Gender Equality National Report Hungary - European-microfinance ...

3. ScoreCard
3.1. ScoreCard Diagramme for Hungary
Gender equality in access to
finance
Gender equality in support
structures for
entrepreneurship
General national context for
entrepreneurship
5
4
3
2
1
0
Gender equality in
entrepreneurship
Gender equality in society
Gender equality in labour
market inclusion
3.2. General National Context for Entrepreneurship Score 2.5
3.2.1. Entrepreneurial Opportunities Score 2.8
The GDP was HUF 23,752 billion (it equals ca. EUR 95 billion) in 2006, GDP per
capita: HUF 2.34 million, (EUR 9,360). The rate of unemployment was 7.5%. GDP growth
was 4.1% in 2006 but it is slowing.
Economic indexes show that Hungary is falling into line with the European average.
GDP growth rate has been 4-5% in the past 10 years; it exceeded the European average
with ca. 2% points each year. This growth rate however is smaller than those of the
neighbouring Central Eastern European countries, and it has decreased since 2006. The
main reason for that is the remarkable increase of the budgetary deficit and the restricting
measures taken consequently, which burden both the population and the enterprises to a
great extent.
Concerning the indexes undertaken to keep upon EU accession (deficit of finances,
inflation etc.) in 2006 (i.e. in general elections time) the country had an enormous lag, which
the government now intend to diminish with the measures of the convergence program
updated at the end of 2006 – and also approved by Brussels. On the basis of data from
2007 the budgetary deficit has indeed decreased notably - as planned, although the results
can be assured only at the cost of great sacrifice, conflicts and tensions. (Economic growth
has slowed down, inflation has increased.)
Starting a new enterprise in Hungary is problematic not because of the timeconsuming
process and costs of obtaining the licence but because of all the other
administrational and taxation burdens as well as the lack of entrepreneurial culture
and - for most people - the lack of their own resources. The taxation system is very
complicated, tax rates are high, and the regulations are changed frequently. A wide range of
the population has little accumulated capital, and the financial institutes do not welcome and
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