State Data Agency (Statistics Lithuania) (SL)

Short - term Business Statistics Division 

29 Gediminas Ave., LT- 01500 Vilnius, Lithuania

Building permit indicators are the number of dwellings and square meters of useful floor area.

The purpose of those indicators is to show the development in construction activity in terms of unit numbers and useful floor areas.

Building permits for new building construction are broken down by the Classification of Products by Activity (CPA) into building permits for residential and non-residential buildings.

• Classification of Types of Construction (CPA);

• National classification: Construction Technical Regulation STR 1.01.03:2017. Classification of Buildings;

CPA classification ver.2.1: Section F of codes 41.00.11, 41.00.12 and 41.00.13 for building permits in terms of the number of dwellings;
CPA classification: Section F of codes 41.00.1 and  41.00.2 for building permits in terms of size.

Indicators are harmonized according to the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197 are set out in Annes IV to this Regulation. There are the main statistical variables provided:

• Construction permission documents for new buildings (building permits) are permits to build a new structure(s); a building project approved in writing by an authorized municipal civil servant (s); a written consent for construction given by the owner(s) or manager(s) of a land plot or adjacent land plots.
• Residential building (house) is detached or semi-detached one-two dwellings building (private house); three and more dwellings building for the residential purpose (block of flats).
• Dwelling is a part of a building comprised of one or several rooms and other premises and separated by partition walls from premises intended for general use,  other dwellings, or non-residential premises, and meant for people to live in; one dwelling house. A dwelling has to have a separate exit to a yard or areas for general use (a staircase, a corridor, a gallery, or any other premises for public use).
• Useful floor area is the total floor area of rooms and other quarters in the dwelling (kitchens, sanitary facilities, halls, built-in wardrobes/cabinets heated attics, and other warm auxiliary areas). Useful floor area does not include the floor area of balconies, terraces, cellars, unheated attics.
• A non-residential building is any building whose total floor area or the largest part thereof is used for non-residential purposes.        
• The total floor area of the non-residential building is the total of the main and ancillary areas.

Observation unit(s): Building permit granted by a municipality.

Target population – building permits granted for the construction of new residential and non-residential buildings.

Building permits indicators:

• Number of dwelling excluding residencies for communities;
• Square meters of useful floor area: buildings.

Lithuania (there are covered all regions in Lithuania).

Since 1Q 1999.

The same time series are available nationally and transmissions to Eurostat.

The information is valid for all aggregates for Building Permits Indicators (new residential buildings excluding residencies for communities for number and all new buildings of useful floor area).

Not applicable (data are provided in absolute figures)

Building Permits Indicators are published nationally and those indicators are transmitted to Eurostat: number of building permits, number of buildings, number of dwellings, useful floor area – 1000 square meters.

Indicators of building permits are included from the beginning and to the end of the calendar quarter, when they are granted.

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197 of 30 July 2020 laying down technical specifications and arrangements pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 of the European Parliament and of the Council on European business statistics repealing 10 legal acts in the field of business statistics 

Regulation (EC) No 2019/2152 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 November 2019 on European business statistics, repealing 10 legal acts in the field of business statistic; 

The exchange of statistical data required for the implementation of the Official Statistics Program is defined in Article 17 of Law on Official Statistics and State Data Governance of the Republic of Lithuania.  

Statistical data and information on indicators of building permits are transmitted to Eurostat.

Data on building permits issued are sent to other international organizations on request.

In the process of statistical data collection, processing, and analysis, and dissemination of statistical information, Statistics Lithuania fully guarantees the confidentiality of the data submitted by respondents (households, enterprises, institutions, organizations, and other statistical units), as defined in the Confidentiality Policy Guidelines of Statistics Lithuania.

Statistical Disclosure Control Manual, approved by Order No DĮ-26 of 19 January 2024 of the Director General of Statistics Lithuania;

The State Data Governance Information System Data Security Regulations and Rules for the Secure Management of Electronic Information in the State Data Governance Information System, approved by Order No DĮ-202 of 27 August 2021 of the Director General of Statistics Lithuania.

The aggregation data on indicators of granted building permits are not treated as confidential.

Statistical information is published on the Official Statistics Portal according to the Official Statistics Calendar

The release calendar is available on the Official Statistics Portal, at Official Statistics Calendar.

