Text consolidated by Valsts valodas centrs (State Language Centre) with amending laws of: 24 October 2019 [shall come into force on 20 November 2019]. If a whole or part of a section has been amended, the date of the amending law appears in square brackets at the end of the section. If a whole section, paragraph or clause has been deleted, the date of the deletion appears in square brackets beside the deleted section, paragraph or clause.

The Saeima ¹ has adopted and
the President has proclaimed the following law:

Statistics Law

Chapter I
General Provisions

Section 1. Terms Used in the Law

The following terms are used in this Law:

1) administrative data sources - registers, data bases, information systems and other sources of information;

2) data - data on a natural person, data on a legal person governed by private law or an association of such persons, and also data on a State institution;

3) classification - a systemized allocation of objects based on established characteristics where a code is assigned to each object or group of objects;

4) official statistics - statistics that meets the objectives and criteria laid down in this Law and is included in the Official Statistics Programme;

5) production of official statistics - a set of techniques and activities which provide planning, development, data collection, processing, analysis and dissemination of official statistics.

6) respondent - a private individual or a State institution which is requested to provide data on a specific statistical unit;

7) standard in the field of statistics - a document (a legal act, manual, best practice, guidelines or other document) and information technology tool that define requirements for the production of official statistics;

8) statistics - information that characterises a set of statistical units or process;

9) statistical institution - a State institution which provides official statistics;

10) statistical unit - the basic observation unit (for example, a natural person, legal person, household, State institution) the data apply to;

11) state institution - a direct administration institution subordinated to the Cabinet, an administrative institution other than subordinated to the Cabinet, derived public person and institution thereof, judicial power authority, and also a private individual to whom the tasks of the State administration are delegated.

Section 2. Purpose of the Law

The purpose of this Law is to provide statistics on economic, demographic and social phenomena and processes taking place in the public, and also on the environment.

Section 3. Exception of the Application of the Law

The Law shall not apply to the statistics of the Bank of Latvia provided in accordance with the Law On the Bank of Latvia.

Chapter II
Production System of Official Statistics

Section 4. Institutions Belonging to the Production System of Official Statistics

(1) The Production System of Official Statistics shall be established by statistical institutions and the Statistical Council.

(2) The managing institution of the Production System of Official Statistics is the Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia (hereinafter - the Bureau). The Bureau is a direct administrative institution under the supervision of the Ministry of Economics.

(3) The Bureau shall implement functional subordination over other statistical institutions in the field of production of official statistics, providing methodological guidelines, by supervising the conformity of production of official statistics with the laws and regulations, and also by issuing orders that are required to produce official statistics.

(4) An administrative act in the field of the production of official statistics issued by a statistical institution may be appealed to the Bureau. The decision of the Bureau may be appealed in the court. If the initial administrative act in the field of the production of official statistics has been issued by the Bureau, it may be appealed to the Head of the Bureau. The decision of the Head of the Bureau may be appealed in the court.

Section 5. Objectives for the Production of Official Statistics and Criteria of Official Statistics

(1) Official statistics shall be ensured in order to attain any of the following objectives:

1) drafting, implementing, monitoring or assessing laws and regulations or development planning documents, or the drafting of the progress scenarios or forecasts;

2) performance of functions of State institutions laid down in the laws and regulations, with the exception of performance of the control, supervision and prosecution functions of private individuals;

3) providing comprehensive information to the public.

(2) Statistics shall be included in the Official Statistics Programme, based on the following criteria:

1) production of statistics is substantiated with the Law, Cabinet Regulation, directly applicable legislation of the European Union or international agreement binding on Latvia;

2) production of statistics complies with the standards in the field of statistics.

Section 6. Planning of the Production of Official Statistics and Official Statistics Programme

(1) State institution shall plan production of official statistics for a three-year period (hereinafter - the planning period), by taking into account the ongoing or planned activities for attaining the objectives laid down in Paragraph one of Section 5 of this Law, the needs of the users of statistics and benefits of the production of statistics.

