Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1566 of 13 July 2026 laying down the technical specifications of data requirements and the deadlines for submission of annual metadata and quality reports for the topic ICT usage and e-commerce for the reference year 2027, pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 of the European Parliament and of the Council
Date: 2026-07-13
Institutions: European Commission, Eurostat
Subjects: EU statistics, activity report, data collection, digital transformation, electronic commerce, exchange of information, information technology, information technology applications, metadata, technical specification




L_202601566EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
L series













2026/1566


14.7.2026







            COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) 2026/1566
of 13 July 2026
         
laying down the technical specifications of data requirements and the deadlines for submission of annual metadata and quality reports for the topic ‘ICT usage and e-commerce’ for the reference year 2027, pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 of the European Parliament and of the Council
(Text with EEA relevance)


THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,


Having regard to Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 November 2019 on European business statistics, repealing 10 legal acts in the field of business statistics (1), and in particular Article 7(1) and 17(6) thereof,

Whereas:







(1)


Data for the topic ‘ICT usage and e-commerce’, as referred to in Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2019/2152, is required by the Digital Decade Policy Programme (2) to monitor the Union’s digital targets for 2030, such as the Digital Intensity Indicator for the digital transformation of businesses or the take-up of cloud computing services or artificial intelligence. That topic also provides information for various other Union policies related to the political guidelines for the European Commission 2024-2029, such as the new plan for Europe’s sustainable prosperity and competitiveness and the Communication on a comprehensive EU Toolbox for Safe and Sustainable E-commerce.












(2)


In order to make it possible to assess the quality of the data and to ensure that data for the topic ‘ICT usage and e-commerce’ are comparable and harmonised, deadlines for metadata and quality reports have to be set out.












(3)


The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the European Statistical System Committee,





HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:



Article 1
For reference year 2027, Member States shall transmit to the Commission (Eurostat) data for the topic ‘ICT usage and e-commerce’, as referred to in Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2019/2152, that comply with the technical specifications in the Annex to this Regulation.


Article 2

1.   The annual metadata report for the topic ‘ICT usage and e-commerce’ for the reference year 2027 shall be transmitted to the Commission (Eurostat) by 31 May 2027.


2.   The annual quality report for the topic ‘ICT usage and e-commerce’ for the reference year 2027 shall be transmitted to the Commission (Eurostat) by 5 November 2027.



Article 3
This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.




This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Brussels, 13 July 2026.


For the Commission


The President

Ursula VON DER LEYEN
            





(1)  
            OJ L 327, 17.12.2019, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2019/2152/oj.

(2)  
            OJ L 323, 19.12.2022, p. 4, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2022/2481/oj.




ANNEX
Technical specifications of data requirements for the topic ‘ICT usage and e-commerce’






Variables


As set out in the ‘Variable’ column in the table below.




Measurement unit


The measurement unit is for most variables the number of enterprises, which should be provided as an absolute value. Exceptions include






(1)


variables related to employees and self-employed persons (persons employed), for which the absolute number of employees and self-employed persons should be sent, and










(2)


variables related to turnover, values and costs, which should be sent in millions of national currency.








Reference period


2026 for variables of the subjects: background variables, web sales of goods or services, Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)-type sales, invoicing and variable (92), 2027 for all other variables.




Statistical population


Enterprises with 10 or more employees and self-employed persons in NACE Rev. 2.1 Sections C to K, M to O and group 95.1




Enterprises with less than 10 employees and self-employed persons in NACE Rev. 2.1 Sections C to K, M to O and group 95.1 may be covered optionally




Breakdown by main economic activity of the enterprise for calculation of national aggregates


Aggregates of NACE Rev. 2.1 sections and group: C+D+E+F+G+H+I+J+K+M+N+O+95.1, D+E




NACE Rev. 2.1 sections: C, F, G, H, I, J, K, M, N, O




NACE Rev. 2.1 divisions: 47, 55




Aggregates of NACE Rev. 2.1 divisions: 10 + 11 + 12 + 13 + 14 + 15 + 16 + 17 + 18, 19 + 20 + 21 + 22 + 23, 24 + 25, 26 + 27 + 28 + 29 + 30 + 31 + 32 + 33




Aggregate of NACE Rev. 2.1 divisions and groups: 26.1 + 26.2 + 26.3 + 26.4 + 46.5 + 58.2 + 61 + 62 + 63.1 + 95.1




Breakdown by main economic activity of the enterprise for contribution to EU totals


