ISTAT - Istituto Nazionale di Statistica
Euro-SDMX Metadata Structure Definition (ESMS_MSD 3.0 ESTAT)
Production in industry
2014 - A0
1. Contact
1.1 Contact organisation

Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT)

Short-term Economic Statistics Directorate

1.2 Contact organisation unit

Unit for Industrial Production Index (SCI/B)

1.3 Contact name
1.4 Contact person function
1.5 Contact mail address

Via Tuscolana, 1788

I-00173 Rome

1.6 Contact email address
1.7 Contact phone number
1.8 Contact fax number
2. Metadata update
2.1 Metadata last certified
30/04/2015
2.2 Metadata last posted
22/04/2015
2.3 Metadata last update
22/04/2015
3. Statistical presentation
3.1 Data description

Indice della produzione industriale (Industrial production index)

3.2 Classification system

NACE Rev. 2.

3.3 Coverage - sector
Activities covered NACE Rev. 2 Sections B, C and D except for Divisions 05, 07 and 09. The coverage for Section C is 100 percent at the two-digit and three-digit level, and about 96 percent at the four-digit level of industrial value added.
Product coverage: Industrial goods classified in Sections B, C and D of NACE Rev. 2. The 581 elementary macro-products for which index numbers are calculated  have a coverage of at least 70% in terms of value of production in each Class (4 digit level).
Size classes covered Units employing 20 employees or more. In some activities lower thresholds apply.
3.4 Statistical concepts and definitions
List and definition of variables The index shows the evolution of gross production in volume terms in line with Commission Regulation 1503/2006. Information is collected on 10,000 basic observations for about 1,000 products. Some 68.2% of the basic series measure output in physical quantities, 9.5% are based on value data deflated by output prices, 7.9% are measured by hours worked, and the remaining 14.4% measured by other methods. 
Planned changes in information collected None.
Accounting conventions The target variable is measured as a flow during the calendar month. Products which need more than a month for the production are recorded in value or in worked hours only for the part accrued to the reference period. Production in value is deflated by domestic output prices. Hours worked are adjusted with productivity coefficients based on short term data.
3.5 Statistical unit
Reporting unit KAU or local unit KAU
Observation unit(s) Unit of homogeneous production (UHP) or Local unit of homogeneous production (LUHP)
3.6 Statistical population

Target population corresponds to enterprises with 20 or more employees in 2010 for sections covered by this survey.  

Total number is 31002 enterprises (section B:211; section C:30502; section D:289).

3.7 Reference area

The area covered by the production index is the whole national territory.

 

3.8 Coverage - Time

1928. Series of indices with base 2010=100 start from January 1990.

3.9 Base period

The base year is 2010.

4. Unit of measure

Index

5. Reference Period

Month

6. Institutional Mandate
6.1 Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
Legal basis

National level: This is one of the compulsory surveys fixed every year by a Decree of the President of the Republic (D.P.R.).

European level: Regulation of the EU Council 1165/1998, 1158/2005

Obligation on units to provide data Surveys are compulsory. Penalties are foreseen for non-response.
Planned changes in legal basis, obligation to respond and frame used None.
6.2 Institutional Mandate - data sharing

This indicator is part of official data shown at page http://www3.istat.it/fmi/ITALY-NSDP.html and correspond to the data described on the International Monetary Fund's Dissemination Standards Bulletin Board (DSBB). Explanation of the DSBB and the statistical standards to which Italy has committed are pubblished on http://dsbb.imf.org/

Data are sent to OECD and UN on quarterly basis.

7. Confidentiality
7.1 Confidentiality - policy

Confidentiality provisions are explicitly stated in the ISTAT President’s letter attached to data collection questionnaire along with references to different acts on statistics. Links to relevant acts on statistics are presented on the website of Sistan - National Statistical System - (http://www.sistan.it/index.php?id=203).

7.2 Confidentiality - data treatment
Treatment of confidential data

15 of 581 elementary series are confidential in NACE Rev. 2. Non confidential data are available at http://dati.istat.it/?lang=en

According to the article n. 9 of the Legislative Decree n. 322 of 6 September 1989 data collected by statistical offices within the statistical surveys included in the National Statistical Programme may not be disclosed other than in aggregated form such that no reference to identifiable people can be extracted. Furthermore, they may be used only for statistical purposes. Data may not be communicated or disseminated neither to any external subject, public or private, nor to any department of the public administration other than in aggregate form and using modalities which prevent the identification of the people involved. In any case, data cannot be used to identify again the people involved. The Code of Conduct annexed to the Legislative Decree no. 196 of 30 June 2003 (Personal Data Protection Code) provides special rules concerning the processing of personal data for statistical purposes within Sistan. In order to make statistical secrecy and protection of personal data effective, Istat is currently taking appropriate organisational, logistical, methodological and statistical measures in accordance with internationally established standards.

