In order to better meet the changing needs of society, the national statistical institutes across Europe can assume new roles and provide new data services in addition to official statistics. At the same time, they must remain a reliable source of high-quality data. These are the key takeaways from the annual DGINS conference held in Tallinn last week.

According to Statistics Estonia, in the third quarter of 2024, the construction price index remained on the same level compared with the second quarter and rose by 1.8% compared with the third quarter of 2023.

The producer price index of industrial output, which expresses changes in the producer prices of industrial goods manufactured in Estonia for the domestic market and for export, decreased by 1.6% in September 2024 compared with August and by 0.5% compared with September last year.

According to Statistics Estonia, in August 2024, Estonia’s exports of goods decreased by 1% and imports by 8% compared with August 2023. Exports of goods amounted to nearly 1.5 billion and imports to more than 1.6 billion euros at current prices. The trade deficit was 169 million euros, which is 122 million euros less than in August last year.

According to Statistics Estonia, accommodation establishments served 455,000 tourists in August 2024, which is 6% more than in August last year. The number of foreign tourists increased, whereas the number of domestic tourists decreased.

According to Statistics Estonia, in September 2024, the consumer price index decreased by 0.3% compared with August and increased by 3% compared with September 2023. Goods were 1.5% and services 5.5% more expensive than in September last year.

According to Statistics Estonia, in August 2024, the total production of industrial enterprises decreased by 6% at constant prices compared with August 2023. Among the three industrial sectors, output increased by 1.9% in mining but decreased by 5.6% in electricity production and by 6.4% in manufacturing.

According to Statistics Estonia, there has been a considerable rise in the use of Internet of Things devices over the last four years. The use of smart TVs has risen by 30%, and the use of smart watches has increased by as much as 60%. Internet-connected home appliances and voice-activated virtual assistants are also increasingly popular among households. 

According to Statistics Estonia, in August 2024, the turnover of retail trade enterprises was €889 million. Compared with August 2023, the volume of retail trade turnover fell by 4%.