Quarterly Report on Gross domestic product Reference Metadata in Euro SDMX Metadata Structure Agency for Statistics of Bosnia and Herzegovina
	1. Contact
	2. Metadata update
	3. Statistical presentation
	4. Unit of measure
	5. Reference period
	6. Institutional mandate
	7. Confidentiality
	8. Release policy
	9.  Frequency of dissemination
	10. Accessibility and clarity
	11. Quality management
	12. Relevance
	13. Accuracy and reliability
	14. Timeliness and punctuality
	15. Coherence and comparability
	16. Cost and burden
	17. Data revision
	18. Statistical processing
	19. Comment
	1. Contact
	1.1. Contact organisation	AGENCY FOR STATISTICS OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
	1.2. Contact organisation unit	Sector for Economic Statistics -National accounts department
	1.3. Contact name	a.) Ivana Tavra Čolo b.) Aida Mehić c.) Srđan Vitković
	1.4. Contact person function	a) Assistant Director of Economic Statistics b) Senior Advisor for National Accounts c) Senior Advisor for National Accounts
	1.5. Contact mail address	Zelenih beretki 26, 71 000, Sarajevo
	1.6. Contact email address	ivana.tavra@bhas.gov.ba aida.kesten@bhas.gov.ba srdjan.vitkovic@bhas.gov.ba
	1.7. Contact phone number	+387 33 911 941  +387 33 911 954  +387 33 911 987
	1.8. Contact fax number	+387 33 220 622
	2. Metadata update
	2.1. Metadata last certified	22/01/2026
	2.2. Metadata last posted	22/01/2026
	2.3. Metadata last update	22/01/2026
	3. Statistical presentation
	3.1. Data description	National Accounts are compiled of a series of macroeconomic indicators, which provide a comprehensive picture of the economic situation and serve as a basis for economic analysis, forecasting and decision-making. The main aggregates of national accounts is Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which is calculated on an annual and quarterly basis.  The Agency for Statistics of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BHAS) compiles national accounts, including quarterly national accounts (QNA), according to the concepts, definitions, classification and accounting rules of European system of account (ESA 2010). Quarterly GDP is compiled by production, income and expenditure approaches. Income approach has not been published yet, but it has been transsmitted to the EUROSTAT. Indicators at detailed level of economic activities (2 or 3digits of NACE Rev. 2) have been used to quarterly allocate the annual estimates for years for which the corresponding annual estimates are available and to produce estimates for the most recent year for which no annual data are available. An important property of the quarterly national accounts is their consistency with the annual accounts, that is, the sum of the four quarters for any given year should be equal to the corresponding annual estimate. This identity is obtained by means of a statistical procedure called „benchmarking”. The Proportional Denton benchmarking method has been used in the compilation of the quarterly GDP of the Bosnia and Herzegovina, thus preserving as much as possible the intra-annual movement of the indicators but subject to the restriction that the sum of the resulting quarterly estimates should be identical to the annual data (the benchmark). Quarterly estimates of GDP are presented at current prices, previous year prices and chain linked values.
	3.2. Classification system	• Classification of Economic activities KD BiH 2010 (NACE rev.2) • CPA 2008 • COICOP • HS • CN • SITC
	3.3. Sector coverage	In National Accounts Statistics sectors that are included are: non-financial sector, financial sector, government sector, household sector and NPISH sector.
	3.4. Statistical concepts and definitons	Quarterly GDP series, both by the production and the expenditure approach, provide a timely measure of economic development and therefore represent a useful tool for economic analysis and policymaking. Quarterly series enable an early assessment of annual GDP. Quarterly GDP represents the market value of all goods and services produced in a given quarter. Quarterly GDP at market prices is the final result of the production activities of resident production units and can be calculated in three ways. BHAS compiles quarterly GDP using the production and expenditure approaches. The calculation of quarterly GDP by the production approach is carried out using a combination of direct and indirect methods. A key characteristic of quarterly national accounts is that the same principles, definitions, and structures are applied as in annual accounts. Gross output is defined as the market value of all goods and services produced by resident producers during the accounting period. Intermediate consumption, valued at purchasers’ prices, is the value of goods and services that are transformed, used, and consumed in the production process. Value added is equal to the difference between gross output at basic prices and intermediate consumption at purchasers’ prices. Gross domestic product is equal to the sum of gross value added at basic prices by activities plus taxes on products minus subsidies on products. According to the expenditure approach, gross domestic product is defined as total domestic final consumption adjusted by the external balance of goods and services with the rest of the world. The main components of GDP by the expenditure approach are: household final consumption expenditure, final consumption expenditure of non-profit institutions serving households, government final consumption expenditure, gross capital formation, and exports and imports of goods and services. Quarterly estimates of household final consumption expenditure consist of expenditures of resident households on the final consumption of goods and services to satisfy their needs. Quarterly estimates of expenditures on the final consumption of industrial products are based on the commodity flow method, as in annual estimates, while estimates of expenditures on the final consumption of services mainly rely on indicators, i.e. available monthly and quarterly surveys. The government sector consists of all institutional units that primarily produce non-market services for individual or collective consumption and redistribute income and wealth. Quarterly estimates of government final consumption expenditure are based on relevant indicators derived from the quarterly GDP compilation according to the production approach. Gross capital formation includes gross fixed capital formation, changes in inventories, and net acquisition of valuables. For the estimation of gross investment in construction works, indicators of changes in construction activity were used, while for estimates of investment in machinery and equipment, the commodity flow method was applied, as in annual estimates. Exports and imports of goods occur when there is a change of ownership of goods between a resident and a non-resident, regardless of whether there is a physical movement of goods across the border. For the estimation of developments in total imports and exports of goods and services, data available from balance of payments statistics prepared and published by the Central Bank of Bosnia and Herzegovina were used.
