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 services turnover index derived from the Monthly Report on Trade and Other Services (USL-M form).
Since January 2017, the Croatian Bureau of Statistics has supplemented the quarterly survey frequency with monthly monitoring of turnover changes in service activities.
The USL-M survey is a continuation of the previous survey (USL-1 form), which was conducted on a quarterly basis. In addition to the change in survey frequency, the most significant change introduced concerns the sample selection method.
The monthly turnover index for the service sector is an important economic indicator for the short-term monitoring and analysis of economic development. Its main purpose is to measure changes in the phenomenon rather than its level and to serve as an input for national accounts statistics.
In Croatia, about 100 000 business entities are engaged in the activities covered by the Regulation, accounting for over 72% of all business entities operating in the service sector. This sector accounts for more than 58% of total employment in the non-financial business economy. The share of turnover generated by the service sector is also significant, accounting for almost 60% of total turnover, while its share of total value added exceeds 56% (SBS data).
3.2. Classification system
NACE Rev. 2.
3.3. Coverage - sector
The coverage is as follows:
H Transportation and storage
H 49 Land transport and transport via pipelines
H 50 Water transport
H 51 Air transport
H 52 Warehousing and support activities for transportation
H 53 Postal and courier activities
I Accommodation and food service activities
I 55 Accommodation
I 56 Food and beverage service activities
J Information and communication
J 58 Publishing activities
J 59 Motion picture, video and television programme production, sound recording and music publishing activities
J 60 Programming and broadcasting activities
J 61 Telecommunications
J 62 Computer programming, consultancy and related activities
J 63 Information service activities
L Real estate activities
L 68 Real estate activities
M Professional, scientific and technical activities
M 69 Legal and accounting services
M 702 Management consulting services
M 71 Architectural and engineering activities; technical testing and analysis
M 73 Advertising and market research
M 74 Other professional, scientific and technical activities
N Administrative and support service activities
N 77 Rental and leasing activities
N 78 Employment activities
N 79 Travel agency, tour operator reservation services and related activities
N 80 Security and investigation activities
N 81 Services to buildings and landscape activities
N 82 Office administrative, office support and other business support activities.
Indices for Air transport (51) and Postal and courier activities (53) were not published separately until 2023; however, since 2024, they have been published separately. Previously, they were included in Transportation and storage (H) and in the Other services total.
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
The statistical variable provided is turnover. Information is collected on turnover (excluding VAT) for the reference month and for the same month of the previous year.
The STS definition of turnover is used. Turnover is defined as the value of all goods sold and services provided on the market during a month, irrespective of whether paid for or not.
Business entities report their total turnover, i.e. turnover from their main activity as well as from their secondary activities. Since 2024, turnover from the principal activity is also collected separately.
Turnover covers flows during the calendar month.
3.5. Statistical unit
Since January 2024, the base year has been changed to 2021 and the new observation unit is the kind-of-activity unit (KAU).
3.6. Statistical population
The target population consists of business entities (legal units, tradesmen and freelancers) whose main activity is one of the activities covered by the Regulation.
The frame for identifying units for the population is the Statistical Business Register.
The size of the population in 2025 was 124 034 units.
The sample covers 10 194 units (8.21% of the total population).
3.7. Reference area
Geographical area covered: Republic of Croatia
3.8. Coverage - Time
For the monthly series, the first period for which the services turnover index was compiled was January 2010.
For all data series, monthly data are available from 2010.
Since January 2017, the Croatian Bureau of Statistics has supplemented the quarterly survey frequency with monthly monitoring of turnover changes in service activities.
An administrative data source was used to compile indices for other service activities for earlier periods (2000–2010) in the quarterly series.
The statistical survey used as the data source for this indicator has been conducted since the first quarter of 2011 for most of the service activities, except for Distributive trades (NACE Division G45 and G46) and Hotels and restaurants (Section I) for which statistical surveys have been carried out from the first quarter of 2000.
3.9. Base period
Since January 2024, the indices have been published with the base year 2021, and the weights have also been based on 2021.
From March 2024 onwards, Eurostat publishes indices with base year 2021. The entire time series has been recalculated and rescaled accordingly. Therefore, the data for reference year 2023 are published in Eurostat’s database with the base year 2021.
The variable collected is turnover, expressed in EUR.
Only index numbers are disseminated as a result of the survey.
