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 record economic transactions in accordance with the methodological principles of the output approach, but the indicators of the regional accounts are produced in a hierarchical territorial breakdown.
Regional accounts are a regional specification of the national accounts and therefore based on the same concepts and definitions as national accounts. The main specific regional issues are addressed in Chapter 13 of ESA 2010, but not practically specified. For practical rules and recommendations on sources and methods, see the publication: Manual on regional accounts methods. At the national level, HCSO is responsible for the compilation of regional accounts.
Hungarian regional account compiles the following aggregates at a NUTS3 level:
Gross value added (at current prices);
Gross value added (at previous year prices);
Total employment (in persons);
Employees (in persons);
Self-Employed (in persons);
Population.
Regional accounts produce a breakdown of a breakdown of the following at a NUTS2 level:
Compensation of employees;
Gross fixed capital formation;
Total employment (in hours worked);
Employees (in hours worked);
Self-employed (in hours worked);
The main indicators of regional household income and transfer data.
In addition to the list above, HCSO also compiles the following variables at a NUTS3 level, however these are currently only available through HCSO’s website. (For more information see section 10.)
Gross domestic product;
Gross domestic product per capita;
Gross domestic product per capita as a percentage of the national average;
Order of counties on the basis of GDP per capita;
Gross domestic product per capita in PPS.
3.2. Classification system
Hungary follows the standard of the European System of National and Regional Accounts (ESA 2010), which provides a methodology on common standards, definitions, internationally harmonised classifications, and accounting rules that are used for compiling national and regional accounts on comparable bases.
Nomenclature of territorial unit for statistics: NUTS Level 2 and Level 3: Eurostat Nuts.
Economic classification: High-level aggregation (A10) of NACE Rev 2: Eurostat.
3.3. Coverage - sector
Regional Accounts are not available for all institutional sectors. Main regional aggregates are compiled for the total economy of the country. A sectoral breakdown is only available for the household sector, and transactions are limited to income distribution and redistribution. Gross fixed capital formation (GFCF) is compiled for the entire national economy without a breakdown by institutional sector.
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
The regional gross domestic product (GDP) is used in order 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.
Regional accounts use the GDP calculated by the production approach, then the regional GDP is estimated using the top-down method.
Production (output) approach: GDP is the sum of gross value added of the various institutional sectors or the various industries, plus taxes and less subsidies on products.
Top-down methods: The national figure from the national accounts is distributed using regional indicators which are close to the variable to be estimated.
Employment data is based on domestic concepts. Further information on the definitions of indicators used in regional accounts can be found in ESA 2010:
Compensation of employees: ESA paragraph 4.02.
Employment: ESA paragraph 11.11.
Employees: ESA paragraph 11.12.
Self-employed person: ESA paragraph 11.15.
Gross fixed capital formation: ESA paragraph 3.124.
The main indicators of regional household income and transfer data are as follows:
Mixed Income: ESA paragraph II.1.1.8.19.
Gross Operating Surplus: ESA paragraph II.1.1.8.20.
Property Income (D.4): ESA Chapter 4 paragraph 4.41.
Net Social Contributions (D.61): ESA Chapter 4 paragraph 4.91.
The heading, ‘social benefits other than in cash’ (D.62) is made up of three sub-headings:
Social security benefits in cash (D.621): ESA Chapter 4 paragraph 4.103.
Other social insurance benefits (D.622): ESA Chapter 4 paragraph 4.104.
Social assistance benefits in cash (D.623): ESA Chapter 4 paragraph 4.105.
Other current transfers (D.7) of household are included in the following sub-items:
Net non-life insurance premiums (D.71): ESA Chapter 4 paragraph 4.112.
Non-life insurance claims (D.72): ESA Chapter 4 paragraph 4.114.
Miscellaneous current transfers (D.75): ESA Chapter 4 paragraph 4.125.
