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.
General Subdirectorate of Statistics of Economic Sectors
1.3. Contact name
Confidential because of GDPR
1.4. Contact person function
Confidential because of GDPR
1.5. Contact mail address
Avenida de Manoteras 50-52
28050 Madrid - Spain
1.6. Contact email address
Confidential because of GDPR
1.7. Contact phone number
Confidential because of GDPR
1.8. Contact fax number
Confidential because of GDPR
2.1. Metadata last certified
17 July 2025
2.2. Metadata last posted
17 July 2025
2.3. Metadata last update
17 July 2025
3.1. Data description
The Annual Industrial Products Survey provides detailed structural information on the industrial production carried out in the economic territory of Spain.
The main objectives of the survey are the following:
To have access to complete and recent information on the different products in the industrial sector, providing results with a level of detail that makes it possible to study a broad selection of products, to analyze their markets and to study the evolution of their chronological series.
To present information that is fully integratable with that corresponding to the data for foreign trade.
To provide information integrated with the rest of the European Community countries, thanks to the application of common methodologies, with facilitates provision of useful, reliable, quick and detailed information for the management of the European Community market.
To disseminate the annual industrial production information in the least possible time, approximately half a year after the end of the data reference year.
For reference year 2023, the Prodcom survey is based on the Prodcom list, consisting of about 4044 products. The 8-digit codes used in the List are based on the 6-digit CPA headings and hence the 4-digit NACE. From 2008 onwards the Prodcom code is linked to CPA 2008 and NACE Rev. 2.
In Spain each heading of the Prodcom list has a 10-digit code for national purposes. The first 8 digits coincide with the 8-digit code from Eurostat.
The Prodcom codes normally relate to one or more Combined Nomenclature headings, thus enabling external trade data to be related to production data.
3.3. Coverage - sector
For reference years before 2021, the survey target population consisted of all industrial establishments belonging to legal units with twenty or more employed persons, irrespective of whether or not the main activity of the legal unit to which it belonged was industrial. The aim was to cover a significant percentage of the industrial sector (sections B-C-D) production in accordance with the National Classification of Economic Activities (CNAE-09), with the exception of: Extraction of anthracite, coal and lignite; extraction of crude petroleum and natural gas; extraction of uranium and thorium ores; extraction of peat; mining and quarrying support activities; processing of nuclear fuels; transport, distribution and trade of electrical energy and distribution and trade of gas by pipelines. In some sectors in which the production of establishments of companies with twenty or more employed persons was not representative of the total, establishments of companies with fewer than 20 employed persons were also included. Data for products of Materials recovery were provided for the corresponding years.
For reference year 2021 and onwards, the survey target population consists of all industrial establishments, irrespective of whether or not the main activity of the legal unit to which it belongs is industrial. The production of sections B-C-D is covered 100%, as well as the class E3832, in accordance with the National Classification of Economic Activities(CNAE-09), with the exception of: Extraction of anthracite, coal and lignite; extraction of crude petroleum and natural gas; extraction of uranium and thorium ores; extraction of peat; mining and quarrying support activities; processing of nuclear fuels; transport, distribution and trade of electrical energy and distribution and trade of gas by pipelines. Data for products of Materials recovery are provided.
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
The purpose of the statistics is to report detailed information of the production in Spain, during the reference period, of each product in the Prodcom List. The Prodcom List defines the products to be included in the survey. There are approximately 4.044 headings representing manufactured products and some industrial services. Each PRODCOM code has a ‘Description’, a ‘Volume Physical unit’ (except services and codes covering products of diversified physical features), a ‘Production type’ and occasionally a ‘Reference to Notes’. The ‘Volume Physical unit’ indicates the measurement unit for this heading and the ‘Production type’ indicates the concept of production.
For reference periods before 2021, the survey covered the physical volume of production and the value and volume of production sold during the survey period. The Sold Production reported the value or the volume of production sold, i.e. excluding any production that the enterprise needed for further processing. The Total Production referred to the total volume of production, whether it was sold or used by the enterprise for further processing. The heading type indicated the combination of production types that were required for the heading.
