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.
Employment in industry and employment in construction. The source of these indicators is the Spanish Labour Force Survey (LFS) that is, the Economically Active Population Survey, EAPS (in Spanish, ‘Encuesta de Población Activa’). The LFS is the primary household survey for gathering information about the labour market, particularly employment.
Retail Trade
The main purpose ofRetail Trade Indices (RTI) is to provide information about the fundamental characteristics of enterprises dedicated to retail trade in Spain. This allows measuring the evolution of the activity in the sector in the short term.
This statistical operation currently fulfils European Parliament and Council Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 on European business statistics and Commission Implementing Regulation 2020/1197 laying down technical specifications and arrangements pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2019/2152.
It is a statistic with direct data collection. Results are presented as indices to measure variations taking as reference the base year 2021.
This operation began to be carried out in the year 1995. However, some series began in the year 2000. In January 2013, coinciding with the base change from 2005 to 2010, the formulation used was modified from direct Laspeyres-type indices with fixed base year 2005 to chainlinked Laspeyres indices with base year 2010 (monthly chain-linking during the last month of December).
Services
The main purpose of the statistical operation of Services Sector Activity Indicators (SSAI) is to provide short-term performance indicators of the economic activity of companies operating in the non-financial services market in Spain.
The results are presented as indices so as to measure variations relative to the 2021 base year.
This operation began to be carried out in the year 2002, although we have data from year 2000. In the year 2005, the sample was expanded in order to disseminate regional data, and since January 2009 the SSAI has been providing information in NACE Rev.2. In January 2013, coinciding with the base change from 2005 to 2010, the formulation used is modified, from direct Laspeyres-type indices with fixed base year 2005, to chain-linked Laspeyres indices, with base year 2010 (monthly chain-linking during last December).
3.2. Classification system
NACE Rev.2.
3.3. Coverage - sector
Industry and Construction
Since the LFS is a household survey, all the economic activities and all the size classes are covered.
Retail Trade
Division 47 of NACE Rev.2.
Trade
Divisions 45, 46 and 47 of NACE Rev.2.
Services
Sections H (Transport and Storage), I (Accommodation), J (Information and Communications), L (Real Estate Activities), M (Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities, excluded 70.1, 72 and 75) and N (Administrative and Support Services Activities) of the Statistical Classification of Economic Activities in the European Communities (NACE Rev.2).
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
INDUSTRY AND CONSTRUCTION
The LFS follows the International Labor Ourganization (ILO) methodology:
Employment: People aged 16 and over that have worked at least one hour for payment in money or kind or for a profit in their own business in the reference week. Individuals who are temporarily absent from work, e.g. due to illness or holiday, are also considered employed, provided they are expected to return to their job. All persons in employment are considered, including working proprietors and unpaid family workers.
For employed persons the following main variables are measured: occupation, activity of the local unit, professional status, type of contract, hours worked in the reference week.
RETAIL TRADE
Enterprise classification variables
Economic activity
The economic activity carried out by a enterprise is defined as the creation of added value by means of the production of goods and services.
Enterprise size
The size of enterprises is one of the most important variables when it comes to classifying enterprises. This size may be established in terms of the magnitude of turnover or production value, or by considering the number of persons on the enterprise staff. In RTI, this latter option is chosen to determine the size of the enterprises.
Variables studied
Number of employees and self-employed persons
The number of employees and self-employed persons is defined as the total number of persons who work in the observation unit (inclusive of working proprietors, partners working regularly in the unit and unpaid family workers), as well as persons who work outside the unit who belong to it and are paid by it (e.g. sales representatives, delivery personnel, repair and maintenance teams). It includes persons absent for a short period (e.g. sick leave, paid leave or special leave), and also those on strike, but not those absent for an indefinite period. It also includes part-time workers who are regarded as such under the laws of the country concerned and who are on the payroll, as well as seasonal workers, apprentices and home workers on the payroll.
The number of employees and self-employed persons excludes manpower supplied to the unit by other enterprises, persons carrying out repair and maintenance work in the observation unit on behalf of other enterprises, as well as those on compulsory military service.
Unpaid family workers refers to persons who live with the proprietor of the unit and work regularly for the unit, but do not have a contract of service and do not receive a fixed sum for the work they perform. This is limited to those persons who are not included on the payroll of another unit as their principal occupation.
SERVICES
Enterprise classification variables
Economic activity
The economic activity carried out by an enterprise is defined as the creation of added value by means of the production of goods and services.
Each one of the statistical units studied (enterprises) frequently carries out several activities that should be classified in separate categories of the National Classification of the Statistical Classification of Economic Activities in the European Community (NACE Rev.2).
In general, the activities carried out by an economic unit may be of three types: main, secondary and auxiliary activities. The main activity differs from secondary activities because it generates the greatest added value and auxiliary activities are those that generate services that are not sold on the market and only serve the unit they depend on (administration departments, transport or storage services).
Due to the difficulties faced by enterprises in calculating added value when various activities are carried out, the activity which generates the greatest volume of business is considered the main activity or, failing that, that which employs the greatest number of people.
Although statistical units are classified according to their main activity, the information that is requested from the informant units refers not only to the main activity under consideration, but also to all the secondary and auxiliary activities which are carried out.
Enterprise size
The size of enterprises is one of the most important variable when it comes to classifying enterprises. This size may be established in terms of the magnitude of turnover or production value, or by considering the number of people on the enterprise staff.
In SSAI, this latter option is chosen to determine the size of the enterprises.
Variables studied
Number of employees and self_employed persons
The number of employees and self_employed persons is defined as the total number of persons who work in the observation unit (inclusive of working proprietors, partners working regularly in the unit and unpaid family workers), as well as persons who work outside the unit who belong to it and are paid by it (e.g. sales representatives, delivery personnel, repair and maintenance teams). It includes persons absent for a short period (e.g. sick leave, paid leave or special leave), and also those on strike, but not those absent for an indefinite period. It also includes part-time workers who are regarded as such under the laws of the country concerned and who are on the payroll, as well as seasonal workers, apprentices and home workers on the payroll.
The number of employees and self_employed persons excludes manpower supplied to the unit by other enterprises, persons carrying out repair and maintenance work in the observation unit on behalf of other enterprises, as well as those on compulsory military service.
Unpaid family workers refers to persons who live with the proprietor of the unit and work regularly for the unit, but do not have a contract of service and do not receive a fixed sum for the work they perform. This is limited to those persons who are not included on the payroll of another unit as their principal occupation.
3.5. Statistical unit
Industry and Construction
People living in private households.
Retail Trade
The statistical unit is the kind-of-activity unit (KAU).
Services
Statistical unit: KAU (kind of activity unit).
3.6. Statistical population
Industry and Construction
All persons living in private households are included. On the contrary, individuals living in collective households are only included if they have a link to a private households. Foreigners are included if they intend to reside in Spain for more than one year, with the exception of military and foreign diplomats.
Retail Trade
The statistical population comprises the observation units (kind-of-activity units) whose activity is registered in Division 47 of Section G of the National Classification of Economic Activities (CNAE-2009): 47. Retail trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles. The frame used to identify the units is the Central Business Register (CBR).
Services
Population scope: Sections H (Transport and Storage), I (Accommodation), J (Information and Communications), L (Real Estate Activities), M (Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities, excluded 70.1, 72 and 75) and N (Administrative and Support Services Activities) of the Statistical Classification of Economic Activities in the European Communities (NACE Rev.2).
The population is around 1.300.000 enterprises included in Other Services of the Statistical Classification of Economic Activities in the European Communities (NACE Rev.2.). The SBS population includes includes these firms, although its scope is greater.
3.7. Reference area
Industry and Construction
All the regions of Spain are surveyed. The geographical coverage relates to the population of each Spanish region.
Retail Trade
The geographical coverage of RTI is the whole Spanish territory, so the Autonomous Cities of Ceuta and Melilla are included.
Employment of the units located outside the Spanish territory are not included in the aggregates.
Services
The geographical coverage of Services is the entire Spanish territory excluding the Autonomous Cities of Ceuta and Melilla.
Employment of the units located outside the Spanish territory are not included in the aggregates.
The sampled units located in Spain provide their total employment.
3.8. Coverage - Time
Industry and Construction
From the third quarter of 1976 onwards.
Retail Trade
For the index G47_X_G473 the serie begins in 1995. For the index G47 the serie begins in 2000.
The base year of the index in 2024 is 2021. The index previously had 1994, 2001, 2005, 2010 and 2015 as base years.
Services
This operation began to be carried out in the year 2002. In the year 2005, the sample was expanded in order to disseminate regional data, and as of January 2009 SSAI provides information in NACE Rev.2.
The historical series begin in January, 2002 except the correspondents to the activities 58 of NACE Rev.2 (Publishing activities), 59 of NACE Rev.2 (Motion picture, video and television programme activities, sounds recording and music publishing), 60 of the NACE Rev.2 (Radio and television programming and broadcasting activities) and the general indeces of occupation of the autonomous communities that begin in January, 2005. Activities 68, 702, 77 and Real Estate Activities began in January 2021.
3.9. Base period
Industry and Construction
From March 2024, all indices are disseminated using 2021 as base year. Thus, the base of the indices is the yearly average of 2021.
Retail Trade
Every five years, Member States shall rebase the indices using as base years the years ending with a 0 or a 5 and that all indices must be rebased on the new base year within three years after the end of each new base year. However, as a result of the COVID pandemic in 2020, which significantly altered the course of the economy, it has been decided that the year selected for the following base change would be 2021. The next one will recover the general rule and will be carried out with reference to 2025.
In 2024 the data was disseminated in base 2021. For this year we have:
the base year: year 2021 (the year when the index equals 100)
the reference period: December t-1 (our chain linking is base on a period shorter than a year)
the reference year: December t-1 (the year on which the weights are based)
The base and reference year are the same at national level and for the data transmitted to Eurostat.
From March 2024, Eurostat has published all indices with base year 2021. The whole time series is recalculated/rescaled accordingly. Therefore, the data with reference year 2024 is published in Eurostat’s database Eurobase with base year 2021.
Services Sector Activity Indicators (SSAI) use chain linking indexes:
The base year: year 2021 (the year when the index equals 100))
The reference period: December t-1 (our chain linking is based on a period shorter than a year)
The reference year: December t-1 (the year on which the weights are based
Our base and reference periods released national are equal than data transmitted to Eurostat.
Industry and Construction
Index number expressed in percentage terms.
Retail Trade
Indices and percentage changes (on previous period or compared to the same period in previous year).
Services
Indices and percentage changes (compared to the previous period or compared to the same period in the previous year).
Industry and Construction
The reference period for aggregate employment is the entire corresponding quarter. At individual level, the LFS measures a person's employment situation during the reference week, i.e., the week prior to the scheduled interview.
