Federal Statistical Office of Germany (DESTATIS)

E 21 "Business indices, seasonal adjustment"

Statistisches Bundesamt
Gustav-Stresemann-Ring 11
D-65180 Wiesbaden

This indicator is part of the overall STS indicator system which supports business cycle observation. The results show the evolution of gross wages and salaries in industrial activities, construction activities and in the enterprises of NACE division 47 and active in “other services“ (according to annex D of the EBS regulation).

NACE Rev. 2 Sections B to E36: Labour input data are compiled at the 4-digit level of NACE Rev. 2 and are calculated for MIGS (Main Industrial Groupings) and for the NACE Rev. 2 Sections as well as 2- and 3-digit levels.

NACE Rev. 2 Section F: Data are compiled at the 4-digit level of NACE Rev. 2 and are calculated for NACE Rev. 2 Sections.

Regional figures are published by the regional Statistical Offices (Statistical Offices of the German States (Länder)) at a more aggregated level.

NACE Rev. 2 (Statistical Classification of Economic Activities in the European Community).

NACE Rev. 2 Sections B to E36

NACE Rev. 2 Section F

NACE Rev. 2 divisions G45 and G46, sections H, I, J, M_STS (M without 70.1, 72 and 75) and N_STS (N without 77, 81.1 and 81.3)

NACE Rev. 2 division G47

Wages and salaries correspond to the total gross earnings excluding social contributions paid by the employer. These data include salary supplements in cash or in kind, payments for hours not worked, wages and salaries paid in case of sick leave, allowances paid by the employer for sick leave or holiday, bonuses, profit sharing, family allowances, as well as saving premiums paid by the employer. They exclude social charges paid by the employer, payment of short-time work (in case of temporary lay-off), and early retirement allowances.

In Sections B and C local units with 50 or more persons employed are surveyed. In Section D to E36 local units with less than 20 persons employed are only surveyed if they belong to an enterprise employing 20 persons or more (also for the underlying survey from section F).

NACE Rev. 2 Sections B to E36: Local units report the wages and salaries, which are then estimated for the corresponding local-kind-of-activity units.

NACE Rev. 2 Section F: Local unit

NACE Rev. 2 divisions G45, G46 and G47, sections H, I, J, M_STS (M without 70.1, 72 and 75) and N_STS (N without 77, 81.1 and 81.3): Legal unit

All relevant statistical units in NACE Sections B to C according to the Business Register: ~24,000 legal units (2023).

All relevant statistical units in NACE Section F "construction" according to the Business Register: ~390,000 legal units (2023)

All relevant statistical units in NACE Divisions G45 and G46 Sections H, I, J, M_STS (M without 70.1, 72 and 75) and N_STS (N without 77, 81.1 and 81.3) according to the Business Register: ~1.8 million units (2014)

All relevant statistical units in NACE division 47 "Retail trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles" according to the Business Register: ~364,000 units (2014)

Country as a whole.

Labour input outside the geographical territory of Germany is not included in the data.

NACE Rev. 2 Sections B to E36: Since 1962.

NACE Rev. 2 Section F: Since 1995.

NACE Rev. 2 divisions G45, G46 and G47, sections H, I, J, M_STS (M without 70.1, 72 and 75) and N_STS (N without 77, 81.1 and 81.3): Since 2010

2021 = 100

NACE Rev. 2 Sections B to E36: Index based on the evolution of gross wages and salaries in industrial activities.

NACE Rev. 2 Section F: Index based on the evolution of gross wages and salaries in construction activities

NACE Rev. 2 Divisions G45, G46 and G47, Sections H, I, J, M_STS (M without 70.1, 72 and 75) and N_STS (N without 77, 81.1 and 81.3): Index based on an estimated evolution of wages and salaries

NACE Rev. 2 Sections B to E36: Month.

NACE Rev. 2 Section F, remaining NACE codes: Calendar quarter

Till 2022: The laws regulating the collection, treatment and dissemination of statistical data are the Council Regulation (EC) No 1165/98 of 19 May 1998 concerning short-term statistics with implementing acts (e.g. Commission Regulation No 1503/2006 of 28 September 2006 concerning the definitions).