The concepts and definitions used are fully in line with ESA 2010. Detailed information about methodology and metadata related to regional accounts and national accounts are available on HCSO’s website.
3.5. Statistical unit
National accounts deal with the economy as a whole. They combine data from a host of base statistics, and thus have no common sampling reference frame.
The elementary building block of ESA 2010 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 a household, a corporation, or a government agency.
HCSO do not use the Local Kind-of-Activity unit, total performance of legal units is accounted under their principal economic activity. When compiling regional accounts, the data of institutional units are partitioned into local units on the basis of residence.
As regards regional accounts, the economy is considered as a whole, but the regional level is calculated according to the regional breakdown, called NUTS 1, 2, and 3.
3.6. Statistical population
The National accounts include 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 in economic activities on this territory. Regional accounts’ definitions are in line with national accounts regarding statistical population.
Regional accounts use mid-year population for its estimates, which can be defined as the arithmetic mean of the population number at the beginning and at the end of the year. Number of mid-year population is used for comparison of vital events (e.g. live birth) occurring during one calendar year to the number of population (rates, indicators concerning population).
3.7. Reference area
The reference area for national and regional accounts is the total economic territory of Hungary. The total economy is broken into NUTS regions which corresponds to the administrative division of the country.
NUTS 1 – macroregions – 3 units
NUTS 2 – regions – 8 units
NUTS 3 – subregions – 20 units
Hungary has no extra regions or overseas territories.
3.8. Coverage - Time
Regional accounts are compiled for calendar years and are published in time series starting from 2000. The latest reference year for all series is 2022, expect from gross value added (both current and previous year prices), employment data (in persons only) and population where it is 2023. The reference periods of series transmitted to Eurostat do not differ from the series available on HCSO’s website.
3.9. Base period
Not applicable.
With the exception of some variables concerning population and employment that are expressed in number of persons and hours worked, data series show all flows and stocks in monetary terms: in Hungarian national currency, in Hungarian forint (HUF). Indicators in national currency units are expressed in millions of forints.
In addition to measurement in current prices, some regional accounts variables are also expressed in previous year's prices and growth rates (volume indices). Furthermore, it is possible to derive growth rates and indices, and various other measures '(e.g. percentages, per capita data, data expressed in purchasing power standards)' can be applied as well.
Figures on HCSO’s website are consistent with the series transmitted to Eurostat.
The reference period used for presenting regional accounts data is the calendar year.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
National accounts are compiled in accordance with the European System of Accounts (ESA 2010), which was published in the Official Journal as Annex A of Regulation (EU) No 549/2013. The ESA 2010 transmission programme is covered in Annex B. Both Annex A and B are amended and published in the Official Journal of the European Union under REGULATION (EU) 2023/734 (Amendment ESA 2010).
The ESA 2010 has the form of a Regulation with its amendment and it provides for:
A methodology (Annex A) on common standards, definitions, classifications, and accounting rules that shall be used for compiling accounts and tables on comparable bases (ESA 2010 methodology and amendment).
A programme of data transmission (Annex B) setting out the time limits by which Member States shall transmit to Eurostat the accounts and tables (ESA 2010 transmission programme).
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
Regional accounts datasets are used both nationally and internationally by different organizations, policymakers, and analysts. Data of Hungarian national accounts are reported to Eurostat within the ESA 2010 transmission programme.
HCSO has a written agreement and technical protocol for cooperation with other Hungarian institutions (e.g., with the National Bank of Hungary, Ministry for National Economy, Prime Minister's Office) on the details of the data sharing.
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
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, as well as access to those confidential data taking into account 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).
Official statistical activity—including issues related to confidentiality—is regulated in Hungary by Act CLV of 2016 on Official Statistics, which entered into force on 1 January 2017, and by Government Decree 184/2017 (VII. 5), issued to implement the corresponding act. According to this Act, official statistical activity is a public service regulated by law, supporting evidence-based decision-making by publishing statistical data that serve official information dissemination and the general awareness of society.
