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.
Statistics on international supply of services (ISS) by modes of supply (MoS) show how and where services are supplied internationally, namely by answering the question of 'how' services are exchanged across countries and 'where' services are supplied to foreign customers. Detailed information on international supply of services statistics by services category, mode of supply and partner country help policymakers carry out the ongoing and future trade negotiating agenda with facts and strong, evidence-based arguments and they allow to monitor the impact of services trade agreements.
The General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), the first multilateral agreement to cover trade in services, defines trade in services as the supply of a service through any of four modes of supply, outlined in the bullet points below.
Mode 1 - cross-border supply: from the territory of one country into the territory of another country;
Mode 2 - consumption abroad: in the territory of one country to the service consumer of another country;
Mode 3 - commercial presence: by a service supplier of one country, through a commercial presence in the territory of another country. The FATS framework is designed to provide information on the activities of enterprises located in foreign markets;
Mode 4 - presence of natural persons: by a service supplier of one country, through the presence of natural persons of that country in the territory of any other country.
Total international supply of services (total of modes 1, 2, 3 and 4)
Mode 1 (‘cross border transactions’),
Mode 2 (‘consumption abroad’),
Mode 3 (‘commercial presence’), and
Mode 4 (‘presence of natural persons’).
3.5. Statistical unit
Resident institutional units(resident/non resident) from ITSS and BOP for modes 1,2 and 4.
Enterprise or foreign affliates from FATS(IFATS/OFATS) for mode 3.
3.6. Statistical population
The statistical population for MOS comprises all international service transactions between residents and non-residents of Malta by all four modes of supply, including cross-border supply (Mode 1), consumption abroad (Mode 2), supply through commercial presence (Mode 3), and supply via presence of natural persons (Mode 4). It covers all resident institutional units and foreign affiliates engaged in providing services, across all relevant industries, combining observed flows to ensure complete coverage in line with MSITS 2010 and Eurostat requirements.
3.7. Reference area
Malta
3.8. Coverage - Time
Data available since 2023.
3.9. Base period
Not applicable.
Data are reported in national currency (thousands).
Eurostat disseminates data in million euro.
Calendar year.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 on European business statistics sets the data requirements in the field of international supply of services by modes for the EU Member States and EFTA countries. The exact technical specifications are listed in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197. The requirements concerning the MoS domain are defined in table 38 "Statistics on international activities – International Supply of Services by Mode of Supply – annual data" of the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197. The variable must be reported annually with first reference year 2023.
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
The National Statistical Office(NSO) is legally mandated to collect, access and process data for the compilation of official statistics in accordance with national statistical legislation. Timely access to administrative sources is essential for the NSO to execute its mandate efficiently. The MSA Act therefore authorises the NSO to request information from any public authority and obliges these authorities to comply with NSO standards and provide necessary support to ensure high-quality statistical ouptuts. Public authorities are also required to consult the NSO when planning future statistical activities
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
At national level:The National Statistical Office (NSO) collects data for the production of official statistics in accordance with the Malta Statistics Act (MSA), Cap. 422 Data Protection Act, Cap. 586, which implements the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Articles 40 and 41 of the MSA Act set out strict limitations on the use of data and prohibit the disclosure of confidential information, while Section IX of the Act establishes offences and penalties for breaches of statistical confidentiality. The NSO ensures that all data are used exclusively for statistical purposes, protects the identity of data providers, and prevents any disclosure that could lead to the identification of individuals or entities.
At European level: Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 on European statistics; specifically recital 24 and Article 20(4) - establishes common principles and guidelines to safeguard and guarantee the confidentiality of data used in the production of European statistics, while regulating access to confidential data, taking into account technological developments and users' needs.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
A figure is classified as confidential when fewer than three entities contribute to it, or when one or two dominant entities together account for more than 79% of the total. Confidential data are not released individually; instead, such information is presented in an aggregated form.
