ISTAT - Istituto Nazionale di Statistica
Euro-SDMX Metadata Structure Definition (ESMS_MSD 3.0 ESTAT)
Service producer prices (SPPI)
2014 - A0
1. Contact
1.1 Contact organisation

National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT)

1.2 Contact organisation unit

Unit SER/G

1.3 Contact name
1.4 Contact person function
1.5 Contact mail address

Via Torino, 6

I-00184 Rome

1.6 Contact email address
1.7 Contact phone number
1.8 Contact fax number
2. Metadata update
2.1 Metadata last certified
02/04/2015
2.2 Metadata last posted
03/04/2015
2.3 Metadata last update
03/04/2015
3. Statistical presentation
3.1 Data description

“Indice dei prezzi alla produzione dei servizi” (Services producer price index – SPPI - or Output price index for services)

The index measures quarterly changes in the prices of services provided by enterprises to other enterprises and to persons representing enterprises. This means the SPPI cover what are commonly known as business to business transactions, thus leaving out sales to consumers. It is used as a deflator too.

3.2 Classification system

NACE Rev. 2.

3.3 Coverage - sector
Activities covered Indexes are required for the following NACE Rev. 2 activities: H49.4; H50.1+H50.2 (sum); H51; H52.1; H52.24; H53.1; H53.2; J61; J62; J63.1; J63.9; M69.1+M69.2+M70.2 (sum); M71; M73; N78; N80; N81.2.
For the time being NACE Rev. 2 Groups/Classes H49.4; H50.1; H50.2; H50.1+H50.2 (sum); H51; H51.1; H51.2; H52.1; H52.24; H53; H53.1; H53.2; J61; J61.1; J61.2; N81.2 are covered.
Size classes covered All services enterprises.
3.4 Statistical concepts and definitions
List and definition of variables Output prices for services delivered to customers that are enterprises or person representing enterprises are collected. Domestic and non-domestic services are monitored. The prices are the effective transaction prices reflecting the revenue received by the producer for services actually sold to customers. They exclude taxes (VAT) whereas they include subsidies on products received by the producer. Moreover they take into account any applicable discounts, rebates, surcharges, etc. applied to the customers.
Planned changes in information collected None
Accounting conventions By definition, the prices are the effective transaction prices reflecting the revenue received by the producer for services actually sold to customers. They exclude taxes (VAT) whereas they include subsidies on products received by the producer; discounts, rebates and surcharges applied to the customers.
3.5 Statistical unit
Reporting unit Enterprise
Observation unit(s) The main (most representative) services delivered by the enterprise to other enterprises or persons representing enterprises. For each service, the price is collected quarterly.
3.6 Statistical population

Target population: Italian Business Register (SBS) according to NACE Rev. 2 Groups/Classes activities required from STS Regulation: H49.4; H50.1+H50.2 (sum); H51; H52.1; H52.24; H53.1; H53.2; J61; J62; J63.1; J63.9; M69.1+M69.2+M70.2 (sum); M71; M73; N78; N80; N81.2.
Referring to NACE Rev. 2 Groups/Classes already covered, the sampling frames are the following: H49.4 (168 units); H50.1 (6 units); H50.2 (59 units); H51.1 (34 units); H51.2 (27 units); H52.1 (46 units); H52.24 (71 units);H53.1 (1 unit); H53.2 (6 units); J61.1 (4 units); J61.2 (4 units); N81.2 (7500 units).

3.7 Reference area

Whole national territory.

3.8 Coverage - Time

Date of first use as a source:

2006 for H53; H53.1; H53.2; J61; J61.1; J61.2. 

2010 for H49.4; H50.1; H50.2; H50.1+H50.2 (sum); H51; H51.1; H51.2; H52.1; H52.24; N81.2.

3.9 Base period

The indexes are chain type indexes.

2006=100 for NACE Rev. 2 - H53.1; H53.2; J61; J61.1; J61.2;

2010=100 for NACE Rev. 2 - H49.4; H50.1; H50.2; H50.1+H50.2 (sum); H51; H51.1; H51.2; H52.1; H52.24; N81.2 (for the time being, the indexes for the remaining NACE activities are not available yet).