The establishment of a data confidentiality policy is a major element of the strategic planning of the Hungarian Central Statistical Office, including the definition of principles and rules to be followed when protecting data handled with a statistical purpose. The framework of the Hungarian Central Statistical Office’s data confidentiality policy is defined by the professional independence of the institution, as stated in the Act CLV of 2016 on Official Statistics.
In a statistical sense, ‘confidential data’ refers to data that allow statistical units to be identified, either directly or indirectly, thereby disclosing individual information. To determine whether a statistical unit is identifiable, all relevant means that might reasonably be used by a third party to identify the statistical unit shall be considered.
Although national accounts data are usually highly aggregated, there may be cases for detailed breakdowns of aggregates and/or small economies. In these cases, measures should be taken in order not to disclose data of a separate statistical unit. Guidance on how to prevent disclosure can be found in the Handbook on Statistical Disclosure Control.
In line with the Confidentiality Policy (see in under 7.1), individual information is disclosed in Hungary. The data management confidentiality, including methodological treatments, ensures that confidential data are not accessible or identifiable.
8.1. Release calendar
HCSO publishes its release calendar on its website: Publication and revision calendar. The release calendar covers a full calendar year, and it includes regional accounts news releases.
The transmission requirements for each dataset are defined in the European System of Accounts (ESA 2010) transmission programme.
Regional accounts data are published at an annual frequency, with preliminary data first available 12 months after the reference year (T+12 months), and final estimations 24 months after the reference year (T+24 months). The dissemination frequency of HCSO is in line with that of Eurostat.
10.1. Dissemination format - News release
There is no specific news release for regional accounts aggregates.
10.2. Dissemination format - Publications
The most important channel of publishing regional accounts data is the webpage of HCSO, where predefined data tables (STADAT) and dissemination database are accessible free of charge.
Besides electronic dissemination regional accounts data are included in data publications in print. The most important are the Statistical Yearbook of Hungary, Regional Statistical Yearbook of Hungary and Statistical Pocketbook of Hungary.
10.3. Dissemination format - online database
Major data and indicators are included in our ready-made tables (STADAT). Main regional aggregates can be found under the theme, ‘21.1.2 Regional data’ (Summary tables (STADAT)).
In HCSO’s dissemination database, data can be found on regional accounts under the topic: ‘Economic accounts’. STADAT and dissemination database tables are free to download in Excel format. Methodological guide to facilitate the interpretation of the data (metadata) is also available.
10.4. Dissemination format - microdata access
Not applicable.
10.5. Dissemination format - other
In addition to news releases and other publications (see sections 10.1 and 10.2), information on national accounts may be posted using social media. HCSO is available on the following public media: LinkedIn,Facebook (Hungarian only), HCSO Podcast page, YouTube, RSS page is also available (Hungarian/English), Instagram.
10.6. Documentation on methodology
The general methodological framework for the compilation of national and regional accounts in the EU including Hungary is ESA 2010. Specific guidelines for regional accounts are available from the Manual on regional accounts methods: Eurostat - Products manuals and guidelines. Information about methodology and metadata related to regional accounts and national accounts are also available on HCSO’s website.
10.7. Quality management - documentation
The Hungarian Central Statistical Office develops and implements statistical methodologies for different phases and sub-processes of the statistical business process to enable and support the development, implementation and dissemination of official statistics. The main role of standard methods is to ensure and improve the quality of products and processes throughout the whole statistical business process. In order to ensure the implementation of these methodologies, the HCSO operates adequate internal procedures to support practical use.
The quality of national accounts data is assured by strict application of ESA 2010 concepts and by applying the guidelines of the ESS handbooks.
During the overall compilation process, national and regional accounts data undergo several kinds of quality checks, e.g. ex-ante (source statistics), ongoing (results), ex-post (methods used) and external checks (Eurostat, European or national Court of Auditors, IMF, etc.).
