Reference metadata describe statistical concepts and methodologies used for the collection and generation of data. They provide information on data quality and, since they are strongly content-oriented, assist users in interpreting the data. Reference metadata, unlike structural metadata, can be decoupled from the data.
National Statistics Office, Lascaris Valletta, VLT 2000, Malta
1.6. Contact email address
Confidential because of GDPR
1.7. Contact phone number
Confidential because of GDPR
1.8. Contact fax number
Confidential because of GDPR
2.1. Metadata last certified
19 June 2026
2.2. Metadata last posted
19 June 2026
2.3. Metadata last update
19 June 2026
3.1. Data description
The index describes the development of the volume of sales in the services industries.
3.2. Classification system
The classifications used in STS is NACE rev.2
3.3. Coverage - sector
The Services volume indicator covers the following level of detail according to NACE Rev 2 classification: H49, H50, H51, H52, H53, H55, H56, J58, J59, J60, J61, J62, J63, L68, M68, M70.20, M71, M73, M74, N77, N78, N79, N80, N81, N82.
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
The volume of sales is calculated using the turnover value deflated by the services producer prices.
3.5. Statistical unit
Observation Unit: Kind of Activity
Reporting Unit: Legal
3.6. Statistical population
The statistical population is around 6000 units and includes all those falling under NACE Sections H-N except K. The population is maintained by the Business Registers Unit.
3.7. Reference area
The indicator covers the national territory of the Maltese Islands. Activities carried out outside the national territory of the Maltese Islands are excluded.
3.8. Coverage - Time
Monthly data is available from 2021 onwards.
3.9. Base period
Base year (year on which weights are based): 2021
Reference year (year when the index equals 100): 2021
The same base and reference years are used for data published locally and that transmitted to Eurostat.
The data are provided in index form.
The data are collected and provided on a monthly basis.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
The EU Legislative Framework is the European Business Statistics Regulation, specifically, Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 and Commission Implementing Regulation 2020/1197 laying down technical specifications and arrangements.
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
Data Sharing matters are governed by the Malta Statistics Authority Act XXIV of 2000. The indices are sent to Eurostat.
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
Apart from the established legislative framework, the NSO is also guided by an internal general confidentiality policy. Data tagged as confidential are not available for publication.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
Confidentiality matters are regulated by the Malta Statistics Authority Act XXIV of 2000. Such data are marked as such.
8.1. Release calendar
An advance release calendar is published on the NSOs website.
8.2. Release calendar access
All releases are published and disseminated at 1100 hrs as scheduled in the Advance Release Calendar. The calendar is published on the NSO website and includes a 3 month advance notice (the current month and the next two months).
8.3. Release policy - user access
National statistical releases are issued according to the release calendar and are made available to all users simultaneously. All releases are posted on the organisation's website.
Data is also submitted to Eurostart as per the European Business Statics Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 and 2020/1197.
Eurostat transmissions for these indices are carried out on a monthly basis and 60 days after the end of the reference period. National news releases for the index are carried out on a quarterly basis and according to the national news release calendar.
10.1. Dissemination format - News release
The main dissemination channel for official statistics is the NSO website.
No local news releases are published.
10.2. Dissemination format - Publications
The short-term statistics only publishes its figures in an annual compendium named Malta in Figures or Trends in Malta. These can be accessed from the NSO website.
This has been discontinued.
10.3. Dissemination format - online database
The NSO website offers an online statistical database (StatDB) that provides a more in-depth analysis for the more expert statistical user or researcher. The StatDB requires registration as only registered users can extract data from the database. Registration is free-of-charge. Currently, this indicator is not available in this format.
10.4. Dissemination format - microdata access
In general, index results made available to Eurostat ensure a sufficient degree of representativeness of data. More detailed data than that published locally and internationally are available on request but are subject to the confidentiality clauses.
In such cases, data are provided in index form. Micro data are not provided to users.
10.5. Dissemination format - other
Data are transmitted to Eurostat on a monthly basis.
The Short-term Business Statistics indicators' quality assurance principles are developed according to the ESS Handbook for Quality Reports (2014).
11.2. Quality management - assessment
Aspects of quality are divided into several steps. These are specifying needs, designing and building data instruments and collecting, processing, analysing, disseminating, archiving and evaluating data. The main guiding principles in quality management are found in the European Statistics Code of Practice and the Quality Assurance Framework of the ESS.