For reference period 2021 and onwards, the current survey collects PRODCOM data on the physical volume and the value for Sold Production and Production under Sub-contracted Operations. The Actual Production refers to the actual volume of production, whether it is sold or used by the enterprise for further processing. The production under sub-contracted operations is completely separated from the production carried out on own account. The heading type indicates the combination of production types that are required for the heading. Only production carried out within the economic territory of Spain is collected. The production on own account and the production under sub-contracted operations are collected separately for each product. The distinction between the production on own account and the production under sub-contracted is basically based on the criterion specified by the CPA guidelines. Production under sub-contracted operations is collected from the subcontractor. Production carried out on own account is collected from the producer.
The actual production is calculated by summing up all production carried out during the reference period and within the economic territory of Spain whether produced on own account or under sub-contracted operations.
According to the requirements in the EBS General Implementing Act, the following three variables for industrial production are specified:
Variable 251001 (Sold production): national currency (thousands) and (except for industrial services) quantity as defined in the PRODCOM List in force at the end of the reference period.
Variable 251002 (Production under sub-contracted operations): (except for industrial services) national currency (thousands) and quantity as defined in the PRODCOM List in force at the end of the reference period.
Variable 251003 (Actual production): quantity as defined in the PRODCOM List in force at the end of the reference period.
3.5. Statistical unit
The observation unit is the establishment. Establishment is the productive unit located in a topographically marked place (workshop, mine, factory, etc.), from which economic activities are carried out by one or more persons from the same company. The establishment is the observation unit chosen from the frame and to which the questionnaire data is to refer.
The reporting unit is the legal unit.
3.6. Statistical population
For reference years before 2021, the survey target population consisted of all industrial establishments belonging to companies with twenty or more employed persons, irrespective of whether or not the main activity of the company to which it belonged was industrial. The aim was to cover a significant percentage of production in the different industrial sectors investigated by the survey. In specific sectors in which the production of establishments of companies with twenty or more employed persons was not representative of the total, establishments of companies with fewer than 20 employed persons were also included.
For reference year 2021 and onwards, the survey target population consists of all industrial establishments, irrespective of whether or not the main activity of the legal unit to which it belongs is industrial.
In the survey referred to 2024 there were 39,122 establishments belonging to 33,014 enterprises.
3.7. Reference area
For reference years before 2021, the survey was carried out in the whole country, except the cities of Ceuta and Melilla.
For reference year 2021 and onwards, the survey is carried out in the whole country.
3.8. Coverage - Time
The survey results are available from the year 1993 (first reference year for the data).
The data referring to years 1993 to 2007 inclusive is provided in accordance with the National Classification of Economic Activities of 1993 (CNAE-93).
The data referring to years 2008 onwards is provided in accordance with the National Classification of Economic Activities of 2009 (CNAE-09).
In the reference year 2021, come into force the Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 November 2019 and the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197 of 30 July 2020. Highlight the following methodological changes carried out:
The production on own account and the production under sub-contracted operations are collected separately for each product.
Only production carried out within the economic territory of Spain is collected.
The sampling design has been modified. For reference years before 2021, the survey was designed by the cut-off procedure. For reference year 2021 and onwards, the survey is fundamentally based on probabilistic methods, covering the 100% of the production of sections B-C-D.
The cities of Ceuta and Melilla are included in the reference area of the survey, covering the survey the whole country.
For the reference year 2021, data under the old and new methodology were disseminated.
3.9. Base period
Not applicable.
Quantity data for each product are expressed in the physical units indicated in the PRODCOM list (kilograms, liters, square meters, pairs, units, etc.).
Monetary data are expressed in thousands of Euros.
The information requested refers to the industrial activity carried out during the calendar year.
Establishments operating on a seasonal basis entailing two different years may have their data refer to the season ending in the survey reference year.
This metadata file is referred to the year 2024.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
The compilation and dissemination of the data are governed by the Statistical Law No. 12/1989 "Public Statistical Function" of May 9, 1989, and Law No. 4/1990 of June 29 on “National Budget of State for the year 1990" amended by Law No. 13/1996 "Fiscal, administrative and social measures" of December 30, 1996, makes compulsory all statistics included in the National Statistics Plan. The National Statistical Plan 2009-2012 was approved by the Royal Decree 1663/2008. It contains the statistics that must be developed in the four year period by the State General Administration's services or any other entity dependent on it. All statistics included in the National Statistics Plan are statistics for state purposes and are obligatory. The National Statistics Plan 2021-2024, approved by Royal Decree 1110/2020, of 15 December, is the Plan currently implemented. This statistical operation has governmental purposes, and it is included in the National Statistics Plan 2021-2024. (Statistics of the State Administration).
