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.
North Gate Boulevard du Roi Albert II 16, 1000 Bruxelles
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
13 June 2025
2.2. Metadata last posted
13 June 2025
2.3. Metadata last update
13 June 2025
3.1. Data description
Name of indicator/source.
Turnover index (omzetindex/indice du chiffre d’affaires). This index is designed to be an indicator of the evolution of turnover.
3.2. Classification system
NACE Rev. 2.
3.3. Coverage - sector
Activities covered: all sectors of Nace rev.2.
Size classes covered: According to VAT-rules.
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
List and definition of variables: Turnover is the value of sales of goods and services reduced by the value of credit notes issued and similar changes.
Planned changes in information collected: None.
Accounting conventions: Measured turnover is the turnover during the calendar month (calculated from monthly VAT-returns). Index is based on turnover.
3.5. Statistical unit
Reporting unit: The reporting unit is the legal entity.
Observation unit(s): The observation unit is the enterprise.
3.6. Statistical population
Companies required to file a monthly VAT return, all Nace-codes are covered.
3.7. Reference area
All regions of Belgium are covered.
3.8. Coverage - Time
Date of first use as a source 2000.
3.9. Base period
The monthly data have been calculated with 2021 as the base year.
Quarterly indices were calculated for reference years 2000 till 2023 (2015=100).
Monthly indices are calculated starting with reference year 2021 (2021=100).
Quarterly for reference years 2000 till 2023.
Monthly from reference year 2021 onrwards.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
The legal basis for this indicator is the European Business Statistics (EBS) Regulation:
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).
Belgium provides indices on turnover to Eurostat on a monthly basis from reference year 2021 onwards.
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
Absolute figures are sent to the National Bank of Belgium on a monthly basis as an input for their national accounts. Indices were sent to Eurostat on a quarterly basis according to STS requirements till reference year 2023 and on a monthly basis from reference year 2021 onwards.
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
There is a national law concerning the confidentiality of data: data from reporting units which are individual or which can result in individual data may not be disseminated without permission of the reporting unit.
Confidential are cells for 5 contributors or less and those for which the total result of which the two largest contributors are deducted is less than 10% of the result of the biggest contributor. Treatment is then applied to not allow the disclosure of confidential cells overlap based on the additivity constraint of the published tables.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
Confidential data are treated by suppression. This is common because of the highly detailed level of published national and regional data.
8.1. Release calendar
Release dates are fixed in advance for a calendar year.
8.2. Release calendar access
Access is given to all users, there are no limits.
8.3. Release policy - user access
Data are transmitted to Eurostat when they are published in Belgium.
The Economics Ministry's press department is provided a copy of the press release.
Data are transmitted to Eurostat when they are published in Belgium. The transmission is done by use of Edamis using SDMX.
Monthly.
10.1. Dissemination format - News release
No ministerial commentary is attached to the release of data by the statistics office.
10.2. Dissemination format - Publications
Name of national paper publications: press release.
Name of national electronic dissemination: be.Stat for quarterly data; downloadable Excel files for monthly data
Summary description of quality criteria calculated for national purposes:
Monthly control of the evolution of absolute figures (turnover and investments) on Nace class level (4 digits) and correction of errors in VAT returns.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
Regular feedback from users about the exceptional evolutions.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
Eurostat: as a part of the Short Term Statistics, according to the EBS regulation: monthly indices on turnover in the services sector
National Bank of Belgium: as an input for the National and Regional Accounts.
Students, researchers and "starters": specific economic sector analysis
Professional associations: monitor sectoral developments.
Provincial and regional research services: monitoring sectoral developments by region or provinces.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
No measure of the satisfaction, but feedback of users by phone/e-mail.
12.3. Completeness
Exhaustive statistics.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
Statistics are reliable and controlled monthly. They are based on administrative data (VAT returns) and our business register (Nace-codes of legal entities). Missing (late) VAT returns are estimated, outliers in VAT returns are corrected if necessary and Nace-codes are monitored on a monthly basis.
One month after the first release the results are normally final.
Periodic revisions of statistics are rare, but can occur due to changes of Nace-codes of legal entities in our business register which were not previously detected.
Hence we believe the accuracy is as follows:
the sampling error in the data is not relevant;
the non-sampling error in the data is negligible;
the first estimates are not biased.
13.2. Sampling error
Not relevant (only administrative data are used).
13.3. Non-sampling error
As explained in 13.1 we believe the non-sampling error in the data is negligible.
Response rates are not measured yet, but we assume they are good as the administrative data which we use consists only of VAT returns and we monitor the coverage of them on a weekly basis and the quality on a monthly basis.
Modelling errors exist, but are very small as estimation of late VAT returns is monitored and corrected if necessary.
14.1. Timeliness
Timeliness: The turnover index is released within 2 months after the reference period.
Timetable of data collection: Enterprises must reply within 20 days from the end of the reference period.
14.2. Punctuality
Not measured, varies due to factors that are difficult to control, most importantly delivery of VAT returns by the Ministry of Finance.
Delivery of VAT returns has been improved over the last 2 years due to a higher frequency of data feeds (weekly instead of monthly) and the migration to a more secure server.
The weekly and more secured data feeds of VAT returns allow us now to start data analysis and outlier detection earlier.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
OK: absolute figures are comparable between regions; indices are only available for Belgium.