Retail Trade
The reference period is the last day of the month.
Services
Employment is calculated as the average number of workers in the reference month.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
The compilation and dissemination of the data are governed by the Statistical Law No. 12/1989 "Public Statistical Function" of May 9, 1989, and Law No. 4/1990 of June 29 on “National Budget of State for the year 1990" amended by Law No. 13/1996 "Fiscal, administrative and social measures" of December 30, 1996, makes compulsory all statistics included in the National Statistics Plan. The National Statistical Plan 2009-2012 was approved by the Royal Decree 1663/2008. It contains the statistics that must be developed in the four year period by the State General Administration's services or any other entity dependent on it. All statistics included in the National Statistics Plan are statistics for state purposes and are obligatory. The National Statistics Plan 2025-2028, approved by Royal Decree 1225/2024 of 3 December, is the Plan currently in effect. This statistical operation has governmental purposes, and it is included in the National Statistics Plan 2025-2028. (Statistics of the State Administration)
Industry and Construction
The Economically Active Population Survey (EAPS) , which provides information for the European Labour Force Survey (LFS), is subject to regulations governing the EFT community. The most important ones are:
REGULATION (EU) 2019/1700 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 10 October 2019, establishing a common framework for European statistics relating to persons and households.
COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) 2019/2181 of 16 December 2019 specifying technical characteristics as regards items common to several datasets pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2019/1700 of the European Parliament and of the Council.
COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) 2019/2180 of 16 December 2019 specifying the detailed arrangements and content for the quality reports pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2019/1700 of the European Parliament and of the Council.
COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) 2019/2240 of 16 December 2019, specifying the technical items of the data set, establishing the technical formats for transmission of information and specifying the detailed arrangements and content of the quality reports on the organisation of a sample survey in the labour force domain.
COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) 2019/2241 of 16 December 2019 describing the variables and the length, quality requirements and level of detail of the time series for the transmission of monthly unemployment data pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2019/1700 of the European Parliament and of the Council
COMMISSION DELEGATED REGULATION (EU) 2020/256 of 16 December 2019 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1700 of the European Parliament and of the Council by establishing a multiannual rolling planning.
COMMISSION DELEGATED REGULATION (EU) 2020/257 of 16 December 2019 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1700 of the European Parliament and of the Council by specifying the number and the title of the variables for the labour force domain.
EAPS also provides data for the STS indicators whose legal basis are 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 (EBS-Regulation) and 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).
Retail Trade
The legal basis for the STS indicators are 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 (EBS-Regulation), and 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).
Services
Legal basis
The legal basis for the STS indicators are 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 (EBS-Regulation) and 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).
According to the Spanish legislation, SSAI is a compulsory statistic.
The compilation and dissemination of data are governed by the Statistical Law No 12/1989 "Public Statistical Function" of May 9, 1989, and Law No 4/1990 of June 29 on "National Budget of State for the year 1990" amended by Law No 13/1996 "Fiscal, administrative and social measures" of December 30, 1996, makes compulsory all statistics included in the National Statistics Plan. The Plan contains the statistics that must be developed in the four year period by the State General Administration's services or any other entity dependent on it. All statistics included in the National Statistics Plan are statistics for state purposes and are obligatory. The National Statistics Plan 2021-2024, approved by Royal Decree 1110/2020, of December 15th, is the Plan currently implemented. This statistical operation has governmental purposes, and it is included in the National Statistics Plan 2021-2024.
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
Industry and Construction
The exchanges of information between the INE and the rest of the State statistical offices (Ministerial Departments, independent bodies and administrative bodies depending on the State General Administration), or between these offices and the Autonomous Communities Statistical Offices, are regulated in the Statistical Law No 12/1989 "Public Statistical Function". This law also regulates the mechanisms of statistical coordination, and concludes cooperation agreements between the different offices when necessary.
Through the collaboration agreements signed with regional statistical institutes, monthly information exchange is done meeting the requirements established to preserve statistical confidentiality.
The employment data by industry are provided to OECD, ILO, and other international agencies according to different employment questionnaires and formats.
Retail Trade
The exchanges of information between the INE and the rest of the State statistical offices (Ministerial Departments, independent bodies and administrative bodies depending on the State General Administration), or between these offices and the Autonomous Communities Statistical Offices, are regulated in the Statistical Law No 12/1989 "Public Statistical Function". This law also regulates the mechanisms of statistical coordination, and concludes cooperation agreements between the different offices when necessary.
Through the collaboration agreements signed with regional statistical institutes, monthly information exchange is done meeting the requirements established to preserve statistical confidentiality.
Services
The exchanges of information between the INE and the rest of the State statistical offices (Ministerial Departments, independent bodies and administrative bodies depending on the State General Administration), or between these offices and the Autonomous Communities Statistical Offices, are regulated in the Statistical Law No 12/1989 "Public Statistical Function". This law also regulates the mechanisms of statistical coordination, and concludes cooperation agreements between the different offices when necessary.
Through the collaboration agreements signed with regional statistical institutes, monthly information exchange is done meeting the requirements established to preserve statistical confidentiality.
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
The Statistical Law 12/1989 of the Public Statistics states that INE can not disseminate, or make available in any way, individual or aggregate data that could lead to the identification of any individual person or entity. Moreover, the European Regulation 223/2009 on European statistics establishes the need to establish common principles and guidelines ensuring the confidentiality of the data used to produce European statistics and the access to those confidential data taking into account the technical developments and the needs of users in a democratic society.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
INE Spain implements the necessary logical, physical and administrative measures for the protection of confidential data throughout the process, from data collection to publication.
A legal clause is included in the survey questionnaires informing respondents about the protection of the collected data.
During the stages of information processing, direct identifiers are only preserved while strictly necessary to ensure the quality of processes. Direct identification data are not stored alongside the statistics after the data collection phase.
The results to be published are analysed in detail beforehand to prevent the potential derivation statistical units' confidential data. In cases in which microdata are disseminated, they are always anonymized.
8.1. Release calendar
The advance release calendar that shows the precise release dates for the coming year is disseminated every last quarter of each year.
The calendar is presented to the media at a news conference and is also published on the INE's website.
8.2. Release calendar access
The calendar is disseminated on the INE's website.
The data are released simultaneously to all interested parties through the publication the press release "Encuesta de Población Activa y Encuesta de Flujos de la Población Activa". At the same time, the data are sent by fax to subscribers, and are posted on the INE's website.
Some users may receive under embargo information as specified in the Code of Practice of the European Statistics.
Retail Trade
All users have access to the data since 9 am on the press release day. The data are disseminated on the INE website. Users are informed that the data are being released via Twitter and throught the "News flash" section of the INE website.
In accordance with the European Statistics Code of Practice, all users have access to the same statistical information at the same time, and any privileged pre-release access to any outside user must be limited, controlled and made public. In this sense, a few hours prior to theofficial publication, some statistical information is transmitted under embargo to the Secretariat of State for Economic Affairs and Business Support of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Digital Transformation. This is done to provide the responsible authorities with sufficient time to prepare responses to potential questions from journalists.
Likewise, by virtue of the signing of the Multilateral Working Agreement for the development of a statistics partnership between the INE and the Central Statistics Offices of the Autonomous Communities (OCECA), sixteen OCECA receive information under embargo, pertaining to their respective territory (at the Autonomous Community level) and to the national total (on a national scale). This enables them to compile and publish press releases, in parallel with INE, covering their respective territorial scopes. As with INE, the OCECA operate under laws and regulations that ensure statistical confidentiality.
The release policy is available for consultation. The release policy doesn't determine the time at which data are disseminated. The same release policy is applied to national releases and to transmissions to Eurostat.
Main aggregates are transmitted to Eurostat several days before the national release and all indexes at the moment of the national release. Data are transmitted in SDMX-ML format.
Services
All users have access to the data since 9 am on the press release day. The data are disseminated at INE Spain website. Users are informed that the data are being released via the social network X and also at INE Spain website "News flash" section.
In accordance with the European Statistics Code of Practice, all users have access to the same statistical information at the same time, and any privileged pre-release access to any outside user must be limited, controlled and made public.
In this sense, a few hours before its official publication, some statistical information of the INE is transmitted, under embargo, to the appointed body, the Secretariat of State for Economic Affairs and Business Support of the Ministry of Economy Affairs and Digital Transformation, for the purpose of providing sufficient time for their responsible parties to prepare answers to any possible questions that journalists might ask them.
Likewise, by virtue of the signing of the Multilateral Working Agreement for the development of a statistics partnership between the INE and the Central Statistics Offices of the Autonomous Communities (OCECA), sixteen OCECA receive information under embargo, relating to both their territory (at Autonomous Community level) and the national total (on a national scale), for the purpose of compiling and publishing, in parallel to the INE, press releases relating to their respective territorial scopes. As with the INE, the OCECA are governed by the Laws and regulations that guarantee statistical confidentiality.
The release policy doesn't determine the time at which data are disseminated. The dissemination policy is available for consultation.
The same release policy is applied to national releases and to transmissions to Eurostat.
Data are transmitted in SDMX-ML format to Eurostat at the moment of the national release.
Industry and Construction
The frequency of LFS data is different depending on the type of variable. Most variables have quarterly frequency, but the rest of them belongs to a subsample and their frequencies can be annual, biennial or every each 8 years.
The BCS employment indicators have quarterly frequency of publication.
Retail Trade
Monthly. The publication is released around 30 days after the end of the reference period.
Services
Monthly. The publication is released approximately 50 days after the end of the reference period.
In the INE website is available a dedicated section to LFS results.
Each frequency data is disseminated in its corresponding section:
The quarterly results section publishes the number of employed persons, unemployed persons, non-active persons, activity rates, and information for all the variables included in the Labour Force Survey questionnaire. Main indicators are broken down by national, regional (comunidades autónomas) and provincial levels; quarterly time series are available since the first quarter of 2008 for NACErev2. There exists information on sampling errors of the main variables as well.
The Annual results section publishes annual/biennial data of the reference year for the main indicators shown in the quarterly results listed above and information on sampling and non-sampling errors. Within this section we disseminate also detailed data on specific variables only obtained for the annual/biennial subsample.
The Special Modules section publishes data from regular modules repeated every eight years, and includes data from an ad hoc module every four years. Prior to 2020, only ad hoc modules were published in this section.
Retail Trade
All information related to this indicator is posted on the INE website. Here you can find the following publications:
Press Release, highlighting the components that influence the evolution of the indicator in the reference month, both with regard to sales and occupation.
Table Annex, containing the tables attached to the Press Release.
Methodology, where it can be consulted the Standardised Methodological Report of INE Spain, the file of the Inventory Statistical Operation and the methodology of Retail Trade Indices which highlight in greater detail the methodological characteristics of the indicator.