	3.5. Statistical unit	According to the 2008 SNA, institutional units are divided into two basic groups. One group consists of individual units (natural persons - entrepreneurs or a group of persons forming a household) and the other group consists of legally defined units (legal entities) which are further divided into profit ( companies), non-profit institutions, financial institutions - banks and insurance companies, state institutional units - budget and budget users.
	3.6. Statistical population	National accounts combine data from statistical and administrative sources. Data collection techniques vary depending on the approach, available data sources, timeliness of published data and other factors.
	3.7. Reference area	Data refer to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
	3.8 Time coverage	For both the production and expenditure quarterly GDP, a data series is currently available starting from the year 2000, with a break in the series in 2015 due to the implementation of FISIM (estimation of Financial Intermediation Services Indirectly Measured).
	3.9. Base period	2021
	4. Unit of measure	The data are presented in KM.
	5. Reference period	The same quarter of the previous year.
	6. Institutional mandate
	6.1. Legal acts and other agreements	• Law on Statistics of Bosnia and Herzegovina, • Multiannual statistical programmes and annual work plans of the Agency for Statistics of Bosnia and Herzegovina •Agreement on the application of uniform methodologies and uniform standards signed between statistical institutions in BiH. •International recommendations and manuals (Eurostat, IMF, UN).
	6.2. Data sharing	Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Agency and other institutions (Central Bank, Indirect Taxation Authority, DERK, DEP) established the framework for future cooperation in the area in which the institutions are interested - in collecting and strengthening the quality and reliability of statistics.
	7. Confidentiality
	7.1. Confidentiality-policy	Confidentiality of statistical data is regulated by law and the personnel conducting statistical surveys has the legal obligation to protect confidentiality. Law on Statistics of BiH (Off. Gazette of BiH 26/04 and 42/04 - Chapter XI - Article 23.-29.) establishes the principle of confidentiality as one of the main principles. Agency for statistics of BiH distributes statistics in line with statistical principles of the European Statistics Code of Practice and in particular with the principle of statistical confidentiality.
	7.2. Confidentiality-data treatment	The document "Rules on the Protection of Statistical Data in the Agency for Statistics" lists procedures for ensuring confidentiality during collection, processing and dissemination - including protocols for securing individual data being accessed, rules for defining confidential cells in output tables and procedures for the detection and prevention of subsequent disclosures as well as access to microdata for research purposes. By signing the Memorandum of Understanding with Agency for statistics of Bosnia and Herzegovina, data users having access to individual data are obliged to: treat individual anonymized data as confidential in accordance with the rules, regulations and procedures, ensure adequate protection of individual data in accordance with the rules, regulations and procedures, protect the transfer of microdata and destroy the media where the data are, as well as the accompanying documentation, five days after the publication of the results.
	8. Release policy
	8.1. Release calendar	At the end of December every year, BHAS announces the Release Calendar with the precise date and time of publication of the statistics for the following year.
	8.2. Release calendar access	The Calendar is placed on:
		https://bhas.gov.ba/Calendar/
	8.3. User access	The data are disseminated to all users via the official website of the Agency for Statistics of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
		https://bhas.gov.ba/?lang=en
		At the same time, new releases are also sent to the media and to all users from the database.
	9.  Frequency of dissemination	Quarterly GDP by the production and expenditure approach is disseminated on a quarterly basis (t+90).
	10. Accessibility and clarity
	10.1. News release	Regular quarterly releases: Gross domestic product for BiH - production approach; Gross domestic product for BIH - expenditure approach
		https://bhas.gov.ba/Calendar/Category/12?lang=en
	10.2. Publications	Publications:
		https://bhas.gov.ba/Calendar/Category/12?lang=en
	10.3. On-line database	The online database of BHAS not available.
	10.4. Micro-data access	Micro-data are not available.
	10.5. Other	Ad-hoc user requests.
	10.6. Documentation on methodology	Methodological section of the release; Description of sources and methods – First QNA inventory prepared under IPA 2012.