The Hungarian Central Statistical Office develops and implements statistical methodologies for different phases and sub-processes of the statistical business process, in order to enable and support the development, implementation and dissemination of official statistics. The main role of these standard methods is to ensure and improve the quality of products and processes throughout the whole statistical business process. In order to ensure the implementation of these methodologies, the HCSO operates adequate internal procedures to support practical use.
ESA 2010 data transmissions are subject to regular quality assessment reviews. Article 4 of Regulation (EU) No 549/2013 (ESA 2010 Regulation) specifies that the data covered by this Regulation are 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 are required to 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 are specified in 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 on other available information.
The Commission also reports to the European Parliament and the Council every five years on the application of the ESA 2010 Regulation, including the quality of national and regional accounts data. The first such report was published in 2018.
HCSO has carried out annual quality reporting for a couple of years, thus quality reports on National Accounts were also made over the past years. These reports include inter alia information on relevance, accuracy, reliability timeliness, accessibility, coherence, comparability, clarity, as well as basic methodological (metadata) issues. The quality report is accompanied by a self-assessment form where the major indicators (e.g. relevance, timeliness etc) are briefly assessed and a SWOT analysis is made by the producer unit.
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.
At national level, Ministry for National Economy, National Bank of Hungary (MNB), scientific and academic communities and economic researchers are the entities who most use national and regional accounts data.
National accounts data are used also by international organisations or institutions, like Eurostat, ECB, OECD, IMF, UNECE; on the other hand - due to the free access via the webpage - several other users can reach them from universities, research institutes.
The HCSO is committed to actively and consciously recognizing users’ needs and the changes in these as well as to reacting to these rapidly. This objective is presented in the HCSO strategy up to 2030 (Strategy 2030), based on the 11th principle of the National Statistics Code of Practice.
User needs can be communicated via phone, e-mail or through HCSO website. Information services and data request services assist users in explaining their needs. At least twice in a calendar year, a report is prepared on new user needs received, which is then jointly discussed by dissemination and national accounts departments. In all cases, users receive feedback, either a positive or a negative answer for their requests.
User requests are submitted in writing through the Contact us menu on our website too.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
HCSO aims to measure users’ satisfaction with the work of HCSO, its products and services on a regular basis by using a variety of methods:
with online questionnaires (respective questionnaire links are only available during certain periods);
with user interviews, by writing to velemeny@ksh.hu e-mail address;
applying the Opinion box at the ’Was this content useful?’ link. Here users may provide immediate, direct feedback (regarding the content of the given topic);
with ‘Contact us' interface, in case of a need for a more detailed answer regarding suggestions or more information.
The overall completeness rate of the Hungarian regional accounts, as required by ESA 2010 Transmission Programme, is complete. Missing data directly do not concern regional accounts as national aggregates are given, which are then disaggregated to NUTS regions by the top-down method.
Data is periodically revised and differences between new and old versions in each round of revision are analysed.
Hungarian regional accounts use the top-down method. This means that the total economy’s figures are disaggregated using income-related indicators. For this reason, estimates of compensation of employees and employment may be more accurate than GDP estimates.
Similarly, because of the top-down approach, the higher the level of territorial aggregation, the more accurate estimates are, so the most accurate breakdown is NUTS1, then NUTS2, and then NUTS3.
Hungarian regional accounts are based on the aggregates of the total economy, which are available 9 months after the reference period. Regional accounts are published 12 months after the reference period, 3 months after the national aggregates. HCSO strives to reduce the time needed for its publications, however it is currently not feasible to publish regional data significantly faster.
The geographical comparability of national accounts in Hungary is ensured by the application of common definitions of the European System of Accounts (ESA 2010). The top-down method guarantees consistency with national account aggregates and ensures comparability between Hungarian regions at NUTS 1, 2, 3 levels. Worldwide geographical comparison is also possible as most non-European countries apply the SNA 2008 guidelines, and SNA 2008 is consistent with ESA 2010. Hence data are comparable with the results of other countries.
