Reference metadata describe statistical concepts and methodologies used for the collection and generation of data. They provide information on data quality and, since they are strongly content-oriented, assist users in interpreting the data. Reference metadata, unlike structural metadata, can be decoupled from the data.
Natural Resources Statistics Department/Environment and Energy Statistics Section
1.3. Contact name
Confidential because of GDPR
1.4. Contact person function
Confidential because of GDPR
1.5. Contact mail address
1024 Budapest Keleti Károly utca 5-7.
1.6. Contact email address
Confidential because of GDPR
1.7. Contact phone number
Confidential because of GDPR
1.8. Contact fax number
Confidential because of GDPR
2.1. Metadata last certified
7 February 2025
2.2. Metadata last posted
7 February 2025
2.3. Metadata last update
7 February 2025
3.1. Data description
Economy-wide material flow accounts (EW-MFA) provide an aggregate overview, in thousand tonnes per year, of the material flows into and out of an economy. EW-MFA cover solid, gaseous, and liquid materials, except for bulk flows of water and air. Like the system of national accounts, EW-MFA constitute a multi-purpose information system. The detailed material flows provide a rich empirical database for numerous analytical purposes. Further, EW-MFA are used to derive various material flow indicators.
The National Statistical Institute (NSI) sent to Eurostat on yearly basis the EW-MFA. The accounts comprise the following reporting tables:
Table A 'Domestic extraction (DE)': records material flows from the environment into the economy in a detailed breakdown by type of material
Table B 'Imports - total imports (intra- and extra-EU) and Table D 'Exports – total exports (intra- and extra-EU)': These physical trade tables record the imports and exports of products in thousand tonnes and grouped by materials.
Table F 'Domestic processed output (DPO)': records material flows from the economy to the domestic environment (e.g. emissions to air, water and soil)
Table G 'Balancing items': reports some memorandum items which are necessary to have the full material balance related to a national economy
Table H 'Indicators': presents the EW-MFA derived indicators which are automatically calculated from Table A to G
Table I 'Material flow accounts in raw material equivalents (RME)': records material flow accounts in raw material equivalents (MFA-RME). Some items are calculated automatically based on data reported in Table A and Table I
3.2. Classification system
EW-MFA record physical flows of materials broken down by type of flow and by type of material.
The type of flow dimension corresponds to the EW-MFA questionnaire reporting tables and derived indicators, namely:
domestic extraction (Table A)
physical imports (Table B)
physical exports (Table D)
domestic processed output (Table F)
balancing items (Table G)
direct material input (indicator)
domestic material consumption (indicator)
physical trade balance (indicator)
The breakdown by type of material employs a classification of materials. This EW-MFA classification of materials is hierarchical with main material flow categories (1-digit level). Each main category is further broken down, maximal down to 4-digit-level:
1-digit: material category;
2-digit: material class;
3-digit: material group;
4-digit: material sub-group.
3.3. Coverage - sector
The data refer to national economies as defined in the system of national accounts.
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
Conceptually economy-wide material flow accounts (EW-MFA) belong to the international system of environmental economic accounting (SEEA-Central Framework). Furthermore, EW-MFA is one of several physical modules of Eurostat's programme on European environmental economic accounts. It is covered by Regulation (EU) No. 691/2011 on European environmental economic accounts.
EW-MFA are closely related to concepts and definitions of national accounts. Most notably they follow the residence principle, i.e. they record material flows related to resident unit's activities, regardless where those occur geographically.
Further methodological guidelines are provided in various publications by Eurostat (see Eurostat website > Environment > Methodology, heading: 'Material flows and resource productivity').
For more detailed information please see also 3.1.
3.5. Statistical unit
Statistical units change according to the different data sources (e.g. agriculture, forestry and fishery statistics, production statistics, geological surveys, energy statistics, foreign trade statistics etc.) which EW-MFA are based on.
3.6. Statistical population
EW-MFA refer to the entire national economy of the reporting country (see also 3.3 'Coverage - sector')).
EW-MFA include all materials (excluding water and air) crossing the system boundary (between the environment and the economy) on the input side or on the output side. The economy is demarcated by the conventions of the national accounting system (resident units).
Material inputs to the economy cover extractions of natural resources (excluding water and air) from the natural environment and imports of material products (goods) from the rest of the world economy (ROW).
Material outputs are disposals of materials to the natural environment and exports of material products and waste to the ROW. Information on natural resources extracted and traded products is provided by different statistical units.
3.7. Reference area
Reference area is Hungary.