	10.7. Quality documentation	/
	11. Quality management
	11.1. Quality assurance	Quality Management Policy as an element of the system of quality management generally is related to the following components: product quality of the process as well as other elements of the system for quality management, such as planning and controls. To assure the quality of processes and products, Agency for statistics is the implementation of the Quality management model (TQM) done using the CAF tool. The Common Assessment Framework (CAF) is a total quality management tool developed by the public sector for the public sector, inspired by the Excellence Model of the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM). Process of self-assessment identifies and monitors all organization results, provides feedback on organizational capacity and results of policy and planning processes. The scoring tool for self-assessment has 9 key indicators and 28 criteria based on which it is possible to measure management level achieved and determine which are the critical points for improvements in future. It looks at the organization from different angles at the same time: the holistic approach to organization performance analysis. BHAS use „The CAF guidelines for implementation “and a 10-step implementation plan developed to help organizations use it in the most efficient and effective way. Process of self-assessment identifies and monitors all-important organizational results and provides feedback on organizational capacities and results of policy and planning processes. This model of quality monitoring requires the development of a standardized questionnaire that includes all principles in the model. Agency for statistics of BiH is committed to quality assurance in the production of official statistics based on Article 19, Paragraph (1) “Law of Statistics BIH, Official Gazette of BiH 26/04; 42/04”. In order to ensure the quality of statistics Agency developed a documented Policy and programme for quality management which is available on web site:
		https://bhas.gov.ba/Content/Read/92?title=Kvalitet
	11.2. Quality assessments	The quality of official statistics’ products (main indicators/statistics) are regularly assessed in quality reports through the calculation of quality indicators. On other hand, processes included in statistical production are assessed by specific process quality indicators in quality reports and additionally through Generic Statistical Business Process Model (GSBPM) documentation.
	12. Relevance
	12.1. User needs	Quarterly GDP is the most important macroeconomic indicator that provides a comprehensive picture of the country's economic activity in the quarterly dynamics. This indicator is the basis for economic policy makers to make analyses and make decisions. The key users of the data are: the Ministry of Finance and Treasury of BiH, BiH Directorate for Economic Planning at the Council of Ministers of BiH, the Central Bank of BiH, Eurostat, the IMF, UNECE. The users of this data are also business entities - companies, media and the general public.
	12.2. User satisfaction	One of the key elements in securing the quality of statistical data is monitoring the users’ satisfaction. The results of the User Satisfaction Survey are available on:
		https://bhas.gov.ba/data/Dokumenti/Kvalitet/AZK2020_BS.pdf
	12.3. Completeness	All key indicators, which are required by EU legislation and international standards for national accounts, are produced.
	13. Accuracy and reliability
	13.1. Overall accuracy	/
	13.2. Sampling error	/
	13.3. Non -sampling error	Not applicable.
	14. Timeliness and punctuality
	14.1. Timeliness	GDP data are compiled and published quarterly T+90.
	14.2. Punctuality	Data are published according to the Release calendar.
	15. Coherence and comparability
	15.1. Comparability-geographical	GDP compilation is based on international methodologies and recommendations 2008SNA/ESA10 which allows geographical comparability of data with other countries.
	15.2. Comparability-over time	Comparability over time: Quarterly GDP data are reconciled with annual data when annual data become available. The length of comparable time series for both approaches is Q1 2000 – Q4 2014 and Q1 2015 – Q3 2025.
	15.3. Coherence-cross domain	/
	15.4. Coherence-internal	/
	16. Cost and burden	There is no information on cost and burden.
	17. Data revision
	17.1. Data revision-policy	https://bhas.gov.ba/data/Publikacije/Metodologije/NAC_03_2023_MD_0_E.pdf
	17.2. Data revision-practice	Routine GDP revisions, for both approaches (production and expenditure), are carried out with changes in annual data, three times a year. A major revision (covering methodological improvements) was planned and implemented in December 2025 under IPA 2021, SP 1.4, and relates to quarterly GDP by the expenditure approach.
	18. Statistical processing
	18.1. Source data	Statistical surveys and administrative data.
	18.2. Frequency of data collection	Data are collected quarterly.
	18.3. Data collection	National accounts combine data from statistical and administrative sources. Data collection techniques vary depending on the compilation approach, available data sources, timeliness of published data and other factors.
	18.4. Data validation	The original data goes through a series of checks relying on the principles of completeness and consistency.
	18.5. Data compilation	Data are processed in excel format.
	18.6. Adjustment	/
	18.7. Seasonal adjustment	For seasonal adjustment of quarterly GDP, for both approaches, the Demetra+ software is used, applying the TRAMO-SEATS method.
	19. Comment	/