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
G2: European Businesses
1.3. Contact name
Restricted from publication
1.4. Contact person function
Restricted from publication
1.5. Contact mail address
L-2920 Luxembourg
LUXEMBOURG
1.6. Contact email address
Restricted from publication
1.7. Contact phone number
Restricted from publication
1.8. Contact fax number
Restricted from publication
2.1. Metadata last certified
1 July 2021
2.2. Metadata last posted
18 November 2022
2.3. Metadata last update
18 November 2022
3.1. Data description
The Community Innovation Survey (CIS) is a survey about innovation activities in enterprises. The survey is designed to capture the information on different types of innovation, to enable analysis of innovation drivers or to assess the innovation outcomes. The survey focuses among others on the following aspects:
innovation activities
innovation expenditure
innovative products (new to firm; new to the market)
turnover from innovative products
business process innovation
incentives for implementation of innovation
innovation cooperation
source of financing of innovation
sources of information on innovation
innovation barriers
etc.
The information collected allows measuring the innovativeness of business sectors (B-C-D-E-46-H-J-K-71-72-73).
The CIS provides various innovation indicators by three main breakdown variables: type of innovator, economic activity and size class of enterprises.
The innovation survey was first launched in the 90s and became a regular biennial data collection starting from CIS4 (2004) in the EU Member States, EFTA countries and EU candidate countries. Since its launch the survey was based on the methodology laid down in the Oslo Manuals — international standards for conceptualising and collecting data on innovation. First Oslo Manual was published in 1992. It has been revised on three occasions to take into account the experience and expand its measurement framework — in 1997, 2005 and in 2018.
The CIS 2018 is the first CIS after the review of the Oslo Manual in 2018, resulting in its 4th edition (Oslo Manual (2018) 4th Edition).
The structure of the outputs of CIS 2018 differs from previous CIS results due to a) significantly different approach in conceptualising the ‘innovation’ and b) a change in survey design. As for the concept of ‘innovation’: whereas before it was classified along ‘product’, ‘process’, ‘marketing’ and ‘organisational’ innovations, there are now only two classes, ‘product’ and ‘business process’ innovation.
A change in questionnaire design marked mostly the change in target of responding units for different questions: the CIS 2018 became a standardised, multi-usage survey with majority of questions (and variables) addressed to all the enterprises and not only to innovative enterprises what allowed to present the results for all enterprises (‘Total’), innovative enterprises (INN) and non-innovative enterprises (NINN).
See the document in Annex 1 detailing the transition from CIS 2016 to CIS 2018.
For each survey round, Eurostat together with the countries develops a standard core questionnaire – Harmonised Data Collection (HDC) listing the mandatory and rotational questions to be provided within a given round. The questionnaire includes the set of definitions and methodological recommendations to assure the comparability among countries. The CIS 2018 HDC is available in the Annex 2.
CIS 2018 results are collected under Commission Regulation No 995/2012. This Regulation defines the mandatory target population of the survey referring to enterprises in the Core NACE categories (see section 3.3) with at least 10 employees. Eurostat recommended using ‘person employed’ as size class unit already for the CIS 2018 in order to comply with the latest measurement standards in European business statistics and recommendations of Oslo Manual 4th edition. The standard mandatory questions refer to number of innovative enterprise, product and goods new to the market and new to the firm, innovation cooperation, objectives of innovation, sources of information for innovation, hampering factors, innovation developer, turnover from innovation and expenditure on innovation.
The following questions were new in CIS 2018: customization and co-creation, patents and IRPs, buying technical services, innovative purchases, using information channels, organising work and expectations from innovation.
Most statistics in CIS 2018 are based on the 3-year reference period 2016-2018, but some use only one calendar year (2016 or 2018) (See in the Annex 2 (HDC) and Annex 3 for the list of questions by reference period).
3.2. Classification system
Indicators related to the enterprises are classified by country, economic activity (NACE Rev. 2), size class of enterprises and type of innovation.
The main typology of classification of enterprises in reference to innovation is the distinction between Innovative enterprises (INN) and non-innovative enterprises (NINN).
The enterprise is considered as innovative (INN) if during the reference period it introduced successfully a product or process innovation, had ongoing innovation activities, abandoned innovation activities, completed but yet introduced the innovation or was engaged in in-house R&D or R&D contracted out. Non-innovative (NINN) enterprises had no innovation activity mentioned above whatsoever during the reference period.
3.3. Coverage - sector
In accordance with Commission Regulation 995/2012 on innovation statistics, the following industries and services are included in the core target population:
CORE INDUSTRY (excluding construction) (NACE Rev. 2 SECTIONS B_C_D_E)
10-12: Manufacture of food products, beverages and tobacco.
13-15: Manufacture of textiles, wearing apparel, leather and related products.
16-18: Manufacture of wood, paper, printing and reproduction.
20: Manufacture of chemicals and chemical products.
21: Manufacture of basic pharmaceutical products and pharmaceutical preparations.
