BUSINESS OPERATIONS OF ENTERPRISES, 2023 – Provisional Data

Presented data refer to the business economy of the Republic of Croatia concerning activities of all market producers, except for activities classified in section Agriculture, forestry and fishing. The data are published at the level of the statistical unit ''enterprise'' in accordance with the definition and rules set out in the Council Regulation (EEC) No 696/93 of 15 March 1993 on the statistical units for the observation and analysis of the production system in the Community. They are harmonised with relevant European Union standards, and they are also internationally comparable.

Presented data are not comparable with the data on the structure and business collected and/or processed according to the methodologies having a different approach and/or using different concepts and definitions.

More detailed data by activities and employment size classes are available on the website of the Croatian Bureau of Statistics under "PC-Axis databases", which enables browsing and exporting of data in various formats.

The largest share in turnover was generated by enterprises in section G

According to the provisional results, in accordance with the definitions of structural business statistics (see Notes on Methodology), a total of 240 620 enterprises employing 1 300 996 persons were active in the business economy in 2023, and they generated a total turnover of 153.5 billion euro.

The largest number of enterprises operated in section M (Professional, scientific and technical activities), in which there were 40 293 active enterprises, or 16.7%, and in section G (Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles), in which 35 416, or 14.7%, enterprises operated.

The largest number of employed persons was engaged in section C (Manufacturing), 276 359, or 21.2%, and in section G (Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles), 253 097, or 19.5%.

Enterprises in section G (Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles) had the largest share in the generated turnover, of 34.8%, or 53.5 billion euro. They were followed by enterprises in section C (Manufacturing), with a generated turnover of 31.4 billion euro, or 20.4%.

NOTES ON METHODOLOGY

Structural business statistics of enterprises (SBS) describe the structure, conduct and performance of economic activities of market producers, valued at market prices, by observing the units engaged in those activities. They provide information on output and performance, size, employment, productivity, national and regional specialisation, investments, etc.

The purpose of structural business statistics surveys is to monitor business operations and provide internationally comparable data in full accordance with European standards of structural business statistics (Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 November 2019 on European business statistics, repealing 10 legal acts in the field of business statistics). The obtained indicators enable the analysis of business and structural changes of the business population. They serve as a basis for performing market analysis and business decision-making as well as for the calculation of the gross domestic product and the assessment of basic macroeconomic categories.

Sources and methods of data collection

The SBS compilation data and those for calculation of indicators are entirely collected from the existing administrative and statistical sources. The principal data source in sections B – J, L – N and P – S is the Annual Financial Report of Entrepreneurs (GFI-POD form) taken over from the Financial Agency, while data in section K are obtained from the Croatian National Bank and the Croatian Financial Services Supervisory Agency. Additional data sources are other financial reports, records of the Tax Administration (profit and income taxes) and own survey of the Croatian Bureau of Statistics ‒ the Annual Report on Gross Investment in Fixed Assets (INV-P form), in accordance with the relevant methodology.

Observation units

The main observation unit used in the structural business statistics is an enterprise – a business entity that makes an organisational unit engaged in producing goods and/or services and benefits from a certain degree of autonomy, in accordance with Council Regulation (EEC) No 696/93 on the statistical units for the observation and analysis of the production system in the Community. Depending on the business and organisational situation, it may correspond to either one legal unit or a group of several legal units. In addition to legal units, enterprises also include free lances and crafts.

Each enterprise as a whole is assigned a code number of its principal activity according to the National Classification of Activities, 2007 version. The principal activity is determined and updated by the Statistical Business Register of the Croatian Bureau of Statistics. The criterion for determining the principal activity is the largest share in the total value added of an enterprise. If it is not possible to obtain accurate information on the value added, the activity classification has to be determined by using substitute criteria such as income and/or the number of employed persons. For enterprises classified in section K – Financial and insurance activities, observation units are still legal entities or natural persons, which are used as proxies for enterprises.

Coverage

Data are presented by sections and divisions of the National Classification of Activities, 2007 version (NKD 2007). They include active enterprises – market producers, that are classified into sections B – N, P – R and divisions S95 and S96, according to their principal activity.

Publishing

Provisional data are published within 11 months after the end of the reference (reporting) year and refer to three variables (Number of active enterprises, Number of employees and self-employed persons and Net turnover). The final results for the entire set of variables are published within 19 months after the end of the reference (reporting) year. After publishing the data in the Republic of Croatia, they are also published by Eurostat.

Confidentiality

Aggregate data, for which confidentiality must be upheld (because of a small number of units, the dominance rule or secondary confidentiality rule), are treated as such and are not published, which is in line with the Official Statistics Act (NN, Nos 25/20 and 155/23) and the Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 of the European Parliament and of the Council.

Definitions of variables and additional notes on methodology are available in the document Business Operations of Enterprises since 2021 ‒ Notes on Methodology.

This document has been produced with the financial assistance of the European Union. The contents of this document are the sole responsibility of the Croatian Bureau of Statistics and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union.

Published by the Croatian Bureau of Statistics, Zagreb, Ilica 3, P. O. B. 80
Phone: (+385 1) 48 06 111
Press corner: press@dzs.hr

Persons responsible:
Milenka Primorac Čačić, Director of Business Statistics Directorate
Lidija Brković, Director General

Prepared by:
Paula Nimac and Stjepan Boroš

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