Overarching Methodological Concepts

General information

The Directorate-General for Economic and Financial Affairs (DG ECFIN) conducts five monthly, harmonised surveys for EU and candidate country economies, covering industry (manufacturing), services, retail trade, construction and consumers. A limited set of additional questions is asked quarterly and biannually. The surveys enable cross-country comparisons of business cycles and are an important tool for monitoring economic developments in the EU, the euro area and candidate countries.

The programme covers the European Union, the euro area, the 27 EU Member States and 5 candidate countries (Albania, the Republic of North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Türkiye). Depending on the question, results are disseminated at monthly, quarterly, biannual or annual frequency. Data are published as balances (differences between positive and negative replies, in percentage points of total answers), as indices, as confidence indicators (arithmetic averages of balances), and in both non‑seasonally adjusted (NSA) and seasonally adjusted (SA) form.

The statistical population comprises of enterprises of a given sector and resident households. Across all EU countries, the nominal samples of the monthly surveys comprise about 38 000 units in the industry survey, 47 000 in services, 28 000 in retail trade, 22 000 in construction, as well as 33 000 consumers.

For details at the country level, see the metadata sheets available on Metadata of partner institutes.

The methodology, including question weighting and seasonal adjustment, follows the standards set out in the European Business and Consumer Surveys User Guide. For additional methodological insights and questionnaire design, see the DG ECFIN BCS methodology page.

The BCS Programme was set up in 1961 based on the Commission's institutional prerogatives (Article 58(2)(d) of the Financial Regulation). It is an indispensable tool in the EMU economic surveillance process, as well as for general economic policy purposes. 

The Programme was initiated by Commission decision in November 1961 and was modified through subsequent Council and Commission decisions. It was last approved through Commission decision C(1997)2241 of 15 July 1997 and was presented in Commission Communications C(2000)770 of 29 November 2000, C(2006)379 of 12 July 2006, SEC(2012)227 of 4 April 2012 and C(2016)6634 of 20 October 2016.

Classifications used

Data are compiled in accordance with the framework of the Joint Harmonised EU Programme of Business and Consumer Surveys, Commission Decision C(97) 2241 of 15 July 1997.

For all business surveys (industry, services, retail trade and construction), survey results are broken down by branches according to the Classification of economic activities in the European Community (NACE), Rev. 2, at the two-digit level. The change in the identification and grouping of similar economic activities associated with the move to NACE Rev. 2 in May 2010 implied a statistical break in the time series, particularly at the branch level.

The sector coverage of the services survey varies across countries. From May 2010, the results are based on NACE Rev. 2 and are provided only as totals. 

For the consumer survey, respondents are categorised according to five criteria: income, occupation, education level, age and sex.

Statistical Confidentiality

The Commission (DG ECFIN) receives the results of the business surveys only at aggregated level (i.e. at the three or two-digit level of the Classification of economic activities in the European Community (NACE), Rev. 2, and higher). While DG ECFIN does receive the results of the consumer survey at individual respondent level, the respondents are fully anonymised.

Basic statistical concepts and definitions

Balances

Survey responses are aggregated into balances, defined as the difference between the percentages of respondents giving positive and negative replies. Balances are based on the distribution of response options for each question and are expressed in percentage points of total answers. For three‑option questions (positive, neutral, negative), with P, E, M denoting the respective percentages (P+E+M=100), the balance is calculated as: B = P − M

For six‑option questions (very positive, positive, neutral, negative, very negative, “don’t know”), with PP, P, E, M, MM, N denoting the respective percentages (PP+P+E+M+MM+N=100), the balance is a weighted difference between positive and negative responses: B = (PP + ½P) − (½M + MM).

The Commission (DG ECFIN) compiles EU and euro area aggregates from the national results and seasonally adjusts the balance series.