For reference year 2021 and onwards, the survey base is the Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 November 2019 and the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197 of 30 July 2020.
In relation to the EBS regulation requirements, for reference year 2021 and onwards, the following acts are parts of the legal context:
The Spanish version of these rules can be found at this website.
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
The exchanges of information needed to elaborate statistics between the INE and the rest of the State statistical offices (Ministerial Departments, independent bodies and administrative bodies depending on the State General Administration), or between these offices and the Autonomic statistical offices, are regulated in the LFEP (Law of the Public Statistic Function). This law also regulates the mechanisms of statistical coordination, and concludes cooperation agreements between the different offices when necessary (Statistics of the State Administration).
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
The Statistical Law No. 12/1989 (Statistics of the State Administration) specifies that the INE cannot publish, or make otherwise available, individual data or statistics that would enable the identification of data for any individual person or entity. Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 on European statistics 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
INE provides information on the protection of confidentiality at all stages of the statistical process: INE questionnaires for the operations in the national statistical plan include a legal clause protecting data under statistical confidentiality. Notices prior to data collection announcing a statistical operation notify respondents that data are subject to statistical confidentiality at all stages. For data processing, INE employees have available the INE data protection handbook, which specifies the steps that should be taken at each stage of processing to ensure reporting units' individual data are protected. The microdata files provided to users are anonymised.
Spain does not provide data for those products in which there are not a minimum number of respondents.
Considering the next figures of series for reference 2023: PROD_SELL_VAL, PROD_SELL_QNT, APROD_QNT, PROD_OP_SC_VAL, PROD_OP_SC_QNT, TPROD_SELL_VAL, TPROD_SELL_QNT, and the cells marked as confidential for these figures, the percentage of data that is confidential is 14.6%.
8.1. Release calendar
The advance release calendar that shows the precise release dates for the coming year is disseminated in the last quarter of each year.
In the particular case of the Prodcom survey the deadline for Member States to transmit data to Eurostat is 30 June of the reference year + 1.
8.2. Release calendar access
The calendar is disseminated on the INEs Internet website (Publications Calendar).
8.3. Release policy - user access
The data are released simultaneously according to the advance release calendar to all interested parties by issuing the press release. At the same time, the data are posted on the INE's Internet website almost immediately after the press release is issued. Also some predefined tailor-made requests are sent to registered users. Some users could receive partial information under embargo as it is publicly described in the European Statistics Code of Practice.
The dissemination frequency of the survey is annual.
10.1. Dissemination format - News release
The results of the statistical operations are normally disseminated by using press releases that can be accessed via both the corresponding menu and the Press Releases Section in the web.
10.2. Dissemination format - Publications
The survey results are disseminated via the INE WEBSITE. On it the following publications can be found:
Press release, where the most significant data are highlighted.
Data of production on own account at national level by product.
Data of production on own account by activity division and by Autonomous Communities and Cities.
Sampling errors.
Survey Methodology.
PRODCOM List.
Correspondence between the PRODCOM 2007 and 2008 codes, which allows linking, where it is possible, between products classified in accordance with CNAE-93 and CNAE-09.
Data for the reference 2021 under the old and new methodology.
Data from reference 1993 to 2024.
Monography Industry Overview.
All these publications may be referred to via this website.
10.3. Dissemination format - online database
INEbase is the system the INE uses to store statistical information on the Internet. It contains all the information the INE produces in electronic formats. The primary organization of the information follows the theme-based classification of the Inventory of Statistical Operations of the State General Administration. The basic unit of INEbase is the statistical operation, defined as the set of activities that lead to obtaining statistical results on a determined sector or topic using data collected individually
For this statistical operation, anonymised data files are not provided.
10.5. Dissemination format - other
There is the possibility of requesting, via the User Services Area of the INE, specific made-to-order operations carried out taking into account the conditions of data confidentiality.
