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.
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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
15 October 2025
2.2. Metadata last posted
15 October 2025
2.3. Metadata last update
15 October 2025
3.1. Data description
Foreign Affiliates Statistics (FATS) measure the commercial presence through affiliates in foreign markets.
In country-level business statisticsoutward foreign affiliates statistics (OFATS) describe the activity of domestic affiliates of every resident ultimate controlling institutional unit which has at least one foreign affiliate and the activity of foreign-controlling enterprises resident in the compiling country (Table 15 of the EBS Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197).
In statistics on international activities outward foreign affiliates statistics (OFATS) describe the activity of foreign affiliates abroad ultimately controlled by an institutional unit resident in the compiling country (Table 33 of the EBS Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197).
Variables on country-level business activities in the OFATS data category:
Number of foreign-controlling enterprises (UCI concept) and domestic affiliates
Number of employees and self-employed persons in foreign-controlling enterprises (UCI concept) and domestic affiliates
Net turnover of foreign-controlling enterprises (UCI concept) and domestic affiliates
Variables on the international activities in the OFATS data category:
Number of enterprises abroad ultimately controlled by institutional units of the reporting country
Number of employees and self-employed persons in enterprises abroad ultimately controlled by institutional units of the reporting country
Employee benefits expense in enterprises abroad ultimately controlled by institutional units of the reporting country
Gross investment in tangible non-current assets of enterprises abroad ultimately controlled by institutional units of the reporting country
Net turnover of enterprises abroad ultimately controlled by institutional units of the reporting country
3.2. Classification system
Classification systems used in the FATS are as follows:
Statistical classification of economic activities in the European Community (NACE Rev. 2);
List of 2-digit country codes (ISO 3166-1);
Currency codes (ISO 4217).
3.3. Coverage - sector
Market producers of NACE Sections B to N and P to S.
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
In country-level business statisticsOutward Foreign Affiliates Statistics (OFATS) describe the activity of domestic affiliates of every resident ultimate controlling institutional unit which has at least one foreign affiliate and the activity of foreign-controlling enterprises resident in the compiling country (Table 15 of the EBS Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197).
In statistics on international activities Outward Foreign Affiliates Statistics (OFATS) describe the activity of foreign affiliates abroad ultimately controlled by an institutional unit resident in the compiling country (Table 33 of the EBS Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197).
Foreign affiliate in the framework of outward FATS is an enterprise or branch not resident in the compiling country over which an institutional unit resident in the compiling country has ultimate (direct or indirect) control.
Domestic affiliate shall mean an enterprise resident in the compiling country over which a UCI resident in the same compiling country has control.
Ultimate Controlling Institutional of a foreign affiliate (UCI) shall mean the institutional unit, proceeding up a foreign affiliate’s chain of control, which is not controlled by another institutional unit.
Control is the ability to determine the general policy of the affiliate by choosing appropriate directors, if necessary. In this context, enterprise A is deemed to be controlled by an institutional unit B when B controls, whether directly or indirectly, more than half of the shareholders' voting power or more than half of the shares.
Indirect control means that an institutional unit may have control through another affiliate which has control over enterprise A.
Active enterprise is a statistical units which at any time during the reference period was ‘enterprise’, as defined in Regulation (EEC) No 696/93, and also active during the same reference period. A statistical unit is considered to have been active during the reference period if, in said period, it either realized positive net turnover or produced outputs or had employees or performed investments.
Employees and self-employed persons are persons who work for an observation unit on the basis of a contract of employment and receives compensation in the form of wages, salaries, fees, gratuities, piecework pay or remuneration in kind; and persons who are the sole owners or joint owners of the statistical unit in which they work. Family workers and outworkers, whose income is a function of the value of the outputs of the statistical unit, are also included.
Employee benefits expense contains all expenses arising in relation with employee benefits, recognized by the statistical unit during the reference period. Those are are all forms of consideration given by the statistical unit in exchange for service rendered by employees or for the termination of employment.
Gross investment in tangible non-current assets includes all additions to tangible non-current assets, recognized as such by the statistical unit during the reference period, except any increases from revaluations or reversals of previously recognized impairment losses and from reclassifications (transfers) of other tangible non-current assets.
Net turnover consists of all income arising during the reference period in the course of ordinary activities of the statistical unit, and is presented net of all price reductions, discounts and rebates granted by it.
3.5. Statistical unit
The statistical unit of FATS should be the enterprise as defined in line with the Regulation (EEC) No 696/93 on the statistical units for the observation and analysis of the production system in the Community.
Due to missing information on the enterprise level (we don't have enterprise identifiers), we produced the OFATS data on statistical legal unit level until 2022.
From reference year 2022, we produce on enterprise level.
