What you should know

The Survey on Intermediate Consumption 2021 (ECI 2021) is an official statistical activity included in the Annual Statistical Action Programme (action 02 01 02), which implements the Law on the Statistical Plan of Catalonia 2017–2020, approved by Law 5/2016, of 23 December, which has been extended until the present time. The body responsible is Idescat.

2. What are the objectives of the survey?

The main objective of the Survey on Intermediate Consumption 2021 is to provide statistical information with the necessary detail to compile the Input-Output Framework for Catalonia 2021 (MIOC-2021). This operation is the main source of information for estimating the main aggregates of the Catalan economy and makes it possible to ensure consistency between the annual, quarterly, and territorial accounts. It also makes it possible to estimate economic impacts and other macroeconomic simulations.

To achieve these objectives, the Survey questionnaire collects information in the following thematic blocks:

• Company identification
• Purchases and their geographical origin
• Expenditure on external services and its geographical origin
• Income and destination of turnover
• Investment and its territorial origin
• Average employment and hours worked
• Personnel expenses

3. Who will be asked for this information?

The Survey is addressed to all companies with establishments located in Catalonia. The theoretical sample is made up of 4,600 companies from all economic activities, except for branches that are investigated using other methodologies (for example, financial branches and non-market activities).

4. Is the survey information sufficiently protected?

The individual data from the surveys are protected by statistical confidentiality, in the terms established by Law on Statistics in Catalonia.

Therefore, the individualised data collected in the questionnaires cannot be made public or communicated to any person or entity, nor to public administrations (except for those that are also bound by the obligation of statistical secrecy).

In this sense, the staff of Idescat and the rest of the bodies that participate in official statistics in Catalonia make a declaration to preserve statistical confidentiality, and the system of liability provided for by law applies to them in the event of non-compliance.

Likewise, the obligation to preserve statistical confidentiality extends to the publication of results. Thus, both Idescat and the other bodies in the Statistical System of Catalonia are especially careful to prevent individual data from being deduced from the information that is published.

5. Is it compulsory to respond to the survey?

Given the public interest nature of all statistics included in the Statistical Plan of Catalonia, as established by the Parliament of Catalonia, it is compulsory for companies to collaborate in answering the questionnaires in order to ensure an adequate response rate and, consequently, reliable statistical results (chapter V of the Law on Statistics in Catalonia. This is stated in Article 38 of the aforementioned law: "All citizens, entities and institutions are obliged by law to provide the information requested and this information must be complete and truthful".

6. When is the fieldwork performed?

The fieldwork has started in the last week of October 2023 and is expected to last up to and including June 2024.

7. Where can I get further information?

During the fieldwork period, a telephone number and an e-mail address are available to answer any questions that may arise.

• Telephone: 900 809 887
• Email: mioc at idescat dot cat