There is no documentation regarding quality for this statistical operation in particular, but the later fields in this form (11 to 18) constitute a quality report for the user-oriented operation.
11.1. Quality assurance
Quality assurance framework for the INE statistics is based on the ESSCoP, the European Statistics Code of Practice made by EUROSTAT (European Statistics Code of Practice). The ESSCoP is made up of 15 principles, gathered in three areas: Institutional Environment, Processes and Products. Each principle is associated with some indicators which make possible to measure it. In order to evaluate quality, EUROSTAT provides different tools: the indicators mentioned above, Self-assessment based on the DESAP model, peer review, user satisfaction surveys and other proceedings for evaluation.
The Industrial Products Survey also has in place a preparation process designed to guarantee quality, both of information received and of results obtained from this.
There are validation checks in the electronic questionnaire that make it possible to rectify errors by the actual respondents, a filtering process in the collection units and a check from the preparation process virtually parallel to information collection making it possible to lighten the deadlines for correction of possible errors, to mitigate the burden on respondents by reducing the number of contacts to be made, and to guarantee the quality of the statistics.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
This survey is conducted following the quality criteria contained in the European Statistics Code of Practice.
The following may be cited as being among the main strengths of this survey:
Rapid collection, analysis and publication of the results, such that publication of the latter is carried out within 6 months of the end of the reference period.
Since it is an ongoing survey, carried out since 1993, data may be comprehensively monitored, such that possible inconsistencies therein may be detected.
Data is checked; by comparing it with that obtained by other surveys related to industrial activity (Structural Business Statistics, Industrial Production Index, Industrial Price Index and Industrial Turnover Index)
In recent years an effort has been made to collect questionnaires online. In the survey referred to 2024 the 96.7% of the questionnaires were received in that way.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
Survey users include:
Ministries and other public bodies.
Territorial Departments (Autonomous Communities).
International institutions (EUROSTAT, UN, FAO, etc.).
Companies and business institutions.
Researchers and universities.
Individuals.
Each user has different needs in accordance with the destination and usefulness of the information that they need, which in many cases leads to the performing of made-to-measure operations.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
The INE has carried out general user satisfaction surveys in 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016 and 2019, and it plans to continue doing so every three years. The purpose of these surveys is to find out what users think about the quality of the information of the INE statistics and the extent to which their needs of information are covered. In addition, additional surveys are carried out in order to acknowledge better other fields such as dissemination of the information, quality of some publications...
On the INE website are available surveys conducted to date in its section Methods and Projects / Quality and Code of Practice / INE quality management / User surveys.
In the user satisfaction survey conducted in 2019, which can be consulted on the website of INE in the category of Quality / Quality Management / System evaluation and quality monitoring / User surveys, you can see the value of the sector "Industry" where is framed this statistical operation, which can provide guidance on the feedback from users on it.
The specific needs of users are taken into account so long as methodology revisions are made to the survey, for the purpose of adapting the content thereof to those specific requirements of the users improving their degree of satisfaction
The demand for tailored information is often referred to a territorial disaggregation of the published data.
12.3. Completeness
The Prodcom survey is subject to Community regulations. Specifically, for reference years before 2021, the survey base was the European Union Council Regulation (EEC) no. 3924/91 regarding the establishment of a European Community survey for industrial production (Prodcom Regulation). The legal base was supplemented by the European Commission Regulation (EC) no. 912/2004 regarding execution of the European Council Regulation.
For reference year 2021 and onwards, the survey base is the Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 November 2019 and the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197 of 30 July 2020.
The requirements contained in said regulations are 100% satisfied. R1 = 100%
13.1. Accuracy - overall
The survey is designed to obtain a high degree of reliability and accuracy in the data obtained.
The different processes that the survey undergoes, from its design through to obtaining end results (coverage, collection, error filtering, imputation of the lack of response, etc.), are aimed at obtaining the highest degree of statistical reliability.
13.2. Sampling error
For reference years before 2021, the survey was designed by the cut-off procedure. Since it was not based on probabilistic methods, sampling errors were not calculated.
For reference year 2021 and onwards, the survey is fundamentally based on probabilistic methods and sampling errors are calculated.