15.2. Comparability - over time
As the data for all reference periods are compiled according to the requirements of the ESA 2010, regional data produced by HCSO are generally comparable over time. In the case of fundamental changes to methods or classifications, revisions of long time series are performed, usually going far back into the past to ensure comparability over time. As an exception, the population time series was only revised back to 2012, resulting in a break in the series for that reference year.
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, use and input-output tables. Cross domain coherence between national and regional accounts is guaranteed by the top-down method. The main national GDP aggregates are first published at T+2 months, based on quarterly data. The detailed breakdowns of main GDP aggregates are first published at T+9 months. Subsequently, data are also published at T+15 months and at T+21 months Preliminary T+12 regional accounts data are consistent with the T+9 estimation of national accounts and the T+24 revised regional estimates are consistent with the T+21 national aggregates.
In case of the national accounts data for Hungary, full consistency is usually a permanent feature except regional accounts and SUT-IOT, because they are compiled once a year only.
15.4. Coherence - internal
Regional data are coherent between NUTS0. NUTS1, NUTS2 and NUTS3 levels and NACE levels. Regional estimates do not directly address coherence between NACE levels, instead this property is inherited from the national aggregates, which are of course coherent regarding economic activities. Territorial coherence is a consequence of the top-down method.
Regional employment data is also coherent: the sum of employees and self-employed equals the total employment (both in person and hours worked).
To further specify the general Eurostat revision policy for national accounts, National Statistical Offices and National Central Banks have agreed to gradually implement the Harmonised European Revision Policy for Macroeconomic Statistics (HERP) in national accounts and balance of payments statistics.
This policy includes differentiated guidelines regarding the timing and the depth of revisions of quarterly and annual data. It aims to improve adherence to the twofold principle of alignment between statistical domains at national level and coordinated alignment across countries at EU level.
The policy provides guidelines for both 'routine' revisions and 'major' or 'benchmark' revisions and non-scheduled revisions (including error correction).
From 2010 the data of regional accounts are published preliminary 12 month after the reference year, and revised 24 months after the reference year. Source data for regional accounts is collected for each reference year respectively. This method allows regional accounts data to be up to date, and accurate while also reducing the frequent need for revisions.
Since regional accounts are estimated using the top down method, it is necessary to revise regional data every time the national aggregates are the subject of revisions.
More information and documentation is available to users on past methodological improvements and revisions on HCSO’s website: Regional GDP, annual.
18.1. Source data
Sources used for estimations are own data collections of HCSO and administrative data takeover from National Tax and Customs Administration of Hungary, National Bank of Hungary and other government offices and institutions.
National Accounts Department and colleagues responsible for data collection regularly discuss the yearly Data collections programme of HCSO (OSAP) and the contents and specifications of surveys to have the necessary detailed data for the regional accounts estimations.
HCSO has bilateral agreements with institutions which collect statistics in their own fields of work and with holders of administrative data collections (records, registers, databases, etc.) on statistical cooperation are signed.
Information about data sources of Hungarian regional accounts is available here: Regional GDP, annual.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Information on frequency of data collections used by HCSO is available on HCSO’s website for current year (only in Hungarian): Data collections programme of HCSO (OSAP).
The estimates of regional accounts are based on annual data collections. There are no within-year updates that directly affects regional data.
18.3. Data collection
National Accounts Department of HCSO does not collect data (except the economic information of the recognised churches) but receives them from other departments of HCSO or from other institutions.
Statistical data are collected from respondents using electronic tools. Businesses report via KSH-Elektra (electronic on-line application, available only in Hungarian), while households use mobile devices (laptop, PDA). Majority of external data from other institution are received by HCSO via an application KARÁT (only in Hungarian).
