Estonia weighs restricting access to old business register data

Estonia’s Ministry of Justice and Digital Affairs is seeking an expert to assess which business register data should be restricted to protect personal information, while preserving transparency for businesses, public broadcaster ERR reported.

The ministry says the register currently makes decades-old information publicly available. Marget Pae, head of its civil law department, said complaints about the accessibility of certain data online have become more frequent.

The register contains 17 million documents and other data. Pae said some records, such as apartment association meeting minutes, may contain substantial personal information and could be made available only to people with a legitimate interest. The analysis is intended to identify what should remain freely accessible and what should be restricted.

One issue outside the scope of the analysis is the personal identification codes of foreign nationals. Estonia has decided that Estonian personal identification codes do not require special protection and will remain public, as many services rely on them. The codes issued to foreign nationals have different significance across EU member states. A bill before parliament already includes a provision to conceal them, Pae said, adding that the ministry has received many complaints, questions and requests on the issue.

The ministry is also examining the indefinite availability of register data. The register continues to show when someone previously served on a company’s management board, even after they have left the position. This is intended to help people involved in business transactions understand the companies and individuals operating in Estonia.

Pae said the register is designed to provide information about businesses offering services, not to serve as a public directory of personal data. The analysis will consider where privacy interests outweigh the transparency and certainty the register provides. Pae said these cases are likely to be narrow, adding that it is reasonable to ask whether information from 30 years ago should be displayed in the same way as current data.