the following legislative acts:
National Legal Framework
National Statistics Act (OJ RS, No. 45/95 and 9/01, and subsequent amendments), which stipulates that national statistics is implemented on various principles, including the principle of statistical confidentiality.
Access to Public Information Act, which defines the scope of public information and the protection of confidential statistical data.
Personal Data Protection Act (ZVOP-2), ensuring compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) (Regulation (EU) 2016/679), which defines the strict conditions for the processing of personal data for statistical purposes.
European and International Framework
At the European and International level, the United Nations Resolution on Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics (Principle 6) determines that “individual data collected by statistical agencies for statistical compilation, whether they refer to natural or legal persons, are to be strictly confidential and used exclusively for statistical purposes”. This principle is based on the necessity to maintain public trust and cooperation with data providers.
Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 on European statistics (recital 24 and Article 20(4)) of 11 March 2009 (OJ L 87, p. 164), stipulates the need to establish common principles and guidelines ensuring the confidentiality of data used for the production of European statistics and the access to those confidential data with due account for technical developments and the requirements of users in a democratic society. The European Statistics Code of Practice provides conditions that have to be respected by statistical offices in regard to statistical confidentiality (Principle 5).
Adherence to these legal and ethical frameworks ensures that the individual input data used for the compilation of the Economic Accounts for Agriculture are strictly protected and used exclusively for statistical production, thereby maintaining the trust and good will of the respondents.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
For aggregate outputs:
Cells from which an unauthorised person could reveal an individual data point or the identity of a unit are called sensitive or confidential. The cells from which individual units could be identified are determined by specific rules. The threshold rule, the dominance rule, and the p% rule are used to first identify confidential cells, also referred to as primary sensitive cells, and their suppression constitutes the primary protection of the table. For determining confidential data in tables, the threshold rule is particularly important. It uses the parameter n: a cell is suppressed if fewer than n units contribute to its value. A common characteristic of tables is their additive nature, which makes it very easy to reveal a primarily sensitive cell from the marginal total. Therefore, at least one additional cell must be suppressed to protect the primarily sensitive one. This is called secondary protection. The rules for determining primarily sensitive cells are confidential and cannot be published. These principles are applied to the dissemination of aggregated results, including the outputs of the Economic Accounts for Agriculture.
For micro-level outputs:
The National Statistics Act stipulates that SURS may publish only aggregated data. Nevertheless, SURS can provide access to microdata (e.g. for research purposes). In such cases, the researcher must sign an agreement with SURS, committing to the protection and confidential use of the data received. In the area of EAA/REAA, we do not provide access to microdata.
7.2.1. Confidentiality rules applied to microdata
Not applicable.
7.2.2. Comments on the amount of data affected by embargo
Not applicable.
8.1. Release calendar
In addition to the National Statistics Act, the programmes of statistical surveys constitute an essential legal and organisational basis for the functioning of the Slovenian statistical system. Two types of programmes are adopted: a medium-term programme and an annual programme. These programmes define the main statistical tasks to be carried out within a given year and over a medium-term period and are adopted according to the prescribed procedure and published in the Official Journal of the Republic of Slovenia.
The release calendar for the Economic Accounts for Agriculture is defined for first releases in the annual programmes of statistical surveys and is publicly available. We announce the release dates each year in advance (usually in November) for the following year. The release dates are aligned with the deadlines for data transmission to Eurostat.
8.2. Release calendar access
The release calendar for the first releases is firstly defined in the annual programmes of statistical surveys and then prepared in detail and publicly available on the national statistical office website. We announce the release dates each year in advance (usually in November) for the following year.
8.3. Release policy - user access
The Dissemination and Communication Policy of the Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia (SURS) informs the users about the diverse supply of data, products and services provided by SURS. Also presented are the principles and standards considered in data publication and communication with final users of these data. Together with the European Statistics Code of Practice, the policy described here is the basic guideline for all SURS’s employees. SURS follows it in daily activities of publishing the data and communicating with users, as well as in making long-term decisions. SURS also follows the Dissemination and Communication Strategy of the Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia, which describes the strategic goals and guidelines for data dissemination and communication with users until 2027.
SURS ensures equal access to official statistical data for all users. Statistical data are published according to a pre-announced release calendar, in both Slovenian and English, and are presented in an objective, impartial and user-friendly manner. Published statistics are of high quality, timely and internationally comparable.
Annual, with three releases per reference year. For a given reference year, the first estimate of the Economic Accounts for Agriculture (EAA) is published in November of year n, the second estimate is published in March of year n+1, and the final EAA results are published in September of year n+1. The Regional Economic Accounts for Agriculture (REAA) are compiled and disseminated with a longer time lag; REAA results for reference year n are published together with the final EAA results for reference year n‑2.
10.1. Dissemination format - News release
The first estimate of the Economic Accounts for Agriculture is published in November of the reference year and provides preliminary values of the main EAA aggregates at current prices and at prices of the preceding year, as well as annual values and price changes of the main agricultural aggregates. The release includes key derived indicators, including real factor income.
The second estimate of the Economic Accounts for Agriculture is published in March of the year following the reference year and provides revised values of the main EAA aggregates at current prices and at prices of the preceding year, as well as updated annual value and price changes and key derived indicators, including real factor income.
The final results of the Economic Accounts for Agriculture are published in September of the year following the reference year and contain the final values of all EAA aggregates and indicators. The publication is accompanied by the Regional Economic Accounts for Agriculture (REAA) for reference year n−2.
