Annual

Data collection is by post each year.

The survey covers Metropolitan France.

The companies in overseas departments (DOM) are surveyed elsewhere, as part of a system of annual business surveys specific to these departments.

Legal unit

The sample survey is exhaustive for large companies, that is, those employing at least 30 people or making annual turnover of at least 5 million euros.

All in all, 42,000 businesses were surveyed in EAE 2007. The sample is optimised at national level.

Small enterprises are surveyed every alternate year.

Small businesses (less than 30 employees or making annual turnover of less than 5 million euros) in the B2B services sector are surveyed for odd trading years (e.g. in 2008 for 2007) and small B2C and real-estate companies for even years (e.g. in 2007 for 2006).