Glossary:Statistical classification of economic activities in the European Community (NACE)

The Statistical classification of economic activities in the European Community, abbreviated as NACE, is the classification of economic activities in the European Union (EU); the term NACE is derived from the French Nomenclature statistique des activités économiques dans la Communauté européenne. Various NACE versions have been developed since 1970.

NACE is a four-digit classification providing the framework for collecting and presenting statistical data according to economic activity in a wide variety of European statistics in the economic, social, environmental, and agricultural domains.

In 2023, NACE Revision 2 update 1 (NACE Rev. 2.1) was established. It will be progressively rolled out in all relevant statistical domains from 2025 onwards.

The following versions of NACE have been established:

• NACE (1970)
• NACE Rev. 1, the first revision of the original NACE (1970);
• NACE Rev. 1.1, a minor revision of NACE Rev. 1.
• NACE Rev. 2. as originally adopted in 2006
• NACE Rev. 2.1 - the first update of NACE Rev. 2

Further information

• NACE background
• NACE Rev. 2.1 in the Official Journal
• NACE Rev. 2.1 as Linked Open Data

Related concepts

• International standard industrial classification of all economic activities (ISIC)
• Statistical classification of products by activity (CPA)

Statistical data

• Business economy by sector - NACE Rev. 2