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.
Statistical Organizaction of the Republic of Slovenia (SURS).
1.2. Contact organisation unit
Department for Environment and Energy Statistics.
1.3. Contact name
Confidential because of GDPR
1.4. Contact person function
Confidential because of GDPR
1.5. Contact mail address
Litostrojska cesta 54, SI-1000 Ljubljana
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
30 October 2025
2.2. Metadata last posted
30 October 2025
2.3. Metadata last update
30 October 2025
3.1. Data description
The environmental goods and services sector (EGSS) accounts report on an economic sector that generates goods and services produced for environmental protection or the management of natural resources.
Products for environmental protection prevent, reduce and eliminate pollution or any other degradation of the environment. Examples are electric vehicles, catalysts and filters to decrease pollutant emissions, wastewater and waste treatment services, noise insulation works or restoration of degraded habitats.
Products for resource management safeguard the stock of natural resources against depletion. Examples are renewable energy production, energy-efficient and passive buildings, seawater desalinization or rainwater recovery, and materials recovery.
EGSS accounts provide data on output and export of environmental goods and services and on the value added of and employment in the environmental goods and services sector.
The data contain information on investments for climate change mitigation (CCM). Those investments aim at reducing the emission of greenhouse gases either by source or enhancing the removal from the atmosphere.
EGSS and CCM data are compiled following the statistical concepts and definitions set out in the UN System of Environmental-Economic Accounting 2012 – Central Framework.
3.2. Classification system
Data are reported cross-classified by 1) the type of environmental purpose and 2) economic activity. The environmental activities are classified by purpose according to the classification of environmental purposes (CEP). Economic activity is classified according to the Statistical Classification of Economic Activities in the European Community, Rev. 2 (2008).
3.3. Coverage - sector
EGSS comprises a sector of the economy that produces goods and services aimed at environmental protection and resource management (see SEEA CF 2012 chapter 4). Environmental goods and services either reduce environmental pressures or help maintaining the stock of natural resources or they are designed to be cleaner and more resource efficient than conventional products. Environmental goods and services can be produced by corporations, households, governments and non-profit institutions. The list of environmental activities and products has been set out in the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/2174 ('the indicative compendium of environmental goods and services').
CCM investments comprise a sub-sector of the EGSS as well as activities and products beyond the scope of the CEP.
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
Environmental Goods and Service Sector:
EGSS has the same system boundaries as the European System of Accounts (ESA 2010) and consists of all environmental products within this production boundary. ESA defines production as the activity carried out under the control and responsibility of an institutional unit that uses input of labour, capital, goods and services to produce output of goods and services.
Only goods and services produced for environmental purposes are included in the scope of the environmental goods and services sector.
'Environmental purpose' means that a good or service helps either 1) preventing, reducing and eliminating pollution and any other degradation of the environment or 2) preserving and maintaining the stock of natural resources and hence safeguarding against depletion.
The EGSS statistics aim at compiling data for the following economic variables:
Output: consists of products that become available for use outside of the producer unit, any goods and services produced for own final use and goods that remain in the inventories at the end of the period in which they are produced. Apart from market output, output for own final use and non-market output, EGSS statistics also include ancillary output, comprising output intended for use within an enterprise.
Market output is to be valued at basic prices, that is, the prices receivable by the producer from the purchaser minus taxes and plus subsidies on products. Output for own final use is to be valued at basic prices of similar products sold on the market or by the total costs of production. Non-market output is to be estimated by the total costs of production. Ancillary output is measured as a total of recurrent production costs (such as intermediate consumption, compensation of employees and consumption of fixed capital) incurred by enterprises to: 1) reduce environmental pressures arising from their production process or 2) produce environmental goods or services not intended for use outside the enterprise, but instead supporting other (non-environmental) activities undertaken within the enterprise (e.g. waste management services carried out in-house). For market producers, a mark-up for net operating surplus is added to the value of the EGSS ancillary output. Gross Value Added: represents the contribution made by the production of environmental goods and services to GDP. It is the difference between the value of the output and intermediate consumption.
Employment: is measured in full-time equivalent jobs engaged in the production of output of environmental goods and services. Full-time equivalent is defined as total hours worked divided by the average annual working hours in a full-time job.
Exports: consist of sales, barter, gifts, or grants, of environmental goods and services from residents to non-residents.
Investments for climate change mitigation:
The reporting covers the capital expenditure to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) by source or enhance their removal from the atmosphere by sinks.