From 2022 and 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).

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) as well as the Federal Statistics Act (1987) and the national Manufacturing Industry Statistics Act (ProdGewStatG of 2002) with several amendments, the national Trade Statistics Act (HdlStatG of 2001), the national Services Statistics Act (DlKonjStatG of 2013), the national Earning Statistics Act (VerdStatG of 2006) and the national Law governing the use of administrative sources for Statistics (VwVDG).

The results are compiled in close cooperation with the Statistical Offices of the German States (Bundesländer).

Data sent to Eurostat may contain confidential data to compile the European aggregate.

Confidentiality is guaranteed by section 16 of the Federal Statistics Act. It requires that respondents must be informed about their rights and obligations in providing statistical information. This rule is strictly followed. It also applies to the notification that individual data are only used for statistical purposes and - subject to protection procedures - for scientific purposes.

Furthermore, Chapter V “Statistical Confidentiality” of the REGULATION (EC) No 223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council applies.

As regards the confidentiality of data, methods of primary and secondary confidentiality checking have been developed and are being used. For business and agriculture surveys, disclosure risk assessment is based on concentration-rules. Cell suppression is used to prevent residual disclosure in tables for dissemination.

A continuously updated release calendar containing the precise release dates for the reference periods of the following year is published on the website of destatis always in October.

National results on wages and salaries in "other services" and in NACE 47 will not be disseminated and consequently are not included in the release calendar.

https://www.destatis.de/SiteGlobals/Forms/Suche/Termine/EN/Terminsuche_Formular.html?nn=43216

NACE Rev. 2 Sections B to E36: There is a press release for wages and salaries. The press release is published around 45 days after the end of the reporting month. The German Central Bank has prior access to the data. Data are transmitted monthly to Eurostat the same day as national publication.

NACE Rev. 2 Section F: The national publication is split in different aggregates that are published at different dates. The German Central Bank has prior access to the data. Data are transmitted quarterly to Eurostat approximately 2 months after the end of the reference quarter.

National results on wages and salaries in "other services" and in NACE 47 will not be disseminated and consequently no user access is granted. The data is only created for and provided to Eurostat.

NACE Rev. 2 Sections B to E36: Monthly.

NACE Rev. 2 Section F: Quarterly.

NACE Rev. 2 Divisions G45, G46 and G47, Sections H, I, J, M_STS (M without 70.1, 72 and 75) and N_STS (N without 77, 81.1 and 81.3): Quarterly data transmission to Eurostat

NACE Rev. 2 Sections B to E36: The regular press release is published around 45 days after the end of the reporting month.

NACE Rev. 2 Section F and other NACE codes: No news release.

NACE Rev. 2 Sections B to E36: results of the survey are available on destatis.de or GENESIS-Online Data base (https://www-genesis.destatis.de/genesis/online?operation=statistic&levelindex=0&levelid=1712236537798&code=42111#abreadcrumb)

NACE Rev. 2 Section F: results of the survey are available on destatis.de or GENESIS-Online Data base (https://www-genesis.destatis.de/genesis/online?operation=themes&code=4#abreadcrumb)

Other NACE codes: Not available.

NACE Rev. 2 Sections B to E36, F: https://www-genesis.destatis.de/genesis/online?operation=sprachwechsel&language=en

Other NACE codes: Not available (Only results of the survey).

NACE Rev. 2 Sections B to E36, F: Scientists have the possibility to get regulated access to official statistical micro data via Research Data Centres (FDZ).

Other NACE codes: Not available.

The data are sent to Eurostat be released also as national data.

NACE Rev. 2 Division G47: The data are sent to Eurostat to be used for the compilation of EU/Euro aggregates.

NACE Rev. 2 Sections B to E36: https://www.destatis.de/EN/Themes/Economic-Sectors-Enterprises/Industry-Manufacturing/_node.html

NACE Rev. 2 Section F: https://www.destatis.de/EN/Themes/Economic-Sectors-Enterprises/Construction/_node.html

Other NACE codes: Only internal methodological reports. There is no public methodology documentation foreseen.