15.2. Comparability - over time
OK: both absolute figures as indices are comparable over time as they are calculated in the same way for the whole period.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
Dissemination of information that support statistical cross-checks and provide assurance of reasonableness:
No regular confrontation is made, but comparisons are made on an ad-hoc basis, especially when results seem contrary to expectations, with other short-term data (e.g. Prodcom, Retail Trade) and SBS.
Confrontation with other data sets:
No regular confrontation is made, but comparisons are made on an ad-hoc basis, especially when results seem contrary to expectations, with other short-term data (e.g. Prodcom, Retail Trade) and SBS.
15.4. Coherence - internal
OK: both absolute figures as indices are consistent as they are calculated in the same way for the whole period.
As only administrative data are used, the cost entirely consists of costs of staff. They are estimated to be around 6500€ per year. This estimation is based on a total of 160 working hours per year. There’s no burden: the administrative data are provided for free by the Ministry of Finance; if VAT returns are missing due to technical problems, they can be estimated based upon the VAT returns received.
17.1. Data revision - policy
One month after the first release the results are normally final. These are routine revisions as, when calculating a new month, more data becomes available for the previous months and estimates are systematically replaced by VAT returns.
Major revisions of statistics are extremely rare, but can theoretically occur.
We however try to avoid major revisions by using a "Nace Alert"-system (monthly monitoring of the Nace-codes of legal entities) and by benchmarking with quarterly national accounts (see 17.2).
Currently a revision calender does not exist.
If a revision is necessary, it will be applied to all data, both data published nationally and data transmitted to Eurostat.
17.2. Data revision - practice
Since 2019 we have installed a "Nace Alert" system which informs us on a monthly basis of possible changes in the Nace-codes of the legal entities in our business register and which allows us to better monitor them. Also, over the last couple of years, benchmarking is carried out with quarterly national accounts.
Due to the alert system and the benchmarking we have been able to avoid any major revisions since 2019. Currently only routine revisions occur.
We currently don't have numeric information on the size of those routine revisions as we haven't been able to calculate MAR and MR yet.
18.1. Source data
Type of source: VAT returns;
Frame on which the source is based: Not available;
Sample or census: Not relevant (administrative data);
Criteria for stratification: Not relevant;
Threshold values and percentages: Not relevant;
Frequency of updating the sample: Monthly.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Periodicity of data collection: Data collection is monthly.
18.3. Data collection
Questionnaires used in the survey: VAT returns;
Planned changes in national questionnaires: None;
Data collection media: Data are collected by VAT-offices;
Planned changes in data collection methodology: None.
18.4. Data validation
Changes inabsolute figures (turnover and investments) are controlledat the level ofNACE-classes(4-digit codes) and any errorsarecorrected inthe source data. Both absolute figures and indices are validated by the statistician, her boss, the planning department and the dissemination department.
18.5. Data compilation
Estimates for non-response: Not relevant;
Estimates for grossing-up to population levels: Not relevant;
Type of index: The turnover index is a value index;
Method of weighting and chaining: Not relevant;
Planned changes in production methods: None.
18.6. Adjustment
WDA, SA and other calculations: Gross indices are transformed consecutively into indices per working day, seasonally adjusted indices and trend figures, using TRAMO SEATS by means of the JDemetra+ software (version 2.2.2).
When data is sent to Eurostat monthly, a document with comments is added indicating possible quality problems and revisions.
Name of indicator/source.
Turnover index (omzetindex/indice du chiffre d’affaires). This index is designed to be an indicator of the evolution of turnover.
13 June 2025
List and definition of variables: Turnover is the value of sales of goods and services reduced by the value of credit notes issued and similar changes.
Planned changes in information collected: None.
Accounting conventions: Measured turnover is the turnover during the calendar month (calculated from monthly VAT-returns). Index is based on turnover.
Reporting unit: The reporting unit is the legal entity.
Observation unit(s): The observation unit is the enterprise.
Companies required to file a monthly VAT return, all Nace-codes are covered.
All regions of Belgium are covered.
Quarterly for reference years 2000 till 2023.
Monthly from reference year 2021 onrwards.
Statistics are reliable and controlled monthly. They are based on administrative data (VAT returns) and our business register (Nace-codes of legal entities). Missing (late) VAT returns are estimated, outliers in VAT returns are corrected if necessary and Nace-codes are monitored on a monthly basis.
One month after the first release the results are normally final.
Periodic revisions of statistics are rare, but can occur due to changes of Nace-codes of legal entities in our business register which were not previously detected.
Hence we believe the accuracy is as follows:
the sampling error in the data is not relevant;
the non-sampling error in the data is negligible;
the first estimates are not biased.
Quarterly indices were calculated for reference years 2000 till 2023 (2015=100).
Monthly indices are calculated starting with reference year 2021 (2021=100).
Estimates for non-response: Not relevant;
Estimates for grossing-up to population levels: Not relevant;
Type of index: The turnover index is a value index;
Method of weighting and chaining: Not relevant;
Planned changes in production methods: None.
Type of source: VAT returns;
Frame on which the source is based: Not available;
Sample or census: Not relevant (administrative data);
Criteria for stratification: Not relevant;
Threshold values and percentages: Not relevant;
Frequency of updating the sample: Monthly.
Monthly.
Timeliness: The turnover index is released within 2 months after the reference period.
Timetable of data collection: Enterprises must reply within 20 days from the end of the reference period.
OK: absolute figures are comparable between regions; indices are only available for Belgium.
OK: both absolute figures as indices are comparable over time as they are calculated in the same way for the whole period.
