Quality description: International trade in goods by enterprise type
Producer of the statistics: Finnish Customs
Grounds for compiling the statistics: Finnish Customs publishes data on international trade also from the enterprise perspective.
1. Relevance of statistical data
1.1 Data content and use of data
In the statistics “International trade in goods by enterprise type”, imports and exports of goods are presented classified by enterprise characteristics. The import and export data in the statistics “International trade in goods” are used as material.
Imports from EU countries will be recorded starting from January 2026 using a new data collection method in international trade in goods statistics utilizing data collected by other Member States on exports to Finland. Read more: Impact of the change in the data collection method for imports on the international trade statistics of goods
These data are combined with data on enterprise structure obtained from the Business Register maintained by Statistics Finland.
1.2 Concepts and classifications
The compilation of statistics on goods is based on the Combined Nomenclature (CN) of the EU. The export statistics are compiled by country of destination based on the FOB (free on board) value and the import statistics by country of origin based on the CIF (cost, insurance, and freight) value. The country of origin is the country where the goods were manufactured or where the latest economically significant part of the manufacture has taken place. The packaging of goods is not considered manufacture. For export, the country of destination is the last country to which it is known that, at the time of export, the goods are to be exported from Finland, either directly or via another country.
In the statistics, international trade by enterprise is classified by the following characteristics:
- Size category: small enterprises, medium-sized enterprises and large enterprises
- Type of ownership: private domestic, foreign-owned and state.
- Concentration: describes the concentration of imports and exports by enterprises, by their size category.
In the statistics, the data are provided by activity (CPA) and industry (NACE). The concentration of international trade is also presented according to trading partners and geographical zones.
In the statistics on international statistics by enterprise, the CN-based statistical material has also been combined according to the following classifications:
Classification of Products by Activities (CPA)
The Statistical classification of economic activities in the European Community, Nomenclature statistique des activités économiques dans la Communauté européenne (NACE 2002). The NACE category of each company is established according to its main branch of industry.
1.3 Research topic and data providers
Regarding import and export data, the material for the statistics on international trade in goods by enterprise type is the same as for the statistics on international trade in goods.
The enterprise structure data are compiled by Statistics Finland. The size and ownership categories used by Finnish Customs have the same content as the categories used by Statistics Finland. As regards the Business Register data, the latest data available are used in the statistics.
Finnish Customs produces the statistical data on international trade by enterprise type by combining the international trade data with the Business Register data from Statistics Finland.
1.4 User perspective
The statistics on international trade in goods by enterprise type give a reliable picture of the latest developments in international trade for economic analysis, from the perspective of enterprises. User feedback is gathered continuously via the comments function on the website, and an extensive customer satisfaction survey is carried out every 3 to 4 years. Both the statistical database Uljas and the web pages of Customs Statistics are developed based on the feedback from customers.
2. Accuracy and reliability of data
2.1 Methodology
Data on intra-EU trade, i.e. trade between the EU Member States, have mainly been collected through the Intrastat system, from the operators who are obliged to provide information, until the statistical year 2025. Starting from January 2026 imports from EU countries will be recorded using a new data collection method utilizing data collected by other Member States on exports to Finland. The collection of data on exports to EU countries will continue as before, using the Intrastat system. Statistical data on external trade, i.e. the trade with non-EU countries, are obtained from the customs clearance system.
Data on imports by size class are not published for the statistical year 2026, due to this methodological change. The figures are not comparable with the previous year's data.
In a couple of cases, data gathered from other sources have been used. Regarding electricity and gas, the quantity and price details are gathered separately. Details of vessels are obtained from another authority. From the beginning of 2024, the EU Member States exchange customs clearance data with each other, so that the consignments declared in another Member State can be included in the statistics of the right country. So-called OSS data on intra-EU imports of low value goods are obtained from the Finnish Tax Administration and added to the statistics.
The Business Register data from Statistics Finland are combined with the data in the statistics on international trade in goods to present data on international trade by enterprise size and by type of ownership. Statistics Finland categorises enterprises by size as follows:
- Micro enterprises are enterprises with fewer than 10 employees. In addition to this condition, they have an annual turnover or balance sheet total not exceeding EUR 2 million.
- Small enterprises are enterprises with fewer than 50 employees. In addition to this condition, they have an annual turnover or balance sheet total not exceeding EUR 10 million.
- Medium-sized enterprises are enterprises with fewer than 250 employees. In addition to this condition, they have an annual turnover not exceeding EUR 50 million or balance sheet total not exceeding EUR 43 million.
- Micro enterprises, small enterprises and medium-sized enterprises are SMEs. In the statistics, the category SMEs total refers to the combined category consisting of these three categories.
- Large enterprises are enterprises with 250 employees or more. In addition to this condition, enterprises that have an annual turnover exceeding EUR 50 million and balance sheet total exceeding EUR 43 million are also large enterprises.
The Business Register maintained by Statistics Finland contains register data on non-Finnish corporations for which the data on number of employees and balance sheet are not available. In these statistics, the size category of these enterprises is based only on their turnover. Despite this, there are operators that cannot be placed in any of the size categories. In these statistics, they are grouped as undefined.
Statistics Finland divides the enterprises and corporations into the following categories by type of ownership: private domestic, state, municipality, Region of Åland, foreign-owned and other type of ownership.
An owner is determined for each enterprise. The criterion for this is the condition that the principal owner of the enterprise holds more than 50 per cent of the voting power of the enterprises.
In these statistics, the concentration of international trade in goods by enterprise structure is presented according to the most essential products by activity (CPA), industry (NACE), trading partners and geographical zones.
The source of the industry data is the Business Register maintained by Statistics Finland.
2.2 Revision policy
The data in quarterly statistics are preliminary and may be revised. The annual survey is published within six months of the end of the statistical year, in which case only minor revision may be needed.
3. Timeliness and promptness of data
The enterprise data on international trade are calculated quarterly, and the size category and type of ownership data are published within three months of the end of the statistical quarter. This means that the data in quarterly statistics are preliminary and may be revised. The annual survey, which also contains the data on concentration, is published within six months of the end of the statistical year.
4. Coherence and comparability of the statistics
These statistics have been produced regularly from the beginning of 2004, when data on international trade by enterprise size were published. Data on type of ownership and concentration have been published since 2005.
5. Accessibility and clarity of data
The statistical publications on the international trade in goods by enterprise type from most recent years are available on the Finnish Customs website Statistical publications can also be ordered to be sent by email. The data content of the statistics is published at the same time in the statistical database Uljas (uljas.tulli.fi).
More information on international trade statistics is available on the Finnish Customs website, under “Statistics”. On these pages, you can find e.g. the principles of the collection of international trade statistics, the classifications used as well as all the statistical publications, surveys and notices on Finland’s international trade in goods published by Finnish Customs.
For more information, contact the Statistics Service:
- telephone: 0295 52335
- email: tilastot[at]tulli.fi
- website: tilastot.tulli.fi
- Uljas statistical database: uljas.tulli.fi