Artículo 4 📖 RGPD. Definiciones

Artículo 4 RGPD. Definiciones

Article 4 GDPR. Definitions

A efectos del presente Reglamento se entenderá por:

For the purposes of this Regulation:

1) «datos personales»: toda información sobre una persona física identificada o identificable («el interesado»); se considerará persona física identificable toda persona cuya identidad pueda determinarse, directa o indirectamente, en particular mediante un identificador, como por ejemplo un nombre, un número de identificación, datos de localización, un identificador en línea o uno o varios elementos propios de la identidad física, fisiológica, genética, psíquica, económica, cultural o social de dicha persona;

(1) ‘personal data’ means any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person (‘data subject’); an identifiable natural person is one who can be identified, directly or indirectly, in particular by reference to an identifier such as a name, an identification number, location data, an online identifier or to one or more factors specific to the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural or social identity of that natural person;

Comentario de expertos Ley de Directrices y caso Considerandos

Comentario de expertos

(RU)

Когда номер телефона – персональные данные?

(1) В настоящем комментарии рассматривается Позиция WP29 4/2007 о концепции
персональных данных от 20 июня 2007 года (далее—Позиция WP29).

В европейской доктрине и законодательстве определение персональных данных умышленно дано широко, не имеет и, скорее всего, никогда не будет иметь четких и однозначных критериев. Для чего эксперты в области приватности в составе WP29, а затем и законодатели это сделали?

Раздел III Позиции WP29 выделяет в конструкции персональных данных 4 «несущих» блока: «любая информация», «относящаяся к», «идентифицированному или идентифицируемому», «физическому лицу». Для целей нашего анализа потребуются два центральных элемента: «относящаяся к» и «идентифицированному или идентифицируемому», поскольку они в наибольшей степени характеризуют сторону контролера персональных данных как участника правоотношений.

(2) Данные, «относящиеся к» субъекту, включают в себя не только информацию о самом субъекте, но и о принадлежащих ему или иным образом связанных с ним объектах, питомцах. Таким образом, данными, «относящимися к» субъекту, являются не только номер телефона, автомобиля, компьютера, банковской карты, фитнес трекера, чипа питомца, но и иные характеристики этих объектов и животных: цена, износ, серийные номера, поломки, диагнозы, результаты анализов и т.д.

Позиция WP29 также выделяет три элемента, каждый из которых, независимо от наличия других, может сделать любую информацию «относящейся к» субъекту — это содержание, цель и результат.

Информация может относиться к субъекту по своему содержанию, если она о конкретном физическом лице, например, результаты тестов на экзамене, номер телефона конкретного лица, профиль определенного пользователя в соцсетях.

Информация может относиться к субъекту также по цели, если она используется или, вероятнее всего, будет использована в целях оценки, влияния на статус или поведение субъекта, проявления определенного рода отношения к субъекту. Например, список посещенных сотрудниками компании интернет страниц в корпоративной сети, может быть использован для целей мониторинга эффективности использования рабочего времени каждым сотрудником, или для блокировки определенных страниц определенным сотрудникам.

Информация может относиться к субъекту персональных данных, даже в отсутствие признаков «содержания» и «цели», если есть признак результата: если обработка данных, вероятнее всего, повлияет на права и интересы субъекта, например, даже если слегка изменит отношение окружающих к нему, заставит выделять его среди остальных в сообществе. Например, информация о том, что дедушка школьника получил премию Дарвина, может вызвать насмешки и издевательства со стороны сверстников.

Эти три элемента относимости данных к субъекту применяются каждый в отдельности, но, если присутствует хотя бы один элемент, нет надобности выявлять остальные два — данные точно относятся к субъекту.

(3) Третий блок конструкции персональных данных: «идентифицированному или идентифицируемому» — имеет квалифицирующее значение для номера телефона и прочих номеров, характеристик объектов и живых существ, относящихся к субъектам.

