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.
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 non-financial business economy with the exception of agricultural activities and personal services. Limited information is available on banking, insurance and pension funds. Main characteristics (variables) of the SBS data category:
Business demographic variables (e.g. Number of enterprises)
"Output related" variables (e.g. Turnover, Value added)
"Input related" variables: labour input (e.g. Employment, Hours worked); goods and services input (e.g. Total of purchases); capital input (e.g. Material investments)
3.2. Classification system
Statistical Classification of Economic Activities in the European Community (NACE): NACE Rev.1 was used until 2001, NACE Rev. 1.1 since 2002, and NACE Rev 2 is used from 2008 onwards. Key data were double reported in NACE Rev.1.1 and NACE Rev.2 for 2008. From 2009 onwards, only NACE Rev.2 data are available.
The regional breakdown of the EU Member States is based on the Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics (NUTS). Detailed information about the consecutive NUTS Regulations can be found at Eurostat's website
The SBS coverage was limited to Sections C to K of NACE Rev.1.1 until 2007. Starting from the reference year 2008 data are available for Sections B to N and Division S95 of NACE Rev.2. With 2013 as the first reference year information is published on NACE codes K6411, K6419 and K65 and its breakdown.
From the 2018 reporting year onwards, results for enterprises are shown in SBS in accordance with the EU definition of enterprises as stipulated in the Council Regulation (EEC) No 696/93. These enterprises represent the presentation units for SBS.
According to the EU enterprise definition, an enterprise is 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 resources. An enterprise carries out one or more activities at one or more locations. An enterprise may correspond to a single legal unit ("simple enterprise") or consist of several legal units ("complex enterprise").
The enterprise according to the EU definition is the central presentation unit of business sector-specific SBS. The legal unit will still work as survey unit for SBS.
3.6. Statistical population
The statistical population comprises all relevant statistical units in the respective NACE Rev. 2 Sections according to the national business register (BR).
3.7. Reference area
The results for the enterprise are determined for Germany as a whole.
3.8. Coverage - Time
Reference year 1996 to 2020.
3.9. Base period
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.
Reference year (calendar year) 2020.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
Article 16 of the Federal Statistics Act (Bundesstatistikgesetz [BStatG]) guarantees confidentiality. It is strictly followed. Respondents must be informed about their rights and obligations when providing statistical information. Furthermore, individual data are only used for statistical purposes and, subject to non-disclosure and data protection measures, for scientific purposes. In addition, European Parliament and Council Regulation No 223/2009 applies.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
Restricted from publication
8.1. Release calendar
Not applicable.
8.2. Release calendar access
Not applicable.
8.3. Release policy - user access
SBS data are simultaneously released to all users. There is no privileged pre-release access to any outside user according to Principle 6.7 of the European Statistics Code of Practice. Since all users have equal access to statistical releases, impartiality is respected.
SBS data are transmitted to Eurostat before they are disseminated at national level.
SBS data are available on Destatis' database “GENESIS-Online” (code 48112) for all users. After registration, users are informed via email when new data are available.
Additional information is provided on request.
Annual:
10.1. Dissemination format - News release
Not applicable.
10.2. Dissemination format - Publications
Not applicable.
10.3. Dissemination format - online database
For GENESIS online database (code 48112) a link is included. Two different tables are available:
Destatis has committed itself to assure and further enhance the quality already attained. Consequently, Destatis implemented comprehensive quality guidelines. To assure quality in the longer terms, Destatis applies a variety of systematic quality assurance measures, among others the European Statistics Code of Practice. Furthermore, Destatis has introduced a comprehensive quality management system based on Total Quality Management (TQM). The conceptual framework is the EFQM (European Foundation for Quality Management) Excellence Model. Furhter details on quality management can be found in English language under annex 10.7.
The quality of SBS with enterprises is ensured during and at the end of the processing of results on the enterprise in accordance with the EU enterprise definition through extensive validation processes and consistency checks. These measures are based on internal statistical analyses and on an application provided by Eurostat for checking data quality and confidentiality. The quality of the results depends largely on the quality assurance measures taken in the individual annual SBS for surveys.