NACE Rev. 2 Sections B to E36, F: The national quality reports for the underlying statistics are published in German language under the following URL:https://www.destatis.de/EN/Methods/Quality/_node.html

Other NACE codes: Not available.

The data of German official statistics enjoy a reputation of high reliability in Germany and abroad. Destatis has committed itself to assure and further enhance the level of quality already attained. In order to achieve this task – also in the ESS – the activities of destatis are based on quality guidelines. To assure quality in the long term, destatis applies a variety of systematic quality assurance measures, among others the European Statistics Code of Practice.

Detailed descriptions can be found here: https://www.destatis.de/EN/Methods/Quality/_node.html

NACE Rev. 2 Sections B to E36, F: The monthly survey in the industrial and construction sector is conducted in a decentralized manner. The statistical offices of the German States (Länder) are responsible for collecting, checking and processing the respective Länder data.  The Federal Statistical Office is entrusted with methodological preparations and the development of the statistics, and it collects the Länder results in order to produce and publish federal results as well as to calculate indices.

Other NACE codes: A feasibility study concluded that wages and salaries can be estimated with pre-existing data. Various tests were carried out and quality aspects were considered as sufficient, especially with a view on the cost-benefit ratio (costs are minimal and observation units are not burdened).

NACE Rev. 2 Sections B to E36, F: The monthly and quarterly data of wages and salaries in industrial activities is an important early indicator for monitoring and  analysing the short-term economic development in Germany for government departments, ECB, national central bank, international organisations, Social actors: employers' organisations, trade unions,  lobby  groups,  etc.,  Media, Researchers & students, Enterprises/businesses, Internal users (national accounts), Eurostat.

NACE Rev. 2 Divisions G45, G46 and G47, Sections H, I, J, M_STS (M without 70.1, 72 and 75) and N_STS (N without 77, 81.1 and 81.3): There is no national user demand. Results are only compiled based on a legal obligation for data transmission towards Eurostat.

NACE Rev. 2 Sections B to E36, F: Destatis conducts user satisfaction surveys in various sectors of statistics. The Statistical Advisory Committee (Statistischer Beirat) represents the interests of the users of federal statistics and regularly consults with destatis. Additionally, user satisfaction is measured by the number of monthly visits on specialized publications on the website of destatis and the respective number of printed products sold or downloads, quarterly downloads from the on-line database “GENESIS”, downloads of the Statistical Yearbook sorted by chapters and the number of external queries via the costumer management system.

NACE Rev. 2 Divisions G45, G46 and G47, Sections H, I, J, M_STS (M without 70.1, 72 and 75) and N_STS (N without 77, 81.1 and 81.3): Not available.

STS requirements according to EU regulations and national laws are fulfilled.

NACE Rev. 2 Sections B to E36, F: Deviations between the preliminary and the final results are marginal.

NACE Rev. 2 Divisions G45, G46 and G47, Sections H, I, J, M_STS (M without 70.1, 72 and 75) and N_STS (N without 77, 81.1 and 81.3): The estimation model is considered accurate enough for contribution to European aggregates, but not for stand- alone national publication.

NACE Rev. 2 Sections B to E36, F: Not relevant since surveys are conducted with a census above a cut-off threshold.

NACE Rev. 2 Divisions G45, G46 and G47, Sections H, I, J, M_STS (M without 70.1, 72 and 75) and N_STS (N without 77, 81.1 and 81.3): Not applicable because an estimation procedure is used (no sampling).

NACE Rev. 2 Sections B to E36: A bias could occur because only local units with 50 or more persons employed (in Sections B to C) respectively enterprises with 20 or more persons employed (in Sections D to E36) are surveyed. However, this is not relevant at the level of Germany.

The response rate is close to 100%.

NACE Rev. 2 Section F: A bias could occur because only enterprises with 20 or more persons employed are surveyed.

Unit-non-response has no impact on the quality because the response rate is close to 100% and an estimation procedure compensates the remaining non-response.

