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.
Regional accounts are a regional specification of the national accounts and therefore based on the same concepts and definitions as national accounts (see domain nama10). The main specific regional topics are addressed in chapter 13 of ESA2010, but not practically specified. For practical rules and recommendations on sources and methods see the publication "Manual on regional accounts methods".
Gross domestic product (GDP) at market prices is the final result of the production activity of resident producer units. In Croatia GDP is compiled using the output approach accounts it can be calculated from:
GDP is the sum of gross value added of the various institutional sectors or the various industries plus taxes and less subsidies on products (which are not allocated to sectors and industries).
Before distributing national GVA data using adequate keys, the data are calculated using indicators derived from the sources.
Regional gross fixed capital (GFCF) formation is compiled in line with annual gross fixed capital formation. During compilation process of GFCF, database of investments is created by NACE activity, institutional sector, type of asset and by county from which we can obtain NUTS2 region. This database is then used to fill all the transmission tables in which GFCF is found, from GDP tables, non-financial sector accounts tables to tables on fixed assets and regional accounts tables.
National accounts employment data are compiled in accordance with European System of Accounts - ESA 2010 as defined in Annex B of the EU regulation 2023/734, which amended the European system of regional and national accounts (ESA 2010). The transmission programme defines compulsory data transmissions from September 2014 onwards. ESA 2010 is aligned with the international statistical standard - the SNA 2008 - published by the United Nations.
As defined in ESA 2010, the employment in Croatia distinguishes two employment concepts: national and domestic. The national concept measures the number of resident persons in employment while the domestic concept refers to employment in resident production units irrespective of the place of residence of the employed person. The domestic concept of employment, in both persons and hours worked is constantly improved to be consistent with other main aggregates. Employment in persons according to the domestic concept is allocated to the NUTS3 level, while employment in working hours is allocated to the NUTS2 level. The domestic concept of employment (in persons and hours worked) is consistent with GDP and other national accounts variables and is presented by regions (along with an industry level).
Compensation of employees is calculated with the top-bottom method using national data which are distributed using adequate keys.
The estimate of disposable income of the household sector is based on two methodological concepts of accounts: allocation of primary income and secondary distribution of income. Each concept of account contains characteristic aggregates that are estimated from different sources. The total amounts of the aggregates correspond to the amounts in the non-financial sector accounts (i.e. the household sector), while regionalization is estimated based on administrative sources, constructed regional indicators based on data from other state administration bodies (employment agency, pension insurance agency, health insurance agency, etc.).
3.2. Classification system
The standard followed is the European System of National and Regional Accounts (ESA 2010).
Regional Accounts are not available for all institutional sectors. For the calculation of regional accounts, data on the national level are used and the aforementioned data, for the most variables, consists of total economy.
For regional household accounts, where primary and disposable income are estimated by region, the reference sector is household. The employment by regions, the estimates as related to total economy.
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
The regional gross domestic product (GDP) is used to measure and compare the economic activity of regions. It is the most important indicator for the selection of regions eligible for support under the investment for growth and jobs goal of the EU's regional policy.
For national publication, GDP for Croatia is compiled annually by the Croatian Bureau of Statistics at national level in accordance with ESA 2010. Regional GDP is not compiled independently, but is derived through the regional allocation of national aggregates. Gross domestic product at market prices is obtained by adding taxes on products and subtracting subsidies on products to gross value added. Gross value added is first compiled at national level by activity. For the purposes of regional accounts, national gross value added by activity represents the starting point for regionalisation. Regional GVA is obtained through an indirect top-down allocation of national values to counties (NUTS 3 level). Distribution keys are derived from regional indicators that reflect the territorial distribution of economic activity. Depending on the activity, these indicators include industrial production, gross wage bill, turnover in services, value of construction works, retail trade turnover, tourism indicators and real estate transactions.
Regional indicators are transformed into year-on-year indices and applied to the previous-year regional levels to derive current-year allocation keys. These keys are applied to national GVA by activity, ensuring that the sum of regional values equals the national total for each activity and year.
Regional GDP at NUTS 2 level is obtained by aggregating the county-level results. Taxes on products and subsidies on products are allocated to regions using the same GVA-based distribution keys. As a result, regional GDP is calculated as the sum of regional gross value added plus taxes on products minus subsidies on products, while full consistency between national and regional aggregates is preserved.
Other production-based variables used in the compilation of regional GDP, such as compensation of employees, are compiled at national level and allocated to regions using appropriate indicators, ensuring coherence with the production accounts and national totals.
Regional gross domestic product data on Eurostat's website are Eurostat estimates based on a harmonized methodology. Figures for gross value added at basic prices are used as the basic variable for the estimates. Extra-regio data (i.e. value added created in national regions than on national territory, e.g. in embassies, foreign army bases, offshore energy production, etc.) is treated like any other region; however as there is no population in the extra-regio there is no GDP per capita for the extra-regio.
The conversion to purchasing power standards (PPS) is based on national purchasing power parities (PPP) which are also regularly calculated and released by Eurostat. Regional PPP are not available. All regional accounts data published by Eurostat are based on PPP for the EU Member States.
