1.1. Contact organisation

Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union

1.2. Contact organisation unit

E2: Environmental statistics and accounts; sustainable development

1.3. Contact name

Confidential because of GDPR

1.4. Contact person function

Confidential because of GDPR

1.5. Contact mail address

2920 Luxembourg LUXEMBOURG

e-mail contact: ESTAT-CIRCULAR-ECONOMY@ec.europa.eu

1.6. Contact email address

Confidential because of GDPR

1.7. Contact phone number

Confidential because of GDPR

1.8. Contact fax number

Confidential because of GDPR

2.1. Metadata last certified

27 April 2023

2.2. Metadata last posted

27 April 2022

2.3. Metadata last update

27 April 2022

The indicator is part of the Circular Economy indicator set. It is used to monitor progress towards a circular economy on the thematic area of 'Global sustainability and resilience'.

The 'material import dependency' is the extent to which an economy relies upon imports in order to meet its material needs. It is very important to control and decrease import dependency, specially fossil energy materials.

4.1. Data description

This indicator is calculated as the ratio of imports over direct material inputs (DMI) in percentage.

Material import dependency cannot be negative or higher than 100 %. Values equal to 100 % indicate that there are no domestic extractions during the reference year.

4.2. Unit of measure

Percentage

4.3. Reference Period

Calendar year

4.4. Accuracy - overall

The indicator is produced according to the high-level quality standards of European Statistics. Details on accuracy can be found in the metadata of the source datasets (see link in "Related metadata").

4.5. Source data

4.5.1. Source data - Organisation

ESS

4.5.2. Source data - Comment

Data source: European Statistical System (ESS), Economy-wide material flow accounts (EW-MFA) based on Regulation (EU) 691/2011 on European Environmental Economic Accounts.

Data provider: Statistical Office of the European Union (Eurostat) based on data reported by the countries:
Material import dependency - (env_ac_mid)

5.1. Frequency of dissemination

5.1.1. Frequency of dissemination - Grade

Every year

5.1.2. Frequency of dissemination - Comment

Indicator is updated annually in March.

5.2. Timeliness

5.2.1. Timeliness - Grade

T+1 year

5.2.2. Timeliness - Comment

New data points are disseminated within one year after the reference year.

6.1. Reference area

6.1.1. Reference Area - Grade

All EU MS

6.1.2. Reference Area - Comment

Data are presented for all EU Member States plus Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, the United Kingdom (up to 2019), the Republic of North Macedonia, Albania, Serbia, Turkey and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The EU aggregate is also available.

6.2. Comparability - geographical

6.2.1. Comparability - geographical - Grade

All EU MS

6.2.2. Comparability - geographical - Comment

Data are comparable between all EU Member States.

6.3. Coverage - Time

6.3.1. Time Coverage - Grade

> 10 years

6.3.2. Time Coverage - Comment

Presented time series (including EU aggregates) starts in 2000.

6.4. Comparability - over time

6.4.1. Comparability - over time - Grade

> 4 data points

6.4.2. Comparability - over time - Comment

Length of comparable time series without methodological breaks is longer than 4 data points.

7.1. Dissemination format - Publications

Analysis of indicator is presented in Commission Staff Working Document.

Eurostat, Statistics Explained: Resource productivity statistics

Eurostat, Statistics Explained: Material flow accounts and resource productivity

Eurostat, Statistics Explained: Physical imports and exports

7.2. Dissemination format - online database

See table cei_gsr030

7.3. Dissemination format - other

Eurostat dedicated section on Circular Economy.

Glossary: Direct material input (DMI)

Eurostat dedicated section on Material Flows and Resource Productivity

DG ENV, Implementation of the Circular Economy Action Plan.

Material flow accounts - env_ac_mfa_sims