EGSS: Sources

1. EGSS:Sources Workshop on Reporting Environmental Goods and Services 12-13 november 2009 Bech Building – A3/45

2. Overview Existing statistics Surveys Overview • Using/gathering data from existing statistics • Surveys Handbook, Chapter 4 (4.1 and 4.2), pp. 118-124 Annex 10-13

3. Overview Existing statistics Surveys Using/gathering data from existing statistics Sources

4. Overview Existing statistics Surveys Using/gathering data from existing statistics • Structural business statistics (SBS) describe the economy through the observation of units engaged in an economic activity. The main variables collected in the framework of the structural business statistics are: • Demographic variables: Number of enterprises, number of local units • ‘Input related’ variables: Number of persons employed, number of employees, personnel costs, gross investment in tangible goods • ‘Output related’ variables: Turnover, production value, value added at factor cost.

5. Overview Existing statistics Surveys Using/gathering data from existing statistics • The purpose of the industrial commodity statistics is to describe the industrial production or sales divided by commodities. PRODCOM covers European Union production statistics for mining and quarrying, manufacturing, and electricity, gas and water supply, though some areas are not currently available. • PRODCOM statistics can help to calculate the share of environmental production to be applied to other sources of data, e.g. the SBS statistics.

6. Overview Existing statistics Surveys Using/gathering data from existing statistics • Labour statistics provide key indicators of labour market outcomes, as for example data on employment by age, gender or educational attainment, and data on average earnings of full-time workers and earnings distribution for each activity. The population of the EGSS can be linked to the labour statistics through the unique identification number of each establishment.

7. Overview Existing statistics Surveys Using/gathering data from existing statistics • The analysis of trade statistics can provide data on imports and exports by country of origin and destination. Trade statistics are arranged following a product classification and concern only transportable goods. Services are not covered. • Trade registers are the main source for finding export data for the EGSS. Data is collected by products using the six-digit HS classification at international level, and the eight-digit CN classification at national level.

8. Overview Existing statistics Surveys Using/gathering data from existing statistics • Value added tax (VAT) registers: VAT is paid on all goods and services and the registers capture the exports. By assuming that the difference between the exports in the trade statistics and the VAT registers (at enterprise/establishment level) is represented by the services, these figures can be considered to be the total export value of the EGSS.

9. Overview Existing statistics Surveys Using/gathering data from existing statistics • A source of data particularly important for exports in the EGSS is the Balance of Payment (BOP). In particular, the BOP is a source for data on the export of services. Unfortunately, the level of detail of BOP statistics does not allow for an in-depth analysis of the sector. It is possible to obtain data for a certain number of services, namely sewage and refuse disposal, sanitation and similar activities at a very aggregate NACE level. Many other environmental services are scattered over other NACE classes of services and are often difficult to separate from nonenvironmental services.

10. Overview Existing statistics Surveys Using/gathering data from existing statistics • Among the tables in the EPEA framework, the following could be interesting for finding data on EGSS: • Table B, the supply (production) of EP services, and the way they are produced. For specialised producers, table B also provides figures on employment. • Table A, the EP expenditure, i.e. the expenditure for all the kind of uses of EP services and of connected and adapted products: Final and intermediate consumption, gross capital formation (investment). Table A also accounts for some other transactions related to environmental protection (capital transactions and certain transfers). • Table B1, a table integrating supply and uses of EP services, including imports and exports.

11. Overview Existing statistics Surveys Using/gathering data from existing statistics • Each country publishes statistics on diverse topics. Some national databases could therefore help to establish statistics on the EGSS. For example, national energy balances, waste statistics or water accounts could provide useful information on the production of renewable energy and on the waste and water management sectors.

12. Overview Existing statistics Surveys Surveys • Two routes can be followed when compiling variables using surveys: • Adding questions to existing surveys: concerning, for example, environmental specific services, integrated technologies and adapted goods. • Creating a new survey: in designing and implementing a survey of the environmental sector, two issues should be addressed: • Sample design and • the elaboration of a questionnaire. Handbook, Chapter 4, Annex 10

13. Thank you for your attention! • Céline Martin cm@icedd.be • Marco Orsini mo@icedd.be • Maria José Lopez mjl@icedd.be • ICEDD asbl • Boulevard Frère Orban, 4 • 5000 Namur • + 32 80 250 480