Hungarian_EU_Data_Sources.md

Hungarian and EU/Copernicus Data Sources for Hydrologic/Geographic Analysis

Compiled: 2026-03-25 Purpose: Equivalents to US hydrologic/geographic data systems for Hungarian watershed modeling

URL verification performed via WebFetch on 2026-03-25. Status legend: OK = accessible and returns content; PARTIAL = loads but content limited (e.g., JS-only app); FAIL = HTTP error or unreachable.

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1. DEM / Elevation Data

1.1 DDM-5 (Digitalis Domborzatmodell) -- Hungarian National DEM

Field	Value
URL	https://lechnerkozpont.hu/oldal/domborzatmodell (HU) / https://lechnerkozpont.hu/en/oldal/spatial-data (EN)
URL Status	OK
Provider	Lechner Tudaskoezpont (formerly FOMI)
Description	National 5 m x 5 m grid DEM in EOV projection, derived from 1:10,000 topographic contour lines and stereophotogrammetry. Updated in 2000, 2005, 2015, 2022 for major terrain changes (highways, mines).
Format	Raster grid (EOV / EPSG:23700)
Access	Order via geoshop.hu or contact Lechner data services; WMS/WMTS also available
US Equivalent	USGS 3DEP (National Elevation Dataset / NED)
Notes	Highest-resolution national DEM for Hungary. Not freely downloadable -- must be ordered.

1.2 Copernicus DEM (EEA-10, GLO-30, GLO-90)

Field	Value
URL	https://dataspace.copernicus.eu/explore-data/data-collections/copernicus-contributing-missions/collections-description/COP-DEM
URL Status	OK
Provider	ESA / Copernicus
Description	Digital Surface Model from TanDEM-X (2011-2015). Three instances: EEA-10 (10 m, 39 European countries, restricted access), GLO-30 (30 m, global, free), GLO-90 (90 m, global, free). GeoTIFF and DTED formats.
Format	GeoTIFF, DTED
Access	Free registration at dataspace.copernicus.eu; bulk download via S3/OData API
US Equivalent	USGS 3DEP / NED 10m & 30m
Notes	Replaces the old EU-DEM (no longer maintained). EEA-10 is the best free option for Hungary at 10 m if you qualify for access. GLO-30 is universally free.

1.3 SRTM (Shuttle Radar Topography Mission)

Field	Value
URL	https://portal.opentopography.org/raster?opentopoID=OTSRTM.082015.4326.1
URL Status	OK
Alt URLs	https://dwtkns.com/srtm30m/ (tile selector), https://earthexplorer.usgs.gov/
Provider	NASA / USGS
Description	1 arc-second (~30 m) and 3 arc-second (~90 m) global DEM. Hungary is fully covered (lat 45-49N).
Format	SRTMHGT, GeoTIFF, Arc ASCII
Access	Free; some sources require NASA Earthdata login
US Equivalent	Same dataset (SRTM is a US product used globally)
Notes	Year-2000 data. Good for quick analyses but superseded by Copernicus DEM for accuracy.

1.4 Hungarian LiDAR Data

Field	Value
URL	https://lechnerkozpont.hu/en/oldal/spatial-data
URL Status	OK
Provider	Lechner Tudaskoezpont, various national park authorities
Description	No comprehensive nationwide LiDAR program like the US 3DEP. LiDAR surveys exist for specific areas (e.g., Aggtelek Karst at 2 pts/m2, various flood-prone valleys). Available through Lechner or project-specific portals.
US Equivalent	USGS 3DEP LiDAR
Notes	Coverage is fragmented. For project-specific areas, contact Lechner or relevant national parks/water directorates.

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2. Hydrologic Networks

2.1 OVF Hydrographic Database (data.vizugy.hu)

Field	Value
URL	https://data.vizugy.hu
URL Status	PARTIAL (Angular app, loads but content requires browser)
Alt URL	https://www.ovf.hu/en/hydrography-water-quality/hydrographic-data (OK)
Provider	OVF (Orszagos Vizugyi Foigazgatosag / General Directorate of Water Management)
Description	Central Hydrographic Database (VRA). Water level, discharge, water temperature from surface stations; groundwater levels from monitoring wells; precipitation from hydromet network. Free and open since July 2024.
Format	Web interface, downloadable time series
Access	Free, no restrictions, attribution to OVF required
US Equivalent	NHDPlus + USGS NWIS combined
Notes	The closest Hungarian equivalent to NHDPlus for river network topology + NWIS for gauge data.

