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.
State Statistical Office of the Republic of North Macedonia
1.2. Contact organisation unit
SBS, BD and FATS department
1.3. Contact name
Confidential because of GDPR
1.4. Contact person function
Confidential because of GDPR
1.5. Contact mail address
str. "Dame Gruev" 4, 1000, Skopje, North Macedonia
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
31 August 2025
2.2. Metadata last posted
31 August 2025
2.3. Metadata last update
31 August 2025
3.1. Data description
Structural business statistics (SBS) describes the structure, conduct and performance of economic activities, down to the most detailed activity level (several hundred economic sectors). SBS covers all activities of the business economy with the exception of agricultural activities, public administration and (largely) non-market services such as education and health. Main characteristics (variables) of the SBS data category:
Business demographic variables (e.g. Number of active enterprises);
"Output related" variables (e.g. Net turnover, Value added);
"Input related" variables: labour input (e.g. Number of employees and self-employed persons, Hours worked by employees); goods and services input (e.g. Purchases of goods and services); capital input (e.g. Gross investments).
3.2. Classification system
Statistical Classification of Economic Activities in the European Community (NACE): NACE Rev.2 is used from 2008 onwards. Key data were double reported in NACE Rev.1.1 and NACE Rev.2 only for 2008. From 2002 to 2007 NACE Rev. 1.1 was used and until 2001 NACE Rev.1
The product breakdown is based on the Classification of Products by Activity (CPA) as stated in the Regulation establishing CPA 2008 and its amending Commission Regulation (EU) No 1209/2014 (from reference year 2015 onwards).
3.3. Coverage - sector
Starting reference year 2021 onwards SBS cover the economic activities of market producers within the NACE Rev. 2 Sections B to N, P to R and Divisions S95 and S96. Until 2007 the SBS coverage was limited to Sections C to K of NACE Rev.1.1 and from the reference year 2008 to 2020 data was available for Sections B to N and Division S95 of NACE Rev.2.
Enterprises=legal units (legal and natural persons).
3.5.1. Treatment of complex enterprise
Data treatment
Sample frame based on enterprises
No
Surveying all legal units belonging to a complex enterprise
No
Surveying all legal units within the scope of SBS belonging to a complex enterprise
No
Surveying only representative units belonging to the complex enterprise
No
Other criteria used, please specify
-
Comment
Statistical Unit " Enterprise" not implemented in SBS yet
3.5.2. Consolidation
Consolidation method
Consolidation carried out by the NSI
No
Consolidation carried out by responding enterprise/legal unit(s)
No
Other methods, please specify
No
Comment
Statistical Unit " Enterprise" not implemented in SBS yet
3.6. Statistical population
SBS population cover all active-non financial enterprises (small, medium and large) as well as entrepreneurships registered by NACE Rev.2 Sections B to S (excluding section O) and Group S95,S96.
3.7. Reference area
North Macedonia.
3.8. Coverage - Time
1998 -2023;
Since 2021 the coverage has been extended to meet the requirement of the EBS Regulation.
3.9. Base period
Not applicable.
Number of enterprises and number of local units are expressed in units.
Monetary data are expressed in thousand of MKD den.
Employment variables are expressed in units.
Per head values are expressed in thousands of MKD denars per head.
Ratios are expressed in percentages.
2023 Calendar year.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
Starting with reference year 2021 two new regulations currently form the legal basis of SBS:
The Council Regulation No 58/97 has been amended three times: by Council Regulation No 410/98, Commission Regulation No 1614/2002 and European Parliament and Council Regulation No 2056/2002. As a new amendment of the basic Regulation it was decided to recast the Regulation No 58/97 in order to obtain a new "clean" legal text. In 2008 the European Parliament and Council adopted Regulation No 295/2008 and the provisions of this Regulation were applicable from the reference year 2008 to reference year 2020. Regulation No 295/2008 was amended by Commission Regulation (EU) No 446/2014.
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
Not applicable.
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
The protection of individual data is regulated by the Law on State Statistics. The basic principles and activities undertaken to ensure data confidentiality are described in the Policy on Statistical Confidentiality.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
Pursuant to Article 38 of the Law on State Statistics and the Policy on Statistical Confidentiality, individual data are not published. All individual or personal data, in each phase of statistical processing, are treated as confidential data and may be used only for statistical purposes. When releasing data from the Structural Business Statistics confidential data are protected cells/ aggregation of data. For the implementation of data confidentiality, T-argus software is used.
7.2.1. Confidentiality processing
Data treatment
Confidentiality rules applied
Yes
Threshold of number of enterprises (Number)
<3
Number of enterprises non confidential, if number of employments is confidential
No
Dominance criteria applied
Yes
If dominance criteria applied specify the threshold (Number)
85% and more
Secondary confidentiality applied
Yes
Comment
-
8.1. Release calendar
The date of data publication is determined in the Advance Release Calendar, which is updated quarterly.
