Metadata: Labour productivity

HERMREG database: cooperation project between the FPB (Federal Planning Bureau), Statistics Flanders, IWEPS (Walloon Institute for Evaluation, Forecasts and Statistics), BISA (Brussels Institute for Statistics and Analysis), Statbel and the Institute of National Accounts (INR): for the data of the Belgian regions.

AMECO: for the data of the countries, including Belgium.

Labour productivity: a measure of the efficiency of the labour used. It represents the ratio of gross domestic product (GDP) to employment in a given country or region.

Gross domestic product (GDP): the monetary value of the final goods and services produced in a country or region over 1 year’s time. It concerns consumer goods and capital goods (investments) of the private sector and the public sector for domestic use and export, with deduction of the imported consumer and capital goods.

Terminology of the European system of National Accounts (ESA) 2010:
(1) Sold production (at the price without transport costs if invoiced separately and including any transport margin).
(2) Intermediate consumption at purchase prices (without deductible VAT, including any non-deductible VAT).
(3) = (1) - (2) Gross value added at factor cost.
(4) Non-product-linked taxes (taxes on land use, buildings, environmental taxes, etc.).
(5) Non-product-linked subsidies (subsidies for labour, subsidies for environmental protection, etc.).
(6) = (3) + (4) - (5) gross value added at basic prices.
(7) Product-linked taxes (VAT, import taxes and duties, excise duties).
(8) Product-linked subsidies (imports and other subsidies).
(9) = (6) + (7) - (8) gross domestic product at market prices.

Employment: covers both salaried and self-employed employment in a country or region, defined according to the ESA 2010.

Expressing the values in purchasing power standards adjusts for the differences in purchasing power between countries. The data for the Belgian Regions were estimated by applying Belgian purchasing power parities.

For the Belgian Regions, data which have been corrected for commuting, are also calculated, by using the residence-workplace commuting matrices taken from the European Labour Force Survey.

The series distinguishes between observations, estimates and projections. Observations are based on data up to and including the penultimate available year of the official regional accounts. These are figures that may be considered final. Estimates use the last available year of the official regional accounts. The latter year is based on provisional source material and is therefore subject to change in the future. The projections are based on the econometric results of the medium-term HERMREG model which also incorporates regional accounts data.

Gross domestic product for Belgium and the Regions is compiled by the Institute of National Accounts on the basis of a wide range of sources. For companies, their annual financial accounts and the VAT and National Social Security Office (NSSO) data are an important source. For public bodies, the public accounts are used. The calculations are made according to the ESA 2010 methodology and are internationally accepted by the national statistical institutes. The data are transmitted to Eurostat, which uses them to compile the series in purchasing power standards.

The output of the Institute of National Accounts is the source of the HERMREG model’s medium-term projections. These are calculated by means of econometric estimates by the Federal Planning Bureau and the three regional statistical institutions. The figures for the regions are converted by Statistics Flanders into euro purchasing power standard. The HERMREG output is always submitted to a Steering Committee in which the Federal Planning Bureau and the Regions are represented.

HERMREG database: Regional economic outlook (in Dutch)

Institute of National Accounts (INR): Regional accounts(opens in new window)

European Commission: Ameco(opens in new window)

Labour productivity