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.
Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union
1.2. Contact organisation unit
ESTAT Unit D1: Excessive deficit procedure, methodology and GFS
1.3. Contact name
Confidential because of GDPR
1.4. Contact person function
Confidential because of GDPR
1.5. Contact mail address
2920 Luxembourg, LUXEMBOURG
1.6. Contact email address
Confidential because of GDPR
1.7. Contact phone number
Confidential because of GDPR
1.8. Contact fax number
2.1. Metadata last certified
20 July 2022
2.2. Metadata last posted
20 July 2022
2.3. Metadata last update
20 July 2022
3.1. Data description
'Government debt' is defined as the total gross debt at nominal value outstanding at the end of each year for the EU institutions and bodies subsector.
Data are measured in million Euro.
Data on government debt is provided according to the provisions of the European System of Accounts ESA 2010 (Regulation (EU) No 549/2013).
3.2. Classification system
ESA2010 standards are used as regards the coverage of financial instruments. General government gross debt follows the definition of Maastricht debt as regards valuation - data is at face value.
3.3. Coverage - sector
Data covers the EU institutions and bodies subsector (S.1315) of the general government sector as defined in ESA 2010. Please refer to ESA2010, §19.09.
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
General government debt is one of the convergence criteria of the Maastricht Treaty used for monitoring the economic situation of a Member State. The Maastricht debt is defined as the debt at the end of the year.
A breakdown of the general government debt is provided using ESA 2010 definitions by instrument:
The main instruments are: currency and deposits (AF.2) with further breakdowns into currency (AF.21) and deposits (AF.22, AF.29), debt securities (AF.3) with a breakdown into short-term (AF.31) and long-term (AF.32) debt securities, and loans (AF.4) with a breakdown into short-term loans (AF.41) and long-term loans (AF.42),
The table contain debt figures expressed in Millions of Euro.
3.5. Statistical unit
Not available.
3.6. Statistical population
Not available.
3.7. Reference area
EU institutions and bodies.
3.8. Coverage - Time
From 2021 only.
3.9. Base period
Not available.
Millions of Euro.
Refers to the debt at the end of the 2022.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
National accounts are compiled in accordance with the European System of Accounts (ESA2010) adopted in the form of a EU Regulation (EU) No 549/2013, dated 21 May 2013.
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
Not available.
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 on European statistics (recital 24 and Article 20(4)) of 11 March 2009 (OJ L 87, p. 164), stipulates the need to establish common principles and guidelines ensuring the confidentiality of data used for the production of European statistics and the access to those confidential data with due account for technical developments and the requirements of users in a democratic society.
Data is verified for internal consistency and plausibility, also vis a vis other related data.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
A quality assessment procedure is in place that involves arithmetic and quality checks as well as checks on consistency with ESA2010 and other government datasets (financial government accounts) by Eurostat.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
Not available.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
Not available.
12.3. Completeness
From 2021 only.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
Data for government finance statistics are in general associated with a high level of overall accuracy, being compiled on the basis of direct administrative data sources.
13.2. Sampling error
Not applicable.
13.3. Non-sampling error
Not applicable.
14.1. Timeliness
Not applicable.
14.2. Punctuality
Not applicable.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
The underlying methodological framework is the European system of accounts (ESA2010), which ensures a high degree of comparability.
15.2. Comparability - over time
Not applicable.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
Several checks are carried out on the data before publication. These consist in checking the internal consistency of the data but also consistency with other datasets: • Stocks of liabilities for the instruments F.2, F.31, F.32, F41 and F.42 are cross checked with annual financial accounts data (by applying some validation criteria taking into account differences in valuation).
15.4. Coherence - internal
Datasets are carefully checked for the internal consistency.
All reported errors (once validated) result in corrections of the disseminated data.
Corrections are carried out in connection with the regular scheduled data dissemination/in connection with next scheduled regular revision.
18.1. Source data
Administrative and other records of DG BUDG and ESM.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Once a year.
18.3. Data collection
All data is collected from DG BUDG and ESM.
18.4. Data validation
Data are loaded into Eurostat Reference Database once validated by Eurostat. The validation process consists of arithmetic and quality checks including consistency with ESA2010 methodology and with other data reported to Eurostat as well as a number of further plausibility checks.
18.5. Data compilation
The data represents stock of annual government debt (and its components currency and deposits, debt securities and loans) at face value outstanding at the end of the quarter.
18.6. Adjustment
Data is not adjusted.
Please also consult the latest EDP news release for any specific or general explanatory notes.
'Government debt' is defined as the total gross debt at nominal value outstanding at the end of each year for the EU institutions and bodies subsector.
Data are measured in million Euro.
Data on government debt is provided according to the provisions of the European System of Accounts ESA 2010 (Regulation (EU) No 549/2013).
20 July 2022
General government debt is one of the convergence criteria of the Maastricht Treaty used for monitoring the economic situation of a Member State. The Maastricht debt is defined as the debt at the end of the year.
A breakdown of the general government debt is provided using ESA 2010 definitions by instrument:
The main instruments are: currency and deposits (AF.2) with further breakdowns into currency (AF.21) and deposits (AF.22, AF.29), debt securities (AF.3) with a breakdown into short-term (AF.31) and long-term (AF.32) debt securities, and loans (AF.4) with a breakdown into short-term loans (AF.41) and long-term loans (AF.42),
The table contain debt figures expressed in Millions of Euro.
Not available.
Not available.
EU institutions and bodies.
Refers to the debt at the end of the 2022.
Data for government finance statistics are in general associated with a high level of overall accuracy, being compiled on the basis of direct administrative data sources.
Millions of Euro.
The data represents stock of annual government debt (and its components currency and deposits, debt securities and loans) at face value outstanding at the end of the quarter.
Administrative and other records of DG BUDG and ESM.
Annually.
Not applicable.
The underlying methodological framework is the European system of accounts (ESA2010), which ensures a high degree of comparability.
