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.
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.
Coverage of Special Purpose Entities (SPE): SPEs are treated as any other business unit under consideration, i.e. included if they fulfil the definition of a statistical unit enterprise in FATS and have a non-zero net turnover, output, employment or investment.
Treatment of equally shared control:
In case of equally shared control, the following decision tree is applied:
If the dominant partner can be identified and the institutional unit ultimately controlling the dominant partner is resident in Greece, the foreign affiliate is included in OFATS data.
If a dominant partner cannot be identified and:
the majority of the partners are resident in Greece: the foreign affiliate is included in OFATS data.
the majority of the partners are resident in a country other than Greece: the foreign affiliate is not included in OFATS data.
there is no majority of the partners resident in one country:
if a partner is resident in the same country as the affiliate, the affiliate is considered domestically controlled, therefore not included in OFATS data.
if the other partner is resident in other than the affiliate non EU country, the affiliate is included in OFATS data.
if the other partner is resident in other than the affiliate EU country, the Bank of Greece and the other national authorities involved will co-ordinate on which should report the affiliate.
Treatment of multiple minority ownership: multiple minority ownership cases are not excluded from the OFATS data. Control can be exerted by a group of institutional units combining their minority interests which together represent a controlling share of the voting power.
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
Greece
3.8. Coverage - Time
From 2004 onwards.
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 Euro currency.
2023
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
Microdata exchange with other countries can take place in order to ensure data quality.
10.5. Dissemination format - other
In compliance with EBS regulation, OFATS data is transmitted to Eurostat annually in SDMX-CSV format, starting from the reference year 2021, within 20 months after the reference period (T+20 months).
10.5.1. Metadata - consultations
Not available.
10.6. Documentation on methodology
Not available.
10.6.1. Metadata completeness - rate
Not available.
10.7. Quality management - documentation
Not available.
11.1. Quality assurance
OFATS data is collected through an online survey, which includes validation rules to ensure compliance with Eurostat's standards, enhance data quality, and reduce item no-response. Consistency checks between the FDI and OFATS survey data are also performed.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
OFATS data transmitted to Eurostat are in line with the EU requirements and compliant with the EBS regulation and the European business statistics compilers manual for FATS.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
Not available.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
Not available.
12.3. Completeness
Not available.
12.3.1. Data completeness - rate
Please see Table 12.3.1 in the Annex at the bottom.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
OFATS data is collected through an online census survey.
13.1.1. Use of residual geographic codes (Extra EU-27 not allocated, etc.)
Residual geographic codes are used.
Please see Table 13.1.in the Annex at the bottom.
13.1.2. Use of residual activity codes (NACE activity “not allocated”)
Residual NACE activity codes are used.
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”
Residual geographic codes are used when the residence of the foreign affiliate is reported as “unknown” by the respondents. Residual NACE activity codes are used when the activity code of the foreign affiliate is reported as “not allocated” by the respondent and the information cannot be obtained through other sources.
13.1.4. UCI Approach applied to identify the relevant population of reporting units
The UCI approach is applied in order to identify the relevant population of reporting units as required under the EBS regulation.
13.1.5. Update date (or frequency of updates) of the information regarding the country of the UCI by the “source administration”
The information regarding the country of the UCI is updated annually 15 months after the reference period (T+15 months), along with the EGR cycle final frame.
13.2. Sampling error
Not applicable.
13.2.1. Sampling error - indicators
Not applicable.
13.3. Non-sampling error
Not available.
13.3.1. Coverage error
Not available.
13.3.1.1. Over-coverage - rate
Not available.
13.3.1.2. Common units - proportion
Not available.
13.3.1.3. Misclassification errors
Not available.
13.3.1.4. Under- and over-coverage problems
From reference year 2019, OFATS notifications are sent to new respondents using information from the annual financial statements data collection.
13.3.2. Measurement error
Not applicable.
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
The methods used to minimise unit non-response include frequent notifications by email and/or direct contacts. If there is unit non-response, data from the previous reference year or other sources (annual financial statements) is used as an estimate. See Table 13.3.3 in the Annex at the bottom.
13.3.3.2. Item non-response - rate
From reference year 2019 onwards, OFATS data is collected through an online data collection system which incorporates validation rules. As a result, submissions with missing items of affiliates are rejected. In case of submissions with missing affiliates, previous reference year or other sources is utilized as an estimate. See Table 13.3.3 in the Annex at the bottom.
13.3.4. Processing error
Not available.
13.3.5. Model assumption error
Not available.
14.1. Timeliness
OFATS statistics are calculated annually for reference year T.
Data collection takes place 15 months after the end of the reference period (T+15).
Data transmission to Eurostat takes place 20 months after the end of the reference period (T+20).
14.1.1. Time lag - first result
Not available.
14.1.2. Time lag - final result
Not available.
14.2. Punctuality
The punctuality of the data collection and dissemination were respected without delays.
14.2.1. Punctuality - delivery and publication
The punctuality of data transmission to Eurostat is indicated as “0”, which signifies that it is transmitted on the date of the deadline.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
Not applicable
15.1.1. Asymmetry for mirror flow statistics - coefficient
Not available.
15.2. Comparability - over time
No limitations in the use of data for comparisons over time.
15.2.1. Length of comparable time series
Length of time series: 2004-2023
Length of comparable time series: 2004-2023
15.2.2. Reasons and differences in concepts and measurement methods for breaks in time series
Not applicable.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
Not available.
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)
The foreign affiliates’ GEO and NACE code classification are harmonized with the FDI stocks survey, where applicable.
