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Privacy statement for the Finnish Register of Associations

Controller

Finnish Patent and Registration Office (PRH)
Mailing address: Finnish Patent and Registration Office, FI-00091 PRH, Finland
Street address: Sörnäisten rantatie 13 C, Helsinki, Finland
Tel. +358 29 509 5000

Representative of controller

Mr Lalli Knuutila
Head of Registration
lalli.knuutila(at)prh.fi
Tel. +358 29 509 5018

Data protection officer

tietosuojavastaava(at)prh.fi
Tel. +358 50 413 6500

Purpose of and legal basis for processing personal data

The processing is necessary to comply with the controller’s legal obligation. The keeping of the register is based on the Finnish Associations Act (yhdistyslaki 503/1989) and the Finnish Decree on the Register of Associations (yhdistysrekisteriasetus 506/1989). Provisions on the keeping of the register are also laid down in the Finnish Business Information Act (yritys- ja yhteisötietolaki 244/2001), and for chambers of commerce, in the Finnish Act on Chambers of Commerce (kauppakamarilaki 878/2002).

The register contains information on non-profit associations, chambers of commerce and the Central Chamber of Commerce. Also read the privacy statement for the Finnish Register of Religious Communities.

The Finnish Register of Associations promotes and supervises the exercise of freedom of association, and maintains and improves legal security in Finnish associations. In addition to the effect of publicity, some of the entries in the register have a constitutive effect.

Personal data and categories of data subjects in the register

The chairperson of the executive committee or board, and persons entitled to sign for the association, are entered in the Finnish Register of Associations. Other members in the executive committee or board are also entered in the register if they have been notified to the register. Registered members of the executive committee or board are considered as actual beneficial owners of associations. In cases provided by law, other persons may also be registered, such as the liquidators of a dissolved association.

The following details of persons are registered: the full name, personal identity code, municipality of residence, and citizenship. The date of birth is registered if the person does not have a Finnish personal identity code. If the person lives outside Finland, the home address is registered instead of the municipality of residence.

Under the Finnish Act on Chambers of Commerce, the Finnish Register of Associations must also contain the details of chairpersons, members and deputy members of organs appointed to manage the public duties of the chambers of commerce and the Central Chamber of Commerce, as referred to in section 2 of the said Act.

Details of persons may also be included in other register entries of an association, for example in its address and contact details and in documents enclosed with notifications.

Sources of information

Associations are registered at the Finnish Register of Associations on the basis of notifications submitted by associations. If a non-profit association wants to be registered as a separate legal person, it must file a start-up notification with the Finnish Register of Associations. When the registered details change, associations must submit the new details to the register. Details are also entered in the register on the basis of notifications submitted by authorities or courts of law.

Associations notified to the Finnish Register of Associations are also registered at the Finnish Business Information System (BIS) and its Business Identity Code Register. It gives associations a Finnish Business Identity Code (Business ID) and registers the address and other contact details of associations. See also the privacy statement for the Finnish Business Information System.Open link in a new tab

Under an agreement between the PRH and the Digital and Population Data Services Agency, the PRH can update its records and check the personal details given in notifications and enclosures by using the Finnish Population Information System.

Disclosure of personal data to third parties

The disclosure of data is based on section 47, subsection 2 of the Finnish Associations Act. Under the Act, anyone is entitled to obtain information, extracts and certificates from the Finnish Register of Associations and related documents.

Information can be obtained from the register using the online information service of the Finnish Register of Associations, by ordering extracts, certificates or documents, and by telephone enquiry. Contract clients have registered data directly delivered to their application through a technical interface. Notifications and enclosures submitted by associations can be studied at the PRH in Helsinki.

The last four digits of Finnish personal identity codes, or the home address of persons living outside Finland, are disclosed from the Finnish Register of Associations only if the requirements in section 16, subsection 3 of the Finnish Act on the Openness of Government Activities (laki viranomaisten toiminnan julkisuudesta 621/1999) are fulfilled. In other cases, the person’s date of birth is disclosed instead of the personal identity code, and for a person living outside Finland, the person’s country of residence is disclosed instead of the home address.

As an exception to this, the PRH may disclose copies of notifications and enclosures filed with the Finnish Register of Associations, without an account of their use, if the notifications were filed on paper and have arrived at the PRH before 16 September 2019.

Transfer of personal data to countries outside the EU or the EEA or to international organisations

No data is transferred to countries outside the EU or the EEA or to international organisations.

Storage periods of personal data

The storage periods of the registered personal data are based on a filing plan which allows the data to be stored permanently.

Profiling and automated decision-making

The registered data are not used for profiling, and no automated decision-making is performed on the data.

Right of access to personal data

The data subject has the right to check what personal data about them have been entered into the register, or to find out that there are no such register entries. The data subject can ask the controller for access to their personal data. Read our instructions on how to request access to data.

Right to rectification of data

The data subject has the right to demand that the controller rectify without undue delay any inaccurate or incorrect personal data concerning them. Read our instructions on rectification of data.

Right to restriction of processing

The data subject has the right to demand that the controller restrict the processing of data, if the data subject contests the accuracy of the personal data. The idea is to restrict the processing for a period during which the controller can verify the accuracy of the personal data.

Right to deletion of data

The right to deletion (‘the right to be forgotten’) does not apply to the Finnish Register of Associations, which is regulated by law.

Right to lodge complaint with supervisory authority

The data subject has the right to lodge a complaint with the supervisory authority (the Data Protection Ombudsman).

Printable version Latest update 17.07.2023