(2) The Official Statistics Programme is a list of official statistics that shall be produced during the planning period. The Official Statistics Programme shall be approved by the Cabinet by issuing a Regulation establishing:

1) name of the official statistics (of survey or calculation) and indicators to be published;

2) level of detail of each indicator to be published;

3) statistical institution responsible for the production of official statistics;

4) periodicity for publishing of official statistics;

5) data collection type and source;

6) type, amount and purpose of personal data to be obtained from a private individual and administrative data sources.

Section 7. Competence of the Statistical Institution in Production of Official Statistics

(1) The statistical institution shall produce official statistics independently. Only the Bureau shall be entitled to give orders to the statistical institution with regard to production of official statistics and to assess lawfulness of the activities of the statistical institution in the field of production of official statistics.

(2) The statistical institution shall:

1) within the limits of its competence and the allocated financial funds, cooperating with users of the official statistics, plan production of official statistics;

2) ensure the production of official statistics laid down in the Official Statistics Programme in a timely manner;

3) decide on the application of the most appropriate standard in the field of statistics;

4) provide official statistics in accordance with the standards in the field of statistics;

5) document and make public any changes to the standards in the field of statistics that affect the comparability of official statistics;

6) determine data validation and quality assessment methods;

7) disseminate official statistics, by ensuring equal treatment of all users;

8) ensure statistical confidentiality in accordance with the procedures laid down in this Law;

9) within the field of its competence publish official statistics questionnaires in a way to be completed online thereof or ensure access to such questionnaires through the website thereof;

10) take measures to increase cost-efficiency of the official statistics and to reduce administrative burden, including giving preference to administrative data sources in accordance with Section 15 of this Law;

11) within the limits of its competence ensure compliance with the requirements of Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2009 on European statistics and repealing Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1101/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the transmission of data subject to statistical confidentiality to the Statistical Office of the European Communities, Council Regulation (EC) No 322/97 on Community Statistics, and Council Decision 89/382/EEC, Euratom establishing a Committee on the Statistical Programmes of the European Communities (hereinafter - Regulation No 223/2009);

12) upon request of the Bureau provide the Bureau with the information regarding the production of official statistics within its field of competence, and also on the compliance with the requirements of Regulation No. 223/2209;

13) use statistical classifications established by national, European Union or international organisations for the production of official statistics;

14) perform other duties laid down in this Law.

(3) The statistical institution has the right to:

1) provide private individuals with services related to development of statistics, data collection, processing, analysis and dissemination in accordance with the price list of paid services of the statistical institution;

2) upon request of a State institution provide services related to development of statistics, data collection, processing; analysis and dissemination that are not included in the Official Statistics Programme, and the production of which involves collection of data not included in the production of official statistics or requires additional data processing. The statistical institution shall provide such services, if the State institution compensates the provision costs thereof in the amount laid down by the Cabinet, unless it endangers proper performance of the functions of the statistical institution;

3) provide international organisations with services related to development of statistics, data collection, processing, analysis and dissemination in accordance with the proposal expressed by the international organisation, unless it endangers proper performance of the functions of the statistical institution.

(4) The Cabinet shall issue a Regulation laying down the amount of costs of provision of the services above-mentioned in Paragraph three, Clause 2 of this Section.

Section 8. Competence of the Bureau

(1) The Bureau shall:

1) coordinate development processes of the Production system of official statistics;

2) draw up the Official Statistics Programme, including reviewing and deciding on whether the statistics of the State institution the respective institution intends to include in the Official Statistics Programme complies with the objectives and criteria of official statistics;

3) prepare the census programme;

4) prepare a catalogue of statistical classifications and questionnaires for official statistics;

5) ensure statistical observation of the price of consumer goods and services;

6) participate in the initial development of administrative data source records, further development and decision-making on the termination of their use, promoting continued use of the administrative data sources for the objectives of production of official statistics, and coordinate standardisation of such administrative data source records under the supervision of State institution, that have a significant role in preparing data to be used for the production of official statistics;

7) ensure coordination of development, provision and dissemination of European statistics at the national level in accordance with Regulation No 223/2009 and to act as a point of contact in Latvia for the European Commission on matters of European statistics.

(2) The Bureau shall have the following rights:

1) to enter into grant agreements and procurement contracts with the European Commission;

2) to compensate State institution the costs related to preparation of data from administrative data sources and preparation of other data in accordance with the data structure determined by the Bureau;

3) to exercise other rights granted by this Law.