All users have equal access to statistics at the same time: this means that the publication dates are announced in advance and no user has access to official statistics before they are published. Statistical data are first published in the "News Releases" edition on the website of the State Statistical Office at 12:00.
The use of microdata by external users is possible only for research purposes and is done in accordance with the Law on State Statistics (Article 41, Article 42 and Article 43). Access to anonymized microdata is defined by an internal procedure of the State Statistical Office "Access to anonymized microdata for scientific research purposes".
10.5. Dissemination format - other
At the request of users, data are also prepared in a form according to their needs.
10.6. Documentation on methodology
The documentation is only available in the national language.
The State Statistical Office carries out statistical activities in accordance with the Statistical Business Process Model, which is based on the international model - Generic Statistical Business Process Model (GSBPM). The application of this model and international standards in statistical production ensures a high level of accuracy and comparability of data.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
Internal Users
National Accounts - for GDP calculation;
Short-term business statistics - for weighting and structure defining;
Inward FATS - produced based on SBS data.
External users:
Eurostat, international institutions;
ministries and administrative bodies;
researchers, journalists and business entities;
Universities, professors, students, independent analysts, experts, etc.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
In order to obtain the opinions of users on the products and services, the State Statistical Office conducts a survey to measure user satisfaction. The first survey was conducted in 2009, the second in 2012, the third in 2015, the fourth in 2017, and at the beginning of 2019 the SSO conducted the survey for the fifth time.
Annual structural business statistics by economic activities, by size class of employment and by activity are transmitted to Eurostat. The survey covers majority of the variables required by Eurostat regulations and guidelines.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
The survey methodology and the data collection method ensure good coverage and accuracy of the data.
13.2. Sampling error
Not appicable.
13.3. Non-sampling error
Not applicable.
14.1. Timeliness
Preliminary data is published T+10 on the national website, while the final data is published T+18.
14.2. Punctuality
Final 2023 data were sent on time.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
There is geographical comparability of the released data at national and regional level. With respect to geographical comparability with other EU countries, it is also ensured because data are collected in line with EU EBS regulation. However, certain comparison may be limited due to the differences in national accounting system as a base for data categories production.
15.2. Comparability - over time
In 2008-2009, the data were aggregated by sectors of activity according to NKD Rev.1.
In 2009, the data were calculated and disseminated according to NKD Rev.1. and according to NKD Rev.2.
Up to 2020, data comparability has been ensured without interruption in the time series according to NKD Rev.2.
With implementation of EBS, data are comparable starting from 2021.
15.2.1. Time series
Time series
First reference year available (calendar year)
2008
Calendar year(s) of break in time series
2009, 2021
Reason(s) for the break(s)
changes in classification
extended activity coverage
Length of comparable time series (from calendar year to calendar year)
2009-2020
2021-2023
Comment
-
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
Coherence has been analysed related to other survey statistics.
Data from the annual structural business statistics is compared with data from the other statistical domains, such as:
Business Register data (Number of enterprises, Turnover and Number of persons employed);
Turnover in Business services is completely consistent with total turnover,
SBS and corresponding National accounts data (SBS data are used as input for annual national accounts and for creating an input-output tables);
Comparison of SBS data with the results from the Annual Survey on Industrial Production.
Data for the reference year 2023 in SBS and BD (number of active enterprises, number of employees) are not coherent mainly due to the different data sources.
15.4. Coherence - internal
Data for different aggregates within SBS domain are consistent.
There are no costs for data collection, nor burden on the reporting units because they are downloaded (electronically) from an administrative source.
17.1. Data revision - policy
Data revision is made in accordance with the Statistical Data Revision Policy of the SSO.
17.2. Data revision - practice
Revision of the data is done regularly, after receiving the second data set of financial reports that the business entities submit within the stipulated period, i.e. the audited financial reports by the audit authorities.
18.1. Source data
For SBS production, both the available administrative and statistical data sources are used.
The main data source is the Central Register authorized for collection of the business subjects annual financial reports.
Additional administrative data sources are the Public Revenue Office and the Pension Fund.
Investment survey is used for investment data categories estimation.
For data coherency, data from other statistical surveys carried out by the State Statistical Office are used.
18.1.1. Data sources overview
Data sources overview
Survey data
No
VAT data
No
Tax data
No
Financial statements
Yes
Other sources, please specify
Estimation on Investment data
Comment
-
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Annual data collection.
18.3. Data collection
Data from the annual financial reports of the business entities is undertaken from the Central Registar Agency data base and uploaded in the internal data wharehouse.
18.4. Data validation
After being downloaded from the administrative source and entered into the data warehouse data are validated and edited. The scope, the activity code is checked, and in cooperation with the Statistical Business Register and the National Accounts, the statistical activity and the institutional sector (market orientation) of the business entity are confirmed.
