Press Release 07/10/2014
Economic accounts of the Basque CountryESA 2010: the illegal economy
European Statistics Code of Best Practices indicates in its First Principle - professional independence - that the statistical authorities will issue public communications to address the inappropriate use of official statistics.
As indicated in the press release of 26 September 2014, Eustat estimated the Economic Accounts of the Basque Country, providing definitive data of the 2010-2012 series and the advance of 2013 in accordance with the new European Union methodology, the European System of Economic Accounts, ESA-2010, obligatory for all Member States as from September 2014. The aim is to provide a set of estimations that are fully comparable to those provided by the other economies. Therefore, in line with the main statistics offices of the European Union Member States, it has applied the new methodology of the European System of National and Regional Accounts of 2010 (ESA 2010) in the preparation of the Economic Accounts and Input-Output of the Basque Country. This methodology was adopted via Regulation (EU) No 549/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 May 2013. It substitutes that which was used until now, ESA-1995.
On the other hand, as occurs when the base is changed, statistical changes resulting from the availability of more detailed, reliable and updated information were introduced.
The main methodological modifications were:
Capitalisation of expenditure in Research and Development (R&D)
Treatment of Insurance Companies
New specification of the Public Administrations sector
Treatment of Production for own final use
Illegal Economy
In the specific case of the illegal economy, which includes the measurement of illegal activities such as cigarette smuggling, illegal gambling, organised prostitution and drug trafficking, the estimate made of its contribution to gross added value at basic prices in 2010 for the Basque Country is 747.9 million euros, which means an increase in GDP of 1.149%.
By province, the contributions to added value in the illegal economy in 2010 are as follows: Álava 116.9 million euros, Bizkaia 385.9 million euros and Gipuzkoa 245.1 million euros. This means that the illegal economy contributed 1.147% to the GDP of Álava, 1.148% to that of Bizkaia and 1.150% to that of Gipuzkoa; hence, the province of Álava contributed the least to GDP, followed by Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa.
For more information:
Eustat - Euskal Estatistika Erakundea / Basque Statistics Office
C/ Donostia-San Sebastián, 1 01010 Vitoria-Gasteiz
Press Service: servicioprensa@eustat.eus Tlf: 945 01 75 62
Press releases about Economic Accounts of The Basque Country