Section 9. Statistical Council

(1) The Statistical Council is an advisory body the purpose of which is to promote development of the Production system of official statistics, to provide recommendations to statistical institutions regarding the Production system of official statistics, to facilitate cooperation between statistical institutions, respondents and users of official statistics, and to provide opinion on the draft version of the Official Statistics Programme.

(2) The by-laws and members of the Statistical Council shall be approved by the Minister for Economics. The term of office of the members of the Statistical Council shall be four years. Members of the Statistical Council may be repeatedly approved for work in the Council.

(3) Members of the Statistical Council shall not receive any remuneration for their work at the Statistical Council.

Chapter III
Organisation of Production of Official Statistics

Section 10. The Procedures for Preparing the Official Statistics Programme

(1) State institution in accordance with Section 5 and Section 6, Paragraph one of this Law shall assess the statistics that it intends to include in the Official Statistics Programme, and the evaluation results shall be reported to the Bureau by 1 June of the current year.

(2) In accordance with Paragraph one of this Section the State institution shall submit to the Bureau an assessment containing at least the following information:

1) name of the statistics (survey or calculation) and indicators to be published;

2) level of detail of each indicator to be published;

3) the need for the production of statistics and detailed substantiation thereof in accordance with Section 5, Paragraph one and Section 6, Paragraph one of this Law;

4) evaluation of the statistical criteria in accordance with Section 5, Paragraph two of this Law;

5) data collection type and source;

6) periodicity for publishing of statistics;

7) types, scope and purpose of use of personal data to be processed.

(3) The State institution upon request of the Bureau shall specify the submitted assessment.

(4) The Bureau shall prepare the draft Official Statistics Programme in accordance with Section 8, Paragraph one, Clause 2 of this Law. Prior to proclaiming the draft Official Statistics Programme in a meeting of State Secretaries it shall be reviewed by the Statistical Council.

(5) If the State institution during the planning period intends to include new official statistics in the Official Statistics Programme, amendments to the Official Statistics Programme shall be prepared by the Bureau in accordance with the provisions above-mentioned in Paragraphs two, three and four of this Section.

Section 11. Questionnaires for Official Statistics

The Cabinet shall approve questionnaire forms for official statistics developed by the statistical institutions and lay down the procedures for submission and completion of questionnaires.

Section 12. Catalogue of Questionnaires for Official Statistics

(1) Questionnaires to be used for production of official statistics shall be included in the catalogue of questionnaires for official statistics (hereinafter - the catalogue of questionnaires).

(2) The Bureau shall determine the information to be included in the catalogue of questionnaires, publish the catalogue of questionnaires on the website thereof, and update it once a year.

Section 13. Data Sources and Data Collection Types

(1) For the production of official statistics the statistical institution shall obtain data on statistical units from the following sources:

1) directly from respondents;

2) directly observing statistical units;

3) indirectly from administrative data sources.

(2) the statistical institution shall use administrative data sources for the production of official statistics, with the exception of the following cases:

1) definition of statistical unit used in the administrative data sources does not comply with the definition of statistical unit used by the statistical institution;

2) administrative data source indicators do not comply with the definition of indicator used by the statistical institution;

3) administrative data sources use classifications, that are not compatible with the standard classifications or classifications laid down in the legal act, for the classification of data;

4) data from administrative data sources cannot be obtained for production of official statistics within the laid down processing and publishing time periods;

5) administrative data sources are inaccurate, faulty, or they do not contain the data necessary for the production of official statistics;

6) in the cases laid down in the laws and regulations the State institution or legal person governed by private law or an association of such persons are not entitled to provide the requested data to the statistical institution.

(3) If the statistical institution does not use administrative data sources in cases laid down in Paragraph two of this Section, it shall request data from respondents in accordance with Section 14, Paragraph one of this Law.

Section 14. Data Collection from a Respondent

(1) The statistical institution has the right to request that the respondent prepares and provides data on a statistical unit, and also restricted access information for the purpose of producing official statistics. The respondent shall within the laid down time period, form and volume provide true data to the statistical institution. Upon a request of the statistical institution, the respondent shall provide written or oral explanations for the provided data.

