Toetusandmete

Toetusandmete refers to data about financial support or subsidies provided by public authorities in Estonia. The term mixes toetus (support, subsidy) with andmed (data). The genitive form toetusandmete is used when describing datasets or elements of data rather than the subsidy itself.

Scope and contents: Toetusandmete typically cover information about who receives the support, what type of benefit is paid, the amount, the period of assistance, and the eligibility criteria and administrative status. Datasets may also include aggregated indicators for policy analysis, such as regional distribution or changes over time. These data are collected by state institutions such as the Social Insurance Board (Sotsiaalkindlustusamet), the Tax and Customs Board (Maksu- ja Tolliamet), and relevant ministries, and can feed into official statistics, budget planning, and welfare evaluations.

Data governance and privacy: Because toetusandmed involve personal and sensitive information, their handling is governed by national data protection laws and the EU General Data Protection Regulation. Access is restricted to authorised personnel, with practices such as pseudonymisation or anonymisation used for statistical releases. Data sharing between agencies generally requires legal bases and data protection impact assessments.

Applications and limitations: Researchers and policymakers use toetusandmete to assess welfare adequacy, subsidy effectiveness, and disparities. Limitations include data quality, coverage gaps, timeliness, and the need to balance transparency with privacy.

See also: toetus, andmed, Sotsiaalkindlustusamet, Maksu- ja Tolliamet, and data protection.