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.
National Statistics Office, Lascaris Valletta, VLT 2000, Malta
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
13 June 2025
2.2. Metadata last posted
13 June 2025
2.3. Metadata last update
13 June 2025
3.1. Data description
Short-term statistics provide two types of indices for building permits. The first indicator is the dwellings number index, which reflects the evolution in terms of the number of dwellings. The second indicator, the floor area index reflects the development of the useful floor area for which the building permits are issued.
The variables cover the sum of (CC111 and 112) (i.e. CC 11 excluding CC113 = F _CC11_X_CC113), and breakdown into (i) CC 111 (=F_CC111), and CC 112 (=F_CC112). CC refers to the CLASSIFICATION OF TYPES OF CONSTRUCTIONS.
3.2. Classification system
The classification system used is the CLASSIFICATION OF TYPES OF CONSTRUCTIONS.
3.3. Coverage - sector
NACE Division 41 according to NACE Rev. 2.
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
The indices for building permits are business cycle indicators that provide information on the development of granted building permits.
Data are provided in number of dwellings and useful floor area in square metres.
3.5. Statistical unit
The Maltese Planning Authority (PA) issues the permits.
3.6. Statistical population
There is only one administrator (Planning Authority) that collect data regarding building permits in Malta.
3.7. Reference area
The indicator covers the national territory of the Maltese Islands.
3.8. Coverage - Time
Data are provided from 2000.
3.9. Base period
Not applicable. Data are currently provided in numbers but converted to base year 2021 by Eurostat.
The unit of measure is the number of dwellings/useful floor area. In the Maltese Islands, building permits are issued by the Maltese Planning Authority (PA).
The data are provided and disseminated on a montly basis.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
The related European legislation is the European Business Statistics Regulation 2019/2152 and Commission Implementing Regulation 2020/1197.
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
Data Sharing matters are governed by the Malta Statistics Authority Act XXIV of 2000. Data are transmitted to Eurostat.
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
Apart from the established legislative framework, the NSO is also guided by an internal general confidentiality policy. Data tagged as confidential are not available for publication.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
Confidentiality matters are regulated by the Malta Statistics Authority Act XXIV of 2000. Such data are marked as such.
8.1. Release calendar
An advanced release calendar is published on the NSO website.
8.2. Release calendar access
All releases are published and disseminated at 1100 hrs as scheduled in the Advance Release Calendar. The calendar is published on the NSO website and includes a 3 month advance notice (the current month and the next two months).
No local news release is issued for these indicators.
8.3. Release policy - user access
National statistical releases are issued according to the release calendar and are made available to all users simultaneously. All releases are posted on the organisation's website,
Eurostat transmissions for these indices are carried out on a monthly basis and 60 days after the end of the reference period. No national news releases are carried out.
10.1. Dissemination format - News release
There is no news release for these indices.
10.2. Dissemination format - Publications
The short-term statistics only published its figures in an annual compendium named Malta in Figures or Trends in Malta. These can be accessed from the NSO website.
10.3. Dissemination format - online database
The NSO website offers an online statistical database (StatDB) that provides a more in-depth analysis for the more expert statistical user or researcher. The StatDB requires registration as only registered users can extract data from the database. Registration is free-of-charge. These indicators are currently not available in this format.
10.4. Dissemination format - microdata access
In general, index results made available to Eurostat ensure a sufficient degree of representativeness of data. More detailed data than that published locally and internationally are available on request but are subject to the confidentiality clauses.
In such cases, data are provided in index form. Micro data are not provided to users.
10.5. Dissemination format - other
Data are transmitted to Eurostat on a monthly basis.
10.6. Documentation on methodology
The main document used for the production of this index are the following:
The NSO quality assurance principles are developed according to the ESS Handbook for Quality Reports (2014).
11.2. Quality management - assessment
Aspects of quality are divided into several steps. These are specifying needs, designing and building data instruments and collecting, processing, analysing, disseminating, archiving and evaluating data. The main guiding principles in quality management are found in the :
Overall the quality of the index is very good and very reliable.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
Eurostat is the main user of this index.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
Not available.