After defining the SBS population, based on a pre-defined algorithm (formulas), the basic elements necessary for the calculation of the statistical variables are calculated. Calculated output variables are compared with the same from the previous year - the number of business entities, the number of employees, the realized turnover, the generated added value, etc.
All significant deviations are checked, starting from higher to lower level. If there is a need, the control is also carried out at the micro level, that is, the business entity is contacted, and if it is a technical error, it is corrected with the permission of the entity. The explanation received from the business entity is noted on the contrary.
The quality of the calculated variables is determined through their coherence with the trends obtained from other statistical surveys in individual sectors of activity (e.g. Industry, trade, construction...).
For logical and mathematical validation of the calculated variables, a validation tool prepared by Eurostat is used, which controls each variable, their mutual logic, as well as the consistency of the variables in relation to the previous period.
18.5. Data compilation
Collected data, uploaded in the data wharehouse, are further processed in SAS base program, according to the appropriate algorithm for production of data categories, on the business subject level. According to the definition within EBS regulation, for each data category formula is defined with codes related to the accounting events.
When the main categories are produced, number of mathematical and logical controls are included to enable data coherency and time consistency. Compiled data categories on business subject level are then aggregated as total and by activity sector. Data sets in SDMX format are prepared and sent to Eurostat via EDAMIS as a pre-official, for validation.
When errors are reported in certain activity level, the main reason is to be sought, going down to the micro level, on a and if it is necessary, directly business entity is contacted. However, the human resources do not allow us to check each error on the micro level.
Variables related to investments are estimated from the regular annual statistical survey on gross investments in fixed assets.
Due to the lack of information, data on employed persons and self-employed is estimated based on a legal form of the enterprise.
18.6. Adjustment
Seasonal adjustment is not applied in Structural business Statistics.
No further comments.
Structural business statistics (SBS) describes the structure, conduct and performance of economic activities, down to the most detailed activity level (several hundred economic sectors). SBS covers all activities of the business economy with the exception of agricultural activities, public administration and (largely) non-market services such as education and health. Main characteristics (variables) of the SBS data category:
Business demographic variables (e.g. Number of active enterprises);
"Output related" variables (e.g. Net turnover, Value added);
"Input related" variables: labour input (e.g. Number of employees and self-employed persons, Hours worked by employees); goods and services input (e.g. Purchases of goods and services); capital input (e.g. Gross investments).
Enterprises=legal units (legal and natural persons).
SBS population cover all active-non financial enterprises (small, medium and large) as well as entrepreneurships registered by NACE Rev.2 Sections B to S (excluding section O) and Group S95,S96.
North Macedonia.
2023 Calendar year.
The survey methodology and the data collection method ensure good coverage and accuracy of the data.
Number of enterprises and number of local units are expressed in units.
Monetary data are expressed in thousand of MKD den.
Employment variables are expressed in units.
Per head values are expressed in thousands of MKD denars per head.
Ratios are expressed in percentages.
Collected data, uploaded in the data wharehouse, are further processed in SAS base program, according to the appropriate algorithm for production of data categories, on the business subject level. According to the definition within EBS regulation, for each data category formula is defined with codes related to the accounting events.
When the main categories are produced, number of mathematical and logical controls are included to enable data coherency and time consistency. Compiled data categories on business subject level are then aggregated as total and by activity sector. Data sets in SDMX format are prepared and sent to Eurostat via EDAMIS as a pre-official, for validation.
When errors are reported in certain activity level, the main reason is to be sought, going down to the micro level, on a and if it is necessary, directly business entity is contacted. However, the human resources do not allow us to check each error on the micro level.
Variables related to investments are estimated from the regular annual statistical survey on gross investments in fixed assets.
Due to the lack of information, data on employed persons and self-employed is estimated based on a legal form of the enterprise.
For SBS production, both the available administrative and statistical data sources are used.
The main data source is the Central Register authorized for collection of the business subjects annual financial reports.
Additional administrative data sources are the Public Revenue Office and the Pension Fund.
Investment survey is used for investment data categories estimation.
For data coherency, data from other statistical surveys carried out by the State Statistical Office are used.
Annual.
Preliminary data is published T+10 on the national website, while the final data is published T+18.
There is geographical comparability of the released data at national and regional level. With respect to geographical comparability with other EU countries, it is also ensured because data are collected in line with EU EBS regulation. However, certain comparison may be limited due to the differences in national accounting system as a base for data categories production.
In 2008-2009, the data were aggregated by sectors of activity according to NKD Rev.1.
In 2009, the data were calculated and disseminated according to NKD Rev.1. and according to NKD Rev.2.
Up to 2020, data comparability has been ensured without interruption in the time series according to NKD Rev.2.
With implementation of EBS, data are comparable starting from 2021.