8.1. Release calendar
News Release on Modes of Supply(MOS) data is not published nationally
8.2. Release calendar access
Not Applicable
8.3. Release policy - user access
An internal dissemination policy ensures that official statistics are released impartially, independently, and in a timely manner, with all users receiving access simultaneously. The NSO’s primary platform for disseminating official statistics is its website, through which users may also submit tailored requests for statistical information.
Annual.
10.1. Dissemination format - News release
Not Applicable
10.2. Dissemination format - Publications
There is no specific publication on MOS issued by the National Statistics Office of Malta
10.3. Dissemination format - online database
The information is not available online
10.3.1. Data tables - consultations
Not applicable.
10.4. Dissemination format - microdata access
Access to anonymised microdata is available upon request.
Interested users has to first contact the NSO, outlining the purpose of their statistical research and providing a clear justification for the required microdata information.
Applicants are then required to complete an application form, which will be assessed in accordance with the NSO’s established procedures.
10.5. Dissemination format - other
Malta (NSO) delivers to Eurostat its MOS statistics in accordance with the legal framework of Regulation(EU) 2019/2152.
Quality Policy: Article 10 of the MSA Act stipulates that the NSO must provide the information required to assess the quality of official statistics and make publicly available the methodologies used in their production. The NSO’s commitment to quality is also reflected in its mission statement: to produce high‑quality statistics and analysis for better decision‑making in Malta. Management places strong emphasis on all dimensions of quality and ensures that data released to the public are accurate, supported by clear methodological notes describing the processes used in the collection and compilation of official statistics.
Quality Assurance: Robust procedures are in place to ensure the quality of both compiled and disseminated statistics. The NSO routinely performs checks on coverage, classification, and missing data, and monitors the internal consistency of source data as well as coherence across datasets. Any discrepancies in the data are identified and investigated with data providers before compilation. As an EU Member State, Malta also adheres to European methodological and quality standards, supported by regular reporting obligations.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
For 2024, Malta’s NSO applied Eurostat-recommended quality practices which is in line with Regulation (EU) 2019/2152, using ITSS, BOP, FATS and supported by administrative sources, ensuring consistency, completeness, and alignment across modes, industries, and partner countries.
In general, according to the information available from the quality reports, the data providers have applied the recommendations available in the Regulation (EU) 2019/2152.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
The National Statistics Office(NSO) serves a wide range of users who rely on its statistical data ouputs for economic analysis, policymaking, research and monitoring. The main local users of NSO statistics include the Central Bank of Malta, the Economic Policy Department and the Ministry of Finance, all of which depend on timely and reliable statistics to support evidence-based decision-making. Other local users comprise researchers, students and private sector entities seeking data to inform studies, businees planning and market assessments.
Internationallly, NSO statistics outputs key users include the European Commission, the European Central Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), international organisations such as UNCTAD and credit rating agencies. These organisations rely on harmonised and comparable data to monitor economic developments and assess Malta's performance within a global context
In the context of International Trade in Services, users needs have evolved significantly. Users are increasingly requesting statistics broken down by Mode of Supply(MoS)- mode 1 to 4, including Mode 3(Commercial Presence) to better understand the role of Foreign aflliates and the growing globalization of services activities. The NSO fulfils data requests whenever the required information is available and can be provided without breaching confidentiality requirements. In 2022, the NSO conducted a Users’ Perception Survey to gather feedback on the quality of its statistical outputs and to better understand users’ needs for official statistics.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
News releases and customised statistical outputs are evaluated based on their quality, timeliness and their ability to address users’ needs. The NSO conducted User Satisfaction Surveys among registered website users, including the media, in 2007, 2014 and most recently in 2022.The survey findings showed that majority of the users were generally satisfied with the quality, service level and coverage of official statistics provided by the NSO.The survey also highlighted specific areas where improvements were needed. Based on this feedback, the NSO implemented corrective measures aimed at enhance service delivery and strengthening the overall user experience accordingly. The full results of the 2022 User Satisfaction Survey are publicly available on the NSO website:User Satisfaction Survey 2022
12.3. Completeness
The Modes of Supply (MOS) framework is compiled using all relevant and available data sources. For Mode 3(commercial presence) estimates rely on intergrated administrative and statistical sources, including Value Added Tax(VAT) records and Business Register(BR) data merged with Foreign Affliates Statistics(FATS) including both inward and outward FATS. This intergrated approach ensures comprehensive coverage of foreign-controlled enterprises operating in the reporting economy and resident-controlled affliates abroad.