2.2 HYDROINFO (Hydrological Forecasting Service)

Field	Value
URL	https://www.hydroinfo.hu
URL Status	OK
Provider	OVF / National Water Forecasting Service
Description	Real-time water levels and forecasts for 98 sections of the Danube, Tisza, and Drava-Mura catchments. Flood warnings, ice conditions, navigation info, small watershed alerts.
Format	Web interface, mobile app
Access	Free, public
US Equivalent	USGS WaterWatch + NWS AHPS (Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service)
Notes	Operational forecasting portal -- ideal for real-time monitoring, not bulk historical downloads.

2.3 WISE (Water Information System for Europe)

Field	Value
URL	https://water.europa.eu/
URL Status	OK
Provider	EEA + European Commission (DG Environment, JRC, Eurostat)
Description	Pan-European water portal. Interactive maps, charts, indicators. Links to WFD reporting data including surface water body status, groundwater body status, pressures, and impacts.
Format	Web interface, downloadable thematic data
Access	Free
US Equivalent	EPA WATERS GeoViewer + How's My Waterway

2.4 WISE Water Framework Directive Database

Field	Value
URL	https://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/data/wise-wfd
URL Status	OK
Alt URL	https://discodata.eea.europa.eu (database explorer)
Provider	EEA
Description	River Basin Management Plan data reported by EU member states under WFD Article 13. Surface water bodies (ecological/chemical status, pressures), groundwater bodies (quantitative/chemical status). Data from 2000 onward, latest 2022 reporting cycle.
Format	Database explorer, downloadable tables
Access	Free
US Equivalent	EPA 305(b)/303(d) Integrated Report data

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3. Land Cover

3.1 CORINE Land Cover (CLC)

Field	Value
URL	https://land.copernicus.eu/en/products/corine-land-cover
URL Status	OK
Provider	Copernicus Land Monitoring Service / EEA
Description	Pan-European land cover inventory with 44 thematic classes. Available for 1990, 2000, 2006, 2012, 2018 + change layers. Next update (2020-2024 reference) expected Q4 2025. Vector and 100 m raster.
Format	Shapefile, GeoTIFF (100 m)
Access	Free, full open access
US Equivalent	NLCD (National Land Cover Database)
Notes	THE standard land cover dataset for European hydrologic modeling. 44 classes vs. NLCD's 16 -- more detailed classification.

3.2 Copernicus Land Monitoring Service (CLMS) -- Full Portfolio

Field	Value
URL	https://land.copernicus.eu/en
URL Status	OK
Provider	Copernicus / EEA
Description	Comprehensive land monitoring: CLC, High Resolution Layers (imperviousness, tree cover, grassland, wetness, water), bio-geophysical variables (LAI, FAPAR, soil moisture), ground motion, satellite mosaics. Pan-European and global products.
Format	Various (GeoTIFF, NetCDF, Shapefile)
Access	Free, all products
US Equivalent	Combined: NLCD + MODIS land products + USGS land cover products

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4. Weather / Climate

4.1 OMSZ (Hungarian Meteorological Service)

Field	Value
URL	https://www.met.hu/en/eghajlat/
URL Status	OK
Provider	Orszagos Meteorologiai Szolgalat (HungaroMet Zrt.)
Description	Climate data series 1901-2020 for major cities (Budapest, Debrecen, Pecs, Szeged, Szombathely). 136 stations providing 10-minute data: precipitation, temperature, humidity, solar radiation, wind speed/direction. Monthly/decadal/centurial climate reports.
Format	Web interface; data requests by contact
Access	Climate summaries free on website; detailed station data may require data request
US Equivalent	NOAA NCEI (National Centers for Environmental Information) / NWS
Notes	Also provides agromet products (growing season March-September).