HCSO usually has a written agreement and a technical protocol for cooperation with other institutions (e.g., with National Bank of Hungary, Ministry for National Economy, Hungarian State Treasury, National Tax Authority etc.) on the details of the data transmission (content, date etc.)
18.4. Data validation
Data validation refers to any activity aimed at verifying that the value of a data item comes from a given set of acceptable values. It is a key task performed in all statistical domains and particularly important for national accounts, which is a key dataset for economic analysis and policy decisions.
In order to increase overall data quality and workflow efficiency, the European Statistical System (ESS) is moving towards greater harmonisation of validation activities, including the definition of common standards, tools and support for implementation (ESS validation website).
For data validation, HCSO provides metadata to Eurostat to support the validation process with respect to revisions and outliers.
Data source validation is conducted through multiple approaches:
completeness – detecting any missing data for specific variables or time periods,
accuracy – identifying anomalies such as unusually high, low, or unexpected values,
consistency – accounting consistency, frequency consistency between quarterly and annual accounts, consistency over time and consistency of prices,
additivity test – ensuring that the totals correspond to the sums of their components.
18.5. Data compilation
The leading approach to compile GDP in the framework of annual national accounts in Hungary is the production approach. The production account relies to a great extent on administrative sources. These are supplemented and combined with statistical surveys. The content and accounting rules applied in the administrative sources differ mainly by institutional sector. So different measures should be taken to ensure the transition from private accounting and from government accounting to ESA 2010 concepts. Regional GDP is estimated using the top-down method: the national figure is disaggregated using regional indicators which are close to the variable to be estimated. Such indicators are obtained via surveys or derived from the statistics of departments other than Hungarian National Accounts.
Regional compensation of employees is estimated in a similar manner to regional GDP, using the top-down method with auxiliary indicators. The number of employees and self-employed is calculated on the basis of compensation of employees and data on sole proprietors. Finally, the number of employed and self-employed persons and data from the Quality of Life and Natural Resources Statistics departments are used to estimate regional hours worked.
Indicators of household sector accounts are broken down into NUTS II and NUTS I levels using a top-down method. Administrative data sources and other data of HCSO are used for regional estimation.
For GFCF, the primary source is the OSAP 2240 investment questionnaire, as in national accounts. Since there is no regional sectoral breakdown, additional estimation steps are introduced using territorial data. These include indicators such as the number of new dwellings built, the number of individual entrepreneurs, and the number of small enterprises by county. The regionally estimated components are proportionally scaled so that their sum matches the national-level GFCF figures.
18.6. Adjustment
Regional accounts are not directly affected by adjustments. However, since regional estimates are prepared by the top-down method on the basis of the aggregates of the total economy, regional data will change if the total figures are adjusted. The distribution of regional estimates are rarely a subject of adjustments.
There are no comments.
Regional accounts record economic transactions in accordance with the methodological principles of the output approach, but the indicators of the regional accounts are produced in a hierarchical territorial breakdown.
Regional accounts are a regional specification of the national accounts and therefore based on the same concepts and definitions as national accounts. The main specific regional issues are addressed in Chapter 13 of ESA 2010, but not practically specified. For practical rules and recommendations on sources and methods, see the publication: Manual on regional accounts methods. At the national level, HCSO is responsible for the compilation of regional accounts.
Hungarian regional account compiles the following aggregates at a NUTS3 level:
Gross value added (at current prices);
Gross value added (at previous year prices);
Total employment (in persons);
Employees (in persons);
Self-Employed (in persons);
Population.
Regional accounts produce a breakdown of a breakdown of the following at a NUTS2 level:
Compensation of employees;
Gross fixed capital formation;
Total employment (in hours worked);
Employees (in hours worked);
Self-employed (in hours worked);
The main indicators of regional household income and transfer data.
In addition to the list above, HCSO also compiles the following variables at a NUTS3 level, however these are currently only available through HCSO’s website. (For more information see section 10.)
