Croatian Bureau of Statistics

Structural Business Statistics, Innovations, Science, Technologies and Investments Department

Structural Business Statistics Unit

Ilica 3

10 000 Zagreb

Croatia

Structural business statistics (SBS) describes the structure, conduct and performance of economic activities, down to the most detailed activity level (several hundred economic sectors). SBS covers all activities of the business economy with the exception of agricultural activities, public administration and (largely) non-market services such as education and health. Main characteristics (variables) of the SBS data category:

• "Business demographic" variables (e.g. Number of active enterprises)

• "Output related" variables (e.g. Net turnover, Value added)

• "Input related" variables: labour input (e.g. Number of employees and self-employed persons, Hours worked by employees); goods and services input (e.g. Purchases of goods and services); capital input (e.g. Gross investments)

Business services statistics (BS) collection contains harmonised statistics on business services. From 2008 onwards BS become part of the regular mandatory annual data collection of SBS. The BS’s data requirement includes variable “Turnover” broken down by products and by type of residence of client. 

The annual regional statistics collection includes three characteristics due by NUTS-2 country region and detailed on NACE Rev 2division level (2-digits).

Statistical Classification of Economic Activities in the European Community (NACE):  NACE Rev.2 is used from 2008 onwards. Key data were double reported in NACE Rev.1.1 and NACE Rev.2 only for 2008. From 2002 to 2007 NACE Rev. 1.1 was used and until 2001 NACE Rev.1

The regional breakdown of the EU Member States is based on the Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics (NUTS). 

The product breakdown is based on the Classification of Products by Activity (CPA) as stated in the Regulation establishing CPA 2008 and its amending Commission Regulation (EU) No 1209/2014  (from reference year 2015 onwards).

Starting reference year 2021 onwards SBS cover the economic activities of market producers within the NACE Rev. 2 Sections B to N, P to R and Divisions S95 and S96.
Until 2007 the SBS coverage was limited to Sections C to K of NACE Rev.1.1 and from the reference year 2008 to 2020 data was available for Sections B to N and Division S95 of NACE Rev.2.
From 2013, as the first reference year, to 2020 information is published on NACE codes K6411, K6419 and K65 and its breakdown.

From 2008 reference year data collection BS covers NACE Rev 2 codes: J62, N78, J582, J631, M731, M691, M692, M702, M712, M732, M7111, and M7112.

SBS constitutes an important and integrated part of the new European Business Statistics Regulation N° 2152/2019

Data requirements, simplifications and technical definitions are definied in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197

Statistical unit used is an Enterprise according to Council Regulation (EEC) No 696/93 of 15 March 1993 on the statistical units for the observation and analysis of the production system in the Community and other methodological guidelines.

For enterprises classified in section K – Financial and insurance activities, statistical units are legal entities or natural persons, which are used as proxies for enterprises.

 It includes active enterprises – market producers that are classified into sections B – N, P – R and divisions S95 and S96, according to their principal activity.

The principal activity is determined and updated by the Statistical Business Register of the Croatian Bureau of Statistics.

Croatia.

Regional datasets on NUTS 2 level.

We include branches of foreign enterprises and do not exclude activities abroad of enterprises registered in Croatia (for example construction site).

2008-2021

Data from 2019 onwards are not comparable with data from previous years. Until the 2018 reference year, legal and natural persons were used as the equivalent of enterprise, while since 2019, the definition of enterprise according to the EU methodology has been applied.

Not applicable.

• Number of enterprises and number of local units are expressed in units.

• Monetary data are expressed in millions of €.

• Employment variables are expressed in units.

• Per head values are expressed in thousands of € per head. 

Ratios are expressed in percentages.

2021

Reference period - Calendar year

Starting with reference year 2021 two new regulations currently form the legal basis of SBS:

• · Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 repealing 10 legal acts in the field of business statistics (EBS Regulation), and
• · Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197 laying down technical specifications and arrangements (general implementing act) pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2019/2152

Year 1995 was the first year for the implementation of the Council Regulation No 58/97 (SBS Regulation).

The Council Regulation No 58/97 has been amended three times: by Council Regulation No 410/98, Commission Regulation No 1614/2002 and European Parliament and Council Regulation No 2056/2002. As a new amendment of the basic Regulation it was decided to recast the Regulation No 58/97 in order to obtain a new "clean" legal text.

Not applicable.

Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the transmission of data subject to statistical confidentiality to the Statistical Office of the European Communities.

Statistical release dates can be found in Release calendar on CBS Website

https://dzs.gov.hr/UserDocsImages/dokumenti/Kalendar%202023.pdf

In line with the Community legal framework and the European Statistics Code of Practice, Croatian Bureau of Statistics disseminates national SBS data on Croatian Bureau of Statistics’ website respecting professional independence and in an objective, professional and transparent manner in which all users are treated equitably.

Detailed non-published data is available on specific request.

Annual.

