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 Accounts Department, Price Statistics Unit
1.3. Contact name
Confidential because of GDPR
1.4. Contact person function
Confidential because of GDPR
1.5. Contact mail address
Instituto Nacional de Estatística (INE)
Avenida António José de Almeida, 1000-043 Lisboa, Portugal
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
20 May 2026
2.2. Metadata last posted
20 May 2026
2.3. Metadata last update
20 May 2026
3.1. Data description
The Service Producer Price Index (SPPI) tracks quarterly changes in output prices of services.
3.2. Classification system
NACE Rev2.
3.3. Coverage - sector
The indicator covers economic activities listed in sections H, I, J, L, M and N of NACE (H-Transportation and Storage, I-Accommodation and food service activities, J-Information and communication, L-Real estate activities, M-Professional, scientific and technical activities [excluding activities of head offices, scientific research and development and veterinary activities], N-Administrative and support service activities).
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
The service prices that are considered in the calculation of the SPPI are net of discounts, exclusive of VAT and reflect a quarter’s average.
3.5. Statistical unit
Reporting and observation units are enterprises, except for Telecommunications (J61), where the reporting unit is the supervision body of the sector.
3.6. Statistical population
The population of interest consists of all enterprises whose main activity falls into one of the NACE aggregations covered by the SPPI (see 3.3 above).
3.7. Reference area
Produced SPPIs cover the whole country.
3.8. Coverage - Time
The current series (2021=100) are available from the first quarter of 2021 onwards.
3.9. Base period
Compiled SPPIs have their base 100 in 2021.
Indices, which are based on ratios of prices expressed in euros.
The reference period of the SPPIs is the quarter of a year.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
Statistics Portugal is the institution that is at the core of the national statistical system, which is responsible for official statistics in Portugal. The role of Statistics Portugal in the national statistical System is defined by Law no. 92 of May 13, 2008 and its mission and competencies are defined by Decree-law no. 136 of July 2, 2012. These include the compilation, dissemination and development of official statistics such as SPPIs. The legal basis for the collection, compilation and dissemination of SPPIs is, in addition, anchored in the European Business Statistics (EBS) Regulation (EU) no. 2019/2152 of 27 November 2019 and Commission Implementing Regulation 2020/1197.
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
Data are transmitted by Statistics Portugal to Eurostat on a quarterly basis to be integrated in the calculation of European Union and Monetary Union aggregates.
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
The framework for confidentiality policy is provided in article 6 of the Law no. 92 of May 13, 2008, where it is stated that no data should be disclosed in a way that allows the direct or indirect identification of respondents.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
As a rule, data pertaining to a NACE activity in which there are less than four enterprises providing services on the market are not published and are treated as confidential.
8.1. Release calendar
The SPPIs are published quarterly by Statistics Portugal according to a predefined calendar.
The production of the SPPIs does not follow any specific quality management system.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
Not available (see 11.1).
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
The main user of the produced SPPIs is Eurostat.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
Not available.
12.3. Completeness
This data set is compliant with EBS Regulation requirements.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
The overall accuracy of the SPPI is difficult to assess, as many data sources are combined.
For divisions where data is collected via a questionnaire sent to a sample of companies, the samples are designed with the cut-off method. Sampling errors are not currently measured.
13.2. Sampling error
The sampling error is highly dependent on the data source used for each NACE rev.2 division, as the coverage is not homogeneous:
For H531, all population of enterprises and of products is covered.
For divisions where data from the Consumer Price Index is used (see 18.3), a sample of prices has been used as a proxy for the SPPI. As these have been chosen purposively, it is not possible to derive any sampling error.
For H494, the model pricing method is used, with a sample of around 500 respondents. Around 5000 price quotations are collected every quarter.
For M692 and M702, the charge-out rate is used, with a sample of around 850 respondents. Around 4900 rates are collected every quarter, across multiple activities and professional levels.
For the remaining NACE rev.2 divisions, an administrative data source on wages and staff covers all companies in each sector, and a matched sample of companies on each quarter is used to derive the price change between consecutive quarters, which are then linked to compile the final indices.
13.3. Non-sampling error
For H53 and J61 the response rate is 100% (see 13.2 above).
For divisions where data from the Consumer Price Index is used (see 18.3) it is not possible to have an idea of the magnitude of non-sampling errors associated with the compilation of the SPPI.
For H494, M692 and M702, non-response arises when a company is unable to answer the questionnaire. The response rate is usually close to 80%.