Data are collected with reference to a specific month.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
The obligation of units to provide data is established by the Official Statistics Act. Penalties for non-response are regulated by the Official Statistics Act but are rarely applied in practice.
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
Datasets for 31 series are regularly transmitted to Eurostat on a monthly basis.
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
National legislation:
Under the Official Statistics Act (NN No. 25/20 and 155/23), the CBS cannot publish, or otherwise make available to any individual or organization, statistics that would enable the identification of data for any individual person or legal entity. Individual data are strictly confidential and must not be published or reported.
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 are treated in accordance with the policy rules (see point 7.1).
Data are published nationally only at the level at which they are not confidential.
For certain service activities, at the level at which data are to be published, where an observation is based on a small number of dominant enterprises, the data are considered confidential and are not published nationally.
All data at the levels required by the Regulation are transmitted to Eurostat. No data are considered confidential, and consequently, no confidentiality flags are used.
8.1. Release calendar
Data are disseminated nationally according to a predefined, publicly accessible release calendar.
A release schedule for the coming year, specifying the release dates, is published each December in the CBS Publishing Programme. This document is available in both Croatian and English.
The exact dates of release are pre-announced in the Calendar of Statistical Data Issues. It is available in both Croatian and English.
A release calendar for the year ahead is available on the statistical office's website.
The data publishing revision policy in the Croatian Bureau of Statistics includes the following:
1) Updating of the Calendar of Statistical Data Issues
2) Publishing of corrigenda of the published data
1) Updating of the Calendar of Statistical Data Issues
The data publishing revision policy of the Croatian Bureau of Statistics, which is carried out according to the defined deadlines, is carried out by updating the Calendar of Statistical Data Issues. According to the Official Statistics Act, changes in the publishing deadlines for publications/data are announced in advance. The Croatian Bureau of Statistics is obliged to announce each change in the publishing deadlines (the Calendar update) at least three days prior to the date originally announced in the Calendar on the website of the Croatian Bureau of Statistics.
The update of the publishing deadlines for data or publications (the update of the Calendar) is announced without delay on the Croatian Bureau of Statistics’ website by updating the date in the Calendar and putting the notice beside the Calendar, which says: updated: (the accurate new date).
Therefore, the Calendar that contains the original publishing deadline for a particular publication/statistical information is replaced with the new Calendar which includes the updated publishing deadline. The original Calendar is kept in the Publishing Department which registers every change in publishing deadlines for publications in the Calendar Update Base.
2) Publishing of the corrigenda of the published data
In cases of error in the published data, the Croatian Bureau of Statistics announces the correction as soon as possible and as simply as possible in order to help the users to clearly see what was changed in comparison to the originally published data. The correction is carried out by marking the incorrect data with an asterisk and creating the corrigendum.
8.2. Release calendar access
Release calendar is available on the CBS website in Croatian and English:
Data are released simultaneously to all interested parties at 11:00 on the CBS website.
There is no prior access to data before its release.
Data (as indices in unadjusted form, trend, SA and WDA form) are transmitted to Eurostat 60 days after the reference period.
If data are transmitted to Eurostat before they are released nationally, they are submitted to Eurostat marked with the confidentiality flag.
Data are disseminated monthly in the First Release and on the CBS website in an Excel table in the STS database.
10.1. Dissemination format - News release
Data are published monthly in the First Release “Service Activities” on the CBS website.
The time series of the turnover indices of service activities starting with 2010, with the base year 2021 = 100, are published on the dissemination site of the Croatian Bureau of Statistics in the STS databases (Short-Term Business Statistics Database) in the section Services under the heading Turnover Indices of Service Activities − monthly data and within Statistics in Line under the title Economy – Basic Indicators. The tables in databases published with the previous base year (2015 = 100) will no longer be updated.
News releases provide data on:
a graph of service activity indices by month (seasonally and working day adjusted and working - day adjusted indices). The series start in 2020 and are presented with the base year 2021 = 100.
month-on-month growth rates calculated on basis of seasonally and working-day adjusted indices
year-on-year growth rates calculated on the basis of working-day adjusted indices
seasonally and working-day-adjusted, working-day adjusted indices and gross unadjusted indices, on base year 2021=100
structure of generated turnover, by activities, according to NKD 2007.
A printed version of the First Release is available for a fee in Croatian and English.
