Key data
| Regulation | Resolution of June 18, 2026, from the INE, publishing the Agreement with BBVA for the preparation of official statistics based on banking transaction data |
|---|---|
| BOE Publication | July 1, 2026 |
| Entry into force | June 10, 2026 |
| Signatory parties | National Institute of Statistics (INE) and Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, SA (BBVA) |
| Regulatory framework | National Statistical Plan 2025-2028 and EU Regulation 2024/3018 |
| Affected statistics | Quarterly National Accounts and Household Budget Survey |
| Category | Public Sector |
| Year | 2026 |
For the first time in Spain, the National Institute of Statistics accesses real banking transaction data to prepare official statistics. The agreement signed with BBVA, published in the BOE of July 1, 2026, is not a minor agreement: it marks the beginning of a public-private collaboration model with financial data that European regulations already require to extend to the rest of the sector.
The immediate objective is to improve the estimation of Household Final Consumption Expenditure, one of the most relevant variables in Quarterly National Accounts and the Household Budget Survey. Until now, this estimation was based on surveys and indirect sources. With BBVA's transaction data, the INE will be able to contrast and refine these figures with real and aggregated spending behavior information.
What does this regulation establish?
The agreement regulates the INE's access to aggregated and anonymized banking transaction data from BBVA. The key elements of the agreement are as follows:
- Type of data: aggregated and anonymized banking transactions. No access to individual data and it is not possible to identify natural persons.
- Access environment: INE researchers work in a sandbox environment controlled and managed by BBVA.
- Export restriction: it is expressly prohibited to export individual data outside the sandbox environment.
- Confidentiality: strict confidentiality obligations and exclusive use for the statistical purposes of the agreement are established.
- Purpose: to improve the estimation of Household Final Consumption Expenditure for Quarterly National Accounts and the Household Budget Survey.
- Enabling legal framework: National Statistical Plan 2025-2028 and EU Regulation 2024/3018, which requires private data holders to provide information for European statistics.
EU Regulation 2024/3018 is the regulatory piece that makes this agreement more than a voluntary accord: it establishes the obligation for private entities to collaborate with official statistical bodies when required for the preparation of European statistics. BBVA is the first Spanish bank to formalize this collaboration.
Economic and operational impact
The direct impact of this agreement is not measured in fines or costs for ordinary companies. Its significance is structural and affects how macroeconomic statistics are produced and calibrated, which serve as the basis for economic, fiscal and business policy decisions.
From an operational and strategic perspective, the most relevant effects are:
- Improvement in statistical quality: household consumption estimates will gain precision by incorporating real transactional behavior data, reducing the margin of error of traditional surveys.
- Precedent for the banking sector: this agreement is the first of its kind in Spain. EU Regulation 2024/3018 enables the INE and other statistical bodies to request similar data from other banks and financial entities.
- Replicable model: the sandbox scheme controlled by the data provider (BBVA) with restricted access for external researchers can become the standard for future collaborations with other private sources (telecommunications, e-commerce, energy).
- No direct cost for companies or citizens: the agreement does not generate economic obligations for third parties other than the signatory parties. The data is aggregated and anonymized; there is no transfer of identifiable personal data.
Who does it affect?
- INE: as the body that accesses the data and uses it to produce official statistics.
- BBVA: as the data provider, with obligations of confidentiality, sandbox environment management and compliance with EU Regulation 2024/3018.
- INE statistical researchers: the only ones with access to the sandbox environment, under strict conditions of use.
- Rest of the Spanish banking sector: indirectly, as potential subjects of similar requirements under EU Regulation 2024/3018.
- Companies and managers who use official statistics: will benefit from more accurate consumption estimates for their market analysis, forecasts and investment decisions.
- Citizens in general: as end users of official statistics that are fed by this data.
Practical example
A financial director of a retail distribution chain regularly uses data from the Household Budget Survey and Quarterly National Accounts to project the evolution of private consumption and adjust sales forecasts.
Until now, these statistics were built primarily from surveys with margins of error inherent to sampling. With the INE-BBVA agreement, estimates of Household Final Consumption Expenditure will incorporate real and aggregated transaction data, which will reduce subsequent statistical revisions and offer earlier signals about changes in spending behavior.
The practical result: better macro data available faster, with less distortion, for those making decisions based on consumption indicators.
What should companies do now?
- If you are a banking or financial entity: review your position regarding EU Regulation 2024/3018. This agreement is the first, but it will not be the last. Assess whether your entity could receive a similar request from the INE or another European statistical body and prepare a response protocol.
- If you manage large-scale private data (telecommunications, e-commerce, energy): the INE-BBVA sandbox model can be extended to other sectors. Anticipate the anonymization and aggregation requirements that EU Regulation 2024/3018 will demand.
- If you use consumption statistics in your business: incorporate into your analysis processes the progressive improvement in the quality of INE data. Quarterly National Accounts and Household Budget Survey series will gain reliability as transactional sources are integrated.
- If you are a DPO or compliance officer in banking: document the data anonymization and aggregation mechanisms that your entity could offer in a sandbox environment, in line with what is established in this agreement.
Frequently asked questions
Does the INE-BBVA agreement mean that the INE accesses personal data of customers?
No. The agreement expressly establishes that the data is aggregated and anonymized. INE researchers access it in a sandbox environment controlled by BBVA, with no possibility of exporting individual data or identifying natural persons. Confidentiality obligations are strict and use is limited exclusively to the statistical purposes of the agreement.
What statistics will this agreement improve?
The main objective is to improve the estimation of Household Final Consumption Expenditure, a key variable in Quarterly National Accounts and the Household Budget Survey. These statistics are the basis for many macroeconomic analyses and economic policy decisions in Spain.
Does EU Regulation 2024/3018 require other banks to do the same as BBVA?
EU Regulation 2024/3018 establishes that private data holders must provide information for the preparation of European statistics when required. BBVA is the first Spanish bank to formalize this collaboration, but the European regulatory framework enables similar requirements for the rest of the banking sector and, potentially, for other sectors with large volumes of transactional data.
When did this agreement enter into force?
The agreement entered into force on June 10, 2026, although its publication in the BOE occurred on July 1, 2026, through the Resolution of June 18, 2026 of the National Institute of Statistics.
What is the sandbox environment that the INE uses to access BBVA data?
It is a technological environment controlled and managed by BBVA in which INE researchers can analyze aggregated and anonymized banking transaction data. The key characteristic is that it does not allow exporting individual data outside that environment, ensuring that the information cannot be used for purposes other than statistical or to identify persons.
Official source
Consult complete regulation in official source
Notice: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-14325