12.3. Completeness
Data are compliant with relevant European and local regulations and requirements are fully fulfilled.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
The overall accuracy of the indicator is considered to be of good quality.
Sampling error is negligible, non-sampling error is small and the first estimates are not biased.
13.2. Sampling error
Data comes from the Maltese Planning Authority, an administrative source. Thr data is a census.
13.3. Non-sampling error
The response rate is 100% since all data are provided.
14.1. Timeliness
Data for this variable is published according to the European Businnes Statistics Regulation. The data is transmitted one quarter after the end of the reference period.
All deadlines were respected during the course of the year.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
To ensure geographical comparability across member states the index is compiled according to the STS Regulations and STS Methodological Guidelines. Minor methodological deviations may exist due to specific conditions that apply to each member state.
15.2. Comparability - over time
There were no break in series.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
Data are not compared with any other source.
15.4. Coherence - internal
Aggregates are consistent with the other components.
Data burden is considered high but no data are available.
17.1. Data revision - policy
The same revision policy is applied to both data released nationally and that sent to Eurostat.
Major revisions are done when there are significant improvements in the source data. In general, these occurences are one-offs. Minor revisions are also not the norm since data is a census and received in full from the administrative source.
17.2. Data revision - practice
In general, no revision is done to the data. Hence, calculations of certain Quality Performance Indicators (QPIs) like Mean Revision, Mean Absolute Revision and Relative Mean Absolute Revision are not calculated.
18.1. Source data
Permits data are directly received from the Malta Environment and Planning Authority.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Monthly.
18.3. Data collection
Data are collected directly from MEPA on a monthly basis in electronic format by email.
18.4. Data validation
Validations of format and file structure checks and intra-dataset checks are checked with the use of in-house excel sheets and access databases.
Revisions analysis is also carried out for every data transmission sent to Eurostat using in-house access queries. When data revisions are significantly large, a short explanation is also given to Eurostat.
18.5. Data compilation
Absolute values are used and there is no need for estimation methods, since the total number of dwellings and square metres are provided.
Short-term statistics provide two types of indices for building permits. The first indicator is the dwellings number index, which reflects the evolution in terms of the number of dwellings. The second indicator, the floor area index reflects the development of the useful floor area for which the building permits are issued.
The variables cover the sum of (CC111 and 112) (i.e. CC 11 excluding CC113 = F _CC11_X_CC113), and breakdown into (i) CC 111 (=F_CC111), and CC 112 (=F_CC112). CC refers to the CLASSIFICATION OF TYPES OF CONSTRUCTIONS.
13 June 2025
The indices for building permits are business cycle indicators that provide information on the development of granted building permits.
Data are provided in number of dwellings and useful floor area in square metres.
The Maltese Planning Authority (PA) issues the permits.
There is only one administrator (Planning Authority) that collect data regarding building permits in Malta.
The indicator covers the national territory of the Maltese Islands.
The data are provided and disseminated on a montly basis.
The overall accuracy of the indicator is considered to be of good quality.
Sampling error is negligible, non-sampling error is small and the first estimates are not biased.
The unit of measure is the number of dwellings/useful floor area. In the Maltese Islands, building permits are issued by the Maltese Planning Authority (PA).
Absolute values are used and there is no need for estimation methods, since the total number of dwellings and square metres are provided.
The plan is to convert the data into index form.
Permits data are directly received from the Malta Environment and Planning Authority.
Eurostat transmissions for these indices are carried out on a monthly basis and 60 days after the end of the reference period. No national news releases are carried out.
Data for this variable is published according to the European Businnes Statistics Regulation. The data is transmitted one quarter after the end of the reference period.
To ensure geographical comparability across member states the index is compiled according to the STS Regulations and STS Methodological Guidelines. Minor methodological deviations may exist due to specific conditions that apply to each member state.