Household disposable income is the total amount of money households have available for spending and saving after subtracting income taxes and pension contributions. The estimate of disposable income of the household sector is based on two methodological concepts of accounts: allocation of primary income and secondary distribution of income. According to the Manual on regional accounts methods (Eurostat 2013), the primary income account is used to determine the primary income of households resident in the regional territory. Net balance of primary incomes is the compensation of employees received plus net operating surplus from their own-account production of housing services, plus net mixed income, plus property income received by resident households minus property income payable by resident households. The net balance of primary incomes is an indicator of the capacity of households resident in a region to generate an income as entrepreneurs, employees or recipients of property income, in the region of their residence, in other regions or abroad. The secondary distribution of income account of households records transactions which, for households resident in the regional territory, constitute a redistribution of income in cash. These transactions comprise social benefits and contributions, current taxes on income, wealth etc. and other current transfers, such as net premiums, accident insurance claims, current international cooperation, and miscellaneous current transfers, such as current transfers between households.
The regionalized employment data, based on the domestic concept, are available for total economy and by economic activity. In summary, the key concepts are population and employment. Employment covers all persons engaged in some productive activity within the production boundary of the national accounts. Employed persons by region are either employees (working by agreement for another resident unit and receiving remuneration or self-employed (sole or joint owners of unincorporated enterprises). Regionalization is based on the indicators derived from the administrative sources.
Regional gross fixed capital formation (GFCF) is compiled in line with annual gross fixed capital formation. It is detailly explained in GNI Inventory of Croatia, chapter 5.10.
For the methods of data compilation and collection see the publication "Manual on regional accounts methods": Products manuals and guidelines.
3.5. Statistical unit
The elementary building block of ESA2010 statistics is the institutional unit, which is defined as an elementary economic decision-making centre characterised by uniformity of behaviour and decision-making autonomy in the exercise of its principal function. This can be, inter alia, a household, a corporation or a government agency. Institutional units producing goods and services are often engaged in a combination of activities at the same time. The economy is considered as a whole but the regional level is calculated according to the regional breakdown, called NUTS 1, 2 and 3 (see this website: Eurostat overview).
A household is an institutional unit which is defined in ESA 2010, par. 2.12 ESA 2010
The regionalization of households is carried out according to indicators based on the individual's reported place of residence. Data are collected mainly through regional offices. No other adjustments are made.
3.6. Statistical population
Regional accounts combine data from many source statistics. Figures are obtained per capita by dividing absolute figures by the total estimated population. Following 3.5, the population of a country for regional household accounts consists of all resident statistical units. A unit is a resident unit of a country when it has a centre of predominant economic interest on the economic territory of that country, that is, when it engages for an extended period (one year or more) in economic activities on this territory. Consistently with the domestic concept, persons employed in resident units are included, regardless of age or where the person is resident. All persons engaged in a productive activity, within the production boundary of national accounts, should be covered (this includes conscripts, people living in collective households, seasonal and cross-border workers, etc). Annual population data in national accounts are obtained as an average of four quarters.
3.7. Reference area
Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics (NUTS clacification) NUTS has three hierarchical levels - NUTS 1, NUTS 2 and NUTS 3. NUTS 1 level represents Croatia as a whole country, at NUTS 2 level the country is divided into four cohesion regions and at NUTS 3 level the country is broken down into 21 statistical regions.
For regional household accounts, Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics (NUTS) has been used with estimates at the total level (NUTS 1) and regions at NUTS 2 level.
3.8. Coverage - Time
The data for regional accounts (in Eurostat’s database) cover the period from 2000 to the year preceding the transmission year. Data in national publication release on gross domestic product and gross value added cover the period from 2000 to two years preceding the transmission year (T-2) whereas for Compensation of employees (data available on PC-Axis Regional Accounts), GFCF (data available on PC-Axis Regional Accounts), employment and population there is no national publication release.
3.9. Base period
Not applicable.
Depending on the variable values are shown in Million euro, Euro per inhabitant, Euro per inhabitant in percentage of the EU27 (from 2020) average, Million units of national currency, Million purchasing power standards (PPS, EU27 from 2020), Purchasing power standard (PPS, EU27 from 2020), per inhabitant, Purchasing power standard (PPS, EU27 from 2020), per inhabitant in percentage of the EU27 (from 2020) average, thousands of persons and thousands of hours worked, growth rates or Index 2015=100.
The primary and secondary income accounts are measured in millions of euros. Population, employment in persons and hours worked are typically expressed in thousands of their respective units (e.g. persons, hours).
Purchasing Power Standards (PPS): It is important to note that PPP are calculated at national level only; this means that for a given country and a given year the same PPP is applied for all regions of that country.
The reference period is calendar years.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
Regulation (EU) 2023/734 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 March 2023 amending Regulation (EU) No 549/2013 on the European system of national and regional accounts in the European Union and repealing 11 legal acts in the field of national accounts OJ L 97, 5 April 2023.