10.2. Dissemination format - Publications
Not applicable.
10.3. Dissemination format - online database
Each release includes an active link to the SiStat database, providing direct access to the relevant data. The data are published in the SiStat Database under Agriculture, forestry and fishery – Economic accounts for agriculture. In 2023, the EAA dataset recorded 436 unique views and 841 total views.
10.3.1. Data tables - consultations
Not applicable.
10.4. Dissemination format - microdata access
Not applicable.
10.5. Dissemination format - other
The dissemination of Economic Accounts for Agriculture data at the European level is carried out through Eurostat’s secure data transmission system (eDAMIS). The Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia (SURS) transmits EAA datasets in accordance with the applicable EU legislation, using standardised Eurostat transmission formats (such as SDMX) and the agreed transmission calendar. Metadata and quality documentation are transmitted alongside the data.
Following transmission, Eurostat performs automated and manual validation procedures. Once validated, Slovenian EAA data are disseminated by Eurostat through its statistical databases and related analytical outputs. The data are made accessible to a wide range of users, including the general public, researchers, policymakers and international organisations.
The quality indicator for metadata completeness: 1.000
[The indicator shows the ratio of metadata replies provided by country per metadata required.]
10.6.2. Further methodological guidelines available at national level
Not applicable.
10.7. Quality management - documentation
Quality management is based on the SURS quality framework and documented quality-related policies and reports, including SURS Quality Statement, Dissemination and Communication Policy and ESS peer review report for Slovenia (2023). The framework is aligned with the European Statistics Code of Practice and the ESS quality approach. Relevant quality procedures for EAA compilation (validation checks, consistency controls, and treatment of uncertainty related to source data and estimation/model assumptions) are described in Chapter 13. Internal production documentation for EAA is maintained within SURS.
11.1. Quality assurance
Quality management in official statistics in Slovenia is governed by the National Statistics Act and Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 on European statistics. The Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia (SURS) applies the general principles of quality management in line with the European Statistics Code of Practice (ES CoP) and the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics. These principles ensure impartiality, objectivity, professional independence, statistical confidentiality, transparency, and methodological soundness. The overall quality framework is described in SURS Quality Statement.
Quality in statistics is assessed across multiple quality dimensions, including relevance, accuracy, timeliness and punctuality, accessibility and clarity, comparability, and coherence. SURS regularly produces quality reports and metadata for statistical surveys, providing structured information on quality dimensions and, where applicable, quantitative quality indicators.
Quality Assurance Procedures Specific to the Economic Accounts for Agriculture (EAA)
Due to the complexity of the EAA and its reliance on multiple data sources, additional quality assurance measures are applied, ensuring compliance with the framework established by Regulation (EC) No 138/2004. These include:
Methodological Coordination: Coordination across various data domains (price statistics, production statistics, administrative data, and national accounts) to ensure consistency and coherence.
Input Data Validation: Input data are subject to rigorous validation procedures, including cross-checks with survey data and administrative records, time-series analysis, benchmarking against national accounts aggregates, and coherence checks with related agricultural statistics. Internal quality reviews are carried out during each production cycle.
International Harmonisation: SURS regularly participates in Eurostat working groups and applies Eurostat methodological guidelines to ensure harmonised implementation of EAA concepts. Eurostat performs automated and manual validation procedures following data transmission. In addition, SURS participated in the EU-wide ESS Peer Review cycle, which confirmed a high level of compliance with the European Statistics Code of Practice.
Documentation, Transparency, and Continuous Improvement
Methodological documentation for the Economic Accounts for Agriculture is publicly available and regularly updated. Major methodological changes and revisions are documented in accordance with the established revision policy. Quality reports and metadata are reviewed and maintained to support transparency and user confidence.
SURS is committed to the continuous improvement of EAA quality. Planned and ongoing activities include further automation of validation procedures, enhanced integration of administrative data sources, and continued strengthening of methodological documentation and internal knowledge continuity.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
In 2023, SURS underwent the third ESS peer review against the European Statistics Code of Practice. The final peer review report and the improvement actions are publicly available. The ESS peer review provides an overall external assessment of the institutional environment and statistical processes of the Slovenian Statistical System (in line with the European Statistics Code of Practice), which also applies to the framework under which EAA are compiled.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
The Economic Accounts for Agriculture (EAA) are an important source of information for a wide range of users at national and European level. At the national level, EAA data are primarily used by policy-makers and public institutions for monitoring the economic performance of agriculture, supporting agricultural and rural development policies, and assessing the impact of the Common Agricultural Policy. The data are also used for the compilation of National Accounts and for analytical purposes by research institutions, universities and other professional users.
At the European level, EAA data contribute to EU-wide agricultural and economic analyses, policy evaluation, and international reporting. The scope, structure and level of detail of the EAA are defined by European legislation and are therefore largely driven by harmonised user needs at the EU level.
SURS monitors user needs through regular communication with key institutional users, participation in expert working groups, and through general user satisfaction and needs monitoring activities conducted at the level of the national statistical system. Feedback from users is taken into account where feasible, while respecting the legal and methodological framework governing the EAA.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
User satisfaction with official statistics, including the Economic Accounts for Agriculture (EAA), is monitored through the annual user satisfaction survey carried out by SURS as part of its institutional quality management system. The results are published on the SURS website in the report “Monitoring user satisfaction and user needs” (e.g. 2023 report).
The survey is not EAA-specific; therefore, results are not available separately for EAA users. Nevertheless, feedback from the annual survey, additional user feedback mechanisms and direct contacts with key institutional users are analysed at institutional level and used to improve dissemination practices, metadata documentation and communication with users.