For reference year 2024, the sampling error of the total production value is around 0.12%.
For reference year 2024, the products with a CV higher than 35% are considered as unreliable. The data for C.V. for this year is classified as:
2711 products with CV belonging to the interval (0%, 4.99%)
245 products with CV belonging to the interval (5%, 9.99%)
91 products with CV belonging to the interval (10%, 14.99%)
105 products with CV belonging to the interval (15%, 24.99%)
57 products with CV belonging to the interval (25%, 34.99%)
79 products with CV higher or equal to 35%
13.3. Non-sampling error
The main types of non-sampling errors are: Coverage errors, measurement errors, processing errors and non-response errors.
Coverage errors
The over-coverage rate for the survey referring to 2024 was: A2=6.94%
In relation to the under-coverage indicator, the survey population is based on the Business Register database, without exclusions of units according to auxiliary criteria as enterprise size, for example. Because of this, we can estimate the indicicator as 0%.
Regarding to multiple listings, no units are present more than once in the frame. An identity number relating to the name and address of the unit characterizes each one univocally.
Measurement errors
The main reason that a measurement error can occur is due to the existence of erroneous information on the products produced by an industrial establishment. The legal units are not using the Prodcom List for their own needs and it could be hard for them to update its internal registries in order to report according to Prodcom demands. More precisely, a measurement error by the respondent may concern:
wrong industrial product codes;
wrong measurement unit or reporting a volume unit inconsistent with the Prodcom list;
wrong conversion from one measurement unit to another;
which heading type has to be reported;
To minimize the measurement errors are used customized questionnaires by pre-printing Prodcom codes as far as possible. Questionnaires are tailored to individual businesses where possible, so that they are only asked for products that we know they produce, or have produced previously.
In the last years Spain has developed electronic questionnaires. In the 2024 survey the 96.7% of the responses was received that way.
Also, particular attention is paid to providing the respondent with professional guidance and keeping a close contact with them.
Processing errors
Processing errors occur during the process from the point when data are collected to the point when they are ready to be analyzed: coding data entry, data editing, imputation, and so on.
Summarizing, a lot of micro and macro plausibility checks are performed at different aggregation levels, between historical data and actual data, and with other sources (i.e. business surveys, STS and SBS especially). These operations are highly interconnected and interdependent and could be grouped as follow:
Logical checks;
Checking coherence at a single product (PRODCOM heading) level by comparing the value of different indicators ( mean value, minimum/maximum value, median value) for a given variable;
Checking coherence between different variables at different aggregates level (observational unit, observational unit and product, product, and so on);
Checking coherence within monthly/annual data;
Checking coherence with external sources (STS data, SBS data).
In addition, there are cases where some micro data (e.g. sensitive units and/or products) are individually checked by the statisticians on the basis of their experience and information about the individual unit and the economic branch concerned.
The imputation rate for the survey referring to 2024 was: A7=5.96%
Non-response errors
Non-response results from a failure to collect complete information on all units in the selected sample except non-eligible units (i.e. dead units, out-of-scope units and non-contacts). There are two types of non-response. Firstly, a sampled unit that is contacted may fail to respond; this is called "unit non-response". Secondly, the sampled unit may respond incompletely to the questionnaire; this is called "item non-response".
The unit non-response rate for the survey referring to 2024 was: A4=7.02%. (Unweighted response rate)
The item non-response rate for the survey referring to 2024 was: A5=0.00%
14.1. Timeliness
The survey is published within 6 months after the end of the reference period (calendar year). Thus, the survey referring to 2024 was published on 25 June 2025, in compliance with European regulations.
14.2. Punctuality
The results of the survey are published in accordance with the INE structural press release calendar established at the beginning of each year.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
The survey design allows comparability of data on an Autonomous Community level.
On a European level, compliance with the PRODCOM regulation allows comparability with the remainder of the countries, since the survey is carried out in a uniform way in all of them.
15.2. Comparability - over time
The Industrial Products Survey was first created with reference to year 1993 and its results are comparable in time, except for products that have undergone some change during that period, new products incorporated over the years and those that have ceased to be manufactured.