4. Unit of measure

Index

5. Reference Period

Quarter

6. Institutional Mandate
6.1 Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
Legal basis Every year a Decree of the President of the Republic (DPR) fixes the list of mandatory surveys. Surveys collecting data for compiling SPPIs are included in the DPR list.
Obligation on units to provide data Surveys are mandatory. Penalties are foreseen for non-response.
Planned changes in legal basis, obligation to respond and frame used None.
6.2 Institutional Mandate - data sharing

Not available

7. Confidentiality
7.1 Confidentiality - policy
Dissemination of terms and conditions under which official statistics are produced, including confidentiality of individual responses 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 - the National Statistical System - (http://www.sistan.it/index.php?id=203).
7.2 Confidentiality - data treatment

None of the activities covered are regarded as confidential at the 3-digit level except NACE Rev.2 H53.1 (sample frame=1 unit) whose index is transmitted to Eurostat under confidentiality but in Italy it is not disseminated. It is aggregated to H53.2 index and the index sum (H53.1+H53.2) is then disseminated.

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.

8.2 Release calendar access
8.3 Release policy - user access
Simultaneous release to all interested parties Data are released simultaneously to all interested parties by issuing both the release "Comunicato stampa – Indici dei prezzi alla produzione dei servizi" which is disseminated on ISTAT's Internet website (http://www.istat.it/en/archive/press-release) and the on-line data-warehouse I.Stat (http://dati.istat.it/?lang=en).
Identification of internal government access to data before release No pre-release access.
Transmission to Eurostat and further use of the statistics Data are sent to Eurostat following to required standards (by GESMES format) at the same time as the quarterly data release.
The information is also used for quarterly and annual National Accounts.
9. Frequency of dissemination

Quarterly

10. Accessibility and clarity
10.1 Dissemination format - News release
Identification of ministerial commentary on the occasion of statistical releases No ministerial commentaries.

Press releases: http://www.istat.it/en/archive/services+prices

10.2 Dissemination format - Publications
Name of national paper publications

Release: “Comunicato stampa – Indici dei prezzi alla produzione dei servizi”.

Release: “Annuario Statistico Italiano (ASI)”

Name of national electronic dissemination Series are included in the ISTAT on-line Database (http://dati.istat.it/?lang=en).
10.3 Dissemination format - online database

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/Istat/WBOS%20User%20Guide%20%28EN%29.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
Planned changes in national dissemination methods None.
10.6 Documentation on methodology
Dissemination of documentation on methodology and sources used in preparing statistics 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.
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 http://siqual.istat.it/SIQual/lang.do?language=UK. This system manages qualitative information related to each single phase of a survey's production process (http://siqual.istat.it/SIQual/visualizza.do?id=8888898).
Description of standard tables produced Quarterly output service price index (2006=100 and 2010=100) at the 2 and 3-digit NACE Rev. 2 level.
No regional breakdown is used.
10.7 Quality management - documentation

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

The quality assurance framework is based on the contents of the document "Quality Guidelines For Statistical Processes" – Istat - December 2012 (http://www.istat.it/en/files/2011/11/QualityGuidelines_EngVers_1.11.pdf). 

Istat reference framework for quality policies relies on the European Statistics Code of Practice adopted in 2005 and revised in 2011, on Eurostat Quality Definition and on the recommendations of the LEG on Quality. The Data Quality Assessment Framework, developed by the International Monetary Fund, also represents an important reference. Following the principles of the European Statistics Code of Practice, Italy has adopted the Italian Code of Official Statistics in order to promote quality improvements of the statistics produced by the Italian National Statistical System.

In accordance with Eurostat Quality Definition, the requirements of statistical products are:

-to be relevant with regard to users’ information needs;

-to be accurate, that is to provide estimates or indicators that are as reliable as possible;

-to timely catch the phenomena to be observed;

-to be easily accessible and supported by metadata allowing for a fully understanding of data;

-to enable comparisons over time or among different sources.

A description of methodology and sources used in preparing statistics is also contained in the Information System for Survey Documentation and Quality Control (Siqual) (http://siqual.istat.it/SIQual/lang.do?language=UK).

11.2 Quality management - assessment

SPPIs meet the quality criteria of relevance, accuracy, timeliness and punctuality, coherence and accessibility. They are computed according to the recommendations of the “Methodological guide for developing producer price indices for services” (OECD/Eurostat) and the “Produce Price Index Manual: Theory and Practice” as well.

12. Relevance
12.1 Relevance - User Needs

The main users are: Eurostat (STS Regulation); National central bank; International organizations; Internal users (especially National Accounts team); Trade unions; Media; Researchers and students; Enterprises.

