Principles relating to processing of personal data
1. Personal data shall be:
(a)
processed lawfully, fairly and in a transparent manner in relation to the data subject (‘lawfulness, fairness and transparency’);
(b)
collected for specified, explicit and legitimate purposes and not further processed in a manner that is incompatible with those purposes; further processing for archiving purposes in the public interest, scientific or historical research purposes or statistical purposes shall, in accordance with Article 13, not be considered to be incompatible with the initial purposes (‘purpose limitation’);
(c)
adequate, relevant and limited to what is necessary in relation to the purposes for which they are processed (‘data minimisation’);
(d)
accurate and, where necessary, kept up to date; every reasonable step must be taken to ensure that personal data that are inaccurate, having regard to the purposes for which they are processed, are erased or rectified without delay (‘accuracy’);
(e)
kept in a form which permits identification of data subjects for no longer than is necessary for the purposes for which the personal data are processed; personal data may be stored for longer periods insofar as the personal data will be processed solely for archiving purposes in the public interest, scientific or historical research purposes or statistical purposes in accordance with Article 13 subject to implementation of the appropriate technical and organisational measures required by this Regulation in order to safeguard the rights and freedoms of the data subject (‘storage limitation’);
(f)
processed in a manner that ensures appropriate security of the personal data, including protection against unauthorised or unlawful processing and against accidental loss, destruction or damage, using appropriate technical or organisational measures (‘integrity and confidentiality’).
2. The controller shall be responsible for, and be able to demonstrate compliance with, paragraph 1 (‘accountability’).
Lawfulness of processing
1. Processing shall be lawful only if and to the extent that at least one of the following applies:
(a)
processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the Union institution or body;
(b)
processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation to which the controller is subject;
(c)
processing is necessary for the performance of a contract to which the data subject is party or in order to take steps at the request of the data subject prior to entering into a contract;
(d)
the data subject has given consent to the processing of his or her personal data for one or more specific purposes;
(e)
processing is necessary in order to protect the vital interests of the data subject or of another natural person.
2. The basis for the processing referred to in points (a) and (b) of paragraph 1 shall be laid down in Union law.
Processing for another compatible purpose
Where the processing for a purpose other than that for which the personal data have been collected is not based on the data subject’s consent or on Union law which constitutes a necessary and proportionate measure in a democratic society to safeguard the objectives referred to in Article 25(1), the controller shall, in order to ascertain whether processing for another purpose is compatible with the purpose for which the personal data are initially collected, take into account, inter alia:
(a)
any link between the purposes for which the personal data have been collected and the purposes of the intended further processing;
(b)
the context in which the personal data have been collected, in particular regarding the relationship between data subjects and the controller;
(c)
the nature of the personal data, in particular whether special categories of personal data are processed, pursuant to Article 10, or whether personal data related to criminal convictions and offences are processed, pursuant to Article 11;
(d)
the possible consequences of the intended further processing for data subjects;
(e)
the existence of appropriate safeguards, which may include encryption or pseudonymisation.
Conditions for consent
1. Where processing is based on consent, the controller shall be able to demonstrate that the data subject has consented to processing of his or her personal data.
2. If the data subject’s consent is given in the context of a written declaration which also concerns other matters, the request for consent shall be presented in a manner which is clearly distinguishable from the other matters, in an intelligible and easily accessible form, using clear and plain language. Any part of such a declaration which constitutes an infringement of this Regulation shall not be binding.
3. The data subject shall have the right to withdraw his or her consent at any time. The withdrawal of consent shall not affect the lawfulness of processing based on consent before its withdrawal. Prior to giving consent, the data subject shall be informed thereof. It shall be as easy to withdraw as to give consent.
4. When assessing whether consent is freely given, utmost account shall be taken of whether, inter alia, the performance of a contract, including the provision of a service, is conditional on consent to the processing of personal data that is not necessary for the performance of that contract.
Conditions applicable to a child’s consent in relation to information society services
1. Where point (d) of Article 5(1) applies, in relation to the offer of information society services directly to a child, the processing of the personal data of a child shall be lawful where the child is at least 13 years old. Where the child is below the age of 13 years, such processing shall be lawful only if and to the extent that consent is given or authorised by the holder of parental responsibility over the child.
2. The controller shall make reasonable efforts to verify in such cases that consent is given or authorised by the holder of parental responsibility over the child, taking into consideration available technology.
3. Paragraph 1 shall not affect the general contract law of Member States such as the rules on the validity, formation or effect of a contract in relation to a child.
Transmissions of personal data to recipients established in the Union other than Union institutions and bodies
1. Without prejudice to Articles 4 to 6 and 10, personal data shall only be transmitted to recipients established in the Union other than Union institutions and bodies if:
(a)
the recipient establishes that the data are necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the recipient; or
(b)
the recipient establishes that it is necessary to have the data transmitted for a specific purpose in the public interest and the controller, where there is any reason to assume that the data subject’s legitimate interests might be prejudiced, establishes that it is proportionate to transmit the personal data for that specific purpose after having demonstrably weighed the various competing interests.