19-22: Manufacture of petroleum, chemical, pharmaceutical, rubber and plastic products.
23: Manufacture of other non-metallic mineral products.
24: Manufacture of basic metals.
25: Manufacture of fabricated metal products, except machinery and equipment.
26: Manufacture of computer, electronic and optical products.
25-30: Manufacture of fabricated metal products (except machinery and equipment), computer, electronic and optical products, electrical equipment, motor vehicles and other transport equipment.
31-33: Manufacture of furniture; jewellery, musical instruments, toys; repair and installation of machinery and equipment.
D: ELECTRICITY, GAS, STEAM AND AIR CONDITIONING SUPPLY
E: WATER SUPPLY; SEWERAGE, WASTE MANAGEMENT AND REMEDIATION ACTIVITIES
CORE SERVICES (NACE Rev. 2 sections & divisions 46-H-J-K-71-72-73)(NACE code in the tables = G46-M73_INN)
46: Wholesale trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles.
H: TRANSPORTATION AND STORAGE
49-51: Land transport and transport via pipelines, water transport and air transport.
52-53: Warehousing and support activities for transportation and postal and courier activities.
J: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION
58: Publishing activities.
61: Telecommunications.
62: Computer programming, consultancy and related activities.
63: Information service activities.
K: FINANCIAL AND INSURANCE ACTIVITIES
64: Financial service activities, except insurance and pension funding
65: Insurance, reinsurance and pension funding, except compulsory social security
66: Activities auxiliary to financial services and insurance activities
M: PROFESSIONAL, SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL ACTIVITIES
71: Architectural and engineering activities; technical testing and analysis
72: Scientific research and development
73: Advertising and market research
71-73: Architectural and engineering activities; technical testing and analysis; Scientific research and development; Advertising and market research
The following size classes of enterprises according to number of employees* are included in the core target population of the CIS 2018:
10 - 49 employees
50 - 249 employees
250 or more employees
*Note: The Commission Regulation 995/2012 uses ‘employee’ as classification unit for size class of enterprises. However, the recommendation for CIS 2018 and onwards is to use ‘person employed’ in order to comply with current measurement standards in European business statistics and recommendations of Oslo Manual 4th Edition. Austria, Bulgaria, Czechia, Germany, Italy, Poland and Portugal used 'perons employed' for classyfing enterprises by size class.
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
The CIS provides information on the characteristics of innovation activities at enterprise level. It allows Europe's progress to be monitored in the area of innovation, creating a better understanding of the innovation process with analyses of the objectives and the effects of innovation. These results can also be linked to variables related to competitiveness, employment and economic growth.
The concepts are in line with those recommended by the Oslo Manual (2018, 4th Edition), which is the internationally recognized standard methodology for collecting innovation statistics.
Main concepts and definitions used for the CIS data collection:
An innovation is a new or improved product or process (or combination thereof) that differs significantly from the unit’s previous products or processes and that has been made available to potential users (product) or brought into use by the unit (process).
The minimum requirement for an innovation to occur is that the product or process (marketing or organizational) method must be new or significantly improved to the firm. This includes not only products, processes and methods that firms are the first to develop but also those that have been adopted from other firms or organisations.
Innovation activities include all developmental, financial and commercial activities undertaken by a firm that are intended to result in an innovation for the firm.
Types of innovation activities:
Successfully introduced product or process innovation
Completed by not yet implemented innovation
On-going, with work in progress that has not yet resulted in the implementation of an innovation
Abandoned before the implementation of an innovation
R&D activities
R&D activities comprises creative and systematic work undertaken in order to increase the stock of knowledge – including knowledge of humankind, culture and society – and to devise new applications of available knowledge.
A product innovation is a new or improved good or service that differs significantly from the firm’s previous goods or services and that has been introduced on the market. Changes of a solely aesthetic nature and the simple resale of new goods and services purchased from other enterprises are not considered as innovation.
A business process innovation is a new or improved business process for one or more business functions that differs significantly from the firm’s previous business processes and which has been implemented within the firm. Business process innovation merges the previously separated process, marketing and organisational innovation.
An overview of the operational definitions for types of innovators and main indicators based on CIS HDC 2018 is available in the Annex 4.
Together with and based on the CIS traditional concepts and definitions, seven mutually exclusive innovation profiles have been developed along a hierarchical structure that makes it possible to show the differences in how enterprises innovate. At the very top level, the structure distinguishes enterprises with innovation activities from those without them. At the second level, it distinguishes enterprises that have implemented an innovation during the reference period from those that have not. The third level refers to the innovation capabilities of enterprises. The resulting ‘innovation profiles’ are:
Profile I: In-house product innovators with market novelties. This group includes all enterprises that introduced a product innovation that was developed by the enterprise and that was not previously offered by competitors (‘new to the market’).
Profile II: In-house product innovators without market novelties. This group includes all enterprises that introduced a product innovation that was developed by the enterprise but that is identical or very similar to products already offered by competitors (‘only new to the enterprise itself’).
