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 indicies are used as a deflator in National Accounts. Other users are the public sector as well as price-adjustment in contracts.
3.2. Classification system
NACE Rev. 2
3.3. Coverage - sector
The following activities are covered:
Section H: Freight transport by road (49.41), Passenger air transport (51.1), Warehousing and storage (52.1), Service activities incidental to air transportation (52.23), Cargo handling (52.24), Freight forwarding services (52.291), Postal and courier activities (53)
Section I: Accommodation (55), Food and beverage service activities (56)
Section J: Publishing activities (58), Telecommunication services (61), IT services (62), Data processing, hosting and related activities (63.11), Web portals (63.12)
Section M: Legal activities (69.1), Accounting and bookkeeping (69.201), Auditing (69.202), Business and management consultancy activities (70.220), Architectural services (71.11), Civil engineering activities (71.121), Technical testing and analysis (71.2), Advertising agencies (73.11), Media representation (73.12)
Section N: Renting and leasing of cars and light motor vehicles (77.110), Renting and leasing of construction and civil engineering machinery and equipment (77.32), Employment activities (78), Travel agency, tour operator and other reservation service and related activities (79), Security and investigation activities (80), General cleaning of buildings (81.21)
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
Prices of services produced by Norwegian enterprises, excluding VAT.
Prices is measured at B2A (Business-to-All). Meaning we include prices from both B2B (Business-to-Business) and B2C (Business-to-Consumer).
3.5. Statistical unit
Observation unit: Price transaction
Reporting unit: Enterprise
3.6. Statistical population
Norwegian enterprises which provide services within following industries:
Section H: Freight transport by road (49.41), Passenger air transport (51.1), Warehousing and storage (52.1), Service activities incidental to air transportation (52.23), Cargo handling (52.24), Freight forwarding services (52.291), Postal and courier activities (53);
Section I: Accommodation (55), Food and beverage service activities (56);
Section J: Publishing activities (58), Telecommunication services (61), IT services (62), Data processing, hosting and related activities (63.11), Web portals (63.12);
Section M: Legal activities (69.1), Accounting and bookkeeping (69.201), Auditing (69.202), Business and management consultancy activities (70.220), Architectural services (71.11), Civil engineering activities (71.121), Technical testing and analysis (71.2), Advertising agencies (73.11), Media representation (73.12);
Section N: Renting and leasing of cars and light motor vehicles (77.110), Renting and leasing of construction and civil engineering machinery and equipment (77.32), Employment activities (78), Travel agency, tour operator and other reservation service and related activities (79), Security and investigation activities (80), General cleaning of buildings (81.21).
The frame is data from Structural Business Statistics (SBS) from Statistics Norway.
3.7. Reference area
Enterprises located in Norway.
3.8. Coverage - Time
The first SPPI for architectural services was developed in late 90's. Most of the indices were developed in 2005-2008. We are still developing new indices.
3.9. Base period
The base year for national publishing is 2021 (2021=100).
The base year in the data transmitted to Eurostat is 2021 = 100.
From March 2024 onwards, Eurostat publishes indices with base year 2021. The whole time series is recalculated / rescaled accordingly. Therefore, the data with reference year 2023 is published in Eurostat’s database with base year 2021.
Prices in Norwegian Kroner.
Quarter
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
National legal acts:
The legal basis is The Statistical Act of 21st of June 2019 No. 32 section 10 and 20.
The reporting units are obliged to provide information. Fines for refusing to provide information are laid down by the Statistics of 21st of June 2019 No. 32.
European legislation:
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).
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).
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
STS data from the Norwegian SPPI are transmitted to Eurostat on a regular quarterly basis.
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
Confidential micro data: According to § 7 of the Statistics Act, collected data are subject to secrecy and are to be kept or erased in a secure manner. Any use of the data must be in accordance with the rules set out by the Data Inspectorate.
Time series that are not to be published: The publication of data is subject to the provisions of § 7 of the Statistics Act. The main rule is that data should not be published if they can be traced back to the respondent.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
Data is only published at an activity level at which it is not confidential. Detailed confidential data is aggregated with other confidential or non-confidential cells to produce a non-confidential (non-standard NACE) aggregate.
8.1. Release calendar
The publication schedule is pre-released in Statistics Norway's Advance Release Calendar.
