FULL TITLE

Statistical Classification of Products by Activity in the European Economic Community, 2002 version

ABBREVIATION

CPA 2002

ORIGINATING AUTHORITY

Commission of the European Communities (Statistical Office/Eurostat)

LEGAL BASIS

Commission Regulation (EC) No 204/2002 of 19 December 2001 amending Council Regulation (EEC) No 3696/93 on the statistical classification of products by activity (CPA) in the European Economic Community.

IMPLEMENTATION DATE

01.01.2003

LIMIT OF OPERATIONAL LIFE

Revision foreseen for 01.01.2007

PREDECESSOR CLASSIFICATION

CPA 1996

STRUCTURE

Level 1: 17 sections identified by an alphabetical code (A to Q);
intermediate level: 31 sub-sections identified by a two-character alphabetical code;
Level 2: 62 divisions identified by a two-digit numerical code;
Level 3: 223 groups identified by a three-digit numerical code;
Level 4: 502 classes identified by a four-digit numerical code;
Level 5: 1146 categories identified by a five-digit numerical codes;
Level 6: 2608 sub-categories identified by a six-digit numerical code.

SUCCINCT DESCRIPTION

The CPA is the European version of the CPC, and the purposes it serves are in line with those of the CPC. Whilst the CPC is merely a recommended classification, however, the CPA is legally binding in the European Community. In addition, the specific survey classifications were and are linked to the CPA unless the CPA is itself used as a survey classification.

Although the CPA is the European counterpart of the CPC, it differs from the latter not only in that it is more detailed but also as regards its structuring. The view at European level was that a central product classification should be structured according to the criterion of economic origin, with the framework (and thus the definition of the economic activities) being based, naturally enough, on NACE Rev.1. This recourse to NACE Rev.1.1 with respect to the definitions of economic activity means that the CPA's structure corresponds at all levels to that of NACE Rev.1.1.

Since the elements of the CPA are based on those of the CPC, links between the CPA and the HS exist in the same way as those between the CPC and the HS which have been referred to above. The same also applies as regards the Explanatory Notes to the CPA.

National versions of the CPA are possible.

The CPA was originally derived from the provisional CPC and hence corresponded to the original version of the HS (base year 1988). This resulted in CPA 1993 . The 2002 revision of the HS was taken as an opportunity to produce a slightly corrected version of the CPA, based on HS 2002/CN 2002. This resulted in CPA 2002.

LINKED CLASSIFICATIONS

1) NACE Rev.1: agreement at four-digit level (classes);
2) International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities, Third Revision (ISIC Rev.3.1);
3) Central Product Classification (CPC) : the CPA is the European version of the CPC, the former classification being more detailed in order to meet the specific needs of the European Union;
4) PRODCOM : agreement at six-digit level (PRODCOM has an additional level identified by an eight-digit numerical code);
5) Harmonized System (HS);
6) Combined Nomenclature (CN).

USAGE

Products

MAIN STATISTICAL APPLICATIO

National and regional accounts; input-output analysis; other analyses requiring product data (CPA provides a common EU framework for the comparison of statistical data on products [goods and services]).

MEDIA THROUGH WHICH AVAILAB

RAMON: Eurostat's classifications server.

LANGUAGES

The 11 official languages of the European Communities: Danish; Dutch; English; Finnish; French; German; Greek; Italian; Portuguese; Spanish; Swedish.

ADDRESS OF RESPONSIBLE AGEN

Statistical Office of the European Communities
Mr Niels Langkjжr-Шhlenschlжger (Unit D1)
Bвtiment BECH B2/394
L - 2920 LUXEMBOURG
Tel.: +352 4301 33410 Fax: +352 4301 33899
E-mail: niels.langkjaer@cec.eu.int