Profile III: In-house business process innovators. This group includes all enterprises that did not introduce a product innovation, but that did introduce a business process innovation that was developed by the enterprise.
Profile IV: Innovators without substantial own innovation capabilities. This group includes all enterprises that introduced an innovation of any kind but did not develop it themselves.
Profile V: Non-innovators that worked on innovations but did not implement them. This group includes all enterprises that have not introduced any innovation recently, but have either ongoing or abandoned innovation activities.
Profile VI: Non-innovators that tried to innovate but were impeded. This group includes all enterprises that did not introduce any innovation, and had no ongoing or abandoned innovation activities, but that did consider to innovate.
Profile VII: Non-innovators that did not try to innovate. This group includes all other enterprises, those that neither introduced an innovation nor have any ongoing or abandoned innovation activities, nor considered to innovate.
The derivation rules for the Innovation Profiles based on CIS HDC 2018 are available in Annex 7.
3.5. Statistical unit
The main statistical unit is the enterprise, as defined in the Council Regulation on statistical units (Council Regulation (EEC) No 696/93 of 15 March 1993, OJ No L76 of 3 March 1993) or as defined in statistical Business Registers.
The Regulation defines the enterprise as the smallest combination of legal units that is an organisational unit producing goods or services, which benefits from a certain degree of autonomy in decision making, especially for the allocation of its current resources. It may carry out one or more activities at one or more locations and it may be a combination of legal units, one single legal unit or part of a legal unit.
3.6. Statistical population
The population of the CIS is determined by the size of the enterprise and its principal activity. All enterprises with 10 or more employees* in any of the Core NACE (see section 3.3 above) categories are included in the statistical population.
*Note: The Commission Regulation 995/2012 uses ‘employee’ as classification unit for size class of enterprises. However, the recommendation for CIS 2018 and onwards is to use ‘person employed’ in order to comply with current measurement standards in business statistics and recommendations of Oslo Manual 4th Edition.
3.7. Reference area
CIS 2018 was conducted in the following countries: EU Member States, Norway, Iceland, and Switzerland, Serbia, Macedonia, Turkey and Montenegro. Data for Serbia, Macedonia and Montenegro are not disseminated in Eurobase.
3.8. Coverage - Time
Several rounds of Community Innovation Survey have been conducted so far at two-year interval since mid 90’s.
CIS wave
Reference period
Code Eurobase
CIS2
1994-1996
CIS2
CIS3
1998-2000
CIS3
CIS light
2002-2003*
CIS light
CIS4
2002-2004
CIS4
CIS2006
2004-2006
CIS5
CIS2008
2006-2008
CIS6
CIS2010
2008-2010
CIS7
CIS2012
2010-2012
CIS8
CIS2014
2012-2014
CIS9
CIS2016
2014-2016
CIS10
CIS2018
2016-2018
CIS11
*two reference periods can be distinguished for CIS light: 2000-2002 and 2001-2003
3.9. Base period
Not applicable.
CIS 2018 indicators are available according to 4 units of measure:
NR — Number for number of enterprises and number of persons employed.
THS_EUR — Thousands of euros. All financial variables are provided in thousands of euros, i.e. Turnover or Innovation expenditure.
PC — Percentage. The percentage is the ratio between the selected combinations of indicators.
PC_GDP — Percentage of GDP for selected financial indicators.
CIS 2018 mostly covers 3-year reference period (2016-2018). Some indicator may however refer to only one calendar year — 2018.
Eurobase, this metadata and broader methodological notes are using by convention the year 2018 for reference period and for a year of survey round.
The information on reference period of collected indicators is available in the Annex 2 and Annex 3 of this Metadata file.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
CIS surveys are based on the Commission Regulation No 995/2012, implementing Decision No 1608/2003/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the production and development of Community statistics on science and technology.
This Regulation establishes innovation statistics on a statutory basis and makes the delivery of certain variables compulsory e.g. innovation activities, cooperation, development, expenditures and turnover (see the Regulation). Each survey wave may additionally include further variables (see section 3.1).
In addition, the Regulation defines the obligatory cross-coverage of economic sectors and size class of enterprises.
From the CIS 2022 onwards, the CIS will be governed by the Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 on European Business Statistics.
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
Not applicable.
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.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
Primary and secondary confidentiality of CIS data is managed by the countries. The confidential data are sent with an appropriate ‘c’ flag and are restricted from publication.
Eurostat takes the complete flagging as given and is not executing any additional measures than removing flagged data while publishing the results. Primary and secondary confidentiality is respected for any data publicly released.
The European aggregates are not calculated if one country sent confidential data for the concerned indicator
8.1. Release calendar
No official calendar is available for CIS data release. However, CIS data can be expected in the course of the second semester of even-numbered years (t+2).
8.2. Release calendar access
No official calendar is available for CIS data release. However, CIS data can be expected in the course of the second semester of even-numbered years (t+2).