4.2 Copernicus Climate Data Store (CDS) / ERA5

Field	Value
URL	https://cds.climate.copernicus.eu/
URL Status	OK
Provider	ECMWF / Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S)
Description	ERA5: 5th-generation ECMWF reanalysis, 1940-present. ~31 km global grid, hourly. Single levels, pressure levels, ERA5-Land (9 km). Hundreds of atmospheric, land, and oceanic variables. Also hosts seasonal forecasts, projections, satellite-derived products.
Format	GRIB, NetCDF
Access	Free registration; API (cdsapi) and web download
US Equivalent	NCEP/NCAR Reanalysis + NARR + PRISM combined
Notes	THE workhorse reanalysis for European hydrologic modeling. ERA5-Land at 9 km is excellent for catchment-scale work in Hungary.

4.3 E-OBS Gridded Dataset

Field	Value
URL	https://surfobs.climate.copernicus.eu/dataaccess/access_eobs.php
URL Status	OK
Alt URL	https://cds.climate.copernicus.eu/datasets/insitu-gridded-observations-europe
Provider	KNMI / ECA&D / Copernicus
Description	Daily gridded observations for Europe, 1950-present (v32.0e, Nov 2025). Variables: Tmean, Tmin, Tmax, precipitation, sea level pressure, humidity, wind speed, global radiation. 0.1 deg and 0.25 deg grids. 20-member ensemble with uncertainty.
Format	NetCDF-4
Access	Free download with registration
US Equivalent	PRISM / Daymet / Livneh
Notes	Station-based interpolation -- complementary to ERA5 (model-based). Best observation-based gridded dataset for Hungary.

4.4 CARPATCLIM

Field	Value
URL	https://surfobs.climate.copernicus.eu/dataaccess/access_carpatclim.php
URL Status	OK
Alt URL	https://www.met.hu/en/rolunk/palyazatok_projektek/carpatclim/
Provider	JRC + OMSZ-led consortium (9 countries)
Description	High-resolution (0.1 deg) daily gridded climate data for the Greater Carpathian Region, 1961-2010. Variables: T2M, Tmin, Tmax, precipitation + 30+ derived indices. Homogenized and harmonized across 9 countries.
Format	NetCDF (gzipped)
Access	Free download
US Equivalent	No direct equivalent -- regional climate atlas
Notes	Specifically covers Hungary and surroundings. Excellent for historical climate analysis. Period limited to 1961-2010.

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5. Water Level / Discharge Monitoring

5.1 OVF / data.vizugy.hu (Hydrographic Database)

Field	Value
URL	https://data.vizugy.hu
URL Status	PARTIAL (Angular app)
Alt URL	https://www.ovf.hu/en/hydrography-water-quality/hydrographic-data (OK)
Provider	OVF
Description	Central database of Hungarian hydrographic observations. Water level, discharge, water temperature at surface stations. Groundwater well data. Precipitation from hydromet network. Systematic records from early 20th century. Free since July 2024.
Format	Web interface, downloadable time series
Access	Free, open data
US Equivalent	USGS NWIS (National Water Information System)

5.2 HYDROINFO Real-time Monitoring

Field	Value
URL	https://www.hydroinfo.hu
URL Status	OK
Provider	OVF National Water Forecasting Service
Description	Real-time water levels and forecasts for Danube, Tisza, Drava-Mura. 98 forecast sections. Flood warnings, ice monitoring, navigation.
US Equivalent	USGS WaterWatch + NWS River Forecast Centers

5.3 GRDC (Global Runoff Data Centre)

Field	Value
URL	https://grdc.bafg.de/
URL Status	OK
Provider	BfG (German Federal Institute of Hydrology) under WMO
Description	World's largest quality-assured river discharge collection. 9,800+ stations globally, ~435,000 station-years. Daily and monthly discharge. Hungarian stations included. WaterML2, CSV formats.
Format	WaterML2, CSV
Access	Free for non-commercial use; registration + terms acceptance required
US Equivalent	No direct US equivalent (this IS the global equivalent)
Notes	Useful for cross-border rivers (Danube, Tisza) where Hungarian data alone is insufficient.