Related links, where information about previous bases can be consulted.
There are no paper publications, the information related to this indicator is published on the INE webSITE.
In it is possible to find the following information:
Press release: where the components that most influence the evlution of the indicator in the reference month are highlighted.
Principal results: it contains the attached tables to the press release.
Detailed results: with the information of the historical series of the indicators.
Methodology: where the methodological characteristics of the indicator are outlined with major detail.
The weightings used in the aggregated indices.
Results of the indicators in previous bases are also attached.
EUROSTAT, the statistical office of the European Union, provide the European Union with statistics at European level that enable comparisons between countries and regions. This information is available in the EUROSTAT statistics database.
10.3. Dissemination format - online database
INEbase is the system used to store and disseminate at INE Website all statistical information. It contains all the information produced by the INE in electronic format. It is organized basically following the thematic classification of the Inventory of Statistical Operations of the State General Administration. The basic unit is the statistical operation, defined as the set of activities that lead to the collection of statistics for a particular sector or theme, from data collected individually.
In 2023 the total number of accesses to the EAPS (Spanish LFS) website was AC1=3,627,995 and the total number of accesses to EAPS metadata was AC2=5,695.
Retail Trade
INEbase is the system used to store and disseminate through the INE Web all statistical information.
In base 2021, the results of the survey are available from 1995 to the present. National dissemination shows indices as well as the different rates of change in employment for different levels of disaggregation, by region and by distribution class.
In 2024 the total number of accesses to Retail Trade Indices website was AC1=484,248 and the total number of accesses to Retail Trade Indices metadata was AC2=2,700.
Services
INEbase is the system that the INE uses to store and disseminate all the statistical information online. It contains all the information that the INE produces in electronic format. It is organized basically following the thematic classification of the Inventory of Statistical Operations of the General Administration of the State.
The basic unit is the statistical operation defined as the set of activities that lead to obtaining statistical results for a certain sector or topic, based on information collected individually.
In 2024 the total number of accesses to Services Sector Activity Indicators (SSAI) website was AC1=142,129 and the total number of accesses to Services Sector Activity Indicators (SSAI) metadata was AC2=1860.
Microdata are not published, but they are given only to Regional Statistical Institutes with which there is a signed collaboration agreement for the transfer of such information under the Framework Agreement for cooperation between INE and Headquarters Statistics of the Autonomous Communities (OCECAS).
Services
The microdata for the Services Sector Activity Indicators (SSAI) are not accessible to the public. The microdata file is not disseminated anonymously; it is provided only to the Oficinas Centrales de Estadística de las Comunidades Autónomas (OCECAS) with which an agreement of collaboration has been signed for the reference of the above-mentioned information, by virtue of the Framework agreement of Collaboration between the INE and the OCECAS.
10.5. Dissemination format - other
Industry and Construction
The data are transmitted to Eurostat simultanously to the publication of the national press release according to the agreed GESMES format.
Customised information must be requested in the Information Area, clearly indicating the details of the contact person (name, postal address, telephone, fax and e-mail, if you have one), and detailing as much as possible the information required.
Requests will undergo a viability analysis process, programming and subsequent verification that the data obtained safeguard statistical confidenciality and are representative.
Retail Trade
It is possible to request information to the user service area of the INE, which takes into account, when processing such requests, limitations on confidentiality or precision.
Our data are sent to Eurostat, either to be used in european aggregates or to be released also as national data.
Services
Information can be requested from the INE's consumer service area. Confidentiality and accuracy are taken into account when processing these requests.
Our data are sent to Eurostat, either to be used in European aggregates or to be released also as national data.
10.6. Documentation on methodology
Industry and Construction
The documentation on the methodology is available at the link: methodology report. Other documentation relatedto the survey is provided as well.
The metadata completeness rate is AC3=100%
Retail Trade
The documentation on the methodology is available at the link: methodology report
The metadata completeness rate is AC3=100%
Services
The documentation on the methodology is available at the link: methodology report
The metadata completeness rate is AC3=100%
10.7. Quality management - documentation
Industry and Construction
Annually the EAPS publishes a quality assessment which provides information on response rates, sampling errors of the estimates and the survey results, reviewing the quality of information obtained in the interview.
Regarding the EAPS as a source of LFS Spain, quarterly and annually quality reports are prepared for Eurostat. Using the Spanish annual data along with that of the other European countries, a report on the quality of the European LFS is produced. The latest report covers the period 2020–2022. The lattest covers the period 2020-2022.
Retail Trade
The statistics are prepared in accordance with EU guidelines in order to meet the Code of Practice implemented by Eurostat following the quality criteria on relevance, accuracy and reliability, timeliness and punctuality, coherence and comparability and accessibility and clarity.
Fields from 11 to 18 of this document are the user-oriented quality report of this statistical operation.
Services
The statistics are prepared in accordance with EU guidelines in order to meet the Code of Practice implemented by Eurostat following the quality criteria on relevance, accuracy, timeliness and punctuality, accessibility and clarity, comparability, consistency and completeness.
To ensure the quality of statistics, every three years the Commission shall submit a report to the European Parliament and the Council on the statistics compiled, in particular on their relevance and quality, as well as on the revision of indicators.
This report addresses the relevance, quality and review of the indicators as well as the cost of the statistical system and the burden for businesses in relation to its benefits.
There are not additional national quality reports.
11.1. Quality assurance
Industry and Construction
The Economically Active Population Survey (EAPS) is designed to ensure continuous assessment of data quality. Some examples of monitoring taking place during the data collection process are: checks for invalid values in the electronic questionnaire, supervision and inspection of the field work, repeated surveying of a proportion of the respondents.
A quarterly error report is produced during the centralized data processing phase and sent to the data collection centers providing clear information of the detected issues.
The RTI production process is designed to ensure the quality of the information used as well as the results obtained from the same. To do this, at all stages of the process various quality controls are designed and detection of invalid values, non-response estimation, supervision and inspection of field work, and other permanent controls on the flow of information are carried out.
Services
The frame of quality guarantee for the statistics of the INE is based on the ESCOP, the Code of Good practices of EUROSTAT'S European Statistics. The ESCOP consists of 15 principles grouped in three areas: Institutional Environment, Processes and Products. Every principle has associate a series of indicators that allow his measure. To assess quality, various tools provided by EUROSTAT are in use: the aforementioned indicators, the self-evaluation (DESAP), the Review for counterparts (Peer Review), the Audits of quality and the user satisfaction surveys.
The statistical operation Services Sector Activity Indicators (SSAI) is realized in conformity with the community directives, fulfilling the Code of Good Practices implanted by Eurostat and taking the necessary measurements in order that the published indicators fulfill all the requirements of quality needed.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
Industry and Construction
The Spanish LFS is a high quality product. The sample size ensures the estimation of regional (NUTS-3) labour indicators within reasonable sampling errors. The harmonized methodology employed allows reliable international comparisons and provides an invaluable measure of the labour market, linked and integrated with demographic information (education level, household type) that no other statistical source offers with the same level of detail.
The statistical information on the labour market in the Spanish LFS can be contrasted with other important sources of employment and unemployment from administrative records (e.g. Social Security affiliation, public employment offices or business results).
As for the limitations of the survey, it is important to highlight those inherent to any sampling-based process such as no response rates or the aforementioned sampling errors. Nontheless, both sources of error are kept within reasonable limits. Detailed information on sampling errors is provided periodically in the result tables published on INEbase, along with regular quality assessment reports on the survey.
Retail Trade
The RTI is a high quality product. Its sample size allows to offer information up to regional level within reasonable sampling errors, the harmonized methodology used allows to offer international comparisons with a high level of solvency and gives a valuable measure of the retail sector than no other statistical source provides with the same level of detail with monthly frequency.
As for the limitations of the survey should be noted the inherent sampling statistical operations such as no response and the sampling errors or variation coefficients of the estimates. In both cases are kept within reasonable limits.
Services
The statistical operation of the Services Sector Activity Indicators (SSAI) constitutes a high-quality product. Its sample size allows it to offer information down to the regional level within reasonable margins of sampling error. The harmonized methodology used allows for international comparinsons with a high level of reliability. And, it provides an extremely valuable measure of the services sector, which no other statistical source can offer with the same level of detail.
Regarding the limitations of the survey, it is necessary to indicate those inherent to statistical sampling operations, such as nonresponse and the already mentioned sampling errors or the coefficients of variation of the estimations. In both cases, they remain within reasonable limits.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
Industry and Construction
The main users may be classified in the following groups:
Ministries (Economy, Labour, Education, etc..) and other public bodies (Bank of Spain, Economic and Social Council, observatories, etc..).
Regional governments (autonomous communities, provinces and municipalities).
Researchers and academics.
Companies and non-profit institutions (research services businesses, foundations, associations, etc..), trade unions and employer associations.
Press and media.
Private persons.
Either directly or via Eurostat LFS, there are numerous foreign users both institutional and individual. Among the former are Eurostat, OECD, UN, IMF, etc.
User needs are wide-ranging: from general insights into the labour market (employment, labor market segmentation, etc.) to more specific topics of interest (equality of women and men, education indicators, etc.). Mantaining homogeneous time series and measuring the impact of changes on the survey are features highly requested by users.
Retail Trade
The RTI covers statistical information needs of different user groups:
Business and non-profit institutions (research services businesses, foundations, associations, etc..)
Trade unions and employers
Press and the media
Individuals
Likewise the survey responds to needs of foreign users, both institutional and private. Among the first we find Eurostat, OECD, UN, IMF, etc.
Some specific examples of the uses to which our information is intended are:
The European added RTI calculation on Eurostat
Enterprises use it to know the evolution of the sector and its relative position within it.
Services
The statistical operation of the Services Sector Activity Indicators (SSAI) covers the needs of statistical information of different user groups:
The INE itself, which uses this statistic as a basis to compile the national accounts.
Departments and other public bodies that use the results of this statistical operation to make economic analysis and predictions, elaborate synthetic indicators of activity, etc.
Territorial administrations like the autonomous communities. All the Institutes of statistics of the autonomous communities, by virtue of the agreements established between the INE and these institutions, receive monthly information (microdata or regional already compiled indices) corresponding to the sampled companies in their region. With this information, the Services Sector Activity Indicators (SSAI) can be disseminated with a greater detail for their Community, which is useful for measuring the economic cycle and as an instrument of regional economic analysis.
Investigators and academic world, enterprises and non-profit institutions (services of study of enterprises, foundations, associations, etc.), unions and employer organizations, press and specialized media, as well as of foreign users, both institutional and individuals. Among the first of these latter stand out,Eurostat, the European Central Bank and the OECD.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
The INE has been conducting general surveys of user satisfaction surveys every three years since 2007. The most recent was conducted in 2019, before the pandemic. These surveys seek to assess user perceptions of INE statistics in terms of the quality of the information they use and the degree to which their needs are met. There are also other special surveys focused on specific aspects such as the dissemination of information, the quality of certain publications, etc.