8.3. Release policy - user access
In line with the Community legal framework and the European Statistics Code of Practice Eurostat disseminates European statistics on Eurostat's website (see item 10 - 'Accessibility and clarity') respecting professional independence, in an objective, professional and transparent manner in which all users are treated equitably. The detailed arrangements are governed by the Eurostat protocol on impartial access to Eurostat data for users.
Since 2004, Community Innovation Surveys have been conducted and disseminated every two years in pair years.
The CIS microdata sets are available exclusively for research purpose. The access is provided according to contracts established between Eurostat and the corresponding research institutions.
Two versions of microdata are made available, they differ on the level of information retained:
Secure use files: confidential data as obtained from the national authorities. They allow only indirect identification of the statistical units concerned. The access to these data is only possible in the Eurostat SAFE Centre.
Scientific use files: anonymised microdata sets extracted from the aforementioned data. The individual statistical records have been modified in order to minimise, in accordance with current best practice, the risk of indirect identification of the statistical units to which they relate. This access is given via encrypted channels.
Regional data by NUTS 1 are provided by countries on voluntary basis and are available in the Safe Centre only. CIS data are not a panel data therefore longitudinal analysis is in general not possible.
The implementation frameworks for release of EU microdata for scientific purposes are defined in the Commission Regulation (EC) No 831/2002.
Detailed information on CIS microdata access is available at the following website: Community innovation survey.
Please consult the documents available in the section Annex of this Metadata.
10.7. Quality management - documentation
National quality reports in single metadata format are produced under the provision of the current Regulation and are used to draft a Synthesis Quality Report. The summary report for CIS 2018 is under development however the individual country reports can be accessed from this metadata file (see at the top).
Users interested in quality aspects of the previous surveys may refer to the CIS Synthesis Quality Reports available in the Annexes of metadata related to the previous waves.
11.1. Quality assurance
In accordance with Annex III to Commission Regulation No 995/2012, the provision of Quality Reports by each Member States is mandatory. This report includes key quality indicators such as non-response rates, coefficient of variation, etc.
The CIS Quality Reports that have to be filled by the countries are in conformity with the ESS (European Statistical System) Single Integrated Metadata Structure (SIMS).
Starting with 2018 data collection the national quality reports are published online (available soon).
11.2. Quality management - assessment
A high degree of harmonisation in concepts and methods has been achieved through the adoption of Commission Regulation N° 995/2012, the recommendations of Oslo Manual for the compilation of innovation statistics and the development of CIS Harmonised Data Collection (HDC) questionnaires.
Countries may deviate from the HDC by introducing additional questions and/or modifying existing questions in order to satisfy specific national needs. The information on deviations from the Regulation and from HDC is available in national quality reports - SIMS (available soon).
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
The CIS 2018 provides an understanding of the types of innovation introduced by enterprises, their features and their development. Amongst others, information on sources of information, cooperation, methods for maintaining or increasing competitiveness is provided by the survey. CIS also allows some cross-analyses using economic indicators such as the Number of employees or Turnover.
A user satisfaction survey is generally not carried out at Eurostat level. However, some countries conduct periodically satisfaction suveys or receive ad-hoc feedback from users.
12.3. Completeness
All countries provided all compulsory indicators on innovation in the 2018 survey edition excepting:
CZ - Cooperation on any other business activities (COOP_OTH)
IS - Cooperation on any other business activities (COOP_OTH) - this item was not considered logical to assume that any enterprise wouldn't be co-operating with any other enterprises or organisations on any business activities, therefore it was not included in the questionnaire
TR - Turnover from new or improved products not previously offered by any of the competitors (TUR_PRD_NEW_MKT), Turnover from new or improved products identical or very similar to products already offered by the competitors (TUR_PRD_NEW_ENT)
13.1. Accuracy - overall
Please consult national quality reports - SIMS (available at the top of this document)
13.2. Sampling error
Please consult national quality reports - SIMS (available at the top of this document)
13.3. Non-sampling error
Please consult national quality reports - SIMS (available at the top of this document)
14.1. Timeliness
According to Commission Regulation No 995/2012, national CIS statistics must be delivered to Eurostat within 18 months from the end of the reference year (t+2).
Most countries conformed to the Regulation and transmitted the data by the requested time. Eurostat disseminated CIS 2018 data in January 2021.
14.2. Punctuality
The majority of countries were punctual in delivering CIS data to Eurostat.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
In order to ensure comparability across countries, Eurostat, in close cooperation with the EU Member States and other countries, develops a standard core questionnaire (Harmonised Data Collection – HDC) for each CIS round, with an accompanying set of definitions and methodological recommendations. Most countries follow the proposed structure and filtering used in the HDC. In some instances, the questions asked on basic economic information are placed at the beginning of the national survey. Items related to “Turnover” and “Number of employees” are extracted from national statistical Business registers or from other surveys. In addition, question 1 on the structure of the surveyed enterprise has been derived from the business register. If certain data that should be covered under the EC Regulation 995/2012 may appear to be missing in all tables, this is due to the lack of enterprises in these industries in the population frame.
