Base shift for input price indices Civil engineering from 2010=100 to 2015=100

About this publication

To track price developments in various areas of civil engineering in the Netherlands, Statistics Netherlands (CBS) published quarterly price indices for civil engineering. A total of eight series were published, each covering an area of civil engineering. The areas are based on the Classification of Products by Activity (CPA):

- 4211a Road construction; brick paving;
- 4211b Road construction; asphalt paving;
- 4212 Railways and underground railways;
- 4213 Bridges and tunnels;
- 4221 Constructions for fluids;
- 4291 Constructions for water projects;
- 4312 Site preparation works;
- 4321 Electrical installation works.

From the first quarter of 2020 the civil engineering price indices are being published with a new reference year, 2015. Two new series of price indices are also being added, namely: 4212a Railways; New construction and 4212b Railways; Exploitation/maintenance. All series have been calculated retroactively from January 2012. As a result of the base shift, the course of the new series of price indices from January 2012 to October 2019 inclusive may differ from the course of the price indices in the same period based on 2010=100.

This article covers the changes made with the base shift and the difference between the index series based on 2010=100 and those based on 2015=100. The first section concerns the increase in the number of index series. That is followed by a description of the method by which the civil engineering price indices are calculated. The changes made in the base shift are then described. The fourth section concerns the effect of the base shift on the course of the price indices in the series that were already published on the old base. Finally, a recommendation is given on the method for switching from the 2010=100 series to the 2015=100 series, with amendments to contracts etc.