(2) Upon a request of the Bureau in the event laid down in Section 8, Paragraph one, Clause 5 of this Law, a private individual is obliged to allow to observe the actual prices and provide truthful and complete basic information on prices and tariffs. The term "basic information" within the meaning of this Paragraph includes prices and weights of goods and services needed for price statistics and weights reflecting the consumption level, time and structure according to the price characteristics.

(3) The statistical institution shall notify regarding obligation to provide data in accordance with Paragraph one of this Section at least 20 days prior to data provision deadline, except cases where the data are requested for household surveys, in sample surveys of natural persons, and also in case of census.

(4) A respondent has the right to receive the following information from the statistical institution:

1) the legal basis of the data request;

2) provision of statistical confidentiality;

3) if the official statistics survey is to be carried out in the form of an interview - obligations and rights of the person conducting the interview.

Section 15. Data Collection from Administrative Data Sources and Cooperation with State Institution in Charge of Administrative Data Sources

(1) A State institution upon a substantiated request of the statistical institution shall disclose information regarding data it processes in its administrative data sources in order for the statistical institution to evaluate options for using the respective data for production of official statistics.

(2) A legal person governed by private law, an association of such persons or a State institution shall upon a substantiated request of the statistical institution provide data from its administrative data sources, including restricted access information needed for production of official statistics. Data from administrative data sources of a State institution shall be provided free of charge.

(3) The statistical institution upon requesting data from administrative data sources, shall provide the following information:

1) the legal basis of the data request;

2) scope of data to be provided;

3) data provision form;

4) information regarding ensuring statistical confidentiality.

(4) A State institution, maintaining, planning, implementing and improving administrative data source structure and content, shall create data source so that the data meet the needs of production of official statistics and that they can be provided to the statistical institution for production of official statistics. Compliance of the data with the needs of production of official statistics shall be assessed in accordance with types of data non-compliance laid down in Section 13, Paragraph two of this Law.

Section 16. Research for Development of New Statistics and Standards in the Field of Statistics

(1) The statistical institution has the right to conduct research to develop new standards in the field of statistics or statistics, not included in the Official Statistics Programme, and to decide regarding the inclusion of such statistics in this Programme.

(2) Within the framework of the research the statistical institution has the right to receive the following data on natural persons from administrative data sources of the State institution:

1) social and demographic status;

2) information about a person's migration;

3) housing and living conditions;

4) employment status, occupation, type of economic activity, hours worked, type of job contract, working hours and conditions;

5) education;

6) data characterising income and household's other economic resources;

7) received benefits from the State or local government;

8) information on the use of health care services.

(3) Upon requesting data from the administrative data sources of the State institution, the statistical institution shall substantiate its request in accordance with the requirements laid down in Section 15, Paragraph three of this Law.

(4) The statistical institution has the right not to use administrative data sources of State institution in cases above-mentioned in Section 13, Paragraph two of this Law. In this case within the framework of the research the statistical institution may conduct a pilot survey to obtain data directly from respondents by determining the types and volume of the data to be obtained. In the case above-mentioned in this Paragraph the participation of a respondent in the pilot survey is voluntary, and the statistical institution shall inform the respondent thereof.

(5) Upon completion of the research the statistical institution shall ensure permanent deletion or destruction of the data received in accordance with this Section.

Section 17. Data Processing and Statistical Confidentiality

(1) The statistical institution shall use the data that are obtained in accordance with Sections 14, 15, and 16 of this Law for the production of official statistics, with the exception of cases laid down in Sections 25 and 26 of this Law.

(2) The data may be modified, supplemented or combined with other data available to the statistical institution, as well as re-used for the production of other official statistics.

(3) In using data, the statistical institution has the right to establish and maintain statistical registers for the production of official statistics.

(4) The statistical institution shall determine the data storage duration, by taking into account the needs for production of official statistics.

(5) Data of a natural person obtained for the production of official statistics shall be anonymised immediately after collection, testing and linking thereof, except the case where personal data are still required for production of official statistics. The statistical institution shall ensure that the identifying data are stored safely and separately from other data.

(6) The statistical institution shall take all the necessary measures to prevent unauthorised access to data, data modification or dissemination, accidental or unauthorised destruction.