For the deviations of national data from the Regulation 995/2012 please consult the sections 3.3.1.1, 3.3.2.1, 3.8 and 12.3 of national quality reports — SIMS (available at the top of this document).
For the deviations of national questionnaires from CIS 2018 HDC please consult the sections 15.1.2, and 15.1.3, 18.2 of national quality reports — SIMS (available at the top of this document).
15.2. Comparability - over time
CIS 2018 includes the most recent changes recommended by the latest Oslo Manual 4th Edition. This edition redefined the concept of innovation by distinguishing between ‘product’ and ‘business process’ innovation formerly split into process, organizational and marketing innovations.
The revision of the reference guidelines triggered the revision of the questionnaire design (structure, order and content of questions), the list of innovation indicators and their operational definitions for statistics.
The CIS 2018 questionnaire removed the majority of filters, reduced the complexity of conditions for base populations, and thus allowed to increase the samples for the questions previously subject to filters. As most of the questions were addressed to all respondents it was then possible to streamline the majority of breakdowns for Total, Innovative (INN) and Non innovative enterprises (NINN).
CIS 2018 recommended to use for the first time the unit of ‘employed person’ in classification of the enterprises by size class. All previous survey were based on ‘employee’.
For the reason of the change in the underlying methodology and structure of the survey, the results of CIS 2018 round cannot be directly compared with previous rounds. The users should note that number of indicators transmitted to Eurostat changed. However, the content of majority of datasets in disseminated in Eurobase remained the same as for CIS 2016.
See document in Annex 1 detailing the transition from CIS 2016 to CIS 2018 and the mapping between the survey questions and related Eurobase dissemination table (Annex 3).
In addition to core questions on innovation required by the Regulation 995/2012, the CIS survey may introduce ad-hoc questions. CIS 2018 introduced the following questions:
Q2.2 Customisation, Co-creation
Q2.3 Partners in Customisation, Co-creation
Q2.4 Turnover from Customisation, Co-creation
Q2.7 Used patents and IRPs
Q2.8 Buying technical services
Q2.9 Innovative Purchases
Q2.10 Using information channels
Q2.11 Organising work
Q3.5 Expectations met (product innovation)
Q3.8 Expectations met (business process innovation)
4Q.8 Enterprise group: inflows and outflows
Q4.6 Total expenditure
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
1. Innovation-related variables are unique to each CIS data collection therefore comparisons with other statistics are not possible.
2. However, the coherence between CIS and SBS statistics is very satisfactory on common variables (Turnover, number of employees, number of enterprises).
15.4. Coherence - internal
No imputation has been done for missing countries data. However some imputations were performed in order to calculate the ratios or EU aggregates.
Information is not available.
17.1. Data revision - policy
These historical data are no longer updated nor revised.
17.2. Data revision - practice
These historical data are no longer updated nor revised.
18.1. Source data
All aggregations and indicators presented in CIS collections are based on data from national CIS data collections.
Countries generally carry out a stratified sample survey in order to collect the data, whilst a limited number of countries use a census or a mix of census and sample survey. The target population is to be broken down into strata for sampling purposes. The dimensions to be used for this purpose are size class of enterprises (according to the number of employees*) and the classification of economic activity (NACE). These two dimensions are highly correlated with Innovation activity. The size-classes should at least be broken down in 3 categories: 10-49 employees (small enterprises), 50-249 employees (medium-sized enterprises), 250 + employees (large enterprises). Stratification by NACE Rev. 2 is done in general by 2-digit level (division) or groups of division.
The sampling frame to be used for the sample is mostly the official statistical Business Register.
*Note: The Commission Regulation 995/2012 uses ‘employee’ as classification unit for size class of enterprises. However, the recommendation for CIS 2018 and onwards is to use ‘person employed’ in order to comply with current measurement standards in business statistics and recommendations of Oslo Manual 4th Edition.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
The frequency of CIS is biennial in all the countries excepting in Germany and Poland conducting Innovation survey every year.
18.3. Data collection
Eurostat collects aggregated data and microdata from countries every two years. At national level, data are mainly collected via online or mail surveys. A few countries choose also other collection methods such as telephone or face to face interviews.
In majority of countries the survey is a combination of census and sample survey. Few countries conduct only census (Bulgaria and Malta) and few only sample survey (Switzerland and the Netherlands). The survey is mandatory in the great majority of countries. The survey is voluntary in Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany and the Netherlands,
As required by the Regulation, countries transmit tabulated data according to the tabulation rules prepared by Eurostat. The data transmission system as used for CIS 2018 is based on SDMX standards and is using a common dictionary for all the variables and indicators. This system integrates the structural validation and content validation of the data in the transmission step. Validated data are further processed to derive various aggregates and innovation indicators that are disseminated in Eurobase CIS domain.