Composite Indicators

Balance series are used to construct composite indicators. For each sector, the Commission first calculates confidence indicators as arithmetic means of selected balances that are closely related to the reference variable they are intended to track (for example, industrial production for the industrial confidence indicator); these indicators summarise sectoral economic developments. Selected questions from all business surveys and the consumer survey are then combined into the Economic Sentiment Indicator (ESI), designed to track GDP growth at country, EU and euro area level. DG ECFIN also produces an Employment Expectations Indicator (EEI), which summarises managers’ employment plans in industry, services, retail trade and construction, providing a timely signal of expected changes in employee jobs. The set of composite indicators further includes an Economic Uncertainty Indicator (EUI), capturing perceived uncertainty among managers and consumers, and a Labour Hoarding Indicator (LHI), derived from managers’ expectations regarding their firm’s output and employment.

Finally, the Business Climate Indicator (BCI) is a composite measure for the euro area manufacturing sector, built from five industry survey balances on production, order books, export orders, stocks and production expectations. It extracts the common cyclical factor across these series (excluding question‑specific noise) and is designed to co-move with overall industrial activity, using a broader input set and different construction method than the industrial confidence indicator.

Data quality

Relevance

Business and consumer surveys provide essential information for economic surveillance, short-term forecasting and economic research. Moreover, they are used to detect turning points in the economic cycle. The survey data generated within the EU BCS programme are particularly useful for monitoring economic developments at country, EU and euro area level.

Outside the Commission, the European Central Bank, national central banks, research institutes and financial institutions frequently use the survey data for both qualitative and quantitative analysis.

Timeliness

The timing is common to all the harmonised surveys. Fieldwork for the monthly surveys is generally performed in the first two to three weeks of each month and the quarterly surveys are carried out in the first two to three weeks of the first month of each quarter (January, April, July and October). Consequently, the questions that are asked only on a quarterly basis are included in the questionnaires in January, April, July and October. The biannual and annual investment questions in the industry and services surveys are surveyed in the first two to three weeks of, depending on the Member State, March or April and October or November.

The business survey results are sent by email to DG ECFIN at least five working days before the end of the reference month and in accordance with a predefined format. The deadline for the delivery of consumer survey results is generally seven working days before the end of the month.

Early data for the Flash Consumer Confidence Indicator (FCCI) is sent by email to the Commission (DG ECFIN) in line with an agreed deadline which is at least one week before the scheduled full press release of the reference month. The FCCI for both EU and euro area are released on the date of the deadline.

Accuracy and reliability

Source data: The harmonised surveys are carried out at national level by partner institutes such as ministries, statistical offices, central banks, research institutes, business associations or private companies.

The Commission (DG ECFIN) calculates EU and euro area aggregates on the basis of the national results and seasonally adjusts the balance series.

The sample size for each survey varies across countries according to the heterogeneity of their economies and is generally positively related to their respective population size. About 134 000 firms and 32 000 consumers are surveyed every month across the EU.

Data collection and methodology: The survey samples are drawn from a frame, which is intended to cover all units in the target population, typically built from official or statistical registers or membership lists of business associations and chambers of commerce. The frame must be regularly updated for mergers, bankruptcies and new firms to remain representative. The coverage rate of the sample, generally measured via turnover or employment, indicates at which percentage rate the sample represents the target population (the frame).

To increase efficiency for a given precision, many institutes use stratified random sampling, dividing the population into non‑overlapping strata with lower variance in key survey variables. In business surveys, strata are usually defined by firm size and activity sector; in consumer surveys, by sex, age, education, income and region of residence.

The national questionnaires may include additional questions beyond the harmonised ones. Similarly, the sectoral breakdown in the questionnaires may be more detailed than the one set in the EU BCS programme. The national institutes are also free to organise the fieldwork the way that best suits their needs. In particular, the sample design, the sample size, the survey mode, and other methodological considerations are left to their discretion.

Nevertheless, institutes are invited to implement the international guidelines on data collection and survey design developed by the Commission and the OECD in cooperation with the national institutes.

DG ECFIN compiles EU and euro area aggregates from country aggregate results, calculating EU/euro‑area replies as weighted averages of national replies. Country weights, based on each Member State’s share in an EU (or euro‑area) reference series, are typically updated each January.

