8th Census of Industry and Services (2001)

4.3 million firms and institutions, divided into just over 4,7 million local units, employing 19,4 million people.

The economic censuses provide an exhaustive picture of the size and characteristics of the national economic system at a fine level of local detail. The database obtained makes it possible to create and maintain archives of production units (firms, enterprises, institutions) which can also be used as the basis for conducting sample-based surveys.

The subject of the 8th Census was all firms (legal/economic units) operating in the industrial and service sectors registered with Chambers of Commerce: self-employed sole traders and professionals, public institutions, non-profit institutions (voluntary associations, political parties, social cooperatives, foundations and church organisations).

Thanks to the availability of up-to-date archives of local units created over the years by integrating administrative data sources, census data quality has improved significantly, while the demands placed on respondents have been reduced to a minimum.