Overall, the quality of the index is of good quality and reliable.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
The main users are the Eurostat, the Central Bank of Malta, the general media and other international organisations.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
Not available.
12.3. Completeness
Data are compliant with relevant European and local regulations.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
The overall accuracy of the indicators is considered to be of good quality. The indicator is based on two seperate indicators produced by the same Unit.
Sampling error and non-sampling error are small and the first estimates are not biased.
13.2. Sampling error
The sample is predominantly a cut-off sample with a turnover threshold of 80%.
13.3. Non-sampling error
Non-sampling errors relate to problems such as under or over coverage, non-response, data-processing and estimation.
Non-sampling errors are mainly due to non-response. Hence, the Short-term Business Statistics unit make use of administrative data (VAT) whenever possible and the use of the donor imputation technique using Euclidean distance to fill non-response.
The weighted response rate is around 75% overall with various NACE Sections registering over 80% response. Turnover is the weighting variable used to compile such response rate.
14.1. Timeliness
The index is disseminated 60 days after the end of the reference period.
14.2. Punctuality
The NSO is committed to adhere to the timelines established by the EBS Regulations 2021 and also issues news releases according to its pre-published calendar.
All deadlines are respected during the course of the year.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
To ensure geographical comparability across member states the index is compiled according to the EBS Regulations and STS Methodological Guidelines. Minor methodological deviations may exist due to specific conditions that apply to each member state.
15.2. Comparability - over time
The series is compiled from the year 2021. This is also the current base year.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
Data is currently not compared to any other data.
15.4. Coherence - internal
Aggregates are consistent with the other components.
Data burden is considered minimal since it is a derived variable from the turnover and producer prices variables.
17.1. Data revision - policy
Revisions are carried according to the European Business Statistics Regulation. Internal procedures are also established.
The same revision policy is applied to both data released nationally and that sent to Eurostat.
Revision analysis is carried out before every news release published locally or sent to Eurostat and clear explanations are also sought. Detailed explanations at micro data level are also analysed but only used internally for quality information purposes. Generally, this index will have routine minor revisions due to actual data replacing estimates due to non-response. Major revisions may also be done but this will be on an exceptional basis.
17.2. Data revision - practice
Data marked as provisional are revised when actual data are received and imputations are replaced with these data.
Currently, numerical information on the size of the typical revisions and MR and MAR are not available. They will be made available in 2026.
18.1. Source data
It is a derived variable made up of the services turnover index and the services producer price indices.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
The frequency of data collection is monthly.
18.3. Data collection
The turnover data is collected on a monthly basis while the producer prices is collected on a quarterly basis.
18.4. Data validation
Validations of format and file structure checks and intra-dataset checks are checked with the use of in-house excel sheets, access databases and also R codes.
18.5. Data compilation
A Laspeyres type index is used for compilation and the weights are updated every 5 years from the Structural Business Statistics survey.
18.6. Adjustment
Unadjusted data are transformed into working day and seasonally adjusted data using the JDemetra+ 2.2.2 software.
Automatic filter is used and models and parameters are re-estimated every year. There are no seasonal breaks and the direct adjustment is used. Filter length is chosen automatically and residual seasonality is checked.
No additional comments.
The index describes the development of the volume of sales in the services industries.
19 June 2026
The volume of sales is calculated using the turnover value deflated by the services producer prices.
Observation Unit: Kind of Activity
Reporting Unit: Legal
The statistical population is around 6000 units and includes all those falling under NACE Sections H-N except K. The population is maintained by the Business Registers Unit.
The indicator covers the national territory of the Maltese Islands. Activities carried out outside the national territory of the Maltese Islands are excluded.
The data are collected and provided on a monthly basis.
The overall accuracy of the indicators is considered to be of good quality. The indicator is based on two seperate indicators produced by the same Unit.
Sampling error and non-sampling error are small and the first estimates are not biased.
The data are provided in index form.
A Laspeyres type index is used for compilation and the weights are updated every 5 years from the Structural Business Statistics survey.
It is a derived variable made up of the services turnover index and the services producer price indices.
Eurostat transmissions for these indices are carried out on a monthly basis and 60 days after the end of the reference period. National news releases for the index are carried out on a quarterly basis and according to the national news release calendar.
The index is disseminated 60 days after the end of the reference period.
To ensure geographical comparability across member states the index is compiled according to the EBS Regulations and STS Methodological Guidelines. Minor methodological deviations may exist due to specific conditions that apply to each member state.
The series is compiled from the year 2021. This is also the current base year.