Regulation (EU) 2019/516 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 March 2019 on the harmonisation of gross national income at market prices and repealing Council Directive 89/130/EEC, Euratom and Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1287/2003 (GNI Regulation) OJ L 91, 29 March 2019 Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/1342 of 22 April 2015 amending the methodology for the classification of products by activity given in Annex A to Regulation (EU) No 549/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council OJ L 207, 4 August 2015 Regulation (EU) No 549/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 May 2013 on the European system of national and regional accounts in the European Union OJ L 174, 26 June 2013 Commission Decision of 30 November 1998 clarifying Annex a to Council Regulation (EC) No 2223/96 on the European system of national and regional accounts in the Community as concerns the principles for measuring prices and volumes (notified under document number C(1998) 3685) OJ L 340, 16 December 1998 Commission Decision of 17 December 2002 further clarifying Annex A to Council Regulation (EC) No 2223/96 as concerns the principles for measuring prices and volumes in national accounts (notified under document number C(2002) 5054) OJ L 347, 20 December 2002 Commission Implementing Decision of 26 June 2014 on granting derogations to Member States with respect to the transmission of statistics pursuant to Regulation (EU) No 549/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the European system of national and regional accounts in the European Union (notified under document C(2014) 4164) OJ L 195, 2 July 2014 Commission Regulation (EU) No 715/2010 of 10 August 2010 amending Council Regulation (EC) No 2223/96 as regards adaptations following the revision of the statistical classification of economic activities NACE Revision 2 and the statistical classification of products by activity (CPA) in national accounts OJ L 210, 11 August 2010 Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/137 of 10 October 2022 amending Regulation (EC) No 1893/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the statistical classification of economic activities NACE Revision 2 C/2022/7104 OJ L 19, 20 January 2023
The Accounting Act (NN, No. 85/24) Zakon o računovodstvu Financial operations and accounting of non-profit organizations Act (NN, Nos 121/14 and 114/22) Decision on the National Classification of Activities 2007 - NKD 2007 (NN, Nos 58/07 and 72/07) Classification of products by activity - KPD 2008 (NN, No. 108/08)
Ordinance on the structure and content of Annual Financial Statements (NN, Nos 95/16 and 144/20) Ordinance on amendments to the Ordinance on the structure and content of Annual Financial Statements (NN, No. 158/23) Rulebook on the form and content of additional data for statistical and other purposes (NN, Nos 2/17 and 158/23) Decision on the structure and content of Annual financial Statements of Credit institutions (NN, Nos 42/18, 122/20, 119/21 and 108/22) Rulebook on the form and content of Financial and additional reports of Insurance Companies and Reinsurance companies (NN, No. 20/23) Regulations on Budget Accounting and the Chart of Accounts (NN, No. 158/23)
System of National Accounts 2008 - 2008 SNA European system of accounts ESA 2010
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
The CBS has agreements with external data providers and institutions such as Memorandum of Understanding with Croatian National Bank and Ministry of finance for the purpose of the regulation of the responsibility for EDP reporting. CBS has also agreement of data exchange with Croatian Financial Services Supervisory Agency, Tax Administration and Croatian Regulatory Authority for Network Industries.
Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 on European statistics (recital 24 and Article 20(4)) of 11 March 2009 (OJ L 87, p. 164), stipulates the need to establish common principles and guidelines ensuring the confidentiality of data used for the production of European statistics and the access to those confidential data with due account for technical developments and the requirements of users in a democratic society.
The European Statistics Code of Practice provides further conditions that have to be respected by statistical offices in regard to statistical confidentiality (Principle 5). Pursuant to the Official Statistics Act in Croatia, confidentiality implies the protection of confidential data related to individual statistical unit, which are collected directly for statistical purposes or indirectly from administrative or other sources, implying the prohibition of use of collected statistical data for non-statistical purposes and their unlawful disclosure. Also, the CBS allow scientists and scientific organisations that conduct statistical analyses for scientific purposes access to confidential data that provide only an indirect identification of the statistical units (Article 65 of the Act).
Pursuant to the Official Statistics Act in Croatia, confidentiality implies the protection of confidential data related to individual statistical unit, which are collected directly for statistical purposes or indirectly from administrative or other sources, implying the prohibition of use of collected statistical data for non-statistical purposes and their unlawful disclosure. Also, the CBS allow scientists and scientific organisations that conduct statistical analyses for scientific purposes access to confidential data that provide only an indirect identification of the statistical units (Article 65 of the Act)
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
The CBS reports some data as confidential data not for publishing due to singularity of the units withing certain group/class of economic activities (e.g. extraction of crude petroleum and natural gas, air transport, postal and courier activities).
8.1. Release calendar
Release calendars contains the review of publications planned to be issued in current year and by the end of May for next year, which depends on when the processing of a particular statistical survey can be finished and on whether it is feasible to make a particular kind of publication or not.
In line with the Community legal framework and the European Statistics Code of Practice (Principle 6 on impartiality and objectivity, Principle 13 on timeliness and punctuality and Principle 15 on accessibility and clarity), national accounts data that meet the quality standards, including relevant metadata, should be made available to users. Users should be informed when the data become available and how they can be accessed. All statistical data published by the CBS are available on the website, for all users, where publications by statistical subject matter areas have been published (both with first releases and accompanied databases via link provided). The publications are published according to the release calendar scheduled at 11 a.m. precisely (i.e. standard daily time set for the release), both in electronic format and hard copy. A link to the regular publications and the release time: Web | Državni zavod za statistiku
Annually
10.1. Dissemination format - News release
FIRST RELEASE from 11 February 2025, no NR-2025-2-1 GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT FOR REPUBLIC OF CROATIA, HR_NUTS 2021 - HR NUTS 2 AND COUNTIES, 2022
Regional households data on primary and disposable income and regional employment have been transmitted to Eurostat within a regular transmission period. Currently, there are no official first releases on the national level.
