Instituto Nacional de Estatística / Statistics Portugal

Business Statistics Unit, Department of Economic Statistics

Av. António José de Almeida

1000-043 Lisboa

Portugal

Data on the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) usage and e-commerce in enterprises are survey data. They are collected by the National Statistical Institutes or Ministries and are in principle based on Eurostat's annual model questionnaires on ICT usage and e-commerce in enterprises.

Large part of the data collected is used to measure the progress in the implementation of one of the main political priorities of the European Commission for 2019 to 2024 – A Europe fit for the digital age. Part of this is the "European strategy for data", envisioning a single market for data to ensure the EU's global competitiveness and data sovereignty, in which context a comprehensive set of new rules for all digital services was proposed: the Digital Services Act and the Digital Markets Act, which are centrepieces of the EU digital strategy. Furthermore, the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy presented a new “EU cybersecurity strategy”, which is intended to bolster the EU's collective resilience against cyber threats, safeguard a global and open internet and protect EU values and the fundamental rights of its people. Furthermore, data will allow monitoring the progress towards  A Europe fit for the digital age, one of the six priorities for the period 2019-2024 of the von der Leyen European Commission.

The aim of the European survey on ICT usage and e-commerce in enterprises is to collect and disseminate harmonised and comparable information at European level.

Statistical Classification of Economic Activities in the European Community, NACE Rev 2, is used from 2008 onwards. 

NACE Rev.2 2008

All economic activities in the scope of Annex I of the Commission Regulation are intended to be included in the general survey, covering enterprises with 10 or more employees and self-employed persons. These activities are: NACE Rev. 2 sections C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, L, M and N, division 95.1.

For micro-enterprises see the sub-concepts below.

Not applicable.

The model questionnaire on ICT usage and e-commerce in enterprises provides a large variety of variables covering among others the following areas:

- Access to and use of the Internet

- E-commerce and e-business

- Use of cloud computing services

- Artificial Intelligence

- Other topics: Data utilisation, sharing, analytics and trading, Invoicing.

The annual model questionnaires and the European businesses statistics compliers’ manual for ICT usage and e-commerce in enterprises comprise definitions and explanations regarding the topics of the survey.

The statistical unit is the enterprise (sampling at ENT level and data collection at LeU level).

Target Population

As required by Annex of the Commission Implementing Regulation, enterprises with 10 or more employees and self-employed persons shall be covered by the survey.

For micro-enterprises see the sub-concepts below.

Not applicable.

The whole national territory was considered (Continente, Região Autónoma dos Açores and Região Autónoma da Madeira).

Years 2022 and 2023.

Not applicable

Percentages of enterprises, Percentages of turnover, Percentages of employees and self-employed persons and  million euro.

The reference periods are in accordance with the model questionnaire. When its not specified respondents should consider the current situation - 2023, except for specific variables where 2022 is specified (e.g. persons employed and turnover).

At the community level, there are a number of legal diplomas that constitute the legal basis for the survey on the use of ICT in enterprises:

• Commission Regulation (EU) 2016/2015 of 17 November 2016 implementing Regulation (EC) no. 808/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning Community statistics on the information society;
• Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 November 2019 on European business statistics, repealing 10 legal acts in the field of business statistics;
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/1344 of 1 August 2022 laying down the technical specifications of data requirements for the topic "ICT usage and e-commerce" for the reference year 2023, pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 of the European Parliament and of the Council.

At the national level, the activity of Statistics Portugal is ruled by Law of the National Statistical System, Law no. 22/2008, (Official Journal (OJ) no 92 1st Series, of 13th May 2008), that defines the general basis of the National Statistical System. The Decree-Law no. 136/2012, (OJ no 126 1st Series, of 2nd July 2012) defines the organic structure of Statistics Portugal. Portaria no. 423/2012, (D.R. nº 251 – 1ª Série, de 2012-12-28), amended by Portaria no. 120/2014 (D.R. nº 110 – 1ª Série, de 2014-06-09) and by Portaria no. 68/2019, de 25 de fevereiro (DR nº 39 - 1ª Série, de 2019-02-25) – Approval of the Statutory Laws of Statistics Portugal, defining its internal organization. Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Directive 95/46/EC General Data Protection Regulation). Corrigendum to Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Directive 95/46/EC (General Data Protection Regulation). The Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Decree-Law no. 126-A/2011 (OJ no 249 1st Series, of 29th December 2011), that approves the Organic Law of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers.