10.2. Dissemination format - Publications
Name of the national paper publications: First release: Service activities
Name of the national electronic publication: First releases: Service activities
10.3. Dissemination format - online database
The time series of the turnover indices of service activities starting with 2010, with the base year 2021 = 100, are published on the dissemination site of the Croatian Bureau of Statistics in the STS databases (Short-Term Business Statistics Database) in the section Services under the heading Turnover Indices of Service Activities − monthly data and within Statistics in Line under the title Economy – Basic Indicators. The tables in databases published with the previous base year (2015 = 100) will no longer be updated.
10.4. Dissemination format - microdata access
Not available
10.5. Dissemination format - other
Data are disseminated to Eurostat in pre-defined tables through eDAMIS, for use in European aggregates and for dissemination as national data.
10.6. Documentation on methodology
Short methodological explanations are published in the First release and on the dissemination site of the Croatian Bureau of Statistics in the STS databases (Short-Term Business Statistics Database) in the section Services under the heading Turnover Indices of Service Activities − monthly data.
Main data included in the First release: turnover (value) indices for service activities for the total and, generally, at the two-digit NACE level and section level.
Indices are published as gross, working-day-adjusted and seasonally adjusted indices, as well as trend series.
10.7. Quality management - documentation
The quality report will be published in 2026 according to the Release calendar. The exact dates of release will be pre-announced in the Release calendar. It will be available in both Croatian and English.
11.1. Quality assurance
There is a written statement under the Official Statistics Act (NN No 25/20 and 155/23 and 124/25 – corr.) that official statistics in Croatia should be of sufficient quality.
CBS has started a systematic approach to quality management with the adoption of the European Code of Practice and with the decision to implement TQM. This process is still underway. A database for storing information for the purpose of assessing data quality is being developed.
Standard quality checks are carried out during data editing, thereby improving data quality.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
CBS has adopted a systematic approach to quality management with the adoption of the European Code of Practice and with the decision to implement TQM. This process is still under way. Database for storing information for the purpose of assessing data quality is being developing.
Main quality problems in this survey are: dealing with increasing resistance of reporting units to report data and with constant market changes, especially organizational changes in reporting units which have an impact on data comparability over time.
The overall quality assessment for this monthly survey, based on the available quality indicators, is as follows:
The data are complete in the sense that the turnover variable is provided for all NACE Rev. 2 activities and at all levels of aggregation required by Regulation for small countries.
Results of the survey are disseminated to Eurostat on time (t+60) and published nationally according to the pre-announced release calendar.
The main problems which can influence results are:
Increasing resistance of reporting units to report data
Dealing with constant market changes, especially organizational changes in reporting units which have an impact on data comparability during the time.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
The main users are government, financial institutions, economic analysts, media, researchers and students, enterprises, Eurostat and internal users (National accounts).
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
Although CBS has a user satisfaction questionnaire on its website, the results of this survey are not available.
There is good cooperation with key users such as the Croatian National Bank, the Croatian Chamber of Economy and the Ministry of Economy.
CBS responds to all user requests in a timely manner.
12.3. Completeness
Indicators are complete and fully in line with the concepts and definitions in the methodology based on the Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 of the European Parliament and of the Council on European business statistics.
Index series, published nationally and transmitted to Eurostat are complete, with no gaps or missing data.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
The main sources of errors are sampling errors and non-sampling errors.
In general, the first estimates are unbiased.
The main source for non-sampling errors is the accuracy of the sample frame. In order to update the sample frame and provide feedback to the Statistical Business Register, based on the information from the survey, units from the sample are classified as:
0 - runs business, refuse to report the data
1 - runs business, submitted a report
2 - ceased operations
3 - not engaged in activities within the scope
4 - dormant unit
5 - bankruptcy
6 - undeliverable
7- does not perform specified service activity but some other service activity
8 - budget users
9 - organizational changes (merge, splits etc.)
13.2. Sampling error
The sampling error is not available.
13.3. Non-sampling error
In 2025, the response rate for field units was 99.35%.
The overcoverage rate for the entire dataset was 1.29%.
The imputation rate for the entire dataset was 5.37%.
Measures to reduce non-response: written reminders, telephone contacts with reporting units.
14.1. Timeliness
Results are published nationally approximately 60 days after the end of the reference period: monthly and quarterly in Excel sheets in the STS database, and monthly in the First Release.
Since January 2019, results have been disseminated to Eurostat 60 days after the end of the reference month and quarter.
