Turnover in the services sector (according to VAT returns)

The volume of sales in services increased by 2% compared to the same period in 2024 - February 2025

Economic indicators
The volume of sales in services increased by 2% compared to the same period in 2024 - February 2025

For all service sectors combined, as they are processed in this statistic, “HTNXK Total services excluding NACE code K (Financial and insurance activities)”, the volume of sales increased by 2% in February 2025 compared to February 2024.

The increase in sales volume for all service sectors combined is due to higher sales volume in all NACE sections except for “I Accommodation and food service activities” (-1.4%) and “N Administrative and support service activities” (-1%). The sharpest increase was registered in “L Real estate activities” (+7.4%).

For more information

Statbel publishes these indices based on REGULATION (EU) 2019/2152 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 27 November 2019 on European business statistics as regards services. According to that regulation, the indices are established on a monthly basis from reference year 2021 onwards. For the reference years 2000 to 2023, Statbel published a statistic produced on a quarterly basis.

Monthly indices are expressed with reference year 2021=100. In addition to gross indices, Statbel publishes indices adjusted for seasonal and working day variations.

Missing indices are confidential.

Purpose and brief description

Evolution of turnover in market services, excluding financial and insurance activities (NACE section K), arts, entertainment and recreation (NACE section R) and other service activities (NACE section S).

The indices of turnover provide information on the volume and value of turnover in:

  • NACE sections H, I, J, L, M (excluding NACE codes 701, 72 and 75: “M_STS”) and N
  • NACE divisions 49 to 53, 55, 56, 58 to 63, 69, 71, 73, 74 and 77 to 82
  • NACE group 70.2
  • the total of market services, excluding financial and insurance activities (NACE section K), arts, entertainment and recreation (NACE section R) and other service activities (NACE section S): “HTNXK”

Not only the gross indices are published, but also the deflated indices. The deflated indices take the price changes of the products sold into account. Turnover includes all amounts (excluding VAT) corresponding to the sale of goods and services by the VAT-registered unit to third parties in Belgium or abroad.

The legal basis for these indices is REGULATION (EU) 2019/2152 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 27 November 2019 on European business statistics as regards trade. Based on this regulation, (deflated) indices are calculated for turnover in value and in quantity with a monthly frequency. Before this regulation came into force, indices were only calculated in value and at a quarterly frequency. These indices remain available on this page.

Reference year

Since 2024, Statbel has been publishing indices calculated on a monthly basis with reference year 2021=100. The series with a monthly frequency are available as of the year 2021.

For the period 2000-2023, indices are calculated on a quarterly basis with reference year 2015=100. These series remain available, but will no longer be updated. So these files end in the 4th quarter of 2023.

Population

Indices with a monthly frequency (as of the year 2021): enterprises with a main economic activity in NACE sections H, I, J, L, M (excluding NACE codes 701, 72 and 75) and N.

Indices with a quarterly frequency (2000-2023): enterprises with a main economic activity in NACE divisions 45 and 46 and in NACE sections H to N.

Periodicity

Monthly since the year 2021: indices in value and deflated indices.

Quarterly for the years 2000 to 2023: indices in value.

Release calendar

Results available 2 months after the reference period.

Definitions

Economic activity (NACE-BEL): classification of economic activities, version of 2008

Gross index: gross index of turnover in value.

Index (SA-WDA): index of turnover in value, seasonally adjusted and working-day adjusted

Index (WDA): index of turnover in value, working-day adjusted

Deflated gross index: deflated gross index of turnover

Deflated index (SA-WDA): deflated index of turnover seasonally adjusted and working-day adjusted

Deflated index (WDA): deflated index of turnover, working day adjusted

Metadata

Turnover according to VAT returns (indices)