18.4. Data validation
National authorities responsible for CIS data production are provided with the set of recommendations to assure the best quality of national micro and aggregated outputs. Quality controls at Eurostat level consist of additional validation of tabulated national data according to CIS dictionary and domain specific rules. The extensive structural and content checks are integrated in the production chain as distinct module and are performed during the transmission step on fully automatised basis. In content validation, the checks verify the accuracy of totals, the intra and inter variable consistency and the coherence between dependent variables. Validation reports are delivered to countries to report any deviation from the rules.
18.5. Data compilation
At national level, as in any regular sample survey, countries extrapolate the collected data with appropriate weighting schemes in order to obtain the population totals. At each survey round national data producers compile the tabulated outputs according to the calculation rules and algorithms specified by Eurostat for a given round. After the data transmission to Eurostat, the compilation of data consists of the assembling of national data and deriving of the ratio and European aggregates that are summed up from national data.
18.6. Adjustment
If non-response in a national survey based on the ratio between non-responding and operating enterprises in the sample population as a whole exceeds 30%, a non-response analysis is recommended. At least a 10% sample of the relevant non-respondents should be drawn, and a non-response survey then undertaken.
In CIS surveys, some countries add extra questions for national purposes; similarly, some countries exclude some or all optional questions. This information is available in the national quality reports - SIMS (available at the top of this document).
CIS data for the reference year 2018 have been produced following the methodology laid down in the Oslo Manual 2018, 4th Edition. These data are not directly comparable with the results of previous CIS rounds following the guidelines included in the Oslo Manual 2005, 3rd Edition. Please refer to the document 'Transition from CIS 2016 to CIS 2018' available in Annex I for more explanation.
The Community Innovation Survey (CIS) is a survey about innovation activities in enterprises. The survey is designed to capture the information on different types of innovation, to enable analysis of innovation drivers or to assess the innovation outcomes. The survey focuses among others on the following aspects:
innovation activities
innovation expenditure
innovative products (new to firm; new to the market)
turnover from innovative products
business process innovation
incentives for implementation of innovation
innovation cooperation
source of financing of innovation
sources of information on innovation
innovation barriers
etc.
The information collected allows measuring the innovativeness of business sectors (B-C-D-E-46-H-J-K-71-72-73).
The CIS provides various innovation indicators by three main breakdown variables: type of innovator, economic activity and size class of enterprises.
The innovation survey was first launched in the 90s and became a regular biennial data collection starting from CIS4 (2004) in the EU Member States, EFTA countries and EU candidate countries. Since its launch the survey was based on the methodology laid down in the Oslo Manuals — international standards for conceptualising and collecting data on innovation. First Oslo Manual was published in 1992. It has been revised on three occasions to take into account the experience and expand its measurement framework — in 1997, 2005 and in 2018.
The CIS 2018 is the first CIS after the review of the Oslo Manual in 2018, resulting in its 4th edition (Oslo Manual (2018) 4th Edition).
The structure of the outputs of CIS 2018 differs from previous CIS results due to a) significantly different approach in conceptualising the ‘innovation’ and b) a change in survey design. As for the concept of ‘innovation’: whereas before it was classified along ‘product’, ‘process’, ‘marketing’ and ‘organisational’ innovations, there are now only two classes, ‘product’ and ‘business process’ innovation.
A change in questionnaire design marked mostly the change in target of responding units for different questions: the CIS 2018 became a standardised, multi-usage survey with majority of questions (and variables) addressed to all the enterprises and not only to innovative enterprises what allowed to present the results for all enterprises (‘Total’), innovative enterprises (INN) and non-innovative enterprises (NINN).
See the document in Annex 1 detailing the transition from CIS 2016 to CIS 2018.
For each survey round, Eurostat together with the countries develops a standard core questionnaire – Harmonised Data Collection (HDC) listing the mandatory and rotational questions to be provided within a given round. The questionnaire includes the set of definitions and methodological recommendations to assure the comparability among countries. The CIS 2018 HDC is available in the Annex 2.
CIS 2018 results are collected under Commission Regulation No 995/2012. This Regulation defines the mandatory target population of the survey referring to enterprises in the Core NACE categories (see section 3.3) with at least 10 employees. Eurostat recommended using ‘person employed’ as size class unit already for the CIS 2018 in order to comply with the latest measurement standards in European business statistics and recommendations of Oslo Manual 4th edition. The standard mandatory questions refer to number of innovative enterprise, product and goods new to the market and new to the firm, innovation cooperation, objectives of innovation, sources of information for innovation, hampering factors, innovation developer, turnover from innovation and expenditure on innovation.
The following questions were new in CIS 2018: customization and co-creation, patents and IRPs, buying technical services, innovative purchases, using information channels, organising work and expectations from innovation.
Most statistics in CIS 2018 are based on the 3-year reference period 2016-2018, but some use only one calendar year (2016 or 2018) (See in the Annex 2 (HDC) and Annex 3 for the list of questions by reference period).
18 November 2022
The CIS provides information on the characteristics of innovation activities at enterprise level. It allows Europe's progress to be monitored in the area of innovation, creating a better understanding of the innovation process with analyses of the objectives and the effects of innovation. These results can also be linked to variables related to competitiveness, employment and economic growth.