The data are collected via a web-based application (the so-called CAWI). The reporting units enter data directly into the USL-M form, which is available on the web site of the Croatian Bureau of Statistics at www.dzs.hr. The period for data collection ranges each month, as a rule, from the 1st to the 20th day of each month for the previous reference month data.
VAT data from the Tax Administration become available 45 days after the reference month.
In general, the survey is closed 60 days after the reference month.
14.2. Punctuality
Data are delivered according to the pre-announced release calendar and there is no time lag between the actual delivery of the data and the target date when it should have been delivered.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
The same statistical concepts are applied in the entire national territory; there is no problem of geographical comparability.
Data are also comparable with other countries because the methodology is based on the same regulations.
15.2. Comparability - over time
Data series from Q1 2000 to Q4 2017 have been compiled by integrating data from two sources: administrative source and statistical surveys.
The current statistical survey, covering all services activities (as defined in Annex D of STS Regulation) has been carried out since Q1 2011. It replaced several former statistical surveys which had been previously conducted covering only a part of the Hotels and restaurants (NACE Section I).
Data for the period from 2000 to 2010 for other, previously non-covered service activities have been obtained from an administrative source using the data basis of Value Added Tax records kept by the Tax Administration of the Croatian Ministry of Finance.
Data are comparable over time.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
Data are mostly coherent with Structural business statistics data: the same sample frame (Statistical Business Register) and the same definition of turnover are used.
15.4. Coherence - internal
Data are internally coherent. Higher level aggregations are derived from detailed data according to well-defined procedures. For all NACE areas covered by the survey, the same definition of turnover is used.
Cost of CBS: approximately 3 200 hours annually.
Burden of respondents: there is no information. In order to reduce the burden on reporting units, administrative sources are used as data sources for this survey. Information on the burden on reporting units has been available only since 2018, when the survey began to be conducted online.
Reporting units provide information on the time they spend completing the questionnaire only in the first month of the year. The average time respondents spend completing the USL-M survey is approximately 0.10 hours per month.
17.1. Data revision - policy
The General Revision Policy of the Croatian Bureau of Statistics is based on the following documents:
European Statistics Code of Practice;
Quality Assurance Framework of the European Statistical System;
ESS Guidelines on Revision Policy for PEEIs.
The corrections of published data caused by technical errors, calculation errors, linguistic and other similar errors are not the subject of the Revision Policy of the Croatian Bureau of Statistics. When disseminating changes to already published statistical data, it is necessary to clearly indicate whether they are corrected data (due to technical or calculation errors) or revised data.
In order to ensure transparency and availability of data, following the publication of the revised data, the Croatian Bureau of Statistics provides users with the previously published (original) data in the publication media wherever possible.
The "de facto revision policy" used for this survey includes:
for major revisions (such as a change in the base year) - all series are recalculated but changes are not announced in advance. Explanations are given when new data are published.
routine revisions (such as changes of SA and WDA data series) - revised data are published when new data are normally published without the changed data being classified as revised. Only a methodologocal explanation is provided regarding the use of the SA and WDA tool and its implications for changes to previously published data.
if errors occur, corrected data are published as soon as possible or in the next issue of the publication.
The same revision policy is applied internally and in transmission to Eurostat.
A vintage database is not available.
A revision calendar exists; further information is provided under item 8.1.
Benchmarking is not carried out.
17.2. Data revision - practice
The indices in original, unadjusted form are published as final and are not subject to any revision, a fact which is noted in the publications.
An exception may occur for data for the first quarter of the year when new sample is drawn and first results are provided before all units from the new sample respond.
If an error in the data occurs, corrected data are published as soon as possible or in the next issue of the First release.
Data revised due to the process of seasonally or working-day adjustment are published each quarter in the First release and monthly on the CBS web site in Excel Table for the whole data series.
Major changes in the methodology are announced in the First release at the time the change is introduced.
If errors occur, corrected data are published as soon as possible or in the next issue of the publication.
The same revision policy is applied nationally and in transmission to Eurostat.
There is no availability of a vintage database.
Revision calendar exists - information covered under item 8.1.
The benchmarking is not carried out.
The Mean Absolute Revision (MAR) and Mean Revision (MR) of year on year growth rates for unadjusted and calendar data for the period from January 2023 to December 2025 for HTN.
Because of change of base year first published date for series from January 2023 to December 2025 is January 2024.
