Special rules for business data

Business data with limited access

There is limited access to business data, where the enterprise is the statistical unit and where the data contains information on the activities, economic conditions and performance of the companies. It is the Business Statistics Department in Statistics Denmark that assesses whether business data can be made available to everyone or whether access should be restricted.

Overview of business data with limited access (in Danish)

One-year rule

In order to protect competitive or market sensitive information, business data with restricted access will not be made available less than one year after the reference year.

Who can access all types of business data?

Generally, Danish and foreign nationals can have access to all pseudonymised business data if they have an approved affiliation agreement with a Danish institution authorised under Statistics Denmark’s Research Scheme, which is either: a) a public institution or b) a private institution in the category ‘Interest organisations, think tanks, etc.’. An institution located in Denmark and thus subject to Danish legislation defines a Danish institution.

Who cannot access business data with limited access

1. Danish and foreign nationals who are employed by Danish private consultancy companies may not, as a rule, get access to business data with limited access.
2. Danish and foreign nationals who are employed by other Danish or foreign private individual companies or foreign consultancies may not get access to business data with limited access.

Exemptions and waivers

In connection with specific projects, an exemption may be requested to allow Danish private consultancy companies (see point 1 above) to have access to business data for which there is otherwise limited access. This is only an option if a publicly authorised institution (see “a” above) or a private institution in the category “Interest organisation, think tanks, etc.” (see “b” above) is the data controller institution of the project.

Procedure for applying for an exemption

The controller institution shall apply for an exemption by:

1. Fill in the exemption request template:
   Dispensationsanmodning erhvervsdata
   
   Customise the template with the institution’s own official “letter paper design” and submit the signed request (in word or PDF format) to the project manager in Research Service or FSEalmenkundeteam@dst.dk.
2. The project manager assesses whether there is a basis for exemption
   The data controller institution must be a public institution or a private institution in the category “Interest organisations, think tanks, etc.”. The approval criteria are the same as for a project proposal.
3. The project manager in Research Service sends the application for exemption for approval by the Director General.
4. Once the application for exemption has been approved, the approval is returned to the controller institution and the consultancy firm.