10.2. Dissemination format - Publications
The data are made available to the public through "first releases" and database (in which there is an explanation of methodology)
Regional household accounts and regional employment (not pubished in national website) are disseminated in Eurostat’s online database (Eurobase) when underlying input data are published after successful validation process.
10.4. Dissemination format - microdata access
The conditions under which certain users can have access to microdata are regulated by The Ordinance on the conditions and manner of use of statistical data for scientific purposes.
10.5. Dissemination format - other
There is no other format of dissemination for Regional Accounts
The data on quality are stored in database of quality information (DBQI), and the reports on quality are prepared on the bases of this information and will gradually be available on CBS Internet site.
The main tool for systematic quality assessment and quality management is the database on quality information (DBBQI). The DBQI has in the first stage the Basic analytical tool for comparative analyses of quality indicators and later will contain Advanced analytical tool for comparative analyses of quality indicators.
Quality of regional household accounts data is assured by the application of ESA 2010 definitions along with applying the recommendations of the ESS handbook for quality reports. During the overall compilation process of regional household accounts (primary income and secondary distribution), input data undergo several kinds of quality checks, e.g. ex-ante (source statistics, consistency with sector accounts), ongoing (results), ex-post (methods used), and external checks (Eurostat). Validation of data sources, assumptions, and parameters in the model with final results is an integral part of the compilation process.
The data on quality are stored in database of quality information (DBQI), and the reports on quality are prepared on the basis of this information and are available on CBS Internet site.
In addition to the routine validation checks, ESA 2010 data transmissions are subject to regular quality assessment reviews. Article 4 of Regulation (EU) No 549/2013 (ESA 2010 Regulation) European system of national and regional accounts specifies that the data covered by that Regulation is subject to the quality criteria, namely relevance, accuracy, timeliness and punctuality, accessibility and clarity, comparability and coherence, as set out in Article 12(1) of Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council. Member States provide the Commission with a report on the quality of the transmitted data on national and regional accounts. The modalities, structure, periodicity and assessment indicators of the quality reports on data transmitted have been specified in a Commission Implementing Regulation 2016/2304 of 19 December 2016. The implementation of the quality reporting and assessment exercise started in 2017 and is carried out annually. As part of the annual exercise, Eurostat assesses the results, prepares and publishes an overall assessment based on the national quality reports and other available information. The Commission also, on a 5 year basis, reports to the European Parliament and the Council on the application of the ESA 2010 Regulation, including the quality of data on national and regional accounts.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
Primary users of the national accounts data in Croatia are Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Economy, financial institutions, Croatian National Bank, Croatian Chamber of Commerce, scientific and academic institutions which conduct macroeconomic research as primary activity, newspapers specialised in the field of macroeconomics. International organisation such as IMF and OECD, scientific and academic institutions which conduct macroeconomic research.
National accounts data provide key information for economic policy monitoring and decision making, for forecasting, for administrative purposes, for informing the general public about economic developments (directly or indirectly via news agencies), and as input for economic research.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
Views and opinions of users of national accounts statistics can be collected and analysed as one of the tools to 'measure' the relevance of national accounts data. Users ask questions and provide suggestions via following mail contacts: for information and user's requests stat.info@dzs.hr and for journalist requests press@dzs.hr
12.3. Completeness
According to the NQR, regional accounts data is transmitted in transmission tables following the ESA 2010 transmission program. These tables are completed with 100% coverage.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
Regional GDP and GVA estimates are generally more reliable at NUTS 2 level than at NUTS 3 level. Aggregation at NUTS 2 reduces the impact of local data limitations and volatility of certain regional indicators.
Accuracy limitations are mainly related to the availability of fully territorialised source data and the suitability of indicators for specific activities.
Accuracy is also documented in the National Quality Report (NQR).
13.2. Sampling error
Not applicable
13.3. Non-sampling error
Not applicable
14.1. Timeliness
The regional accounts tables have to be transmitted 24 months after the end of the reference year.
Compilation of regional GDP is sequentially dependent on the completion and revision of annual national GDP. Following revisions at national level, all regional allocations must be recalculated to preserve consistency across territorial levels.
This process affects the timeliness of regional GDP publication. Ongoing efforts focus on automation of allocation and validation procedures to improve efficiency.
14.2. Punctuality
The detailed scope and required timeliness for regional accounts data are defined in the ESA 2010 transmission programme of data.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
The geographical comparability of national accounts in Member States of the EU is ensured by the application of common definitions of the European System of Accounts ESA 2010). Worldwide geographical comparison is also possible as most non-European countries apply the SNA 2008 guidelines, and SNA 2008 is consistent with ESA 2010.
Geographical comparability within Croatia is ensured by applying a single national accounts framework (ESA 2010), consistent national totals as constraints, harmonised allocation methods across all regions and uniform use of regional indicators by activity.
Differences between regions therefore reflect differences in economic structure and activity rather than methodological differences.
