Data protection and processing of personal data at the Ministry of the Environment

Contact information

Controller

Ministry of the Environment
PO Box 35, FI-00023 Government
Tel. (switchboard) +358 295 16001
kirjaamo.ym(at)gov.fi

Data Protection Officer

Maija Seppälä
tietosuoja.ym(at)gov.fi

The Prime Minister’s Office and other ministries act as joint controllers when they process personal data in the Government’s shared information systems.

The Data Protection Ombudsman monitors compliance with the data protection legislation in Finland.

Processing of personal data at the Ministry of the Environment

The Ministry of the Environment respects the privacy of its customers, partners and personnel and processes their personal data only for a justified reason. We process personal data to comply with our legal obligations, to perform a task carried out in the public interest and, in certain situations, based on consent of the person concerned. We need personal data e.g. for service provision, personnel affairs and contacts with different stakeholders.

At the Ministry of the Environment personal data is processed only by employees who are entitled to access the data and process the matter at hand. In addition, the data may be processed by service providers and their subcontractors acting on behalf of the ministry with whom the ministry has agreed on the processing of data as required by the data protection legislation.

You have the right to request access to data on you collected by the Ministry of the Environment, obtain information on the processing of your data and request rectification of any errors in the data. Depending on the situation, you may also request your data to be erased or that the processing of your data is restricted.

We will keep your personal data in accordance with either the information management plan of the Prime Minister’s Office or the lifecycle of the service, or until you cancel the service you have subscribed to (newsletters and publications).

Your data protection rights

Right to have information on the processing of personal data

You have the right to know how and for what purposes we process your personal data. On our website we describe the processing of personal data at our ministry as thoroughly as possible. For more information on the processing of your personal data at the Ministry of the Environment, please contact the ministry’s data protection officer (tietosuoja.ym(at)gov.fi).

Right of access to data

You have the right to know if the Ministry of the Environment is processing personal data concerning you. If we are processing your data, you have the right to obtain a copy of this data, unless we have a lawful reason to refuse the execution of that right. To obtain a copy, please send us a request for information concerning this.

Right to rectify data

If you notice that the data we are processing on you is outdated or incorrect, you have the right to request us to rectify the data. In such cases, we ask you to tell us what information is incorrect and how and why it should be changed, or what information should be supplemented and in what way.

If we rectify your data, we are obliged to notify all parties to whom your data has previously been disclosed of this, as far as possible.

Right to restrict the processing of data

If you think that the data we are processing is incorrect, the way it is processed is unlawful or you have objected to the processing of your data, you can request us to restrict the processing of your data. In such a case, we can continue to process the data only with your consent, in the public interest or to protect the rights of another person. We may also process the data to establish, exercise or defend a legal claim.

If we restrict the processing of your data, we are obliged to notify all parties to whom your data has previously been disclosed of this, as far as possible.

Withdrawal of consent

When we are processing your personal date based on your consent, you have the right to withdraw your consent. When consent is withdrawn, the Ministry of the Environment discontinues the processing of your personal data and erases all data collected on you.

Right to object to the processing of data

When the processing of your personal data is not based on managing a legal obligation, you have the right to object to it for a reason related to your specific personal situation. In such a case, the Ministry of the Environment discontinues the processing of your data unless there are compelling legitimate grounds for the processing that override your interests, rights and freedoms or this is necessary for the establishment, exercise or defence of a legal claim.

Appeal or complaint concerning the processing of personal data

If you feel that the processing of personal data at our ministry does not meet the statutory requirements set for it, you have the right to lodge an appeal or a complaint with the Office of the Data Protection Ombudsman. Read more about lodging a complaint on the Office of the Data Protection Ombudsman website.

Request for information

You can submit a request to check your personal data by contacting the Registry of the Ministry of the Environment. Please state in your request when and for what purpose you have contacted the ministry (e.g. sending an information letter or subscribing to a newsletter) so that we can find your data. Also give your phone number as responding to requests for information often require asking further details.

If you wish, you can send your request for information to the Registry of the Ministry of the Environment as a secure email. You can also visit the Registry’s service point in person.

The Ministry of the Environment must verify your identity to ensure that your data remains confidential. This is why we send our reply by registered mail that you can collect at the nearest Posti outlet. If you pick up the reply from the Registry of the Ministry of the Environment, we will verify your identity at the Registry.

Contact details of the Registry of the Ministry of the Environment

Postal address: Registry, Ministry of the Environment, PO Box 35, FI-00023 Government
Vising address: Ritarikatu 2 B, Helsinki
Office hours: Mon–Fri 7.30–16.15
Email: kirjaamo.ym(at)gov.fi
Telephone: +358 2952 50300