DG ECFIN plays a leading role in the further improvement and (cross-country) harmonisation of the methodology underlying the EU BCS programme. It regularly commissions feasibility studies on relevant methodological issues and organises an annual workshop with all participating institutes in order to discuss harmonisation issues, such as changes in the questionnaires and developments in the survey programme. Every two years, DG ECFIN organises a joint meeting with the OECD with a view to examining methodological issues of common interest to both EU and non-EU countries.

Data validation: Data received from the countries and the European indices are validated using logical validation rules.

Data compilation: Business and consumer surveys provide monthly judgements and anticipations concerning diverse facets of economic activity in the different sectors of the economy. Based on the detailed results of the EU BCS programme, the Commission (DG ECFIN) calculates and publishes a set of monthly composite indicators.

Industry (Manufacturing) Sector Survey

It asks firms to assess recent and expected production trends, current order books and stocks, perceived economic uncertainty, and expected selling prices and employment. Quarterly, it also collects quantitative information on capacity utilisation and the number of months of production covered by current order books. Biannual questions cover investment activity, while annual questions address the structure of and factors driving investment Since 2021, investment plans are investigated in qualitative terms twice a year.

The industry survey provides monthly and quarterly datasets. The monthly dataset includes seven core variables and three composite indicators: the Industrial Confidence Indicator, the Industry Uncertainty Indicator and, for the euro area only, the Business Climate Indicator:

• INDU_001:  Production development observed over the past 3 months
• INDU_002:  Assessment of order-book levels
• INDU_003:  Assessment of export order-book levels
• INDU_004:  Assessment of the current level of stocks of finished products
• INDU_005:  Production expectations over the next 3 months
• INDU_006:  Selling price expectations over the next 3 months
• INDU_007:  Employment expectations over the next 3 months
• INDU_UNC: Industry Uncertainty Indicator

The Industrial Confidence Indicator is calculated as the simple arithmetic mean of the seasonally adjusted balances (in percentage points) of the following three questions: production expectations (INDU_005), total order books (INDU_002), and stocks of finished products (INDU_004), the latter entered with an inverted sign.

Quarterly data are available for six variables:

• INDU_008: Factors limiting production
• INDU_009: Assessment of current production capacity
• INDU_011: New orders in recent months
• INDU_013: Current level of capacity utilization (%)
• INDU_015: Competitive position on foreign markets inside the EU over the past three months
• INDU_016: Competitive position on foreign markets outside the EU over the past three months

Results are published for the total manufacturing sector and broken down by Main Industrial Groupings (MIGs) and selected NACE Rev. 2 subsectors. The MIGs are:

• CDUR: Durable consumer goods
• CNDU: Non-durable consumer goods
• FOBE: Food and beverages industry (NACE Rev. 2 codes 10.1-10.5, 10.7-10.8, 11, 12)
• CONS: Consumer goods (CDUR+CNDU)
• INTM: Intermediate goods (excluding mining and quarrying)
• INVE: Investment goods

The NACE Rev. 2 subsectors covered by this survey are the following:

• C10: Manufacture of food products
• C11: Manufacture of beverages
• C12: Manufacture of tobacco products
• C13: Manufacture of textiles
• C14: Manufacture of wearing apparel
• C15: Manufacture of leather and related products
• C16: Manufacture of wood and of products of wood and cork, except furniture; manufacture of articles of straw and plaiting materials
• C17: Manufacture of paper and paper products
• C18: Printing and reproduction of recorded media
• C19: Manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products
• C20: Manufacture of chemicals and chemical products
• C21: Manufacture of basic pharmaceutical products and pharmaceutical preparations
• C22: Manufacture of rubber and plastic products
• C23: Manufacture of other non-metallic mineral products
• C24: Manufacture of basic metals
• C25: Manufacture of fabricated metal products, except machinery and equipment
• C26: Manufacture of computer, electronic and optical products
• C27: Manufacture of electrical equipment
• C28: Manufacture of machinery and equipment n.e.c.
• C29: Manufacture of motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers
• C30: Manufacture of other transport equipment
• C31: Manufacture of furniture
• C32: Other manufacturing
• C33: Repair and installation of machinery and equipment

In addition to the regular component of the industry survey, the investment survey is carried out twice a year – in March/April (“spring survey”) and in October/November (“autumn survey”). The survey is carried out as part of the regular industry survey, using the same panel of companies.