2. Where the controller initiates the transmission under this Article, it shall demonstrate that the transmission of personal data is necessary for and proportionate to the purposes of the transmission by applying the criteria laid down in points (a) or (b) of paragraph 1.
3. Union institutions and bodies shall reconcile the right to the protection of personal data with the right of access to documents in accordance with Union law.
Processing of special categories of personal data
1. Processing of personal data revealing racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, or trade union membership, and the processing of genetic data, biometric data for the purpose of uniquely identifying a natural person, data concerning health or data concerning a natural person’s sex life or sexual orientation shall be prohibited.
2. Paragraph 1 shall not apply if one of the following applies:
(a)
the data subject has given explicit consent to the processing of those personal data for one or more specified purposes, except where Union law provides that the prohibition referred to in paragraph 1 may not be lifted by the data subject;
(b)
the processing is necessary for the purposes of carrying out the obligations and exercising specific rights of the controller or of the data subject in the field of employment and social security and social protection law insofar as it is authorised by Union law providing for appropriate safeguards for the fundamental rights and the interests of the data subject;
(c)
the processing is necessary to protect the vital interests of the data subject or of another person where the data subject is physically or legally incapable of giving consent;
(d)
the processing is carried out in the course of its legitimate activities with appropriate safeguards by a non-profit-seeking body which constitutes an entity integrated in a Union institution or body and with a political, philosophical, religious or trade union aim and on condition that the processing relates solely to the members or to former members of this body or to persons who have regular contact with it in connection with its purposes and that the data are not disclosed outside that body without the consent of the data subjects;
(e)
the processing relates to personal data which are manifestly made public by the data subject;
(f)
the processing is necessary for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims or whenever the Court of Justice is acting in its judicial capacity;
(g)
the processing is necessary for reasons of substantial public interest, on the basis of Union law which shall be proportionate to the aim pursued, respect the essence of the right to data protection and provide for suitable and specific measures to safeguard the fundamental rights and the interests of the data subject;
(h)
the processing is necessary for the purposes of preventive or occupational medicine, for the assessment of the working capacity of the employee, medical diagnosis, the provision of health or social care or treatment or the management of health or social care systems and services on the basis of Union law or pursuant to contract with a health professional and subject to the conditions and safeguards referred to in paragraph 3;
(i)
the processing is necessary for reasons of public interest in the area of public health, such as protecting against serious cross-border threats to health or ensuring high standards of quality and safety of healthcare and of medicinal products or medical devices, on the basis of Union law which provides for suitable and specific measures to safeguard the rights and freedoms of the data subject, in particular professional secrecy; or
(j)
the processing is necessary for archiving purposes in the public interest, scientific or historical research purposes or statistical purposes based on Union law which shall be proportionate to the aim pursued, respect the essence of the right to data protection and provide for suitable and specific measures to safeguard the fundamental rights and the interests of the data subject.
3. Personal data referred to in paragraph 1 may be processed for the purposes referred to in point (h) of paragraph 2 when those data are processed by, or under the responsibility of, a professional subject to the obligation of professional secrecy under Union or Member State law or rules established by national competent bodies, or by another person also subject to an obligation of secrecy under Union or Member State law or rules established by national competent bodies.
Processing of personal data relating to criminal convictions and offences
Processing of personal data relating to criminal convictions and offences or related security measures based on Article 5(1) shall be carried out only under control of official authority or when the processing is authorised by Union law providing for appropriate safeguards for the rights and freedoms of data subjects.
Processing which does not require identification
1. If the purposes for which a controller processes personal data do not or do no longer require the identification of a data subject by the controller, the controller shall not be obliged to maintain, acquire or process additional information in order to identify the data subject for the sole purpose of complying with this Regulation.
2. Where, in cases referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article, the controller is able to demonstrate that it is not in a position to identify the data subject, the controller shall inform the data subject accordingly, if possible. In such cases, Articles 17 to 22 shall not apply except where the data subject, for the purpose of exercising his or her rights under those articles, provides additional information enabling his or her identification.
Safeguards relating to processing for archiving purposes in the public interest, scientific or historical research purposes or statistical purposes
Processing for archiving purposes in the public interest, scientific or historical research purposes or statistical purposes, shall be subject to appropriate safeguards, in accordance with this Regulation, for the rights and freedoms of the data subject. Those safeguards shall ensure that technical and organisational measures are in place in particular in order to ensure respect for the principle of data minimisation. Those measures may include pseudonymisation provided that those purposes can be fulfilled in that manner. Where those purposes can be fulfilled by further processing which does not permit or no longer permits the identification of data subjects, those purposes shall be fulfilled in that manner.
Source: EUR-Lex (Publications Office of the EU), © European Union, reuse permitted under Commission Decision 2011/833/EU.
