Statistics - Estonia

Updated 07/2012

Legal requirements

The obligation for data to be presented is provided for by the Official Statistics Act. Data is collected from businesses mainly by way of a sample survey. Most businesses liable for reporting are selected through random sampling. Certain businesses are selected as businesses liable for reporting according to their size or importance in a specific field of activity. As a result of such a method almost one third of operating businesses must report to the Statistics Estonia.

Official Statistics Act

Statistical bodies

In Estonia, statistical surveys are mainly carried out by Statistics Estonia. In addition, national surveys are performed by legally appointed authorities. The Government of the Republic of Estonia approves a list of annual national statistical surveys and a list of data compiled during the conduction of the surveys.

Statistics Estonia

Types of statistics

Information on which reports a businesses must submit to Statistics Estonia is published in the information system of the Official Notices. While selecting the type of notice, notices from Statistics Estonia must be selected and the commercial registry code of the business must be entered as the keyword.

Official Notices

For business and economic statistics, Statistics Estonia has collected data with various statistical reports and this data is also partly included in the annual report to be submitted to the Commercial Register. The e-Business Register enables one to submit annual reports via an electronic data communication system. The data submitted to the Tax and Customs Board can be pre-displayed in the Statistics Estonia based data collection channel eSTAT starting in 2011, and this will only be possible if economic entities have electronically submitted their data to the Commercial Register.

Submission of annual reports and statistical statements

Administrative procedures

Submitting statistics

Some surveys are required by law (you have to provide information on the company's activities, for example). In such cases, the data is submitted electronically via eSTAT or on paper in the form of a report. Statistics Estonia also carries out social research, for which it uses questionnaires.

eSTAT
Report forms

The statistical threshold of shipping goods or the limit upon the excess of which an Intrastat report must be submitted is EUR 90,000. This means that in 2011, businesses whose turnover in 2010 of goods shipped to the European Union exceeded EUR 90,000 must submit a report on their goods shipped. Businesses which exceeded the statistical threshold during 2011 are also liable for reporting. The statistical threshold of receiving goods is EUR 130,000.

The Intrastat report has to be submitted by the 14th of the month.

Foreign trade report forms

Check also the legislation on this topic in:

Statistics - Estonia