12.3.1. Data completeness - rate
The compilation of the MOS framework draws on all relevant and available data sources ensuring full completeness.
100% of the legally requiered mandatory data points are available.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
The overall accuracy of the exercise depends on the quality and reliability of the underlying data sources.
It should be noted that the MOS data provided do not reflect the most recent vintage due to the revisions or updates in ITSS/BOP statistics.
13.2. Sampling error
Not Applicable
13.2.1. Sampling error - indicators
Not applicable.
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
T+10 months after the end of the refence period;
T + 22 months after the end of the reference period for Total(modes 1,2,3 and 4) and mode 3.
14.1.1. Time lag - first result
Not applicable.
14.1.2. Time lag - final result
Not Applicable
14.2. Punctuality
The Maltas' MOS tables were transmitted on the transmission deadline
14.2.1. Punctuality - delivery and publication
Not applicable.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
From a methodological point of view, the comparability across countries is ensured by the implementation of the concepts and definitions set up by the EU legislation and by the application of the complementary guidelines provided by the European business statistics compilers’ manual for international supply of services by modes of supply statistics (MoS).
15.1.1. Asymmetry for mirror flow statistics - coefficient
Not applicable.
15.2. Comparability - over time
In view of the recent revisions implemented in BOP/IIP statistics, it must be pointed out that the MOS data provided does not reflect the latest vintage.
15.2.1. Length of comparable time series
In view of the recent revisions implemented in ITSS/BOP statistics, it must be pointed out that the MOS data provided does not reflect the latest vintage.
Comparable data are available since reference year 2023.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
In view of the recent revisions implemented in ITS/BOP statistics and the benchmark revision carried out in National Accounts statistics, it must be pointed out that the MOS data provided does not reflect the latest vintages.
15.3.1. Coherence - sub annual and annual statistics
Not applicable.
15.3.2. Coherence - National Accounts
In view of the recent revisions implemented in ITS/BOP statistics and the benchmark revision carried out in National Accounts statistics, it must be pointed out that the MOS data provided does not reflect the latest vintages.
15.4. Coherence - internal
These indicators refer to Chapter 6 and the corresponding tables of the Eurostat Quality Report: Coherence.
In the case of Malta, by and large the internal consistency vis-à-vis the integrity rules outlined in the Eurostat MOS Compilers Guide and BOP Vademecum are fulfilled.
Not Applicable.
17.1. Data revision - policy
NSO’s revision policy, as outlined in its Revisions of Official Statistics Policy, identifies three categories of revisions: Minor Revisions, Major Revisions, and Unplanned Revisions.
Minor Revisions
Official statistics aim to balance timeliness with accuracy. As a result, initial data releases are often provisional and subject to scheduled minor revisions, which are standard practice across statistical domains. These updates arise from ongoing data collection, the integration of multiple data sources, and the receipt of administrative information, all of which contribute to improving the quality of published figures in line with established production processes.
Minor revisions typically include:
Routine updates to preliminary estimates through the incorporation of more complete, more recent, or higher-quality source data.
Adjustments resulting from seasonal adjustment processes.
These revisions focus solely on improving input data and do not involve substantial methodological or definitional changes.
Major Revisions
Major revisions involve more substantial changes to previously published data and may result from one or more of the following:
Updates to definitions, classifications, concepts, or methodologies.
Re-referencing, including changes to index base periods, re-weighting, or chain-linking.
Integration of new or revised results from surveys, censuses, or updated estimation techniques.
Discontinuation of existing data sources.
Introduction of new data sources that lead to more significant changes than those associated with minor revisions.
Benchmark revisions.