Statistical information is prepared and disseminated under the principle of impartiality and objectivity, i.e. in a systematic, reliable and unbiased manner, following professional and ethical standards (the European Statistics Code of Practice), and the policies and practices followed are transparent to users and survey respondents.

All users have equal access to statistical information. All statistical information is published at the same time – at 9 a.m. on the day of publication of statistical information as indicated in the calendar on the Official Statistics Portal.

Statistical information is published following the Official Statistics Dissemination Policy Guidelines and Statistical Information Dissemination and Communication Rules of Statistics Lithuania approved by Order No DĮ-176 of 2 July 2021 of the Director General of Statistics Lithuania.

Data are available to all users simultaneously. No users have advance access to the statistical data.

Data on indicators of granted building permits are transmitted to Eurostat quarterly and the same frequency is published nationally.

Detailed data on indicators of granted building permits are disseminated yearly for national users in the joint publications of Statistics Lithuania and Database of Indicators on the Official Statistical Portal.

A quarterly press release „Building construction“ is published on the 46^th day after the end of the reference quarter, at 9 a.m., on the Official Statistics Portal. 

Data on the new buildings and dwellings for granted building permits are published in absolute figures and growth rates in quarterly press release „Building construction“.

Annual information about building construction are provided in common electronic publications: Regions of Lithuania and Business in Lithuania. These publications weren't published in the paper version of 2023. The publications are available on the Official Statistics Portal.

Data on new buildings, dwellings, and their useful floor area for which building permits were granted are published in absolute figures and in growth rates in common publications of Statistics Lithuania.

Information is provided in the Database of Indicators (Business statistics > Construction > Building construction > Indicators of building permits for the construction of new buildings).

The Database of Indicators is available on the Official Statistics Portal. The page of Indicators Database is used for viewing and analyzing statistical information. For more information on the Indicators Database, see the Indicators Database User Guide.

Data on new buildings, dwellings, and their useful floor area for which building permits were granted are published quarterly in absolute figures, since the 1^st quarter of the 1999 year.

The standard tables are produced:

• Number of new residential buildings, number of dwellings by codes of F 41.00.01, excluding F 41.00.14;
• Number of new non-residential buildings by codes of F 41.00.2;
• Useful floor area (1000 square meters) by type of buildings of F 41.00.1 and F 41.00.2.

There is no micro-data access.

Statistics Lithuania, in response to the needs of users of statistical information, provides them with access to open data sets with data on statistical observation units. More information is available on the Official Statistics Portal, at Open Data Sets.

Data on indicators of granted building permits are sent to Eurostat database  on the 46^th day after the end of the reference quarter.

The methodology of the statistical survey on the construction of new buildings (only in Lithuanian) is available on the Official Statistics Portal, at the Methodology of the construction of new buildings.

Metadata on construction permission documents for new buildings (building permits) are available on the Official Statistics Portal.

The quality of statistical information and its preparation is ensured in accordance with the provisions of the  European Statistics Code of Practice and the ESS Quality Assurance Framework. 

In 2007, a management system has been implemented that meets the requirements of the international quality management system standard ISO 9001. The main activities of the State Data Agency, ensuring quality management and continuous improvement are determined in the Quality Policy. Monitoring of the quality indicators of statistical processes and their results self-assessments of statistical research managers, allowing to identify areas for improvement and promptly eliminate shortcomings are carried out regularly.

More information on the quality assurance of statistical information and its preparation is published in the Quality Management section on the website of the State Data Agency.

The monitoring of the quality of building permit data is based on the ESS quality requirements (relevance, accuracy, timeliness, and punctuality, coherence, and comparability).

In 2022, the self-assessment of the quarterly statistical survey on new residential and non-residential buildings manager was carried out. It showed that the results of the survey meet the requirements for the quality of statistical information.

The main users of statistical information are State and municipal authorities and agencies, the National Bank of Lithuania, international organizations, Eurostat, the media, researchers and students, business communities and internal users.

Statistical information on building permits is used to show construction prospect.

Since 2005, user opinion surveys have been conducted on a regular basis. Official Statistics Portal traffic is monitored, website visitor opinion polls, general opinion poll on the products and services of Statistics Lithuania, target user group opinion polls and other surveys are conducted.

