The Banco de España is hosting the international conference “ 3 September 2026 and 4 September 2026 in Madrid “The EFF: More than 20 Years of Research Experience and the Way Forward”. According to the organiser, the event reviewed research using the Encuesta Financiera de las Familias (EFF) and outlined possible future applications. Attendance is by invitation only; registration must be completed by 31 August 2026 . The notice was published online on 24 August 2026.
The EFF is Spain’s household survey on the assets, liabilities, income and expectations of private households, and has been conducted under the leadership of the Banco de España for more than two decades. It serves as a reference for academic research and informs evidence-based policy advice. In the European context, it is connected to the Eurosystem which aims to compile comparable household financial data. In the national statistical programme, the survey is listed in the inventory of the Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE).
According to the programme, the conference has two main themes. First, it will focus on research into wealth distribution, particularly the effects of housing policy, the role of financial literacy and the diversity of investment returns. Second, it will present analyses of how households form expectations about income and inflation, and how these affect consumption, wealth and earned income. A panel discussion is planned for the conclusion, in which data producers, researchers and policymakers will weigh the usefulness and limitations of the EFF for practical applications.
The choice of topics reflects current economic policy debates in Spain: higher interest rates and living costs have drawn attention to the distribution of households’ financial buffers; at the same time, expectations about future income and prices shape consumption and investment decisions. The EFF is used to capture differences between age cohorts, income groups and housing statuses more precisely, and to quantify pressures – such as mortgage debt – in greater detail. What conclusions can be drawn for regulation, housing policy or financial education depends on the individual findings presented and must await their analysis.
With the conference, the Banco de España builds on the EFF’s long record of publication and brings together research, official statistics and policy perspectives in one forum. The organiser will name specific contributions and participants in the programme; further assessments will only be possible after the event.
Editor: Daniel Mayer (Article created with AI assistance).