3.6. Statistical population
Market producers of NACE Sections B to N and P to S (for the EBS Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197 table 15) and market producers of NACE Sections B to N and P to S abroad (should cover the foreign affiliates of all ultimate controlling institutional units of the reporting country) (for the EBS Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197 table 33).
3.7. Reference area
Belgium
3.8. Coverage - Time
2004-2023 (for the datasets fats_out_activ and fats_out_part as required by EBS Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197 under Table 33 and historical datasets fats_out_h).
Length of comparable time series table 33: 2009-2013; 2014-2016, 2016-2021, 2021-2023. As of reference year 2009, the UCI-principle is used in Outward FATS. As of reference year 2014, the NACE code of the non-resident entity is used. As from 2022, the statistical unit enterprise is used in table 33.
Annual to Eurostat. But no dissemination on national level.
10.1. Dissemination format - News release
Not available as there is no news release on national level.
10.2. Dissemination format - Publications
Not available as there is no publications on national level.
10.3. Dissemination format - online database
There is no online database on national level.
10.3.1. Data tables - consultations
No data tables.
10.4. Dissemination format - microdata access
Not available as there is microdata access on national level.
10.5. Dissemination format - other
Not available.
10.5.1. Metadata - consultations
Not available as there are no consultations on national level.
10.6. Documentation on methodology
No methodological explanations on data are disseminated.
10.6.1. Metadata completeness - rate
Not available.
10.7. Quality management - documentation
Not available.
11.1. Quality assurance
We assure the quality of this metadata report
11.2. Quality management - assessment
Not applicable
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
Users of FATS are: European Commission services, international organisations, ministries, chambers of commerce, trade unions, journalists, researchers etc. User needs go beyond what data compilers can provide.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
No indication of users' satisfaction with FATS.
12.3. Completeness
All data is complete.
12.3.1. Data completeness - rate
Please see Table 12.3.1 in the Annex at the bottom.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
All data is accurate.
13.1.1. Use of residual geographic codes (Extra EU-27 not allocated, etc.)
Please see Table 13.1.in the Annex at the bottom.
13.1.2. Use of residual activity codes (NACE activity “not allocated”)
Please see Table 13.1.in the Annex at the bottom.
13.1.3. Comments on the Extra EU-27 not allocated and on the Activity “not allocated”
We don't have values for "not allocated" in our dataset.
13.1.4. UCI Approach applied to identify the relevant population of reporting units
We use FDI as the main source to identify the reporting units.
13.1.5. Update date (or frequency of updates) of the information regarding the country of the UCI by the “source administration”
No administration sources are used.
13.2. Sampling error
There is no sampling error as OFATS is based on the FDI population and we don't use a sample
13.2.1. Sampling error - indicators
Not applicable.
13.3. Non-sampling error
Not applicable.
13.3.1. Coverage error
No coverage error.
13.3.1.1. Over-coverage - rate
No over-coverage.
13.3.1.2. Common units - proportion
No common units as we only have one data source (a special OFATS survey) for Table 33.
For Table 15, the data source is Statbel, they can provide more information about the proportion of common units.
13.3.1.3. Misclassification errors
No misclassification errors.
13.3.1.4. Under- and over-coverage problems
No under- and over-coverage problems
13.3.2. Measurement error
No measurement error.
13.3.3. Non response error
Unit non-response occurs when not all the reporting units in the sample participate in the survey.
Item non-response occurs when a respondent provides some, but not all, of the information requested or if the information reported is unusable (note that entirely unusable questionnaires are already counted in the unit non-response).
13.3.3.1. Unit non-response - rate
See Table 13.3.3 in the Annex at the bottom.
13.3.3.2. Item non-response - rate
See Table 13.3.3 in the Annex at the bottom.
13.3.4. Processing error
No processing errors.
13.3.5. Model assumption error
Not model assumption errors.
14.1. Timeliness
FATS statistics are calculated annually for reference year T.
Data collection takes place at t+14 months after the end of the reference period.
Data transmission to Eurostat takes place at t+20 months.
Data dissemination at national level doesn't take place.
14.1.1. Time lag - first result
Not applicable.
14.1.2. Time lag - final result
Not available.
14.2. Punctuality
The deadlines of data transmission to Eurostat were respected.
14.2.1. Punctuality - delivery and publication
Data was transmitted to Eurostat on August 8 2025, 22 days before the deadline on August 31 2025.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
Not applicable.
15.1.1. Asymmetry for mirror flow statistics - coefficient
Not applicable.
15.2. Comparability - over time
From 2022 onwards, data are compiled on enterprise level. Before reference year 2022, all data are based on legal unit level.
15.2.1. Length of comparable time series
Length of time series Table 33: 2004-2023.
Length of comparable time series: 2009-2013; 2014-2016, 2016-2022. 2022-2023. As of reference year 2009, the UCI-principle is used in Outward FATS. As of reference year 2014, the NACE code of the non-resident entity is used.