Gross domestic product;
Gross domestic product per capita;
Gross domestic product per capita as a percentage of the national average;
Order of counties on the basis of GDP per capita;
Gross domestic product per capita in PPS.
6 October 2025
The regional gross domestic product (GDP) is used in order 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.
Regional accounts use the GDP calculated by the production approach, then the regional GDP is estimated using the top-down method.
Production (output) approach: GDP is the sum of gross value added of the various institutional sectors or the various industries, plus taxes and less subsidies on products.
Top-down methods: The national figure from the national accounts is distributed using regional indicators which are close to the variable to be estimated.
Employment data is based on domestic concepts. Further information on the definitions of indicators used in regional accounts can be found in ESA 2010:
Compensation of employees: ESA paragraph 4.02.
Employment: ESA paragraph 11.11.
Employees: ESA paragraph 11.12.
Self-employed person: ESA paragraph 11.15.
Gross fixed capital formation: ESA paragraph 3.124.
The main indicators of regional household income and transfer data are as follows:
Mixed Income: ESA paragraph II.1.1.8.19.
Gross Operating Surplus: ESA paragraph II.1.1.8.20.
Property Income (D.4): ESA Chapter 4 paragraph 4.41.
Net Social Contributions (D.61): ESA Chapter 4 paragraph 4.91.
The heading, ‘social benefits other than in cash’ (D.62) is made up of three sub-headings:
Social security benefits in cash (D.621): ESA Chapter 4 paragraph 4.103.
Other social insurance benefits (D.622): ESA Chapter 4 paragraph 4.104.
Social assistance benefits in cash (D.623): ESA Chapter 4 paragraph 4.105.
Other current transfers (D.7) of household are included in the following sub-items:
Net non-life insurance premiums (D.71): ESA Chapter 4 paragraph 4.112.
Non-life insurance claims (D.72): ESA Chapter 4 paragraph 4.114.
Miscellaneous current transfers (D.75): ESA Chapter 4 paragraph 4.125.
The concepts and definitions used are fully in line with ESA 2010. Detailed information about methodology and metadata related to regional accounts and national accounts are available on HCSO’s website.
National accounts deal with the economy as a whole. They combine data from a host of base statistics, and thus have no common sampling reference frame.
The elementary building block of ESA 2010 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 a household, a corporation, or a government agency.
HCSO do not use the Local Kind-of-Activity unit, total performance of legal units is accounted under their principal economic activity. When compiling regional accounts, the data of institutional units are partitioned into local units on the basis of residence.
As regards regional accounts, the economy is considered as a whole, but the regional level is calculated according to the regional breakdown, called NUTS 1, 2, and 3.
The National accounts include 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 in economic activities on this territory. Regional accounts’ definitions are in line with national accounts regarding statistical population.
Regional accounts use mid-year population for its estimates, which can be defined as the arithmetic mean of the population number at the beginning and at the end of the year. Number of mid-year population is used for comparison of vital events (e.g. live birth) occurring during one calendar year to the number of population (rates, indicators concerning population).
The reference area for national and regional accounts is the total economic territory of Hungary. The total economy is broken into NUTS regions which corresponds to the administrative division of the country.
NUTS 1 – macroregions – 3 units
NUTS 2 – regions – 8 units
NUTS 3 – subregions – 20 units
Hungary has no extra regions or overseas territories.
The reference period used for presenting regional accounts data is the calendar year.
Data is periodically revised and differences between new and old versions in each round of revision are analysed.
Hungarian regional accounts use the top-down method. This means that the total economy’s figures are disaggregated using income-related indicators. For this reason, estimates of compensation of employees and employment may be more accurate than GDP estimates.
Similarly, because of the top-down approach, the higher the level of territorial aggregation, the more accurate estimates are, so the most accurate breakdown is NUTS1, then NUTS2, and then NUTS3.