First release: Basic Structural Business Indicators of Enterprises, 2021 Provisional Data, November 2022.

https://podaci.dzs.hr/2022/en/29179

First release: Structural Business Indicators of Enterprises, 2021, July 2023.

https://podaci.dzs.hr/2023/en/58038

Not available.

Structural business statistics of Enterprises in database:

https://web.dzs.hr/PXWeb/Menu.aspx?px_type=PX&px_db=Strukturne+poslovne+statistike&px_language=en

In accordance with the provisions of Official statistics Act, Ordinance on access to confidential statistical data and Ordinance on Conditions and Terms of Using Confidential Data for Scientific Purposes.

The data are sent to Eurostat, either to be used in European aggregates or to be released also as national data.

ll documentation on the methodology is available in Croatian and English.

Notes on methodology on electronic publications - electronic version of First release: https://podaci.dzs.hr/2023/en/58038

Notes on methodology on electronic publications - Internet-Data base: https://web.dzs.hr/Eng/DBHomepages/Structural%20business%20statistics/methodology-Business%20Operations%20of%20Enterprises.htm

Methodology documentation on SBS Intranet Web page - folder of Structural Business statistics unit.

Quality reports are available on CBS internet website:

https://dzs.gov.hr/enterprises/1000

The national quality report is available in Croatian and English.

The Total Quality Management is used for the whole quality system of the Republic of Croatia. The total quality management framework in the CBS is focused on the five main quality pillars.

The basis of these pillars are the organisational values of the CBS, since the pillars are supported by these values. These values are transparency, commitment to user satisfaction with statistical products and services,

and commitment to creating an environment in which employees can dedicate themselves to the institution they work for.

In accordance with the TQM, the CBS has prepared the Quality Guidelines and the Instructions on Quality according to the Generic Statistical Business Process Model - GSBPM. The quality reports are published on CBS web-site under theme dedicated to quality issues as follows:  https://dzs.gov.hr/highlighted-themes/quality/quality-reporting/quality-reports-by-statistical-domains/892

Generally the data are of high quality, especially those for key variables.

CBS regularly analyses the SBS survey results and evaluates the quality of used data sources and, if necessary:

- makes a proposal to the Financial Agency for improvement and changes to the content of the Annual Financial Report form, Instructions for filling in or input logical calculation controls

- makes proposals for improving the quality and changing the content of data taken from other statistical and administrative sources

- improves its own production process by calibrating data editing procedures and formulas for variable calculations, and model estimation and imputation

Internal users:
Statistical business register - updated with feedback information from Structural Business Statistics;
Inward FATS - generated from Structural Business Statistics results;
Short-term business statistics - value added for weighting and structure defining;
Industry statistics - value added and production value for weighting and structure defining;
Distributive trade statistics - turnover for weighting;
Construction statistics - value added for weighting.

External users:

Ministries and government bodies - on request;

scientists and researchers - on request;

businesses - on request;

international organisations - on request;

journalists - on request.

Satisfaction survey is not carried out.

The survey covers all the variables required by Eurostat regulations and guidelines (Completeness in a percentage of the number of required cells = 100%).

SBS data are generally of high quality, especially those for key variables.

Possible Statistical business register data source errors (coverage, activities, turnover, number of employees quality) are low.
Possible Annual financial report of entrepreneur data source errors (quality of accounting data) are low.
Possible Annual report on gross investments in fixed assets data source errors (quality of statistical source) are low.
Possible Annual report on investments in environmental protection and expenditures on goods and services in environment data source errors (quality of statistical source) are medium.
Error of estimate method (quality of estimates) is low.

Not relevant. CBS conducts the census survey fully based on available administrative and statistical sources. 

Non-sampling error occurs as coverage error, measurement error, processing error and model assumption error.

Coverage error - there is no exact information about out-of-scope units, but we assume that the number of out of-scope units and units with wrong NACE code is very low. Statistical Business Register continuously checks relevant administrative sources (administrative registers, Crafts Register).

Measurement errors - checks are conducted at data source level (Financial Agency, other CBS departments and units). In order to reduce errors, the SBS Unit delivers suggestions for improving checks and methodological instructions to data source owners.

Processing errors - data entry and processing errors made at data source level are removed with automatic data editing process. Possible errors due to inadequate automatic data-editing process (overediting).

Model assumption error - in some cases there are possible errors due to inadequate application of weight for assessment.

 Provisional data are published with 11 months delay, and the final with 19 months delay from the end of the reporting period.

Data transmitted on time.

Regional data at the NUTS 2 level are comparable.

Since data are prepared according to regulations which refer to structural business statistics, they are comparable to the data of other EU Member States.

2008-2018

2019-2021

Data for 2019 are not comparable with data from previous years due to the enlargement of the coverage of active enterprises (since 2019, those natural persons who are self-employed, and whose activity is determined on the basis of income tax returns in a lump-sum are also included). In addition, until the 2018 reference year, legal and natural persons were used as the equivalent of enterprise, while since 2019, the definition of enterprise according to the EU methodology has been applied.