Industry and Construction
No specific user satisfaction survey has been conducted for the Spanish LFS although the National User Satisfaction Survey indicates the degree of satisfaction among users of labour market statistics. Requests of EAPS data are almost always fulfilled in a timely manner, provided that the sample size allows for the breakdowns requested.
Retail Trade and Services
The general rate achieved by the services sector in 2019 satisfaction survey was 3.80 out of 5.
The INE has made general user satisfaction surveys in 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016 and 2019 and plans to continue doing so every three years. Their purpose is to know users' perceptions of the quality of the information in the statistics that they use, and the extent to which their needs are met. In addition, other special surveys are conducted to address specific topics: information dissemination, the quality of certain publications, etc.
Besides the surveys, experts are in constant contact with main users to address any specific information needs.
In the latest user satisfaction survey condected in the year 2019, the " Short-term of the sectorial and labour activity " sector, which includes this operation, received a user rating of 3.80 out of 5.
Economically Active Population Survey (EAPS) meets all requirements established by the aforementioned national and international regulations.
As the survey responds to all requests for information, the available statistical results rate is R1: 100%.
Retail Trade
Retail Trade Indices provide all the information required by national and international regulations related to this statistical operation, so the rate of available statistics is R1=100%
Services
The survey responds to all requests for information, both national and international regulations.
Available statistical results rate is R1: 100%.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
Industry and Construction
Lower reponse rates are observed among population groups hard to locate or in instable homes. For example, old people are overrepresented and Spanish citizens tend to respond at higher rates than foreigners. The application of calibration techniques from 2005 onwards has largely solved, this problem.
Retail Trade
The sample design attempts to minimize sampling errors. Also, errors are reduced as far as possible during the process survey: in data collection (monitoring and control response rate of editing) and later in non response imputation phase and calculation of aggregate indices. This allows a high degree of reliability of the statistical operation.
Random stratified sampling has been used. In order to set out a measurement of the quality from the indices, an approximate relative sampling error is calculated for the interannual variation rates.
CV for Empl_47 annual error average 2024: 0.70%
Non sampling errors are small too, over-coverage, multiple listings, non-response, imputation can be considerated minor.
Our data are final after three periods from first release and the different between first and last release is small.
Services
The sample design attempts to minimize sampling errors. Also, errors are reduced as far as possible during the survey process: in data collection (monitoring and controlling response rate of editing) and later in the non-response imputation phase and calculation of aggregate indices. This allows a high degree of reliability of the statistical operation.
Stratified random sampling has been used. In order to set out a measurement of the quality of the indices, an approximate relative sampling error is calculated for the year-to-year variation rates.
CV for Overall index (G-N_STS) Annual Average 2024: 0.45%
Non sampling errors are also small: over-coverage, multiple listings, non-response, imputation, etc. can be considered minor.
Our data are final after five periods from first release and the difference between the first and last publications is small.
13.2. Sampling error
Industry and Construction
The coefficients of variation of key variables are calculated every quarter and published alongside the survey results and the correspondng quality reports. See Relative sampling errors and assessment of results on the EAPS website for turther retails. The relative sampling error for total employment in Spain is 0.33%
Retail Trade
Random stratified sampling has been used. The division of the sample between different strata is carried out using the Neyman allocation. A random selection is obtained in each sample, except with companies with more than 49 employees, as they all form part of sample. Besides, other strata, where population frame is very small, are also ehxaustive.
The selected companies are stratified based on three variables: Autonomous City or Community, main economic activity and size (measured taking into account the number of employees).
In order to set out a measurement of the quality from the indices, an approximate relative sampling error is calculated for the interannual variation rates of the variable "total number of persons" employed. The general expression of the estimated relative error, a supposedly negligible bias, is given by:
CV*(R*)=100×(V(R*))1/2/R* , being R*=Y*t/Y*t-1
R* is the ratio estimator, given by the result of the estimation of the total variable Y (total number of employees and self-employed persons) in month m of the year t, Y*t and the estimation of Y obtained in the same month m of the year t-1, Y*t-1.
The method used for calculating the estimator of variance is linearization via Taylor series. The expression for the estimator of variance is:
Where V*(Y*t) shows the estimator of variance of Y*t, V*(Y*t-1) shows the estimator of variance of Y*t-1 and Cov*(Y*t,Y*t-1) shows the estimator of the covariance between Y*t and Y*t-1.
Coefficient of variance for employment in G47(%):
Month
CV
2024M01
0,62
2024M02
0,63
2024M03
0,62
2024M04
0,63
2024M05
0,59
2024M06
0,67
2024M07
0,69
2024M08
0,68
2024M09
0,79
2024M10
0,80
2024M11
0,80
2024M12
0,82
Average 2024
0,70
Services
Stratified random sampling has been used. The distribution of the sample among the different strata is carried out by Neyman allocation. A random sample is obtained in each strata except in companies with 200 or more employees, in which all are part of the sample. In certain branches and communities, the strata are smaller due to a low population. In these cases, the strata are also exhaustive.
The enterprise framework is stratified taking the following variables into account: branch of activity, Autonomous Community and size, measured by number of employees.
In order to set out a measurement of the quality of the indices, an approximate relative sampling error is calculated for the interannual variation rates of the variable “number of employees and self_employed workers”. The general expression for the estimated relative error, a supposedly negligible bias, is given by:
CV*(R*)=100×(V(R*))1/2/R* , being R*=Y*t/Y*t-1
R* is the ratio estimator, given by the result of the estimation of the total of variable Y (number of employees and self_employed persons) in month m of the year t.
Y*t , and the estimation of Y obtained in the same month m of the year t-1, Y*t-1.
The method used for calculating the estimator of variance is linearization via Taylor series. The expression for the estimator of variance is:
Where V*(Y*t) shows the estimator of variance of Y*t, V*(Y*t-1) shows the estimator of variance of Y*t-1 and Cov*(Y*t,Y*t-1) shows the estimator of the covariance between Y*t and Y*t-1.
The coefficient of variation for the Overall index of occupancy are:
Month
CV
CV0124
0,434025676751851
CV0224
0,437403939724117
CV0324
0,438932127610165
CV0424
0,450219019829295
CV0524
0,457535320850822
CV0624
0,488174382052816
CV0724
0,45500566617856
CV0824
0,459241589482361
CV0924
0,456506622571194
CV1024
0,455516173317574
CV1124
0,455378364150648
CV1224
0,463305000697707
Average 2024
0,45
13.3. Non-sampling error
Industry and Construction
In 2024 the response rate was around 79%. Actions to increase the rate of response are postal reminders, telephone contacts and field visits. For more information, interested users are referred to the aforementioned annual evaluation survey:
Impact of over-coverage and multiple listings of the frame
We have studied impact of over-coverage and multiple listings of the frame through new units are selected to enter our sample.
Every year in September we select units for annual renovations. 20-25% of sampling units are rotated in non-exhaustive strata, and we select companies which belong to exhaustive strata. In the month of January each year, part of the sample is renovated.
These results have been calculated with new units selected in September 2023:
Over-coverage
Units don’t belong target population: 7.99%
Units are closed: 6.48%
Units without any data: 1.40%
Multiple listings
Units that are present more than once in the frame
% Impact of multiple listings: 0.23%
Under-coverage
We don’t have information about it.
Impact of survey instrument, respondent and interviewer
Our survey use simple questionnaires where it appears a contact person who could resolve any doubts about it. These contact persons work in INE during a long time and they are prepared to answer any questions.
Besides, most of the questionnaires are collected via web. We use selective editing in web questionnaires, for it most of them have passed several editing controls and respondents should correct them or give us an explanation about their data.
When we received all data, these are revised using selective editing too. If an important error is detected we recontact with respondent again and we correct it.
Impact of unit and non-response item
In the 2024 sample we have a small average rate of non-response.
First release: Average rate, A4. Year 2024: 13.34%
Last release: Average rate, A4. Year 2024: 7.16%
Impact of data editing, coding and imputation
Data editing: a first editing phase, at micro-data level takes place when the respondent fills in the e-questionnaire, we use selective editing in them. Data from others respondent way (paper, telephone, fax) are editing by selective editing too when they are recorded. During the data collection another micro-data level editing phase occurs including all data collection methods questionnaires. After that the selective editing is carried out. Finally the macro-data editing phase takes place.
Imputation: monthly and annual rates of units filling in the questionnaire in each elementary aggregates are imputed to those units of the same elementary aggregate that did not answer in the reference period. Elementary aggregates are the most detailed levels for which indices are calculated.
% data editing, coding and imputation (October 2024):
editing: 0.82%
imputation: 9.63%
Services
Impact of over-coverage and multiple listings of the frame
We have studied the impact of over-coverage and multiple listings of the frame through new units that are selected to enter our sample.
In September of each year, we select units for an annual renewal: 20-25% of sampling units are rotated in non-exhaustive strata, and we select new big enterprises who belong exhaustive strata. In January of each year, part of the sample is renovated.
These results have been calculated with the new units selected in September 2024:
Over-coverage
Units that do not belong to the target population: 0.3%
Units that have closed: 2.22%
Units without any data: 12%
Multiple listings: Units are present more than once in the frame
% Impact of multiple listings: 0.01%
Under-coverage
We do not have information about the unit.
Impact of survey instrument, respondent and interviewer
Our survey uses simple questionnaires where there is a contact person who could solve any doubts respondents could have. These contact persons have been working at the INE for a long time and are prepared to answer any question.
Furthermore, most questionnaires are collected online. We use selective editing system for web-based questionnaires: most have undergone multiple editing controls and respondents must correct them or provide us with an explanation about their data.
When we receive all data, we also review them trough selective editing. If an important error is detected, we recontact the respondent again and we correct it.
Impact of unit and non-response item
In 2024, our sample consisted of 30116 units. The average non_response rate was low.
First release: Average rate, A4. Year 2024 (January-December): 6.45%
Last release: Average rate, A4. Year 2024 (January-October): 4.29%
Weighted average rate, A4. Year 2024: 2.72% in first release.
Weighted average rate, A4. Year 2024 (January-October): 1.21% in last release.
Impact of data editing, coding and imputation
Data editing: a first editing phase, at micro-data level takes place when the respondent fills in the e-questionnaire. We use selective editing in them. Data collected through other channels (paper, telephone, fax) are also edited using selective editing at the time of recording. During data collection another another editing phase occurs at the microdata level which includes all data collection questionnaires methods. After that the selective editing is carried out. Finally, the macro-data editing phase takes place.