NACE Rev. 2.1 sections: D, E




NACE Rev. 2.1 divisions: 19, 20, 21, 26, 27, 28, 46, 61, 72, 79




NACE Rev. 2.1 group: 95.1




Aggregates of NACE Rev. 2.1 divisions: 10 + 11 + 12, 13 + 14 + 15, 16 + 17 + 18, 22 + 23, 29 + 30, 31 + 32 + 33, 62 + 63, 69 + 70 + 71, 73 + 74 + 75, 77 + 78 + 80 + 81 + 82




Breakdown by number of employees and self-employed persons


10+, 10-49, 50-249, 250+




0-9, 0-1 and 2-9 may be covered optionally




Data transmission deadline


5 October 2027














Subject


Variable


Nature




Background variables








(1)


Main economic activity of the enterprise






Mandatory










(2)


Average number of employees and self-employed persons














(3)


Total turnover, excluding VAT








Access to the internet








(4)


Persons employed having internet access for business purposes






Mandatory




Use of a fixed connection to the internet for business purposes








(5)


Using any type of fixed connection to the internet






Mandatory










(6)


Having a maximum contracted download speed of the fastest fixed internet connection in the ranges: [0 Mbit/s, < 30 Mbit/s], [30 Mbit/s, < 100 Mbit/s], [100 Mbit/s, < 500 Mbit/s], [500 Mbit/s, < 1 Gbit/s], [≥ 1 Gbit/s]








Use of a website








(7)


Having a website






Mandatory










(8)


Having a website that has a description of goods or services or price information














(9)


Having a website with online ordering or reservation or booking














(10)


Having a website that offers a possibility for visitors to customise or design online goods or services














(11)


Having a website with tracking or status of orders placed














(12)


Having a website that provides personalised content on the website for regular/recurrent visitors














(13)


Having a website with a chat service for customer support














(14)


Having a website that advertises open job positions or online job application














(15)


Having a website with content available in at least two languages








Use of social media








(16)


Using any social media






Mandatory




Webs sales of goods or services








(17)


Having web sales of goods or services via the enterprise’s websites or apps






Mandatory










(18)


Having web sales of goods or services via e-commerce marketplace websites or apps used by several enterprises for trading goods or services














(19)


Value of web sales of goods or services














(20)


Value of web sales of goods or services generated by sales via the enterprise’s websites or apps














(21)


Value of web sales of goods or services generated by sales via e-commerce marketplace websites or apps used by several enterprises for trading goods or services














(22)


Value of web sales generated by web sales to private consumers (Business to Consumers: B2C)














(23)


Value of web sales generated by web sales to other enterprises (Business to Business: B2B) and to public sector (Business to Government: B2G)














(24)


Value of web sales generated by web sales of physical goods






Optional










(25)


Value of web sales generated by web sales of digital goods or services (digitally delivered)














(26)


Value of web sales generated by web sales of services not digitally delivered














(27)


Having web sales to customers located in the enterprise’s own country






Mandatory










(28)


Having web sales to customers located in other Member States














(29)


Having web sales to customers located in the rest of the world














(30)


Value of web sales generated by web sales to customers located in the enterprise’s own country














(31)


Value of web sales generated by web sales to customers located in other Member States














(32)


Value of web sales generated by web sales to customers located in the rest of the world














(33)


Experiencing difficulties when selling to other Member States: high costs of delivering or returning products






Optional










(34)


Experiencing difficulties when selling to other Member States: difficulties related to resolving complaints and disputes














(35)


Experiencing difficulties when selling to other Member States: adapting product labelling for sales to other Member States














(36)


Experiencing difficulties when selling to other Member States: lack of knowledge of foreign languages for communicating with customers in other Member States














(37)


Experiencing difficulties when selling to other Member States: restrictions from enterprise’s business partners to sell to certain Member States














(38)


Experiencing difficulties when selling to other Member States: difficulties related to the VAT system in other Member States








Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)-type sales








(39)


Having EDI-type sales of goods or services






Mandatory










(40)


Value of EDI-type sales of goods or services














(41)


Having EDI-type sales to customers located in the enterprise’s own country






Optional










(42)


Having EDI-type sales to customers located in other Member States














(43)


Having EDI-type sales to customers located in the rest of the world














(44)


Value of EDI-type sales to customers located in enterprise’s own country














(45)


Value of EDI-type sales to customers located in other Member States














(46)


