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.
The data on Services Producer Price Indices (SPPI) present quarterly trends in the prices of services in selected activities provided by enterprises as producers to their customers. The data cover transactions with all entities (B2All), including the sales of services to businesses (B2B) and private consumers (B2C).
3.2. Classification system
Statistical Classification of Economic Activities in the European Community (NACE Rev. 2) is used.
3.3. Coverage - sector
SPPI covers activities in the following NACE Rev. 2 sections: H-Transportation and storage, I-Accommodation and food service activities.
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
The SPPI measures the development of transaction prices for services that enterprises, as providers of services, charge their customers/buyers. The transaction prices exclude value-added tax and similar deductible taxes, rebates, and other discounts that the producer approves for the buyer. Monitored services are those most important to the selected enterprises, either in terms of frequency of service or in terms of service value.
3.5. Statistical unit
Enterprise is the reporting and observation unit.
3.6. Statistical population
The target population comprises enterprises operating in the following NACE Rev. 2 activities: H51 Air transport, H52 Warehousing and support activities for transportation, H53 Postal and courier activities, I55 Accommodation, I56 Food and beverage service activities. The frame for identifying enterprises is the Statistical Business Register of Montenegro.
3.7. Reference area
The whole territory of Montenegro.
3.8. Coverage - Time
Indices for the following activities are available starting from 2018.
3.9. Base period
The base year is 2021.
Changes compared to the previous periods - shown in indices.
Data are collected for the quarter.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
The legal basis for the implementation of the survey is the Law on Official Statistics and Official Statistical System of Montenegro (Official Gazette of Montenegro, No. 18/12, 47/19 and 23/25) and the Annual Plan of Statistical Surveys.
Implementation of the survey in Montenegro also relies on the following EU regulations:
Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 of the European Parliament and of the Council on European Business Statistics (EBS Framework Regulation);
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197 laying down technical specifications and arrangements pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 on European Business Statistics.
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
SPPI indices data series of turnover from 2018 were sent to Eurostat in SDMX format.
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
National legislation
According to the Law on Statistics and Statistical System of Montenegro, Article 54, the data collected, processed, and stored for official statistics shall be confidential, if it is based on these data, either directly or indirectly, identify reporting units which disclosing individual information.
European legislation
Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council, of 11 March 2009, on the transmission of data subject to statistical confidentiality to the Statistical Office of the European Communities.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
Confidential data is treated according to policy rules (see point 7.1). Data are nationally published only at a level at which they are not confidential. Individual data represents an official secret.
8.1. Release calendar
No advance release calendar has been established, as statistical releases are not currently disseminated.
8.2. Release calendar access
Not applicable. No release calendar is currently available.
8.3. Release policy - user access
Not applicable. Statistical releases are not currently published. When dissemination begins, equal access will be ensured for all users.
Data are collected and transmitted to Eurostat on a quarterly basis, in accordance with the requirements of the European Business Statistics framework.
10.1. Dissemination format - News release
Not available.
10.2. Dissemination format - Publications
Not available.
10.3. Dissemination format - online database
Not available.
10.4. Dissemination format - microdata access
Not available.
10.5. Dissemination format - other
Data are transmitted to Eurostat in accordance with the requirements of the European Business Statistics framework.
10.6. Documentation on methodology
Methodological documentation has not yet been published. Relevant methodological information will be made available when the dissemination of statistical outputs is established.
10.7. Quality management - documentation
Not available.
11.1. Quality assurance
MONSTAT has officially accepted the European Statistics Code of Practice. European Statistics Code of Practice in Montenegro is available on the website.
For the systematic and standardized approach to quality, the Quality Management Framework was adopted by MONSTAT. Clear intention is expressed to take further steps towards full compliance with the European Statistics Code of Practice.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
Quality is monitored throughout all stages of data production by the responsible statisticians, according to specifications for concrete surveys. Data collection, data capture, and processing are usually subject to this monitoring (similarly to timeliness and punctuality).
In the framework of the organization of statistical surveys, selected quality aspects are part of preparing the staff involved in statistical production.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
Main users of data are: the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Economy, Chamber of Commerce, research institutions, companies engaged in trade, statistics of National accounts, and other sectors inside MONSTAT, as well as the general public.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
The user satisfaction survey is not yet available at the research level. All users' requests were fulfilled, and based on that, we have concluded that users are satisfied with our survey. At the institutional level, an online survey is available.
12.3. Completeness
The statistical domain is currently under development. An assessment of completeness against relevant national and international requirements has not yet been carried out.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
SPPI data are compiled according to the methodological recommendations of Eurostat and relevant European regulations. Data quality is monitored through validation procedures and consistency checks before transmission to Eurostat.
13.2. Sampling error
Not applicable.
13.3. Non-sampling error
Non-sampling errors are minimized through validation checks, follow-up with respondents and consistency controls. Detected errors are corrected before data transmission.
14.1. Timeliness
Data are transmitted to Eurostat within the deadlines prescribed by the European legislation for SPPI statistics.
14.2. Punctuality
No significant delays have been recorded in data transmission.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
The methodology applied is harmonized with Eurostat recommendations, ensuring comparability with data from other European countries.
15.2. Comparability - over time
Time series are compiled using consistent methodology, ensuring comparability over time.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
SPPI data are compiled in accordance with concepts and classifications used in other business statistics, particularly NACE Rev. 2 classifications.
15.4. Coherence - internal
Internal coherence is ensured through validation procedures and consistency checks across data sources and calculation stages.
The cost and burden have not yet been assessed, as the statistical process is still under development.
