Innovation survey

If your enterprise has been selected as a respondent for a data collection, Statistics Finland will always contact you in advance by letter or email. This communication will explain what data will be collected and for what purpose the data will be used. In data collections that collect personal data, the grounds for processing are usually Article 6, Paragraph 1, point c of the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679, compliance with a legal obligation. 

We process the data as confidential. The data are published as statistics and studies from which the answers of individual enterprises cannot be identified. Statistical data can be released for statistical surveys and scientific research.  

The survey is EU-harmonised, i.e. it is carried out with uniform data content and methods in all EU countries. The key concepts of the survey are based on the definitions of OECD and Eurostat (Oslo Manual, Guidelines for collecting and interpreting innovation data, 3rd edition, OECD 2005).

The statistics are statutory (Finland's Statistics Act 280/2004) and the regulations of the European Union in part require the collection of the data in question (Decision of the European Parliament and the Council (No 1608/2003/EC) and the Commission’s implementing Regulation (No 1450/2004)).

Enterprises have an obligation to respond to Statistics Finland's data collections. The obligation to provide data is based on the Statistics Act (280/2004).

Exemption from the obligation can be sought based on Section 8 of the Statistics Act if responding causes unreasonable inconvenience. Unreasonable inconvenience refers to putting the respondent in an unequal position with regard to other data providers. Exemption can be sought only from individual surveys and Statistics Finland cannot grant a general exemption from all data collections. Exemption is granted for a fixed period and may be granted wholly or in part.

When we consider granting an exemption, we consider the respondents' possibilities to supply the requested data and the importance of the data in producing and utilising statistics. Unreasonable inconvenience caused to the data supplier refers to putting the data supplier
in an unequal position with regard to other data suppliers. 

We cannot grant an exemption due to an enterprise's lack of resources or time or the difficulty caused by the provision of data or corresponding reasons.

How can I submit a request for exemption?

If you are considering requesting exemption, please contact us first. The contact information can be found in the accompanying letter and on the homepage of the data collection.

You can seek exemption with a free-form written application or with the form ⁠ Application for exemption from the obligation to provide data (PDF). 

If necessary, download the free Adobe Reader software (adobe.com) for filling in the PDF file. Specify the data collections from which you apply for exemption in the application. You can add appendices to the application. Send the application to Statistics Finland’s Registrar’s Office.

• Postal address: Statistics Finland, Registrar’s Office, FI-00022 STATISTICS FINLAND
• Email: kirjaamo@stat.fi
• Instructions for sending encrypted email