8.2. Release calendar access
The release calendar is avalible on Statistics Norway's website.
Information about methodology and how the statistics are produced is provided in the "About the statistics" section at the website. See espcially under "Production" which lies under "About the statistics".
Relevance: The statistics is relevant in the way that it is defined as one of the STS indicators.
Accuracy and reliability: Total non-response by the time of release is about 1 per cent.
Timeliness and punctuality: The statistics is released about 56 days after the end of reference quarter. Statistics Norway’s release system on Internet assures data to be published exactly 8:00 AM, and the date is given in the release calendar not less than 3 months prior to the release.
Comparability: Geographically comparability with other countries is assured by using international standards given in the Eurostat framework (same reference year, same classification; NACE Rev.2).
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
The statistics are used, among others, by the public sector, the financial industry and other industries. The statistics is in itself, and are part of several key economic indicators that are important for monitoring the economy.
The main user is National accounts for deflation.
Eurostat use the indices for national data.
Companies use the indices for long term contract regulation.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
No quantitative measures.
Ongoing discussions with internal users. Sporadic contact via mail or phone with external users.
12.3. Completeness
The statistics are compliant with the EBS-regulation, except for the following NACE activities that are missing under the requirements: H, H50, J59, J60, L, L68, M74, N82.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
No quantitative measure.
13.2. Sampling error
Not available.
13.3. Non-sampling error
Not available.
14.1. Timeliness
Publication is at 08:00 a.m. according to a pre-determined calendar, and occurs normally around 56 days after the end of the reference quarter.
Questionnaires are sent at the end of the reference quarter;
Deadline for reply is the 24th of the month following the reference quarter;
An electronic letter - reminder - is sent after the 24th of the month following the reference quarter;
Publication is around the 24th of the month.
14.2. Punctuality
All releases are delivered on time, based on scheduled release dates.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
The statistics are produced at a national level only.
15.2. Comparability - over time
The first index was published in the end of the 90's. Most of the Norwegian SPPIs were developed 2005-2008 and we are still developing new indicies.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
The population is the same as in Structural Business Statistics and Foreign Trade In Services. Indices are used for deflation in QNA (quarterly national accounts).
15.4. Coherence - internal
The price indices within the scope of the SPPI are not totally consistent.
Each SPPI index has different period for sample rotation, weight update and period for chain-linking. More harmonization of the SPPIs is needed to ensure the consistency.
During 2024 there were approx 2760 working hours dedicated to production and development of the statistics within the price division. 3000 hours where dedicated to developing new indices and production system. 250 hours from other departments, such as data collection, IT and administaration.
The burden on the respondents are measured from time to time through the regular monthly survey. There are about 1100 units in this survey. The median time usage were 15 minutes per survey in 2024 which gives 1 hour per year for the median respondent. The total burden is thus 1100 hours a year based on the median respondent.
17.1. Data revision - policy
The statistics are not subject to revision after it is published unless big errors were to be revealed. The same revision policyis applied to STS data released nationally and transmitted to Eurostat.
17.2. Data revision - practice
If a big error is revealed it will be revised and the correct statistic will be re-published with a highly visible mark alerting the users of the revision.
18.1. Source data
Type of source
Prices are mainly surveyed using electronic questionnaires.
Frame on which the source is based
The frame used for sampling and derivation of higher-level weights is mainly based on the results of the Structural Business Statistics Survey. Lower-lever weights are received from respondents.
Sample or census
Sample.
Criteria for stratification
PPS-sampling with cut-off is used. Turnover and number of employees are used in stratification.
Threshold values and percentages
Number of reporting units is about 1100.
Frequency of updating the sample
Sample rotation every second year for most of the industries within the SPPI. Exceptions are some industries within the section H, where the last sample update was done in 2009.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Quarterly
18.3. Data collection
Mostly electronic questionnaire.
18.4. Data validation
The responses from the electronical questionnaires are ongoingly downloaded to the production system. The data are checked for duplicates, comments, product replacements and extraordinary little movement over time. In addition the data are checked for extreme deviations in prices. If there are significant price changes and there is no clear explanation or reason, the establishments are contacted directly. Observations with great impact are checked and analyzed.