Позиция WP29 определяет лицо как идентифицируемое, если оно еще не идентифицировано, но его возможно идентифицировать прямо, например, по имени (если оно позволяет выделить субъекта из группы) или косвенно — по номеру паспорта, автомобиля, телефона или комбинации существенных критериев, позволяющих выделить субъекта из группы (это может быть возраст, место проживания, внешний вид и т.д.).

Однако одна лишь гипотетическая вероятность идентификации субъекта не делает информацию персональными данными. Если возможность идентифицировать субъекта отсутствует или ничтожно мала, данные не считаются персональными. В этом месте некоторые контролеры с радостью воскликнут, что у них и в мыслях не было идентифицировать кого либо, что они всего лишь собирают номера телефонов, автомобилей и некоторых карт, принадлежащих субъектам. Но мы понимаем, что идентификация по этим номерам возможна при сопоставлении с другой базой данных, например, в рамках межведомственного обмена данными, получения данных от сотовых контролеров, с дорожных камер видеонаблюдения, либо в рамках интеграции систем.

Как же определить степень и вероятность того, что контролер или любое третье лицо, завладевшее информацией, решит воспользоваться возможностью идентифицировать субъектов?

Для этого необходимо определить какие разумные усилия контролер или любое третье лицо должны будут приложить для идентификации конкретных субъектов: затраты денежных средств на такие усилия; временные и человеческие ресурсы; наличие технологии, позволяющей выполнить идентификацию без особых усилий и затрат; подразумеваемая (а не декларируемая цель) и построение обработки; какие выгоды может извлечь контролер или любое другое третье лицо; продолжительность хранения данных и потенциальное развитие технологий для идентификации в этот период.

В каждом конкретном случае необходимо определять наличие возможности и прилагаемые ресурсы контролера для идентификации субъектов по номеру телефона. Если возможность есть, или цель и контекст обработки предполагает идентификацию субъекта, то номер телефона является персональными данными.

Номер телефона — является персональными данными, так как он в зависимости от ситуации либо служит идентификатором личности, либо представляет собой информацию, относящуюся к идентифицированному или идентифицируемому физическому лицу. Все прочие номера и характеристики принадлежащих субъекту объектов и живых существ, в том или ином контексте обработки, также могут квалифицироваться в качестве персональных данных.

(4) Даже при отсутствии ФИО субъекта персональных данных у контролера и любого третьего лица, и даже при отсутствии у них возможности идентифицировать субъекта, они все же имеют возможность очень серьезно повлиять на поведение субъекта, нарушить его права и интересы.

Ведь номер телефона, существенно отличается от остальных номеров вещей принадлежностей еще и тем, что по нему можно непосредственно связаться с субъектом и вмешаться в его частную жизнь, причинить ему беспокойство. Возможны: мошенничество, пранк, звонки ночью или ранним утром в выходные, нежелательные смс, звонки, спам. Все это может не только причинить вред здоровью субъекта, нанести ущерб его материальному благосостоянию, но и заставить субъекта сменить номер телефона, и даже поменять контролера, по вине которого произошло нарушение его прав.

Контактные данные в целом (номер телефона, email, адрес и т.д.) позволяют злоумышленникам вступить в непосредственный контакт с субъектом против его воли, чтобы, предположим, угрожать его жизни и безопасности, манипулировать им, назойливо завладеть его вниманием, мешать работе и личной жизни (вторжение согласно Таксономии приватности). Дополнением к мерам защиты таких данных должна быть разумная осмотрительность самого субъекта при раскрытии своих контактных данных третьим лицам, поскольку их компрометация может заставить субъекта сменить номер или переехать, а также нарушить интересы третьих лиц, например семьи субъекта.

Как показано выше, даже без полной идентификации субъекта по контактным данным возможно нарушение его прав. Конфиденциальность этих данных обеспечивает безопасность жизни и здоровья субъекта, его близких, позволяет держать под контролем свои внешние коммуникации, снижает его доступность для внешнего мира, выстраивает личные границы субъекта, оберегает его личное пространство, что дает субъекту комфорт и уверенность.