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6. Flood Mapping

6.1 Hungarian Flood Risk Maps (OVF / EU Floods Directive)

Field	Value
URL	https://geoportal.vizugy.hu
URL Status	FAIL (HTTP 403 -- requires authentication or internal network)
Alt URL	https://vizeink.hu (flood risk management plans)
Provider	OVF
Description	Flood hazard and risk maps per EU Floods Directive 2007/60/EC. Shows flood extent for various return periods. First revision completed 2022. Available by planning area unit.
US Equivalent	FEMA NFHL (National Flood Hazard Layer) / Flood Insurance Rate Maps
Notes	The geoportal may require specific access. Try the INSPIRE geoportal alternative below.

6.2 JRC River Flood Hazard Maps (Europe)

Field	Value
URL	https://data.jrc.ec.europa.eu/collection/id-0054
URL Status	OK
Provider	JRC (Joint Research Centre)
Description	River flood hazard maps for Europe: 10-year to 500-year return periods. Plus satellite-derived flood event catalogue (2015-2024) from Copernicus Global Flood Monitoring. Based on EFAS/GloFAS hydrological modeling.
Format	GeoTIFF, downloadable datasets
Access	Free
US Equivalent	FEMA flood maps + USGS flood inundation mapping

6.3 EFAS (European Flood Awareness System)

Field	Value
URL	https://european-flood.emergency.copernicus.eu/efas_frontend/
URL Status	PARTIAL (web viewer, requires partner login for real-time data)
Provider	Copernicus Emergency Management Service / ECMWF
Description	Pan-European flood forecasting. Probabilistic medium-range forecasts, flash flood indicators, seasonal outlooks, soil moisture, runoff, snow. Archived data publicly available; real-time data for EFAS partners only (national hydrological services).
Format	Web viewer, WMS, SOS, data archive
Access	Archives: public; Real-time: EFAS partners only
US Equivalent	NWS River Forecast Centers + NOAA National Water Model

6.4 Copernicus Emergency Management Service (EMS)

Field	Value
URL	https://emergency.copernicus.eu/
URL Status	OK
Alt URL	https://mapping.emergency.copernicus.eu/ (on-demand mapping)
Provider	Copernicus / European Commission
Description	On-demand rapid mapping for disasters (floods, fires, earthquakes). European & Global Drought Observatories. Includes EFAS and GloFAS. Risk and Recovery Mapping for flood events.
Format	Vector/raster maps, reports
Access	Free; on-demand mapping activated by authorized users (civil protection)
US Equivalent	FEMA + USGS Emergency Response imagery

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7. Soil Data

7.1 ESDAC (European Soil Data Centre)

Field	Value
URL	https://esdac.jrc.ec.europa.eu
URL Status	OK
Alt URL	https://esdac.jrc.ec.europa.eu/resource-type/soil-data-maps
Provider	JRC (European Commission)
Description	THE European soil data hub. European Soil Database (1 km raster), LUCAS soil point data, topsoil properties, soil erosion maps, organic carbon, hydraulic properties, heavy metals. Thematic layers on erosion, compaction, contamination, sealing, landslides.
Format	Shapefile, ESRI GRID, GeoTIFF, IDRISI
Access	Some datasets free; others require registration and data request
US Equivalent	USDA SSURGO / STATSGO / gSSURGO
Notes	The primary source for soil hydraulic properties needed in hydrologic modeling in Europe.

7.2 SoilGrids 250m (ISRIC)

Field	Value
URL	https://soilgrids.org/
URL Status	PARTIAL (requires JavaScript; REST API currently paused)
Alt URL	https://isric.org/explore/soilgrids
Provider	ISRIC -- World Soil Information
Description	Global 250 m soil property maps using machine learning. 14 properties at 6 depth intervals: pH, organic carbon, bulk density, texture (sand/silt/clay), CEC, nitrogen. CC-BY 4.0.
Format	VRT (WebDAV), Google Earth Engine, WCS
Access	Free; WebDAV for bulk download; also on Google Earth Engine
US Equivalent	POLARIS / SSURGO (but global coverage)
Notes	REST API has been intermittently down. WebDAV and GEE access remain functional.