17.1. Data revision - policy
The revision policy prepared by the Statistical Office of Montenegro is available on the website.
The revision policy is applied nationally and in transmissions to Eurostat.
17.2. Data revision - practice
Statistical data are not currently disseminated; therefore, no data revision practice has been established.
18.1. Source data
The data used for the calculation of the SPPI are collected through statistical surveys, from the websites of reporting units, as well as by using data from the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The Statistical Business Register serves as the main source for the selection of reporting units.
The main criteria for including units in the survey are the principal activity in which the unit is registered and the annual net turnover achieved. Based on business performance data, units within each activity are ranked in descending order according to turnover. Subsequently, as many units from the top of the list are selected as necessary for their turnover to cover approximately 60% of the total turnover of all units registered within the respective activity.
In activities where five or fewer units operate, all registered units are included in the survey.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Quarterly.
18.3. Data collection
Service producer prices are collected through statistical questionnaires, by monitoring price information published on the websites of reporting units, as well as by using data from the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Reporting units submit data for the observed reference quarter to MONSTAT within the prescribed deadline.
The questionnaires are designed in accordance with the characteristics of the observed service activities and contain only those services for which prices are monitored. Data are collected on a quarterly basis.
In addition to survey data collection, a portion of prices is obtained directly from publicly available price lists and other information published on the websites of enterprises. Where appropriate, CPI data are also used as an additional source for the calculation of specific service producer price indices.
18.4. Data validation
Data validation is done through control of individual data and indices. Data are compared with the previous period of the same year, as well as with the same period of the previous year. If necessary, the respondents are contacted to clarify the deviation. There is a remark field in the questionnaire for any explanation of the unit (especially for the case of a large increase or decrease in turnover compared to the previous quarter). Moreover, there is a possibility to report the corrections of turnover for the previous quarter.
18.5. Data compilation
In order to ensure a full response for all surveyed units, micro-estimates are made every quarter. Missing values are edited using the mean imputation method, the historical imputation method, or the logical imputation method.
The individual index for each service is calculated by comparing the price of the service in the individual quarter with the price of the service in the fourth quarter of the previous year. From individual indices, aggregate indices at the class or group and division level are calculated by using the weighted arithmetic mean. Further, aggregate indices are grouped higher until the total index is calculated. Each aggregate index calculated in this way (last quarter of the previous year = 100) is a Laspeyres index of fixed type, which means that it is calculated with weights from the same weight base period and with the same coverage of services.
Weights for 2025 are based on turnover data for 2024. In designing the weights, turnover data are recalculated (indexed) to the last quarter of the previous year. Weights are changed every year.
18.6. Adjustment
Not applicable.
No comment.
The data on Services Producer Price Indices (SPPI) present quarterly trends in the prices of services in selected activities provided by enterprises as producers to their customers. The data cover transactions with all entities (B2All), including the sales of services to businesses (B2B) and private consumers (B2C).
9 June 2026
The SPPI measures the development of transaction prices for services that enterprises, as providers of services, charge their customers/buyers. The transaction prices exclude value-added tax and similar deductible taxes, rebates, and other discounts that the producer approves for the buyer. Monitored services are those most important to the selected enterprises, either in terms of frequency of service or in terms of service value.
Enterprise is the reporting and observation unit.
The target population comprises enterprises operating in the following NACE Rev. 2 activities: H51 Air transport, H52 Warehousing and support activities for transportation, H53 Postal and courier activities, I55 Accommodation, I56 Food and beverage service activities. The frame for identifying enterprises is the Statistical Business Register of Montenegro.
The whole territory of Montenegro.
Data are collected for the quarter.
SPPI data are compiled according to the methodological recommendations of Eurostat and relevant European regulations. Data quality is monitored through validation procedures and consistency checks before transmission to Eurostat.
Changes compared to the previous periods - shown in indices.
In order to ensure a full response for all surveyed units, micro-estimates are made every quarter. Missing values are edited using the mean imputation method, the historical imputation method, or the logical imputation method.
The individual index for each service is calculated by comparing the price of the service in the individual quarter with the price of the service in the fourth quarter of the previous year. From individual indices, aggregate indices at the class or group and division level are calculated by using the weighted arithmetic mean. Further, aggregate indices are grouped higher until the total index is calculated. Each aggregate index calculated in this way (last quarter of the previous year = 100) is a Laspeyres index of fixed type, which means that it is calculated with weights from the same weight base period and with the same coverage of services.
Weights for 2025 are based on turnover data for 2024. In designing the weights, turnover data are recalculated (indexed) to the last quarter of the previous year. Weights are changed every year.
The data used for the calculation of the SPPI are collected through statistical surveys, from the websites of reporting units, as well as by using data from the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The Statistical Business Register serves as the main source for the selection of reporting units.
The main criteria for including units in the survey are the principal activity in which the unit is registered and the annual net turnover achieved. Based on business performance data, units within each activity are ranked in descending order according to turnover. Subsequently, as many units from the top of the list are selected as necessary for their turnover to cover approximately 60% of the total turnover of all units registered within the respective activity.
In activities where five or fewer units operate, all registered units are included in the survey.
Data are collected and transmitted to Eurostat on a quarterly basis, in accordance with the requirements of the European Business Statistics framework.
Data are transmitted to Eurostat within the deadlines prescribed by the European legislation for SPPI statistics.
The methodology applied is harmonized with Eurostat recommendations, ensuring comparability with data from other European countries.
Time series are compiled using consistent methodology, ensuring comparability over time.
