Relevance
Outward Foreign
Affiliates Statistics (Outward FATS or OFATS) describe the activity of foreign
affiliates abroad controlled by the compiling country. Outward FATS produce statistics on the number
of enterprises (affiliates), turnover and number of persons employed of
such foreign affiliates. These are
aggregated by NACE and the country of residence of the foreign affiliates that
have a Maltese Ultimate Controlling Institution (UCI). Such statistics are compiled under European
Framework Regulation (EC) No. 716/2007.
Methodological
description
Data for Outward FATS is
collected by means of a paper questionnaire that is sent to all UCIs in Malta
with foreign affiliates (i.e. census-based). Each Maltese UCI provides data for the number
of enterprises with 50% shareholding or more, NACE activity, turnover and
number of persons employed for each of its foreign affiliates. NACE Rev. 2 is used for the NACE
classification, whereas ISO codes are used for the country of the foreign
affiliate. Turnover is expressed in
thousands of Euros whereas number of enterprises and number of persons employed
are expressed in units. Outward FATS
data is compiled on a yearly basis.
Accuracy and
reliability of data
Information about
the accuracy and reliability of data can be viewed in a dedicated ESMS metadata
report available on the NSO’s metadata website.
Timeliness and
punctuality of data
Data for Outward
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.
The ‘Outward FATS’ news release is
published on a yearly basis on the NSO’s website, normally after two years from
the end of the reference period. This
is published on the pre-established date as scheduled in the Advance Release Calendar which is available on
the NSO’s website.
Accessibility and clarity
of data
Outward 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’s metadata website.
Coherence and
comparability/consistency of data
Outward FATS data 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.
Therefore, data for Outward FATS is comparable for all reference years
as from 2008 onwards. Data is also
comparable to that of the other Member States since all requirements and
recommendations laid down by in the Regulation 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.
For Outward FATS data, a 50 per cent shareholding and over for each subsidiary is used therefore data is not the same as FDI statistics (whereby a shareholding of 10 per cent or more is required).
Questionnaire
|
Metadata