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.
Environmental protection expenditure accounts (EPEA) describe transactions related to preventing, reducing and eliminating pollution and any other degradation of the environment. The main aggregate resulting from EPEA is national expenditure on environmental protection (NEEP), which measures the resources dedicated by resident businesses, households and government to protecting the natural environment. This aggregate covers uses of environmental protection services, investment (gross fixed capital formation) for environmental protection activities, and net transfers to the rest of the world for environmental protection. Countries are required to report on: output, consumption, imports and exports of environmental protection services, investment (gross fixed capital formation and acquisitions less disposals of non-produced non-financial assets) for the production of EP services, transfers for environmental protection.
3.2. Classification system
The scope of environmental protection is defined according to the Classification of Environmental Protection Ativities (CEPA), which distinguishes nine environmental domains. Data should be reported according to CEPA; however the mandatory part of the questionnaire restricts data collection to only some environmental domains (depending on the sector/variables).
3.3. Coverage - sector
Data are reported by institutional sector: general government, corporations, households and the rest of the world. NPISH (non-profit institutions serving households) are not separately identified and are included under general government. The corporations sector is divided between: "corporations as specialist and secondary producers of market EP services" and "corporations other, including corporations as producers of ancillary EP output"; productive activities of households are included under corporations as market producers.
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
The construction of the EPEA closely follows the concepts, definitions and accounting rules of the core national accounts. The SEEA-CF 2012 (section 4.2) identifies environmental protection activities as those activities whose primary purpose is the prevention, reduction and elimination of pollution and other forms of degradation of the environment. These activities include, but are not limited to, the prevention, reduction or treatment of waste and wastewater; the prevention, reduction or elimination of air emissions; the treatment and disposal of contaminated soil and groundwater; the prevention or reduction of noise and vibration levels; the protection of biodiversity and landscapes, including of their ecological functions; monitoring of the quality of the natural environment (air, water, soil and groundwater); research and development on environmental protection; and the general administration, training and teaching activities oriented towards environmental protection.proposes to use the primary purpose criterion, recognising that many economic activities are undertaken for a variety of purposes, environmental and non-environmental ones.
3.5. Statistical unit
Environmental protection expenditure accounts present data, in a way that is compatible with the data reported under ESA, on the expenditure for environmental protection, i.e. the economic resources devoted by resident units to environmental protection. EPEA use statistical units from national accounts. National accounts define and use various statistical units and groupings of units that interact economically (see ESA 2010, §§ 1.54-1.56, 2.01-2.03).
3.6. Statistical population
The statistical population is the national economy as defined in SEEA CF 2012 and the European System of Accounts (ESA 2010). It includes all economic activities undertaken by resident units to produce environmental protection specific services. While some economic activities may be undertaken only for a single purpose, many activities are undertaken for a variety of purposes. Following general principles of classification, activities are deemed to be environmental activities only if the primary purpose of the activity is consistent with the definitions of the environmental protection.
3.7. Reference area
The reference area of the statistics is Finland. The reference area is the economic territory as defined in the European System of Accounts (ESA 2010). A unit is said to be a resident unit of a country when it has its centre of economic interest in the economic territory of that country, that is, when it engages for an extended period (1 year or more) in economic activities in that territory.
3.8. Coverage - Time
2014-2022
3.9. Base period
Does not apply to this dataset.
Million Euros
The reference period for EPEA data is the calendar year.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
EPEA accounts are compiled and reported in accordance with Regulation (EU) No. 691/2011 on European environmental economic accounts (EEEA). EPEA follow internationally agreed concepts and definitions set out in the SEEA Central Framework (2012), the international statistical standard adopted by the UN Statistical Commission. They present data in a way that is compatible with National Accounts (ESA, 2010).
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
The results of the EPEA statistics are published on the predefined date on the Internet on the statistics’ home page. The links on the home page lead to the description of the statistics, concepts and definitions as well as free of charge statistical database tables (StatFin). Eurostat publishes data of the EPEA statistics on its own website.
