Tietosuojavaltuutetun toimisto (Finland)

Tietosuojavaltuutetun toimisto Dataombudsmannens byrå

Name:	Tietosuojavaltuutetun toimisto Dataombudsmannens byrå
Abbreviation:	Tietosuojavaltuutetun toimisto
Jurisdiction:	Finland
Head:	Anu Talus
Deputy:	Heljä-Tuulia Pihamaa Annina Hautala
Address:	Lintulahdenkuja 4 00530 Helsinki P.O. Box 800 FI-00531 Helsinki Finland
Webpage:	www.tietosuoja.fi/en/
Email:	tietosuoja@om.fi
Phone:	+358-29-56-66700
Twitter:	@Tietosuoja_DPA
Procedural Law:	Administrative Procedure Act 434/2003 (Originals in FI and SV) Data Protection Act 1050/2018 (Originals in FI and in SV)
Decision Database:	Finlex (in FI)
Translated Decisions:	Category:Tietosuojavaltuutetun toimisto (Finland)
Head Count:	54 (2022)^[1]
Budget:	4,627,000 € (2023)
Wikidata-Item:	Q5474493

The Office of the Data Protection Ombudsman (Tietosuojavaltuutetun toimisto in Finnish or Dataombudsmannens byrå in Swedish) is the national Data Protection Authority for Finland. It resides in Helsinki and is in charge of enforcing GDPR in Finland.

Structure

The Office of the Data Protection Ombudsman is headed by the Data Protection Ombudsman (tietosuojavaltuutettu / dataombudsman) and two Deputy Data Protection Ombudsmen (apulaistietosuojavaltuutettu / biträdande dataombudsman) who all may take decisions. They are appointed by the government for five-years terms. Collectively they form the Sanctions Board, which imposes the fines set out in the GDPR.^[2]

An independent Expert Board is also appointed by the government for three-year term, and its task is to issue statements on significant questions relating to the application of the legislation if the Data Protection Ombudsman requests so. The Board consists of the Chair, Vice-Chair, and three Members, with everyone having a personal deputy.

The Office consists of three customer service teams. The first one focuses on private sector and cross-border matters, the second one on the public sector and domestic cases, and the third one on law enforcement and national security matters. Other services and functions of the Office are centralised in the Administrative Unit and the Joint Functions team.^[1]

Procedural Information

Applicable Procedural Law

The Finnish DPA operates under the Administrative Procedure Act 434/2003 (hallintolaki / förvaltningslag). Following the GDPR, specific rules on the DPA were given in the Data Protection Act 1050/2018 (tietosuojalaki / dataskyddslag).

For the Directive (EU) 2016/680 a separate Act on the Processing of Personal Data in Criminal Matters and in Connection with Maintaining National Security 1054/2018 (rikosasioiden tietosuojalaki / dataskyddslagen för brottmål) applies.