The sums of regional GDP data coincide with the national data published in national accounts at the time of the regional GDP release.
15.2. Comparability - over time
There are breaks in population data for periods 2001 (because of different concept of estimation) and 2012 (due possible revision of LFS data backwards). There are also breaks in employment data (both in persons and hours worked) at region level for 2020 due to planned revision of regional structures and at total level and NACEs for 2012 (due possible revisions of LFS data backwards).
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
Within the system of national accounts there is full consistency between the domains: annual and quarterly national accounts, government accounts, sector accounts, financial accounts, regional accounts, supply and use tables. However, in practice full consistency may not always be possible and temporary discrepancies might occur. They are usually the result of vintage differences. Primary statistics like structural business statistics (SBS), short term statistics (STS) and labour force statistics (LFS) are widely used as input for national accounts. However, there is no full consistency between these statistical domains and national accounts. Main reasons are differences in concepts/definitions and in coverage. Balance of payments is also used as an important source for national accounts. The definitions and coverage of balance of payments, as defined in the BPM6 manual, are fully harmonised with those in ESA 2010. Therefore, balance of payments variables are in principle fully coherent with the corresponding national accounts variables.
15.4. Coherence - internal
Internal coherence of regional accounts is ensured through systematic consistency checks. The sum of GVA by activities equals total GVA, and the sum of regional values equals the corresponding national total for each year.
The allocation procedure is constructed in a way that preserves accounting identities by definition, ensuring full coherence between national and regional accounts.
Coherence for regional employment is achieved by internally set controls so that regional and NACEs breakdowns match the totals in the main aggregates tables. Coherence for regional household accounts is also set so that regional totals match the totals of household sectors in the non-financial sector accounts domain. Finally, self-employed and employees in legal entities by region and NACE must correspond to the total employment level by NACEs and regions. Such coherence also allows control of consistency of regional structures.
Not available
17.1. Data revision - policy
The users of statistical data are informed about revision (preliminary, final data) on CBS web site.
National accounts data are subject to continuous revisions as new input data become available. They are called routine revisions and entail regular revisions of country data and of the European aggregates, which are derived from the former. More rarely, exceptional revisions (called benchmark revisions) will result from major changes in data sources, classifications or methodology. For example, when changing from ESA95 to ESA 2010, a benchmark revision occurred at country level and at euro area/EU data level. Two Task Forces developed proposals for a more harmonised approach for benchmark and routine revisions. The one under the auspices of the Directors of Macroeconomic Statistics (DMES) dealt with benchmark revision policy, the other under the auspices of the Committee on Monetary, Financial, and Balance of Payments Statistics (CMFB) on the European Harmonised Revision Policy dealing with routine revisions.
17.2. Data revision - practice
While revisions should be seen as a process to progressively improve the quality of national accounts as e.g. better sources and/or methods become available, the availability of metadata on revisions is a key element for understanding national accounts data and revisions between subsequent releases. Therefore, information on the main reasons for revisions and their nature (new source data available, new methods, etc.) as well as possibly quantitative and qualitative assessment on the average size of revisions and their direction based on historical data is required.
All reported errors (once validated) result in corrections of the disseminated data.
Reported errors are corrected in the disseminated data as soon as the correct data have been validated.
Data are only published once they are deemed to be sufficiently complete for all data providers.
Revisions of regional GDP and regional population data are applied to Eurostat's reference database when a new set of regional GDP data is released, i.e. only once per year.
Revisions of data other than regional GVA, GDP and population are published when countries transmit the revised data, but with few exceptions only one annual data transmission is done by countries.
Changes in methodology may also occur as a result of implementing new EU Regulations. Any such change will be commented at the time of the first data release after the changes.
More specific information for the release of a particular year is available in the Annex.
Before distributing national GVA data using adequate keys, the data are calculated using indicators that are calculated using data from other departments of CBS, Financial Agency, Institute of Economics: Economic accounts for agriculture, PRODCOM survey, gross salary fund, value of construction works done, turnover in services, tourist nights spent, number of sold apartments and houses and median price of sold apartments and houses.
The main data source for compiling P51G is CBS in-house survey on fixed assets (INV-P) which converse around 60% of the total. After INV-P is processed, it is than complemented with various administrative databases in order to achieve full coverage in estimating gross fixed capital formation. More details on compilation of P51G can be found in GNI Inventory of Croatia - chapter 5.10 ACQUISITIONS LESS DISPOSALS OF PRODUCED FIXED ASSETS.
The following data sources are used for regional household accounts: main aggregates in sectoral accounts, which are broken down to regional levels using various indicators. Regional indicators are used from various administrative sources (pension insurance, data from the Croatian Employment Service, social benefits data, demographic data). For regional employment, data from administrative sources are used.
The main data source for the compensation of employees is national data for compensation of employees as well as the data from other departments of CBS.
National GDP and GVA are compiled using annual financial statements of enterprises, reports of government units and budget users, tax administration data for unincorporated units and self-employed persons, statistical surveys and fiscal and monetary statistics.
For regionalisation, additional indicators available at county level are used to derive allocation keys, ensuring territorial distribution of national aggregates in line with regional economic patterns. Depending on the activity, these indicators include industrial production data, gross wage bill, turnover in services, value of construction works, retail trade turnover, tourism indicators (such as nights spent) and real estate transaction data.
