Statistical classification of products by activity

KEY POINTS

• Product classifications categorise products that have common characteristics. They are the basis for collecting and calculating statistics on the production, distribution, consumption, international trade and transport of these products.
• CPA product categories are linked to activities as defined by the EU’s statistical classification of economic activities (NACE¹). Each CPA product is assigned to a given NACE activity, meaning that the CPA’s structure is consistent with that of NACE at all levels.
• The CPA is connected to the United Nations’ products and services classification, the Central Product Classification (CPC), via a correspondence table. This makes it possible to compare statistics across countries and in different fields.
• The CPA has a six-level hierarchical structure. Each level can be identified by means of a specific code. The structure of the recently established CPA version 2.2 is defined by the following levels and positions:
  • first level: 22 sections (alphabetical code), e.g. A: Products of agriculture, forestry and fishing;
  • second level: 87 divisions (two-digit numerical code), e.g. 01: Products of agriculture, hunting and related services;
  • third level: 284 groups (three-digit numerical code), e.g. 01.1: Non-perennial crops;
  • fourth level: 644 classes (four-digit numerical code), e.g. 01.11: Cereals (except rice), leguminous crops and oil seeds;
  • fifth level: 1 432 categories (five-digit numerical code), e.g. 01.11.1: Wheat;
  • sixth level: 3 359 subcategories (six-digit numerical code), e.g. 01.11.11: Durum wheat and 01.11.12: Wheat, except durum wheat.

The CPA is set out in the Annex.

The European Commission may adopt measures for the implementation of this regulation, including ones designed to adapt it to economic and technological developments or to align it with other economic or social classifications.

In 2009, the European Statistical System Committee replaced the Statistical Programme Committee. It is responsible for supporting the Commission in implementing this regulation. It comprises EU Member States’ representatives and is chaired by the Commission.

The Annex to Regulation (EC) No 451/2008 was first replaced by the Annex to Regulation (EU) No 1209/2014 amending Regulation (EC) No 451/2008, commonly referred to as ‘CPA version 2.1’. It has now been replaced again by the Annex to Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/3103, which establishes ‘CPA version 2.2’.