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8. Satellite Data

8.1 Copernicus Data Space Ecosystem (Sentinel-1/2/3)

Field	Value
URL	https://dataspace.copernicus.eu/
URL Status	OK
Alt URL	https://browser.dataspace.copernicus.eu/ (visual browser)
Provider	ESA / European Commission
Description	Free access to all Sentinel missions: Sentinel-1 (SAR), Sentinel-2 (optical 10 m), Sentinel-3 (ocean/land monitoring), Sentinel-5P (atmosphere). Plus Copernicus Contributing Missions. Replaced the old Open Access Hub (scihub.copernicus.eu) in Oct 2023.
Format	SAFE, GeoTIFF, NetCDF via APIs
Access	Free registration; Sentinel Hub APIs, openEO, STAC, OData, S3
US Equivalent	USGS EarthExplorer + NASA Earthdata (Landsat, MODIS)
Notes	Sentinel-2 at 10 m optical is comparable to Landsat at 30 m but higher resolution and 5-day revisit. Essential for land use monitoring in Hungary.

8.2 GRACE / GRACE-FO (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment)

Field	Value
URL	https://grace.jpl.nasa.gov/data/get-data/
URL Status	OK
Alt URL	https://gravis.gfz.de/gws (European G3P groundwater product)
Provider	NASA/JPL (GRACE) + GFZ Potsdam (G3P European product)
Description	Monthly terrestrial water storage anomalies from satellite gravity. G3P (Global Gravity-based Groundwater Product) separates groundwater from total storage. GravIS provides time series and gridded products for Europe. Monthly resolution, April 2002 - present.
Format	NetCDF, CSV
Access	Free; NASA Earthdata login for GRACE; GravIS/G3P open access
US Equivalent	Same dataset (GRACE is US-German joint mission)
Notes	GravIS at https://gravis.gfz.de/gws is particularly useful -- European-focused, separates groundwater component. OK status confirmed.

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9. Census / Demographics

9.1 KSH (Hungarian Central Statistical Office)

Field	Value
URL	https://www.ksh.hu/?lang=en
URL Status	OK
Alt URLs	https://nepszamlalas2022.ksh.hu/en/database/ (Census 2022), https://data.ksh.hu/ (API)
Provider	Kozponti Statisztikai Hivatal
Description	Hungary's official statistics: population, GDP, inflation, employment, agriculture, energy, health, housing. Census 2022 with thematic maps at region/county/district/municipality level. STADAT summary tables. High-Value Datasets API (data.ksh.hu).
Format	Excel, CSV, API (JSON), interactive maps
Access	Free
US Equivalent	US Census Bureau + Bureau of Economic Analysis

9.2 Eurostat + GISCO

Field	Value
URL	https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/gisco/geodata
URL Status	OK
Alt URL	https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/ (main Eurostat portal)
Provider	European Commission / Eurostat
Description	Pan-European geodata: administrative boundaries (NUTS regions, LAU), population grids, census units, transport networks, coastlines. Multiple projections available. Also an R package (giscoR) for programmatic access.
Format	Shapefile, GeoJSON, TopoJSON, XML metadata
Access	Free for non-commercial use
US Equivalent	US Census TIGER/Line shapefiles + American Community Survey

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10. Coordinate Systems

10.1 HD72/EOV (Egyseges Orszagos Vetuleti rendszer)

Field	Value
URL	https://epsg.io/23700
URL Status	OK
EPSG Code	23700
Datum	Hungarian Datum 1972 (HD72)
Ellipsoid	GRS 1967
Projection	Hotine Oblique Mercator (variant B)
Parameters	Lat center: 47.1444 deg, Lon center: 19.0486 deg, Azimuth: 90 deg, Scale: 0.99993, False E: 650,000 m, False N: 200,000 m
Coordinate Ranges	Easting (Y): ~421,000 - 950,000; Northing (X): ~44,000 - 367,000
US Equivalent	State Plane Coordinate System (concept)
Notes	CRITICAL: Hungarian data labels often swap X/Y. Identify by VALUE RANGE: Northing 0-400,000; Easting 400,000-1,000,000. Most Hungarian national datasets (DDM, cadastral, water management) use EOV natively.

