Main aggregates

The IDCM dataset covers publicly available selected national accounts data (gross domestic product and main aggregates, population and employment) as published by Eurostat, the IMF, the OECD and the UN.  It is the result of a regular data exchange set up by the International Data Cooperation (IDC) initiative under the Inter-Agency Group on Economic and Financial Statistics (IAG), which is chaired by the IMF. The aim is to develop a set of commonly shared principles and working arrangements for data cooperation that could be implemented by the participating international organisations, leading to the improved timeliness and accuracy of published data (link).

The Main aggregates in the national accounts (MNA dataset) include gross domestic product (GDP), value added by main economic activity, main expenditure components and aggregated income statistics. These data are collected and disseminated by the European Commission (Eurostat) and the national statistical authorities. The MNA dataset also includes additional indicators calculated by the ECB, such as implicit GDP deflators, contributions to growth, unit labour costs and its components (compensation per employee and labour productivity), as well as business investment. Data for the euro area, EU and the EU Member States are available.

Employment and population have traditionally been considered auxiliary variables in national accounts, aimed to calculate ratios like value added, output, or labour costs per inhabitant or per employed person. Employment however has gained importance and nowadays it is an endogenous variable in the national accounts framework. Quarterly employment also stands now as a key short term economic indicator. National accounts, however, do not provide information on social or gender aspects of employment. The classical and most reliable source for this information is the Labour Force Survey . The ESA 2010 distinguishes two employment concepts depending on the geographical coverage: resident persons in employment (i.e. the national scope of employment) and employment in resident production units irrespective of the place of residence of the employed person (i.e. domestic scope). The ESA 2010 recognises several employment measures: persons, hours worked and jobs. Presented here are mainly employment data measured in persons and in hours worked. These data were formerly available as part of the MNA (National Accounts Main Aggregates) data set but then they were moved to a new data set – ENA. While the first dimension of the series keys change to ENA, the remainder of the series keys remain unchanged.

The AMECO database is compiled by the DG-ECFIN in the European Commission. It contains annual macro-economic time series submitted by the Member States and “filtered” by the Commission. These data are used in the forecast exercises done two times per year (Spring and Autumn).  It is the official source for some variables, especially those related to public finances.Since 2018 there is only a limited interim forecast concerning GDP growth and inflation and as coincidence the Winter forecast data will not be introduced in AMECO anymore.Current vintage: Autumn 2025; more information can be found on DG-ECFIN website:European Economic Forecast - Autumn 2025Economic forecastsAMECO database