Participating in Statistics Netherlands (CBS) surveys
Are you an entrepreneur and did you receive a questionnaire from Statistics Netherlands (CBS)? For most of these surveys completing the questionnaire is mandatory. Whether a questionnaire is compulsory is clearly indicated in the letter you receive. CBS uses these surveys to collect and publish statistical information related to the economy.
Why does CBS ask for your business data?
Your company’s data are needed to gain insight in and illustrate economic growth, price developments, turnover data, investments, and employment. Wherever possible CBS uses data available from other government organisations such as, for instance, the Netherlands Tax Administration. If this is not sufficient, CBS may ask businesses to fill in a questionnaire. For this, businesses will be selected randomly.
Participation is mandatory
Participation in such a survey is mandatory, as per the law on Statistics Netherlands. If you do not complete the questionnaire within the requested time, you may be fined.
What to expect
The information that Statistics Netherlands asks you for may include:
- the number and size of your establishments
- your economic activities
- your costs, such as purchase costs, wages, social charges, and taxes
- your inventory
- sick leaves and sick reports in your company
- your production, collection, and processing of waste
- your energy savings
How to supply the data
If you need to participate in the survey CBS will send you a letter with your username and password. You can use these to log in to the secure website where you can complete the questionnaire manually. Sending your data via this website is also secure. Did you lose your login details? You can apply for new login details with CBS.
Importing financial data into the questionnaire
You can also import your financial data directly into the Annual Statistics questionnaire (in Dutch). You must first link your financial records to the Reference General Ledger (RGS, in Dutch). You can arrange this link through your accounting software (in Dutch).
Confidentiality of data
Statistics Netherlands is only entitled to use the collected data for making statistics. Your privacy is protected (in Dutch). Your data will not be shared with others and will be made unrecognisable in CBS' results, reports, and articles.
Where can I find the CBS statistics?
CBS publishes reports and news items on entrepreneurial data. For instance the State of SMEs Annual Report, and the quarterly COEN Business Survey Netherlands which presents the mood among Dutch entrepreneurs. This may help you in your own market orientation and research.