Regionalization of the employment in national accounts is carried out on the basis of social statistics data (administrative employment and labour force survey). Data on administrative employment are available on the institute's website, while data on the labour force survey are available on request). Data on regional structures for the assessment of regional disposable household income are collected based on data available from administrative sources through agreements with other institutions and based on data available on the websites of other state administration bodies (e.g. annual reports, statistical bulletins, etc.)
18.4. Data validation
Data, which is used for indicators of GVA, is gathered from other departments in CBS and they have their controls for data quality and coverage.
Controls for additivity and other possible inconsistencies are checked after calculations are completed. Validation of GVA data is achieved by setting regional and industry totals to match the totals on national level.
Validation for regional employment is achieved by internally set controls so that regional and industry totals match the totals in the main aggregates tables. Validation for regional household accounts is also set so that regional totals match the totals of household sectors in the non-financial sector accounts domain.
18.5. Data compilation
Data sources for the calculation of GVA and GDP are the national accounts data, annual business statistics surveys, economic accounts for agriculture, annual data on persons in employment and earnings, annual data of the Croatian Institute for Pension Insurance on the number of insured persons and various other statistical data.
The calculation covers all activities following the concept of the System of National Accounts (SNA 2008) and the European System of National and Regional Accounts (ESA 2010).
Regional accounts are a subsystem of national accounts in which the Republic of Croatia, the NUTS 2 level units and counties are the main objects of observation. The concepts used in the regional accounts are the same as those used in the national accounts. GDP at market prices is the sum of values added by activities, including items at the level of the national economy that are not classified by activities, such as taxes on products less subsidies on products.
GVA and GDP for the Republic of Croatia, at NUTS 2 level and for counties are calculated by using the indirect method. The national GVA figures by activities were allocated at the NUTS 3 level by applying adequate distribution keys.
Household and employment account data by region are compiled in spreadsheets based on the data sources and concepts described under items 18.1 and 3.4, with each spreadsheet file consisting of a series of linked sheets to minimize potential errors.
18.6. Adjustment
During the compilation, coverage and conceptual adjustments are carried out.
For calculating GVA, regional indicators are transformed into year-on-year indices and applied to the previous-year regional levels to derive current-year allocation keys. These keys are applied to national GVA by activity, ensuring that the sum of regional values equals the national total for each activity and year.
Regional GDP at NUTS 2 level is obtained by aggregating the county-level results. Taxes on products and subsidies on products are allocated to regions using the same GVA-based distribution keys. As a result, regional GDP is calculated as the sum of regional gross value added plus taxes on products minus subsidies on products, while full consistency between national and regional aggregates is preserved.
Other production-based variables used in the compilation of regional GDP, such as compensation of employees, are compiled at national level and allocated to regions using appropriate indicators, ensuring coherence with the production accounts and national totals.
No comments.
Regional accounts are a regional specification of the national accounts and therefore based on the same concepts and definitions as national accounts (see domain nama10). The main specific regional topics are addressed in chapter 13 of ESA2010, but not practically specified. For practical rules and recommendations on sources and methods see the publication "Manual on regional accounts methods".
Gross domestic product (GDP) at market prices is the final result of the production activity of resident producer units. In Croatia GDP is compiled using the output approach accounts it can be calculated from:
GDP is the sum of gross value added of the various institutional sectors or the various industries plus taxes and less subsidies on products (which are not allocated to sectors and industries).
Before distributing national GVA data using adequate keys, the data are calculated using indicators derived from the sources.
Regional gross fixed capital (GFCF) formation is compiled in line with annual gross fixed capital formation. During compilation process of GFCF, database of investments is created by NACE activity, institutional sector, type of asset and by county from which we can obtain NUTS2 region. This database is then used to fill all the transmission tables in which GFCF is found, from GDP tables, non-financial sector accounts tables to tables on fixed assets and regional accounts tables.
National accounts employment data are compiled in accordance with European System of Accounts - ESA 2010 as defined in Annex B of the EU regulation 2023/734, which amended the European system of regional and national accounts (ESA 2010). The transmission programme defines compulsory data transmissions from September 2014 onwards. ESA 2010 is aligned with the international statistical standard - the SNA 2008 - published by the United Nations.
As defined in ESA 2010, the employment in Croatia distinguishes two employment concepts: national and domestic. The national concept measures the number of resident persons in employment while the domestic concept refers to employment in resident production units irrespective of the place of residence of the employed person. The domestic concept of employment, in both persons and hours worked is constantly improved to be consistent with other main aggregates. Employment in persons according to the domestic concept is allocated to the NUTS3 level, while employment in working hours is allocated to the NUTS2 level. The domestic concept of employment (in persons and hours worked) is consistent with GDP and other national accounts variables and is presented by regions (along with an industry level).
Compensation of employees is calculated with the top-bottom method using national data which are distributed using adequate keys.
The estimate of disposable income of the household sector is based on two methodological concepts of accounts: allocation of primary income and secondary distribution of income. Each concept of account contains characteristic aggregates that are estimated from different sources. The total amounts of the aggregates correspond to the amounts in the non-financial sector accounts (i.e. the household sector), while regionalization is estimated based on administrative sources, constructed regional indicators based on data from other state administration bodies (employment agency, pension insurance agency, health insurance agency, etc.).
