Press release, 27.01.2026.

The President of the HCSO (Hungarian Central Statistical Office) hosted members of the press for breakfast

External trade statistics – the HCSO is front-ranker in the EU

Dr Áron Kincses, President of the HCSO (Hungarian Central Statistical Office), Deputy Presidents Dénes Ádám, Dr Szabolcs Tóth, Dr Tamás Tóth and Zsolt Kovalszky, Head of the External trade statistics department hosted representatives of the press for breakfast. The discussion focused this time on the developments in producing external trade statistics and their impact on professional work and on users.

Dr Tamás Tóth, Deputy President of the Office made known in his opening presentation the main steps and achievements of the multiannual external trade statistics development, which started in 2022 and has been completed at the beginning of this year. One main result is the shortening of the time by close to forty days when data is being presented on the market, while respondent burden significantly lessened due to involving new data sources: about three thousand fewer companies have to provide data. The Office renewed and re-positioned its external trade statistics on European level in the framework of the Intrastat 2.0 project. The development impacted several fields: international data are easier comparable through microdata sharing, individual purchases also may appear in the external trade statistics through using bank card data, and by using international VAT and customs data the import of goods by private individuals may be tracked, too, within statistics.

Participants had a substantive and constructive exchange of ideas during the convivial event, where further relevant, statistics related topics have been discussed. Strengthening relations and continuous dialogue with the press are of outstanding importance for the HCSO. The press is not only one of the main users of the data produced by the Office, but plays a mediating role, too, between the HCSO and society; as such it has a direct impact on the public discourse. These breakfast events, held on a regular basis, provide great opportunities for partnership building and a better understanding of the needs of the press.

Hungarian Central Statistical Office
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Postal address: H-1525 Budapest, P.O.Box 51
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