Statistics Portugal makes available all non-confidential and sufficiently reliable data on its dissemination website, available at www.ine.pt.

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.

At national level : 

The Statistical Confidentiality Policy of Statistics Portugal is based on the Constitution of the Portuguese Republic, Law 22/2008 of 13 May, which establishes the principles, rules, and structure of the National Statistical System, and in particular the Principle of Statistical Confidentiality (Article 6), Regulation 223/2009 of 11 March (Article 20 et seq.), as amended by Regulation 2015/759 of 29 April 2015, establishing the legal framework for the development, production, and dissemination of European statistics and Regulation (EU) 557/2013, of 17 June 2013, as regards access to confidential data for scientific purposes. Breaking the statistical confidentiality is punishable both disciplinary and criminally in accordance with item 32 of the referred law.

It is also governed by the principles agreed between the EU Member States and inscribed in the European Statistics Code of Conduct (2nd revision/2017), in particular, Principle 5 on Statistical Confidentiality and, more broadly, the Fundamental Principles of Statistics Officials, established by the United Nations Statistical Commission in 1994 and approved by the United Nations General Assembly in January 2014 (Principle 6). Regarding the processing of personal data, the exercise of statistical activity also complies with Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016, in its current wording, laying down rules for the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and to the free movement of such data and other applicable legislation in this matter. Please consult the Statistics Portugal's website for more information.

Data are transmitted via eDamis (encrypted) and delivered to a secure environment where they are treated. Flags are added for confidentiality in case results must not be disclosed.

At national level : 

Data are transmitted via eDamis (encrypted) and delivered to a secure environment where they are treated. National Statistical Institutes are requested to add flags for confidentiality in case results must not be disclosed.

The national release calendar for the statistical outputs (final national data) for 2023 survey on ICT usage and e-commerce in enterprises is 21 November 2023.

Access to the release calendar is granted in the Statistics Portugal's website.

In line with the Community legal framework and the European Statistics Code of Practice Statistics Portugal disseminates ICT usage and e-commerce data on its website respecting professional independence and in an objective, professional and transparent manner in which all users are treated equitably.

The Dissemination policy of Statistics Portugal lays down the fundamental principles governing the dissemination of official statistics, directly or indirectly produced under its responsibility. It should have as main reference the applicable principles of the National Statistical System: technical independence, statistical confidentiality, quality, and accessibility.

Annual

Is planned a "press release" with results of the survey on ICT usage and e-commerce in enterprises 2023, which will be available online on the Statistics Portugal Portal on 21nd November 2023.

Link: https://www.ine.pt/xportal/xmain?xpid=INE&xpgid=ine_destaques&xlang=en

Link to the 2023 survey on ICT usage and e-commerce in enterprises press release: 

https://www.ine.pt/xportal/xmain?xpid=INE&xpgid=ine_destaques&DESTAQUESdest_boui=594927232&DESTAQUESmodo=2

No publication is foreseen, only a press release with results of the survey on ICT usage and e-commerce in enterprises 2023.

See detailed section 10.3.1.

Results for selected variables collected in the framework of this survey are available for all participating countries on Digital economy and society of Eurostat website.

At national level :

The main indicators with the results of the survey on ICT usage and e-commerce in enterprises 2023 will be available on the Statistics Portugal Portal on product "Database", in the theme "Research and  development" and sub-theme "Information society".

