Statistics Denmark 

Department National Accounts, unit Green National Accounts 

Sankt Kjelds Plads 11, Copenhagen 2200, Denmark

Economy-wide material flow accounts (EW-MFA) provide an aggregate overview, in thousand tonnes per year, of the material flows into and out of an economy. EW-MFA cover solid, gaseous, and liquid materials, except for bulk flows of water and air. Like the system of national accounts, EW-MFA constitute a multi-purpose information system. The detailed material flows provide a rich empirical database for numerous analytical purposes. Further, EW-MFA are used to derive various material flow indicators.

The National Statistical Institute (NSI) sent to Eurostat on yearly basis the EW-MFA. The accounts comprise the following reporting tables:

• Table A 'Domestic extraction (DE)': records material flows from the environment into the economy in a detailed breakdown by type of material
• Table B 'Imports - total imports (intra- and extra-EU) and Table D 'Exports – total exports (intra- and extra-EU)': These physical trade tables record the imports and exports of products in thousand tonnes and grouped by materials.
• Table F 'Domestic processed output (DPO)': records material flows from the economy to the domestic environment (e.g. emissions to air, water and soil)
• Table G 'Balancing items': reports some memorandum items which are necessary to have the full material balance related to a national economy
• Table H 'Indicators': presents the EW-MFA derived indicators which are automatically calculated from Table A to G

Table I 'Material flow accounts in raw material equivalents (RME)': records material flow accounts in raw material equivalents (MFA-RME). Some items are calculated automatically based on data reported in Table A and Table I

EW-MFA record physical flows of materials broken down by type of flow and by type of material.

The type of flow dimension corresponds to the EW-MFA questionnaire reporting tables and derived indicators, namely:

• domestic extraction (Table A)
• physical imports (Table B)
• physical exports (Table D)
• domestic processed output (Table F)
• balancing items (Table G)
• direct material input (indicator)
• domestic material consumption (indicator)
• physical trade balance (indicator)

The breakdown by type of material employs a classification of materials. This EW-MFA classification of materials is hierarchical with main material flow categories (1-digit level). Each main category is further broken down, maximal down to 4-digit-level:

    1-digit: material category;

    2-digit: material class;

    3-digit: material group;

    4-digit: material sub-group.

The data refer to national economies as defined in the system of national accounts.

Conceptually economy-wide material flow accounts (EW-MFA) belong to the international system of environmental economic accounting (SEEA-Central Framework). Furthermore, EW-MFA is one of several physical modules of Eurostat's programme on European environmental economic accounts. It is covered by Regulation (EU) No. 691/2011 on European environmental economic accounts.

EW-MFA are closely related to concepts and definitions of national accounts. Most notably they follow the residence principle, i.e. they record material flows related to resident unit's activities, regardless where those occur geographically.

Further methodological guidelines are provided in various publications by Eurostat (see Eurostat website > Environment > Methodology, heading: 'Material flows and resource productivity').

For more detailed information please see also 3.1.

Statistical units change according to the different data sources (e.g. agriculture, forestry and fishery statistics, production statistics, geological surveys, energy statistics, foreign trade statistics etc.) which EW-MFA are based on.

EW-MFA refer to the entire national economy of the reporting country (see also 3.3 'Coverage - sector')).

EW-MFA include all materials (excluding water and air) crossing the system boundary (between the environment and the economy) on the input side or on the output side. The economy is demarcated by the conventions of the national accounting system (resident units).

Material inputs to the economy cover extractions of natural resources (excluding water and air) from the natural environment and imports of material products (goods) from the rest of the world economy (ROW).

Material outputs are disposals of materials to the natural environment and exports of material products and waste to the ROW. Information on natural resources extracted and traded products is provided by different statistical units.

The EW-MFA: Denmark. The RME: Global resource extraction necessary to satisfy Danish import, export, consumption etc.

Please see the table in 3.8.1.

Not applicable because EW-MFA are not reported as indices.

The unit of measure is thousand tonnes.

The data refer to the calendar years.

Economy-wide material flow accounts (EW-MFA) are legally covered by Regulation (EU) 691/2011 on European Environmental Economic Accounts.

Not applicable in national level this information is required at European level only.

Not relevant.

Not relevant.