15.3.4. Coherence – EuroGroups Register (EGR)
The EGR information regarding the affiliate's GEO and NACE code classification is utilized as a supplementary source in conjunction with the FDI stocks survey data, where applicable.
15.4. Coherence - internal
There has not been detected any lack of coherence in the output of the statistical process.
Not available.
17.1. Data revision - policy
If a significant revision is necessary, the updated data will be transmitted to Eurostat along with the normal data transmission schedule (T+20 months).
17.2. Data revision - practice
See Table 17.2. in the Annex at the bottom.
17.2.1. Data revision - average size
Not available.
18.1. Source data
The main data sources used to identify UCI are, in order of most used to least used:
OFATS data survey
Data received within the Asymmetries Resolution Mechanism for FATS,
EuroGroups Register,
Foreign Direct Investment survey,
internal data source (annual data collection of financial statements of non-financial corporations)
publicly available sources.
When conflicting information is obtained from different sources, and the correct information cannot be obtained, direct contacts are initiated with the respondents. If confirmed false UCI information is submitted by the respondents, feedback is provided along with a request to resubmit the correct data.
18.1.1. Methodological approach
The OFATS frame is finalized 15 months after the reference period (T+15), using all the available sources, without cut off threshold.
Respondents are notified to submit the OFATS census survey through the online data collection system IRIS of the Bank of Greece. OFATS survey instructions manual is also provided to the respondents. The OFATS survey is census and no sampling is applied.
18.1.2. Use of cut-off thresholds
No cut-off threshold is applied.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Annual.
18.3. Data collection
The main data sources used are:
census OFATS survey
EuroGroups Register (EGR)
Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) survey
Internal data source (annual data collection of financial statements of non-financial corporations)
Publicly available sources
The contribution of each data source is not calculated.
18.4. Data validation
The validation process, after receiving the reported data, can be divided into three phases:
Automated basic check of the formal aspects of the file received (file type, expected number of columns, format (alphanumeric/numeric character), etc.) and not of the content.
Automated errors check such as item-non-response and miscoding.
Content validation by the compiler with manual inspection and/or editing the file received if needed, using all the available data sources, in addition to data sets of the same reporting units for previous years to check for developments.
Automated phases 1) and 2) of the process described above is carried out through the online data collection system which incorporates validation rules (from reference year 2019 onwards). Content validation by the compiler phase c) is carried out “real-time”, during the period of data collection.
18.5. Data compilation
The OFATS survey deadline is 19 months after the reference period T. Data submitted to the survey are stored to a local database and undergo the validation and compilation process which includes geographical checks for all the integrity rules. The output file in SDMX-CSV format for data transmission is produced centralized in the local database before sent to the EDAMIS acceptance environment for pre-validation.
18.5.1. Imputation - rate
Not available.
18.5.2. Use of a method to deal with non-response (both unit and item non-response)
The methods used to minimise unit non-response include frequent notifications by email and/or direct contacts. If there is unit non-response, data from the previous reference year or other sources (annual financial statements) is used as an estimate. From reference year 2019 onwards, OFATS data is collected through an online data collection system which incorporates validation rules. As a result, submissions with missing items of affiliates are rejected. In case of submissions with missing affiliates, previous reference year or other sources is utilized as an estimate.
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
31 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.
Coverage of Special Purpose Entities (SPE): SPEs are treated as any other business unit under consideration, i.e. included if they fulfil the definition of a statistical unit enterprise in FATS and have a non-zero net turnover, output, employment or investment.
Treatment of equally shared control:
In case of equally shared control, the following decision tree is applied:
If the dominant partner can be identified and the institutional unit ultimately controlling the dominant partner is resident in Greece, the foreign affiliate is included in OFATS data.
If a dominant partner cannot be identified and:
the majority of the partners are resident in Greece: the foreign affiliate is included in OFATS data.
the majority of the partners are resident in a country other than Greece: the foreign affiliate is not included in OFATS data.
there is no majority of the partners resident in one country:
if a partner is resident in the same country as the affiliate, the affiliate is considered domestically controlled, therefore not included in OFATS data.
if the other partner is resident in other than the affiliate non EU country, the affiliate is included in OFATS data.
if the other partner is resident in other than the affiliate EU country, the Bank of Greece and the other national authorities involved will co-ordinate on which should report the affiliate.
Treatment of multiple minority ownership: multiple minority ownership cases are not excluded from the OFATS data. Control can be exerted by a group of institutional units combining their minority interests which together represent a controlling share of the voting power.
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).
Greece
2023
OFATS data is collected through an online census survey.
Number of enterprises and employment variables are recorded in absolute figures.
Monetary data of enterprises are recorded in thousands in Euro currency.
The OFATS survey deadline is 19 months after the reference period T. Data submitted to the survey are stored to a local database and undergo the validation and compilation process which includes geographical checks for all the integrity rules. The output file in SDMX-CSV format for data transmission is produced centralized in the local database before sent to the EDAMIS acceptance environment for pre-validation.
The main data sources used to identify UCI are, in order of most used to least used:
OFATS data survey
Data received within the Asymmetries Resolution Mechanism for FATS,
EuroGroups Register,
Foreign Direct Investment survey,
internal data source (annual data collection of financial statements of non-financial corporations)
publicly available sources.
When conflicting information is obtained from different sources, and the correct information cannot be obtained, direct contacts are initiated with the respondents. If confirmed false UCI information is submitted by the respondents, feedback is provided along with a request to resubmit the correct data.
Annual
OFATS statistics are calculated annually for reference year T.
Data collection takes place 15 months after the end of the reference period (T+15).
Data transmission to Eurostat takes place 20 months after the end of the reference period (T+20).
Not applicable
No limitations in the use of data for comparisons over time.