12.3. Completeness
The Economic Accounts for Agriculture compiled by SURS cover all mandatory data items required under Regulation (EC) No 138/2004 and its implementing provisions, in accordance with the ESA 2010 framework.
EAA data are transmitted annually to Eurostat via the secure eDAMIS system within the prescribed deadlines. Completeness of the transmitted datasets is checked as part of Eurostat’s standard validation procedures. Mandatory outputs are available to users, and additional breakdowns may be provided upon request, subject to confidentiality constraints.
At the European level, completeness indicators, including the R1 Data Completeness Rate, are calculated and assessed by Eurostat.
12.3.1. Data completeness - rate
The quality indicator for data completeness shows the following for the reference year 2023 in the detailed EAA: 0.996 (the following item is missing: AM206011 Feedingstuffs supplied by other agricultural holdings)
[The indicator shows the ratio of data provided per data required, excluding derogations]
The item AM206011 reported as missing in the completeness indicator relates to the first estimate of EAA 2023, which was transmitted using the legacy Excel format. For items where no data are available from the underlying statistical sources, no separate estimate is compiled in the EAA. Such items are assessed as negligible based on expert judgement and consistency checks with related aggregates and are therefore implicitly recorded as zero. In the Excel-based transmission, these implicit zero values were represented as blank cells and consequently classified as ‘missing’. In subsequent transmissions (second estimate and final EAA), provided in SDMX format, these items were correctly transmitted with a value of zero. This does not indicate a compilation gap and has no impact on aggregates or on overall data quality.
No direct sampling error measures (e.g. standard errors, confidence intervals) are calculated for the Economic Accounts for Agriculture, because the accounts are compiled from multiple administrative and statistical sources rather than from a single sample survey.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
To describe accuracy, the country uses the quality and performance indicator called ‘data revision – average absolute size’ under point 17.2.1 of this document.
13.2. Sampling error
Not applicable.
13.2.1. Sampling error - indicators
Not applicable.
13.3. Non-sampling error
Not applicable.
13.3.1. Coverage error
Not applicable.
13.3.1.1. Over-coverage - rate
Not applicable.
13.3.1.2. Common units - proportion
Not applicable.
13.3.2. Measurement error
Not applicable.
13.3.3. Non response error
Not applicable.
13.3.3.1. Unit non-response - rate
Not applicable.
13.3.3.2. Item non-response - rate
Not applicable.
13.3.4. Processing error
Not applicable.
13.3.5. Model assumption error
Not applicable.
14.1. Timeliness
The dissemination of the Economic Accounts for Agriculture follows a staged release approach. In line with the transmission programme set out in Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 138/2004, EAA estimates are produced and released in November of year n (first estimate) and March of year n+1 (second estimate), followed by EAA data in September of year n+1. The time lag reflects the gradual availability of more complete source data and the need to ensure consistency and accuracy of the accounts. Ongoing efforts focus on improved use of administrative data and automation of validation processes.
Dissemination and transmission practices are also consistent with the REAA framework introduced by Regulation (EU) 2022/590. REAA data (reference year n) are compiled at NUTS 2 level and transmitted in September of year n+2 (published with a two-year lag).
14.1.1. Time lag - first result
The first estimate of the Economic Accounts for Agriculture for the reference year is published in November (by 30 November of year n), in line with the EAA transmission timetable.
14.1.2. Time lag - final result
Final results of the Economic Accounts for Agriculture are published in September of year n+1 (by 30 September), i.e. about nine months after the end of the reference year, in line with the EAA transmission timetable.
14.2. Punctuality
All data were published in accordance with the confirmed publication plan.
14.2.1. Punctuality - delivery and publication
The quality indicator of punctuality delivered and publication shows the following for the reference year 2023:
[The indicator shows the time lag of data delivery to Eurostat and the deadline of the transmission.In case data are delivered earlier, the indicator shows a negative value.]
First estimates: -1
Second estimates: -7
Detailed EAA: 0
15.1. Comparability - geographical
The results of EAA are comparable between regions and countries.
In Slovenia, the Economic Accounts for Agriculture are compiled at the national level, while related agricultural statistics and Regional Economic Accounts for Agriculture are available at the NUTS 2 level from 2023 on. Comparability across regions is ensured through the use of harmonised concepts, definitions, classifications and valuation methods.
At the European level, EAA results are highly comparable across Member States, as all countries apply the common methodological framework laid down in Regulation (EC) No 138/2004, ESA 2010 and the EAA Manual. Differences in data sources or estimation practices may exist at a detailed level, but they do not materially affect the overall comparability of EAA results.
15.1.1. Asymmetry for mirror flow statistics - coefficient
Not applicable.
15.2. Comparability - over time
The Slovenian Economic Accounts for Agriculture time series, covering the period from 1995 to 2023, are highly comparable over time. The compilation follows a stable EU methodological framework. Methodological improvements, including enhancements to administrative sources, price indices and estimation methods, have been implemented over time. These changes were applied retrospectively, ensuring consistency of the time series and avoiding significant breaks. Regional data are available from 2023 on.
15.2.1. Length of comparable time series
There are no significant breaks in the series, and the data are comparable over time.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
Coherence between the Economic Accounts for Agriculture (EAA) and related administrative and statistical data sources is ensured through regular data exchange and methodological coordination across the National Statistical System. This section addresses coherence issues that are not covered under dedicated sections (15.3.1 Coherence - sub annual and annual statistics, 15.3.2 Coherence - National Accounts, and 15.4 Coherence internal).
