Processing of personal data in statistics

Purpose of processing personal data

Personal data in statistics are processed in management and development activities, for the collection of business data in intra-EU trade, for statistical controls and production, for statistical publications and services as well as for distribution of statistics, and for the processing of online feedback as well as for sending newsletters and for testing statistical systems. The statutory tasks of statistical services are laid down in the Statistics Act (280/2004), in the Customs Act (304/2016) and in EU’s regulations and provisions on statistics. In addition, personal data are processed for performing tasks related to Customs’ administrative orders and instructions. 

Customs Statistics processes personal data also when handling customer feedback and feedback on accessibility concerning the statistical services, and when responding to feedback. 

Categories of personal data

The basic details of the private person are saved in the statistical systems (first and last name and contact information such as email, phone number, address and service language). The names and contact information of the companies and their contact persons are recorded. In addition, the following personal data are also accumulated from Customs’ statistical tasks:

  • In Customs customer register, contact information of the companies that make Intrastat declarations, including the name of the Intrastat contact person. The details are also copied to the statistics system.
  • For customs clearance transactions, personal data that are transferred to the statistics system only include the first eight digits of the personal identification code. 
  • Email addresses of subscribers of the Intrastat newsletters.
  • Contact information for subscriptions to registered subscribers of statistical data.
  • Relating to the activities of Customs Statistics, the transaction details of those who use the service Uljas.tulli.fi are their IP addresses, which are stored for each user of the service. No details apart from the IP address are saved, nor is the IP address added to any other details.
  • Details concerning the customer’s state of health can be included in the feedback on accessibility.

Sources of personal data

The statistical data are obtained from customers and customs clearance transactions as well as from customer feedback and feedback on accessibility that have arrived to the customer services.

Regular disclosures of personal data

Personal data in Customs Statistics are disclosed to Statistics Finland for statistical purposes. Personal data can be transferred to other functions within Customs for the performance of official tasks. 

Personal data collected are processed by personnel at Customs Statistics, application management personnel of service providers as well as by Customs’ personnel who have access to data systems used by Customs Statistics.

Personal data retention and disposal times

Intrastat data are stored for two years after the end of the statistical year, after which the data are deleted based on an annual review. The statistics are archived indefinitely and without personal data, based on the decision by the National Archives of Finland. Customer feedback and related replies are not archived. Feedback on accessibility and related replies are saved indefinitely. 

Contact person of the data controller and additional information

Olli-Pekka Penttilä
olli-pekka.penttila(at)tulli.fi