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(EN) Author

(EN) Elena Sebjakina CIPP/E, Privacy by design

(EN) Data Protection Officer, GDPR Consultant

(EN) Ask a question

(EN) Siarhei Varankevich CIPP/E, CIPM, CIPT, MBA, FIP

(EN) Co-Founder & CEO of Data Privacy Office LLC. Data Protection Trainer and Principal Consultant

(EN) Ask a question

Ley de Directrices y caso

(EN)

Documents

Article 29 Working Party, Opinion Nº 4/2007 on the concept of personal data (2007).

Article 29 Working Party, Opinion 1/2008 on data protection issues related to search engines (2008).

Data outlining the use of the service can be divided into different categories:

the query logs (content of the search queries, the date and time, source (IP address and cookie), the preferences of the user, and data relating to the user’s computer);

data on the content offered (links and advertisements as a result of each query);

and data on the subsequent user navigation (clicks).

Search engines may also process operational data relating to user data, data on registered users and data from other services and sources such as e-mail, desktop search, and advertising on third party websites.

An individual’s search history is personal data if the individual to which it relates, is identifiable

Though IP addresses in most cases are not directly identifiable by search engines, identification can be achieved by a third party. Internet access providers hold IP address data. Law enforcement and national security authorities can gain access to these data and in some Member States private parties have gained access also through civil litigation. Thus, in most cases – including cases with dynamic IP address allocation – the necessary data will be available to identify the user(s) of the IP address.

When a cookie contains a unique user ID, this ID is clearly personal data.

ANNEX 1 contains example of data processed by search engines.

Article 29 Working Party, Opinion 05/2014 on Anonymisation Techniques (2014).

Data Protection Commission (Ireland), Guidance Note: Anonymisation and Pseudonymisation (2019).

EDPB, Guidelines on the use of location data and contact tracing tools in the context of the COVID-19 outbreak (2020):

9. There are two principal sources of location data available for modelling the spread of the virus and the overall effectiveness of confinement measures:
– location data collected by electronic communication service providers(such as mobile telecommunication operators) in the course of the provision of their service; and
– location data collected by information society service providers’ applications whose functionality requires the use of such data (e.g., navigation, transportation services,etc.).

EDPB, Guidelines 8/2020 on the targeting of social media users (2020):

18. The term “user” is typically used to refer to individuals who are registered with the service, i.e. those who have an “account” or “profile”. Many social media services can, however, also be accessed by individuals without having registered (i.e. without creating an account or profile). Such individuals are typically not able to make use of all of the same features or services offered to individuals who have registered with the social media provider. Both users and non-registered individuals may be considered “data subjects” within the meaning of Article 4(1) GDPR insofar as the individual is directly or indirectly identified or identifiable.

Case Law

CJEU, Scarlet Extended SA/Société belge des auteurs, compositeurs et éditeurs, C-70/10 (2011).

CJEU, Worten – Equipamentos para o Lar SA/Autoridade para as condições de trabalho, C-342-12 (2013).

CJEU, YS/Minister voor Immigratie, Integratie en Asiel, C-141/12 and C-372/12 (2014).

CJEU, Digital Rights Ireland Ltd/Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, C-293/12 and C-594/12 (2014).

CJEU, Breyer/Germany, C-582/14 (2016).

CJEU, Nowak/Data Protection Commissioner, C-434/16 (2017).

CJEU, Camera di Commercio, Industria, Artigianato e Agricoltura di Lecce/Manni, C-398/15 (2019).

Considerandos

(26) Los principios de la protección de datos deben aplicarse a toda la información relativa a una persona física identificada o identificable. Los datos personales seudonimizados, que cabría atribuir a una persona física mediante la utilización de información adicional, deben considerarse información sobre una persona física identificable. Para determinar si una persona física es identificable, deben tenerse en cuenta todos los medios, como la singularización, que razonablemente pueda utilizar el responsable del tratamiento o cualquier otra persona para identificar directa o indirectamente a la persona física. Para determinar si existe una probabilidad razonable de que se utilicen medios para identificar a una persona física, deben tenerse en cuenta todos los factores objetivos, como los costes y el tiempo necesarios para la identificación, teniendo en cuenta tanto la tecnología disponible en el momento del tratamiento como los avances tecnológicos. Por lo tanto los principios de protección de datos no deben aplicarse a la información anónima, es decir información que no guarda relación con una persona física identificada o identificable, ni a los datos convertidos en anónimos de forma que el interesado no sea identificable, o deje de serlo. En consecuencia, el presente Reglamento no afecta al tratamiento de dicha información anónima, inclusive con fines estadísticos o de investigación.