Coherence with Agricultural Production and Price Statistics
The physical volume and derived value of agricultural output in the EAA are based on agricultural production statistics (for volumes) and agricultural price statistics (for average producer prices). These data domains are fundamental inputs to the EAA compilation process. Consistency is maintained through:
Routine Cross-checks: Regular reconciliation between volumes/quantities used in EAA and those reported by production statistics.
Unit Value Plausibility: Checks are routinely performed on unit values (price divided by volume) to ensure that the calculated aggregates in EAA are plausibly derived from the underlying physical and price data sources.
Coherence with Administrative Data (Subsidies and Transfers)
Data on subsidies (D.3) and capital transfers (D.9) used in the EAA are based on administrative sources and are regularly compared with data provided by the Agency for Agricultural Markets and Rural Development.
Analysis of Incoherence (Timing Difference)
Minor differences are systematically observed between the EAA aggregates and the cash data from administrative sources. This incoherence is an issue of importance for transparency, but it is not considered a quality problem of the EAA compilation itself.
The EAA strictly follows the accrual principle for recording transactions (time of economic activity or liability), as mandated by the ESA 2010 methodology.
Administrative data from the Agency are typically recorded on a cash basis (time of payment).
These differences in timing (accrual versus cash basis) are fully documented and reconciled. The differences are generally minor relative to the overall EAA aggregates and do not compromise the analytical use of the EAA, as they are a direct consequence of following the international statistical standards (ESA 2010/EAA methodology).
Coherence with Other Sectoral Statistics
Checks are also performed against other sectoral statistics (e.g. consumption data, external trade data for agricultural products) to ensure the plausibility of aggregates, particularly those related to the final uses of agricultural products.
15.3.1. Coherence - sub annual and annual statistics
Not applicable.
15.3.2. Coherence - National Accounts
At the aggregate level, Economic Accounts for Agriculture are coherent with the National Accounts. EAA aggregates are used as inputs in the compilation of National Accounts and are regularly cross-checked to ensure consistency with ESA 2010 concepts.
15.4. Coherence - internal
Not applicable.
The production of the Economic Accounts for Agriculture in Slovenia entails moderate operational costs, mainly related to staff resources, processing of administrative data and IT infrastructure. As the EAA are largely based on existing administrative data sources and data from other statistical domains, no dedicated surveys are required, which contributes to cost efficiency.
Respondent burden is minimal, as data used for the EAA are obtained from administrative systems and existing statistical collections. The Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia systematically seeks to minimise burden by maximising the use of administrative sources, coordinating data collection activities and avoiding duplicate data requests.
Efficiency has been further improved through the increased use of information and communication technologies, including automation of validation procedures, improved integration of administrative registers and electronic data transmission via eDAMIS.
17.1. Data revision - policy
Revision policy aimed at ensuring the transparency of disseminated data. Chapter 8 of the EAA manual provides guidelines for a harmonised revision policy for EAA, including the ALI data.
17.2. Data revision - practice
The Economic Accounts for Agriculture are subject to a regular revision cycle reflecting the progressive availability of more complete and higher-quality source data. For each reference year, EAA results are compiled and disseminated as a first estimate, a second estimate and final results. Revisions between these stages are mainly driven by the replacement of preliminary indicators and model-based estimates with final survey results, administrative data and balance sheets of agricultural products.
Based on past experience, revisions are generally small to moderate in magnitude and do not lead to substantial changes in the main EAA aggregates. Revisions tend to be bidirectional, depending on the nature of updated source data, and do not show a systematic upward or downward bias.
In addition, limited revisions may affect previous reference years (generally up to n−3), while major methodological or benchmark revisions are carried out when required in accordance with ESA 2010 and EAA guidelines. All revisions are implemented in a transparent and consistent manner, ensuring coherence over time.
17.2.1. Data revision - average size
Average of absolute revision is the average of absolute revisions for the years referring between the current quality (2023) and the 5-years' earlier.
Indicator A
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
Mean absolute revision (5 reference years)
1st estimate
EAA
1st estimate
EAA
1st estimate
EAA
1st estimate
EAA
1st estimate
EAA
Slovenia
87.52
88.60
105.81
107.33
80.48
71.62
116.50
115.04
100.26
90.58
4.52
17.2.2. Years where retropolations are carried out and (if they are not yet available) when they will be available
Not applicable.
17.2.3. Details of retropolation method used : items for which estimations are made and assumptions on which these estimations are based
Source data used for compiling the Economic Accounts for Agriculture are collected with mixed frequency. For the first and second estimates, intra-annual information is used together with annual projections to derive full-year results, reflecting the progressive availability of more complete data over the year. For final results, compilation relies predominantly on annual data that are finalised after the end of the reference year. The EAA themselves are compiled and transmitted on an annual basis.
18.2.1. Time of the year where the updates of the EAA are carried out
Updates of the Economic Accounts for Agriculture are carried out three times per year, in line with the regular dissemination and revision cycle. The first estimate is published in November of the reference year, the second estimate in March of the year following the reference year, and the final results in September of the year following the reference year. Each update incorporates newly available statistical sources, administrative data and improved information, resulting in progressive refinements and increased accuracy of the EAA results.