Major revisions often stem from a combination of these factors, as producers typically use such opportunities to implement methodological enhancements. These revisions are communicated to users in advance.
Unplanned Revisions
Unplanned revisions occur in situations such as:
When data previously considered final must be updated due to newly received information that materially affects the results.
When corrections are necessary.
When improved estimates become available from alternative sources.
The Office provides clear explanations for any unplanned revisions that substantially affect published outcomes. Although every effort is made to minimise errors, occasional issues in source data or calculations may arise. In such cases, the Office follows its long-standing practice of correcting errors promptly and informing users through an errata corrige.
17.2. Data revision - practice
Quarterly and annual data are revised periodically, so as to incorporate updates received during the three-month period from the previous release. Quarterly balance of payments data are revised on an ongoing basis, as more actual and updated data become available.
17.2.1. Data revision - average size
Not applicable.
18.1. Source data
The compilation of the MOS tables draws primarily on International Trade in Services Statistics (ITSS) – Balance of Payments (BOP), the Business Register (BR), and Structural Business Statistics (SBS), all maintained by the National Statistics Office (NSO). These datasets were further enhanced through data micro‑linkage with administrative sources, including the Value Added Tax (VAT) database and the Tax Index of Financial Data (TIFD) provided by the Tax Authorities, and Foreign Affiliates Statistics (FATS). The combined use of ITSS, FATS, and micro-linking techniques allows MOS results to be consistent with, or aligned to, the actual BOP services values while providing a detailed breakdown by mode of supply.
For VAT data, transactions were categorised into imports and exports, with additional distinctions such as EU exports, total exports, non‑EU exports, and both EU and non‑EU imports. This level of detail made it possible to clearly separate Intra‑EU from Extra‑EU trade, which is essential for accurately allocating international trade flows across industries within the MOS framework.
The Business Register (BR) acted as the central reference point for identifying active enterprises and linking VAT and TIFD records to their corresponding legal units across data sources, while the SBS dataset provides comprehensive information on enterprise characteristics—such as turnover, employment, and sector classification—supporting the distribution of trade values across industries and ensuring consistency with the NACE classification.
Mode 3 is based on Foreign Affiliates Statistics (FATS), which includes IFATS and OFATS. FATS datasets are used to capture the value of services supplied through foreign-controlled enterprises and are fully integrated into the MOS framework to ensure coherence and alignment with the corresponding ITSS/BOP aggregate actual values reported.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Annual.
18.3. Data collection
Not Applicable.
18.4. Data validation
All STRUVAL/CONVAL validation rules were fullfilled
18.5. Data compilation
MOS data were compiled using ITSS data(BoP) as the primary sources, complemented by FATS and micro-linkage with the administrative records (VAT,TIFD, BR and SBS).
18.5.1. Imputation - rate
Methodology
An estimate of distributive services (S_DS) that is embedded within goods related activities such as wholesales and retail margins, travel and other auxillary services is already included in the values reported for Mode 1 trade in line to the MOS guidelines. These distributive services are computed by imputing services shared ratios derived from the parent service products(SB,SD,SL,SE). The imputation uses industry-level goods shares data from TIFD/BR to determine the portion of goods output attributable to distributive services. The resulting estimate of S_DS is then aggregated with the total services (S) to produce the total International Supply of Services(ISS).
Goods values are excluded from the imputed distributive services, keeping only the service components that form S_DS. This approach ensures that both services and services embedded within goods are fully captured and accurately reflected in the statistics, which is particularly important for Mode 1 trade reporting.
18.6. Adjustment
There were no adjustments made
18.6.1. Seasonal adjustment
Not applicable.
No comment
Statistics on international supply of services (ISS) by modes of supply (MoS) show how and where services are supplied internationally, namely by answering the question of 'how' services are exchanged across countries and 'where' services are supplied to foreign customers. Detailed information on international supply of services statistics by services category, mode of supply and partner country help policymakers carry out the ongoing and future trade negotiating agenda with facts and strong, evidence-based arguments and they allow to monitor the impact of services trade agreements.