(7) Employees of the statistical institution shall not disclose data or any other restricted access information coming to their knowledge in the performance of their service or work duties. This shall also apply to persons who are temporarily involved in the production of official statistics or have terminated employment or service relations.

Section 18. The Rights of Private Individual and State Institution to Get Acquainted with Data

(1) Private individual and State institution have the right to turn to the statistical institution and get acquainted with the data collected on them and stored in the information system of the statistical institution, and also request the data to be updated.

(2) The statistical institution shall refuse to update data if the request of the private individual or State institution is unreasoned due to factual or legal reasons.

Section 19. Dissemination of Official Statistics

(1) The statistical institution shall disseminate official statistics in a way that does not allow either directly or indirectly identify a private individual or a State institution in cases other than those laid down in Section 25 of this Law.

(2) The statistical institution shall publish the official statistics which have been produced within the framework of the Official Statistics Programme in a publicly available form and by a predetermined deadline on the portal of official statistics. Until the moment of publication of official statistics this statistics shall not be published.

(3) The statistical institution in order to meet the public needs for official statistics, has the right to disseminate this statistics in other ways.

Section 20. Portal of Official Statistics

(1) Official statistics, metadata and calendar of publishing of official statistics of all statistical institutions shall be published on the portal of official statistics, the operation of which technically and organisationally is ensured by the Bureau.

(2) The Cabinet shall determine the technical requirements of the portal of official statistics, and also requirements for publication and maintenance of official statistics.

Section 21. Statistical Classifications

In order to ensure comparability and exchange of official statistics in Latvia, in the European Economic Area and at international level, the Cabinet shall:

1) determine the national statistical classifications;

2) approve the list of statistical classifications and determine the procedures for the implementation, maintenance and publishing of the statistical classifications included in this list.

Chapter IV
Censuses

Section 22. Censuses, Types of Censuses and General Provisions for Organising Censuses

(1) Census is a set of activities carried out in a given period of time aimed at collecting data on statistical units included in the census programme.

(2) The following censuses are conducted in Latvia:

1) Population Census;

2) Housing Census;

3) Agricultural census.

(3) Census shall be carried out no less than once in every 10 years.

(4) The Cabinet shall no later than three years prior to the next Population Census and Housing Census determine the point in time when a set of statistical units and data on the set of statistical units shall be registered.

(5) Censuses shall be carried out and preparatory work performed by the Bureau in cooperation with State institution and legal persons governed by private law or associations of such persons.

(6) Censuses shall be financed from the funding granted from the State budget or foreign financial resources.

Section 23. Census Programme

(1) Census shall be conducted in accordance with the Census Programme. The Census Programme in compliance with international and national needs and requirements, shall be prepared by the Bureau.

(2) The Census Programme shall be approved by the Cabinet with issue of the Regulation where the following is laid down:

1) a set of statistical units whereof data are to be obtained within the framework of the census;

2) a list of indicators characterising a statistical unit to be obtained within the framework of the census;

3) a list of census questions;

4) a list of official statistics to be published and publication schedule of official statistics;

5) types, quantity and purpose of the data to be processed.

Section 24. Organising of a Census Regarding Specific Groups of People

The Cabinet shall determine the procedures for collecting data from the following groups of people:

1) officials of the diplomatic and consular missions of the Republic of Latvia, family members thereof and persons who are working in the assignment of Latvia in international organisations and currently reside outside the territory of Latvia;

2) soldiers of the Republic of Latvia and family members thereof who temporarily reside outside the territory of Latvia, and also persons who reside in living premises located in a closed-type territory;

3) persons on duty in official international operations and missions;

4) persons in a place of imprisonment.

Chapter V
Provisions for Data Dissemination

Section 25. General Provisions for Data Availability

(1) The statistical institution has the right to transfer data to other statistical institutions for the production of official statistics. Data received in this way may be passed on to another statistical institution for the production of official statistics, including European statistics, with the permission of the statistical institution which has provided the respective data.

(2) In accordance with Regulation No 223/2009, the statistical institution may transfer data to the Statistical Office of the European Union, Statistical Institutions of other European Union Member States, the European Central Bank and employees of the European System of Central Banks.