18.2.2. Years covered by each of these updates (i.e. update in September of year n for the years n-1, n-2, n-3 )
Revisions of the Economic Accounts for Agriculture may affect data for several previous reference years. Regular revisions typically concern the most recent years (generally up to n−3), reflecting the replacement of preliminary data with final survey results, administrative sources and balance sheets of agricultural products.
In addition, benchmark revisions are carried out when major methodological changes are introduced, when new base years are adopted, or when comprehensive new information becomes available (e.g. results of agricultural censuses or major revisions in National Accounts). Such benchmark revisions may affect a longer time series, potentially extending up to around ten years or more, and are usually implemented at regular intervals, often linked to full decades (e.g. years ending in 0).
All revisions are applied consistently across the time series in accordance with ESA 2010 and EAA methodological guidelines, ensuring comparability over time.
Balance of production and consumption of plant products (KME-BILRAST/L)
Structural business statistics:
Production and services in the industrial sector (IND/L)
Financial revenues and expenditures for economic enterprises (AV-ZRGD)
Goods exchange:
Trade in goods between member states (INTRASTAT)
Trade in goods with non-member states (EKSTRASTAT)
National accounts:
VAT calculation for agriculture (NR-DDV/L)
Calculation of the item other taxes on production for agriculture (NRDAVKI)
Calculation of insurance premiums for agriculture (NR-ZAV)
Capitalization of research and development in agriculture (NR-BDP/L)
GDP deflator (NR-BDP/L)
Administrative data
Administrative data are received electronically via secure channels, harmonised with survey and national accounts data, and validated through completeness, consistency, and cross-checks; any discrepancies are reported back to the data provider for correction.
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food:
Register of agricultural holdings - List of new permanent plantations by type of fruit (year of planting, area, number of trees)
Agency of the Republic of Slovenia for Agricultural Markets and Rural Development:
Aggregated data by individual measures by statistical regions (accounting principle)
Aggregated data on capital transfers by type of transfer (calendar year)
Financial administration of the Republic of Slovenia:
Data from the Financial Administration of the Republic of Slovenia on the quantity of fuel sold for agriculture
Farmland and Forest Fund of the Republic of Slovenia:
Data on leased land (ha) and the average rent per hectare of leased land for individuals and legal entities.
Other institutions
Agricultural Institute of the Republic of Slovenia:
Cooperation in the field of methodology and calculations
Agency of the Republic of Slovenia for Public Legal Records and Related Services (AJPES):
Corporate annual reports
Public Payments Administration of the Republic of Slovenia (MF-UJP)
SURS applies consistency, range, time-series, and cross-variable checks to both survey and administrative data at entry, with all validation and corrections documented in internal workflows and quality reports.
18.4. Data validation
Validation procedures are an integral part of the compilation of the Economic Accounts for Agriculture (EAA). Source data and compiled aggregates are subject to a series of consistency and plausibility checks, including range checks, time-series analysis, and year-to-year comparisons. Cross-checks are performed between different data sources (surveys, administrative data, price statistics and balance sheets) and across EAA aggregates (output, intermediate consumption, value added and income components). Particular attention is paid to coherence with National Accounts (ESA 2010), price statistics and other agricultural statistics.
The validation process is structured into three main phases:
Validation of Source Data (Input Validation)
Before integration into the EAA system, source data from various domains are subjected to rigorous input validation procedures to ensure quality, coverage, and plausibility:
Plausibility and Consistency Checks: Automated checks verify the logical consistency of elementary aggregates (e.g. ensuring consistency between volumes, prices, and values).
Time-Series Analysis: Input data are compared with historical data (year-to-year comparisons) to identify potential outliers or structural breaks in the series.
Administrative Data Quality: Checks are performed on the administrative sources (e.g. subsidies) for completeness and adherence to the required EAA methodological concepts, particularly the accrual basis for recording transactions.
Validation of Output Data (Aggregate Validation)
After compilation, the EAA aggregates undergo systematic monitoring and validation to ensure accuracy and coherence before dissemination:
Coherence with Expectations: Compiled aggregates are checked against short-term forecasts and expectations.
Cross-Domain Coherence: Final EAA aggregates are systematically compared with related statistical outputs:
National Accounts (ESA 2010): Reconciliation of Gross Value Added and other core aggregates with the main national accounts figures (as part of the final benchmarking process).
Agricultural Production and Price Statistics: Consistency checks are performed to ensure derived unit prices and output volumes are plausible in relation to official production and price statistics.
Monitoring and Use: Validation results are used for the correction of inconsistencies and the thorough documentation of any necessary adjustments or methodological assumptions.
European Level Validation and Harmonisation
Before transmission to Eurostat, final datasets undergo internal validation procedures. Following data transmission, additional automated and manual checks are carried out by Eurostat.
The European validation process ensures comparability by subjecting all Member State data to a common set of rules for internal consistency and coherence with related EU statistics. This process is supplemented by methodological guidance and exchange of validation findings within the Eurostat EAA Working Group, ensuring a harmonised approach to resolving inconsistencies across Member States.
18.5. Data compilation
The Economic Accounts for Agriculture (EAA) are compiled using a macro-economic accounting framework. Data are derived by combining multiple statistical and administrative sources and are processed according to the harmonised EAA methodology (Regulation (EC) No 138/2004 (as amended)) and ESA 2010 principles.
Compilation is based on the reconciliation of quantities and prices, the use of indices and accounting identities, and consistency checks across production, income, and capital accounts.
Imputation Procedures and Impact
Imputation in the EAA compilation process occurs primarily at the aggregate level and is used only to complete missing components of the EAA estimates/tables, rather than to treat unit non-response in input surveys.
