NPISHs serve households as private other non-market producer; they are financed by households, government or by property income (but they are not controlled or financed for the most part by the general government).
According to the ESA criteria, only a certain number of institutions with the legal form of non-profit associations (ASBL/VZW) are classified as NPISHs.
- NPAs which are market producers and principally engaged in the production of goods and non-financial services are classified as non-financial corporations;
- NPAs which are market producers and principally engaged in the production of financial services are classified as financial corporations;
- NPAs which are non-market producers but are controlled and financed mainly by the general government are classified as general government.