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.
Department of agriculture and environment statistics
1.3. Contact name
Confidential because of GDPR
1.4. Contact person function
Confidential because of GDPR
1.5. Contact mail address
florina.savu@insse.ro
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
25 August 2022
2.2. Metadata last posted
29 April 2024
2.3. Metadata last update
29 April 2024
3.1. Data description
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
3.2. Classification system
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)
material flow accounts in raw material equivalents (RME)
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.
3.3. Coverage - sector
The data refer to national economies as defined in the system of national accounts.
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
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.
3.5. Statistical unit
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.
3.6. Statistical population
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.
3.7. Reference area
Romania
3.8. Coverage - Time
Please see the table in 3.8.1.
3.8.1. Coverage – Time: by questionnaire table
Questionnaire table
From (YEAR)
To (YEAR)
Comments
Domestic extraction (Table A)
1994
2023
Imports – Total trade (Table B)
1994
2024
Exports – Total trade (Table D)
1994
2024
Domestic processed output (Table F)
2008
2023
2023 only for MF.7.3, MF.7.4 and MF.7.5
Balancing items (Table G)
2008
2023
Material flow accounts in raw material equivalents (RME) (Table I)
2008
2022
3.9. Base period
Not applicable because EW-MFA are not reported as indices.
The unit of measure is thousand tonnes.
The data refer to the calendar years.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
Economy-wide material flow accounts (EW-MFA) are legally covered by Regulation (EU) 691/2011 on European Environmental Economic Accounts.
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
Not applicable in national level this information is required at European level only.
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
LAW 226/2009 on the organisation and functioning of official statistics in Romania updated with subsequent amendments;
REGULATION (EC) No 223/2009 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 11 March 2009 on European statistics and repealing Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1101/2008 of the EuropeanParliament and of the Council on the transmission of data subject to statistical confidentiality to the Statistical Office of the European Communities, Council Regulation (EC) No 322/97 on Community Statistics, and Council Decision 89/382/EEC, Euratom establishing a Committee on the StatisticalProgrammes of the European Communities;
Council Regulation (EEC) No 3924/91 of 19 December 1991 on the establishment of a Community survey of industrial production.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
The confidential data are marked with the footnote c), following the instructions of the footnotes in the questionnaire.
8.1. Release calendar
National release calendar for material flow account data: 27 June 2025 TEMPO (NIS online database), 22 December 2025 annual publication on environmental economic accounts.
The data are available in the publication Environmental economic accounts and in the online TEMPO database.
National release calendar for material flow account data: 27 June 2025 TEMPO (NIS online database), 22 December 2025 annual publication on environmental economic accounts.
To ensure the quality of data EW-MFA, we validate data throught double check with data providers and assurance of fully correlation with data sources.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
There is a continuous quality improvement process of EW-MFA due to analyzes and decisions have made following annual discussions with data providers and suggestions of the Eurostat.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
Not applicable.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
Not applicable.
12.3. Completeness
Tabel A - we have no data for MEMO categories
12.3.1. Data completeness - rate
Will be calculated and provided by EUROSTAT.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
We do not have the possibility to assess the overall quality of the reported data.
Not applicable because data are not based on a sample survey.
13.2.1. Sampling error - indicators
Not applicable because data are not based on a sample survey.
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
Romania transmits the data to Eurostat every year in April covering the years 1994 - n-2 (n = current year).
The average production time for data is 12 months.
14.1.1. Time lag - first result
Not applicable.
14.1.2. Time lag - final result
Not applicable.
14.2. Punctuality
No lag between the actual delivery of the data and the target date when it should have been delivery.
14.2.1. Punctuality - delivery and publication
Will be calculated and provided by EUROSTAT.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
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.
15.1.1. Asymmetry for mirror flow statistics - coefficient
Not applicable because physical imports and exports as recorded in EW-MFA are not specified by origin and/or destination.
15.2. Comparability - over time
Please see the table in 15.2.1.1.
15.2.1. Length of comparable time series
Will be calculated and provided by EUROSTAT.
15.2.1.1. Comparability - over time detailed
Please use below table for explaining b)-flags (breaks in time series):
Year (of the break in series)
Questionnaire table(s)
MF-code(s)
Reason for' break in time series'
1994-2023
All tables
No break in time series
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
There are no differences.
15.3.1. Coherence - sub annual and annual statistics
Not applicable; reported EW-MFA data are only annual.
15.3.2. Coherence - National Accounts
No accuracy or coherence problems.
15.4. Coherence - internal
We are using the same datasources for the entire time series.
Cost associated not available.
17.1. Data revision - policy
NIS has a revision policy which defines the standard rules and the principles for statistical data revision. This revision policy complies with: the European Statistics Code of Practice, adopted by the European Statistical System Committee (ESSC). We revised data for period 2008-2022 for tabels F and G because AEA revised the data.
17.2. Data revision - practice
We review the entire series for completeness every year, if necessary.
For the figure MF.1.1.1 (2020 and 2021) the data were revised because the data source, Department of Agriculture, updated the data.
Tables B and D: the figures were revised in accordance with annex 4 - Correspondence between Combined Nomenclature 2024 (CN) and EW-MFA classification for imports and exports.
17.2.1. Data revision - average size
Will be calculated and provided by EUROSTAT.
18.1. Source data
Data sources used to produce economy-wide material flow accounts are described in the sub-concepts 18.1.1 (and Annex) and 18.1.2.
18.1.1. Source data - Table A, B, D, F and G
Please use Annex 1 to report the detailed data sources for questionnaire tables A, B, D, F and G.
We used Eurostat's country RME tool to compile the MFA in RME. We made the country specific alterations.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Annual.
18.3. Data collection
We collected data from inside and outside of organization. The providers from outside are National Agency for Environmental Protection and National Company for Road Infrastructure Administration. The data are provided based on the convestions between NIS and these providers. Within our organization the data are provided on request.
18.4. Data validation
We ensure the proper quality of data source by checking them with the previous years data.
18.5. Data compilation
Please see the next points.
18.5.1. Imputation - rate
Not applicable.
18.5.2. Estimation approaches for specific items
Please use Annex 2 to describe estimation approaches for specific items.
18.5.3. Adjustment used of correspondence table for Tables B and D
We used Eurostat's correspondece table, provided with the EW-MFA questionnaire, to assign traded goods to material categories.
18.5.4. Adjustment used of conversion factors for Tables B and D
Yes, only for 27112100 NC code, and used national factors.
18.5.5. Fuel trade, residence adjustment
No, we don't undertake residence adjustments.
18.5.6. Significant problems
We do not encounter significant problems.
18.6. Adjustment
Not applicable; i.e. in EW-MFA no time series adjustment necessary.
18.6.1. Seasonal adjustment
Not applicable.
No comment.
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
29 April 2024
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.
Romania
The data refer to the calendar years.
We do not have the possibility to assess the overall quality of the reported data.
Data sources used to produce economy-wide material flow accounts are described in the sub-concepts 18.1.1 (and Annex) and 18.1.2.
National release calendar for material flow account data: 27 June 2025 TEMPO (NIS online database), 22 December 2025 annual publication on environmental economic accounts.
Data are disseminated annually.
Romania transmits the data to Eurostat every year in April covering the years 1994 - n-2 (n = current year).
The average production time for data is 12 months.
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.