18.5. Data compilation
Estimates for non-response
There are no imputations technics used in compilation of the Norwegian SPPI. Only observations with available prices are used in index compilation i each quarter.
Estimates for grossing-up to population levels
Data are not grossed up.
Type of index
Jevons index at the elementary level. Laspeyres-type index formula and annual chain linking are mostly used at the aggregate level. In some cases, we also use quarterly chain linking.
For two industries telecommunication services and car rental we compile a Paashe-type index at the aggregate level.
Method of weighting and chaining
The weights are updated every second year. The data from the Structural Business Statistics survey is the main source of the weights.
We receive the lower-level weights from the enterprises.
Short-term indices are chained annually or quarterly.
Different quarters are used as a price reference period for different industries.
The index reference period is 2021=100.
18.6. Adjustment
No adjustments are made to the data.
For more information please visit Statistics Norway’s website.
The indicies are used as a deflator in National Accounts. Other users are the public sector as well as price-adjustment in contracts.
30 June 2025
Prices of services produced by Norwegian enterprises, excluding VAT.
Prices is measured at B2A (Business-to-All). Meaning we include prices from both B2B (Business-to-Business) and B2C (Business-to-Consumer).
Observation unit: Price transaction
Reporting unit: Enterprise
Norwegian enterprises which provide services within following industries:
Section H: Freight transport by road (49.41), Passenger air transport (51.1), Warehousing and storage (52.1), Service activities incidental to air transportation (52.23), Cargo handling (52.24), Freight forwarding services (52.291), Postal and courier activities (53);
Section I: Accommodation (55), Food and beverage service activities (56);
Section J: Publishing activities (58), Telecommunication services (61), IT services (62), Data processing, hosting and related activities (63.11), Web portals (63.12);
Section M: Legal activities (69.1), Accounting and bookkeeping (69.201), Auditing (69.202), Business and management consultancy activities (70.220), Architectural services (71.11), Civil engineering activities (71.121), Technical testing and analysis (71.2), Advertising agencies (73.11), Media representation (73.12);
Section N: Renting and leasing of cars and light motor vehicles (77.110), Renting and leasing of construction and civil engineering machinery and equipment (77.32), Employment activities (78), Travel agency, tour operator and other reservation service and related activities (79), Security and investigation activities (80), General cleaning of buildings (81.21).
The frame is data from Structural Business Statistics (SBS) from Statistics Norway.
Enterprises located in Norway.
Quarter
No quantitative measure.
Prices in Norwegian Kroner.
Estimates for non-response
There are no imputations technics used in compilation of the Norwegian SPPI. Only observations with available prices are used in index compilation i each quarter.
Estimates for grossing-up to population levels
Data are not grossed up.
Type of index
Jevons index at the elementary level. Laspeyres-type index formula and annual chain linking are mostly used at the aggregate level. In some cases, we also use quarterly chain linking.
For two industries telecommunication services and car rental we compile a Paashe-type index at the aggregate level.
Method of weighting and chaining
The weights are updated every second year. The data from the Structural Business Statistics survey is the main source of the weights.
We receive the lower-level weights from the enterprises.
Short-term indices are chained annually or quarterly.
Different quarters are used as a price reference period for different industries.
The index reference period is 2021=100.
Type of source
Prices are mainly surveyed using electronic questionnaires.
Frame on which the source is based
The frame used for sampling and derivation of higher-level weights is mainly based on the results of the Structural Business Statistics Survey. Lower-lever weights are received from respondents.
Sample or census
Sample.
Criteria for stratification
PPS-sampling with cut-off is used. Turnover and number of employees are used in stratification.
Threshold values and percentages
Number of reporting units is about 1100.
Frequency of updating the sample
Sample rotation every second year for most of the industries within the SPPI. Exceptions are some industries within the section H, where the last sample update was done in 2009.
Quarterly
Publication is at 08:00 a.m. according to a pre-determined calendar, and occurs normally around 56 days after the end of the reference quarter.
Questionnaires are sent at the end of the reference quarter;
Deadline for reply is the 24th of the month following the reference quarter;
An electronic letter - reminder - is sent after the 24th of the month following the reference quarter;
Publication is around the 24th of the month.
The statistics are produced at a national level only.
The first index was published in the end of the 90's. Most of the Norwegian SPPIs were developed 2005-2008 and we are still developing new indicies.