Further information can be found in the attached quality report (Bereichsuebergreifende Unternehmensstatistik) on SBS 2020, only available in German language.
Quality checks are conducted throughout the entire production process which is evaluated permanently. Beyond that, Destatis has implemented a controlling system to monitor compliance with standard European quality criteria. The results of this controlling mechanism are for internal purposes only. Therefore, they are not published. In general, the evaluation of quality is in line with the quality criteria of Commission Regulation (EC) No 834/2009.
The assessment of quality of SBS aims at the quality of data resources on the basis of legal units. They are part of surveys for individual economic sector-specific statistics. A quantification of the sampling-related error is done by calculating a relative standard error. Non-sampling errors can occur at all stages of the data collection and compiling process. For instance, it can be related to sample frames or to non-responses from respondents. As full compliance has been confirmed by Eurostat for reference year 2019, the overall quality of SBS can be assessed as being high.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
Main users of SBS at international level are the European Central Bank and the European Commission. At national level the Deutsche Bundesbank, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, trade associations, research institutes, accounting frameworks and STS production units are the most important users.
Since national users demand a more specific classification of SBS data, data published at the national level can be different from the data sent to Eurostat. Such additional user needs are, for instance, additional size classes or subsidies in Services statistics.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
Destatis regularly meets main users in committees of experts that cover specific NACE Rev. 2 Sections. These committees assess existing and new user needs. Since 2020 a Technical Committee (Fachausschuß Unternehmensstatistiken) discusses internally the results of surveys related to user's satisfaction.
12.3. Completeness
SBS requirements according to the EU regulations and national laws are fulfilled.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
An assessment of the accuracy of SBS for enterprises according to the EU enterprise definition can only be made with the introduction of a new resilient error calculation (currently still under development). The current quality indicators according to Commission Regulation (EU) No 275/2010 can only be calculated for legal units in SBS.
A statement on accuracy of data sources for SBS refers to survey units in the form of legal units of individual business sector-specific SBS. Extensive examinations have been carried out in order to ensure the accuracy of the data transmitted by the respondents. The participation in surveys is mandatory. Therefore, a bias due to selective survey participation is ruled out. Biased results, due to extrapolation methods, are not expected.
Main sources for errors as well as potentials for bias are induced by survey data. All sample surveys are affected by uncertainty and the sampling error increases with the level of detail. As regards non-sampling errors, under-coverage or over-coverage, falsely classified units in the sample frame as well as unit or item non-response may occur.
Quality indicators, including coefficients of variation for variables and weighted unit non-response rates, for legal units in SBS by NACE aggregates were implemented according to Commission Regulation (EU) No 275/2010. For calculating these indicators, the SAS program “CLAN” by Statistics Sweden is used.
13.2. Sampling error
SBS surveys on legal units are based on stratified random samples. In Trade and Services statistics, results are grossed up by free extrapolation. This method is also applied for units with less than 20 persons employed in Industry and Construction. If units have 20 or more persons employed in Industry and Construction, results are extrapolated using benchmark figures for each combination of activity class and size class (employment). These benchmark figures are based on results from the investment survey, a complete census for legal units with 20 or more persons employed.
13.3. Non-sampling error
For SBS surveys on legal units the non-sampling error is small. More details on unit non-response, coverage errors and out-of-scope units are shown below.
Unit non-response
Unit non-response is compensated by adapting the extrapolation factors using correction factors for each stratum. In order to minimize unit non-response, proactive measures such as optimizing the questionnaire design (including pre-testing), enabling online reporting methods and using advanced controls for incoming data have been implemented. If data are incomplete, reminders are sent from the Statistical Offices. The response is obligatory. Otherwise, fines can be imposed up to EUR 5,000. Non-response rates are weighted by variable 16110 (Number of persons employed). If no information on this variable is available from the BR, the sum of employees plus one person is used. A separate weighting is used for variable 15110 (Gross investment in tangible goods) in Annex II since this characteristic originates from a different survey. Consequently, there are different non-response rates. Overall, the unit non-response rate is evaluated as low. The bias is small (with a limited effect in the overall accuracy of the estimate).
