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.
Postal address: 2, Panayot Volov Str., 1038 Sofia, Bulgaria
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
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 is 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.
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
Bulgaria
3.8. Coverage - Time
Data are available from 1996 till 2023.
3.9. Base period
Not applicable
Number of enterprises and employment variables are recorded in absolute figures.
Monetary data of enterprises are recorded in thousands in BGN currency.
2023
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
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
We provide OFATS data to internal and external users on requests and we do not have any problems and complaints.
12.3. Completeness
All OFATS data required according to Regulations are available.
12.3.1. Data completeness - rate
Please see Table 12.3.1 in the Annex at the bottom.
The OFATS survey is exhaustive. The main source is the on-line based Information System “Business Statistics” (ISBS) which ensures strict arithmetical and logical input control. The additional output control is made (on micro- and aggregated level) when big differences are registered in the value of a given indicator between two consecutive years or in comparison with the results of other statistical surveys in NSI - for example Short-term statistics, statistics Prodcom, Labour force.
13.1.1. Use of residual geographic codes (Extra EU-27 not allocated, etc.)
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”
Annually.
13.1.4. UCI Approach applied to identify the relevant population of reporting units
The identification of UCI is based on information from the following sources: SBR 100%.
13.1.5. Update date (or frequency of updates) of the information regarding the country of the UCI by the “source administration”
Not applicable.
13.2. Sampling error
There is no sampling error.
13.2.1. Sampling error - indicators
There is no sampling error.
13.3. Non-sampling error
The submission of the information for compiling OFATS data is mandatory. The online system for collecting the data ensures strict arithmetical and logical input control. The data are validated with available administrative sources and different statistical information.
13.3.1. Coverage error
There are noindications that coverage errors exist - no divergences between the target population and the population actually surveyed.
13.3.1.1. Over-coverage - rate
There is no over-coverage.
13.3.1.2. Common units - proportion
Not applicable.
13.3.1.3. Misclassification errors
The principal activity of the enterprises at NACE Rev.2 class level (4-digits) is observed and updated annually through the information collected by the exhaustive OFATS survey. Thus the misclassification errors do not exist.
13.3.1.4. Under- and over-coverage problems
There is no under- and over-coverage problems.
13.3.2. Measurement error
There are no measurements errors, unit and item non-response errors.
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.
Data are provided by the respondents through electronic online questionnaire. Estimates for data entry errors are not available, but they are considered negligible due to extensive arithmetic and logical checking control automatically released in the process of data entry. In rare cases, some errors may occur when respondents fill in the data in the wrong unit of measurement (BGN instead of thousand BGN). However, these data are corrected when comparing the information between different sources and year to year validation on micro and macro level.
During data editing process several types of data edits are applied: Validity edits, Consistency edits, Historical edits. Data editing is carried out at two levels:
At micro level (data of individual enterprises) - arithmetic and logical checks are automatically released in the process of data entry, controlling completeness, consistency, permissible dimension of values etc.;
At macro level - expanded logic control and verification is carried out aiming at detection of incomparable data with regard to the previous years’ results and in comparison with data from other statistical surveys and administrative sources.
13.3.5. Model assumption error
There is no model assumption error.
14.1. Timeliness
OFATS statistics are calculated annually for reference year T.
Data collection takes place at t+9 months after the end of the reference period.
Data transmission to Eurostat takes place at t+20 months.
Data dissemination at national level takes place at t+… months.
14.1.1. Time lag - first result
No delays
14.1.2. Time lag - final result
No delays
14.2. Punctuality
No delays
14.2.1. Punctuality - delivery and publication
No delays
15.1. Comparability - geographical
Not applicable
15.1.1. Asymmetry for mirror flow statistics - coefficient
Not applicable
15.2. Comparability - over time
Length of time series: 2003-2023
15.2.1. Length of comparable time series
Length of comparable time series: 2003-2007; 2008-2023
15.2.2. Reasons and differences in concepts and measurement methods for breaks in time series
For the period 2003-2007 the time series are compiled according to NACE Rev.1.1, while for the period 2008-2023 the time series are according to NACE Rev.2.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
There are no inconsistencies found as regards the coherence between national accounts characteristics and the same characteristics in the OFATS, apart from the methodological differences laid in the respective regulations (ESA2010 and Regulation (EC) № 295/2008).
15.3.1. Coherence - sub annual and annual statistics
Not applicable
15.3.2. Coherence - National Accounts
Not applicable
15.3.3. Coherence – Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)
There is no inconsistencies between OFATS (UCI) and FDI (UCI).
15.3.4. Coherence – EuroGroups Register (EGR)
There is no inconsistencies between OFATS (UCI) and EGR (UCI).
15.4. Coherence - internal
not available
not available
17.1. Data revision - policy
So far we do not have any revisions of OFATS data.
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
30 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 is 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.
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).
Bulgaria
2023
The OFATS survey is exhaustive. The main source is the on-line based Information System “Business Statistics” (ISBS) which ensures strict arithmetical and logical input control. The additional output control is made (on micro- and aggregated level) when big differences are registered in the value of a given indicator between two consecutive years or in comparison with the results of other statistical surveys in NSI - for example Short-term statistics, statistics Prodcom, Labour force.
Number of enterprises and employment variables are recorded in absolute figures.
Monetary data of enterprises are recorded in thousands in BGN currency.
The survey, which is used for preparing the OFATS data, is exhaustive.
The source data is the FDI survey, BR and EGR.
Annual
OFATS statistics are calculated annually for reference year T.
Data collection takes place at t+9 months after the end of the reference period.
Data transmission to Eurostat takes place at t+20 months.
Data dissemination at national level takes place at t+… months.