In accordance with the Legislative Decree no. 196 of 30 June 2003 (Personal Data Protection Code) and subsequent modifications and additions, respondents are informed of their rights and obligations with regard to the provision of information, and they are assured that the information they provide will be used for statistical purposes only.

 

Special aggregation rules have been developed to ensure that indirect disclosure of individual data does not occur when aggregations of data are presented. For instance, access to individual data is restricted to staff who require the information in the performance of their duties. Provisions are in place to supervise analysts that require access to disaggregated data.

8. Release policy
8.1 Release calendar

Every year, in December ISTAT publishes a release calendar providing the precise release dates for the coming year. The calendar is distributed to the press and is available free of charge to interested parties. The calendar is also disseminated on ISTAT's Internet website. During the first part of the year the required one-quarter-ahead approximate release dates are disseminated on the Internet on the IMF's Dissemination Standards Bulletin Board, and the public are informed of this through a regular notice published in the ISTAT press release "Statistica Flash"

8.2 Release calendar access
8.3 Release policy - user access

Data are released simultaneously to all interested parties by issuing the press release " Produzione industriale" which is provided, on an embargo basis, to the media at a press conference (using “locked room” method) 30 minutes prior to general release. The press release (Italian version and English version) is subsequently posted on the ISTAT Internet website.

Data are transmitted to Eurostat by teletransmission no later than 40 days from the end of the reference month according to the European Council Regulation 1158/2005. If National release is not scheduled at the same time data are sent to Eurostat as confidential.

9. Frequency of dissemination

Data are disseminated monthly

10. Accessibility and clarity
10.1 Dissemination format - News release

Current data is presented in the monthly press release Produzione industriale. There, figures and tables are disseminated with the data to facilitate the analysis. Analysis of current-period developments is included with dissemination. Data are disseminated in unadjusted form, adjusted for working days (total index, indices by MIGs, branches at four digit level of NACE Rev. 2 classification), and in a seasonally-adjusted form.The Italian version of the Industrial production press release includes also a data file, the weighting structure, a methodological note. 

Press releases: http://www.istat.it/en/archive/industrial+products

10.2 Dissemination format - Publications

 Data are made available also through yearly publications: Annual Report and Annuario Statistico Italiano (Italian version)

Annual Report: http://www.istat.it/en/archive/annual+report

Annuario Statistico Italiano: http://www.istat.it/it/archivio/107568

10.3 Dissemination format - online database

Series are included in the ISTAT on-line Database (http://dati.istat.it/?lang=en).

The on-line database I.Stat is open and free, statistics are organised by theme in a two-level hierarchical tree. Data are presented in aggregate form in multidimensional tables; acting on variables, reference periods and the arrangement of heads and sides users can create custom tables and graphs. The system can be searched by keyword, theme and region.
A wide range of standard metadata facilitates the retrieval and understanding of statistics by users.

More information available in the User Guide http://dati.istat.it/ModalHelp/OECD/WBOS%20User%20Guide%20(EN).PDF

10.4 Dissemination format - microdata access

Before data dissemination, validated microdata are stored in the repository of the Institute, ARMIDA.

The repository ARMIDA (Archive of validated microdata) was established with the main objective of preserving and documenting the data produced by Istat surveys, and has subsequently supported the objective of disseminating data. The data archived in ARMIDA supplies, in fact, the different channels for the dissemination of microdata (for internal use at the Institute through the "Memorandum of access to microdata of ARMIDA" internal users ", for authorities in Sistan, for research files, for standard files, etc.). The micro-data stored in ARMIDA are also used to respond to requests of external users submitted to the Adele laboratory http://www.istat.it/en/information/researchers/analysis-of-individual-data

10.5 Dissemination format - other

Data are sent to Eurostat in Gesmes file and disseminated as national data in the Eurostat's database (Eurobase, theme Industry, trade and services, sub-theme Short-term business statistics) and a .pdf copy of monthly bullettin is available for the period January 2007- March 2011 (data refer to October 2005-December 2010) at http://www.istat.it/it/archivio/18167.