(26) The principles of data protection should apply to any information concerning an identified or identifiable natural person. Personal data which have undergone pseudonymisation, which could be attributed to a natural person by the use of additional information should be considered to be information on an identifiable natural person. To determine whether a natural person is identifiable, account should be taken of all the means reasonably likely to be used, such as singling out, either by the controller or by another person to identify the natural person directly or indirectly. To ascertain whether means are reasonably likely to be used to identify the natural person, account should be taken of all objective factors, such as the costs of and the amount of time required for identification, taking into consideration the available technology at the time of the processing and technological developments. The principles of data protection should therefore not apply to anonymous information, namely information which does not relate to an identified or identifiable natural person or to personal data rendered anonymous in such a manner that the data subject is not or no longer identifiable. This Regulation does not therefore concern the processing of such anonymous information, including for statistical or research purposes.

2) «tratamiento»: cualquier operación o conjunto de operaciones realizadas sobre datos personales o conjuntos de datos personales, ya sea por procedimientos automatizados o no, como la recogida, registro, organización, estructuración, conservación, adaptación o modificación, extracción, consulta, utilización, comunicación por transmisión, difusión o cualquier otra forma de habilitación de acceso, cotejo o interconexión, limitación, supresión o destrucción;

(2) ‘processing’ means any operation or set of operations which is performed on personal data or on sets of personal data, whether or not by automated means, such as collection, recording, organisation, structuring, storage, adaptation or alteration, retrieval, consultation, use, disclosure by transmission, dissemination or otherwise making available, alignment or combination, restriction, erasure or destruction;

Comentario de expertos Ley de Directrices y caso

Comentario de expertos

(EN) Though GDPR Art.4(2) does not mention «purpose», a «processing» should actually be understood as an operation or set of operations united by one purpose. The purpose determines the role of data controller, legal ground for processing, defines the exception allowing for the processing of special categories of data, it limits processing to one purpose (purpose limitation principle), serves as a criteria for data minimisation, and determines a risk level and scope of data subject rights.

Some operations may serve multiple purposes, for instance, storage of email addresses allows a company to provide login to its website (purpose 1) and to send marketing communications (purpose 2). In that case this operation (storage) is a part of two processing activities at the same time. Stopping one of them (for example as a result of a withdrawal of consent for marketing emails) does not prevent company from continuing the another one (allowing the user to login).

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(EN) Author

(EN) Siarhei Varankevich CIPP/E, CIPM, CIPT, MBA, FIP

(EN) Co-Founder & CEO of Data Privacy Office LLC. Data Protection Trainer and Principal Consultant

(EN) Ask a question

Ley de Directrices y caso

(EN)

Documents

Article 29 Working Party, Opinion 2/2010 on behavioural advertising (2010):

The behavioural advertising methods often entail the processing of personal data. This is due to various reasons:

i) behavioural advertising normally involves the collection of IP addresses and the processing of unique identifiers (through the cookie). The use of such devices with a unique identifier allows the tracking of users of a specific computer even when dynamic IP addresses are used. In other words, such devices enable data subjects to be ‘singled out’, even if their real names are not known.

ii) Furthermore, the information collected in the context of behavioural advertising relates to, (i.e. is about) a person’s characteristics or behaviour and it is used to influence that particular person. This view is further confirmed if one takes into account the possibility for profiles to be linked at any moment with directly identifiable information provided by the data subject, such as registration related information.

DPC (Ireland), Guidance for Organisations Accidentally in Receipt of Personal Data (2020):

An organisation, whether in the public, private or voluntary sector, must be aware of the possibility of finding itself accidentally in possession of personal data. The broad definition of ‘processing’ in Article 4(2) of the GDPR means that opening, transmitting, deleting or simply storing personal data that you have unintentionally acquired will bring the GDPR into play.