Imputation: monthly and annual rates of units filling in the questionnaire in each elementary aggregates are imputed to those units in the same elementary aggregate that did not answer during the reference period. Elementary aggregates are the most detailed levels for which indices are calculated.
% data editing, coding and imputation (October 2024):
editing: 2.24%
imputation: 9.27%
Impact of specific models used in estimation
In order to ensure the quality of the adjusted data, the INE validates the data using the INE Standard quality measures (chapter 4): verification of the adequacy of the decomposition (specification) through the diagnoses provided by the SEATS program and verification of the absence of autocorrelation, absence of residual seasonality in the seasonally adjusted series and absence of residual calendar effects in the seasonally adjusted series.
Our questionnaire could be found in the Annex of this document.
14.1. Timeliness
Industry and Construction
Data are published in the month following the reference quarter, so the time elapsed from the reference period to the publication ranges from 23 to 30 days.
Retail Trade
The RTI is disseminated the last week of the month following the reference, which meets the deadlines set by Eurostat. Indicator Media T1. Year 2024: 29 days
Services
The publication is disseminated approximately 50 days after the end of the reference period.
14.2. Punctuality
Industry and Construction
The results of the survey are published according to the short-term statistics calendar of INE. Each publication has been released on the date announced in the calendar.
Retail Trade
The employment RTI is published in accordance with the calendar set by INE at the end of each year.
Services
The results are published punctually according to the calendar of availability of statistical relating to the moment publications elaborated and spread by the INE.
The above-mentioned calendar is fulfilled with complete punctuality.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
Industry and Construction
Employment figures are comparable across all European countries, and many others, thanks to the use of International Labour Organization (ILO) definitions and the rigorous application of the concepts and definitions of the European Union Labour Force Survey, as established in the relevant regulations.
Retail Trade
The survey is designed homogeneously throughout the geographic area in terms of its methodology, design, the process of collecting information and data editing.
Services
The survey is designed to be consistent across the entire geographic area in terms of its methodology, design, information collection process, and data editing.
15.2. Comparability - over time
Industry and Construction
The main indicators can be considered consistent since the third quarter of 1976 since the basic mehotodological framework has remained consistent despite changes to the survey over the past 30 years. Whenever methodological updates created breaks in the series, links between the main variables have been provided to ensure proper continuity.
The number of comparable employment data, CC2, goes from the 3rd quarter of January 1976 to the 4th quarter of 2024: 194.
Retail Trade
The RTI was first published in 1995. Due to the base changes made since then (bases 2001, 2005, 2010, 2015 and 2021) some methodological aspects of the survey have been modified, which has led to breaks in the series, which have been suitably treated to provide a linked series from the first year publication of the survey to date. The comparability over time, CC2, is the number of elements comparable time series since the last break of it. The number of comparable data goes from January 2000 to December 2024 and it is CC2=300 (comparable data for the EMPL:G47)
Services
All published historical series of the Services Sector Activity Indicators (SSAI) are homogeneous and, therefore, comparable over time.
Since the survey was implemented, there have been base changes of the indices and of the classification of the economic activities. However, to ensure the comparability of the information over time, the INE has always published the retrospective series of the Services Sector Activity Indicators (SSAI) using the new base and in the new classification.
The number of comparable data, CC2, from January 2002 to December 2024 is: 276.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
Industry and Construction
The Spanish LFS uses the concepts and definitions established by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the European Statistical Office (EUROSTAT). There exists other sources of information on the Spanish labor market, as the umber of workers affiliated to the Social Security or the number of unemployed individuals registered at the public employment services, which provide alternative estimates of employment and unemployment respectively. Results from these administrative sources differ from those obtained through the EAPS, due to differences in data origin and methodology.
Regarding empoyment, EAPS estimates are generally consistent with data from Social Security records, once the structural differences between the two sources are considered. Typically, Spanish LFS estimates show a higher level of employment. This is consistent with the survey's concepts, since the EAPS occupation is extensively measured (having worked one hour in the reference week is enough to classify a person as being employed) but not all people who have worked a few hours are affiliated with Social Security.
The methodological change implemented in 2005, improved the measurement of short-hours jobs. This represented an increase in the estimated number of employed persons.
Regardin unemployment, the registered unemployment figures and the unemployment estimates of the EAPS provide a similar pattern of evolution over time, but there are significant discrepancies in the total estimates. These discrepancies arise primarily from the use of different definitions of unemployment. Registered unemployment follows Ministerial Order of 11th March 1985 - BOE 14/3/85 while statistical unemployment is measured according to the LFS definitions based on concepts established by ILO and Eurostat.
The use of different results across different statistical sources do not reflect a problem of consistency, but rather provide measurements of reality from different perspectives.
Retail Trade
In the data validation we take into account data of other statistics to ensure consistency among them. We can mention the following:
Structural Business Statistics: Services Sector (SBS) of INE
SBS and STS use the same population framework. Our sampling frame is the Statistical Business Register. The sampling design is also quite similar. Both apply stratified sampling with optimum sample allocation. Strata are formed using the following variables: Main economic activity, number of employees and region (NUTS2).
In SBS, businesses with 50 or more employees belong to take-all stratum. In STS, for retail trade, the take-all stratum is similar to SBS and for the rest of services, businesses with 200 or more employees belong to take-all stratum.
Both uses Horvitz-Thompson estimators but there are some differences in the estimation process. SBS estimators are adjusted by stratum changes and the total population, N, is estimated using their own data. In STS, N comes from updated sampling frame.
Besides, SBS is designed to obtain the level of employment and STS is designed to study increasing or decreasing of employment.
Labour Force Survey of INE
Labour Force Survey is a quarterly survey although the reference period for information is the week before to the interview. Its statistical unit is the main family house. It uses a two-stage sampling with stratification, the units of first stage are the census sections and the units of second stage are the family dwellings.
Most of the published data are presented in absolute values.
In STS sampling frame for employment is the Statistical Business Register. Sample is obtained from enterprises apply stratified sampling with optimum sample allocation. Strata are formed using the following variables: Main economic activity, number of employee and region (NUTS2). Data are published in index form.
Services
In the data validation we take into account data of other statistics to ensure consistency between them, such as:
Structural Business Statistics: Services Sector (SBS) of INE
SBS and STS use the same Population framework. Our sampling frame is the Statistical Business Register. The sampling design is also quite similar. Both apply stratified sampling with optimum sample allocation. Strata are formed using the following variables: Main economic activity, number of employee and region (NUTS2).
In SBS, firms with 50 or more employees belong to the take-all stratum. In STS, for retail trade, the take-all stratum is similar to SBS and for the rest of services, businesses with 200 or more employees belong to take-all stratum.
Both use Horvitz-Thompson estimators but there are some differences in the estimation process. SBS estimators are adjusted by stratum changes and the total population, N, is estimated using their own data. In STS, N comes from updated sampling frame.
Besides, SBS is designed to obtain level employment and STS is designed to study increases or decreases in employment.
Sales of the Big enterprises of the Tax Authority
The Tax Authority publishes a monthly publication on the turnover of large companies based on VAT data. Large are legal individuals or entities whose volume of operations exceeded the figure of 6.01 million euros during the immediately preceding calendar year. This definition differs from that used in European legislation.
Large companies operate in all branches of activity; in some, their representation is practically exhaustive, while in others, where small companies predominate, their weight is lower. The number of large companies varies every year. They use a Unit Value Index.
The STS includes all units, large and small. Our sample has a rotation rate of between 20 and 25%; we use a Chain-linked Laspeyres Index.
15.4. Coherence - internal
Industry and Construction
Estimates of the "Key Indicators EAPS" have complete internal consistency. They follow the same definitions and concepts, are based on the same corpus of microdata and are calculated using the same estimation methods.
Retail Trade
The coherence between variables is contrasted in all phases of the statistical process.
Services
Coherence is a key issue both in the presentation of the survey methodology and throughout its production process. The coherence between the variables is confirmed in all the phases of the statistical process and no incoherences are detected.
Our indices of employment have been in NACE Rev.2 since the beginning.
Industry and Construction
The estimated budget allocation necessary to finance this statistic, as set out in the 2024 annual program, was 10,893.82 thousand euros. The average duration of interviews conducted in households ranges from 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the type of interview (whether it includes only quarterly variables or structural variables as well) and the interview method (in-person or telephone).
Retail Trade
Efforts have been made to the questionnaire containing all the necessary information while its design is as simplified as possible to be easily completed by the enterprises in the sample, in order to reduce as far as possible the overhead of certain reporting units that would result from the completion of multiple surveys in one year. It makes a permanent monitoring of the response burden over the reporting units, measured as the average time for completing the questionnaire. To avoid fatigue of the informants and the aging of the sample, allowing the selection of new units, is made an annual turnover of 25%, that is, replace 25% of the sample units for new businesses.
The estimated budget appropriation needed to fund these statistics is to be 1,973.78 thousand euros (Turnover and Employment) in 2024.
Burden (respondents) hours per year: 1,656 h.
Cost (NSI) hours per year: 21,417 h.
Services
In order to significantly reduce the burden on informants from reporting units, the questionnaire has been designed to contain all the necessary information while keeping its design as simple as possible to facilitate the response of respondents, thus minimizing the burden on certain informants who have to complete multiple surveys in a single year.
To avoid informant fatigue and sample aging, and to allow the selection of newly created companies, an annual rotation of 25% is carried out.
Regarding the cost associated with the collection and production of the statistical products, in the case of the SSAI, the budget Forecasts in the 2024 Annual Program reach an amount of 3,390.40 (thousands of Euros). This budget includes turnover and employment.
Burden (respondents) hours per year: 9,797 h
Cost (NSI) hours per year: 51,650 h
17.1. Data revision - policy
Industry and Construction
The data are final upon first released and are not subject to revision.
Advance notice of major changes in methodology expected to take place in a given year is provided in the annual publication "Programa Anual del Instituto Nacional de Estadística", which is published in the last quarter of the previous year.
Retail Trade
Revised data are used both for the National dissemination and to obtain the STS data transmitted to Eurostat, so the same policy is applied to the STS data released nationally and sent to Eurostat.
The revision policy adopted for the Retail Trade raw data at INE Spain encompasses several types of revisions:
Regular revisions are carried out on a monthly basis. This revision consists on checking the new available information for the data of the reference month plus the late data of previous months that have already been released.
Major revisions are performed on the occasion of rebasing or methodological changes like changes in definitions and classifications as well as legal changes like those due to new Regulations or updates in the already existing.
Non-scheduled revisions take place rarely in the case of detecting an error in the statistical process.
There is no official revision calendar, each indicator has its own revision calendar.
Services
The revised data are used both for the National dissemination and for obtaining the STS data transmitted to Eurostat, so the same policy applies to the STS data released at national level and sent to Eurostat.