20/03/2024

https://www.dst.dk/en/Statistik/planlagte

Statistics are always published at 8:00 a.m. at the day announced in the release calendar. No one outside of Statistics Denmark can access the statistics before they are published.

EW-MFA: Annually. The RME: The frequency of data collection has not been decided yet.

News release on 2025-03-20. 

https://www.dst.dk/da/Statistik/nyheder-analyser-publ/nyt/NytHtml?cid=44647

The EW-MFA is a part of the Denmark in figures yearly book and was part of the Statistical Yearbook up until 2017. The RME was the topic of the DST-analysis "How the Danish consumption affects the world's natural resources".

https://www.dst.dk/da/Statistik/Analyser/visanalyse?cid=36215

The statistics are published in the StatBank under the subject Material flows and waste in the following table:

MRM2: Economy-wide material flow accounts by material type and indicator

https://www.statistikbanken.dk/mrm2

RME1: Material flows converted to raw material equivalents by type of raw material and indicator

https://www.statistikbanken.dk/rme1

RME2: Import and export in raw material equivalents by goods and services and type of raw material

https://www.statistikbanken.dk/rme2

Will be calculated and provided by EUROSTAT.

Accounts are published at the most detailed level.

Not relevant.

Will be calculated and provided by EUROSTAT.

https://www.dst.dk/en/Statistik/dokumentation/documentationofstatistics/economy-wide-material-flow-accounts

Will be calculated and provided by EUROSTAT.

https://www.dst.dk/en/Statistik/dokumentation/documentationofstatistics/economy-wide-material-flow-accounts

Statistics Denmark follows the recommendations on organisation and management of quality given in the Code of Practice for European Statistics (CoP) and the implementation guidelines given in the Quality Assurance Framework of the European Statistical System (QAF). A Working Group on Quality and a central quality assurance function have been established to continuously carry through control of products and processes.

Statistics Denmark follows the principles in the Code of Practice for European Statistics (CoP) and uses the Quality Assurance Framework of the European Statistical System (QAF) for the implementation of the principles. This involves continuous decentralized and central control of products and processes based on documentation following international standards. The central quality assurance function reports to the Working Group on Quality. Reports include suggestions for improvement that are assessed, decided and subsequently implemented.

No measurements of quality has been done, however the quality of the statistics is seen as best possible, given the resources available for the compilation of accounts. The Material Flow Accounts have the scope and the degree of detail that is on the same level as other countries, such as Netherlands, Sweden and Norway. Accounts are compiled in accordance with recommendations and quality standards provided by UN and Eurostat.

The Material Flow Accounts and raw material equivalents are relevant for anyone seeking information on the relationship between the economy and the use of natural resources. The results are pertinent for analyses of sustainable resource consumption, as domestic material consumption serves as an indicator for two of the UN's sustainability goals. The accounts are requested by ministries, agencies, consulting firms, among others. The accounts are part of the European environmental economic accounts collected by Eurostat.

The Material Flow Account is discussed with significant expert users within the Expert Committee for Environmental Economic Statistics and Accounts. Information on user satisfaction is not collected separately, but the needs and satisfaction of users are discussed within the contact committee.

Import and export data, along with the derived indicators in the EW-MFA can be considered complete. In order to fulfil the Eurostat’s requirements for completeness within the EW-MFA, some additional flows of residuals (emissions to air, among others), as well as material accumulation in the economy, have to be accounted for as well.     

Will be calculated and provided by EUROSTAT.

The overall Material Flow Accounts are based on a range of well-established official statistics. However, the information about the weight of different material types relies in some cases on conversion factors from other units, introducing uncertainty. Additionally, the raw material equivalents are based on a relatively new calculation method involving model calculations and a wide range of assumptions and estimates. Consequently, these figures are associated with greater uncertainty and primarily express orders of magnitude.

The overall Material Flow Accounts are based on a range of well-established official statistics. However, the information about the weight of different material types relies in some cases on conversion factors from other units, introducing uncertainty. Additionally, the raw material equivalents are based on a relatively new calculation method involving model calculations and a wide range of assumptions and estimates. Consequently, these figures are associated with greater uncertainty and primarily express orders of magnitude.

Not applicable because data are not based on a sample survey.