30 October 2025
The regional gross domestic product (GDP) is used to measure and compare the economic activity of regions. It is the most important indicator for the selection of regions eligible for support under the investment for growth and jobs goal of the EU's regional policy.
For national publication, GDP for Croatia is compiled annually by the Croatian Bureau of Statistics at national level in accordance with ESA 2010. Regional GDP is not compiled independently, but is derived through the regional allocation of national aggregates. Gross domestic product at market prices is obtained by adding taxes on products and subtracting subsidies on products to gross value added. Gross value added is first compiled at national level by activity. For the purposes of regional accounts, national gross value added by activity represents the starting point for regionalisation. Regional GVA is obtained through an indirect top-down allocation of national values to counties (NUTS 3 level). Distribution keys are derived from regional indicators that reflect the territorial distribution of economic activity. Depending on the activity, these indicators include industrial production, gross wage bill, turnover in services, value of construction works, retail trade turnover, tourism indicators and real estate transactions.
Regional indicators are transformed into year-on-year indices and applied to the previous-year regional levels to derive current-year allocation keys. These keys are applied to national GVA by activity, ensuring that the sum of regional values equals the national total for each activity and year.
Regional GDP at NUTS 2 level is obtained by aggregating the county-level results. Taxes on products and subsidies on products are allocated to regions using the same GVA-based distribution keys. As a result, regional GDP is calculated as the sum of regional gross value added plus taxes on products minus subsidies on products, while full consistency between national and regional aggregates is preserved.
Other production-based variables used in the compilation of regional GDP, such as compensation of employees, are compiled at national level and allocated to regions using appropriate indicators, ensuring coherence with the production accounts and national totals.
Regional gross domestic product data on Eurostat's website are Eurostat estimates based on a harmonized methodology. Figures for gross value added at basic prices are used as the basic variable for the estimates. Extra-regio data (i.e. value added created in national regions than on national territory, e.g. in embassies, foreign army bases, offshore energy production, etc.) is treated like any other region; however as there is no population in the extra-regio there is no GDP per capita for the extra-regio.
The conversion to purchasing power standards (PPS) is based on national purchasing power parities (PPP) which are also regularly calculated and released by Eurostat. Regional PPP are not available. All regional accounts data published by Eurostat are based on PPP for the EU Member States.
Household disposable income is the total amount of money households have available for spending and saving after subtracting income taxes and pension contributions. The estimate of disposable income of the household sector is based on two methodological concepts of accounts: allocation of primary income and secondary distribution of income. According to the Manual on regional accounts methods (Eurostat 2013), the primary income account is used to determine the primary income of households resident in the regional territory. Net balance of primary incomes is the compensation of employees received plus net operating surplus from their own-account production of housing services, plus net mixed income, plus property income received by resident households minus property income payable by resident households. The net balance of primary incomes is an indicator of the capacity of households resident in a region to generate an income as entrepreneurs, employees or recipients of property income, in the region of their residence, in other regions or abroad. The secondary distribution of income account of households records transactions which, for households resident in the regional territory, constitute a redistribution of income in cash. These transactions comprise social benefits and contributions, current taxes on income, wealth etc. and other current transfers, such as net premiums, accident insurance claims, current international cooperation, and miscellaneous current transfers, such as current transfers between households.
The regionalized employment data, based on the domestic concept, are available for total economy and by economic activity. In summary, the key concepts are population and employment. Employment covers all persons engaged in some productive activity within the production boundary of the national accounts. Employed persons by region are either employees (working by agreement for another resident unit and receiving remuneration or self-employed (sole or joint owners of unincorporated enterprises). Regionalization is based on the indicators derived from the administrative sources.
Regional gross fixed capital formation (GFCF) is compiled in line with annual gross fixed capital formation. It is detailly explained in GNI Inventory of Croatia, chapter 5.10.
For the methods of data compilation and collection see the publication "Manual on regional accounts methods": Products manuals and guidelines.
The elementary building block of ESA2010 statistics is the institutional unit, which is defined as an elementary economic decision-making centre characterised by uniformity of behaviour and decision-making autonomy in the exercise of its principal function. This can be, inter alia, a household, a corporation or a government agency. Institutional units producing goods and services are often engaged in a combination of activities at the same time. The economy is considered as a whole but the regional level is calculated according to the regional breakdown, called NUTS 1, 2 and 3 (see this website: Eurostat overview).
A household is an institutional unit which is defined in ESA 2010, par. 2.12 ESA 2010
The regionalization of households is carried out according to indicators based on the individual's reported place of residence. Data are collected mainly through regional offices. No other adjustments are made.
Regional accounts combine data from many source statistics. Figures are obtained per capita by dividing absolute figures by the total estimated population. Following 3.5, the population of a country for regional household accounts consists of all resident statistical units. A unit is a resident unit of a country when it has a centre of predominant economic interest on the economic territory of that country, that is, when it engages for an extended period (one year or more) in economic activities on this territory. Consistently with the domestic concept, persons employed in resident units are included, regardless of age or where the person is resident. All persons engaged in a productive activity, within the production boundary of national accounts, should be covered (this includes conscripts, people living in collective households, seasonal and cross-border workers, etc). Annual population data in national accounts are obtained as an average of four quarters.
Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics (NUTS clacification) NUTS has three hierarchical levels - NUTS 1, NUTS 2 and NUTS 3. NUTS 1 level represents Croatia as a whole country, at NUTS 2 level the country is divided into four cohesion regions and at NUTS 3 level the country is broken down into 21 statistical regions.
For regional household accounts, Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics (NUTS) has been used with estimates at the total level (NUTS 1) and regions at NUTS 2 level.
The reference period is calendar years.
Regional GDP and GVA estimates are generally more reliable at NUTS 2 level than at NUTS 3 level. Aggregation at NUTS 2 reduces the impact of local data limitations and volatility of certain regional indicators.
Accuracy limitations are mainly related to the availability of fully territorialised source data and the suitability of indicators for specific activities.
Accuracy is also documented in the National Quality Report (NQR).
Depending on the variable values are shown in Million euro, Euro per inhabitant, Euro per inhabitant in percentage of the EU27 (from 2020) average, Million units of national currency, Million purchasing power standards (PPS, EU27 from 2020), Purchasing power standard (PPS, EU27 from 2020), per inhabitant, Purchasing power standard (PPS, EU27 from 2020), per inhabitant in percentage of the EU27 (from 2020) average, thousands of persons and thousands of hours worked, growth rates or Index 2015=100.
The primary and secondary income accounts are measured in millions of euros. Population, employment in persons and hours worked are typically expressed in thousands of their respective units (e.g. persons, hours).
Purchasing Power Standards (PPS): It is important to note that PPP are calculated at national level only; this means that for a given country and a given year the same PPP is applied for all regions of that country.
Data sources for the calculation of GVA and GDP are the national accounts data, annual business statistics surveys, economic accounts for agriculture, annual data on persons in employment and earnings, annual data of the Croatian Institute for Pension Insurance on the number of insured persons and various other statistical data.
The calculation covers all activities following the concept of the System of National Accounts (SNA 2008) and the European System of National and Regional Accounts (ESA 2010).
Regional accounts are a subsystem of national accounts in which the Republic of Croatia, the NUTS 2 level units and counties are the main objects of observation. The concepts used in the regional accounts are the same as those used in the national accounts. GDP at market prices is the sum of values added by activities, including items at the level of the national economy that are not classified by activities, such as taxes on products less subsidies on products.
GVA and GDP for the Republic of Croatia, at NUTS 2 level and for counties are calculated by using the indirect method. The national GVA figures by activities were allocated at the NUTS 3 level by applying adequate distribution keys.
Household and employment account data by region are compiled in spreadsheets based on the data sources and concepts described under items 18.1 and 3.4, with each spreadsheet file consisting of a series of linked sheets to minimize potential errors.
Before distributing national GVA data using adequate keys, the data are calculated using indicators that are calculated using data from other departments of CBS, Financial Agency, Institute of Economics: Economic accounts for agriculture, PRODCOM survey, gross salary fund, value of construction works done, turnover in services, tourist nights spent, number of sold apartments and houses and median price of sold apartments and houses.
The main data source for compiling P51G is CBS in-house survey on fixed assets (INV-P) which converse around 60% of the total. After INV-P is processed, it is than complemented with various administrative databases in order to achieve full coverage in estimating gross fixed capital formation. More details on compilation of P51G can be found in GNI Inventory of Croatia - chapter 5.10 ACQUISITIONS LESS DISPOSALS OF PRODUCED FIXED ASSETS.
The following data sources are used for regional household accounts: main aggregates in sectoral accounts, which are broken down to regional levels using various indicators. Regional indicators are used from various administrative sources (pension insurance, data from the Croatian Employment Service, social benefits data, demographic data). For regional employment, data from administrative sources are used.
The main data source for the compensation of employees is national data for compensation of employees as well as the data from other departments of CBS.
The regional accounts tables have to be transmitted 24 months after the end of the reference year.
Compilation of regional GDP is sequentially dependent on the completion and revision of annual national GDP. Following revisions at national level, all regional allocations must be recalculated to preserve consistency across territorial levels.
This process affects the timeliness of regional GDP publication. Ongoing efforts focus on automation of allocation and validation procedures to improve efficiency.
The geographical comparability of national accounts in Member States of the EU is ensured by the application of common definitions of the European System of Accounts ESA 2010). Worldwide geographical comparison is also possible as most non-European countries apply the SNA 2008 guidelines, and SNA 2008 is consistent with ESA 2010.
Geographical comparability within Croatia is ensured by applying a single national accounts framework (ESA 2010), consistent national totals as constraints, harmonised allocation methods across all regions and uniform use of regional indicators by activity.
Differences between regions therefore reflect differences in economic structure and activity rather than methodological differences.
The sums of regional GDP data coincide with the national data published in national accounts at the time of the regional GDP release.
There are breaks in population data for periods 2001 (because of different concept of estimation) and 2012 (due possible revision of LFS data backwards). There are also breaks in employment data (both in persons and hours worked) at region level for 2020 due to planned revision of regional structures and at total level and NACEs for 2012 (due possible revisions of LFS data backwards).