MAR (Mean Absolute Revision)
MR (Mean Revision)
OR (ORIGINAL = unadjusted data)
0.000000
0.000000
CA (calendar adjusted data)
0.71101
0.00241
For unadjusted data MAR and MR are 0.0000.
18.1. Source data
The dataset is based on a regular monthly statistical survey.
The frame on which the source is based is an address list maintained by the statistical office and derived from the Statistical Business Register.
The survey is conducted using the sampling method. The sample is selected once a year. It is based on size and on annual turnover of business entities for the previous year. All medium-sized and large enterprises (sizes 5, 6 and 7) are taken from the Statistical Business Register. Units marked in the Register as small ones are also included if they exceed the determined threshold according to their annual turnover. Information on the size of business entities is obtained from the Statistical Business Register and data on annual turnover from the regular monthly survey (USL-M form) and from administrative data sources (databases of value added tax reports). A subset of units that will be included in the regular survey (USL-M form) is selected from all units selected in the sample. A selection criterion has been determined according to a particular turnover threshold, which has to be covered by those units. The sample consists of 10 194 units, of which 803 are included in the regular Monthly Report on Service activities (USL-M form).
The criteria for stratification are the main activity and the size of business entity. The main activity is defined for each business entity according to NACE Rev. 2. The size thresholds are based on the number of persons employed. According to their size, business entities are classified into the size-classes:
1 - 0-4 persons employed
2 - 5-9
3 - 10-19
4 - 20-49
5 - 50-99
6 - 100-249
7 - 250 and more.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Monthly.
18.3. Data collection
The data are collected via a web-based application (the so-called CAWI) and via administrative data sources (databases of value added tax reports).
The reporting units enter data directly into the USL-M form, which is available on the web site of the Croatian Bureau of Statistics at www.dzs.hr. The period for data collection ranges each month, as a rule, from the 1st to the 20th day of each month for the previous reference month data. Data can also be collected by e-mail instead of paper questionnaire.
VAT data become available 45 days after the end of the reference month.
Actions taken to speed up or increase the rate of response: automatic reminders sent through the web application, re-contact by mail or by e-mail (written reminders), telephone contacts.
18.4. Data validation
Automated checks are performed while data are entered into the online questionnaire. At data entry essential errors are identified which require the reporting unit or administrator to eliminate them. Otherwise, the data cannot be successfully submitted to the database.
In the case of web questionnaires initial checks are done at the moment of data entry. Reporting units receive messages if errors occur and/or messages with warnings if the data are inconsistent and have to be re-checked.
Entered data also go through logical and calculation controls in survey processor according to which data are then checked and if there is a need, corrected by statistician. There are specific rules that indicate if data are not valid. If necessary, reporting unit is contacted.
At the micro level some of the validation rules are for reporting data:
Total turnover by enterprise depends on the size class of the enterprise, e.g., for a large or medium-sized enterprise, the system indicates an error if their turnover is below pre-defined limit.
Total turnover of enterprise in the reference month is 50% lower or higher compared with the previous month and with the same month of the previous year.
Total turnover of enterprise for the same period is 20% lower or higher compared with the VAT data of reference month and with the same month of the previous year.
At the micro level some of the validation rules are for VAT data:
Correction of negative values
Comparison with field survey data
Detection of outliers
Imputations
18.5. Data compilation
This survey is conducted using a sampling method.
The Statistical Business Register is used as the sampling frame.
Item non-response is addressed through data editing.
Grossed-up results (value of turnover) are used to compile indices. Grossed up results as absolute numbers are used internally, mainly by National accounts.
18.6. Adjustment
Nominal turnover indices (value indices) in original, unadjusted form for the current month are calculated in relation to the average for the base year, then in relation to the same month of the previous year.
Indices are presented in original, non-adjusted form, as well as seasonally adjusted, working-day-adjusted form and as a trend.
Since 2016, the JDemetra+ software has been used in the process of seasonal adjustment (identification and evaluation of seasonal and calendar effects). Considering that there are two available options in JDemetra+, TRAMO-SEATS (using Seats method for estimating seasonal effects) and X13 (using the X11 method for estimating seasonal effects), seasonal and working-day adjustment has been done by using the X13 ARIMA method. The effect of a random component in the seasonal adjustment process of the time series of indices has been excluded.
Due to the character of the implemented adjustment method, adding new quarterly/monthly observations for each quarter/month may cause changes in the seasonally and working-day adjusted indices for previous periods. The official list of holidays and non-working days in the Republic of Croatia is used to assess the working-day component, that is, to assess the effect of working days and holidays.