The compilation of a user satisfaction index was launched. The said surveys are aimed at the assessment of the overall demand for and necessity of statistical information in general and specific statistical indicators in particular.

More information on user opinion surveys and results thereof are published in the User Surveys section on the Statistics Lithuania website.

The indicators like as the number of new residential and non-residential buildings whose construction has been authorized, the number of dwellings in those buildings, the useful floor area of dwellings, the total floor area and volume of buildings are prepared and published. The content and detail of the indicators comply with EU requirements.

Data on building permits are based on the data from the Building Permits and State Construction Supervision Information System of the Republic of Lithuania Infostatyba (IS Infostatyba). These data are covered all Lithuanian municipalities (60 units). The response rate is 100 %.

The overall accuracy of the administrative data on building permits is of good quality. The errors of data on IS Infostatyba are corrected through the logical and arithmetical controls. Data for the previous quarter are revised at the end of the following reference period. The quarterly data on building permits granted are not considered to be final after the first release. At the end of the year data on building permits are checked with the data of building permits published on the external portal of the IS  Infostatyba, at www.planuojustatau.lt Inconsistent values are corrected by contacting the specialists of municipalities, which are filled with data on building permits in IS Infostatyba,  by phone. Then false records are corrected. Finally, revised data on building permits are published.

The sample for the compilation of indicators of building permits on new residential and non-residential buildings shall not apply.

The statistical survey of granted new building permits is an administrative source; it consider to be a census.

Coverage errors

Data on building permits are filled in Information System „Infostatyba“ by all municipal authorities (60 umits), and Statistics Lithuania receives those data on the 15^th day after the end of the reference quarter; therefore, the over coverage rate is 0%.

Non-response errors

The non-response error is zero (0%) because the data on indicators of granted building permits are covered all the building permits issued by all municipal authorities in Lithuania.

Measurement errors

Data on granted building permits are extracted from computerized model documents, which reduce the risk of errors. In the Information System „Infostatyba“, data are corrected through complex data revision procedures. Quality control procedures are applied to ensure the good quality of administrative data.

Data on indicators of building permits are from administrative sources. According to the specific  STS requirements, the response rates are:

1. at the time data are provided to Eurostat is 100 %
2. at the time data are first published nationally is 100%
3. development during one data collection exercise is not available
4. over the course of a year is not available.

Statistical information is released on the 46^th day after the end of the reference quarter in accordance with an approved advance release calendar.

Quarterly data are transmitted to Eurostat on the 46^th day after the end of the reference quarter.

Statistical information is published in accordance with an approved advance release calendar.

100 percent of statistical information is released on time. In case of delay, users are notified in advance by indicating the reason and a new date of publication.

The same statistical concepts are applied in the entire national territory. 

Statistical information on indicators of new building permits granted is comparable among EU countries.

There are no breaks in the time series since 1999 year. Data are comparable over time.

The variable of building permits granted for new buildings is compared with these variables like the new residential and non-residential buildings completed and the new residential and non-residential buildings whose construction has been started.

Statistical information about new buildings and dwellings whose construction has been started and completed is obtained, available, and published in the same frequency, as statistical information about new buildings and dwellings for which building permits were granted.

The correlation coefficient between these two variables like new buildings for which building permits were granted and new buildings completed is medium (it's 0.61) in 6 years term lag. 

The correlation coefficient between these two variables like new buildings for which building permits were granted and new buildings whose construction has been started is medium (it's 0.69) in 1 years term lag.   

The data on new buildings for which building permits were granted are not confronted with other data of statistical domains because there are no other data sources on building permits.

Statistical information about the indicators of new building permits which are issued is inconsistent between different statistical domains.

Indicators of new building permits granted like number of dwellings and square meters are coherent for common types of buildings.

Cost:

Annual cost: 232 person-hours per year.

Burden:

Administrative data are used; there is no administrative burden for respondents.

Revisions of statistical indicators are performed in accordance with the Description of Procedure for Performance, Analysis and Publication of Revision of  Statistical Information, approved by Order No DĮ-173 of 30 June 2021 of the Director-General of Statistics Lithuania. Users are informed about scheduled revisions in advance through a Calendar of Scheduled Revisions of Statistical Indicators.