12.2 Relevance - User Satisfaction

Not available

12.3 Completeness

It is partial because among NACE activities included in STS Regulation Groups/Classes H49.4; H50.1; H50.2; H50.1+H50.2 (sum); H51; H51.1; H51.2; H52.1; H52.24; H53; H53.1; H53.2; J61; J61.1; J61.2; N81.2 are covered.

On the contrary, indexes for Groups/Classes J62; J63.1; J63.9; M69.1+M69.2+M70.2 (sum); M71; M73; N78; N80 are not produced yet.

13. Accuracy
13.1 Accuracy - overall

The samples are designed with the cut-off method and therefore sampling errors cannot be measured. Non-sampling errors are reduced or eliminated in the collection phase both using an electronic questionnaire that helps debugging and aiming at an increase of the response rate of enterprises. Data check procedure is as well very effective.

13.2 Sampling error

It is not possible to compute sampling errors because a non-probability sampling method (cut-off with a census above the cut-off) is used 

13.3 Non-sampling error
Response rate The response rate varies from 80% to 100%, according to the different NACE classes.
Actions to speed up or increase the rate of response About one month after the end of the reference period reminders are sent to non-respondents by sending priority mail to listed addresses. Non-respondents are also contacted directly by phone more than once.
14. Timeliness and punctuality
14.1 Timeliness
Timeliness Data are released 3 months after the end of the referring period.
Timetable of data collection The questionnaires are sent to the reporting units every quarter.
14.2 Punctuality

Releases delivered on time during the year: 4/4 

15. Coherence and comparability
15.1 Comparability - geographical

The comparability of SPPIs between EU countries is ensured by Regulation No 1165/98.

15.2 Comparability - over time

SPPIs are comparable over time for the entire length of time series.

15.3 Coherence - cross domain
Dissemination of information that support statistical cross-checks and provide assurance of reasonableness It is possible to compare the results of some SPPIs activities with the corresponding ones of the turnover index or the CPI index but these cross-checks often can give different results because the indexes are computed according to different targets and methodologies.
Confrontation with other data sets None
15.4 Coherence - internal

SPPIs are internally coherent. Each SPPI is computed as weighted average mean (Laspeyred type index) of sub-indexes, therefore internal coherence is straightforward. Moreover the coherence is achieved annually updating weights (indexes are annually chain linked).

16. Cost and Burden

The cost refers to 7 persons working on SPPIs surveys.

The statistical burden on reporting units has been reduced adapting the questionnaires according to the information on markets that associations and big companies gave during the meetings organized before surveys started. 

17. Data revision
17.1 Data revision - policy

Not available

17.2 Data revision - practice

Generally, major changes in methodology, sources and statistical techniques are announced in ad hoc publications.
Advance notification of methodological changes is also provided through seminars and papers disseminated throughout the scientific community.

18. Statistical processing
18.1 Source data
Type of source Data are collected through a statistical survey or are obtained from an administrative DB.
Frame on which the source is based SBS
Sample or census Sample (based both on a probabilistic and non-probabilistic design).
Criteria for stratification

Non-probabilistic design: the sample is drawn by a turnover cut-off (with a census above the cut-off). The chosen threshold guarantees a good/sufficient coverage in terms of turnover.

Probabilistic design: enterpirse turnover is used to create strata in which enterpises are chosen with a probabilistic approach.

Threshold values and percentages From 80% to 98% according to the different sectors.  
Frequency of updating the sample The sample of services and the list of enterprises are updated yearly.
18.2 Frequency of data collection

Data are collected quarterly.

18.3 Data collection
Questionnaires used in the survey The questionnaires are different according to the economic sector they refer to. They are identified by the initials “Modello Istat PPS + a number that identifies the economic sector”. On the top of each questionnaire the name of survey is specified.
Planned changes in national questionnaires None.
Data collection media Data are collected using electronic questionnaires.
Planned changes in data collection methodology None.
18.4 Data validation

Before compiling each index, data are validated by observing both levels and prices rates of change.

18.5 Data compilation
Estimates for non-response Data for non-respondents are estimated by using data of the previous quarter.
Estimates for grossing-up to population levels None
Type of index

Only for NACE Rev. 2 J61; J61.1 and J61.2 chained Fisher indexes are compiled.
For all the other NACE Rev. 2 activities chained Laspeyres indexes are compiled.

Method of weighting and chaining The weights structure for each service and each enterprise is defined by the B to B turnover information given by the enterprise itself. Each enterprise is weighted according to the B to B total annual turnover that declares in the questionnaire.
Planned changes in production methods None
18.6 Adjustment

Seasonally adjusted indices are not calculated.

19. Comment

None