DPC (Ireland), Guidance for Individuals who Accidentally Receive Personal data (2020).

Case Law

CJEC, Tietosuojavaltuutettu/Satakunnan Markkinapörssi Oy and Satamedia Oy, C-73/07 (2008).

CJEC, Lindqvist, C-101/01 (2003).

CJEU, Schwarz/Stadt Bochum, C-291/12 (2013).

CJEU, La Quadrature du Net et al./Premier ministre et al., C-511/18, C-512/18, C-520/18 (2020).

CJEU, Privacy International/Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, C-623/17 (2020).

3) «limitación del tratamiento»: el marcado de los datos de carácter personal conservados con el fin de limitar su tratamiento en el futuro;

(3) ‘restriction of processing’ means the marking of stored personal data with the aim of limiting their processing in the future;

4) «elaboración de perfiles»: toda forma de tratamiento automatizado de datos personales consistente en utilizar datos personales para evaluar determinados aspectos personales de una persona física, en particular para analizar o predecir aspectos relativos al rendimiento profesional, situación económica, salud, preferencias personales, intereses, fiabilidad, comportamiento, ubicación o movimientos de dicha persona física;

(4) ‘profiling’ means any form of automated processing of personal data consisting of the use of personal data to evaluate certain personal aspects relating to a natural person, in particular to analyse or predict aspects concerning that natural person’s performance at work, economic situation, health, personal preferences, interests, reliability, behaviour, location or movements;

Ley de Directrices y caso

(EN) Article 29 Working Party, Guidelines on Automated individual decision-making and Profiling for the purposes of Regulation 2016/679 (2018):

Profiling is composed of three elements:

it has to be an automated form of processing;

it has to be carried out on personal data; and

the objective of the profiling must be to evaluate personal aspects about a natural person.

Article 4(4) refers to ‘any form of automated processing’ rather than ‘solely’ automated processing (referred to in Article 22). Profiling has to involve some form of automated processing – although human involvement does not necessarily take the activity out of the definition.

Profiling is a procedure which may involve a series of statistical deductions. It is often used to make predictions about people, using data from various sources to infer something about an individual, based on the qualities of others who appear statistically similar.

The GDPR says that profiling is automated processing of personal data for evaluating personal aspects, in particular to analyse or make predictions about individuals. The use of the word ‘evaluating’ suggests that profiling involves some form of assessment or judgement about a person.

A simple classification of individuals based on known characteristics such as their age, sex, and height does not necessarily lead to profiling. This will depend on the purpose of the classification. For instance, a business may wish to classify its customers according to their age or gender for statistical purposes and to acquire an aggregated overview of its clients without making any predictions or drawing any conclusion about an individual. In this case, the purpose is not assessing individual characteristics and is therefore not profiling.

The GDPR is inspired by but is not identical to the definition of profiling in the Council of Europe Recommendation CM/Rec (2010)132 (the Recommendation), as the Recommendation excludes processing that does not include inference. Nevertheless the Recommendation usefully explains that profiling may involve three distinct stages:

data collection;

automated analysis to identify correlations;

applying the correlation to an individual to identify characteristics of present or future behaviour.

Controllers carrying out profiling will need to ensure they meet the GDPR requirements in respect of all of the above stages.

Broadly speaking, profiling means gathering information about an individual (or group of individuals) and evaluating their characteristics or behaviour patterns in order to place them into a certain category or group, in particular to analyse and/or make predictions about, for example, their:

ability to perform a task;

interests; or

likely behaviour.