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
The data protection of data collected for statistical purposes is guaranteed in accordance with the requirements of the Statistics Act (280/2004), the Act on the Openness of Government Activities (621/1999), the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 and the Data Protection Act (1050/2018).
The Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2009 on European statistics) applies for EPEA.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
The data materials are protected at all stages of processing with the necessary physical and technical solutions. Statistics Finland has compiled detailed directions and instructions for confidential processing of the data. Employees have access only to the data essential for their duties. The premises where unit-level data are processed are not accessible to outsiders. Members of the personnel have signed a pledge of secrecy upon entering the service. Violation of data protection is punishable.
According to the Statistics Act (280/2004), the data of the statistics are in the public domain. The tables in the statistics are produced by using/editing a table’s classification on a level high or general enough to prevent the emergence of small cell frequencies.
The Statistics Act (280/2004) defines the data on the number of enterprises as being in the public domain, which is why even small cell frequencies do not need to be protected. In quantity tables, cells containing only a small number of observations (threshold value) or dominated by one or two units (dominance rule) are protected by suppressing the value of the cell to prevent the data of an individual enterprise being revealed. In addition, other cells have been suppressed to prevent the calculation of the primarily suppressing cell values with the aid of marginal sums. The suppressed cells in released tables are marked by single quotation marks ’..’.
The data of the statistics are not released in an identifiable format outside Statistics Finland. The use of the data for scientific research and statistical surveys is possible only on the basis of a separate licensing decision and in an unidentifiable format.
8.1. Release calendar
Statistics Finland publishes new statistical data at 8 am on weekdays in its web service. The release times of statistics are given in advance in the release calendar available in the web service. The data are public after they have been updated in the web service.
Statistical data are published as database tables in the StatFin database. The database is the primary publishing site of data, and new data are updated first there. When releasing statistical data, existing database tables can be updated with new data or completely new database tables can be published.
Yearly
10.1. Dissemination format - News release
None
10.2. Dissemination format - Publications
See the information at the Statistis website (publications).
Microdata are not disseminated. As stated in 7, the data of the statistics are not released in an identifiable format outside Statistics Finland. The use of the data for scientific research and statistical surveys is possible only on the basis of a separate licensing decision and in an unidentifiable format.
When compiling statistics, Statistics Finland observes the European Statistics Code of Practice (CoP) and the Quality Assurance Framework (QAF) based on them.
The Code of Practice concerns the independence and accountability of statistical authorities and the quality of processes and data to be published. The principles are in line with the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics approved by the United Nations Statistics Division and are supplementary to them. The principles are also compatible with those of the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM).
Quality management requires comprehensive guidance of activities. The quality management framework of the field of statistics is the European Statistics Code of Practice (CoP). The quality criteria of Official Statistics of Finland are compatible with the European Statistics Code of Practice.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
The Advisory Board of Official Statistics of Finland has in 2010 updated the criteria that should be fulfilled by statistics in the Official Statistics of Finland (OSF) series. These criteria have been harmonised with the quality criteria of Eurostat. The purpose of the criteria is to develop and maintain the usability of OSF statistics in order to meet society's information needs. The criteria which statistics in the Official Statistics of Finland series must fulfil are listed below:
These OSF quality criteria must be observed in the production of all Official Statistics of Finland. The criteria also form the foundation for the reporting and evaluation of the quality of the statistics. They are based on the European Statitics Code of Practise.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
No references
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
The contents of EPEA statistics are not well understood by users and confusing when compared to other statistics like EGSS and GOFOG
12.3. Completeness
All mandatory tables are reported, but we are not yet able to compile for all CEPA breakdowns for all sectors.
12.3.1. Data completeness - rate
This information is not available at the moment.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
Corporations of NACE B, C, D and E36 are reported based on a sample and subsequent questionnaire to the sampled units, and as such the results involve statistical uncertainties. However, with the sample design used, Statistics Finland aims to ensure that the environmental expenditure of large industrial enterprises, which are the highest, can be entered in the statistics in a comprehensive and reliable manner. The questionnaire is sent to approximately 2,000 establishments and over the past few years, the response rate has been between 70 and 80 per cent. The responses are inspected at Statistics Finland to minimise measurement errors. Non-response is taken into account when the data are weighted to apply to the sampling frame (all industrial activities in Finland).
