Relevance
Inward Foreign
Affiliates Statistics (Inward FATS or IFATS) describe the activity of
affiliates resident in the compiling country.
Inward FATS produces statistics on the number of enterprises, turnover, production
value, value added at factor cost, total purchases of goods and
services, purchases for resale, personnel costs, gross investment in tangible
goods, and number of persons employed of such foreign affiliates. These are aggregated by NACE and the country
of the Ultimate Controlling Institute (UCI).
Such statistics are compiled under European Framework Regulation (EC) No.
716/2007.
Methodological
description
Data for Inward
FATS is compiled from the SBS (Structural Business Statistics) survey for those
enterprises or branches resident in Malta that are under foreign control. It compiles data for NACE Sections B to N and
NACE Division S95. Data for NACE Section K is compiled externally from
administrative sources. Data from these
sources is obtained via email. NACE Rev.
2 is used to for the NACE classification whereas ISO codes are used for the
country of the UCI. Monetary variables
are expressed in thousands of Euros whereas number of enterprises and number of
persons employed are expressed in units.
Inward FATS data is compiled on a yearly basis.
Accuracy and
reliability of data
Since data for
Inward FATS is compiled from SBS data, all quality measures would have been
implemented to finalise SBS data. Information
on the accuracy and reliability of SBS data can be viewed in a dedicated ESMS metadata
report available on the NSO’s metadata website. Data for NACE Section K is checked to ensure
that the data is realistic and consistent with previous years. Prior to transmission, data is also checked
for consistency by means of Eurostat’s EDIT tool.
Timeliness and
punctuality of data
Data for Inward
FATS for reference year N is transmitted to Eurostat by the end of August of
year N+20 months (20 months from the end of the reference year), so as to
satisfy the requirements of the Regulation mentioned above.
Accessibility and
clarity of data
Inward FATS data
can be accessed from Eurostat’s database. A quality report is transmitted to Eurostat
26 months from the end of the reference year (N+26 months). An ESMS metadata report is updated yearly and
published on the NSO website.
Coherence and
comparability/consistency of data
Inward FATS was
compiled on a mandatory basis as from reference year 2007. A change in the NACE classification was
brought about from reference year 2008 with the introduction of NACE Rev. 2. Inward FATS data has been collected in a
consistent manner as from reference year 2009.
Data is also comparable to that of the other Member States since all
requirements and recommendations laid down by in the Regulations are met. The variable values for the group codes
representing the EU Member States and the non-EU Member States may not be
comparable between reference year 2013 and the previous reference years, due to
Croatia becoming an EU Member State in 2013.
Inward FATS data is coherent with SBS data since the same weighting
structure and variables are used.
Metadata