The revision policy adopted for the STS Services raw data at INE Spain covers several types of revisions:
Periodic monthly reviews are conducted. This review consists of verifying new information available on the reference month's data, in addition to previously published data from previous months.
Major revisions are made when methodological or base changes occur, such as changes in definitions and classifications, as well as legal changes such as those due to new regulations or updates to existing ones.
Non-scheduled revisions rarely take place in the case an error is detected in the statistical process.
The link to the revision policy for raw data adopted at INE Spain is the following:
There is no official revision calendar, each indicator has its own revision calendar.
17.2. Data revision - practice
Industry and Construction
In general, the data are final upon first released and are not subject to revision.
Only when new detailed census data are available may the series be recalculated backwards acordingly, if necessary, to ensure that future estimates remain consistent with previous time periods.
Retail Trade
The first time the index of a given month is published, it provides provisional data, which are not final until two months later. Meanwhile the index is revised using the same data modifications that have occurred since the date of the first publication, due for instance to the replacement of the estimated data (for management issues) by the updated data completed by the enterprise.
However, the series corrected for calendar effects and seasonal effects are reviewed in full every month.
A6 indicator, average size of revisions, where revision is defined as the difference between final and preliminary estimators, is used for data revision practice. The quality indicators used in data revision are: MAR (Mean Absolute Revision), RMAR (Relative Mean Absolute Revision) and MR (Mean Revision).
For number of employees and self-employed persons:
MAR, RMAR, MR and MaxAR values were obtained with the information of its last 36 final months being December 2024 the last one.
The benchmarking isn't carried out. Revisions aren’t carried out either in a business account quarterly/annual business or on national accounts and on structural business statistics either.
Major revisions are informed in advance in the press release the same day of dissemination, although main users are informed in advance. Besides, from 2015 we communicate main updates in our webs.
Services
The first time the index is published for a given month, provisional data are provided, which are not final until four months later. In the meantime, the index is revised using the same data modifications that have occurred since the date of the first publication due, for example, to the replacement of the estimated data (for management issues) with the updated data completed by the company. Indicator A6, average size of revisions, where revision is defined as the difference between final and preliminary estimators, is used for data revision practices. The estimators are calculated over several reference periods: MAR (size of revisions) and RMAR (size of each revision as compared to the last estimate).
A6_MAR (December 2024) =0.034823
A6_RMAR (December 2024) =1.399984
A6_MR (December 2024) =0.025712
A6_MaxARt=0.138637 (Annual variation rate May 2022_ May 2023)
MAR, RMAR, MR and MaxARt values were obtained with the information of its last 36 final months being December 2024 the last one.
Benchmarking is not performed. Nor are the company's quarterly/annual accounts, national accounts, or structural business statistics reviewed.
Major revisions are informed in advance in the press release on the day of their dissemination, although main users are informed in advance. Additionally, since 2015 we communicate major updates on our website.
18.1. Source data
Industry and Construction
The EAPS, Spanish LFS, is a quartely sampling-based survey, targeting the population living in private housholds within Spanish national territory. Its main goal is to provide insights into the characteristics of that population in relation to the labour market.
The EAPS covers the entire national territory and about 99% of the population. The survey is directed at private households and, therefore, does not include people living in collective households such as hotels, convents, prisons, etc... The survey is carried out continuously at a rate of 5,000 interviews per week. Consequently, the sample contains 65,000 households per quarter and about 160,000 people, representing approximately 0.4% of the population. The EAPS adheres to the methodology established by the ILO and Eurostat.
Sample size and design: The sample comprises 65,000 households surveyed each quarter, representing a sampling fraction of 0.4 percent. The final sampling unit is the postal address of the dwelling.
Sampling Frame: The sampling frame consists of the 32,000 census zones (or sections), in which Spain is divided for electoral and statistical purposes, along with the list of postal addresses within each section. Each census section is a well-defined area of land with perfectly recognizable borders and a maximum size of 2,000 voters. Until 2020, the sample consisted of 3,822 sections and an average of 18 households per each section (22 in the major provinces). Since 2021 the number of sections has increased progressively reducing the average number of households to 13. In 2024, the total number of census sections, primary sample units, was 5,298.
Method of sampling frame update: Every ten years, when the information from the last census is available, a full update of the sampling frame is performed. Every two years, a partial update is carried out using information from the electoral roll.
Rotation system: Each quarter, one sixth of the households are replaced. Before selecting new dwellings, the affected census sections are updated. As a consequence, the overlap between two consecutive quarters is 5/6 and between the same quarters of two consecutive years is 2/6. A family is interviewed for six consecutive quarters, at most.
Retail Trade
For the survey data, we resort to the use of questionnaires to enterprises whose main activity is Division 47 of section G of the National Classification of Economic Activities (NACE, Rev. 2).
Stratified sampling is used. The distribution of the sample between the different layers is done by Neyman allocation. In each stratum, a random selection made, except the enterprises over 49 employees who enter all part of the sample and other strata where frame population is very small that are also exhaustive. The selected enterprises were ranked based on three variables: main activity, size (measured by number of employees) and region.
The sample size was calculated to provide indicators of the variables turnover and employment representative. The sample consists of approximately 11,000 enterprises.
Rotations are performed annually, approximately 20-25% of the sample, which incorporates all new businesses depth stratum, which removes those which have been died, not found, erroneously included fused and where small businesses to replace that the completion of questionnaires required a great effort.
The annual rotation process involves making a new selection of sampling units representing commercial distribution in Spain and a re-weighting of such units so that the sample data to the population rise.
The rotation of the sample for the index calculation is done in January of each year, at that time also updates elevation factors and weightings.
Services
Type of source
Statistical survey
Frame on which the source is based
The source is the DIRCE (INE's business register).
The DIRCE has been used as the framework for the survey, which contains information on the main economic activity and on the number of employees in companies, allowing for stratification according to these concepts This directory also includes other data on the identification and location of statistical units, which are necessary for the correct collection of information.
The data contained in the DIRCE are obtained using administrative sources, primarily coming from the Tax Agency and Social Security, and are completed with information from the statistical operations of the INE.
Sample or census
In some strata, the research is exhaustive (strata with companies with 200 or more employees) and in the remaining strata, a systematic selection is carried out with a random start, having previously ordered the companies by size.
The sample size was calculated to provide indicators of the variables turnover and employment representative. The sample consists of approximately 28,000 enterprises.
Criteria for stratification
A one-stage stratified sampling is used, where, as a general rule, the enterprise population has been stratified according to the cross of three variables: principal activity at 4-digit NACE Rev 2 level, the number of employees and region. Information from the Structural Business Survey has been used in order to obtain the sample sizes taking into account the weight of the different strata in the total turnover for each activity and information on the variance of the variable number of employees by stratum from the Business Register.
Frequency of updating the sample
A fixed sample is used every year. At the end of the year the new firms belonging to the exhaustive stratum are included. One quarter (25%) of the rest of the sample is replaced by other firms of the frame. With the change of base year, a complete update is carried out.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Industry and Construction
The data collection process is carried out during the whole year (52 weeks), but data are compiled on quarterly terms.
Retail Trade
Data collection is done monthly.
Services
Data are collected monthly.
18.3. Data collection
Industry and Construction
Data collection: The first interview is conducted in-person. The second and subsequent interviews are, since 2005, conducted by telephone, unless it is not possible or the household prefers a personal interview. All interviews are conducted with a laptop or a computer. The personal interviews were cancelled since March 2020 due to COVID19 pandemic and CATI method was used together with CAWI, which was introduced at that moment. In 2023, personal interviews for the first wave were resumed, although when possible, these households were contacted and interviewed by telephone.
Survey organization: There are 52 provincial offices throughout Spain that have permanent staff responsible for conducting Computer-Assisted Personal Interviews (CAPI). In adition, there are seven Compuer-Assisted Telephone Interviewwing (CATI) centers covering the whole sample in successive interviews. Every week, data collectd at provincial offices and CATI centers is sent to the central headquarters in Madrid. In Galicia, tthe fieldwork is jointly conducted with the Galician Institute of Statistics (IGE).
Duration of field work: Most interviews are conducted in the week following the reference week. Up to 2020, there was a maximum period of six weeks to collect data, nonetheless, from 2021 onwards the maximum period to get the information has been reduced to five weeks.
Retail Trade
The reporting enterprises send their data through the Internet, by mail (paper completed questionnaires), by fax or by phone.
Services
Questionnaires used in the survey
The questionnaire used is a specific monthly questionnaire named “Indicadores de Actividad del Sector Servicios”.
Data collection media
The questionnaire is sent by postal mail and there are also telephone and fax contacts, and companies can fill the questionnaire online.
18.4. Data validation
Industry and Construction
A multi-step process of validation takes place. First, a validation system detects data entry errors and inconsistencies. After that, a second validation process is applied within each collection center and, finally, a centralized validation is implemented. The centralized validation consists of a manual correction of errors detected in the main variables and automatic edition of other variables.
XML data are generated using SDMX converter software once quarterly data are final.
Retail Trade
At the stage of completion of the questionnaire, a system that detects inconsistencies is used so that the respondent is advised and is required to confirm or modify the information provided. When this information is recorded by INE's own staff, there is a control system of recording which warns about possible inconsistencies that may arise. In this process, for data where there are discrepancies, the staff responsible for the collection of information is brought into contact with the informant to confirm or modify the information provided. Once all the information is compiled, it performs a coverage control of information, in order to ensure the completeness of the recorded data and detect duplicates and coverage errors, non-response, etc.
Services
During the questionnaire completion stage, a system is used to detect inconsistencies so that the respondent is advised and required to confirm or modify the information provided.
When INE staff records this information, a monitoring system is in place to alert them to possible inconsistencies. During this process, in the event of discrepancies in the data, the staff responsible for collection contacts the informant to confirm or modify the information provided.
Once all the information has been collected, a coverage check is performed to ensure the completeness of the recorded data and to detect duplicates and coverage errors, non-response, etc.
18.5. Data compilation
Industry and Construction
Estimators: Ratio estimators are used. The auxiliary information includes population projections by sex and five-years age groups at the NUTS-2 level (Autonomous Communities) and age (under 16, over 16) and region (NUTS-3 or provinces). Since 2005, the nationality of the population aged 16 and over (domestic / foreing) at the NUTS 2 level has also been included.
Reweighting techniques: Since 2002 reweighting techniques are applied in order to adjust estimates according to the structure by age / gender of the population in different regions. The external source of population figures called "Current Population Estimates" (nowcasts, based on census data and vital statistics and migration), is also prepared by the National Statistics Institute.
Since 2005, nationality (domestic / foreign) of the population aged 16 and over has also been considered in the imputation of nonresponse units.
Since 2014, the variables employed in reweighting are:
Households by size at Autonomous Community level (5 groups up to 2020 and 4 from 2021 onwards)
Population aged 16 and over, by age and sex groups(6 groups), at province level .