It should be borne in mind, however, that in 2008 there was a logical break in the series, as a result of the coming into force of the new National Classification of Economic Activities (CNAE-09), whereby the data for the 2 data series is as follows
1993 - 2007 with products classified in accordance with CNAE-93 (NACE Rev 1.1)
2008 onwards with products classified in accordance with the CNAE -09 (NACE Rev 2)
No backcasting has been done to link both series. Nonetheless, equivalences have been published between the codes for 2007 and 2008 in which those products are shown whose equivalence between the 2 classifications is unmistakable.
In the reference year 2021 there is another break in the series, due to the entry into force of the the Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 November 2019 and the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197 of 30 July 2020. Highlight the following methodological changes carried out:
The production on own account and the production under sub-contracted operations are collected separately for each product.
Only production carried out within the economic territory of Spain is collected.
The sampling design has been modified. For reference years before 2021, the survey was designed by the cut-off procedure. For reference year 2021 and onwards, the survey is fundamentally based on probabilistic methods, covering the 100% of the production of sections B-C-D.
The cities of Ceuta and Melilla are included in the reference area of the survey, covering the survey the whole country.
For the reference year 2021, data under the old and new methodology are provided.
For the reference year 2024, length of comparable time series: CC2 = 4.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
The data provided by the survey are consistent with foreign trade statistics.
From a sector point of view, there is a high degree of consistency between production in large sectors (motor, chemical industry, etc.) and the results provided by the sectors.
There is also great consistency with other statistics in the industrial sector, compiled by the INE (Industrial Business Survey, Industrial Production Index, Industrial Price Index and Turnover Index).
15.4. Coherence - internal
Results have complete internal consistency, since it is a survey in which data used for obtaining this undergo the same process, analysis, validation and imputation.
The estimate of the budgetary credit necessary for financing this statistic, provided for in the 2025 annual program is 1,256.51 thousand euros.
The workload for industrial establishments from which information is requested has seen a decrease over recent years with the implementation of a system to allow respondents to answer online, which, in tandem with the possibility of using other means such as email, fax or telephone for responding, has reduced the time and effort that the respondent must set aside in order to complete the questionnaire.
For reference year 2021 and onwards, with the new sampling design, the sample size has approximately been reduced by 30%, that means a significant reduction in the respondents burden.
17.1. Data revision - policy
The INE of Spain has a policy which regulates the basic aspects of statistical data revision, seeking to ensure process transparency and product quality. This policy is laid out in the document approved by the INE board of directors on 13 March of 2015, which is available on the INE website, in the section "Methods and projects/Quality and Code of Practice/INE’s Quality management/INE’s Revision policy" (website).
This general policy sets the criteria that the different type of revisions should follow:
routine revision- it is the case of statistics whose production process includes regular revisions;
more extensive revision- when methodological or basic reference source changes take place;
and exceptional revision- for instance, when an error appears in a published statistic.
17.2. Data revision - practice
The calendar:
First data transmission
T+6
Final data revision
T+18
For planned and unplanned revisions, it is followed the revision policy of the National Statistics Institute of Spain (website).
The Annual Industrial Products Survey does not disseminate preview results. The final data revision is mainly carried out when it is detected an error in any of the surveyed establishments in the previous year "t" when it is published the year "t + 1".
18.1. Source data
Survey data are obtained from the questionnaires completed by industrial establishment.
The questions aim to obtain the necessary information in relation to the variables requested according to Regulation.
The survey’s target population is divided into three disjointed and complementary sub-frames:
Frame I is made up of all the legal units and their corresponding industrial establishments, which have contributed to the survey in recent years.
Frame II is made up of the rest of the industrial companies and their corresponding industrial establishments.
Frame III is made up of the rest of the industrial establishments of non-industrial companies.
The samples of each sub-frame are extracted independently.
Prior to stratification, the exhaustive units that will surely be part of the sample are selected for each frame according certain criteria (eg: Legal units with 50 or more employees).
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Data is collected annually (between the months of January and March in the year following the reference year).
18.3. Data collection
Respondent establishments send data online (96.7%); by regular post (questionnaires completed on paper), fax or email.
18.4. Data validation
In the online survey completion phase, an inconsistency detection system is used, such that the respondent may confirm the information provided.
