The Hungarian Economic Association (HEA), a non-profit entity, is the oldest and largest professional organisation of Hungarian economists. The HEA is aimed at disseminating economic knowledge, developing the professional public sphere and representing the general interests of economists. It is primarily engaged in organising presentations, professional discussions and meetings. The HEA’s special library is maintained in Győr. The membership of the HEA mostly consists of economists with a university or college degree as well as undergraduate students.
The Hungarian Economic Association was established on 27 May 1894 as one of the first professional-scientific organisations of a similar nature in Europe. The Association was founded by professors, academics, ministers, bankers, merchants, MPs, farmers, officials, landowners and noblemen in order to jointly seek the ways of national economic development. The HEA is a major platform of economic discussion beyond the narrow interpretation of science. The organisation, which survived both World Wars, was eventually forced to ‘suspend’ its activity by the ever suspicious enemy-seeking regime of the 1950s. However, thanks to more liberal economic thinking from 1957 and the activity of the early reformers, the organisation was revived in December 1959. During the decades of searching for a ‘Hungarian Model’ which attracted international attention the HEA also developed quickly, establishing a countrywide organisation. Following the regime change the extremely moderate Hungarian Economic Association attracted somewhat less attention, however, its role and membership has been growing steadily in recent years. Currently the HEA has over three thousand members.
The Hungarian Economic Association is a non-profit independent organisation whose platforms wish to provide scope for every economic direction and school, considering it important to facilitate the freedom of professional opinion. The aim of the organisation via its membership and available tools is to promote the development and practical use of economic science, as well as to enhance relations with the representatives of related sciences and to improve economic thinking, in addition to giving scope for professional discussion related to current economic policy decisions.
The HEA has more than twenty-five different sections, as well as local organisations set up in almost every county with presentations, discussions and conferences held on a regular basis. The most important event organised by the HEA is the Itinerant Conference of Hungarian Economists which takes place at a different location every year. In September 2021 the Itinerant Conference of the HEA will be organised for the 59nd time in Szeged. At the same time, the National Conference of Young Economists organised by the HEA Youth Committee every spring is another outstanding event. The Association is open towards the internet as well: its online evenst are streamed via YouTube and can be heard on its podcast channel.
A highly important mission of the Hungarian Economic Association is to promote active relationship with the Hungarian partner organisations abroad, such as the Association of Hungarian Economists in Romania established more than 25 years ago, the Association of Hungarian Economists in Slovakia established in the spring of 2010 and the Association of Hungarian Economists in the Province of Vojvodina, which was established in Subotica in December 2009. HEA’s cooperation with these associations is not a recent one: the four associations have been represented at each other’s conferences and itinerant sessions on a regular basis and they have been working in close partnership exploiting potential tendering opportunities. The Conference for Young Hungarian Economists in the Carpathian Basin was jointly organised for the fifth time in the autumn of 2015.
Similarly to other associations, a major source of income is supplied by membership fees paid by HEA’s individual and legal members. Of the former, the membership fee for active workers is HUF 10,000, while retired members, full-time students and maternity leave takers pay HUF 5,000 annually. Legal entities with a HEA membership support the organisation based on individually established membership fees. In recognition of our activity, the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and the National Bank of Hungary provide yearly contributions, and the offered 1% of our supporters’ personal income tax represents another important source of income for the HEA.
Our members with a HEA Membership Card bearing the EDC logo are entitled to significant purchase discounts at more than one thousand stores and service provides across the country. Detailed information on discounts is available at our website under the HEA Card menu.
The President of the HEA, Gyula Pleschinger is member of the Monetary Council. The HEA’S Secretary General, Éva Hegedüs is Deputy Chairperson and CEO of Granit Bank. Vice Presidents of the HEA: Péter Balázs, Professor of CEU, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, first Hungarian member of the European Commission; Ádám Balog, CEO of MKB Bank Zrt; Péter Ákos Bod, Head of Department at Corvinus University of Budapest, Doctor of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, former President of the National Bank of Hungary, former Minister of Economy; Éva Palócz, CEO of Kopint-Tárki Zrt; Dániel Palotai, Chief Economist of the National Bank of Hungary; Mihály Patai, President of the Hungarian Banking Association, Chairman and CEO of UniCredit Bank Zrt.

Contact details:
Hungarian Economic Association
Address: H-1055 Budapest, Bajcsy-Zsilinszky út 78.
Postal address: H-1245 Budapest, Pf. 1044
Telephone: +36 1 331 6906
Fax: +36 1 202 1798
Email: office.mkt@t-online.hu

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