The variables covered are the following:

March/April survey:                            

• Change in investment from year t-2 to year t-1 ((+) = increase, (=) = remain unchanged, (-) = decrease)
• Change in investment from year t-1 from year t ((+), (=), (-))

October/November survey:                              

• Change in investment from year t-1 to year t ((+), (=), (-))
• Change in investment from year t to year t+1 ((+), (=), (-))
• Type(s) of investment planned for years t and t+1 (replacement/extension of production capacity/ technical progress/other): yes/no
• Factors  stimulating investment for years t and t+1 (demand/financial resources/technical factors/ other factors): yes/no

Info notes (data updates)

Services Sector Survey

The services survey collects qualitative assessments from managers on their recent business situation, past and expected changes in turnover and employment, and perceived economic uncertainty. It also includes a quarterly question on capacity utilisation and biannual questions on investment activity, with annual detail on the structure of and factors driving investment. The Services Sector Survey datasets present monthly and quarterly survey data.

The monthly dataset includes six variables and the Services Confidence Indicator.

• SERV_001: Business situation development over the past 3 months
• SERV_002: Evolution of demand over the past 3 months
• SERV_003: Expectations of demand over the next 3 months
• SERV_004: Evolution of employment over the past 3 months (suppressed since July 2024)
• SERV_005: Expectations of employment over the next 3 months
• SERV_006: Expectations of prices over the next 3 months

The Services Confidence Indicator is calculated as the simple arithmetic mean of the seasonally adjusted balances (in percentage points) of the following three questions: business situation development over the past 3 months (SERV_001), evolution of demand over the past 3 months (SERV_002), and expectations of demand over the next 3 months (SERV_003).

The following indicators are provided on a quarterly basis:

• SERV_007: Factors limiting service activity
• SERV_008: Current level of capacity utilisation

The survey covers the following NACE Rev. 2 services subsectors:

• H49: Land transport and transport via pipelines
• H50: Water transport
• H51: Air transport
• H52: Warehousing and support activities for transportation
• H53: Postal and courier activities
• I55: Accommodation
• I56: Food and beverage service activities
• J58: Publishing activities
• J59: Motion picture, video and television programme production, sound recording and music publishing activities
• J60: Programming and broadcasting activities
• J61: Telecommunications
• J62: Computer programming, consultancy and related activities
• J63: Information service activities
• L68: Real estate activities
• M69: Legal and accounting activities
• M70: Activities of head offices; management consultancy activities
• M71: Architectural and engineering activities; technical testing and analysis
• M72: Scientific research and development
• M73: Advertising and market research
• M74: Other professional, scientific and technical activities
• M75: Veterinary activities
• N77: Rental and leasing activities
• N78: Employment activities
• N79: Travel agency, tour operator reservation service and related activities
• N80: Security and investigation activities
• N81: Services to buildings and landscape activities
• N82: Office administrative, office support and other business support activities
• R90: Creative, arts and entertainment activities
• R91: Libraries, archives, museums and other cultural activities
• R92: Gambling and betting activities
• R93: Sports activities and amusement and recreation activities
• S94: Activities of membership organisations
• S95: Repair of computers and personal and household goods
• S96: Other personal service activities

The investment survey is integrated in the services survey and run twice yearly (March/April and October/November) with the same company panel. It covers:

March/April survey:                            

• Change in investment from year t-2 to year t-1 ((+) = increase, (=) = remain unchanged, (-) = decrease)
• Change in investment from year t-1 from year t ((+), (=), (-))

October/November survey:                              