10.6 Documentation on methodology

A short description of the methodology and characteristics of the survey is contained in the technical explanatory note attached to the press release updated regularly.
Generally, major changes in methodology are announced a short period in advance in the publication Note Informative (last updating of the base year 2010=100 have been announced in the March 19, 2013 edition).

10.7 Quality management - documentation

A description of methodology and sources used in preparing statistics is also contained in the Information System for Survey Documentation and Quality Control (Siqual); it is available on ISTAT's Internet website. This system manages qualitative information related to each single phase of a survey's production process (http://siqual.istat.it/SIQual/visualizza.do?id=0026000).

More information about procedures applied for quality management and quality assessment in the document "Quality Guidelines For Statistical Processes" - December 2012

http://www.istat.it/en/files/2011/11/QualityGuidelines_EngVers_1.11.pdf

11. Quality management
11.1 Quality assurance

Essential points of Istat quality policy are: process quality, product quality, documentation, respect for respondents, strengthening of statistical literacy, users' orientation.

For more details: http://www.istat.it/en/about-istat/quality

11.2 Quality management - assessment

Some information on data quality are available in Siqual http://siqual.istat.it/SIQual/lang.do?language=UK

In 2014 this survey was submitted to an audit on quality in a testing phase http://www.istat.it/en/tools/data-quality/audit

12. Relevance
12.1 Relevance - User Needs

Main users of industrial production index are:

- Institutions: government departments, ECB, national central bank, international organisations, etc.
- Social actors: employers' organisations, trade unions, lobby groups, etc.
- Media
- Researchers & students
- Enterprises/businesses
- Internal users
- Eurostat

12.2 Relevance - User Satisfaction

Not available.

12.3 Completeness

Eurostat's requirements in terms of time series are fulfilled.

13. Accuracy
13.1 Accuracy - overall

Not available.

13.2 Sampling error

Not available.

13.3 Non-sampling error
Response rate When the first provisional data are released, the weighted overall response rate is about 90%.
Actions to speed up or increase the rate of response Reminders and intensive follow ups by phone are addressed to the MIB (Main Industrial Business) units. These units are the most significant (in terms of production realised in the year before that of reference) for the specific products concerned.
14. Timeliness and punctuality
14.1 Timeliness

The official release is published on average 40 days after the end of the reference period; data are transmitted to EUROSTAT within 40 days, using, when needed, an embargo clause; data are provisional at the time of the Press Release in which they are reported. They are then revised and become final after 3 years.

14.2 Punctuality

Within 40 days, as required by Eurostat

15. Coherence and comparability
15.1 Comparability - geographical

European definitions are used and they apply in the whole national territory 

15.2 Comparability - over time

Consistent time series data are available for a long period of time (since January 1990). When changes in source data, methodology and statistical techniques are introduced, historical series are reconstructed as far back as possible. 

15.3 Coherence - cross domain

 Comparisons are made with the evolution of turnover and new orders indices. Results for these comparisons show good level of coherence for main aggregates.

15.4 Coherence - internal

Aggregates are always consistent with their sub-aggregates but for seasonnally adjusted data internal coherence could not be always ensured as direct method is used

16. Cost and Burden

In 2014 the cost of Industrial Production Index survey was 25,000 hours per year.

An estimation of time burden for reporting enterprise is around 30 minutes each month. 

17. Data revision
17.1 Data revision - policy

The general revision policy is predetermined and reasonably stable from year to year and is adopted in order to incorporate udpated information. It consists of:

- routine revisions. Data are provisional at the time of the press release, they are revised one month later for taking into account increase in the response rate. In addition, revisions of the last three years raw data is performed once a year for improving indicators using information coming from enterprises and other source.

- major revisions. Performed every five years, in correspondence of introduction of a new base year; they take into account new weighting systems, sample adjustments in enterprises and products lists.

At the time of each dissemination, users are informed whether data are preliminary or revised and the reason why data are revised (e.g. availability of additional data, major revisions declared by enterprises or other sources). Generally, major changes in methodology, source and statistical techniques are announced in ad hoc publications. A detailed notification of methodological changes is also provided through seminars and papers disseminated throughout the scientific community. Non-scheduled revisions and major errors are published by specific notes.

Vintage database was stopped when base year 2010=100 has been introduced (March 2013) and it will be disseminated again in the future. In February 2015, the Italian National Institute assigned to an internal working group to define new standard of revision policy and a common set of revision measures.