(3) The data and official statistics that allow direct or indirect identification of a private individual may be disseminated on the condition that a written permission of the respective private individual has been received, specifying the type of data to be disseminated and the time period.

(4) The data that allow indirect identification of private individual or State institution may be used for research purposes in accordance with the procedures laid down in this Chapter. Research within the meaning of this Chapter is work that provides case studies, analysis, drawing up of conceptual proposals or impact assessment.

(5) Data dissemination restrictions laid down in Paragraphs three and four of this Section shall not apply to the following data on legal persons governed by private law or an association of such persons, and State institution and their activities:

1) name, taxpayer identification number, address, telephone number and type of activity;

2) number of persons employed;

3) types of products produced, processed, manufactured, transported, stored, purchased or sold, and also types of services provided;

4) emissions into the environment, environmental quality, environmental protection measures or use of natural resources;

5) publicly available information, if it is published without any modifications, or calculations based on publicly available information.

(6) Data dissemination exceptions laid down in Paragraphs three and four of this Section shall not apply to the following data on a State institution and its activities:

1) data that do not reveal information about a private individual, other than a private individual who has been delegated to perform State administration tasks;

2) data for which the status of restricted access information has not been laid down in other laws or regulations.

(7) The statistical institution, upon request or on its own initiative, may transfer the data to the Bureau, and also to a person directing criminal proceedings or to the court for the adjudicating of such cases, which refer to the procedures for the submission of data needed for the production of statistics or infringements of statistical confidentiality requirements.

Section 26. Use of Indirectly Identifiable Data for Research Objectives and Availability of Information

(1) The statistical institution shall provide access to indirectly identifiable data for the purpose of research, provided that the data are protected with appropriate data disclosure control methods that prevent the use of data for inappropriate purposes.

(2) The statistical institution shall publish the following information in the portal of official statistics:

1) information regarding indirectly identifiable data, which are available for purpose of research;

2) information regarding types of access to indirectly identifiable data;

3) information regarding the concluded agreements on the use of indirectly identifiable data;

4) information regarding research results, where indirectly identifiable data are used.

Section 27. Request of Indirectly Identifiable Data for the Purpose of Research and Clarification of the Request

(1) In order to obtain the right to use indirectly identifiable data for the purpose of research, the data requester (private individual or State institution) shall submit an application to the statistical institution containing the following information:

1) the purpose for the use of indirectly identifiable data;

2) description of the research project to be carried out;

3) reason why indirectly identifiable data are needed for the research;

4) list of the required indirectly identifiable data and indicators;

5) specialists who will use indirectly identifiable data, description of their qualification and experience;

6) information regarding any research carried out previously;

7) information regarding the publication of research results;

8) information regarding data protection and disclosure control methods;

9) preferred type of access.

(2) Upon a request of the statistical institution the data requester has a duty to clarify or supplement the information specified in the submission.

(3) State institution is entitled not to provide the information above-mentioned in Paragraph one, Clauses 2 and 3 of this Section if the description of the project of the research foresees disclosure of restricted access information and a respective note thereof has been included in the submission.

Section 28. Granting Access to Indirectly Identifiable Data

(1) The statistical institution shall grant access to indirectly identifiable data, in the absence of the conditions referred to in Paragraph five of this Section concluding an agreement on the use of indirectly identifiable data for the purpose of research (hereinafter - the agreement), which establishes the procedures for providing access to indirectly identifiable data. The agreement may be entered into without a consent of a higher authority.

(2) The statistical institution shall include at least the following provisions in the agreement:

1) the purpose of the use of indirectly identifiable data and the term of agreement validity, which corresponds to the performance deadline of the research;

2) technical aspects of transfer of indirectly identifiable data and the rights and obligations of the parties with regard to the use of this type;

3) procedures for compensation for breach of the agreement, if the agreement has been concluded with a private individual.

(3) The statistical institution has the right to unilaterally withdraw from the agreement if the private individual or the State institution infringes the data processing provisions laid down in the laws and regulations or in the agreement.

(4) If the data requester needs additional indirectly identifiable data for the performance of the research provided for in the agreement, the data requester shall submit a repeated request to the statistical institution.