Capital expenditure includes:
For activities and products covered by the CEP:
Gross fixed capital formation (GFCF – ESA 2010 code: P51g) for climate change mitigation related characteristic activities (i.e. GFCF for the production of specific services related to climate change mitigation)
GFCF in specific and cleaner and resource efficient goods related to climate change mitigation, unless they are already included in GFCF by CCM (characteristic) activities
and final consumption (ESA 2010 code: P3) in specific and cleaner and resource efficient goods related to climate change mitigation.
For activities and products relevant for CCM but outside the scope of CEP:
GFCF for the production of nuclear energy and for R&D related to nuclear energy
GFCF for the transmission and distribution of energy, in particular electricity
GFCF for the production of low carbon transport activities
GFCF in transport infrastructure for low carbon transport activities.
Where:
GFCF for climate change mitigation characteristic activities is broken down by corporations, government and households together with non-profit institutions serving households (NPISH).
GFCF for specific and cleaner and resource efficient goods, mitigating climate change, is broken down by corporations, government and households together with NPISH.
final consumption of specific and cleaner and resource efficient goods, mitigating climate change, is broken down by government and households together with NPISH.
3.5. Statistical unit
Council Regulation (EEC) No 696/93 of 15 March 1993 on the statistical units for the observation and analysis of the production system in the Community describes the different statistical units of the production system.
The recommended statistical unit for the data collection and compilation of private corporations is the establishment. For general government, households and NPISH, the recommendation is to use institutional units and groupings of units as defined in the European System of Accounts (ESA 2010).
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.
3.7. Reference area
The reference area is the economic territory as defined in SEEA CF 2012 and National Accounts (ESA). A unit is said to be a resident unit of a country when it has a 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
Data is avaliabe for the serie 2010-2023.
3.9. Base period
Not requested for this metadata collection.
Output, gross value added, exports and CCM investments are measured in million units of national currency. Employment is measured in full time equivalents (i.e., full time equivalent jobs).
The reference period for EGSS data is the calendar year.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
EGSS accounts and CCM investments are compiled and reported in accordance with Regulation (EU) No. 691/2011 on European environmental economic accounts (EEEA).
The EEEA 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
Not applicable in national level this information is required at European level only.
Due to protection on primary source some data are confidential from reference year 2022 on.
8.1. Release calendar
Data are published anually (before data are reported to Eurostat). Release calendar is prepared at the end of every calendar year for the next calendar year.
8.2. Release calendar access
Release calendar is publicly available via the following website (in English).
8.3. Release policy - user access
Data tables are disseminated every year on SIStat database, general data information are given in a form of a First Release (short article) on SURS's web page. All data are publicly available.
Data are disseminated annually.
10.1. Dissemination format - News release
First Releases are published on SURS's website according to the preannounced release calendar. Data tables are published on a same date on SIStat database. All data are publicly available.
10.2. Dissemination format - Publications
Data are publshed in the following formats:
First Release (short article, with only general data included) on SURS's website;
At the end of every survey (i.e. on annual level, if not determined otherwise), national quality report is prepared and disseminated on SURS' website. Quality guidelines are closely followed by all staff. Training courses, use of best practices (from other institutions, both domestic and foreign), self-assesments and other necessary processes are also a part of quality assurance framework within the unit and institution.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
The current statistical outputs are estimated as optimal. Data collecting, processing and the dissemination process are verified.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
At national level EGSS data are used by a wide range of national stakeholders such as ministries/agencies and other policy makers, university and non-university research institutes, interest groups, press and media.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
User satisfaction surveys are being carried out on an institutional level and not for this certain survey. Users can however directly contact the statistitian responsible for the survey (e-mail address and phone number are provided in SI-STAT database portal), but this is mostly used for data inquries.
12.3. Completeness
The completeness according to relevant regulations/guideliness is 100%.
12.3.1. Data completeness - rate
Not requested for this metadata collection.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
All data used for EGSS compilation are checked before use.
13.2. Sampling error
EGSS accounts and CCM investments are compiled using a range of primary statistical sources. The sampling and non-sampling errors are described in the metadata of the underlying statistical data.
13.2.1. Sampling error - indicators
Not requested for this metadata collection.
13.3. Non-sampling error
EGSS accounts and CCM investments are compiled using a range of primary statistical sources. The sampling and non-sampling errors are described in the metadata of the underlying statistical data.
13.3.1. Coverage error
Not requested for this metadata collection.