Procedures: Imputation for missing values (e.g. specific non-surveyed costs or provisional source data) is typically based on:
Time-series extrapolation: using historical trends and growth rates from previous years.
Related indicator method: using data from related indicators (e.g. linking intermediate consumption items to volumes of agricultural output).
Expert estimation: based on sector knowledge and publicly available information, particularly for small or highly aggregated items.
Imputation rates: Due to the macro-economic nature of the compilation, explicit imputation rates for main EAA aggregates are not calculated in the same way as for sample surveys. However, the use of provisional estimates based on extrapolation is highest for the first estimate (November of year n) and is systematically reduced with subsequent revisions (March of year n+1 and September of year n+1).
Likely impact: The likely impact of these macro-level imputations is minimised by restricting their use to minor or provisional components and by subjecting them to rigorous coherence and plausibility checks against total EAA aggregates and ESA 2010 consistency requirements.
Calculation of Aggregates and New Variables
The core compilation procedure involves calculating aggregates and complex statistics by applying accounting identities and balancing checks.
Derivation of New Variables: Key aggregates are derived through definitions:
Value is derived as Quantity x Price.
Gross Value Added (GVA) is derived as Output (P.1) minus Intermediate Consumption (P.2).
Factor income (B.3n) corresponds to net value added at factor cost and is derived from gross value added by subtracting consumption of fixed capital (K.1) and adjusting for other taxes and other subsidies on production (i.e. net value added minus other taxes on production plus other subsidies on production).
Indices and volume measures: Calculation of volume and price indices follows the EAA methodology, using Laspeyres-type indices for volumes and Paasche-type indices for prices to derive constant-price estimates.
Adjustments for Non-Response and Weighting Procedures
No micro-level weighting procedures are applied in the EAA compilation. EAA are compiled from validated and already aggregated source data (including administrative registers and aggregated survey results). Therefore, procedures such as the calculation of design weights, calibration and adjustments for non-response are carried out within the underlying source statistics by the respective data owners/producers (e.g. the agricultural survey statistics unit).
The EAA compilation relies on the assumption that the input data supplied by these sources have already been appropriately treated for non-response and weighted (where applicable), so that they are representative for the agricultural industry as defined in the EAA framework (largely corresponding to NACE Rev. 2, A.01).
Combining Input Data from Different Sources
The compilation process is primarily focused on reconciling and integrating data from different sources:
Quantities and Prices: Volumes from production statistics are systematically combined with prices from price statistics to derive output values.
Benchmarking and reconciliation: Administrative data (e.g. subsidies) are reconciled with National Accounts concepts and the EAA/ESA definitions. When data from different sources overlap, priority is given to sources with the best coverage and conceptual alignment (often administrative registers for subsidies), while other sources are used for cross-checking and, where needed, supplementary estimation.
18.5.1. Imputation - rate
Not applicable.
18.5.2. Calculation procedures
Please see the Calculation procedure for 1st estimates, 2nd estimates and full set of EAA in Annex 2 Methods for valuing EAA items.
Estimations are applied in the compilation of the Economic Accounts for Agriculture, particularly for the first and second estimates, when complete source data are not yet available. Estimation methods follow the harmonised EAA methodology and are designed to maintain consistency across the production, income and capital accounts. Detailed descriptions of estimation approaches are provided in Annex 2, while the data sources used are documented in Annex 1.
For the first and second estimates, certain detailed AMITEMs are compiled internally but are not transmitted separately; in accordance with the EAA transmission requirements, these items are aggregated and reported at higher-level aggregates, without affecting the completeness or consistency of the EAA totals. For some items primarily based on National Accounts information, where current-year values are not yet available, the previous-year value is carried forward and updated using the GDP deflator provided by Eurostat (Iv=100) until the final source data become available.
18.5.3.1. Components of the Production account : Output
Estimations are applied in the compilation of the output components of the Production account, particularly for the first and second estimates, when source data are preliminary or not yet final. Output estimates are derived using harmonised EAA methodology, combining available quantity and price information from agricultural production and price statistics and ensuring consistency over time and with the National Accounts. The applied estimation methods are described in Annex 2, while the underlying data sources are documented in Annex 1.
18.5.3.2. Components of the Production account : Intermediate consumption
Estimations are applied in the compilation of intermediate consumption for all estimation stages, as a significant part of this component is not directly observed and therefore needs to be derived using a combination of available observed information and model-based approaches. For the first and second estimates, and for the final results, intermediate consumption is compiled in line with the harmonised EAA methodology, using price and quantity information, technical coefficients and other relevant data sources, while ensuring consistency across the production, income and capital accounts. Detailed estimation approaches are described in Annex 2, and the data sources used are documented in Annex 1.
18.5.3.3. Components of the Generation of income account
Estimations are applied in the compilation of the income components of the Economic Accounts for Agriculture, particularly for the first and second estimates, reflecting the progressive availability of more complete source data. Income components are compiled in line with the harmonised EAA and ESA 2010 methodology, combining administrative and other statistical sources with estimation where necessary, and ensuring consistency between the production, income and capital accounts. Detailed estimation methods are described in Annex 2, and the underlying data sources are documented in Annex 1.
18.5.3.4. Components of the Entrepreneurial income account
Entrepreneurial income is derived as a balancing item within the income account and is therefore not estimated directly but results from the compilation of its underlying components in the Economic Accounts for Agriculture. Estimations are particularly relevant for the first and second estimates, when some underlying components are still provisional. The calculation follows the harmonised EAA and ESA 2010 methodology and ensures consistency across production, income and capital accounts. Detailed procedures are described in Annex 2, and data sources are documented in Annex 1.