For Table 15, 2021 is the first year this table is requested. Lenght of time series: 2021-2023.
15.2.2. Reasons and differences in concepts and measurement methods for breaks in time series
Not applicable.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
There is coherence between OFATS and Outward-FDI.
15.3.1. Coherence - sub annual and annual statistics
Not applicable
15.3.2. Coherence - National Accounts
Not available.
15.3.3. Coherence – Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)
There is coherence with FDI.
15.3.4. Coherence – EuroGroups Register (EGR)
Not available.
15.4. Coherence - internal
Not available.
Not available.
17.1. Data revision - policy
No revision policy is presently applied.
17.2. Data revision - practice
See Table 17.2. in the Annex at the bottom.
17.2.1. Data revision - average size
No data revision of OFATS.
18.1. Source data
The main data sources used to identify UCI for Table 33 are the Foreign Direct Investment data. Our main source for the economic data for Table 33 is an OFATS survey related to the FDI-population. For Table 15, we define the population from EGR and we get our economic data from the National Statistical Office (Statbel).
18.1.1. Methodological approach
The FDI population, used as a frame population, for a specific year (T : 01/01/T to 31/12/T) is constructed on basis of the last available annual accounts registred on 31/12/T-2years -- 30/09/T-1year. This population is calculated on 01/10/T-1year. The method used for defining the FDI population is a cut-off approach.
The OFATS population for Table 33 is a fraction of the FDI population in so far that it includes only the units with a direct/indirect ownership of >=50% .
For OFATS Table 33 statistics, only the OFATS respondents being UCI are selected.
Those respondents need to fill in a special OFATS survey.
For Table 15, we use EGR to define the population. This list is sent to the National Statistical Office (Statbel) and they provide the economic data for this population.
18.1.2. Use of cut-off thresholds
A cut-off threshold is only used for reporting units of Table 33:
Reporting Unit: The FDI population is determined with a threshold based on Annual Accounts Items:
* Total Equity 30 000 000 euros
* Total Balance Sheets Accounts 75 000 000 euros
* Total long-term investments 15 000 000 euros
If an enterprise fulfils one or more of the criteria above, it is selected for the FDI- and Outward FATS survey.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Annual.
18.3. Data collection
Source to define your population (Table 33):
0% census survey
0% sample survey
0 % Structural Business Statistics (SBS)
100 % Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)
0 % EuroGroups Register (EGR)
0 % Statistical Business Register (SBR)
0 % Administrative sources
0 % Private data sources
0 % Publicly available sources
0 % Other data sources (indication of the sources: ...)
Economic data obtained using (Table 33):
0 % census survey
100 % sample survey
0 % Structural Business Statistics (SBS)
0 % Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)
0 % EuroGroups Register (EGR)
0 % Statistical Business Register (SBR)
0 % Administrative sources
0 % Private data sources
0 % Publicly available sources
0 % Other data sources (indication of the sources: ...)
Source to define your population (Table 15):
0% census survey
0% sample survey
0 % Structural Business Statistics (SBS)
0 % Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)
100 % EuroGroups Register (EGR)
0 % Statistical Business Register (SBR)
0 % Administrative sources
0 % Private data sources
0 % Publicly available sources
0 % Other data sources (indication of the sources: ...)
Economic data obtained using (Table 15):
0 % census survey
0 % sample survey
100 % Structural Business Statistics (SBS)
0 % Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)
0 % EuroGroups Register (EGR)
0 % Statistical Business Register (SBR)
0 % Administrative sources
0 % Private data sources
0 % Publicly available sources
0 % Other data sources (indication of the sources: ...)
18.4. Data validation
Not available.
18.5. Data compilation
First we compile the OFATS Table 33 population from the FDI-population. Then this population needs to fill in an OFATS-survey.
For Table 15, we compilte the population from EGR. Then this population is sent to the National Statistical Office (Statbel) and they provide the economic data for this population.
18.5.1. Imputation - rate
Not applicable.
18.5.2. Use of a method to deal with non-response (both unit and item non-response)
Foreign Affiliates Statistics (FATS) measure the commercial presence through affiliates in foreign markets.
In country-level business statisticsoutward foreign affiliates statistics (OFATS) describe the activity of domestic affiliates of every resident ultimate controlling institutional unit which has at least one foreign affiliate and the activity of foreign-controlling enterprises resident in the compiling country (Table 15 of the EBS Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197).
In statistics on international activities outward foreign affiliates statistics (OFATS) describe the activity of foreign affiliates abroad ultimately controlled by an institutional unit resident in the compiling country (Table 33 of the EBS Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197).
