Considerable increases in the prices of the Research Services

The price increases are absolutely necessary because the income received from the Research Services does not cover the costs of providing the service.

By law, the expenses of the Research Services must be covered with the income received from them. Therefore, the funding Statistics Finland receives from the State budget cannot be used to cover the deficit of the service.

The economy of the Research Services must also be balanced as part of the adjustment of Statistics Finland's economy. This is based on central government saving measures, as a result of which Statistics Finland's funding has contracted by around 15 per cent.

The objective is that the Research Services will achieve cost recovery in 2027. In 2025, the income of the commercially priced Research Services was slightly under EUR three million and the costs slightly under EUR 5.4 million. Cost recovery was 55 per cent. According to estimates, cost recovery will rise to about 80 per cent in 2026.

It is currently estimated that attaining full cost recovery will require an increase of around 30 to 40 per cent in income. If the demand for the Research Services remains at the current level, this would mean an average price increase of the same magnitude. Price increases vary for individual products.

“It is difficult to make decisions on significant price increases. We understand perfectly well that these increases cause challenges to researchers. They are particularly difficult for projects that are not eligible for additional funding, for example because the funding has already been decided upon. However, we need to get the funding for the service on a sustainable basis,” says Deputy Director General Ville Vertanen.

The need for price increases has been discussed with the research community for a long time. In 2027, the costs of the Research Services will also rise because of growing maintenance costs of the technical platform of the service, the FIONA remote access environment. The platform is produced for Statistics Finland by CSC – IT Center for Science. In addition to the general rise in the cost level, costs are also raised by, for example, strengthening application maintenance and growing licence, storage and capacity expenses.

Statistics Finland and the Ministry of Finance have sought a solution to the funding of the Research Services and ways to curb the costs. The costs of the platform have been discussed with CSC on several occasions.

“We have considered price rises to be the last option. But now it is inevitable, as no other solution has been found and the deficit has to be closed,” says Director General Sovala.

New pricing in force at the beginning of 2027

The new prices will enter into force on 1 January 2027. Changes are communicated in advance so that research organisations and projects can prepare for the new prices. Detailed price lists will be published towards the end of November.

Statistics Finland will arrange a discussion event on changes in pricing for the research community on 9 November 2026. We wish to hear questions, feedback and proposals from researchers and discuss how these changes will affect research projects.

Further information about the event programme and participation

Contact information

Ville Vertanen
⁠Deputy Director General
⁠029 551 3343

Markus Sovala
⁠Director General
⁠029 551 3100