NACE Rev. 2 Divisions G45, G46 and G47, Sections H, I, J, M_STS (M without 70.1, 72 and 75) and N_STS (N without 77, 81.1 and 81.3): The estimation model could have flaws that lead to bias - even though it was tested before implementation. Furthermore, the model is based on input data from several primary sources that could contain errors of the usual kind.

NACE Rev. 2 Sections B to E36: The first preliminary results for wages and salaries are published approximately 45 days after the end of the reference month.

Data are to be delivered by the reporting units up to the 12th day after the end of the reference month.

NACE Rev. 2 Section F: The first preliminary results for wages and salaries are published approximately 60 days after the end of the reference period.

Data are to be delivered by the reporting units up to the 10th day after the end of the reference period.

NACE Rev. 2 Divisions G45, G46 and G47, Sections H, I, J, M_STS (M without 70.1, 72 and 75) and N_STS (N without 77, 81.1 and 81.3): Data have to be transmitted to Eurostat 90 days after the end of the reference-quarter.

All publication deadlines are met.

NACE Rev. 2 Sections B to E36, F: Results for federated states (Bundesländer = NUTS 1) are directly comparable to each other.

NACE Rev. 2 Divisions G45, G46 and G47, Sections H, I, J, M_STS (M without 70.1, 72 and 75) and N_STS (N without 77, 81.1 and 81.3): Only data for Germany as a whole covered (NUTS 0), no distinction on the level of Federal States (Länder).

NACE Rev. 2 Sections B to E36, F: Consistent time series are available since 2005.

NACE Rev. 2 Divisions G45, G46 and G47, Sections H, I, J, M_STS (M without 70.1, 72 and 75) and N_STS (N without 77, 81.1 and 81.3): The estimation model was kept consistent since date of first availability. But because of a change in the sample design of the underlying quarterly survey of earnings since 2012 the comparability over time is limited.

Coherence with National Accounts is only partly given (because of different data collection and estimation methods).

NACE Rev. 2 Sections B to E36, F: Internal coherence is given (sub-aggregates add up to the main aggregate).

NACE Rev. 2 Divisions G45, G46 and G47, Sections H, I, J, M_STS (M without 70.1, 72 and 75) and N_STS (N without 77, 81.1 and 81.3): Not applicable.

NACE Rev. 2 Sections B to E36: Not available.

NACE Rev. 2 Section F: Destatis estimates the hours used by destatis for this indicator as 30 person hours per month

NACE Rev. 2 Divisions G45 and G46, Sections H, I, J, M_STS (M without 70.1, 72 and 75) and N_STS (N without 77, 81.1 and 81.3): No burden for enterprises. Only internal costs mainly in the Federal Statistical Office. The internal burden cannot be quantified but should be small (roundabout 8 hours/quarter).

NACE Rev. 2 Division G47: No burden for enterprises. Only internal costs mainly in the Federal Statistical Office. The internal burden cannot be quantified but should be small (roundabout 4 hours/quarter).

The general revision policy of the Federal Statistical Office is published under the following URL:

https://www.destatis.de/EN/Methods/Quality/GeneralRevisionsPolicy.html

This policy applies to national publications and data sent to Eurostat.

NACE Rev. 2 Sections B to E36: The first publication is flagged as provisional results. These results are revised in March of the following year (final Data). The differences between the first and the final data are small.

NACE Rev. 2 Section F: At the first publication all results are considered provisional. With every publication two former results are revised, but still considered provisional. Results are considered final with the third revision 11 months after the reference period.

The national publication is split in different aggregates that are published at different dates. The national results are considered final after the second revision.

NACE Rev. 2 Divisions G45, G46 and G47, Sections H, I, J, M_STS (M without 70.1, 72 and 75) and N_STS (N without 77, 81.1 and 81.3): Data revisions are necessary due to new information, methodological changes or if errors are detected. Detected errors are corrected immediately, while new information is included through regular revisions. The regular revisions are described in the relevant National Reference Metadata for the variable 210 “index of persons employed” (this index feeds into the estimation model for wages and salaries, which has to be revised accordingly). Methodological changes can occur because of e.g. changes of the survey method, revisions of the relevant classification, change of the base year (rebasing and change of the weights).

