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.
Directorate General Statistics - Statistics Belgium
North Gate - Boulevard du Roi Albert II, 16 - 1000 Brussels
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
30 June 2026
2.2. Metadata last posted
30 June 2026
2.3. Metadata last update
30 June 2026
3.1. Data description
Output price index in construction.
3.2. Classification system
CPA Rev. 2, section F. aggregate F41001_X_410014 is followed (residential buildings, except residences for communities).
3.3. Coverage - sector
Activities covered : Section F of Nace rev.2, divisions 41 and 43 corresponding to CPA F41001_X_410014 (residential buildings, except residences for communities)
Size classes covered all.
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
List and definition of variables: A quarterly index of the producer price in the construction sector.
Planned changes in information collected: None.
Accounting conventions: None.
3.5. Statistical unit
Reporting unit : Enterprise (legal unit).
Observation unit(s) : Enterprise (legal unit).
3.6. Statistical population
Belgian enterprises with principal activities in section F.
3.7. Reference area
All belgian regions.
3.8. Coverage - Time
Date of first use as a source: 2005.
3.9. Base period
Base (reference) year: 2021.
Indices, percentage changes (%).
The prices collected refer to the middle of the quarter.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
From 2022 onwards: Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 of the European Parliament and of the Council on European business statistics of 27 November 2019, repealing 10 legal acts in the field of business statistics (EBS-Regulation) as well as the Federal Statistics Act (1987).
Commission Implementing Regulation 2020/1197 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 statistic (General Implementing Act).
These EU regulations ae completed by the Belgian Royal decree (03 July 2012) about short-term prices survey.
Obligation on units to provide data: Yes.
Planned changes in legal basis, obligation to respond and frame used : not applicable.
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
Not applicable.
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
Dissemination of terms and conditions under which official statistics are produced, including confidentiality of individual responses: not applicable since a global index is published.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
Treatment of confidential data : not applicable since only a global index is published.
8.1. Release calendar
Advance dissemination of release calendar : available on STATBEL's Website (Release Calendar).
Simultaneous release to all interested parties : Figures are sent to Eurostat and simultaneously are published on our website.
Identification of internal government access to data before release: not required.
Transmission to Eurostat and further use of the statistics: Figures are sent to Eurostat and simultaneously are published on our website. The transmission is done via Edamis in SDMX format.
Quarterly.
10.1. Dissemination format - News release
Identification of ministerial commentary on the occasion of statistical releases: no ministerial commentary.
10.2. Dissemination format - Publications
Name of national paper publications: Not applicable.
Name of national electronic dissemination: Statbel.
Dissemination of documentation on methodology and sources used in preparing statistics: metadatas are available on the STATBEL's home page (Construction Output Price Index).
10.7. Quality management - documentation
Not yet available for the general public, only internally.
11.1. Quality assurance
Data collection and production system are optimized (websurvey in XBRL, procedures to identify doubtful prices variations, …).
The final index is validated by our validation service before diffusion.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
Checks are carried out during the production process (e.g. large price evolution are examined, application implicit quality adjustments if deemed necessary, … ).
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
Belgian National Bank, Eurostat, professional and trade federations, companies, general public.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
No existing measure of user satisfaction but no complaints either.
12.3. Completeness
Compliant with all STS requirements.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
In principle, a cutt-of sample is used in two stages: at enterprise level and product level. But collection difficulties due to transfer prices, unique products, etc. influence this method.
Statistical accuracy is inherently more difficult to assess for price indexes than other statistics due to the complex nature of evolution of average price changes and statistical problems in estimating of data that is not covered by the sample (extrapolation).
Errors can occur in price collection and editing, or in making quality adjustments to estimate "pure price change".
This results in a small sampling error as well as a non-sampling error.
13.2. Sampling error
Sampling error is difficult to quantify because on both the statistical unit and product level the sampling is based on judgmental rather than probability sampling methods.
13.3. Non-sampling error
We improve the response rate with reminders via email or telephone.
14.1. Timeliness
Timeliness 3 months after the reference period.
Timetable of data collection: reporting units are contacted by websurvey during the first three weeks after the reference period, reminders are sent afterwards.
14.2. Punctuality
Delays are very rare.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
No problem of geographical comparability, the index is estimated at the national level.
15.2. Comparability - over time
No problem of comparability over time.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
Dissemination of information that support statistical cross-checks and provide assurance of reasonableness: Not applicable.
Confrontation with other data sets: Not applicable.
15.4. Coherence - internal
The index is internally coherent. Higher level aggregations are derived from detailed indices according to well-defined procedures.
Not available.
17.1. Data revision - policy
Only if important problem arises, revisions are made. Revision is not common policy.
The same revision policy is applied nationally and in transmissions to Eurostat.
17.2. Data revision - practice
Revisions and methodological changes are announced at the same time as they take place, if possible in advance of the change.
Data have not been revised during the period of reference (2024), MAR/MR=0.
18.1. Source data
Type of source: Statistical survey.
Frame on which the source is based: Business register.
Sample or census: Sample.
Criteria for stratification: Not relevant.
Frequency of updating the sample: At least every 5 years.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Quarterly.
18.3. Data collection
Questionnaires used in the survey : XBRL websurvey.
Planned changes in national questionnaires: not required.
Data collection media: Websurvey, phone.
Planned changes in data collection methodology: not required.
18.4. Data validation
Intern validation.
18.5. Data compilation
Estimates for non-response : Not applicable.
Estimates for grossing-up to population levels : Not applicable.
Type of index: Chained Laspeyres index.
Method of weighting and chaining : The weights are based on construction surveys carried out for the purchasing power parities statistics.
Planned changes in production methods : Not applicable.
18.6. Adjustment
Bridged overlap as an implicit quality adjustment method.
Not available.
Output price index in construction.
30 June 2026
List and definition of variables: A quarterly index of the producer price in the construction sector.
Planned changes in information collected: None.
Accounting conventions: None.
Reporting unit : Enterprise (legal unit).
Observation unit(s) : Enterprise (legal unit).
Belgian enterprises with principal activities in section F.
All belgian regions.
The prices collected refer to the middle of the quarter.
In principle, a cutt-of sample is used in two stages: at enterprise level and product level. But collection difficulties due to transfer prices, unique products, etc. influence this method.
Statistical accuracy is inherently more difficult to assess for price indexes than other statistics due to the complex nature of evolution of average price changes and statistical problems in estimating of data that is not covered by the sample (extrapolation).
Errors can occur in price collection and editing, or in making quality adjustments to estimate "pure price change".
This results in a small sampling error as well as a non-sampling error.
Indices, percentage changes (%).
Estimates for non-response : Not applicable.
Estimates for grossing-up to population levels : Not applicable.
Type of index: Chained Laspeyres index.
Method of weighting and chaining : The weights are based on construction surveys carried out for the purchasing power parities statistics.
Planned changes in production methods : Not applicable.
Type of source: Statistical survey.
Frame on which the source is based: Business register.
Sample or census: Sample.
Criteria for stratification: Not relevant.
Frequency of updating the sample: At least every 5 years.
Quarterly.
Timeliness 3 months after the reference period.
Timetable of data collection: reporting units are contacted by websurvey during the first three weeks after the reference period, reminders are sent afterwards.
No problem of geographical comparability, the index is estimated at the national level.