For the remainig NACE rev.2 divisions, the administrative data source on wages and staff covers all companies.
14.1. Timeliness
As a rule, the SPPIs are produced not later than three months after the end of the reference quarter.
14.2. Punctuality
Statistics Portugal is committed to comply with EBS Regulation timeliness requirements.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
The Portuguese SPPIs do not have a regional disaggregation. Coherence across the different European countries producing this dataset is ensured by EBS Regulations.
15.2. Comparability - over time
The SPPIs are comparable over time.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
Derived data for some activities are compared with information stemming from the CPI prices survey. Where possible, other sources of information, taken from the regulatory bodies and dominant service providers, are used to cross-validate the SPPIs and underlying rates of change.
15.4. Coherence - internal
The higher-level aggregation is consistent, and all subsdivisions aggregate correctly up to the total.
The cost of the statistical operation is considered to be low. Likewise, respondents’ burden is also considered to be low (e.g., for the SPPI on Telecommunications, prices and weights’ information is taken directly from the regulatory and supervision body). However, no concrete information as to the cost and burden of the SPPIs is available.
17.1. Data revision - policy
Produced indices are revised following the same principles that are applied nationally for the regular and extraordinary revision of data. Statistics Portugal’s revisions policy is avalialbe on its website (Statistics Portugal - Revisions Policy). In case of revisions, they are applied to both the national data (which is not currently released) and the data sent to Eurostat.
17.2. Data revision - practice
Data is not subject to systematic revisions. However, data are revised whenever there is a change in the base year or whenever there are methodological changes (e.g., changes in the classification system of activities). Extraordinary revisions are carried out whenever there is a mistake or an error found in the data or whenever a new or improved data source is available for the compilation of the SPPIs.
18.1. Source data
The SPPIs are based on administrative data sources, email and direct enquiries to enterprises.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
For NACE division where a questionnaire is used, the data is collected on a quarterly basis. For the remaining divisions, the data is collected monthly.
18.3. Data collection
For H494, M692 and M702, specific questionnaires are answered by a sample of companies.
For H501, H503, H511, H522, I55, I56, N771 and M791, data is sourced from the Consumer Price Index microdata.
For H53 and J61, data is provided by the only provider of universal mail services and by a regulatory authority, respectively.
For the remaining NACE rev.2 divisions, an administrative data source on wages and staff is used.
18.4. Data validation
Final data files are validated through the SDMX Converter, which converts csv files into SDMX format.
18.5. Data compilation
The SPPIs are compiled as Laspeyres index (higher-level aggregation formula), whose base year is changed every five years. Turnover figures, are taken from the Simplified Business Information (SBI) data reporting system. Turnover figures are used as weights for the aggregation of enterprises. The SBI data reporting system is compulsory to all businesses operating in Portugal, and it is continuously updated.
18.6. Adjustment
The SPPIs are not subject to working day or seasonal adjustments.
Not available.
The Service Producer Price Index (SPPI) tracks quarterly changes in output prices of services.
20 May 2026
The service prices that are considered in the calculation of the SPPI are net of discounts, exclusive of VAT and reflect a quarter’s average.
Reporting and observation units are enterprises, except for Telecommunications (J61), where the reporting unit is the supervision body of the sector.
The population of interest consists of all enterprises whose main activity falls into one of the NACE aggregations covered by the SPPI (see 3.3 above).
Produced SPPIs cover the whole country.
The reference period of the SPPIs is the quarter of a year.
The overall accuracy of the SPPI is difficult to assess, as many data sources are combined.
For divisions where data is collected via a questionnaire sent to a sample of companies, the samples are designed with the cut-off method. Sampling errors are not currently measured.
Indices, which are based on ratios of prices expressed in euros.
The SPPIs are compiled as Laspeyres index (higher-level aggregation formula), whose base year is changed every five years. Turnover figures, are taken from the Simplified Business Information (SBI) data reporting system. Turnover figures are used as weights for the aggregation of enterprises. The SBI data reporting system is compulsory to all businesses operating in Portugal, and it is continuously updated.
The SPPIs are based on administrative data sources, email and direct enquiries to enterprises.
Quarterly.
As a rule, the SPPIs are produced not later than three months after the end of the reference quarter.
The Portuguese SPPIs do not have a regional disaggregation. Coherence across the different European countries producing this dataset is ensured by EBS Regulations.