The General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), the first multilateral agreement to cover trade in services, defines trade in services as the supply of a service through any of four modes of supply, outlined in the bullet points below.
Mode 1 - cross-border supply: from the territory of one country into the territory of another country;
Mode 2 - consumption abroad: in the territory of one country to the service consumer of another country;
Mode 3 - commercial presence: by a service supplier of one country, through a commercial presence in the territory of another country. The FATS framework is designed to provide information on the activities of enterprises located in foreign markets;
Mode 4 - presence of natural persons: by a service supplier of one country, through the presence of natural persons of that country in the territory of any other country.
Total international supply of services (total of modes 1, 2, 3 and 4)
Mode 1 (‘cross border transactions’),
Mode 2 (‘consumption abroad’),
Mode 3 (‘commercial presence’), and
Mode 4 (‘presence of natural persons’).
Resident institutional units(resident/non resident) from ITSS and BOP for modes 1,2 and 4.
Enterprise or foreign affliates from FATS(IFATS/OFATS) for mode 3.
The statistical population for MOS comprises all international service transactions between residents and non-residents of Malta by all four modes of supply, including cross-border supply (Mode 1), consumption abroad (Mode 2), supply through commercial presence (Mode 3), and supply via presence of natural persons (Mode 4). It covers all resident institutional units and foreign affiliates engaged in providing services, across all relevant industries, combining observed flows to ensure complete coverage in line with MSITS 2010 and Eurostat requirements.
Malta
Calendar year.
The overall accuracy of the exercise depends on the quality and reliability of the underlying data sources.
It should be noted that the MOS data provided do not reflect the most recent vintage due to the revisions or updates in ITSS/BOP statistics.
Data are reported in national currency (thousands).
Eurostat disseminates data in million euro.
MOS data were compiled using ITSS data(BoP) as the primary sources, complemented by FATS and micro-linkage with the administrative records (VAT,TIFD, BR and SBS).
The compilation of the MOS tables draws primarily on International Trade in Services Statistics (ITSS) – Balance of Payments (BOP), the Business Register (BR), and Structural Business Statistics (SBS), all maintained by the National Statistics Office (NSO). These datasets were further enhanced through data micro‑linkage with administrative sources, including the Value Added Tax (VAT) database and the Tax Index of Financial Data (TIFD) provided by the Tax Authorities, and Foreign Affiliates Statistics (FATS). The combined use of ITSS, FATS, and micro-linking techniques allows MOS results to be consistent with, or aligned to, the actual BOP services values while providing a detailed breakdown by mode of supply.
For VAT data, transactions were categorised into imports and exports, with additional distinctions such as EU exports, total exports, non‑EU exports, and both EU and non‑EU imports. This level of detail made it possible to clearly separate Intra‑EU from Extra‑EU trade, which is essential for accurately allocating international trade flows across industries within the MOS framework.
The Business Register (BR) acted as the central reference point for identifying active enterprises and linking VAT and TIFD records to their corresponding legal units across data sources, while the SBS dataset provides comprehensive information on enterprise characteristics—such as turnover, employment, and sector classification—supporting the distribution of trade values across industries and ensuring consistency with the NACE classification.
Mode 3 is based on Foreign Affiliates Statistics (FATS), which includes IFATS and OFATS. FATS datasets are used to capture the value of services supplied through foreign-controlled enterprises and are fully integrated into the MOS framework to ensure coherence and alignment with the corresponding ITSS/BOP aggregate actual values reported.
Annual.
T+10 months after the end of the refence period;
T + 22 months after the end of the reference period for Total(modes 1,2,3 and 4) and mode 3.
From a methodological point of view, the comparability across countries is ensured by the implementation of the concepts and definitions set up by the EU legislation and by the application of the complementary guidelines provided by the European business statistics compilers’ manual for international supply of services by modes of supply statistics (MoS).
In view of the recent revisions implemented in BOP/IIP statistics, it must be pointed out that the MOS data provided does not reflect the latest vintage.