Link: https://www.ine.pt/xportal/xmain?xpid=INE&xpgid=ine_base_dados&contexto=bd&selTab=tab2

In the field of ICT usage and e-commerce in enterprises, researchers can access anonymised microdata in a way that does not allow the identification of the company.
The academic community has special statistical requirements, notably for carrying out research work and preparing Masters and Doctoral theses.
In this context, Statistics Portugal has established a Protocol with the Ministry of Education and Science ("PT version only"), with a view to making it easier for researchers to access the statistics they need to carry out their activity.
For that purpose, the Direção Geral de Estatísticas da Educação e Ciência ("PT version only", Directorate-General for Education and Science Statistics, the Ministry’s former Planning, Strategy, Assessment and International Relations Office, DGEEC) gives interested parties prior accreditation, and also provides them with all the necessary information.
For each scientific research project, an application for accreditation must be made to DGEEC, which must include the following documents:
- Accreditation application form (only in portuguese): pdf
- Statement of commitment (only in portuguese): pdf
Before applying for credentials, consult the databases accessible under this protocol. The accreditation of researchers is only made for access to the databases available under this project. Free access to statistical micro-databases for research purposes is only possible for accredited researchers, in accordance with the Protocol established with the Statistics Portugal.

Internet address: www.ine.pt

Users can submit specific requests for data from the Statistics Portugal website.

Not requested

See detailed section 10.6.1.

Not requested

The unit responsible for the production of ICT usage and e-commerce data document all the work process and procedure for internal purposes. For more information about quality in statistics please consult the Statistics Portugal's website.

The European businesses statistics compliers’ manual for ICT usage and e-commerce in enterprises provides guidelines and standards for the implementation of the surveys. It is updated every year according to the changed contents of the model questionnaires.

At national level :

The Methodological Manual provides guidelines and standards for the implementation of the surveys in the Member States. It is updated every year according to the changed contents of the model questionnaires.

Statistics Portugal (SP) is the main authority for the production and dissemination of official statistics in Portugal and its work is steered by the underlying principles of its mission, vision and values, which are known to the public and are quality-oriented. What concerns the legal framework quality in statistics is defined by the Portuguese Statistical System Law, article 7 (Lei no. 22/2008, artigo 7º) and the Regulation (EC) no. 223/2009, (amended by the European Regulation 2015/759), at national and European levels respectively. SP is part of the European Statistical System (ESS) and has adopted the European Statistics Code of Practice – the Code – as firm guidance for the success of its mission. Since its last revision (november 2017), the Code comprises the Quality Declaration of the European Statistical System, 16 Principles and 84 indicators of best practices and standards for each of the Principles, defining the European benchmarks for the statistical activity, covering the institutional environment, statistical processes and statistical outputs. Please consult the Statistics Portugal's website for more information.

ICT enterprise data validation (path validations and consistency validations) is performed in the various stages of the information processing process, to identify registration faults and possible inconsistencies in the values of some variables. For all the questionnaires, the following procedures are performed: In the registration phase, the electronic form includes validations that allow verifying the consistency of the information (it may be necessary to contact the enterprise if incoherence is found). Inconsistencies of the "Error" type must be resolved before the registration is accepted. After the data registration is completed, the information is analysed and processed, namely the analysis of the consistency of the year's data, comparison of values with the previous year, and with the Business register for quality control. The collection management application allows the execution of warning error maps.

European level :

At European level, the recommended use of the annual Eurostat model questionnaire aims at improving comparability of the results among the countries that conduct the survey on ICT usage and e-commerce in enterprises. Moreover, the Methodological Manual provides guidelines and clarifications for the implementation of the surveys.

National level :

When applying the Survey on ICT usage and e-commerce in enterprises, Statistics Portugal follows the methodological manual and model questionnaire as established by Eurostat.

European level : 

At European level, European Commission users (e.g. DG CNECT, DG GROW, DG JUST, DG REGIO, DG JRC) are the principal users of the data on ICT usage and e-commerce in enterprises and contribute in identifying/defining the topics to be covered. Hence, main users are consulted regularly (at hearings, task forces, ad hoc meetings) for their needs and are involved in the process of the development of the model questionnaires at a very early stage.