Value of EDI-type sales to customers located in the rest of the world








Use of business software








(47)


Using Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software






Mandatory










(48)


Using Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software














(49)


Using Business Intelligence (BI) software








Artificial Intelligence (AI)








(50)


Using AI technologies performing analysis of written language






Mandatory










(51)


Using AI technologies converting spoken language into machine readable format (speech recognition)














(52)


Using AI technologies generating written, spoken language or programming codes (natural language generation, speech synthesis)














(53)


Using AI technologies generating pictures, videos, sound/audio














(54)


Using AI technologies identifying objects or persons based on images or videos (image recognition, image processing)














(55)


Using machine learning for data analysis














(56)


Using AI technologies automating different workflows or assisting in decision making














(57)


Using AI technologies enabling physical movement of machines via autonomous decisions based on observation of surroundings














(58)


Using AI software or systems for marketing or sales














(59)


Using AI software or systems for production or service processes














(60)


Using AI software or systems for organisation of business administration processes or management














(61)


Using AI software or systems for logistics














(62)


Using AI software or systems for ICT security














(63)


Using AI software or systems for accounting, controlling or finance management














(64)


Using AI software or systems for research and development (R&D) or innovation activity, excluding research on AI














(65)


Having documents setting out instructions, practices or procedures on its use of AI technologies






Optional










(66)


Using AI software/system developed for the enterprise by enterprise’s own employees (including those employed in parent or affiliate enterprises)














(67)


Using AI software/system developed for the enterprise by external providers














(68)


Using open-source AI software free of charge or for a fee














(69)


Using closed-source AI software free of charge or for a fee














(70)


Modifying open- and/or closed-source AI software through enterprise’s employees and/or external providers














(71)


Considering the use of AI technologies, specifically in reference to mandatory variables (50)-(57)














(72)


Not using AI technologies because the costs seem too high














(73)


Not using AI technologies due to a lack of relevant expertise in the enterprise














(74)


Not using AI technologies due to incompatibility with existing equipment, software or systems














(75)


Not using AI technologies due to difficulties with availability or quality of the necessary data














(76)


Not using AI technologies due to concerns regarding violation of data protection and privacy














(77)


Not using AI technologies due to lack of clarity about the legal consequences














(78)


Not using AI technologies due to ethical considerations














(79)


Not using AI technologies because they are not considered useful for the enterprise








Use of cloud computing services








(80)


Using paid cloud computing services






Mandatory










(81)


Using email as a paid cloud computing service














(82)


Using office software as a paid cloud computing service














(83)


Using finance or accounting software applications as a paid cloud computing service














(84)


Using ERP software applications as a paid cloud computing service














(85)


Using CRM software applications as a paid cloud computing service














(86)


Using security software applications as a paid cloud computing service














(87)


Hosting the enterprise’s database(s) as a paid cloud computing service














(88)


Using storage of files as a paid cloud computing service














(89)


Using computing power to run the enterprise’s own software as a paid cloud computing service














(90)


Using a computing platform providing a hosted environment for application development, testing or deployment as a paid cloud computing service














(91)


Using AI software and systems generating text, images, video, audio content or codes as a paid cloud computing service














(92)


Total cost of the cloud computing services purchased by the enterprise






Optional




Invoicing








(93)


Sending invoices in electronic form, in a standard structure suitable for automated processing (e-invoices), excluding the transmission of PDF files






Mandatory










(94)


Sending invoices in electronic form not suitable for automated processing, including the transmission of PDF files














(95)


Sending invoices in paper form














(96)


Sending e-invoices, in a standard structure suitable for automated processing, categorised based on the percentage of total invoices sent, within the following ranges: [0, <10], [10, <25], [25, <50], [50, <75], [75, 100]








ICT and the environment








(97)


Using of ICT systems and solutions to reduce the energy consumption of the enterprise






Mandatory










(98)


Using of ICT systems and solutions to reduce the material used (including consumables) or to enhance the use of recycled material














(99)


Monitoring and quantifying the impact of using ICT systems or solutions on energy and/or material consumption






Optional










(100)


Disposing ICT equipment in electronic waste collection/recycling (including leaving it to the retailer to dispose of) when it is no longer used






Mandatory










(101)


Keeping ICT equipment in the enterprise when it is no longer used














(102)


Selling, returning to a leasing enterprise or donating ICT equipment when it is no longer used











ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2026/1566/oj
ISSN 1977-0677 (electronic edition)