Coherence of the revision policy is respected for data released nationally and transmitted to Eurostat.

17.2 Data revision - practice

A paragraph called “Revisioni” is attached to every press release in Italian. It contains a methodological note on revisions (revision policy, source, periodicity, etc.) and the results of the revision analysis for the current period presented. Major revision dues to mistakes are made known to the public after the event.

For the year 2014, the monthly revisions of the raw general index varied from a minimum value of -0.2 points to a maximum of +0.2 points.

After the revision of the last three years, the final annual data percentage change of 2014 raw general index changed from -1.2% to -1.0%.

18. Statistical processing
18.1 Source data
Type of source Statistical survey. In addition data are obtained:
— for electric energy, from TERNA (Rete Elettrica Nazionale);
— for mining and quarrying, from Uffici nazionali minerari, idrocarburi e geotermia (Ministero delle attività produttive);
— for manufacture of basic iron and steel and of ferro-alloys, from trade associations;
— for meat production, from the Istat survey on slaughtered animals for meat production.
Frame on which the source is based The enterprises surveyed have been selected from PRODCOM
Sample or census Non-probabilistic sample. For each product, enterprises are ranked according to the percentage of the value of production they represent for this product. Then the highest ranked units are drawn until 70% of the value of production is reached.
Criteria for stratification Not applicable
Threshold values and percentages In total around 4,100 KAU are surveyed each month.
Frequency of updating the sample A general revision is carried out every 5 years, also introducing new products, in correspondence with the change of the base year. A lighter updating of the sample is carried out each year as well, in order to take into account businesses’ longitudinal changes (deaths, births, merges, etc.). New units (enterprises) are exclusively introduced to replace units whose production is discontinued (the new units must have the same size of the old ones).
18.2 Frequency of data collection

Data are collected monthly.

18.3 Data collection
Questionnaires used in the survey The name of questionnaire is Mod. ISTAT/Prodmens; each questionnaire is marked by a code number identifying the observation unit. Questionnaires are sent to enterprises at the beginning of the year, with one to be returned each month. The deadline for responses is the tenth day after the reference month. Late responses are taken into account in the revision process.
Planned changes in national questionnaires None.
Data collection media Concerning data collected directly (monthly sample survey) questionnaires are sent by fax, web, e-mail or phone. Data coming from other sources are collected using specific questionnaires, Internet and other tools. Twice a month recalls by fax are made to speed up enterprises that have not sent data in time.
Planned changes in data collection methodology None.
18.4 Data validation

Time series checks are used for plausibility of data validated. Integrity of files structure and used codes is ensured by extractions made from a database respecting integrity constraints.

 

18.5 Data compilation
Estimates for non-response For estimating non responses concerning a given product, usually an automatic estimation criterion is applied on the basis of the average percentage variation m/(m-1) calculated on responses available for the same product.
Estimates for grossing-up to population levels None.
Type of index Laspeyres index with a fixed base year.
Method of weighting and chaining The elementary products are aggregated up to the Class level using as weights the output value (from PRODCOM survey); the aggregation from the Classes up to the total is based on value added at factor costs weights drawn from SBS data.
Planned changes in production methods Change of the base year will take place in 2018.
18.6 Adjustment

The raw indices are trading days adjusted and corrected for seasonal effects by TRAMO-SEATS procedure, version 2010 for Linux. Working days adjustment series are estimated down to 4 digit level, seasonal adjustment series are calculated for total, MIGs and 2 digit level. Adjustment models are completely reviewed at the beginning of each year (with the release of February data) and parameters are re-estimated every month. Each month, seasonally adjusted series are revised from January 2001.

A Reg-Arima approach is used for working days and seasonal adjustment. Calendar adjustment is performed by using our country specific calendar which also take into account national holidays. No calendar adjustment is performed where no significant effect is found. Leap year and moving holidays like Easter are adjusted.

Outliers (additive outliers, temporary changes, level shift) are manually fixed at the beginning of the year when seasonal adjustment models are revised. The critical value for the outlier detection and the filter length are automatically chosen, whereas model/filter selection is manual. Both additive and multiplicative seasonal adjustment decomposition are used.

Except for total consumption goods series, which is indirectly derived by weighted sum of non-durable and durable goods, all other series are directly adjusted. Whenever indirect adjustment is performed, a residual seasonality test is performed and checked.

19. Comment

None.