The concepts are in line with those recommended by the Oslo Manual (2018, 4th Edition), which is the internationally recognized standard methodology for collecting innovation statistics.
Main concepts and definitions used for the CIS data collection:
An innovation is a new or improved product or process (or combination thereof) that differs significantly from the unit’s previous products or processes and that has been made available to potential users (product) or brought into use by the unit (process).
The minimum requirement for an innovation to occur is that the product or process (marketing or organizational) method must be new or significantly improved to the firm. This includes not only products, processes and methods that firms are the first to develop but also those that have been adopted from other firms or organisations.
Innovation activities include all developmental, financial and commercial activities undertaken by a firm that are intended to result in an innovation for the firm.
Types of innovation activities:
Successfully introduced product or process innovation
Completed by not yet implemented innovation
On-going, with work in progress that has not yet resulted in the implementation of an innovation
Abandoned before the implementation of an innovation
R&D activities
R&D activities comprises creative and systematic work undertaken in order to increase the stock of knowledge – including knowledge of humankind, culture and society – and to devise new applications of available knowledge.
A product innovation is a new or improved good or service that differs significantly from the firm’s previous goods or services and that has been introduced on the market. Changes of a solely aesthetic nature and the simple resale of new goods and services purchased from other enterprises are not considered as innovation.
A business process innovation is a new or improved business process for one or more business functions that differs significantly from the firm’s previous business processes and which has been implemented within the firm. Business process innovation merges the previously separated process, marketing and organisational innovation.
An overview of the operational definitions for types of innovators and main indicators based on CIS HDC 2018 is available in the Annex 4.
Together with and based on the CIS traditional concepts and definitions, seven mutually exclusive innovation profiles have been developed along a hierarchical structure that makes it possible to show the differences in how enterprises innovate. At the very top level, the structure distinguishes enterprises with innovation activities from those without them. At the second level, it distinguishes enterprises that have implemented an innovation during the reference period from those that have not. The third level refers to the innovation capabilities of enterprises. The resulting ‘innovation profiles’ are:
Profile I: In-house product innovators with market novelties. This group includes all enterprises that introduced a product innovation that was developed by the enterprise and that was not previously offered by competitors (‘new to the market’).
Profile II: In-house product innovators without market novelties. This group includes all enterprises that introduced a product innovation that was developed by the enterprise but that is identical or very similar to products already offered by competitors (‘only new to the enterprise itself’).
Profile III: In-house business process innovators. This group includes all enterprises that did not introduce a product innovation, but that did introduce a business process innovation that was developed by the enterprise.
Profile IV: Innovators without substantial own innovation capabilities. This group includes all enterprises that introduced an innovation of any kind but did not develop it themselves.
Profile V: Non-innovators that worked on innovations but did not implement them. This group includes all enterprises that have not introduced any innovation recently, but have either ongoing or abandoned innovation activities.
Profile VI: Non-innovators that tried to innovate but were impeded. This group includes all enterprises that did not introduce any innovation, and had no ongoing or abandoned innovation activities, but that did consider to innovate.
Profile VII: Non-innovators that did not try to innovate. This group includes all other enterprises, those that neither introduced an innovation nor have any ongoing or abandoned innovation activities, nor considered to innovate.
The derivation rules for the Innovation Profiles based on CIS HDC 2018 are available in Annex 7.
The main statistical unit is the enterprise, as defined in the Council Regulation on statistical units (Council Regulation (EEC) No 696/93 of 15 March 1993, OJ No L76 of 3 March 1993) or as defined in statistical Business Registers.
The Regulation defines the enterprise as the smallest combination of legal units that is an organisational unit producing goods or services, which benefits from a certain degree of autonomy in decision making, especially for the allocation of its current resources. It may carry out one or more activities at one or more locations and it may be a combination of legal units, one single legal unit or part of a legal unit.
The population of the CIS is determined by the size of the enterprise and its principal activity. All enterprises with 10 or more employees* in any of the Core NACE (see section 3.3 above) categories are included in the statistical population.
*Note: The Commission Regulation 995/2012 uses ‘employee’ as classification unit for size class of enterprises. However, the recommendation for CIS 2018 and onwards is to use ‘person employed’ in order to comply with current measurement standards in business statistics and recommendations of Oslo Manual 4th Edition.
CIS 2018 was conducted in the following countries: EU Member States, Norway, Iceland, and Switzerland, Serbia, Macedonia, Turkey and Montenegro. Data for Serbia, Macedonia and Montenegro are not disseminated in Eurobase.
CIS 2018 mostly covers 3-year reference period (2016-2018). Some indicator may however refer to only one calendar year — 2018.
Eurobase, this metadata and broader methodological notes are using by convention the year 2018 for reference period and for a year of survey round.
The information on reference period of collected indicators is available in the Annex 2 and Annex 3 of this Metadata file.