SBS variables Number of active enterprises, Net Turnover and Number of employees and self emplayed persons are completely consistent with the Business register data.

SBS variables Number of employees and self emplayed persons and Number of employees are completely consistent with the Business Demography data.

SBS variable Value added is in correlation with National account result for same population.

Other comparisons were not undertaken.

Data for different aggregates inside SBS are completely consistent.

Costs of statistical data production are minimal and refer mainly to data source check and data editing, considering that input data are taken over from existing administrative and statistical sources.

The burden on Reporting units has been minimised by using administrative sources. The burden is present only in cases when data check is required by direct contacting with reporting units.

There is no special revision policy for SBS, but in case of need, we are obliged to act in accordance with the General revision policy of the CBS.

Link: https://dzs.gov.hr/UserDocsImages/dokumenti%20EN/Legals/General%20Revision%20Policy%20of%20the%20CBS.pdf?vel=1883880

Methodology and preliminary data compilation process is identical to the one for final data production. So, in both cases, the same methodology and sources are used. The only difference is that, due to the longer available period, for final data more control and checks of administrative sources are carried out, including the checking with units, which improves the final data quality.

SBS data are fully based on available administrative and statistical sources (all produced variables can be taken or calculated directly from administrative or statistical sources):

- Statistical business register – for population, NACE activity code, turnover and employees data - micro data on annual level

- Annual financial report for accounting and statistical purposes - for financial variables; micro data on annual level; population are legal units that are obliged to deliver The annual financial report in accordance with Accounting Act (it is about 50% of units but they take 90% of total turnover). Annual Financial Report of Entrepreneurs (GFI-POD) consist of the Balance sheet, Profit and loss account and Additional data for statistical needs, provided by Financial agency (FINA).

- CNB - Croatian National Bank data – for the CNB regulated part of section K (credit unions, exchange offices) - micro data on annual level

- HANFA - Croatian Financial Services Supervisory Agency data– for the HANFA regulated part of section K (leasing, factoring and investment companies, insurance agents, fund managers) - micro data on annual level

- Report of receipts, income tax, surtax and contributions for compulsory insurance (JOPPD form) taken from Tax administration; micro data on monthly level; population are all legal units

- results from INV-P statistical survey “Annual report on gross investments in fixed assets” conducted by National accounts sector of CBS; micro data on annual level; sample survey.

Frequency to which the used administrative and statistical data sources are updated is very good.

Administrative and statistical data are subject to several revisions with increasing degree of completeness because the SBS team is obliged to be involved in the revision process of all sources.

Annual data collection.

Data are collected from existing administrative and statistical sources.

The principal data source in sections B – J, L – N and P – S is the Annual Financial Report of Entrepreneurs obtained from the Financial Agency. It contains built-in simple logical and calculation controls as well as methodological ones, according to Croatian and International accounting standards. Additional data sources are other financial reports, records of the Tax Administration Office (profit and income taxes). After entering the data and matching it with SBR, processing with SBS internal controls begins. For larger companies (about first 1000) methodological control is done by our methodologists, and others are treated by our data-editing software.

Data in section K are obtained from the Croatian National Bank and the Croatian Financial Services Supervisory Agency. After receiving the data, CBS performs a plausibility check and contacts the data source owners if necessary.

Statistical source used is Annual Report on Gross Investment in Fixed Assets (INV-P form) - is a threshold survey conducted using the CAWI method. Statistical units who had gross investments above the threshold in the first three quarters according to the available data of the Financial Agency are included.

The SBS unit permanently tests and analyzes the quality of corresponding data from other used CBS surveys (Statistical business register data and Statistical survey " Annual Report on Gross Investment in Fixed Assets " ) as well as their impact on SBS results.

Phase1. The collection phase and the input control of the annual financial reports is carried out by FINA (State Agency which collects the Annual financial reports). Validation rules for input control are prepared by FINA in cooperation with CBS.
Phase2. Analyzing the accounting micro data and performing plausibility checks by contacting directly the reporting units (carried out by CBS).
Phase3. Analyzing other administrative and statistical micro data and performing plausibility checks by contacting directly the sources (carried out by CBS).
Phase4. Automated data editing procedures incorporated in existing CBS IT tool for production of SBS statistics (performed by CBS).
Phase5. Additional checking and data validation of the results (carried out by CBS).
Phase6. Checking the data set using Eurostat Edamis Input hall (performed by CBS).

The part of units (that are not obliged to pay profit tax – crafts mostly) is not obliged to deliver The annual financial report. It is about 50 % of units but they take only 10 % of total turnover. Basic data for those units (Turnover and Number of employees) are taken from Statistics business register, and other variables are estimated and imputed for each unit. Estimation method is base on the ratio of each variable in turnover for the population with the same stratum (activity) contained in The annual financial report.

Data processing through SBS production application:
- calculation of variables
- calculation of structure for estimate
- estimation and imputation item non-response
- checks according validation rules

Not applicable

No further comments.