Not applicable because data are not based on a sample survey.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Preliminary figures are compiled and published in March. The final figures are published in March 3 years after the reference year.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

The environmental accounts are normally published without delay in relation to the scheduled publication.

Will be calculated and provided by EUROSTAT.

The Material Flow Account is prepared in accordance with existing international standards and follows the UN's standards for environmental economic accounts, the System of Environmental Economic Accounting (SEEA). The account is reported to Eurostat and is comparable to statistics from other countries that adhere to the same standards.

Data on EW-MFA are compiled according to harmonised guidelines provided by Eurostat and hence comparable across European countries reporting EW-MFA data to Eurostat.

Not applicable because physical imports and exports as recorded in EW-MFA are not specified by origin and/or destination.

Please see the table in 15.2.1.1.

Will be calculated and provided by EUROSTAT.

Please use below table for explaining b)-flags (breaks in time series):

The Material Flow Account is part of the green national accounts and is prepared with the same boundaries as the National Accounts. The Material Flow Account forms the basis for the preparation of the Detailed material flow accounts (physical supply-use tables), where material consumption is reported at the industry level. The Energy Account contains the same information about fossil energy and its products as the Material Flow Account. However, the relevant quantities are reported in gigajoules.

Not applicable; reported EW-MFA data are only annual.

Not appplicable.

It is ensured that data is internally consistent.

There is no direct response burden in relation to the compilation of these statistics, since all information is based on existing statistics.

Statistics Denmark revises published figures in accordance with the Revision Policy for Statistics Denmark. The common procedures and principles of the Revision Policy are for some statistics supplemented by a specific revision practice.

Preliminary figures are compiled and published in March. The final figures are published in March 3 years after the reference year. 

Will be calculated and provided by EUROSTAT.

The EW-MFA and the RME are compiled on the basis of internal sources on resource extraction, import and export The RME account is based on modelling. 

The material flow accounts are based on information from statistics on Danish resource extraction, such as agricultural statistics, forestry statistics, and statistics on the extraction of oil and natural gas, as well as other raw materials (sand, gravel, etc.). Additionally, data on imports and exports from the Foreign Trade in Goods statistics are used.

The model calculation underlying the material flow accounts measured in raw material equivalents is based not only on the mentioned source statistics but also on data on international trade provided by Eurostat.

Please use Annex 1 to report the detailed data sources for questionnaire tables A, B, D, F and G.

The Economy-wide Material Flow accounts are based on information concerning weights of materials is obtained from the external trade statistics and the energy accounts as well as statistics on quarrying and agricultural statistics on agriculture. Data regarding weights of fish landings are obtained from the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries.

The raw material equivalents are based on information from the EW-MFA, the national accounts, foreign trade statistics, energy account and the Eurostat RME model.

EW-MFA: Annually. The RME: The frequency of data collection has not been decided yet.

Deliveries from other statistics.

Thorough troubleshooting and data validation are conducted on the various source statistics before they are delivered to the Material Flow Accounts. Since not all sources have data for the latest year at the time of the publication of the material flow accounts, the weight of some sources relies on assumptions. Not all goods are measured by weight in the source statistics. The weight of these goods is estimated based on weight measurements in other source statistics or weight estimates from Eurostat.

During the preparation of the Material Flow Accounts, the latest version is compared with previous versions. The purpose is to check the consistency of data over time and to identify any errors in loading, etc.

Data from the various sources on which the Material Flow Accounts are based are compiled into a unified system using the same definitions and classifications as the National Accounts.

Since the Material Flow Accounts are measured in weight, conversion from value to weight is carried out for material types where weight is not included in the source statistics. This is done using a series of conversion factors.

Material flows measured in raw material equivalents are calculated using a model developed by Eurostat. Eurostat refers to the model as the 'RME-tool', where RME stands for Raw Material Equivalent. The model estimates raw material equivalents for imports and exports and is based on, among other things, data on international trade.

Not applicable.

Please use Annex 2 to describe estimation approaches for specific items.

Not applicable

For ships, Eurostat’s conversion factors were used (both value per kilogram and unit mass conversion factor).

No adjustment

Not applicable

Not applicable; i.e. in EW-MFA no time series adjustment necessary.

Not applicable.