• Change in investment from year t-1 to year t ((+), (=), (-))
• Change in investment from year t to year t+1 ((+), (=), (-))
• Type(s) of investment planned for years t and t+1 (replacement/extension of production capacity/ technical progress/other): yes/no
• Factors  stimulating investment for years t and t+1 (demand/financial resources/technical factors/ other factors): yes/no

Info notes (data updates)

Retail Trade Survey

The information provided by the retail trade survey is entirely qualitative. Managers are asked about recent and expected developments of their business activity, the current level of stocks, perceived economic uncertainty, as well as their expectations about a number of other economic variables, such as orders placed with suppliers, employment and selling prices. Retail trade survey only consists of monthly data and covers the following variables:

• RETA_001: Business activity (sales) development over the past 3 months
• RETA_002: Current volume of stocks held
• RETA_003: Expectations of the number of orders placed with suppliers over the next 3 months
• RETA_004: Business activity expectations over the next 3 months
• RETA_005: Employment expectations over the next 3 months
• RETA_006: Price expectations over the next 3 months
• RETA_COF: Retail Confidence Indicator
• RETA_LH: Labour Hoarding Indicator
• RETA_UNC: Uncertainty Indicator

Moreover, the dataset also includes the Retail Confidence Indicator, calculated as the simple arithmetic average of seasonally adjusted balances (in percentage points) for the questions on current business situation (RETA_001), expected business situation (RETA_004), and current volume of stocks (RETA_002), with the stocks component entered with an inverted sign.

The survey covers the following NACE Rev.2 subsectors:

• G45: Wholesale and Retail Trade and Repair of Motor Vehicles and Motorcycles
• G451: Sale of Motor Vehicles
• G452: Maintenance and Repair of Motor Vehicles
• G47: Retail Trade, except of Motor Vehicles and Motorcycles
• G47_FOOD: Retail Sale of Food, Beverages and Tobacco
• G47_NFOOD_X_G473: Retail Sale of Non-Food Products (except fuel)
• G473: Retail Sale of Automotive Fuel In Specialised Stores

Info notes (data updates)

Construction Survey

The construction survey is an important source of information concerning short-term developments in this sector. The construction survey provides qualitative information on variables such as past building activity and current order books, perceived economic uncertainty, as well as a quantitative (quarterly) question on the number of months of production secured by the work in hand and only covers monthly variables. Specifically:

• RETA_001: Business activity (sales) development over the past 3 months
• RETA_002: Current volume of stocks held
• RETA_003: Expectations of the number of orders placed with suppliers over the next 3 months
• RETA_004: Business activity expectations over the next 3 months
• RETA_005: Employment expectations over the next 3 months
• RETA_006: Price expectations over the next 3 months

The dataset also presents the Retail Confidence Indicator, calculated as the simple arithmetic average of balances (in percentage points) for the questions on current business situation (RETA_001), expected business situation (RETA_004), and current volume of stocks (RETA_002), with the stocks component entered with an inverted sign. 

The NACE Rev.2 subsectors covered by the survey are:

• F41: Construction of Buildings
• F42: Civil Engineering
• F43:  Specialised Construction Activities

Info notes (data updates)

Consumer Survey

The purpose of the consumer survey is twofold: first, to collect information on households’ spending and savings intentions, and second, to assess their perception of the factors influencing these decisions. To this end, the questions are organised around four topics: households’ financial situation, the general economic situation, savings and intentions with regard to major purchases. Finally, the survey also includes a question on perceived economic uncertainty. Specifically, the monthly variables covered are:

• CONS_001: Financial situation over the last 12 months
• CONS_002: Financial situation over the next 12 months
• CONS_003: General economic situation over the last 12 months
• CONS_004: General economic situation over the next 12 months
• CONS_005: Price trends over the last 12 months
• CONS_006: Price trends over the next 12 months
• CONS_007: Unemployment expectations over the next 12 months
• CONS_008: Assessment of whether the current economic situation is adequate for making major purchases
• CONS_009: Major purchases planned over the next 12 months
• CONS_010: Assessment of whether the current economic situation is adequate for savings (suppressed since July 2024)
• CONS_011: Savings expected over the next 12 months
• CONS_012: Self‑assessment of the household’s financial situation

And the quarterly ones:

• CONS_014: Purchase or build a home within the next 12 months
• CONS_015: Home improvements over the next 12 months

The Consumer Confidence Indicator is the simple arithmetic average of balances (in percentage points) for the following questions: financial situation of households over the last 12 months (CONS_001), financial situation of households over the next 12 months (CONS_002), general economic situation over the next 12 months (CONS_004), and intentions to make major purchases over the next 12 months (CONS_009).