13.3.1.1. Over-coverage - rate
Not requested for this metadata collection.
13.3.1.2. Common units - proportion
Not requested for this metadata collection.
13.3.2. Measurement error
Not requested for this metadata collection.
13.3.3. Non response error
Not requested for this metadata collection.
13.3.3.1. Unit non-response - rate
Not requested for this metadata collection.
13.3.3.2. Item non-response - rate
Not requested for this metadata collection.
13.3.4. Processing error
Not requested for this metadata collection.
13.3.5. Model assumption error
Not requested for this metadata collection.
14.1. Timeliness
All data that are obligatory to report are ready till end of October for T+22 months. When the data are ready we first publish them on the website. After that we send them to Eurostat via eDAMIS.
14.1.1. Time lag - first result
Not applicable.
14.1.2. Time lag - final result
Not applicable.
14.2. Punctuality
The data were delivered to Eurostat on 30 October. The reporting deadline for EGSS and CCM investments to Eurostat is 31 October.
14.2.1. Punctuality - delivery and publication
Results were delivered on time. All data were published on time.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
Data on EGSS are compiled according to harmonised guidelines provided by Eurostat and hence comparable across European countries reporting EGSS data to Eurostat.
15.1.1. Asymmetry for mirror flow statistics - coefficient
NA-COFOG survey: General government expenditure by purpose.
18.1.3. Source data - survey
EGSS: There is no surveys used in this research.
CCM investments: There is no surveys used in this research.
18.1.4. Source data - detailed - other macro economic data (trade, VAT etc.)
EGSS: There are no other source data.
CCM investments: There are no other source data.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Data are collected annualy.
18.3. Data collection
Data are collected from other statistical survey.
18.4. Data validation
Visual and logical cheks apply (i.e. consistency with data from previous years). Statistician on SURS, responsible for this survey, checks the data and compares it with data from previous reporting cycles. If data are incomplete, statistician contacts the compilers of statistical data with a request for clarifications and (if applicable) to resend the correct data.
18.5. Data compilation
Data are based on statistical sources. The coverage is 100%. No special data compilation process is needed (i.e. weightening, imputation, adjustment for non-response, calibration etc.). Data are recalculated and adjuistment to the residence principle is made.
18.5.1. Imputation - rate
Not requested for this metadata collection.
18.5.2. Data compilation - by variable and type of output
For preparing output data we used statistical data from industrial production, environmental expenditure, COFOG data by environmental purposes for the public sector, data on organic agriculture, data on the value of construction works, data on production of energy from renewable sources, data on energy prices, supply and use tables from NA. We used a list of environmental products.
GVA is calculated starting from output data using ratios from NA.
For export of environmental products we obtain data from business statistics. Data on environmental specific services we obtain from NA.
The data on employment are estimated on the basis of output; the share of green employment is equal as the share of green production.
CCM investments are calculated using EPEA and GOFOG data.
18.5.3. Data compilation - by NACE
The data we obtain are already divided by NACE.
Data for all NACE codes are included.
For CCM investment also data for government and households are included.
18.5.4. Data compilation – CReMA 13B memo item
Data for memo item CEO020202_NZEB are not avaliable for now.
18.6. Adjustment
Not applicable; i.e. in EGSS no time series adjustment necessary.
18.6.1. Seasonal adjustment
Not requested for this metadata collection.
No comments at this point.
The environmental goods and services sector (EGSS) accounts report on an economic sector that generates goods and services produced for environmental protection or the management of natural resources.
Products for environmental protection prevent, reduce and eliminate pollution or any other degradation of the environment. Examples are electric vehicles, catalysts and filters to decrease pollutant emissions, wastewater and waste treatment services, noise insulation works or restoration of degraded habitats.
Products for resource management safeguard the stock of natural resources against depletion. Examples are renewable energy production, energy-efficient and passive buildings, seawater desalinization or rainwater recovery, and materials recovery.
EGSS accounts provide data on output and export of environmental goods and services and on the value added of and employment in the environmental goods and services sector.
The data contain information on investments for climate change mitigation (CCM). Those investments aim at reducing the emission of greenhouse gases either by source or enhancing the removal from the atmosphere.
EGSS and CCM data are compiled following the statistical concepts and definitions set out in the UN System of Environmental-Economic Accounting 2012 – Central Framework.
30 October 2025
Environmental Goods and Service Sector:
EGSS has the same system boundaries as the European System of Accounts (ESA 2010) and consists of all environmental products within this production boundary. ESA defines production as the activity carried out under the control and responsibility of an institutional unit that uses input of labour, capital, goods and services to produce output of goods and services.