With the exception of some variables concerning population and employment that are expressed in number of persons and hours worked, data series show all flows and stocks in monetary terms: in Hungarian national currency, in Hungarian forint (HUF). Indicators in national currency units are expressed in millions of forints.
In addition to measurement in current prices, some regional accounts variables are also expressed in previous year's prices and growth rates (volume indices). Furthermore, it is possible to derive growth rates and indices, and various other measures '(e.g. percentages, per capita data, data expressed in purchasing power standards)' can be applied as well.
Figures on HCSO’s website are consistent with the series transmitted to Eurostat.
The leading approach to compile GDP in the framework of annual national accounts in Hungary is the production approach. The production account relies to a great extent on administrative sources. These are supplemented and combined with statistical surveys. The content and accounting rules applied in the administrative sources differ mainly by institutional sector. So different measures should be taken to ensure the transition from private accounting and from government accounting to ESA 2010 concepts. Regional GDP is estimated using the top-down method: the national figure is disaggregated using regional indicators which are close to the variable to be estimated. Such indicators are obtained via surveys or derived from the statistics of departments other than Hungarian National Accounts.
Regional compensation of employees is estimated in a similar manner to regional GDP, using the top-down method with auxiliary indicators. The number of employees and self-employed is calculated on the basis of compensation of employees and data on sole proprietors. Finally, the number of employed and self-employed persons and data from the Quality of Life and Natural Resources Statistics departments are used to estimate regional hours worked.
Indicators of household sector accounts are broken down into NUTS II and NUTS I levels using a top-down method. Administrative data sources and other data of HCSO are used for regional estimation.
For GFCF, the primary source is the OSAP 2240 investment questionnaire, as in national accounts. Since there is no regional sectoral breakdown, additional estimation steps are introduced using territorial data. These include indicators such as the number of new dwellings built, the number of individual entrepreneurs, and the number of small enterprises by county. The regionally estimated components are proportionally scaled so that their sum matches the national-level GFCF figures.
Sources used for estimations are own data collections of HCSO and administrative data takeover from National Tax and Customs Administration of Hungary, National Bank of Hungary and other government offices and institutions.
National Accounts Department and colleagues responsible for data collection regularly discuss the yearly Data collections programme of HCSO (OSAP) and the contents and specifications of surveys to have the necessary detailed data for the regional accounts estimations.
HCSO has bilateral agreements with institutions which collect statistics in their own fields of work and with holders of administrative data collections (records, registers, databases, etc.) on statistical cooperation are signed.
Information about data sources of Hungarian regional accounts is available here: Regional GDP, annual.
The transmission requirements for each dataset are defined in the European System of Accounts (ESA 2010) transmission programme.
Regional accounts data are published at an annual frequency, with preliminary data first available 12 months after the reference year (T+12 months), and final estimations 24 months after the reference year (T+24 months). The dissemination frequency of HCSO is in line with that of Eurostat.
Hungarian regional accounts are based on the aggregates of the total economy, which are available 9 months after the reference period. Regional accounts are published 12 months after the reference period, 3 months after the national aggregates. HCSO strives to reduce the time needed for its publications, however it is currently not feasible to publish regional data significantly faster.
The geographical comparability of national accounts in Hungary is ensured by the application of common definitions of the European System of Accounts (ESA 2010). The top-down method guarantees consistency with national account aggregates and ensures comparability between Hungarian regions at NUTS 1, 2, 3 levels. Worldwide geographical comparison is also possible as most non-European countries apply the SNA 2008 guidelines, and SNA 2008 is consistent with ESA 2010. Hence data are comparable with the results of other countries.
As the data for all reference periods are compiled according to the requirements of the ESA 2010, regional data produced by HCSO are generally comparable over time. In the case of fundamental changes to methods or classifications, revisions of long time series are performed, usually going far back into the past to ensure comparability over time. As an exception, the population time series was only revised back to 2012, resulting in a break in the series for that reference year.