Consumer survey data are further broken down into demographic categories. These are:

• Sex: Male [MAL], Female [FEM]
• Income: Wage quartiles [RE1], [RE2], [RE3], [RE4]
• Education Level: Primary [ED1], secondary [ED2] and further [ED3]
• Occupational Status: New WO categories
  • [WO1] Managers and professionals (ISCO 08: 11–14 and 21–26)
  • [WO2] Technicians and associate professionals (ISCO 08: 31–35)
  • [WO3] Clerical and support workers; services and sales workers (ISCO 08: 41–44 and 51–54)
  • [WO4] Skilled agricultural, forestry and fishery workers; craft and related trade workers (ISCO 08: 61–63 and 71–75)
  • [WO5] Plant and machine operators, assemblers and elementary occupations (ISCO 08: 81–83 and 91–96)
  • [WO6] Total employed (rows 6–10; sum of all ISCO 08 11–96)
  • [WO7] Unemployed
  • [WO8] In retirement or early retirement; widow/widower receiving pension after partner died; permanently disabled or chronically ill
  • [WO9] Other occupations (student or further training; unpaid work experience; fulfilling domestic tasks/housekeeper or childcare; in compulsory military or community service; other)
  • [WO10] Total unemployed and other occupations (rows 12–14)
• Working regime of respondent
  • [WR1] Work full-time
  • [WR2] Work part-time

Info notes (data updates)