User needs are considered throughout the whole discussion process of the model questionnaires aiming at providing relevant statistical data for monitoring and benchmarking of European policies.

National level :

At national level, the indicators based on the Survey on ICT usage and e-commerce in enterprises are largely used by DGAE - Directorate-General for Economic Activities, within the DESI working group, ANACOM - National Communications Authority, which regulates and supervises the electronic and postal communications in Portugal, and the Portuguese National Cybersecurity Centre (CNCS), that as the mission of contributing to a free, reliable and secure use of cyberspace of national interest, and acts as operational coordinator and national authority in matters of cybersecurity for State entities, operators of national critical infrastructures, operators of essential services, and digital service providers.

European level : 

At European level, contacts within the Commission, the OECD and other stakeholders give a clear picture about the key users' satisfaction as to the following data quality aspects: accuracy and reliability of results, timeliness, satisfactory accessibility, clarity and comparability over time and between countries, completeness and relevance. Overall users have evaluated positively (good, very good) the data quality on the ICT usage and e-commerce in enterprises.

National level :

No formal user satisfaction assessments are done.

Detailed information is available in “ Annex I _ Completeness “ excel file - related to questionnaire, coverage, additional questions.

Not requested. 

Comments on reliability and representativeness of results and completeness of dataset

These comments reflect overall standard errors reported for the indicators and breakdowns in section 13.2.1 (Sampling error - indicators) and the rest of the breakdowns for national and European aggregates, as well as other accuracy measurements. The estimated standard error should not exceed 2pp for the overall proportions and should not exceed 5pp for the proportions related to the different subgroups of the population (for those NACE aggregates for the calculation and dissemination of national aggregates). If problems were found, these could have implications for future surveys (e.g. need to improve sampling design, to increase sample sizes, to increase the response rates).

More detailed information is available in “ Annex II. _ Accuracy “ excel file - related to European aggregates, comments on reliability and use of flag.

For calculation of the standard error see 13.2.1.1.

Standard error (for selected indicators and breakdowns)

Precision measures related to variability due to sampling, unit non-response (the size of the subset of respondents is smaller than the size of the original sample) and other (imputation for item non-response, calibration etc.) are not (yet) required from the Member states for all indicators.  Eurostat will make basic assumptions to compute these measures for all indicators produced (e.g. stratified random sampling assuming as strata the crossing of the variables “Number of employees and self-employed persons” and “Economic Activity” as it was defined in the 3 tables of section 18.1).

More detailed information is available in“ Sample and standard error tables 2023 “ excel file – worksheets starting with “Standard error".

Calculation of the standard error

Various methods can be used for the calculation of the standard error for an estimated proportion. The aim is to incorporate into the standard error the sampling variability but also variability due to unit non-response, item non-response (imputation), calibration etc. In case of census / take-all strata, the aim is to calculate the standard errors comprising the variability due to unit non-response and item non-response.

See detailed sections below.

See concept 18.1.1. A) Description of  frame population.

For enterprise with 0 to 9 employees and self-employed persons 1% and also 1% for enterprise with 10 or more employees and self-employed persons.

Not requested

No measurement errors detected.

See detailed sections below.

See detailed sub-concepts below.

The following table contains the number of units (i.e. enterprises), by type of response to the survey and by the percentage of these values in relation to the gross sample size.

Several reminders via e-mail and letters are sent to the enterprise that does not respond.

The unit non-response adjustment is done by re-weighting. When computing estimates, the sampling weights are recalculated as a relation between the totals in the sampling frame and the number of responses in each stratum. The imputation for the stratification variable turnover is done using administrative information.

Not applicable.

Other comments relating to the item non-response

No processing errors were detected.

Not requested

See detailed section below.