Please consult national quality reports - SIMS (available at the top of this document)
CIS 2018 indicators are available according to 4 units of measure:
NR — Number for number of enterprises and number of persons employed.
THS_EUR — Thousands of euros. All financial variables are provided in thousands of euros, i.e. Turnover or Innovation expenditure.
PC — Percentage. The percentage is the ratio between the selected combinations of indicators.
PC_GDP — Percentage of GDP for selected financial indicators.
At national level, as in any regular sample survey, countries extrapolate the collected data with appropriate weighting schemes in order to obtain the population totals. At each survey round national data producers compile the tabulated outputs according to the calculation rules and algorithms specified by Eurostat for a given round. After the data transmission to Eurostat, the compilation of data consists of the assembling of national data and deriving of the ratio and European aggregates that are summed up from national data.
All aggregations and indicators presented in CIS collections are based on data from national CIS data collections.
Countries generally carry out a stratified sample survey in order to collect the data, whilst a limited number of countries use a census or a mix of census and sample survey. The target population is to be broken down into strata for sampling purposes. The dimensions to be used for this purpose are size class of enterprises (according to the number of employees*) and the classification of economic activity (NACE). These two dimensions are highly correlated with Innovation activity. The size-classes should at least be broken down in 3 categories: 10-49 employees (small enterprises), 50-249 employees (medium-sized enterprises), 250 + employees (large enterprises). Stratification by NACE Rev. 2 is done in general by 2-digit level (division) or groups of division.
The sampling frame to be used for the sample is mostly the official statistical Business Register.
*Note: The Commission Regulation 995/2012 uses ‘employee’ as classification unit for size class of enterprises. However, the recommendation for CIS 2018 and onwards is to use ‘person employed’ in order to comply with current measurement standards in business statistics and recommendations of Oslo Manual 4th Edition.
Since 2004, Community Innovation Surveys have been conducted and disseminated every two years in pair years.
According to Commission Regulation No 995/2012, national CIS statistics must be delivered to Eurostat within 18 months from the end of the reference year (t+2).
Most countries conformed to the Regulation and transmitted the data by the requested time. Eurostat disseminated CIS 2018 data in January 2021.
In order to ensure comparability across countries, Eurostat, in close cooperation with the EU Member States and other countries, develops a standard core questionnaire (Harmonised Data Collection – HDC) for each CIS round, with an accompanying set of definitions and methodological recommendations. Most countries follow the proposed structure and filtering used in the HDC. In some instances, the questions asked on basic economic information are placed at the beginning of the national survey. Items related to “Turnover” and “Number of employees” are extracted from national statistical Business registers or from other surveys. In addition, question 1 on the structure of the surveyed enterprise has been derived from the business register. If certain data that should be covered under the EC Regulation 995/2012 may appear to be missing in all tables, this is due to the lack of enterprises in these industries in the population frame.
For the deviations of national data from the Regulation 995/2012 please consult the sections 3.3.1.1, 3.3.2.1, 3.8 and 12.3 of national quality reports — SIMS (available at the top of this document).
For the deviations of national questionnaires from CIS 2018 HDC please consult the sections 15.1.2, and 15.1.3, 18.2 of national quality reports — SIMS (available at the top of this document).
CIS 2018 includes the most recent changes recommended by the latest Oslo Manual 4th Edition. This edition redefined the concept of innovation by distinguishing between ‘product’ and ‘business process’ innovation formerly split into process, organizational and marketing innovations.
The revision of the reference guidelines triggered the revision of the questionnaire design (structure, order and content of questions), the list of innovation indicators and their operational definitions for statistics.
The CIS 2018 questionnaire removed the majority of filters, reduced the complexity of conditions for base populations, and thus allowed to increase the samples for the questions previously subject to filters. As most of the questions were addressed to all respondents it was then possible to streamline the majority of breakdowns for Total, Innovative (INN) and Non innovative enterprises (NINN).
CIS 2018 recommended to use for the first time the unit of ‘employed person’ in classification of the enterprises by size class. All previous survey were based on ‘employee’.
For the reason of the change in the underlying methodology and structure of the survey, the results of CIS 2018 round cannot be directly compared with previous rounds. The users should note that number of indicators transmitted to Eurostat changed. However, the content of majority of datasets in disseminated in Eurobase remained the same as for CIS 2016.
See document in Annex 1 detailing the transition from CIS 2016 to CIS 2018 and the mapping between the survey questions and related Eurobase dissemination table (Annex 3).
In addition to core questions on innovation required by the Regulation 995/2012, the CIS survey may introduce ad-hoc questions. CIS 2018 introduced the following questions:
Q2.2 Customisation, Co-creation
Q2.3 Partners in Customisation, Co-creation
Q2.4 Turnover from Customisation, Co-creation
Q2.7 Used patents and IRPs
Q2.8 Buying technical services
Q2.9 Innovative Purchases
Q2.10 Using information channels
Q2.11 Organising work
Q3.5 Expectations met (product innovation)
Q3.8 Expectations met (business process innovation)