Only goods and services produced for environmental purposes are included in the scope of the environmental goods and services sector.
'Environmental purpose' means that a good or service helps either 1) preventing, reducing and eliminating pollution and any other degradation of the environment or 2) preserving and maintaining the stock of natural resources and hence safeguarding against depletion.
The EGSS statistics aim at compiling data for the following economic variables:
Output: consists of products that become available for use outside of the producer unit, any goods and services produced for own final use and goods that remain in the inventories at the end of the period in which they are produced. Apart from market output, output for own final use and non-market output, EGSS statistics also include ancillary output, comprising output intended for use within an enterprise.
Market output is to be valued at basic prices, that is, the prices receivable by the producer from the purchaser minus taxes and plus subsidies on products. Output for own final use is to be valued at basic prices of similar products sold on the market or by the total costs of production. Non-market output is to be estimated by the total costs of production. Ancillary output is measured as a total of recurrent production costs (such as intermediate consumption, compensation of employees and consumption of fixed capital) incurred by enterprises to: 1) reduce environmental pressures arising from their production process or 2) produce environmental goods or services not intended for use outside the enterprise, but instead supporting other (non-environmental) activities undertaken within the enterprise (e.g. waste management services carried out in-house). For market producers, a mark-up for net operating surplus is added to the value of the EGSS ancillary output. Gross Value Added: represents the contribution made by the production of environmental goods and services to GDP. It is the difference between the value of the output and intermediate consumption.
Employment: is measured in full-time equivalent jobs engaged in the production of output of environmental goods and services. Full-time equivalent is defined as total hours worked divided by the average annual working hours in a full-time job.
Exports: consist of sales, barter, gifts, or grants, of environmental goods and services from residents to non-residents.
Investments for climate change mitigation:
The reporting covers the capital expenditure to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) by source or enhance their removal from the atmosphere by sinks.
Capital expenditure includes:
For activities and products covered by the CEP:
Gross fixed capital formation (GFCF – ESA 2010 code: P51g) for climate change mitigation related characteristic activities (i.e. GFCF for the production of specific services related to climate change mitigation)
GFCF in specific and cleaner and resource efficient goods related to climate change mitigation, unless they are already included in GFCF by CCM (characteristic) activities
and final consumption (ESA 2010 code: P3) in specific and cleaner and resource efficient goods related to climate change mitigation.
For activities and products relevant for CCM but outside the scope of CEP:
GFCF for the production of nuclear energy and for R&D related to nuclear energy
GFCF for the transmission and distribution of energy, in particular electricity
GFCF for the production of low carbon transport activities
GFCF in transport infrastructure for low carbon transport activities.
Where:
GFCF for climate change mitigation characteristic activities is broken down by corporations, government and households together with non-profit institutions serving households (NPISH).
GFCF for specific and cleaner and resource efficient goods, mitigating climate change, is broken down by corporations, government and households together with NPISH.
final consumption of specific and cleaner and resource efficient goods, mitigating climate change, is broken down by government and households together with NPISH.
Council Regulation (EEC) No 696/93 of 15 March 1993 on the statistical units for the observation and analysis of the production system in the Community describes the different statistical units of the production system.
The recommended statistical unit for the data collection and compilation of private corporations is the establishment. For general government, households and NPISH, the recommendation is to use institutional units and groupings of units as defined in the European System of Accounts (ESA 2010).
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.
The reference area is the economic territory as defined in SEEA CF 2012 and National Accounts (ESA). A unit is said to be a resident unit of a country when it has a 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 EGSS data is the calendar year.
All data used for EGSS compilation are checked before use.
Output, gross value added, exports and CCM investments are measured in million units of national currency. Employment is measured in full time equivalents (i.e., full time equivalent jobs).
Data are based on statistical sources. The coverage is 100%. No special data compilation process is needed (i.e. weightening, imputation, adjustment for non-response, calibration etc.). Data are recalculated and adjuistment to the residence principle is made.
For compiling the environmental goods and services sector accounts, data from different statistical sources are used.
Data are disseminated annually.
All data that are obligatory to report are ready till end of October for T+22 months. When the data are ready we first publish them on the website. After that we send them to Eurostat via eDAMIS.
Data on EGSS are compiled according to harmonised guidelines provided by Eurostat and hence comparable across European countries reporting EGSS data to Eurostat.