The level of detail: nominal and real series – Base indices of the various aggregates/subgroups of the National classification of economic activities (NKD) based on NACE Rev.2 an the following levels:
NACE Rev.2
H_49
H_50
H_51
H_52
H_53
I_55
I_56
J_58
J_59
J_60
J_61
J_62
J_63
L_68
M_71
M_73
M_74
N_77
N_78
N_79
N_80
N_81
N_812
N_82
G
H
I
J
M_69
M_702
G_TO_N
G_TO_N_X_G47
H_TO_N_X_K
M
N
L
The use of default vs. national calendar – National calendar of holidays for Croatia is used in X13ARIMA method.
Adjustment for moving holiday effects (e.g. Easter) – Each series is tested for the presence of Easter and Corpus Christi effect (automatic procedure in ARIMA X 13) – effect is significant in some time series.
Treatment of leap year – The effect of leap year is tested as one of the calendar regressors, it is significant in part of time series.
Lack of calendar adjustment – There is calendar adjustment, i.e. calendar effect for Croatian holidays is tested for all the series.
Type of calendar adjustment (e.g. regARIMA) – Calendar adjustment is performed by using automatic identification procedure in ARIMA x13, starting with 7 regressors and reducing their number as some may not be significant for given series.
Type of outliers detected – Level shifts (LS), additive outliers (AO) and transitory changes (TC) are tested, most common are LSs and AOs, an automatic procedure is used in ARIMA X13.
Known economic outliers – At present there is no known economic explanation for persistent outliers.
Software / its version and the seasonal adjustment method: JDemetra+ 2.2.2, method is X13ARIMA.
Manual vs. automatic model or filter selection - For the majority of series, automatic model selection procedure is used; for problematic series, several models are tried in the frame of detailed analysis module until an optimal model is found.
How often are models and respective parameters re-estimated? - Parameter re-estimation for reference periods April, August and December, in other months application of forecasted factors for calculating ‘sa’ and ‘ycal’ series. Annual revision of models, filters, calendar regressors for ref. period m12.
The horizon of revisions – It depends primarily on revisions of original series. Seasonally adjusted time series are revised in April, August and December (all previous values).
Additive vs. multiplicative decomposition of seasonal adjustment – For the majority of series, multiplicative decomposition is performed. (more details in the attached document "Seasonal adjustment_service activities").
The verification of the adequacy of the models – Adequacy of models is checked by built-in diagnostic indicators in ARIMA x13 after each new observation is added.
Critical value and automation of outlier detection – Default critical value in the automatic detection procedure of outliers is used (ARIMA x13).
The method of selecting filter length – For the length of seasonal filters, automatic procedure is used in ARIMA x13.
Seasonal adjustment over the known breaks in series – Currently there are no breaks in series.
Indirect SA and checks for residual seasonality – No, direct SA approach is used.
The consistency of different aggregation levels – Not applicable
The critical value for outlier detection - 4
The filter length (automatically chosen vs. user-defined)- Seasonal filters are fixed during the year (revised at the end of a the year if necessary) - (more details in the attached document "Seasonal adjustment_service activities")
Whether residual seasonality is checked and from which level of detail the aggregation is started - QS test and F-test on residual seasonality are checked for every series
Not available.
The services turnover index derived from the Monthly Report on Trade and Other Services (USL-M form).
Since January 2017, the Croatian Bureau of Statistics has supplemented the quarterly survey frequency with monthly monitoring of turnover changes in service activities.
The USL-M survey is a continuation of the previous survey (USL-1 form), which was conducted on a quarterly basis. In addition to the change in survey frequency, the most significant change introduced concerns the sample selection method.
The monthly turnover index for the service sector is an important economic indicator for the short-term monitoring and analysis of economic development. Its main purpose is to measure changes in the phenomenon rather than its level and to serve as an input for national accounts statistics.
In Croatia, about 100 000 business entities are engaged in the activities covered by the Regulation, accounting for over 72% of all business entities operating in the service sector. This sector accounts for more than 58% of total employment in the non-financial business economy. The share of turnover generated by the service sector is also significant, accounting for almost 60% of total turnover, while its share of total value added exceeds 56% (SBS data).
15 July 2026
The statistical variable provided is turnover. Information is collected on turnover (excluding VAT) for the reference month and for the same month of the previous year.