NACE Rev. 2 Sections B to E36: The wages and salaries in industrial activities are based on a primary survey of all local units in NACE Sections B to C with 50 or more persons employed and local units in Sections D to E36 of enterprises with 20 or more persons employed.

NACE Rev. 2 Section F: The persons employed in construction activities are obtained for local-kind-of-activity units based on a primary survey of all enterprises in NACE Section F with 20 or more persons employed, which is complemented by administrative data (business register) for small units.

NACE Rev. 2 Divisions G45, G46 and G47, Sections H, I, J, M_STS (M without 70.1, 72 and 75) and N_STS (N without 77, 81.1 and 81.3): For the estimation procedure on wages and salaries the following sources are used:

1. Quarterly survey of earnings (based on German national law).
2. Number of persons employed from the monthly STS survey (NACE Rev. 2 divisions 45, 46, 47 and section I) and quarterly STS data (NACE Rev. 2 sections H, J, M and N).

NACE Rev. 2 Sections B to E36: Monthly.

NACE Rev. 2 Section F: Monthly in the main construction activity and quarterly in the building completion and installation activity

NACE Rev. 2 Divisions G45, G46 and G47, Sections H, I, J, M_STS (M without 70.1, 72 and 75) and N_STS (N without 77, 81.1 and 81.3): Quarterly; for the number of persons employed in NACE divisions 45, 46 and 47 as well as NACE section I also monthly data collection

NACE Rev. 2 Sections B to E36, F: The data collection is done by Internet questionnaires (IDEV), which are sent and collected by the Statistical Offices of the German States (Statistische Ämter der Länder).

NACE Rev. 2 Divisions G45, G46 and G47, Sections H, I, J, M_STS (M without 70.1, 72 and 75) and N_STS (N without 77, 81.1 and 81.3): There is no data collection done in the sense of a survey. In the estimation procedure we use data already available from other surveys.

NACE Rev. 2 Sections B to E36, F: The validation (plausibility checks) is done by the statistical offices of the Länder with a standardised It-Program (StatVG).

NACE Rev. 2 Divisions G45, G46 and G47, Sections H, I, J, M_STS (M without 70.1, 72 and 75) and N_STS (N without 77, 81.1 and 81.3): The data validation consists of different quality processing steps. The source data are checked as well as the estimated hours worked itself. First of all plausibility checks happen on the micro-data level. Missing data are estimated by the appropriate estimation method. Additionally, the results are checked on the macro data level by comparing change rates of unadjusted as well as adjusted indices. The checks are in general “intra-data checks” but the data are also compared with other STS data, for instance the results for persons employed are compared with the development of the turnover index. In addition, the seasonal pattern of the quarters before are taken as a basis as well as the development of other NACE-codes to assess the quality and to detect errors. For the estimation process the amount of the revisions of the source data is also observed.

NACE Rev. 2 Sections B to E36, F: Estimates for non-response are based on reported values of the preceding month.

NACE Rev. 2 Divisions G45, G46 and G47, Sections H, I, J, M_STS (M without 70.1, 72 and 75) and N_STS (N without 77, 81.1 and 81.3): Wages and salaries are calculated (estimated) by multiplying the sum of gross earnings per employee (from quarterly earnings survey) with the number of employees (from STS).

The data compilation takes place on the 3-digit-level of NACE Rev. 2. For aggregation to higher levels the indices are weighted with the results from the relevant structural business statistics (SBS).

NACE Rev. 2 Sections B to E36, F: No adjustment.

NACE Rev. 2 Divisions G45, G46 and G47, Sections H, I, J, M_STS (M without 70.1, 72 and 75) and N_STS (N without 77, 81.1 and 81.3): Calendar and seasonal adjustment based on X12-ARIMA for Divisions 45 and 46 as well as Section I; Calendar and seasonal adjustment based on X13 in JDemetra+ 2.2 for all other NACE codes.

None.