Coverage errors
The impact of coverage errors in the BR on the quality of the key statistics is assessed as low in Industry and Construction and as medium in Trade and Services. The business register matches the SBS reference year at the time when the sample is drawn.
Out-of-scope units
Out-of-scope units are detected by including specific questions in the survey, having direct contact to the unit and/or doing internet research (e.g. commercial register). Out-of-scope units are excluded from the survey to prevent systematic over-coverage. In Industry and Construction, current information on the number and relevance of these cases are not available. However, earlier examinations of the BR have shown that the relevance of over-coverage is negligible.
14.1. Timeliness
SBS for enterprises are calculated annually for reporting year t.
Data collection for legal units takes place t+15 months after the end of the reference period.
Data transmission to Eurostat covers final results for enterprises at time t+18 months.
Data dissemination at national level takes place at t+19 months onwards.
14.2. Punctuality
All transmission deadlines are met.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
The same statistical concepts are applied in the entire national territory. There is no publication of SBS by federal states.
15.2. Comparability - over time
SBS with the presentation unit enterprise according to the EU enterprise definition is available for reporting year 2018 onwards. A comparison between 2018 and 2020 is possible.
Up to and including the reporting year 2017, the legal unit was equated with the enterprise in the Official Statistics and both terms were used synonymously.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
SBS can be described as largely coherent with cross-domain enterprise statistics, such as Business Demography or BR.
15.4. Coherence - internal
SBS can be described as coherent internally.
Destatis use the International Standard Cost Model to measure administrative costs.
To reduce the burden for respondents (legal units), the cost structure surveys, for instance, in Industry and Construction are sample surveys. In a regular period of time (one year; four years) a new sample is drawn in order to replace the survey unit. Legal units with less than 20 persons employed receive a shortened version of the questionnaire, which significantly reduces the burden for small legal units.
As SBS for enterprises are secondary statistics (see 18.5), there are no additional cost or burden for respondents.
17.1. Data revision - policy
On national level Germany does not publish any preliminary results of SBS. Therefore, the data published annually is considered being final. Revisions within individual SBS for survey units may necessitate a recalculation of final SBS for enterprises.
17.2. Data revision - practice
A revision of SBS for enterprises is carried out with updated source material for survey units of the revised SBS concerned.
18.1. Source data
Data on SBS for enterprises are obtained annually by processing and linking individual data for legal units of the following SBS surveys:
Investment, structural and cost structure surveys in the manufacturing, mining and quarrying sector,
Surveys of current expenditure and investment for environmental protection in manufacturing industries,
Investment and cost structure surveys of legal units in the energy and water supply sector,
Investment, structural and cost structure surveys in construction and finishing trades,
Structural surveys in trade and in services.
The SBS data set is based on statistical surveys for legal units with the followings details:
Stratification criteria
The applied method is stratified samples. Stratification criteria are activity according to NACE Rev. 2, employment size class (except for Sections G and I), turnover-size-classes (for Sections G and I), and region.
Selection schemes (sampling rates)
Approximately 310,000 units are surveyed in total. In NACE Rev. 2 Sections D and E a complete census is carried out. Environmental expenditures are surveyed by a total layer of legal units with environmental protection facilities and legal units with 500 or more persons employed. The sampling rates amount to 8.5% in Section G, 5% in Section I and a total of 15% in Sections H, J, L, M, N and S95. In Sections B, C and F the effective sampling sizes are 0-9 (persons employed) 3%, 10-19 2%, 20-249 41%, 250-499 75% and 500+100%.
Threshold values
Legal units with less than EUR 17,500 turnover and no employees in a calendar year are not included in the BR and consequently not part of the relevant population. Small legal units are surveyed with a shorter questionnaire if possible (e.g. less than 20 persons employed in Sections B, C and F as well as less than EUR 250,000 turnover in Sections H, J, L, M, N and S95). An estimation procedure provides missing characteristics for SBS.