In other respects, the statistics comprise statistics derived from other sources, e.g. from National Accounts or registers. Therefore, the quality of the source statistics is crucial for the reliability of the statistics.
13.2. Sampling error
All enterprises having more than 200 employees or having a substantial role in industry are included in strata where all active companies are selected to the sample (100% local units selected, sampling weight is 1). Stratums for small and mid-size companies are based on sampling method where we select around 7 per cent of local units and mean sampling weight varies between 2.5 and 41.9.
13.2.1. Sampling error - indicators
This information is not available at the moment.
13.3. Non-sampling error
Using multiple diffenrent data sources causes possibility that all data sources are not perfectly in line together which may cause imbalances in output and use. Also coverage is not perfect which causes imbalances in CEPA level supply and use.
13.3.1. Coverage error
The frame for sampling of industrial enterprise units comes from the common corporate database (SBS) of Statistics Finland. All industrial units belonging to B, C, D and E36 categories are selected and a sample is selected as explained in 13.2. The coverage should be good and balanced enough when entering to the questionnaire phase.
13.3.1.1. Over-coverage - rate
This information is not available at the moment.
13.3.1.2. Common units - proportion
This situation does not apply in the Finnish case. Industrial units B-D + E36 come from the survey and registers are only used for the Specialist Producers and Other Naces part.
13.3.2. Measurement error
Not applicable
13.3.3. Non response error
This information is not available at the moment.
13.3.3.1. Unit non-response - rate
This information is not available at the moment.
13.3.3.2. Item non-response - rate
This information is not available at the moment.
13.3.4. Processing error
Not applicable
13.3.5. Model assumption error
Not applicable
14.1. Timeliness
The statistics on environmental protection expenditure accounts are produced each year 22 months after the end of the statistical year.
14.1.1. Time lag - first result
The statistics on environmental protection expenditure accounts are produced each year 22 months after the end of the statistical year.
14.1.2. Time lag - final result
The finalisation of the results follows the schedule of National Accounts.
14.2. Punctuality
The statistics are published in accordance with the release calendar.
14.2.1. Punctuality - delivery and publication
This information is not available at the moment.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
Due to compliance with uniform statistical principles prepared by Eurostat, the statistics are comparable with statistics of other EU Member States. Comparability between statistics compiled by OECD member countries has also improved in recent years.
15.1.1. Asymmetry for mirror flow statistics - coefficient
N/A
15.2. Comparability - over time
As the data for all reference periods are compiled according to the uniform statistical principles prepared by Eurostat, Finnsh EPEA data are fully comparable over time. Also, in the case of fundamental changes to methods or classifications, revisions of long time series are performed, usually going far back into the past.
15.2.1. Length of comparable time series
9 years
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
Unlike in the national accounts, research and development expenditure are not capitalised as part of capital gross formation in environmental protection expenditure. The difference amounts to between 20–40 million euros. In other respects, the statistics have been compiled in accordance with the national accounts and they correspond to the frame, methods and definitions used in the national accounts.
15.3.1. Coherence - sub annual and annual statistics
Not applicable
15.3.2. Coherence - National Accounts
The statistics are in compliance with the National Accounts as they both use identical classification and data.
15.4. Coherence - internal
The EPEA datasets are internally coherent.
There are 0.8 full time equivalents working in the production of EPEA data. There is no other data available at this point regarding this section.
17.1. Data revision - policy
There is no explicit policy for data revision of Finnish EPEA statistics.
17.2. Data revision - practice
Revisions – i.e. improvements in the accuracy of statistical data already published – are a normal feature of statistical production and result in improved quality of statistics. The principle is that statistical data are based on the best available data and information concerning the statistical phenomenon. On the other hand, the revisions are communicated as transparently as possible in advance. Advance communication ensures that the users can prepare for the data revisions.
The reason why data in statistical releases become revised is often caused by the data becoming supplemented. Then the new, revised statistical figure is based on a wider information basis and describes the phenomenon more accurately than before.