3.8. Coverage - Time
Please see the table in 3.8.1.
3.8.1. Coverage – Time: by questionnaire table
Questionnaire table
From (YEAR)
To (YEAR)
Comments
Domestic extraction (Table A)
1995
2023
Imports – Total trade (Table B)
1995
2023
Exports – Total trade (Table D)
1995
2023
Domestic processed output (Table F)
Balancing items (Table G)
Material flow accounts in raw material equivalents (RME) (Table I)
3.9. Base period
Not applicable because EW-MFA are not reported as indices.
The unit of measure is thousand tonnes.
The data refer to the calendar years.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
Economy-wide material flow accounts (EW-MFA) are legally covered by Regulation (EU) 691/2011 on European Environmental Economic Accounts.
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
Not applicable in national level this information is required at European level only.
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
Act CLV of 2016 on official statistics assures all of the confidentiality issues.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
Act CLV of 2016 on official statistics assures all of the confidentiality issues.
8.1. Release calendar
Statistical release date for EW-MFA is until 30th April 2025.
We have no microdata for researchers about EW-MFA.
10.5. Dissemination format - other
We have no other data dissemination means.
10.5.1. Metadata - consultations
Will be calculated and provided by EUROSTAT.
10.6. Documentation on methodology
We have no national methodological documents.
10.6.1. Metadata completeness - rate
Will be calculated and provided by EUROSTAT.
10.7. Quality management - documentation
Quality related documents are available only through ESS Metadata Handler.
11.1. Quality assurance
Our quality procedures comply with the European Statistics Code of Practice.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
There are no general deficiencies in the time series. Most of the data are available from either statistical data collection or administrative sources. There are certain estimations applied, but they do not affect the general data quality.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
We have not received any feedback from our users yet. We just monitor the visit frequency of our webpage.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
See 12.1
12.3. Completeness
We have all the relevant mandatory data.
12.3.1. Data completeness - rate
Will be calculated and provided by EUROSTAT.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
Information is not available.
13.2. Sampling error
Not applicable because data are not based on a sample survey.
13.2.1. Sampling error - indicators
Not applicable because data are not based on a sample survey.
13.3. Non-sampling error
Not applicable.
13.3.1. Coverage error
Not applicable.
13.3.1.1. Over-coverage - rate
Not applicable.
13.3.1.2. Common units - proportion
Not applicable.
13.3.2. Measurement error
Not applicable.
13.3.3. Non response error
Not applicable.
13.3.3.1. Unit non-response - rate
Not applicable.
13.3.3.2. Item non-response - rate
Not applicable.
13.3.4. Processing error
Not applicable.
13.3.5. Model assumption error
Not applicable.
14.1. Timeliness
Data is available nationally subject year+16 months. Data production time is about 1 month.
14.1.1. Time lag - first result
Not applicable.
14.1.2. Time lag - final result
Not applicable.
14.2. Punctuality
Hungary transmitted the data to Eurostat on 7. February 2025.
14.2.1. Punctuality - delivery and publication
Will be calculated and provided by EUROSTAT.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
Data on EW-MFA are compiled according to harmonised guidelines provided by Eurostat and hence comparable across European countries reporting EW-MFA data to Eurostat.
15.1.1. Asymmetry for mirror flow statistics - coefficient
Not applicable because physical imports and exports as recorded in EW-MFA are not specified by origin and/or destination.
15.2. Comparability - over time
Please see the table in 15.2.1.1.
We have no break in time series.
15.2.1. Length of comparable time series
Will be calculated and provided by EUROSTAT.
15.2.1.1. Comparability - over time detailed
Please use below table for explaining b)-flags (breaks in time series):
Year (of the break in series)
Questionnaire table(s)
MF-code(s)
Reason for' break in time series'
All years
All tables
No break in time series
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
We do not have information about cross domain incoherences.
15.3.1. Coherence - sub annual and annual statistics
Not applicable; reported EW-MFA data are only annual.
15.3.2. Coherence - National Accounts
We do not undertake residence adjustments, because there is no available data which is reliable enough.
15.4. Coherence - internal
Each set of outputs are internally consistent.
Most of the data are available from either statistical data collection or administrative sources. There are certain estimations applied, but they do not affect the general data quality.
There is no additional extra cost of filling in the EW-MFA questionnaire. We do not have information about response burden.
17.1. Data revision - policy
We revise data only, if an error is detected or certain data is revised.
17.2. Data revision - practice
We revise data only, if an error is detected or certain data is revised.
