Publication of statistics according to EMTAK 2025

EMTAK 2025 is the new version of the Estonian Classification of Economic Activities which is in force since 1 January 2025 and has been updated to reflect today’s economic environment and activities. Publication of data based on the new classification begins in 2026.

The use of common classifications in the compilation and publication of statistics ensures the comparability of statistical information. Economic activities are classified according to the Estonian Classification of Economic Activities (EMTAK) which has a hierarchical structure with five levels. The first four levels correspond to the Statistical Classification of Economic Activities in the European Community (NACE). The fifth level is national and has been created taking into account the specific features of the Estonian economy and the relevant legislation.

On the first level of the classification (alphabetical codes from A to V), there have been significant changes made in the following economic activities: construction; information and communication; and wholesale and retail trade and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles. The previous construction section (code F in EMTAK 2008) has been divided into three: construction (code F in EMTAK 2025), real estate activities (code M in EMTAK 2025) and administrative and support service activities (code O in EMTAK 2025). The trade section in EMTAK 2008 (code G) included the repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (code 452 in EMTAK 2008) which is now classified in section T (Other service activities) in EMTAK 2025. The information and communication section (code J in EMTAK 2008) has been divided into two: publishing, broadcasting, and content production and distribution activities (code J in EMTAK 2025), and telecommunication, computer programming, consulting, computing infrastructure and other information service activities (code K in EMTAK 2025).

There are more changes on the level of divisions (two-digit codes 01–99). The biggest changes concern restructuring in the following activities: wholesale and retail trade and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles; construction of buildings; activities of holding companies; travel agency, tour operator and other reservation service and related activities; activities of head offices and management consultancy. There are also changes on the three- and four-digit levels.

The full classification is available on the e-Business Register Portal. On the same page, users can search for the EMTAK 2025 code that corresponds to a specific EMTAK 2008 code, and vice versa.

The new classification will be gradually adopted in the production of statistics

The new version of the EMTAK classification will be implemented by Statistics Estonia in the production and publication of statistics step by step over the period of 2026 to 2028. The preparations began already in early 2024 (e.g. financial statistics of enterprises by economic activity and number of persons employed). With the implementation of the new version (EMTAK 2025), there will be no changes in aggregate data for Estonia – only the distribution of data between economic activities will change.

There is no general requirement for the length of the time series to be recalculated. In the release of datasets based on EMTAK 2025, Statistics Estonia will follow the provisions of relevant EU legislation or the requirements of national users, depending on the domain. The first datasets that will be published in 2026 based on the new classification are financial statistics of enterprises, foreign trade in goods and services, research and development activities and ICT use in enterprises (annual data for 2025), and average monthly gross wages. Data on national accounts, short-term business statistics, producer price and labour cost indices, and annual energy statistics according to EMTAK 2025 will be published in 2027 at the earliest.

For comparability purposes, Statistics Estonia will publish the main indicators according to both versions of EMTAK for at least one year. This will show how the changes in the classification have influenced statistics by economic activity. There are a few areas of statistics where the recalculation of a longer time series is required. For example, short-term business statistics for 2025–2027 must be published according to both EMTAK 2008 and EMTAK 2025. The time series of national accounts will be published according to both versions for an even longer period.

To release statistics according to EMTAK 2025, Statistics Estonia will add new tables to the statistical database. The classification version will be specified for each table that uses EMTAK. A new table must be created if, due to the change of classification, there is a break in the time series and the data are not comparable over time.

The release dates are announced in the release calendar.

… Data are confidential.