Accuracy and reliability

Overall accuracy

The accuracy for International Trade in Goods by Enterprise Characteristics is closely related to the accuracy of International Trade in Goods Statistics which is high on an aggregated level. Trade with EU countries is subject to considerably higher margins of uncertainty compared to trade with countries outside the EU. Current data-editing measures give rise to corrections, but especially the lack of data reports constitutes a considerable source of uncertainty. See e.g. the documentation of statistics for International Trade in Goods.

Sampling error

Not relevant for these statistics.

Non-sampling error

There can be uncertainty related to International Trade in Goods Statistics because of missing or erroneous reporting. Estimations for EU trade below the threshold does also contains some uncertainty. Over-coverage can appear due to trade collected both directly from enterprises and by special sources e.g. electricity, gas, ships and airplanes.

The characteristics of enterprises is measured at the end of the period. Changes in the organization of an enterprise during the year, e.g. if the production is outsourced, is not taken into account. This means that activities, which would be linked to e.g. large industrial enterprises, can end up in other activity- or size groups, if the characteristics of the enterprise change during the year.

Quality management

Statistics Denmark follows the recommendations on organisation and management of quality given in the Code of Practice for European Statistics (CoP) and the implementation guidelines given in the Quality Assurance Framework of the European Statistical System (QAF). A Working Group on Quality and a central quality assurance function have been established to continuously carry through control of products and processes.

Quality assurance

Statistics Denmark follows the principles in the Code of Practice for European Statistics (CoP) and uses the Quality Assurance Framework of the European Statistical System (QAF) for the implementation of the principles. This involves continuous decentralized and central control of products and processes based on documentation following international standards. The central quality assurance function reports to the Working Group on Quality. Reports include suggestions for improvement that are assessed, decided and subsequently implemented.

Quality assessment

Trade in goods by Enterprise Characteristics is of high quality. It is relevant for our users as it covers user needs which have not previously been met. These statistics are also consistent and comparable over time. The quality is as good as the sources used for compiling. For more information on the sources see the documentation of statistics for International Trade in Goods, the Business Register, foreign owned enterprises and foreign affiliates abroad.

Data revision - policy

Statistics Denmark revises published figures in accordance with the Revision Policy for Statistics Denmark. The common procedures and principles of the Revision Policy are for some statistics supplemented by a specific revision practice.

Data revision practice

These statistics are revised by each publication date for the latest 2 year. This follows the revision policy of International Trade in Goods and National Accounts.