18.5.3.5. Elements of the Capital account
Estimations are applied in the compilation of the elements of the capital account of the Economic Accounts for Agriculture, particularly for the first and second estimates, when complete source data for investment and capital formation are not yet available. The compilation follows the harmonised EAA and ESA 2010 methodology and ensures consistency with the production and income accounts. Detailed estimation procedures are described in Annex 2, and the data sources used are documented in Annex 1.
Consumption of fixed capital in the Economic Accounts for Agriculture is not fully derived from National Accounts. While National Accounts provide an important reference framework, consumption of fixed capital is estimated using model-based approaches and adapted to the specific structure and asset composition of agricultural production, in line with the EAA methodology.
No separate calculation of non-deductible VAT is performed, as intermediate consumption is recorded at purchasers’ prices, which implicitly include non-deductible VAT, in accordance with ESA 2010 and the EAA methodology.
18.5.6. Calculation of compensation of VAT
Not applicable.
18.6. Adjustment
No seasonal adjustment is applied (annual accounts). Macro-level adjustments are limited to harmonization procedures required by ESA 2010/EAA concepts, such as accrual-based recording (e.g. for subsidies) and reconciliation/benchmarking with National Accounts where relevant. No ad hoc adjustments outside the methodological framework are used.
18.6.1. Seasonal adjustment
Not applicable.
18.6.2. Components of the Production account : Output
Not applicable.
18.6.3. Components of the Production account : Intermediate consumption
Not applicable.
18.6.4. Components of the Generation of income account
Not applicable.
18.6.5. Components of the Entrepreneurial income account
The Economic Accounts for Agriculture (EAA) provide an overview of the agricultural activities in a systematic and comparable way to serve as basis for analyses, forecasts and political measures. The methodology is laid down in Annex I of the Regulation (EC) 138/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council. The EAA methodological manual provides further details and clarifications (LINK).
31 December 2025
The EAA are a satellite account of the ESA providing complementary information and concepts adapted to the particular nature of the agricultural industry.
The EAA are shown as a sequence of inter-related accounts. As the EAA are based on the industry concept, the sequence of accounts is limited to the first accounts of the current accounts:
the production account (its balancing item: value added)
the generation-of-income account (its balancing item: operating surplus).
Nevertheless EAA contains other accounts (of the ESA) at least partly:
the entrepreneurial income account (one of the current accounts) and
the capital account (one of the accumulation accounts).
The EAA provide a wide range of indicators on the economic activities of the agricultural sector: these include output, intermediate consumption, gross and net value added, gross fixed capital formation (GFCF), both at current prices and at reference year prices, as well as compensation of employees, other taxes and subsidies on production, net operating surplus or net mixed income, property income and net entrepreneurial income at current prices. (see for more details points 1.40-1.48 in Annex I of Regulation (EC) 138/2004.)
Three income indicators are defined in the EAA:
Index of the real income of factors in agriculture per annual work unit (indicator A).
Index of real net agricultural entrepreneurial income per unpaid annual work unit (indicator B).
Net entrepreneurial income of agriculture (indicator C).
See for more details chapter 5 in Annex I of Regulation (EC) 138/2004.
The statistical unit is the local kind of activity unit.
In order to provide more detailed information and to analyse flows generated by the production process and the use of goods and services, it is necessary to select units which emphasise relationships of a technical-economic kind. This means that, institutional units are broken-down into smaller and more homogeneous units with regard to the kind of production (local kind-of-activity units/local KAUs) (ESA 2010, 2.147). The local KAU is defined as the part of a KAU which corresponds to a local unit. The institutional unit's information system is capable of indicating or calculating for each local KAU at least the value of output, intermediate consumption, compensation of employees, the operating surplus and employment and gross fixed capital formation (ESA 2010, 2.148). The agricultural holding is the local KAU most appropriate to the agricultural industry. However, the variety of agricultural activities that can be performed on agricultural holdings makes them a special type of local KAU. The strict application of the ESA rule to units and their group should in fact result in a division of the agricultural holding into several separate local KAUs in cases where several activities of the NACE Rev. 2 four-digit class are performed on the same holding and the information required according to the explanations above is available. The adoption of the agricultural holding as the local KAU of the agricultural industry in the national accounts (NA) and EAA is based on a statistical approach.
The speciality and the aim of EAA is to cover all agricultural activity carried out by an agricultural holding or any other local KAU not having agriculture as its main activity.
The use of the local KAU as the basic unit for the agricultural industry entails recording non-agricultural secondary activities where they cannot be distinguished from the main agricultural activity (inseparable non-agricultural secondary activities of local agricultural KAUs). The selection criterion for inseparable non-agricultural secondary activities is rather the type of activity than the nature of the product. For example, agro-tourism services provided by a farm are only included if they cannot be separated from its agricultural activities.
The agricultural industry includes all local KAUs at local level which perform the economic activities, as principal or secondary activity corresponds to Division 01 in NACE Rev. 2 (cf. 1.60 to 1.66 of EAA Reg.)
The data refer to the Republic of Slovenia and cover the entire national territory as defined by its administrative borders. There are no territorial exclusions. Slovenia has no overseas territories.
2023 calendar year.
To describe accuracy, the country uses the quality and performance indicator called ‘data revision – average absolute size’ under point 17.2.1 of this document.
