Sources
We use several different sources when compiling statistics, depending on the type of data.
- Our macroeconomic statistics are based mainly on macroeconomic reports submitted by financial and other institutions. We sometimes retrieve additional information from other sources. For the balance of payments current account, for instance, we use Statistics Netherlands data on trade in goods and services and secondary income flows.
- We derive our monetary statistics primarily from reports submitted by monetary financial institutions, compiling interest rate statistics on debit and credit interest rates and the Bank Lending Survey on actual and expected lending conditions on the basis of surveys among banks.
- Our supervision statistics derive from various supervisory reports submitted by financial institutions, including CRD IV, FINREP, COREP and Solvency II.
For monetary and macro-economic statistics we usually request only part of the population to submit data, applying a grossing-up factor to correct for the non-surveyed part to ensure that the statistics are representative for the whole population. All reports are assessed for data quality. DNB’s revision policy for insurance corporations is in compliance with the Common Minimum Standards for Data Revisions published by the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) and the European Central Bank (ECB).
Guidelines
Our macroeconomic statistics meet the applicable international guidelines:
- ESA 2010 : the European translation of the System of National Accounts of the United Nations (2008 SNA).
- Balance of Payments and International Investment Position Manual (BPM6): the methodology established by the IMF to compile the balance of payments and net external asset position.
The sector classification in our macro-economic and monetary tables concurs with ESA 2010:
- non-financial corporations (S.11)
- central bank (S.121)
- deposit-taking corporations except the central bank (S.122)
- money market funds (S.123)
- investment funds (S.124)
- other financial intermediaries (S.125)
- financial auxiliaries (S.126)
- captive financial institutions and money lenders (S.127)
- insurance corporations (S.128)
- pension funds (S.129)
- general government (S.13)
- households (S.14 and S.15)
Most tables concern the financial activities of monetary financial institutions (MFIs), i.e. central banks, credit institutions, deposit-taking corporations and money market funds.
The tables on the balance of payments sometimes include a breakdown for Special Purpose Entities (SPE’s). An SPE is a subsidiary established in the Netherlands performing a function in a foreign multinational's cross-border financial infrastructure. SPE’s are used by DNB to identify pass-through capital.
In the tables we publish, the non-financial sector (businesses, governments and households) appears only as "counterparty sector", for instance when banks provide credit to non-financial institutions.
Breaks in statistical series and calculations
We aim to adjust statistical series for breaks that occur in the event of, for instance, an amendment to the reporting framework or a reclassification, without compromising on quality. We have devised break-adjusted versions for key series.
In the event of rounding, published aggregates may differ slightly from the sum of the sub-items.
Average prices on an annual, quarterly and monthly basis are calculated using daily prices. Weekends and national holidays are not reflected in calculations.
For further explanation of the applied methodology click here.