Since 2021, all the members of the dwelling have the same weighting factor.
Regarding the treatment of incidences:
Since the second quarter of 2020, in the second and subsequent waves, refusals, absentees and inaccessibles are no longer imputed by assigning them the information they provided from their previous interview.
Since the first quarter of 2021, refusals in the first wave are no longer replaced by other dwellings from the same section.
Retail Trade
The questionnaires are collected by INE data collection staff and there is a first cleansing of errors according to a set of edits. Microediting consists on validating data from each local unit, attending to its historical values. The analysis establishes monthly and annual comparisons so that the data is validated without contacting the informants when the evolution is repeated periodically.
Next, at centralized level, the selective editing phase, imputation (non-response is imputed using the data of the previous month of the non-respondent units and the variation rate of the units in the same stratum) and the macroediting process take place. In some cases, manual editing is required, for example non responding large units.
Finally estimators are calculated by aggregating the elementary indices taking into account the weightings. In the last phase, the dissemination files together with the press release are prepared according to the dissemination breakdowns.
The indexes are obtained using a chaining-linking. The elementary indices are calculated from the respondents (imputed in case of non-response) common to the reference month and the previous december.
The weighting variable is calculated with the employment of December (t-1) from our own sample, they have been updated according to the samples used in new base.
Services
The questionnaires are collected by the INE’s data collection staff and there is an initial cleansing of errors according to a set of edits. Microediting consists of validating data for each local unit, attending to its historical values. The analysis establishes monthly and annual comparisons so that the data can be validated without contacting the informants when the evolution repeats periodically.
Next, at the centralized level, the selective editing phase, imputation (nonresponse is imputed using the data of the previous month of the non-responding units and the variation rate of the units in the same stratum) and the macro-editing process take place. In some cases, manual editing is required, such as, for large non-responding units.
Finally, the estimators are calculated by aggregating the elementary indices taking into account the weightings. In the final phase, the dissemination files are prepared along with the press release according to the dissemination breakdowns.
The indices are obtained using a chain-linking. The elementary indices are calculated from the respondents (imputed in case of non-response) common to the reference month and the previous December.
The weighting variable is calculated from the SBS 2015 employment, and these weights are updated by Services indexes in base 2021 for have weights in December (t-1) in order to calculate chain linking index.
Employment in industry and employment in construction. The source of these indicators is the Spanish Labour Force Survey (LFS) that is, the Economically Active Population Survey, EAPS (in Spanish, ‘Encuesta de Población Activa’). The LFS is the primary household survey for gathering information about the labour market, particularly employment.
Retail Trade
The main purpose ofRetail Trade Indices (RTI) is to provide information about the fundamental characteristics of enterprises dedicated to retail trade in Spain. This allows measuring the evolution of the activity in the sector in the short term.
This statistical operation currently fulfils European Parliament and Council Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 on European business statistics and Commission Implementing Regulation 2020/1197 laying down technical specifications and arrangements pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2019/2152.
It is a statistic with direct data collection. Results are presented as indices to measure variations taking as reference the base year 2021.
This operation began to be carried out in the year 1995. However, some series began in the year 2000. In January 2013, coinciding with the base change from 2005 to 2010, the formulation used was modified from direct Laspeyres-type indices with fixed base year 2005 to chainlinked Laspeyres indices with base year 2010 (monthly chain-linking during the last month of December).
Services
The main purpose of the statistical operation of Services Sector Activity Indicators (SSAI) is to provide short-term performance indicators of the economic activity of companies operating in the non-financial services market in Spain.
The results are presented as indices so as to measure variations relative to the 2021 base year.
This operation began to be carried out in the year 2002, although we have data from year 2000. In the year 2005, the sample was expanded in order to disseminate regional data, and since January 2009 the SSAI has been providing information in NACE Rev.2. In January 2013, coinciding with the base change from 2005 to 2010, the formulation used is modified, from direct Laspeyres-type indices with fixed base year 2005, to chain-linked Laspeyres indices, with base year 2010 (monthly chain-linking during last December).
10 June 2025
INDUSTRY AND CONSTRUCTION
The LFS follows the International Labor Ourganization (ILO) methodology:
Employment: People aged 16 and over that have worked at least one hour for payment in money or kind or for a profit in their own business in the reference week. Individuals who are temporarily absent from work, e.g. due to illness or holiday, are also considered employed, provided they are expected to return to their job. All persons in employment are considered, including working proprietors and unpaid family workers.
For employed persons the following main variables are measured: occupation, activity of the local unit, professional status, type of contract, hours worked in the reference week.
RETAIL TRADE
Enterprise classification variables
Economic activity
The economic activity carried out by a enterprise is defined as the creation of added value by means of the production of goods and services.
Enterprise size
The size of enterprises is one of the most important variables when it comes to classifying enterprises. This size may be established in terms of the magnitude of turnover or production value, or by considering the number of persons on the enterprise staff. In RTI, this latter option is chosen to determine the size of the enterprises.
Variables studied
Number of employees and self-employed persons
The number of employees and self-employed persons is defined as the total number of persons who work in the observation unit (inclusive of working proprietors, partners working regularly in the unit and unpaid family workers), as well as persons who work outside the unit who belong to it and are paid by it (e.g. sales representatives, delivery personnel, repair and maintenance teams). It includes persons absent for a short period (e.g. sick leave, paid leave or special leave), and also those on strike, but not those absent for an indefinite period. It also includes part-time workers who are regarded as such under the laws of the country concerned and who are on the payroll, as well as seasonal workers, apprentices and home workers on the payroll.
The number of employees and self-employed persons excludes manpower supplied to the unit by other enterprises, persons carrying out repair and maintenance work in the observation unit on behalf of other enterprises, as well as those on compulsory military service.
Unpaid family workers refers to persons who live with the proprietor of the unit and work regularly for the unit, but do not have a contract of service and do not receive a fixed sum for the work they perform. This is limited to those persons who are not included on the payroll of another unit as their principal occupation.
SERVICES
Enterprise classification variables
Economic activity
The economic activity carried out by an enterprise is defined as the creation of added value by means of the production of goods and services.
Each one of the statistical units studied (enterprises) frequently carries out several activities that should be classified in separate categories of the National Classification of the Statistical Classification of Economic Activities in the European Community (NACE Rev.2).
In general, the activities carried out by an economic unit may be of three types: main, secondary and auxiliary activities. The main activity differs from secondary activities because it generates the greatest added value and auxiliary activities are those that generate services that are not sold on the market and only serve the unit they depend on (administration departments, transport or storage services).
Due to the difficulties faced by enterprises in calculating added value when various activities are carried out, the activity which generates the greatest volume of business is considered the main activity or, failing that, that which employs the greatest number of people.
Although statistical units are classified according to their main activity, the information that is requested from the informant units refers not only to the main activity under consideration, but also to all the secondary and auxiliary activities which are carried out.
Enterprise size
The size of enterprises is one of the most important variable when it comes to classifying enterprises. This size may be established in terms of the magnitude of turnover or production value, or by considering the number of people on the enterprise staff.
In SSAI, this latter option is chosen to determine the size of the enterprises.
Variables studied
Number of employees and self_employed persons
The number of employees and self_employed persons is defined as the total number of persons who work in the observation unit (inclusive of working proprietors, partners working regularly in the unit and unpaid family workers), as well as persons who work outside the unit who belong to it and are paid by it (e.g. sales representatives, delivery personnel, repair and maintenance teams). It includes persons absent for a short period (e.g. sick leave, paid leave or special leave), and also those on strike, but not those absent for an indefinite period. It also includes part-time workers who are regarded as such under the laws of the country concerned and who are on the payroll, as well as seasonal workers, apprentices and home workers on the payroll.
The number of employees and self_employed persons excludes manpower supplied to the unit by other enterprises, persons carrying out repair and maintenance work in the observation unit on behalf of other enterprises, as well as those on compulsory military service.
Unpaid family workers refers to persons who live with the proprietor of the unit and work regularly for the unit, but do not have a contract of service and do not receive a fixed sum for the work they perform. This is limited to those persons who are not included on the payroll of another unit as their principal occupation.
Industry and Construction
People living in private households.
Retail Trade
The statistical unit is the kind-of-activity unit (KAU).
Services
Statistical unit: KAU (kind of activity unit).
Industry and Construction
All persons living in private households are included. On the contrary, individuals living in collective households are only included if they have a link to a private households. Foreigners are included if they intend to reside in Spain for more than one year, with the exception of military and foreign diplomats.
Retail Trade
The statistical population comprises the observation units (kind-of-activity units) whose activity is registered in Division 47 of Section G of the National Classification of Economic Activities (CNAE-2009): 47. Retail trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles. The frame used to identify the units is the Central Business Register (CBR).
Services
Population scope: Sections H (Transport and Storage), I (Accommodation), J (Information and Communications), L (Real Estate Activities), M (Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities, excluded 70.1, 72 and 75) and N (Administrative and Support Services Activities) of the Statistical Classification of Economic Activities in the European Communities (NACE Rev.2).
The population is around 1.300.000 enterprises included in Other Services of the Statistical Classification of Economic Activities in the European Communities (NACE Rev.2.). The SBS population includes includes these firms, although its scope is greater.
Industry and Construction
All the regions of Spain are surveyed. The geographical coverage relates to the population of each Spanish region.
Retail Trade
The geographical coverage of RTI is the whole Spanish territory, so the Autonomous Cities of Ceuta and Melilla are included.
Employment of the units located outside the Spanish territory are not included in the aggregates.
Services
The geographical coverage of Services is the entire Spanish territory excluding the Autonomous Cities of Ceuta and Melilla.
Employment of the units located outside the Spanish territory are not included in the aggregates.
The sampled units located in Spain provide their total employment.
Industry and Construction
The reference period for aggregate employment is the entire corresponding quarter. At individual level, the LFS measures a person's employment situation during the reference week, i.e., the week prior to the scheduled interview.
Retail Trade
The reference period is the last day of the month.
Services
Employment is calculated as the average number of workers in the reference month.
Industry and Construction
Lower reponse rates are observed among population groups hard to locate or in instable homes. For example, old people are overrepresented and Spanish citizens tend to respond at higher rates than foreigners. The application of calibration techniques from 2005 onwards has largely solved, this problem.
Retail Trade
The sample design attempts to minimize sampling errors. Also, errors are reduced as far as possible during the process survey: in data collection (monitoring and control response rate of editing) and later in non response imputation phase and calculation of aggregate indices. This allows a high degree of reliability of the statistical operation.
Random stratified sampling has been used. In order to set out a measurement of the quality from the indices, an approximate relative sampling error is calculated for the interannual variation rates.
