The Environmental Goods and Services Sector: Handbook and Standard Tables "Environmental Expenditure Statistics" Joint Eurostat/EFTA Working Group Meeting of 20-21 May 2008 BECH Building – Room AMPERE

Standard Tables and Handbook on EGSS Outline Introduction Standard Tables The handbook Conclusions Future prospects and planning Standard Tables and Handbook on EGSS

Standard Tables and Handbook on EGSS Introduction Need to compile comparable statistics on Environmental Goods and Services Sector (EGSS) in EU to respond to current policy interests directed towards environmental sector Few European countries have already produced statistics on EGSS → Proposition of Eurostat to develop new data collection for EGSS (WG meeting on "Environmental expenditure statistics“, May 2005) → Creation of standard tables and a handbook Standard Tables and Handbook on EGSS

Standard Tables and Handbook on EGSS Introduction The standard tables aim at identifying important variables by different actors and activities of EGSS. The handbook provides methods for data collection on EGSS at national level. It contains definitions, examples and recommendations to ensure that data are compiled and maintained on a consistent basis in all Member States. Standard Tables and Handbook on EGSS

Standard Tables and Handbook on EGSS Introduction A Task Force of statisticians from National offices set up in 2006 to cooperate with Eurostat and the consultant. Its mandate is to work on definitions, delimitations and methodological issues for the collection and interpretation of EGSS statistics. Participant countries: Austria, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and United Kingdom. Standard Tables and Handbook on EGSS

Standard Tables and Handbook on EGSS Which environmental activities? Environmental protection and resource management activities Which actors? Industries (NACE Rev 2 breakdown) and General Government. Which variables? Turnover, value added, employment and exports What is in addition interesting to know? Which industries produce cleaner/ resource-efficient technologies and products What part of the production is principal, secondary, ancillary, market and non-market Standard Tables and Handbook on EGSS

Standard Tables – latest version The latest version of the standard tables consists of 11 data-sheets. One data-sheet is provided by variable and by group of producers (7 tables to fill out): 4 data sheets for the industry group and 3 for the General Government of producers (exports of General Government is not included). And one data sheet summarizes the different groups of producers for each variable (4 tables filled out automatically). Standard Tables and Handbook on EGSS

Standard Tables – latest version Actor Variable and Unit Activities’ breakdown Classifications Footnotes Standard Tables and Handbook on EGSS

Standard Tables and Handbook on EGSS The handbook Explains the scope and the reasoning behind the terms of the standard tables Follows the principles of the OECD/Eurostat 1999 Manual (reference handbook for national statistics offices to carry out studies on EGSS) Standard Tables and Handbook on EGSS

Standard Tables and Handbook on EGSS The handbook The handbook provides An analysis of the concepts related to the EGSS, supplemented by definitions A classification of the sector Practical hands-on and methodological guidance for data collection Methods and approaches to analyse and to interpret data A great deal of effort has been put in increasing coherency and providing users of the handbook with practical recommendations. Standard Tables and Handbook on EGSS

Standard Tables and Handbook on EGSS The handbook Which definition and classification for EGSS? OECD/Eurostat definition as a starting point (1999 manual) Each category of activities include cleaner/resource-efficient products and technologies Classification: Environmental Protection activities in CEPA classes No classification adopted (yet) for Resources Management activities Standard Tables and Handbook on EGSS

Standard Tables and Handbook on EGSS The handbook Which goods and services should be included? Only goods, services and technologies PRODUCED for an environmental purpose are included Standard Tables and Handbook on EGSS

Standard Tables and Handbook on EGSS The handbook How to classify statistics between environmental domains? classification of statistics should be made to the main environmental domain and according to the main purpose and function, consistently with the SERIEE and the CEPA guidelines Standard Tables and Handbook on EGSS

Standard Tables and Handbook on EGSS The handbook Which producers? Industries and General Government Which kind of production activities? Market and non-market, principal, secondary and ancillary activities How much of the chain of a certain production activity should be included? Only the main producers (no distributors neither intermediate providers to avoid double-counting) Standard Tables and Handbook on EGSS

Standard Tables and Handbook on EGSS The handbook How to find the population of EGSS? Identification and classification of EGSS population according to existing activities or products classifications (NACE, CPA, CN, etc) to fully exploit the potentiality of a supply-side approach How to compile data? Examples of experiences of countries, focus on supply-side approach Standard Tables and Handbook on EGSS

Standard Tables and Handbook on EGSS The handbook Latest version of the handbook: outline Introduction The environmental goods and services sector: concepts and definitions (new chapter 2) Identification of the population Framework for data collection and analysis Standard tables Interpretation and presentation of the results Standard Tables and Handbook on EGSS

Standard Tables and Handbook on EGSS The handbook Two columns Chapter by chapter Standard Tables and Handbook on EGSS

Standard Tables and Handbook on EGSS Conclusions Standard tables reflect a compromise rather than the ideal situation The handbook presents the weaknesses and strengths of several methods and focus on existing data. However, it can also be used as a tool to push further towards ideal solutions by identifying and recommending best practices. Standard Tables and Handbook on EGSS

Future prospects and planning Selection of a classification of resources management activities Improvement of the handbook Provide indicative lists of examples of cleaner technologies and products for each environmental activity and sector. These examples will explain how to identify and where to classify cleaner technologies and products by environmental domain and by NACE class Provide further explanations on how to deal with multi-end products and on how to estimate the variables by actors Provide guidance on how to deal with special difficult examples Final versions of standard tables and the handbook are expected to be produced by May 2009 Standard Tables and Handbook on EGSS

Standard Tables and Handbook on EGSS Thank you for your attention! Maria José (Pepa) Lopez mjl@icedd.be Céline Martin cm@icedd.be Marco Orsini mo@icedd.be Standard Tables and Handbook on EGSS