Additional administrative sources
Data from Deutsche Bundesbank and the Federal Financial Supervision Authority (BaFin) are used as basic data for some characteristics. These data are aggregated by each economic breakdown class, regularly updated and not subject to particular revisions.
Frame
The frame for SBS is the BR. The BR is updated regularly. A fixed frame is produced annually. The assignment of principal and secondary activities is applied according to the provisions of NACE Rev. 2 (value added). If no information on value added is available, the assignment is based on persons employed (Sections B to F) and turnover (Sections G to S). A top-down method is used for identifying activities. The unit’s principal activity is checked annually with regard to the stability rule.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Annual data collection.
18.3. Data collection
In SBS surveys, specific web-based questionnaires are used. They include data checking during the input process. Reporting via electronic questionnaires is obligatory. In exceptional cases, paper-based questionnaires may be requested. Missing responses are requested by telephone and postal or email reminders.
18.4. Data validation
Generally, data are checked by the Statistical Offices of the Federal States before they are transmitted to Destatis. Plausibility checks are jointly developed by Destatis and the Statistical Offices of the Federal States. Still, Destatis is able to check the plausibility of data and, if necessary, to contact the survey unit directly. As regards administrative data, Destatis can also check the plausibility of data whereas the reporting legal unit cannot be contacted.
Data checking and editing comprise several steps of completeness checks (data integrity rules), validity checks (internal consistency) and plausibility checks. First completeness and validity checks are already conducted during the data input process. The Statistical Offices of the Federal States check for unit-non-response and enforce, if necessary, compliance with the response obligation.
A variety of comprehensive plausibility checks are carried out for each response (microdata validation), among others by using information from the previous reporting year, from other surveys (e.g. investment survey or short-term-statistics) and from the BR. Implausible figures may be corrected automatically for small units whose impact on results is negligible. After extrapolating, the figures are subject to final plausibility checks (macrodata validation), e.g. by checking significant ratios and taking into account the economic activity and/or the peculiarities of the Federal States.
The approved data for survey units (legal units) will be further processed for profiling, imputation, adjusted grossing-up and consolidation. In each process step resilient data validation checks were established. After final completion of all required validation procedures, the process for data transmission to Eurostat and for publication of SBS for enterprises can be induced.
18.5. Data compilation
SBS for enterprises is based on individual data of legal units determined in the respective business sector-specific surveys. Results are calculated for the enterprise according to the Council Regulation (EEC) No 696/93 basing on process steps such as profiling, imputation, adjusted grossing-up and consolidation. Further information on the process steps are included in the attachment under Chapter 11.1.
18.6. Adjustment
All surveys covering SBS Annexes I to IV refer to the calendar year. In some cases, the financial year of enterprises does not match the SBS reference year. These data are used in SBS without further adjustment.
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 non-financial business economy with the exception of agricultural activities and personal services. Limited information is available on banking, insurance and pension funds. Main characteristics (variables) of the SBS data category:
Business demographic variables (e.g. Number of enterprises)
"Output related" variables (e.g. Turnover, Value added)
"Input related" variables: labour input (e.g. Employment, Hours worked); goods and services input (e.g. Total of purchases); capital input (e.g. Material investments)
From the 2018 reporting year onwards, results for enterprises are shown in SBS in accordance with the EU definition of enterprises as stipulated in the Council Regulation (EEC) No 696/93. These enterprises represent the presentation units for SBS.
According to the EU enterprise definition, an enterprise is 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 resources. An enterprise carries out one or more activities at one or more locations. An enterprise may correspond to a single legal unit ("simple enterprise") or consist of several legal units ("complex enterprise").
The enterprise according to the EU definition is the central presentation unit of business sector-specific SBS. The legal unit will still work as survey unit for SBS.
The statistical population comprises all relevant statistical units in the respective NACE Rev. 2 Sections according to the national business register (BR).
The results for the enterprise are determined for Germany as a whole.
Reference year (calendar year) 2020.
An assessment of the accuracy of SBS for enterprises according to the EU enterprise definition can only be made with the introduction of a new resilient error calculation (currently still under development). The current quality indicators according to Commission Regulation (EU) No 275/2010 can only be calculated for legal units in SBS.