Not applicable

European level : 

Data are to be delivered to Eurostat in the fourth quarter of the reference year (due date for the finalised dataset is 5th October). European results are released before the end of the survey year or in the beginning of the year following the survey year (T=reference year, T+0 for indicators referring to the current year, T+12 months for other indicators referring to the previous year e.g. e-commerce).

At national level : 

Data are to be delivered to Eurostat in the fourth quarter of the reference year (due date for the finalised dataset is 5th October). Results are released before the end of the survey year in november (T=reference year, T+0 for indicators referring to the current year, T+10 months for other indicators referring to the previous year e.g. e-commerce).

 See detailed section below.

The data was send to Eurostat (via EDAMIS) on 2th of October 2023.

The model questionnaire is generally used by the countries that conduct the survey on ICT usage and e-commerce in enterprises. Due to (small) differences in translation, in the used survey vehicle, in non-response treatment or different routing through the questionnaire, some results for some countries may be of reduced comparability. In these cases, notes are added in the data.

Detailed information on differences in the wording of the questions in the national questionnaires is available in “ Annex I _ Completeness “ excel file - related to questionnaire, coverage, additional questions.

Not applicable

See section below.

The length of comparable time series depends on the module and the variable considered within each survey module. Additional information is available in annexes attached to the European metadata.

The length of comparable time series depends on the module and the variable considered within each survey module.

Not applicable

 Not applicable

Not applicable

Not applicable

Revision policy of ICT usage and e-commerce data is done in accordance with general revision policy in order to ensure transparency, which must underline the production and dissemination of official statistics. More information can be found in the revisions policy publication, published in the Statistics Portugal's website.
The document on the revisions policy set out by Statistics Portugal, hereby presented, seeks to clarify the key factors of a revision, the typology of revision that may occur and the dimensions governing a revision’s analysis. It also explains the General and Operational Principles of the revisions policy that Statistics Portugal will consolidate in the future.

Link Revisions policy: https://www.ine.pt/xportal/xmain?xpid=INE&xpgid=ine_inst_politrevisao&xlang=en

Download document: https://www.ine.pt/ngt_server/attachfileu.jsp?look_parentBoui=70086429&att_display=n&att_download=y

See detailed section 17.1.

 Not requested

A) Frame population description and distribution

For more information see concept 18.1.1.

B) Sampling design - Sampling method

The target population is the set of enterprises located in Portugal with main economic activity classified in NACE-Rev.2 Sections C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, L, M, N and S. The sampling frame is based on the reference population for structural business statistics (SBS), which will be updated on December of 2022, and in accordance to model questionnaire recommendations regarding economic activity, enterprise size and geographic scope. 

C) Gross sample distribution

More detailed information is available in “ Sample and standard error tables 2023  “ excel file (Worksheet: GROSS SAMPLE)

D) Net sample distribution

More detailed information is available in “ Sample and standard error tables 2023  “ excel file (Worksheet: NET SAMPLE)

A) Description of frame population

 B) Frame population distribution

More detailed information is available in “ Sample and standard error tables 2023  “ excel file (Worksheet: FRAME POPULATION)

Annual

See detailed sections below.

The national survey combines two modes of data collection: web survey and postal.

Statistics Portugal is able to contact and if it is the case, data from statistical units can be revised. In order to compile the ICT usage and e-commerce data, Statistics Portugal has implemented:
-completeness checks (data integrity rules);
-validity checks (internal consistency);
-plausibility checks.
Statistics Portugal uses the server based version of SDMX validation program provided by Eurostat for validation.

Grossing-up procedures

Grossing-up procedures
Three different weights are used in grossing-up:
- a weight based on the number of enterprises;
- a weight based on turnover;
- a weight based on persons employed.
In general results will be weighted by the number of enterprises, except in the case of percentages regarding turnover for e-commerce where the turnover based weight will be used, and in the case of variables related to persons employed where the employment based weight will be used.

See sections 13.3.3.1 and 13.3.3.2 for unit and item non-response, respectively.

Not applicable

Not applicable

Problems encountered and lessons to be learnt: