Statistics legislation
The Finnish international trade statistics are based on the legislation of the European Community as well as on the national Statistics Act and Customs Act.
The statistics legislation of the European Community ensures that the statistics are based on strictly defined norms applied in all EU Member States.In addition, uniform definitions and methods for the practical compilation of international trade statistics have been determined by Commission regulations and decisions.
Below is a list of the most essential regulations relating to the compilation of statistics, with links to the EUR-Lex database maintained by the Publications Office of the EU.
- The European Statistics Code of Practice – Recommendation of the Commission on the independence, integrity and accountability of the national and Community statistical authorities. More information of the Code of Practice on Eurostat’s website. Download the publication as a pdf-file from Eurostat’s website.
- The nomenclature of countries - Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1470 on the nomenclature of countries and territories for the European statistics on international trade in goods and on the geographical breakdown for other business statistics. Read the regulation in EUR-Lex.
- The national Statistics Act 280/2004. Read the English translation of the act from Statistics Finland’s website.
- Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197 on European business statistics came into force 1.1.2021. Concerning International trade in goods statistics, the regulations will apply as of 1.1.2022.
- The basic regulation on external trade - Regulation (EC) No 471/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council on Community statistics relating to external trade with non-member countries, amendments (EU) No 2016/1724 and (EU) No 2016/2119 (in force until January 1st 2022). Read the regulation in EUR-Lex.
- Implementing regulation on external trade - Commission Regulation (EU) No 113/2010 implementing Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council (EC) No 471/2009 (trade coverage, definition of the data, specific goods and movements), amendment (EU) No 2016/2119 (in force until January 1st 2022). Read the regulation in EUR-Lex.
- Implementing regulation on external trade - Commission Regulation (EU) No 92/2010 implementing Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council (EC) No 471/2009 (data exchange, compilation of statistics and quality assessment) (in force until January 1st 2022). Read the regulation in EUR-Lex.
- The basic regulation on EU internal trade - Regulation (EC) No 638/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council on Community statistics relating to the trading of goods between Member States, amendments (EC) No 222/2009 and (EU) No 1093/2013 (in force until January 1st 2022). Read the regulation in EUR-Lex.
- The implementing regulation on internal trade - Commission Regulation (EC) No 1982/2004 implementing Regulation (EC) No 638/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council, amendments (EC) No 1915/2005, (EU) No 91/2010 and (EU) No 96/2010 (in force until January 1st 2022). Read the regulation in EUR-Lex.
- Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 of the European Parliament on European statistics, amendment (EU) No 759/2015. Read the regulation in EUR-Lex.
- The Combined Nomenclature (CN) - Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 1101/2014 amending Annex I to Council Regulation (EEC) No 2658/87 on the tariff and statistical nomenclature and on the Common Customs Tariff. Read the regulation in EUR-Lex.
- The national Customs Act 304/2016. Read the act in Finlex.fi (in Finnish or Swedish).