A statement on accuracy of data sources for SBS refers to survey units in the form of legal units of individual business sector-specific SBS. Extensive examinations have been carried out in order to ensure the accuracy of the data transmitted by the respondents. The participation in surveys is mandatory. Therefore, a bias due to selective survey participation is ruled out. Biased results, due to extrapolation methods, are not expected.
Main sources for errors as well as potentials for bias are induced by survey data. All sample surveys are affected by uncertainty and the sampling error increases with the level of detail. As regards non-sampling errors, under-coverage or over-coverage, falsely classified units in the sample frame as well as unit or item non-response may occur.
Quality indicators, including coefficients of variation for variables and weighted unit non-response rates, for legal units in SBS by NACE aggregates were implemented according to Commission Regulation (EU) No 275/2010. For calculating these indicators, the SAS program “CLAN” by Statistics Sweden is used.
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.
SBS for enterprises is based on individual data of legal units determined in the respective business sector-specific surveys. Results are calculated for the enterprise according to the Council Regulation (EEC) No 696/93 basing on process steps such as profiling, imputation, adjusted grossing-up and consolidation. Further information on the process steps are included in the attachment under Chapter 11.1.
Data on SBS for enterprises are obtained annually by processing and linking individual data for legal units of the following SBS surveys:
Investment, structural and cost structure surveys in the manufacturing, mining and quarrying sector,
Surveys of current expenditure and investment for environmental protection in manufacturing industries,
Investment and cost structure surveys of legal units in the energy and water supply sector,
Investment, structural and cost structure surveys in construction and finishing trades,
Structural surveys in trade and in services.
The SBS data set is based on statistical surveys for legal units with the followings details:
Stratification criteria
The applied method is stratified samples. Stratification criteria are activity according to NACE Rev. 2, employment size class (except for Sections G and I), turnover-size-classes (for Sections G and I), and region.
Selection schemes (sampling rates)
Approximately 310,000 units are surveyed in total. In NACE Rev. 2 Sections D and E a complete census is carried out. Environmental expenditures are surveyed by a total layer of legal units with environmental protection facilities and legal units with 500 or more persons employed. The sampling rates amount to 8.5% in Section G, 5% in Section I and a total of 15% in Sections H, J, L, M, N and S95. In Sections B, C and F the effective sampling sizes are 0-9 (persons employed) 3%, 10-19 2%, 20-249 41%, 250-499 75% and 500+100%.
Threshold values
Legal units with less than EUR 17,500 turnover and no employees in a calendar year are not included in the BR and consequently not part of the relevant population. Small legal units are surveyed with a shorter questionnaire if possible (e.g. less than 20 persons employed in Sections B, C and F as well as less than EUR 250,000 turnover in Sections H, J, L, M, N and S95). An estimation procedure provides missing characteristics for SBS.
Additional administrative sources
Data from Deutsche Bundesbank and the Federal Financial Supervision Authority (BaFin) are used as basic data for some characteristics. These data are aggregated by each economic breakdown class, regularly updated and not subject to particular revisions.
Frame
The frame for SBS is the BR. The BR is updated regularly. A fixed frame is produced annually. The assignment of principal and secondary activities is applied according to the provisions of NACE Rev. 2 (value added). If no information on value added is available, the assignment is based on persons employed (Sections B to F) and turnover (Sections G to S). A top-down method is used for identifying activities. The unit’s principal activity is checked annually with regard to the stability rule.
Annual:
SBS for enterprises are calculated annually for reporting year t.
Data collection for legal units takes place t+15 months after the end of the reference period.
Data transmission to Eurostat covers final results for enterprises at time t+18 months.
Data dissemination at national level takes place at t+19 months onwards.
The same statistical concepts are applied in the entire national territory. There is no publication of SBS by federal states.
SBS with the presentation unit enterprise according to the EU enterprise definition is available for reporting year 2018 onwards. A comparison between 2018 and 2020 is possible.
Up to and including the reporting year 2017, the legal unit was equated with the enterprise in the Official Statistics and both terms were used synonymously.