10.2 HD72 to ETRS89 Transformation

Field	Value
URL	https://epsg.io/1449
URL Status	OK
EPSG Code	1449 (transformation)
Description	7-parameter Helmert transformation from HD72 to ETRS89. Needed when combining Hungarian national data (EOV) with EU/Copernicus data (typically in ETRS89/LAEA or WGS84).
Target CRS	ETRS89 (EPSG:4258) or ETRS89/LAEA (EPSG:3035 -- standard EU grid projection)
US Equivalent	NAD27-to-NAD83 datum transformation (concept)
Notes	PROJ provides accurate parametrization. For sub-meter work, use the Hungarian-specific grid shift file if available from Lechner.

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Quick Reference: US-to-Hungarian/EU Dataset Mapping

US Dataset	Hungarian Equivalent	EU/Global Equivalent
USGS 3DEP / NED	DDM-5 (Lechner)	Copernicus DEM (EEA-10, GLO-30)
NHDPlus	OVF river network (data.vizugy.hu)	EU-Hydro (Copernicus)
USGS NWIS	data.vizugy.hu	GRDC
NWS AHPS	HYDROINFO	EFAS
NLCD	--	CORINE Land Cover
PRISM / Daymet	OMSZ station data	E-OBS, CARPATCLIM
NCEP Reanalysis	--	ERA5 (CDS)
SSURGO / STATSGO	Hungarian soil survey (ESDAC)	ESDAC, SoilGrids
FEMA Flood Maps	OVF flood risk maps	JRC Flood Hazard Maps
Landsat / MODIS	--	Sentinel-1/2/3 (Copernicus)
US Census TIGER	KSH	Eurostat GISCO
State Plane / NAD83	HD72/EOV (EPSG:23700)	ETRS89 (EPSG:4258)
GRACE	--	GRACE + G3P (GravIS)

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URL Verification Summary

#	Source	URL	Status
1	Lechner Spatial Data	https://lechnerkozpont.hu/en/oldal/spatial-data	OK
2	data.vizugy.hu	https://data.vizugy.hu	PARTIAL (JS app)
3	OVF Hydrographic Data	https://www.ovf.hu/en/hydrography-water-quality/hydrographic-data	OK
4	HYDROINFO	https://www.hydroinfo.hu	OK
5	OMSZ Climate	https://www.met.hu/en/eghajlat/	OK
6	Copernicus DEM	https://dataspace.copernicus.eu/.../COP-DEM	OK
7	SRTM (OpenTopography)	https://portal.opentopography.org/...	OK
8	CDS / ERA5	https://cds.climate.copernicus.eu/	OK
9	E-OBS	https://surfobs.climate.copernicus.eu/dataaccess/access_eobs.php	OK
10	CARPATCLIM	https://surfobs.climate.copernicus.eu/dataaccess/access_carpatclim.php	OK
11	CORINE Land Cover	https://land.copernicus.eu/en/products/corine-land-cover	OK
12	CLMS	https://land.copernicus.eu/en	OK
13	WISE	https://water.europa.eu/	OK
14	WISE WFD Database	https://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/data/wise-wfd	OK
15	ESDAC	https://esdac.jrc.ec.europa.eu	OK
16	SoilGrids	https://soilgrids.org/	PARTIAL (JS-only, API paused)
17	Copernicus Data Space	https://dataspace.copernicus.eu/	OK
18	GRACE (NASA)	https://grace.jpl.nasa.gov/data/get-data/	OK
19	GravIS / G3P	https://gravis.gfz.de/gws	OK
20	GRDC	https://grdc.bafg.de/	OK
21	EFAS	https://european-flood.emergency.copernicus.eu/efas_frontend/	PARTIAL (partner login)
22	Copernicus EMS	https://emergency.copernicus.eu/	OK
23	JRC Flood Hazard	https://data.jrc.ec.europa.eu/collection/id-0054	OK
24	OVF Flood Geoportal	https://geoportal.vizugy.hu	FAIL (403)
25	KSH	https://www.ksh.hu/?lang=en	OK
26	KSH Census 2022	https://nepszamlalas2022.ksh.hu/en/database/	OK
27	KSH API	https://data.ksh.hu/	OK
28	Eurostat GISCO	https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/gisco/geodata	OK
29	EPSG:23700 (EOV)	https://epsg.io/23700	OK
30	HD72-ETRS89 transform	https://epsg.io/1449	OK

Result: 25 OK, 4 PARTIAL, 1 FAIL (geoportal.vizugy.hu -- may require VPN or institutional access)