Variables on country-level business activities in the OFATS data category:
Number of foreign-controlling enterprises (UCI concept) and domestic affiliates
Number of employees and self-employed persons in foreign-controlling enterprises (UCI concept) and domestic affiliates
Net turnover of foreign-controlling enterprises (UCI concept) and domestic affiliates
Variables on the international activities in the OFATS data category:
Number of enterprises abroad ultimately controlled by institutional units of the reporting country
Number of employees and self-employed persons in enterprises abroad ultimately controlled by institutional units of the reporting country
Employee benefits expense in enterprises abroad ultimately controlled by institutional units of the reporting country
Gross investment in tangible non-current assets of enterprises abroad ultimately controlled by institutional units of the reporting country
Net turnover of enterprises abroad ultimately controlled by institutional units of the reporting country
15 October 2025
In country-level business statisticsOutward Foreign Affiliates Statistics (OFATS) describe the activity of domestic affiliates of every resident ultimate controlling institutional unit which has at least one foreign affiliate and the activity of foreign-controlling enterprises resident in the compiling country (Table 15 of the EBS Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197).
In statistics on international activities Outward Foreign Affiliates Statistics (OFATS) describe the activity of foreign affiliates abroad ultimately controlled by an institutional unit resident in the compiling country (Table 33 of the EBS Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197).
Foreign affiliate in the framework of outward FATS is an enterprise or branch not resident in the compiling country over which an institutional unit resident in the compiling country has ultimate (direct or indirect) control.
Domestic affiliate shall mean an enterprise resident in the compiling country over which a UCI resident in the same compiling country has control.
Ultimate Controlling Institutional of a foreign affiliate (UCI) shall mean the institutional unit, proceeding up a foreign affiliate’s chain of control, which is not controlled by another institutional unit.
Control is the ability to determine the general policy of the affiliate by choosing appropriate directors, if necessary. In this context, enterprise A is deemed to be controlled by an institutional unit B when B controls, whether directly or indirectly, more than half of the shareholders' voting power or more than half of the shares.
Indirect control means that an institutional unit may have control through another affiliate which has control over enterprise A.
Active enterprise is a statistical units which at any time during the reference period was ‘enterprise’, as defined in Regulation (EEC) No 696/93, and also active during the same reference period. A statistical unit is considered to have been active during the reference period if, in said period, it either realized positive net turnover or produced outputs or had employees or performed investments.
Employees and self-employed persons are persons who work for an observation unit on the basis of a contract of employment and receives compensation in the form of wages, salaries, fees, gratuities, piecework pay or remuneration in kind; and persons who are the sole owners or joint owners of the statistical unit in which they work. Family workers and outworkers, whose income is a function of the value of the outputs of the statistical unit, are also included.
Employee benefits expense contains all expenses arising in relation with employee benefits, recognized by the statistical unit during the reference period. Those are are all forms of consideration given by the statistical unit in exchange for service rendered by employees or for the termination of employment.
Gross investment in tangible non-current assets includes all additions to tangible non-current assets, recognized as such by the statistical unit during the reference period, except any increases from revaluations or reversals of previously recognized impairment losses and from reclassifications (transfers) of other tangible non-current assets.
Net turnover consists of all income arising during the reference period in the course of ordinary activities of the statistical unit, and is presented net of all price reductions, discounts and rebates granted by it.
The statistical unit of FATS should be the enterprise as defined in line with the Regulation (EEC) No 696/93 on the statistical units for the observation and analysis of the production system in the Community.
Due to missing information on the enterprise level (we don't have enterprise identifiers), we produced the OFATS data on statistical legal unit level until 2022.
From reference year 2022, we produce on enterprise level.
Market producers of NACE Sections B to N and P to S (for the EBS Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197 table 15) and market producers of NACE Sections B to N and P to S abroad (should cover the foreign affiliates of all ultimate controlling institutional units of the reporting country) (for the EBS Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197 table 33).
Belgium
Data refers to the calendar year, which in some cases corresponds to the fiscal year.
All data is accurate.
Number of enterprises and employment variables are recorded in absolute figures.
Monetary data of enterprises are recorded in thousands euro and disseminated on Eurostat database in million euros.
First we compile the OFATS Table 33 population from the FDI-population. Then this population needs to fill in an OFATS-survey.
For Table 15, we compilte the population from EGR. Then this population is sent to the National Statistical Office (Statbel) and they provide the economic data for this population.
The main data sources used to identify UCI for Table 33 are the Foreign Direct Investment data. Our main source for the economic data for Table 33 is an OFATS survey related to the FDI-population. For Table 15, we define the population from EGR and we get our economic data from the National Statistical Office (Statbel).
Annual to Eurostat. But no dissemination on national level.
FATS statistics are calculated annually for reference year T.
Data collection takes place at t+14 months after the end of the reference period.
Data transmission to Eurostat takes place at t+20 months.
Data dissemination at national level doesn't take place.
Not applicable.
From 2022 onwards, data are compiled on enterprise level. Before reference year 2022, all data are based on legal unit level.