We have revised the wild fish catch and wood data due to official revision for the year 2022.
17.2.1. Data revision - average size
Will be calculated and provided by EUROSTAT.
18.1. Source data
Data sources used to produce economy-wide material flow accounts are described in the sub-concepts 18.1.1 (and Annex) and 18.1.2.
18.1.1. Source data - Table A, B, D, F and G
Please use Annex 1 to report the detailed data sources for questionnaire tables A, B, D, F and G.
18.5.3. Adjustment used of correspondence table for Tables B and D
Hungary employs Eurostat’s correspondence table, provided with the EW-MFA questionnaire, to assign traded goods to material categories.
18.5.4. Adjustment used of conversion factors for Tables B and D
Hungary does not use conversion factors to convert traded goods into tonnes. MFA natural gas import and export figures do not contain the reimport and reexport values, which can explain the majority of the difference compared to COMEXT database. Other trade figures are also not involved in natural gas import and export values, but those have a minor impact on the difference.
18.5.5. Fuel trade, residence adjustment
Hungary does not make adjustments to the physical trade characteristics because lack of data.
18.5.6. Significant problems
There are no significant problems in adapting basic statistics to the concepts of the accounts.
18.6. Adjustment
Not applicable; i.e. in EW-MFA no time series adjustment necessary.
18.6.1. Seasonal adjustment
Not applicable.
Economy-wide material flow accounts (EW-MFA) provide an aggregate overview, in thousand tonnes per year, of the material flows into and out of an economy. EW-MFA cover solid, gaseous, and liquid materials, except for bulk flows of water and air. Like the system of national accounts, EW-MFA constitute a multi-purpose information system. The detailed material flows provide a rich empirical database for numerous analytical purposes. Further, EW-MFA are used to derive various material flow indicators.
The National Statistical Institute (NSI) sent to Eurostat on yearly basis the EW-MFA. The accounts comprise the following reporting tables:
Table A 'Domestic extraction (DE)': records material flows from the environment into the economy in a detailed breakdown by type of material
Table B 'Imports - total imports (intra- and extra-EU) and Table D 'Exports – total exports (intra- and extra-EU)': These physical trade tables record the imports and exports of products in thousand tonnes and grouped by materials.
Table F 'Domestic processed output (DPO)': records material flows from the economy to the domestic environment (e.g. emissions to air, water and soil)
Table G 'Balancing items': reports some memorandum items which are necessary to have the full material balance related to a national economy
Table H 'Indicators': presents the EW-MFA derived indicators which are automatically calculated from Table A to G
Table I 'Material flow accounts in raw material equivalents (RME)': records material flow accounts in raw material equivalents (MFA-RME). Some items are calculated automatically based on data reported in Table A and Table I
7 February 2025
Conceptually economy-wide material flow accounts (EW-MFA) belong to the international system of environmental economic accounting (SEEA-Central Framework). Furthermore, EW-MFA is one of several physical modules of Eurostat's programme on European environmental economic accounts. It is covered by Regulation (EU) No. 691/2011 on European environmental economic accounts.
EW-MFA are closely related to concepts and definitions of national accounts. Most notably they follow the residence principle, i.e. they record material flows related to resident unit's activities, regardless where those occur geographically.
Further methodological guidelines are provided in various publications by Eurostat (see Eurostat website > Environment > Methodology, heading: 'Material flows and resource productivity').
For more detailed information please see also 3.1.
Statistical units change according to the different data sources (e.g. agriculture, forestry and fishery statistics, production statistics, geological surveys, energy statistics, foreign trade statistics etc.) which EW-MFA are based on.
EW-MFA refer to the entire national economy of the reporting country (see also 3.3 'Coverage - sector')).
EW-MFA include all materials (excluding water and air) crossing the system boundary (between the environment and the economy) on the input side or on the output side. The economy is demarcated by the conventions of the national accounting system (resident units).
Material inputs to the economy cover extractions of natural resources (excluding water and air) from the natural environment and imports of material products (goods) from the rest of the world economy (ROW).
Material outputs are disposals of materials to the natural environment and exports of material products and waste to the ROW. Information on natural resources extracted and traded products is provided by different statistical units.
Data sources used to produce economy-wide material flow accounts are described in the sub-concepts 18.1.1 (and Annex) and 18.1.2.
Data is yearly disseminated.
Data is available nationally subject year+16 months. Data production time is about 1 month.
Data on EW-MFA are compiled according to harmonised guidelines provided by Eurostat and hence comparable across European countries reporting EW-MFA data to Eurostat.