January 2026	For the first time, Bulgaria is included in the euro-area aggregate. The historical values have been revised accordingly. Moreover, as in every January, the country weights used to calculate all EU and the euro-area aggregates were updated.
December 2025	Publication of consumer (CONS) survey results for Spain (ES) is resumed. Consistent time series for all monthly and quarterly balances have been restored using new data collected since May 2025 and econometric techniques for the missing period between Oct-2024 to Apr-2025. Due to the new sampling methodology, all ES series, except for Q3 and Q7, warranted a level-shift prior to May-2025. See methodological note on the BCS website for details. Re-inclusion of ES CONS data has an impact on the ES, euro area and EU ESIs and euro area and EU CONS results. ES time series for disaggregate results (CONS categories and detailed data by answer category) have not been restored consistently, and thus display a break in May 2025. All original data (pre-restoration process) are available on request to ECFIN-BCS-MAILec [dot] europa [dot] eu.
October 2024	Surveys for Spain in services, retail trade and among consumers are temporarily suspended.
July 2024	Monthly question Q10 and quarterly questions Q10 and Q13 were withdrawn from dissemination.
April 2024	Publication of consumer (CONS) survey results for Romania (RO) is resumed. Consistent time series for all monthly and quarterly balances have been restored using new data collected since May 2023 and econometric techniques. See methodological note on the BCS website for details. Re-inclusion of RO CONS data has an impact also on the RO and EU ESIs and EU CONS results. Concerning the latter, the inclusion of consistently restored series for RO fixes a mal-functioning level correction in place since April/May 2020. Impact on the EU confidence indicator is an upward correction by around 1.5 points since May 2020. RO time series for disaggregate results (CONS categories and data shares) have not been restored consistently. All original data (pre-restoration process) are available on request to ECFIN-BCS-MAILec [dot] europa [dot] eu.
March 2024	Correction of inverted results for Croatian income quartiles (RE1, RE2, RE3 and RE4).
January 2024	The country weights used to calculate the EU and the euro-area aggregates were updated
February 2023	Temporary discontinuation of the surveys in Ireland
January 2023	For the first time, Croatia is included in the euro-area aggregate. The historical values (since 1985), as well as the country weights, have been revised accordingly. The country weights used to calculate the EU and the euro-area aggregates were updated.
April 2022	Due to a change of the seasonal adjustment method, all seasonally-adjusted survey results have been revised.
January 2022	The country weights used to calculate the EU and the euro-area aggregates were updated
March 2021	The data collection method of the Slovenian consumer survey was changed in January 2016. A backcast of the time-series most affected by the change (Q6, Q9, Q11) has been made for the period until (incl.) December 2015.
January 2021	Revision of the weighting scheme of the Italian Consumer Survey. All historical Italian consumer series have been recalculated accordingly. The country weights used to calculate the EU and the euro-area aggregates were updated.
November 2020	There was a structural change in the way consumer data is collected in Sweden. The change does not only have an impact on Swedish data, but also on the EU time-series. Historical data for the aggregate series ('Total Consumer' balances) have been revised to correct for the level shift. All disaggregate data (consumer categories/breakdowns and datashares) have not been revised and might thus present a structural break in November 2020. Data collected during a 3-month overlapping period is available on request to ECFIN-BCS-MAILec [dot] europa [dot] eu (ECFIN-BCS-MAIL[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu).
April 2020	Due to confinement measures linked to coronavirus, some partner institutes had to change their mode of conducting their consumer survey. Face-to-face and Computer-Aided Personal Interviews (F2F/CAPI) switched to:  - Computer-Aided Telephone Interviews (CATI) in Croatia, Latvia, Slovak Republic, and Turkey; - Computer-Aided Web Interview (CAWI) in Hungary and Poland; and  - a mix of CAWI and CATI in Bulgaria and Lithuania.
April 2020	Temporary discontinuation of the consumer survey in Romania.
March 2020	In most countries, the large majority of survey responses were collected before strict containment measures were enacted to combat the spread of the Corona virus.
February 2020	All EU aggregates are calculated on the basis of 27 Member States (i.e. excluding the UK, which withdrew from the EU on 31 January 2020).  The historical values of the EU series have been revised accordingly.
January 2020	Correction for a change in several questions on order books and stocks in the industry, construction and retail trade surveys in Denmark in 2014, in order to harmonise them with the BCS programme guidelines. In industry (Q2, Q3, Q4), the change occurred in July 2014, in construction (Q3) and retail trade (Q2) in August 2014. The series before these dates were revised based on an ARIMA-estimation of the breaks created by the changes. The correction has an impact on the long-term average of the series, and therefore on the current level of the ESI in Denmark. It also has a minor impact on EU data.
May 2019	There was a structural change in the way consumer data is collected in Germany and Finland. The change does not only have an impact on German and Finnish data, but also on the aggregate euro-area and EU time-series. Historical data for the aggregate series ('Total Consumer' balances) have been revised to correct for the level shift. All disaggregate data (consumer categories/breakdowns and datashares) have not been revised and might thus present a structural break in May 2019.Data collected during a 3-month overlapping period are available on request to ECFIN-BCS-MAILec [dot] europa [dot] eu (ECFIN-BCS-MAIL[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu).  Change of partner institute in Austria; this may cause a break in some series of the survey.
