Project ‘New/Experimental statistics in the area of globalisation or other policy priority areas for businesses’ Area 1: ‘New insights on enterprise performance’

In January 2026, the National Statistical Institute started work on the Project ‘New/Experimental statistics in the area of globalisation or other policy priority areas for businesses’, Area 1: ‘New insights on enterprise performance’ according to a Grant agreement with the European Commission No. 101260431-2025-BG-MDL.

The project covers the reference period 2021 - 2024 and builds on Bulgaria’s previous participation in Eurostat's Microdata Linking (MDL) initiatives by developing a new thematic area and thereby enhancing the representativeness and comparability of data at EU level.

By integrating data from Structural Business Statistics, Foreign Trade and the Business Register, new datasets and innovative indicators of enterprises’ economic performance will be created. The project relies entirely on existing administrative and statistical data, avoiding any increase in the administrative burden on enterprises.

The focus is on the intensity and scope of trade, with an emphasis on enterprises importing critical raw materials and net-zero technologies, group status, employment size and trade profile.

The new indicators will improve the assessment of the effects of globalisation on business and will support the development of better-evidenced and more targeted policies to enhance competitiveness and industrial resilience.

In parallel, the project will develop NSI’s capacity for MDL application by strengthening methodological, technical and organisational readiness.

To achieve the project objectives, the following main activities are planned:

• Data testing and development of methodology and tools for assessing and linking key indicators and for the creation of completely new indicators;
• Production of integrated datasets linking different statistical domains;
• Production of aggregated data for the new indicators.

The expected project results include:

• Integrated datasets and output tables (aggregated results) containing key new indicators for ‘New insights on enterprise performance’;
• A methodological report describing the methodology and data sources used, activities undertaken, challenges encountered, and qualitative benefits gained;
• A harmonised methodology and practical tools, together with enhanced statistical capacity at the NSI (methodological, technical and organisational) for microdata integration and the production of new, policy-relevant data, without additional reporting burden on enterprises.

The project duration is 13 months and is scheduled to end in January 2027.