The recording of questionnaires is carried out continuously by the same collection units establishing the necessary control to guarantee an appropriate quality level for the whole process. This facilitates controlling, already in this phase, the errors that may affect the data obtained from respondent units.
Once information is received, a coverage check thereof is carried out in order to guarantee completeness of the recorded data, to detect duplicates and coverage errors, at the same time being able to make a first assessment of the quality of the variables obtained from the questionnaires. This phase is carried out on every fortnightly file from recorded questionnaires, and it is performed prior to compilation of the complete survey file, and therefore at the beginning of the joint information treatment.
18.5. Data compilation
The information, which has been received and filtered in an initial phase by the collection units, is treated at the INE by means of a two-phase filtering procedure:
The first phase consists of micro-filtering phase in which validity of the data given by the establishments is checked, such that possible errors or omissions may be detected.
The second phase consists of aggregate data filtering or macro-filtering on a national level, in order to analyze consistency of the data for each product and its evolution over time.
18.6. Adjustment
No seasonal adjustments are made.
No comments.
The Annual Industrial Products Survey provides detailed structural information on the industrial production carried out in the economic territory of Spain.
The main objectives of the survey are the following:
To have access to complete and recent information on the different products in the industrial sector, providing results with a level of detail that makes it possible to study a broad selection of products, to analyze their markets and to study the evolution of their chronological series.
To present information that is fully integratable with that corresponding to the data for foreign trade.
To provide information integrated with the rest of the European Community countries, thanks to the application of common methodologies, with facilitates provision of useful, reliable, quick and detailed information for the management of the European Community market.
To disseminate the annual industrial production information in the least possible time, approximately half a year after the end of the data reference year.
17 July 2025
The purpose of the statistics is to report detailed information of the production in Spain, during the reference period, of each product in the Prodcom List. The Prodcom List defines the products to be included in the survey. There are approximately 4.044 headings representing manufactured products and some industrial services. Each PRODCOM code has a ‘Description’, a ‘Volume Physical unit’ (except services and codes covering products of diversified physical features), a ‘Production type’ and occasionally a ‘Reference to Notes’. The ‘Volume Physical unit’ indicates the measurement unit for this heading and the ‘Production type’ indicates the concept of production.
For reference periods before 2021, the survey covered the physical volume of production and the value and volume of production sold during the survey period. The Sold Production reported the value or the volume of production sold, i.e. excluding any production that the enterprise needed for further processing. The Total Production referred to the total volume of production, whether it was sold or used by the enterprise for further processing. The heading type indicated the combination of production types that were required for the heading.
For reference period 2021 and onwards, the current survey collects PRODCOM data on the physical volume and the value for Sold Production and Production under Sub-contracted Operations. The Actual Production refers to the actual volume of production, whether it is sold or used by the enterprise for further processing. The production under sub-contracted operations is completely separated from the production carried out on own account. The heading type indicates the combination of production types that are required for the heading. Only production carried out within the economic territory of Spain is collected. The production on own account and the production under sub-contracted operations are collected separately for each product. The distinction between the production on own account and the production under sub-contracted is basically based on the criterion specified by the CPA guidelines. Production under sub-contracted operations is collected from the subcontractor. Production carried out on own account is collected from the producer.
The actual production is calculated by summing up all production carried out during the reference period and within the economic territory of Spain whether produced on own account or under sub-contracted operations.
According to the requirements in the EBS General Implementing Act, the following three variables for industrial production are specified:
Variable 251001 (Sold production): national currency (thousands) and (except for industrial services) quantity as defined in the PRODCOM List in force at the end of the reference period.
Variable 251002 (Production under sub-contracted operations): (except for industrial services) national currency (thousands) and quantity as defined in the PRODCOM List in force at the end of the reference period.
Variable 251003 (Actual production): quantity as defined in the PRODCOM List in force at the end of the reference period.
The observation unit is the establishment. Establishment is the productive unit located in a topographically marked place (workshop, mine, factory, etc.), from which economic activities are carried out by one or more persons from the same company. The establishment is the observation unit chosen from the frame and to which the questionnaire data is to refer.
The reporting unit is the legal unit.