(5) The statistical institution shall not grant access to indirectly identifiable data in the presence of any of the following conditions:

1) use of indirectly identifiable data is not related to the research;

2) indirectly identifiable data are not necessary for the performance of the research;

3) the required indirectly identifiable data do not ensure the performance of the research;

4) data requester does not ensure adequate indirectly identifiable data protection and disclosure control;

5) results of the research will not be available to the general public;

6) the previous results of the research, which were obtained on the basis of other indirectly identifiable data received, were not made public;

7) within the framework of the previously concluded agreement the private individual or State institution with which the agreement has been concluded, or the person who on behalf of the private individual or the State institution processed such data, has infringed the data processing provisions laid down in the laws and regulations or in the agreement.

(6) Paragraph five, Clauses 5 and 6 of this Section do not apply to State institution requesting indirectly identifiable data, if the research results are used as internal use information of the State institution, and the State institution has determined for it the status of restricted access information.

(7) The statistical institution shall not refuse access to indirectly identifiable data in accordance with Paragraph five, Clauses 2 and 3 of this Section if the State institution has failed to provide or has only partially provided information in accordance with Section 27, Paragraph one, Clauses 2 and 3 of this Law based on the conditions above-mentioned in Section 27, Paragraph three of this Law.

(8) The statistical institution has the right to take a decision to refuse access to indirectly identifiable data for a period of time up to three years to a private individual or a State institution, which has infringed the data processing provisions laid down in the laws and regulations or in the agreement.

Section 29. Use of Indirectly Identifiable Data

The data requester who has been granted access to indirectly identifiable data shall have the following duties:

1) to ensure research result control for any indirectly identifying information on a private individual or a State institution;

2) after the validity term of the agreement to destroy the received indirectly identifiable data, and any other data that allow identifying private individual or State institution;

3) to ensure that the data requester's (a legal person) employee or authorised person who processes indirectly identifiable data transferred in accordance with the agreement on the transfer of indirectly identifiable data, signs a certification regarding compliance with the provisions of the laws and regulations and of the agreement;

4) provide information regarding disclosing the research results to the general public.

Section 30. Protection of Data Provided for Research

Persons, who in accordance with Section 28 of this Law have received indirectly identifiable data, are prohibited disclose such data to third parties or use them for a purpose other than that for which the data were initially requested and provided.

Chapter VI
Administrative Offences in the Field of Statistics and Competence in Administrative Offence Proceedings

[24 October 2019 / Chapter shall come into force on 1 July 2020. See Paragraph 5 of Transitional Provisions]

Section 31. Failure to Submit the Data Necessary for the Production of Official Statistics or the Disclosure of Data Received for Research Purposes

(1) For the failure to submit the data necessary for the production of official statistics if the obligation to submit the data is laid down by an external legal act, for the failure to allow the observance of the actual prices, or for the failure to provide truthful and complete basic information on prices and tariffs in accordance with the procedures laid down in laws and regulations, a warning or a fine from two to seventy units of fine shall be imposed on a natural person but a fine from six to one hundred and forty units of fine on a legal person.

(2) For the disclosure of indirectly identifiable data received for the purpose of research to third persons or for the use thereof for a purpose other than that for which the data were initially requested and provided, a warning or a fine from two to seventy units of fine shall be imposed on a natural person but a fine from six to one hundred and forty units of fine on a legal person.

[24 October 2019 / Section shall come into force on 1 July 2020. See Paragraph 5 of Transitional Provisions]

Section 32. Competence in the Administrative Offence Proceedings

(4) Administrative offence proceedings for the offences referred to in Section 31 of this Law shall be conducted by the Central Statistical Bureau.

[24 October 2019 / Section shall come into force on 1 July 2020. See Paragraph 5 of Transitional Provisions]

Transitional Provisions

1. By the coming into force of this Law the following are repealed:

1) Law On Official Statistics (Latvijas Republikas Saeimas un Ministru Kabineta Ziņotājs, 1997, No. 24; 1999, No. 5; 2004, No. 8 and No. 21; 2006, No. 8; 2008, No. 1; 2009, No. 6);

2) Law On Population Census (Latvijas Republikas Saeimas un Ministru Kabineta Ziņotājs, 2000, No. 2; 2009, No. 20).