The STS definition of turnover is used. Turnover is defined as the value of all goods sold and services provided on the market during a month, irrespective of whether paid for or not.
Business entities report their total turnover, i.e. turnover from their main activity as well as from their secondary activities. Since 2024, turnover from the principal activity is also collected separately.
Turnover covers flows during the calendar month.
Since January 2024, the base year has been changed to 2021 and the new observation unit is the kind-of-activity unit (KAU).
The target population consists of business entities (legal units, tradesmen and freelancers) whose main activity is one of the activities covered by the Regulation.
The frame for identifying units for the population is the Statistical Business Register.
The size of the population in 2025 was 124 034 units.
The sample covers 10 194 units (8.21% of the total population).
Geographical area covered: Republic of Croatia
Data are collected with reference to a specific month.
The main sources of errors are sampling errors and non-sampling errors.
In general, the first estimates are unbiased.
The main source for non-sampling errors is the accuracy of the sample frame. In order to update the sample frame and provide feedback to the Statistical Business Register, based on the information from the survey, units from the sample are classified as:
0 - runs business, refuse to report the data
1 - runs business, submitted a report
2 - ceased operations
3 - not engaged in activities within the scope
4 - dormant unit
5 - bankruptcy
6 - undeliverable
7- does not perform specified service activity but some other service activity
8 - budget users
9 - organizational changes (merge, splits etc.)
The variable collected is turnover, expressed in EUR.
Only index numbers are disseminated as a result of the survey.
This survey is conducted using a sampling method.
The Statistical Business Register is used as the sampling frame.
Item non-response is addressed through data editing.
Grossed-up results (value of turnover) are used to compile indices. Grossed up results as absolute numbers are used internally, mainly by National accounts.
The dataset is based on a regular monthly statistical survey.
The frame on which the source is based is an address list maintained by the statistical office and derived from the Statistical Business Register.
The survey is conducted using the sampling method. The sample is selected once a year. It is based on size and on annual turnover of business entities for the previous year. All medium-sized and large enterprises (sizes 5, 6 and 7) are taken from the Statistical Business Register. Units marked in the Register as small ones are also included if they exceed the determined threshold according to their annual turnover. Information on the size of business entities is obtained from the Statistical Business Register and data on annual turnover from the regular monthly survey (USL-M form) and from administrative data sources (databases of value added tax reports). A subset of units that will be included in the regular survey (USL-M form) is selected from all units selected in the sample. A selection criterion has been determined according to a particular turnover threshold, which has to be covered by those units. The sample consists of 10 194 units, of which 803 are included in the regular Monthly Report on Service activities (USL-M form).
The criteria for stratification are the main activity and the size of business entity. The main activity is defined for each business entity according to NACE Rev. 2. The size thresholds are based on the number of persons employed. According to their size, business entities are classified into the size-classes:
1 - 0-4 persons employed
2 - 5-9
3 - 10-19
4 - 20-49
5 - 50-99
6 - 100-249
7 - 250 and more.
Data are disseminated monthly in the First Release and on the CBS website in an Excel table in the STS database.
Results are published nationally approximately 60 days after the end of the reference period: monthly and quarterly in Excel sheets in the STS database, and monthly in the First Release.
Since January 2019, results have been disseminated to Eurostat 60 days after the end of the reference month and quarter.
The data are collected via a web-based application (the so-called CAWI). The reporting units enter data directly into the USL-M form, which is available on the web site of the Croatian Bureau of Statistics at www.dzs.hr. The period for data collection ranges each month, as a rule, from the 1st to the 20th day of each month for the previous reference month data.
VAT data from the Tax Administration become available 45 days after the reference month.
In general, the survey is closed 60 days after the reference month.
The same statistical concepts are applied in the entire national territory; there is no problem of geographical comparability.
Data are also comparable with other countries because the methodology is based on the same regulations.
Data series from Q1 2000 to Q4 2017 have been compiled by integrating data from two sources: administrative source and statistical surveys.
The current statistical survey, covering all services activities (as defined in Annex D of STS Regulation) has been carried out since Q1 2011. It replaced several former statistical surveys which had been previously conducted covering only a part of the Hotels and restaurants (NACE Section I).
Data for the period from 2000 to 2010 for other, previously non-covered service activities have been obtained from an administrative source using the data basis of Value Added Tax records kept by the Tax Administration of the Croatian Ministry of Finance.
