EESSI message exchange 2020–
Data content
The EESSI system (Electronic Exchange of Social Security Information) simplifies the exchange of information between social security institutions. The system is used when processing cases related to social security that concern several countries. 27 EU countries and Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland and the United Kingdom (Great Britain and Northern Ireland) participate in the electronic exchange of information. Via the system, the social security providers in the member countries can exchange information speedily and safely.
The EESSI exchange of information has been launched gradually by both EU and Finnish social security institutions. In Finland, information exchange started in December 2019, and the last exchanges of information started in April 2024. In Finland, more than 50 Finnish social security institutions use the EESSI system. In addition to Kela, EESSI is used by unemployment funds, the employment services, the Employment Fund, the accident insurance providers as well as the Finnish Centre for Pensions and the authorised pension providers.
Structured Electronic Documents (= SEDs), i.e. messages, are sent and received by the competent institutions of the member countries that handle the benefits determined in the EU Regulations on social security. Each message represents a specific type of SED, of which there are around 300.
In preparation for the introduction of the system, each EU country has established a national contact point. Kela is responsible for operating the Finnish contact point. Via the contact point, information is exchanged between the Finnish authorities and the social security institutions in the other EU countries. There is a total of about 3,400 social security institutions in the EU, EEA countries, Switzerland and UK.
The statistical reference period is determined on the basis of the month in which the message is delivered. The report includes messages where a Finnish institution is the sending or receiving institution. A message can have several receiving institutions. The messages are categorised by sector, country and SED type.
Data on the message exchange is available as from January 2020.
Perspectives
Depending on the perspective selected, a different set of variables and classifications are presented. The perspectives are
- messages by sector
- messages by country
- messages by SED type
Variables and classifications
- Reference period: Year, Cumulative annual total, Month.
- Time: The data is created according to the selected reference period. The default selection is the latest month. One or several periods can be selected for a single report.
- Direction of message: Incoming to Finland, Outgoing from Finland. Both directions are selected as a default. Included in the report are only messages send from or to Finland.
- Purpose of message: Start, New, Update, Change of ownership, Forwarding. All purposes are selected as a default.
- Sector: Pension, Horizontal, Applicable legislation, Family benefits, Collection, Illness, Miscellaneous, Accidents and occupational diseases, Unemployment. All sectors are selected as a default.
- Country: EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, United Kingdom. All countries are selected as a default. Note that if you select ‘Finland’ in the menu, you will get the number of messages from Finland to Finland.
Indicators
- Number of messages
Availability of statistics
Data available as from 1 January 2020.
Updating frequency
Updated on the 8th day of each month. Annual data are updated on 8 January.
Data source
Kela’s data warehouse, with data on the message exchange from the EESSI system.
Additional information
Contact information
Kela, Statistical Information Service
Email: tilastot@kela.fi