2. Until 31 May 2017 the Cabinet shall issue the Cabinet Regulations abovementioned in Sections 11 and 21 of this Law. Until the day of coming into force of the relevant Cabinet Regulation, however, not later than until 31 May 2017, the following Cabinet Regulations shall be applicable insofar as they are not in contradiction with this Law:

1) Cabinet Regulation No. 922 of 6 November 2006, Regulations Regarding Approval of National Statistics Reports and Questionnaire Forms;

2) Cabinet Regulation No. 11 of 15 January 2008, Regulations Regarding Classification of Industrial Production (PRODCOM);

3) Cabinet Regulation No. 246 of 8 April 2008, Regulations Regarding Classifier of Nationalities;

4) Cabinet Regulation No. 307 of 28 April 2008, Regulations Regarding Classifier of Addresses;

5) Cabinet Regulation No. 363 of 26 May 2008, Regulations Regarding the Unified Classification System for Economic Information and the Procedures for the Implementation and Use Thereof;

6) Cabinet Regulation No. 990 of 2 December 2008, Regulations Regarding Classification of Education in Latvia;

7) Cabinet Regulation No. 1075 of 22 December 2008, Regulations Regarding Environmental Protection National Statistics Report Forms;

8) Cabinet Regulation No. 10 of 6 January 2009, Regulations Regarding National Statistics Reports in the Field of Statistics;

9) Cabinet Regulation No. 98 of 3 February 2009, Regulations Regarding Classifier of Population Registration System in Latvia;

10) Cabinet Regulation No. 739 of 7 July 2009, Regulations Regarding Procedures for Publishing National Statistical Report Form Samples and Submission and Completion of a Report;

11) Cabinet Regulation No. 1074 of 22 September 2009, Regulations Regarding Collecting National Statistics in the Field of Culture;

12) Cabinet Regulation No. 1620 of 22 December 2009, Regulations Regarding Classification of Structures;

13) Cabinet Regulation No. 315 of 30 March 2010, Regulations Regarding Classifier of Administrative Territories and Territorial Units;

14) Cabinet Regulation No. 318 of 30 March 2010, Regulations Regarding Classification of Economic Sectors of Water;

15) Cabinet Regulation No. 338 of 6 April 2010, Regulations Regarding National Statistics Reports in the field of Social Services and Social Assistance;

16) Cabinet Regulation No. 461 of 18 May 2010, Regulations Regarding Classifier of Occupations, Main Tasks Conforming to Professions and Main Qualification Requirements and Procedures for Using and Updating Classifier of Occupations;

17) Cabinet Regulation No. 686 of 27 July 2010, Regulations Regarding Collection of National Statistical Data on Scheduled Commercial Passenger Bus Traffic;

18) Cabinet Regulation No. 1182 of 21 December 2010, Regulations Regarding National Statistical Report Form Samples in the Field of Procurements and Procedures for Submission and Completion of Reports;

19) Cabinet Regulation No. 763 of 4 October 2011, Regulations Regarding Orphan's Court Annual Report Form Sample and Procedures for Submission and Completion of a Report;

20) Cabinet Regulation No. 891 of 22 November 2011, Regulations Regarding National Statistics Reports on Local Government Support in Solving Housing Issues;

21) Cabinet Regulation No. 551 of 14 August 2012, Regulations Regarding Classifier of Water Bodies;

22) Cabinet Regulation No. 594 of 20 August 2013, Regulations Regarding National Statistics Report Form Samples in the Field of Education.

3. Section 20 of this Law shall come into force on 1 January 2018.

4. Cabinet Regulation on the National Programme of Statistical Information for 2016, issued on the basis of the Statistics Law shall be applicable by 31 December 2016 in so far as it is not in contradiction with this Law.

5. Chapter VI of this Law shall come into force concurrently with the Law on Administrative Liability.

[24 October 2019]

The Law shall come into force on 1 January 2016.

The Law has been adopted by the Saeima on 4 June 2015.

President A. Bērziņš

Rīga, 18 June 2015

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¹ The Parliament of the Republic of Latvia

Translation © 2022 Valsts valodas centrs (State Language Centre)