For reference years before 2021, the survey target population consisted of all industrial establishments belonging to companies with twenty or more employed persons, irrespective of whether or not the main activity of the company to which it belonged was industrial. The aim was to cover a significant percentage of production in the different industrial sectors investigated by the survey. In specific sectors in which the production of establishments of companies with twenty or more employed persons was not representative of the total, establishments of companies with fewer than 20 employed persons were also included.
For reference year 2021 and onwards, the survey target population consists of all industrial establishments, irrespective of whether or not the main activity of the legal unit to which it belongs is industrial.
In the survey referred to 2024 there were 39,122 establishments belonging to 33,014 enterprises.
For reference years before 2021, the survey was carried out in the whole country, except the cities of Ceuta and Melilla.
For reference year 2021 and onwards, the survey is carried out in the whole country.
The information requested refers to the industrial activity carried out during the calendar year.
Establishments operating on a seasonal basis entailing two different years may have their data refer to the season ending in the survey reference year.
This metadata file is referred to the year 2024.
The survey is designed to obtain a high degree of reliability and accuracy in the data obtained.
The different processes that the survey undergoes, from its design through to obtaining end results (coverage, collection, error filtering, imputation of the lack of response, etc.), are aimed at obtaining the highest degree of statistical reliability.
Quantity data for each product are expressed in the physical units indicated in the PRODCOM list (kilograms, liters, square meters, pairs, units, etc.).
Monetary data are expressed in thousands of Euros.
The information, which has been received and filtered in an initial phase by the collection units, is treated at the INE by means of a two-phase filtering procedure:
The first phase consists of micro-filtering phase in which validity of the data given by the establishments is checked, such that possible errors or omissions may be detected.
The second phase consists of aggregate data filtering or macro-filtering on a national level, in order to analyze consistency of the data for each product and its evolution over time.
Survey data are obtained from the questionnaires completed by industrial establishment.
The questions aim to obtain the necessary information in relation to the variables requested according to Regulation.
The survey’s target population is divided into three disjointed and complementary sub-frames:
Frame I is made up of all the legal units and their corresponding industrial establishments, which have contributed to the survey in recent years.
Frame II is made up of the rest of the industrial companies and their corresponding industrial establishments.
Frame III is made up of the rest of the industrial establishments of non-industrial companies.
The samples of each sub-frame are extracted independently.
Prior to stratification, the exhaustive units that will surely be part of the sample are selected for each frame according certain criteria (eg: Legal units with 50 or more employees).
The dissemination frequency of the survey is annual.
The survey is published within 6 months after the end of the reference period (calendar year). Thus, the survey referring to 2024 was published on 25 June 2025, in compliance with European regulations.
The survey design allows comparability of data on an Autonomous Community level.
On a European level, compliance with the PRODCOM regulation allows comparability with the remainder of the countries, since the survey is carried out in a uniform way in all of them.
The Industrial Products Survey was first created with reference to year 1993 and its results are comparable in time, except for products that have undergone some change during that period, new products incorporated over the years and those that have ceased to be manufactured.
It should be borne in mind, however, that in 2008 there was a logical break in the series, as a result of the coming into force of the new National Classification of Economic Activities (CNAE-09), whereby the data for the 2 data series is as follows
1993 - 2007 with products classified in accordance with CNAE-93 (NACE Rev 1.1)
2008 onwards with products classified in accordance with the CNAE -09 (NACE Rev 2)
No backcasting has been done to link both series. Nonetheless, equivalences have been published between the codes for 2007 and 2008 in which those products are shown whose equivalence between the 2 classifications is unmistakable.
In the reference year 2021 there is another break in the series, due to the entry into force of the the Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 November 2019 and the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197 of 30 July 2020. Highlight the following methodological changes carried out:
The production on own account and the production under sub-contracted operations are collected separately for each product.
Only production carried out within the economic territory of Spain is collected.
The sampling design has been modified. For reference years before 2021, the survey was designed by the cut-off procedure. For reference year 2021 and onwards, the survey is fundamentally based on probabilistic methods, covering the 100% of the production of sections B-C-D.
The cities of Ceuta and Melilla are included in the reference area of the survey, covering the survey the whole country.
For the reference year 2021, data under the old and new methodology are provided.
For the reference year 2024, length of comparable time series: CC2 = 4.
