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
30 July 2026
2.2. Metadata last posted
30 July 2026
2.3. Metadata last update
30 July 2026
3.1. Data description
Quarterly business demography data : registrations and bankruptcy.
3.2. Classification system
Nace Rev.2 classification (Statistical Classification of Economic Activities).
3.3. Coverage - sector
BTE, BTSXO_S94, F, G, H, I, J, KTN and PTSXS94.
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
The main data source is administrative data from Belgian BCE (Banque Carrefour des entreprises - Crossroads Bank for Enterprises).
3.5. Statistical unit
Legal unit.
3.6. Statistical population
Bankruptcy = bankruptcy in the legal sense
Creation = new creation in the sens of BCE (Banque-Carrefour des Entreprises)
3.7. Reference area
All regions are covered.
3.8. Coverage - Time
Time series cover the period from 2010.
3.9. Base period
Not applicable because data are sending in absolute figures.
Unit of measure is the pure number of registrations and bankruptcies but data are disseminated as indices.
Monthly and quarterly reference periods in Eurostat database for both bankruptcies as business registrations and monthly and annual reference periods for bankruptcies in the national database while business registrations are not published at national level.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
European legal basis: REGULATION (EU) 2019/2152 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 27 November 2019 on European business statistics, repealing 10 legal acts in the field of business statistics (CELEX 32019R2152), Table 1 of the Commission implementing regulation 2020/1197.
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
Data are sent to Eurostat.
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
The Law of 4 July 1962 (Loi du 4 juillet relative à la statistique publique, modifiée par la loi du 1 er août 1985 et par la loi du 21 décembre 1994 portant des dispositions sociales et divers/Wet van 4 juli 1962 detreffende de openbare statistiek, gewijzigd bij de wet van 1 augustus 1985 en bij de wet van 21 december 1994, houdende sociale en diverse bepalingen)
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
The number of registrations and bankruptcies is not confidential as this data are publicly available at the Belgian BCE (Banque Carrefour des Entreprises).
8.1. Release calendar
Eurostat = Release dates are fixed in advance for a calendar year.
Data (absolute values) are transmitted to Eurostat within 40 days after the reference period. The transmission is done by eDAMIS using the SDMX format.
For each step of the production chain, the data are controlled. Once the figures produced, they are validated by our internal validation service before publication.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
Checks carried out along the production chain of the data and these are finally validated by our validation service before diffusion.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
Monthly/quarterly bankruptcies and creations : Eurostat
Monthly/annual bankruptcies : Belgian national bank, Federations, Professional associations, Universities, Regional public services, Other users
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
We frequently get feedbacks from users on our disseminated data. User satisfaction is also measured via download statistics for publications and hits on our website.
12.3. Completeness
All of the required series are available
13.1. Accuracy - overall
Given the quality of the data, the quality of the results at 20 days after the end of the reference period are good. The data are definitive at 20 days after the end of the reference period
13.2. Sampling error
Not applicable.
13.3. Non-sampling error
Not applicable.
14.1. Timeliness
For EUROSTAT = The index is released within 40 days after the reference period.
For national publication (monthly) = within 20 days after the reference period.
14.2. Punctuality
Deadlines are respected and data have so far always been published on time.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
The definitions are equally applied to the 3 regions of Belgium.
15.2. Comparability - over time
There is no break in time series thus data is comparable over time.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
Not applicable.
15.4. Coherence - internal
No problem of internal coherence as data for both bankruptcies as business registrations are coming from the same source : The Belgian BCE (Banque Carrefour des Entreprises).
Cost by year = 78502.2€
17.1. Data revision - policy
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
No practice
18.1. Source data
Administrative data (belgian BCE)
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Weekly
18.3. Data collection
Administarative data
18.4. Data validation
Checks are carried out at the time of data extraction and throughout the production chain. These are also validated by another service before distribution.
18.5. Data compilation
The index is a simple value index.
18.6. Adjustment
Seasonal and calendar adjustments
All series are adjusted using JDemetra+ 2.2.2. Absolute values are not seasonally adjusted
Not available.
Quarterly business demography data : registrations and bankruptcy.
30 July 2026
The main data source is administrative data from Belgian BCE (Banque Carrefour des entreprises - Crossroads Bank for Enterprises).
Legal unit.
Bankruptcy = bankruptcy in the legal sense
Creation = new creation in the sens of BCE (Banque-Carrefour des Entreprises)
All regions are covered.
Monthly and quarterly reference periods in Eurostat database for both bankruptcies as business registrations and monthly and annual reference periods for bankruptcies in the national database while business registrations are not published at national level.
Given the quality of the data, the quality of the results at 20 days after the end of the reference period are good. The data are definitive at 20 days after the end of the reference period
Unit of measure is the pure number of registrations and bankruptcies but data are disseminated as indices.
The index is a simple value index.
Administrative data (belgian BCE)
Quarterly and voluntary monthy data for dissemination to Eurostat
For EUROSTAT = The index is released within 40 days after the reference period.
For national publication (monthly) = within 20 days after the reference period.
The definitions are equally applied to the 3 regions of Belgium.
There is no break in time series thus data is comparable over time.