January 2019	Ireland is included in the European aggregates. The historical values, as well as the country weights, have been revised accordingly. The country weights used to calculate the EU and the euro-area aggregates were updated.
January 2019	The composition of the consumer confidence indicator is revised. More information on the new methodology can be found on  "A revised Consumer Confidence Indicator".
August 2017	Revision of the design of the Dutch Consumer Survey. In order to limit the impact of the structural break, all the historical Dutch consumer series have been back casted accordingly.
May 2016	- Due to a revision of the breakdown by occupation of the respondent as of May 2016, time series corresponding to consumer categories PR0 to PR9 are discontinued until further notice. - From May 2016 onwards, Statistics Portugal will report and publish the results for the Services, Construction, Industry and Trade surveys based on new samples and sampling frames.  The new samples are being surveyed since May 2015.  For the backcasting of the series, two samples (old and new) for each survey were collected simultaneously from May 2015 to April 2016. In general, for calculating the backcasted series (balances), the difference between the averages for the common period of the two samples was used.  - With effect from May 2016, change of partner institutes in the Joint Harmonised EU programme of Business and Consumer Surveys for Ireland and Montenegro. These changes may cause a break in the series.
November 2015	- Revision of the Bulgarian data for the five Investment surveys conducted between March/April 2013 and March/April 2015. - In November 2015, the British partner institute (CBI) updated the sampling weights for the Industry, Investment, Retail and Services surveys in line with changes in officially available data from various UK governmental sources.  - As of November 2015, the Portuguese consumer data is based on a new sample. For the backcasting of the series, the two samples were collected simultaneously between November 2014 and October 2015.
June 2015	Revision of Romanian Investment survey data between 2011 and 2015
May 2015	With effect from May 2015, change of partner institutes in the Joint Harmonised EU programme of Business and Consumer Surveys for Turkey and Serbia. These changes may cause a break in the series and impact to some extent also the ESI figures in the above mentioned countries.
January 2015	Lithuania joined the euro area on 1 January 2015 and is included in the EA aggregates.
January 2014	Latvia joined the euro area on 1 January 2014 and is included in the EA aggregates.
July 2013	For the first time, Croatia is included in the EU aggregate. The historical values, as well as the country weights, have been revised accordingly.
June 2013	The Italian partner institute (ISTAT) introduced some methodological improvements concerning sampling and survey techniques that could affect data comparability with previous months.
May 2011	With effect from May 2011, a number of partner institutes in the Joint Harmonised EU programme of Business and Consumer Surveys have changed; Denmark: Services, Retail trade; Spain: Consumers, Services, Retail trade; Portugal: Building. These changes may cause a break in the series and impact to some extent also the ESI figures in the above mentioned countries.
June 2009	Results for question 7 are not seasonally adjusted. Consumer survey data in Portugal for September 1997 to May 2009 has been revised by the partner institute to take account of a change of panel which occurred in May 2008 (the data became available in May 2009).
January 2009	For the first time, Slovakia is included in the euro-area aggregate. The historical values (since 1985), as well as the country weights, have been revised accordingly. The country weights used to calculate the EU and the euro-area aggregates were updated.
May 2008	Change of partner institute in Greece, Spain and Cyprus; this may cause a break in some series of the survey. Temporary discontinuation of the survey in Ireland. The data for Q2-2008 in UK is based on fieldwork conducted in the second month of the quarter (one month later than usual).
January 2008	For the first time, Cyprus and Malta are included in the euro-area aggregate. The historical values (since 1985), as well as the country weights, have been revised accordingly. The country weights used to calculate the EU and the euro-area aggregates were updated.
January 2007	For the first time, Bulgaria and Romania are included in the EU aggregate, whilst the euro-area aggregate includes Slovenia. The historical values (since 1985), as well as the country weights, have been revised accordingly.
September 2006	The countries weights used to calculate the EU and the euro area aggregates were updated.
January 2006	The series for Malta are now available.
December 2005	The series for Italy / question 12 were revised for the period 1985-2005 (plus and minus answers were inverted). The European aggregates EU and EA were recomputed.
September 2005	Country weights used to calculate the EU and euro area aggregates were updated and the related series were recomputed.
May 2005	All the series for Luxembourg are now seasonally adjusted.
January 2005	All the series are now available with one decimal (not displayed).
September 2004	All the series are seasonally adjusted for: CY, LV, LT, PL, SK, BG, RO.
May 2004	The EU aggregate is now calculated including the new Member states.
September 1997	Due to a change of institute in September 1997, consumer data for Portugal previous to this date is not directly comparable with the rest of the series.
Every January as of 2007	The weighting scheme used to calculate composite indicators and the long-term average are revised in January. This can lead to slight revisions in past data (see User Guide for more information) during that month.