local units | Number of local units - A count of the number of local units registered to the population concerned in the business register corrected for errors, in particular frame errors. Local units must be included even if they have no paid employees. This statistic should include all units active for at least a part of the reference period. |
wages and salaries | Wages and salaries are defined as 'the total remuneration, in cash or in kind, payable to all persons counted on the payroll (including homeworkers), in return for work done during the accounting period` regardless of whether it is paid on the basis of working time, output or piecework and whether it is paid regularly or not.
Wages and salaries include the values of any social contributions, income taxes, etc. payable by the employee even if they are actually withheld by the employer and paid directly to social insurance schemes, tax authorities, etc. on behalf of the employee. Wages and salaries do not include social contributions payable by the employer.
Wages and salaries include: all gratuities, bonuses, ex gratia payments, 13th month payments, severance payments, lodging, transport, cost-of-living, and family allowances, tips, commission, attendance fees, etc. received by employees, as well as taxes, social security contributions and other amounts payable by employees and withheld at source by the employer. Wages and salaries which the employer continues to pay in the event of illness, occupational accident, maternity leave or short-time working may be recorded here or under social security costs, dependent on the unit's accounting practices.
Payments for agency workers are not included in wages and salaries. |
gross investment in tangible goods | Gross investment in tangible goods - investment during the reference period in all tangible goods. Included are new and existing tangible capital goods, whether bought from third parties or produced for own use (i.e. capitalised production of tangible capital goods), having a useful life of more than one year including non-produced tangible goods such as land. The threshold for the useful life of a good that can be capitalised may be increased according to company accounting practices where these practices require, a greater expected useful life than the one-year threshold indicated above.
All investments are valued prior to (i.e. gross of) value adjustments, and before the deduction of income from disposals. Purchased goods are valued at purchase price, i.e. transport and installation charges, fees, taxes and other costs of ownership transfer are included. Own produced tangible goods are valued at production cost. Goods acquired through restructuring (such as mergers, take-overs, break-ups, split-off) are excluded. Purchases of small tools which are not capitalised are included under current expenditure.
Also included are all additions, alterations, improvements and renovations which prolong the service life or increase the productive capacity of capital goods.
Current maintenance costs are excluded as is the value and current expenditure on capital goods used under rental and lease contracts. Investment in intangible and financial assets are excluded. |
Number of persons employed | The number of persons employed is defined as the total number of persons who work in the observation unit (inclusive of working proprietors, partners working regularly in the unit and unpaid family workers), as well as persons who work outside the unit who belong to it and are paid by it (e.g. sales representatives, delivery personnel, repair and maintenance teams). It includes persons absent for a short period (e.g. sick leave, paid leave or special leave), and also those on strike, but not those absent for an indefinite period. It also includes part-time workers who are regarded as such under the laws of the country concerned and who are on the payroll, as well as seasonal workers, apprentices and home workers on the payroll. |