EAA data at current prices and at prices for the preceding year are given in millions of units of national currency.
Agricultural labour input data are given in thousand annual work units (AWU).
The Economic Accounts for Agriculture (EAA) are compiled using a macro-economic accounting framework. Data are derived by combining multiple statistical and administrative sources and are processed according to the harmonised EAA methodology (Regulation (EC) No 138/2004 (as amended)) and ESA 2010 principles.
Compilation is based on the reconciliation of quantities and prices, the use of indices and accounting identities, and consistency checks across production, income, and capital accounts.
Imputation Procedures and Impact
Imputation in the EAA compilation process occurs primarily at the aggregate level and is used only to complete missing components of the EAA estimates/tables, rather than to treat unit non-response in input surveys.
Procedures: Imputation for missing values (e.g. specific non-surveyed costs or provisional source data) is typically based on:
Time-series extrapolation: using historical trends and growth rates from previous years.
Related indicator method: using data from related indicators (e.g. linking intermediate consumption items to volumes of agricultural output).
Expert estimation: based on sector knowledge and publicly available information, particularly for small or highly aggregated items.
Imputation rates: Due to the macro-economic nature of the compilation, explicit imputation rates for main EAA aggregates are not calculated in the same way as for sample surveys. However, the use of provisional estimates based on extrapolation is highest for the first estimate (November of year n) and is systematically reduced with subsequent revisions (March of year n+1 and September of year n+1).
Likely impact: The likely impact of these macro-level imputations is minimised by restricting their use to minor or provisional components and by subjecting them to rigorous coherence and plausibility checks against total EAA aggregates and ESA 2010 consistency requirements.
Calculation of Aggregates and New Variables
The core compilation procedure involves calculating aggregates and complex statistics by applying accounting identities and balancing checks.
Derivation of New Variables: Key aggregates are derived through definitions:
Value is derived as Quantity x Price.
Gross Value Added (GVA) is derived as Output (P.1) minus Intermediate Consumption (P.2).
Factor income (B.3n) corresponds to net value added at factor cost and is derived from gross value added by subtracting consumption of fixed capital (K.1) and adjusting for other taxes and other subsidies on production (i.e. net value added minus other taxes on production plus other subsidies on production).
Indices and volume measures: Calculation of volume and price indices follows the EAA methodology, using Laspeyres-type indices for volumes and Paasche-type indices for prices to derive constant-price estimates.
Adjustments for Non-Response and Weighting Procedures
No micro-level weighting procedures are applied in the EAA compilation. EAA are compiled from validated and already aggregated source data (including administrative registers and aggregated survey results). Therefore, procedures such as the calculation of design weights, calibration and adjustments for non-response are carried out within the underlying source statistics by the respective data owners/producers (e.g. the agricultural survey statistics unit).
The EAA compilation relies on the assumption that the input data supplied by these sources have already been appropriately treated for non-response and weighted (where applicable), so that they are representative for the agricultural industry as defined in the EAA framework (largely corresponding to NACE Rev. 2, A.01).
Combining Input Data from Different Sources
The compilation process is primarily focused on reconciling and integrating data from different sources:
Quantities and Prices: Volumes from production statistics are systematically combined with prices from price statistics to derive output values.
Benchmarking and reconciliation: Administrative data (e.g. subsidies) are reconciled with National Accounts concepts and the EAA/ESA definitions. When data from different sources overlap, priority is given to sources with the best coverage and conceptual alignment (often administrative registers for subsidies), while other sources are used for cross-checking and, where needed, supplementary estimation.
Annual, with three releases per reference year. For a given reference year, the first estimate of the Economic Accounts for Agriculture (EAA) is published in November of year n, the second estimate is published in March of year n+1, and the final EAA results are published in September of year n+1. The Regional Economic Accounts for Agriculture (REAA) are compiled and disseminated with a longer time lag; REAA results for reference year n are published together with the final EAA results for reference year n‑2.
The dissemination of the Economic Accounts for Agriculture follows a staged release approach. In line with the transmission programme set out in Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 138/2004, EAA estimates are produced and released in November of year n (first estimate) and March of year n+1 (second estimate), followed by EAA data in September of year n+1. The time lag reflects the gradual availability of more complete source data and the need to ensure consistency and accuracy of the accounts. Ongoing efforts focus on improved use of administrative data and automation of validation processes.
Dissemination and transmission practices are also consistent with the REAA framework introduced by Regulation (EU) 2022/590. REAA data (reference year n) are compiled at NUTS 2 level and transmitted in September of year n+2 (published with a two-year lag).
The results of EAA are comparable between regions and countries.
In Slovenia, the Economic Accounts for Agriculture are compiled at the national level, while related agricultural statistics and Regional Economic Accounts for Agriculture are available at the NUTS 2 level from 2023 on. Comparability across regions is ensured through the use of harmonised concepts, definitions, classifications and valuation methods.
At the European level, EAA results are highly comparable across Member States, as all countries apply the common methodological framework laid down in Regulation (EC) No 138/2004, ESA 2010 and the EAA Manual. Differences in data sources or estimation practices may exist at a detailed level, but they do not materially affect the overall comparability of EAA results.
The Slovenian Economic Accounts for Agriculture time series, covering the period from 1995 to 2023, are highly comparable over time. The compilation follows a stable EU methodological framework. Methodological improvements, including enhancements to administrative sources, price indices and estimation methods, have been implemented over time. These changes were applied retrospectively, ensuring consistency of the time series and avoiding significant breaks. Regional data are available from 2023 on.