CV for Empl_47 annual error average 2024: 0.70%
Non sampling errors are small too, over-coverage, multiple listings, non-response, imputation can be considerated minor.
Our data are final after three periods from first release and the different between first and last release is small.
Services
The sample design attempts to minimize sampling errors. Also, errors are reduced as far as possible during the survey process: in data collection (monitoring and controlling response rate of editing) and later in the non-response imputation phase and calculation of aggregate indices. This allows a high degree of reliability of the statistical operation.
Stratified random sampling has been used. In order to set out a measurement of the quality of the indices, an approximate relative sampling error is calculated for the year-to-year variation rates.
CV for Overall index (G-N_STS) Annual Average 2024: 0.45%
Non sampling errors are also small: over-coverage, multiple listings, non-response, imputation, etc. can be considered minor.
Our data are final after five periods from first release and the difference between the first and last publications is small.
Industry and Construction
Index number expressed in percentage terms.
Retail Trade
Indices and percentage changes (on previous period or compared to the same period in previous year).
Services
Indices and percentage changes (compared to the previous period or compared to the same period in the previous year).
Industry and Construction
Estimators: Ratio estimators are used. The auxiliary information includes population projections by sex and five-years age groups at the NUTS-2 level (Autonomous Communities) and age (under 16, over 16) and region (NUTS-3 or provinces). Since 2005, the nationality of the population aged 16 and over (domestic / foreing) at the NUTS 2 level has also been included.
Reweighting techniques: Since 2002 reweighting techniques are applied in order to adjust estimates according to the structure by age / gender of the population in different regions. The external source of population figures called "Current Population Estimates" (nowcasts, based on census data and vital statistics and migration), is also prepared by the National Statistics Institute.
Since 2005, nationality (domestic / foreign) of the population aged 16 and over has also been considered in the imputation of nonresponse units.
Since 2014, the variables employed in reweighting are:
Households by size at Autonomous Community level (5 groups up to 2020 and 4 from 2021 onwards)
Population aged 16 and over, by age and sex groups(6 groups), at province level .
Since 2021, all the members of the dwelling have the same weighting factor.
Regarding the treatment of incidences:
Since the second quarter of 2020, in the second and subsequent waves, refusals, absentees and inaccessibles are no longer imputed by assigning them the information they provided from their previous interview.
Since the first quarter of 2021, refusals in the first wave are no longer replaced by other dwellings from the same section.
Retail Trade
The questionnaires are collected by INE data collection staff and there is a first cleansing of errors according to a set of edits. Microediting consists on validating data from each local unit, attending to its historical values. The analysis establishes monthly and annual comparisons so that the data is validated without contacting the informants when the evolution is repeated periodically.
Next, at centralized level, the selective editing phase, imputation (non-response is imputed using the data of the previous month of the non-respondent units and the variation rate of the units in the same stratum) and the macroediting process take place. In some cases, manual editing is required, for example non responding large units.
Finally estimators are calculated by aggregating the elementary indices taking into account the weightings. In the last phase, the dissemination files together with the press release are prepared according to the dissemination breakdowns.
The indexes are obtained using a chaining-linking. The elementary indices are calculated from the respondents (imputed in case of non-response) common to the reference month and the previous december.
The weighting variable is calculated with the employment of December (t-1) from our own sample, they have been updated according to the samples used in new base.
Services
The questionnaires are collected by the INE’s data collection staff and there is an initial cleansing of errors according to a set of edits. Microediting consists of validating data for each local unit, attending to its historical values. The analysis establishes monthly and annual comparisons so that the data can be validated without contacting the informants when the evolution repeats periodically.
Next, at the centralized level, the selective editing phase, imputation (nonresponse is imputed using the data of the previous month of the non-responding units and the variation rate of the units in the same stratum) and the macro-editing process take place. In some cases, manual editing is required, such as, for large non-responding units.
Finally, the estimators are calculated by aggregating the elementary indices taking into account the weightings. In the final phase, the dissemination files are prepared along with the press release according to the dissemination breakdowns.
The indices are obtained using a chain-linking. The elementary indices are calculated from the respondents (imputed in case of non-response) common to the reference month and the previous December.
The weighting variable is calculated from the SBS 2015 employment, and these weights are updated by Services indexes in base 2021 for have weights in December (t-1) in order to calculate chain linking index.
Industry and Construction
The EAPS, Spanish LFS, is a quartely sampling-based survey, targeting the population living in private housholds within Spanish national territory. Its main goal is to provide insights into the characteristics of that population in relation to the labour market.
The EAPS covers the entire national territory and about 99% of the population. The survey is directed at private households and, therefore, does not include people living in collective households such as hotels, convents, prisons, etc... The survey is carried out continuously at a rate of 5,000 interviews per week. Consequently, the sample contains 65,000 households per quarter and about 160,000 people, representing approximately 0.4% of the population. The EAPS adheres to the methodology established by the ILO and Eurostat.
Sample size and design: The sample comprises 65,000 households surveyed each quarter, representing a sampling fraction of 0.4 percent. The final sampling unit is the postal address of the dwelling.
Sampling Frame: The sampling frame consists of the 32,000 census zones (or sections), in which Spain is divided for electoral and statistical purposes, along with the list of postal addresses within each section. Each census section is a well-defined area of land with perfectly recognizable borders and a maximum size of 2,000 voters. Until 2020, the sample consisted of 3,822 sections and an average of 18 households per each section (22 in the major provinces). Since 2021 the number of sections has increased progressively reducing the average number of households to 13. In 2024, the total number of census sections, primary sample units, was 5,298.
Method of sampling frame update: Every ten years, when the information from the last census is available, a full update of the sampling frame is performed. Every two years, a partial update is carried out using information from the electoral roll.
Rotation system: Each quarter, one sixth of the households are replaced. Before selecting new dwellings, the affected census sections are updated. As a consequence, the overlap between two consecutive quarters is 5/6 and between the same quarters of two consecutive years is 2/6. A family is interviewed for six consecutive quarters, at most.
Retail Trade
For the survey data, we resort to the use of questionnaires to enterprises whose main activity is Division 47 of section G of the National Classification of Economic Activities (NACE, Rev. 2).
Stratified sampling is used. The distribution of the sample between the different layers is done by Neyman allocation. In each stratum, a random selection made, except the enterprises over 49 employees who enter all part of the sample and other strata where frame population is very small that are also exhaustive. The selected enterprises were ranked based on three variables: main activity, size (measured by number of employees) and region.
The sample size was calculated to provide indicators of the variables turnover and employment representative. The sample consists of approximately 11,000 enterprises.
Rotations are performed annually, approximately 20-25% of the sample, which incorporates all new businesses depth stratum, which removes those which have been died, not found, erroneously included fused and where small businesses to replace that the completion of questionnaires required a great effort.
The annual rotation process involves making a new selection of sampling units representing commercial distribution in Spain and a re-weighting of such units so that the sample data to the population rise.
The rotation of the sample for the index calculation is done in January of each year, at that time also updates elevation factors and weightings.
Services
Type of source
Statistical survey
Frame on which the source is based
The source is the DIRCE (INE's business register).
The DIRCE has been used as the framework for the survey, which contains information on the main economic activity and on the number of employees in companies, allowing for stratification according to these concepts This directory also includes other data on the identification and location of statistical units, which are necessary for the correct collection of information.
The data contained in the DIRCE are obtained using administrative sources, primarily coming from the Tax Agency and Social Security, and are completed with information from the statistical operations of the INE.
Sample or census
In some strata, the research is exhaustive (strata with companies with 200 or more employees) and in the remaining strata, a systematic selection is carried out with a random start, having previously ordered the companies by size.
The sample size was calculated to provide indicators of the variables turnover and employment representative. The sample consists of approximately 28,000 enterprises.
Criteria for stratification
A one-stage stratified sampling is used, where, as a general rule, the enterprise population has been stratified according to the cross of three variables: principal activity at 4-digit NACE Rev 2 level, the number of employees and region. Information from the Structural Business Survey has been used in order to obtain the sample sizes taking into account the weight of the different strata in the total turnover for each activity and information on the variance of the variable number of employees by stratum from the Business Register.
Frequency of updating the sample
A fixed sample is used every year. At the end of the year the new firms belonging to the exhaustive stratum are included. One quarter (25%) of the rest of the sample is replaced by other firms of the frame. With the change of base year, a complete update is carried out.
Industry and Construction
The frequency of LFS data is different depending on the type of variable. Most variables have quarterly frequency, but the rest of them belongs to a subsample and their frequencies can be annual, biennial or every each 8 years.
The BCS employment indicators have quarterly frequency of publication.
Retail Trade
Monthly. The publication is released around 30 days after the end of the reference period.
Services
Monthly. The publication is released approximately 50 days after the end of the reference period.
Industry and Construction
Data are published in the month following the reference quarter, so the time elapsed from the reference period to the publication ranges from 23 to 30 days.
Retail Trade
The RTI is disseminated the last week of the month following the reference, which meets the deadlines set by Eurostat. Indicator Media T1. Year 2024: 29 days
Services
The publication is disseminated approximately 50 days after the end of the reference period.
Industry and Construction
Employment figures are comparable across all European countries, and many others, thanks to the use of International Labour Organization (ILO) definitions and the rigorous application of the concepts and definitions of the European Union Labour Force Survey, as established in the relevant regulations.
Retail Trade
The survey is designed homogeneously throughout the geographic area in terms of its methodology, design, the process of collecting information and data editing.
Services
The survey is designed to be consistent across the entire geographic area in terms of its methodology, design, information collection process, and data editing.
Industry and Construction
The main indicators can be considered consistent since the third quarter of 1976 since the basic mehotodological framework has remained consistent despite changes to the survey over the past 30 years. Whenever methodological updates created breaks in the series, links between the main variables have been provided to ensure proper continuity.
The number of comparable employment data, CC2, goes from the 3rd quarter of January 1976 to the 4th quarter of 2024: 194.
Retail Trade
The RTI was first published in 1995. Due to the base changes made since then (bases 2001, 2005, 2010, 2015 and 2021) some methodological aspects of the survey have been modified, which has led to breaks in the series, which have been suitably treated to provide a linked series from the first year publication of the survey to date. The comparability over time, CC2, is the number of elements comparable time series since the last break of it. The number of comparable data goes from January 2000 to December 2024 and it is CC2=300 (comparable data for the EMPL:G47)
Services
All published historical series of the Services Sector Activity Indicators (SSAI) are homogeneous and, therefore, comparable over time.
Since the survey was implemented, there have been base changes of the indices and of the classification of the economic activities. However, to ensure the comparability of the information over time, the INE has always published the retrospective series of the Services Sector Activity Indicators (SSAI) using the new base and in the new classification.
The number of comparable data, CC2, from January 2002 to December 2024 is: 276.