Revisions of statistical data may also be caused by the calculation method used, such as annual benchmarking or updating of weight structures. Changes of base years and used classifications may also cause revisions to data.
In this submission, the following main points can be stated regarding the revisions:
Table S13_S15 has some small changes due to changes in the National Accounts and the updating of the list of NPISH organizations. Also a duplication of one set of transfers in 2021 was corrected with an effedt of EUR 43 million in CEPA 07-09 (smaller in other CEPAs).
Table S11_S12 had some revisions for SP part and also very small for other organizations, in cases where National Accounts data was used to produce an estimate. For SP, the revisions considered mainly 2021, the largest single value being revised by 12 million. For earlier years the revisions were 1-3 million in P51_NP.
Table S14 was revised based on changes in the source data. The changes in Cepa02 were 0-3% and CEPA03 5-8%.
Table S1_S2 had some changes especially in exports and imports, due to chanegs in the National Accounts.
17.2.1. Data revision - average size
This information is not available at the moment.
18.1. Source data
Briefly: A questionnaire sent directly to approximately 2,000 establishments engaged in industrial activities. Final central government accounts, local government operational and financial statistics, and separate reports.
In detail:
GG, NPISH and Transfers
For general government the government budget data and the local government budget data are used. COFOG is not used. For NPISH we use business register data (SBS) and the results are combined with GG. In total output (P1.1) about 6 % is from NPISH sector. NPISH sector doesn't have reported capital formation (P51G NP.1). GG output is based on transaction codes and all NPISH is non market
Transfers are based on environmental subsidies and similar transfers (ESST). Consolidation rules are following ESST framework.
Resource Management data is based on ESST calculations and government budget data.
Corporations
The compilation of NACE B, C, D and E are based on a survey which is done for EPEA purposes. Salary + other costs for production ancillary EP output is asked in the survey. Other NACE is done with SUT.
Households
CEPA 02 and 03 are based household budget survey and finance of housing companies. CEPA 01 is based on first registration of electric vehicles and fixed prices suggested by Eurostat.
Trade, VAT etc.
Export and imports are from SUT based on CPA codes of services. VAT is clculated with simpilfied method based on consumption.
NEEP
More transfers are added to NEEP calculation than proxy since these actions funded by transfers are not included elsewhere mostly.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Depending on the data the collecting frequency varies between continuous to six years.
18.3. Data collection
A questionnaire sent directly to approximately 2000 establishments. Final central government accounts, local government operational and financial statistics, and separate reports.
18.4. Data validation
The received data are compared to previous data with the same content and any data related to the same topic.
18.5. Data compilation
Using weighting, responses to the survey are weighted to correspond to the industry as a whole.
18.5.1. Imputation - rate
Imputation is not used.
18.6. Adjustment
There are no adjusted time series in this case.
18.6.1. Seasonal adjustment
See previous answer.
There are so far no eligible data sources for CEPA 1, 5 ja 6 activities by specialist producers.
Environmental protection expenditure accounts (EPEA) describe transactions related to preventing, reducing and eliminating pollution and any other degradation of the environment. The main aggregate resulting from EPEA is national expenditure on environmental protection (NEEP), which measures the resources dedicated by resident businesses, households and government to protecting the natural environment. This aggregate covers uses of environmental protection services, investment (gross fixed capital formation) for environmental protection activities, and net transfers to the rest of the world for environmental protection. Countries are required to report on: output, consumption, imports and exports of environmental protection services, investment (gross fixed capital formation and acquisitions less disposals of non-produced non-financial assets) for the production of EP services, transfers for environmental protection.
15 December 2024
The construction of the EPEA closely follows the concepts, definitions and accounting rules of the core national accounts. The SEEA-CF 2012 (section 4.2) identifies environmental protection activities as those activities whose primary purpose is the prevention, reduction and elimination of pollution and other forms of degradation of the environment. These activities include, but are not limited to, the prevention, reduction or treatment of waste and wastewater; the prevention, reduction or elimination of air emissions; the treatment and disposal of contaminated soil and groundwater; the prevention or reduction of noise and vibration levels; the protection of biodiversity and landscapes, including of their ecological functions; monitoring of the quality of the natural environment (air, water, soil and groundwater); research and development on environmental protection; and the general administration, training and teaching activities oriented towards environmental protection.proposes to use the primary purpose criterion, recognising that many economic activities are undertaken for a variety of purposes, environmental and non-environmental ones.
