Accuracy and reliability

Overall accuracy

The uncertainty in the national accounts figures is connected with the uncertainty in the sources (particularly gross fixed capital formation) that are used. There is conceptual consistency over time and uniform processing of sources contributes to reducing the uncertainty for the national accounts figures. In particular, the combination of primary sources in an integrated system helps reveal errors that therefore do not pass through to the final national accounts.

There are no quantified measures of uncertainty.

Until 2020, buildings and transport equipment were fully or partly compiled using a direct stock approach based on administrative registers. From 2021 onwards, the Perpetual Inventory Method (PIM) is applied to all asset types to ensure a consistent and harmonised compilation of fixed assets. The direct stock approach is considered the most reliable method. Since buildings and transport equipment account for the majority of the total capital stock, the shift to PIM for these asset types introduces a higher level of uncertainty in the estimates from 2021 onwards.

For a sensitivity analysis of the service lives of dwellings, see A Comparison of PIM Estimates with Direct Stock Information for Dwellings by Esben Dalgaard and Annette Thomsen. Paper prepared for the 26th General Conference of The International Association for Research in Income and Wealth. Cracow, Poland, 27 August to 2 September 2000.

Sampling error

Not relevant for these statistics.

Non-sampling error

Not relevant for these statistics.

Quality management

Statistics Denmark follows the recommendations on organisation and management of quality given in the Code of Practice for European Statistics (CoP) and the implementation guidelines given in the Quality Assurance Framework of the European Statistical System (QAF). A Working Group on Quality and a central quality assurance function have been established to continuously carry through control of products and processes.

Quality assurance

Statistics Denmark follows the principles in the Code of Practice for European Statistics (CoP) and uses the Quality Assurance Framework of the European Statistical System (QAF) for the implementation of the principles. This involves continuous decentralized and central control of products and processes based on documentation following international standards. The central quality assurance function reports to the Working Group on Quality. Reports include suggestions for improvement that are assessed, decided and subsequently implemented.

Quality assessment

With the introduction of ESA2010 the levels for fixed capital was validated.

Data revision - policy

Statistics Denmark revises published figures in accordance with the Revision Policy for Statistics Denmark. The common procedures and principles of the Revision Policy are for some statistics supplemented by a specific revision practice.

Data revision practice

Fixed capital is compiled according to guidelines in the present European national accounting system, ESA2010. Updated series for fixed capital are published yearly.

• Fixed capital was released for the first time in 1997 according to guidelines in the former European national accounting system, ESA79, and the DB93-based industries.
• First revision in 2001: According to the system ESA95 and DB93-based industries.
• Second revision in 2005: data revision with minor corrections according to ESA95 and DB93-based industries.
• Third revision in 2011: Industry revision with incorporation of DB07-based industries.
• Fourth revision on September 15th 2014: Incorporation of the system ESA2010.
• Fifth revision on November 15th 2016, data revision with minor corrections, measured according to ESA2010 and DB07 based industries.
• Sixth revision on 28 June 2024: minor corrections for the whole period 1966-2020, in accordance with the ESA2010 manual and the DB07 classification.

From June 28th 2024 figures are available at current prices and 2020-prices, chained values.