 Major revisions are made when there are changes in the classification, methodology, or base year. Users are informed about the results and change immediately.

The same revision policy is applied to data released nationally and transmitted to Eurostat.

There are no vintage statistics on indicators of new building permits granted in the Database of Indicators.

The key reason for the revision of the quarterly statistical information is to improve the accuracy of building permits for the construction of new residential and non-residential buildings. Statistical information is revised by using data on revoked building permits for construction of new residential and non-residential buildings obtained from the Building Permits and State Construction Supervision Information System the Republic of Lithuania (IS) “Infostatyba”. 

The indicators of building permits for the construction of new buildings are revised by deducting the data on revoked building permits for construction.

The indicators of building permits for the construction of new buildings are revised once a year, at the end of the accounting year, in February.

Information about revision procedure of building permits for construction of new buildings is available on the Official Statistical Portal 

https://osp.stat.gov.lt/documents/10180/2501780/Permits_constr_new_+building_revision.pdf

An approved calendar of scheduled revisions of indicators of building permits for the construction of new buildings for the current year is available on the Official Statistics Portal.  Revised indicators are published in Database of Indicators with the footnote „revised data“.

 The size of revisions for 2018-2022 years was:

* As compared to the corresponding quarter of the previous year

The benchmarking process is not used; there are no comparable data sources for the corresponding variables of building permits.

Administrative data Information System „Infostatyba“, provided under an agreement between the State Territorial Planning and Construction Inspectorate under the Ministry of Environment and Statistics Lithuania.

The data of indicators of new building permits granted is an administrative source; it considered to be a census.

Quarterly. The collected data are refering to full reference quarterly

The statistics of new building permits is based on extraction from administrative sources on the construction permission documents issued by civil servants of the municipalities. When the municipalities issued a new building permit, simultaneously filled extraction of the statistics data on indicators of new building permits granted, and it is reported in the Information System „Infostatyba“. Statistics Lithuania receives the Information System „Infostatyba“ compiles regional aggregated data from micro-data on a quarterly basis.

Those records are transferred into ORACLE and sent via the Internet on the 15^th working day after the end of the reference quarter.

Data validation is applied by type of rules before it transmitted to Eurostat:

At the first stage, the structure of the file data received through the link of Oracle is checked. It is important that all required information is including in the file.

At the second stage: data checks for accuracy and completeness. Also, data checks based on the level of each cell (identify by the coordinate of one row and one column) of record by of building type and administrative unit. There are checks the arithmetic average between the number and floor area of dwellings and buildings, the floor area and volume of the buildings and dwellings, number of dwellings in building and etc. In the case of larger deviations, the reasons are analyzed, i.e. statistical data are revised once again, and false records are corrected.

In the third stage for the reference quarter data on buildings and dwellings are compared with the previous quarter and the same quarter of the previous year.

Data on indicators of building permits were checked in absolute figures which after that will be sent to Eurostat.

Before sending it to Eurostat data file is validated and converted tool into the SDMX-ML format using SDMX Converter Tool.

The data file is transmitted to Eurostat in the BCS_BPI domain by EDAMIS.

Estimates for non-response: None

Estimates for grossing-up to population levels: None

The data on building permits granted are expressed in absolute figures and there is not index calculation.

Methods of weighting and chaining are not relevant either.

Transmission of the data to Eurostat: file of building permits data is validated and converted tool into the SDMX-ML format using SDMX Converter Tool.

The data on new building permits seasonally adjustment and working day adjustment are transmitted to Eurostat quarterly. 

Raw data are corrected for seasonal effects using TRAMO-SEATS method with Jdemetra+ Ver. 2.2.2. Seasonal adjustment series are estimated for eleven times series, except for Residences for communities (F_CC113). Seasonal adjustment models completely reviewed every year, when the latest data for the whole year are available. Also, with review of models we are using benchmarking and balancing techniques that makes the quarterly data to be consistent with the annual working days adjusted data. After updating the models, the changed year and three years back are benchmarked. In mostly time series data were logarithmic and almost all models are multiplicative. Calendar influence is being used, because Lithuania has quite a number of days off. Before the models were updated, ARIMA model were automatically selected and outliers were distinguished. Based on the results and trend obtained, the models were reviewed again and these settings were often adjusted manually.

None