Environmental protection expenditure accounts present data, in a way that is compatible with the data reported under ESA, on the expenditure for environmental protection, i.e. the economic resources devoted by resident units to environmental protection. EPEA use statistical units from national accounts. National accounts define and use various statistical units and groupings of units that interact economically (see ESA 2010, §§ 1.54-1.56, 2.01-2.03).
The statistical population is the national economy as defined in SEEA CF 2012 and the European System of Accounts (ESA 2010). It includes all economic activities undertaken by resident units to produce environmental protection specific services. While some economic activities may be undertaken only for a single purpose, many activities are undertaken for a variety of purposes. Following general principles of classification, activities are deemed to be environmental activities only if the primary purpose of the activity is consistent with the definitions of the environmental protection.
The reference area of the statistics is Finland. The reference area is the economic territory as defined in the European System of Accounts (ESA 2010). A unit is said to be a resident unit of a country when it has its centre of economic interest in the economic territory of that country, that is, when it engages for an extended period (1 year or more) in economic activities in that territory.
The reference period for EPEA data is the calendar year.
Corporations of NACE B, C, D and E36 are reported based on a sample and subsequent questionnaire to the sampled units, and as such the results involve statistical uncertainties. However, with the sample design used, Statistics Finland aims to ensure that the environmental expenditure of large industrial enterprises, which are the highest, can be entered in the statistics in a comprehensive and reliable manner. The questionnaire is sent to approximately 2,000 establishments and over the past few years, the response rate has been between 70 and 80 per cent. The responses are inspected at Statistics Finland to minimise measurement errors. Non-response is taken into account when the data are weighted to apply to the sampling frame (all industrial activities in Finland).
In other respects, the statistics comprise statistics derived from other sources, e.g. from National Accounts or registers. Therefore, the quality of the source statistics is crucial for the reliability of the statistics.
Million Euros
Using weighting, responses to the survey are weighted to correspond to the industry as a whole.
Briefly: A questionnaire sent directly to approximately 2,000 establishments engaged in industrial activities. Final central government accounts, local government operational and financial statistics, and separate reports.
In detail:
GG, NPISH and Transfers
For general government the government budget data and the local government budget data are used. COFOG is not used. For NPISH we use business register data (SBS) and the results are combined with GG. In total output (P1.1) about 6 % is from NPISH sector. NPISH sector doesn't have reported capital formation (P51G NP.1). GG output is based on transaction codes and all NPISH is non market
Transfers are based on environmental subsidies and similar transfers (ESST). Consolidation rules are following ESST framework.
Resource Management data is based on ESST calculations and government budget data.
Corporations
The compilation of NACE B, C, D and E are based on a survey which is done for EPEA purposes. Salary + other costs for production ancillary EP output is asked in the survey. Other NACE is done with SUT.
Households
CEPA 02 and 03 are based household budget survey and finance of housing companies. CEPA 01 is based on first registration of electric vehicles and fixed prices suggested by Eurostat.
Trade, VAT etc.
Export and imports are from SUT based on CPA codes of services. VAT is clculated with simpilfied method based on consumption.
NEEP
More transfers are added to NEEP calculation than proxy since these actions funded by transfers are not included elsewhere mostly.
Yearly
The statistics on environmental protection expenditure accounts are produced each year 22 months after the end of the statistical year.
Due to compliance with uniform statistical principles prepared by Eurostat, the statistics are comparable with statistics of other EU Member States. Comparability between statistics compiled by OECD member countries has also improved in recent years.
As the data for all reference periods are compiled according to the uniform statistical principles prepared by Eurostat, Finnsh EPEA data are fully comparable over time. Also, in the case of fundamental changes to methods or classifications, revisions of long time series are performed, usually going far back into the past.