5) «seudonimización»: el tratamiento de datos personales de manera tal que ya no puedan atribuirse a un interesado sin utilizar información adicional, siempre que dicha información adicional figure por separado y esté sujeta a medidas técnicas y organizativas destinadas a garantizar que los datos personales no se atribuyan a una persona física identificada o identificable;

(5) ‘pseudonymisation’ means the processing of personal data in such a manner that the personal data can no longer be attributed to a specific data subject without the use of additional information, provided that such additional information is kept separately and is subject to technical and organisational measures to ensure that the personal data are not attributed to an identified or identifiable natural person;

Comentario de expertos Ley de Directrices y caso Considerandos

Comentario de expertos

(RU) Псевдонимизация в значении GDPR фактически является обезличиванием в значении, принятом в Российской Федерации. В соответствии со ст.3 Федерального закона от 27.07.2006 N 152-ФЗ «О персональных данных» (ред. от 31.12.2017) «обезличивание персональных данных – действия, в результате которых становится невозможным без использования дополнительной информации определить принадлежность персональных данных конкретному субъекту персональных данных» (Выделение мое – СВ).

(EN) Author

(EN) Siarhei Varankevich CIPP/E, CIPM, CIPT, MBA, FIP

(EN) Co-Founder & CEO of Data Privacy Office LLC. Data Protection Trainer and Principal Consultant

(EN) Ask a question

Ley de Directrices y caso

(EN) EDPB, Guidelines on the use of location data and contact tracing tools in the context of the COVID-19 outbreak (2020).

Considerandos

(28) La aplicación de la seudonimización a los datos personales puede reducir los riesgos para los interesados afectados y ayudar a los responsables y a los encargados del tratamiento a cumplir sus obligaciones de protección de los datos. Así pues, la introducción explícita de la «seudonimización» en el presente Reglamento no pretende excluir ninguna otra medida relativa a la protección de los datos.

(28) The application of pseudonymisation to personal data can reduce the risks to the data subjects concerned and help controllers and processors to meet their data-protection obligations. The explicit introduction of ‘pseudonymisation’ in this Regulation is not intended to preclude any other measures of data protection.

(29) Para incentivar la aplicación de la seudonimización en el tratamiento de datos personales, debe ser posible establecer medidas de seudonimización, permitiendo al mismo tiempo un análisis general, por parte del mismo responsable del tratamiento, cuando este haya adoptado las medidas técnicas y organizativas necesarias para garantizar que se aplique el presente Reglamento al tratamiento correspondiente y que se mantenga por separado la información adicional para la atribución de los datos personales a una persona concreta. El responsable que trate datos personales debe indicar cuáles son sus personas autorizadas.

(29) In order to create incentives to apply pseudonymisation when processing personal data, measures of pseudonymisation should, whilst allowing general analysis, be possible within the same controller when that controller has taken technical and organisational measures necessary to ensure, for the processing concerned, that this Regulation is implemented, and that additional information for attributing the personal data to a specific data subject is kept separately. The controller processing the personal data should indicate the authorised persons within the same controller.

6) «fichero»: todo conjunto estructurado de datos personales, accesibles con arreglo a criterios determinados, ya sea centralizado, descentralizado o repartido de forma funcional o geográfica;

(6) ‘filing system’ means any structured set of personal data which are accessible according to specific criteria, whether centralised, decentralised or dispersed on a functional or geographical basis;

Comentario de expertos Ley de Directrices y caso Textos enlazados

Comentario de expertos

(RU) Варианты перевода на русский термина Filing System

Наиболее приемлемым переводом filing system на русский язык является система данных либо файловая система (см. таблицу внизу).

	Filing System (en.), zbiór danych (pl.)
	Система данных	Файловая система	Картотека (Украина)	Картотека или систематизированное собрание персональных данных (Россия)	Если обеспечивается поиск по определенным критериям (картотеки, списки, базы данных, журналы и другое) (Беларусь)
Понятность	+		+
Отсутствие коллизии	+	+		+	+
Близость к оригиналу	+-	+

Ley de Directrices y caso

(EN)

Case Law

CJEU, Tietosuojavaltuutettu/Jehovan todistajat – uskonnollinen yhdyskunta, C-25/17 (2018).

Textos enlazados

Artículo 2 RGPD. Ámbito de aplicación material

Article 2 GDPR. Material scope

1. El presente Reglamento se aplica al tratamiento total o parcialmente automatizado de datos personales, así como al tratamiento no automatizado de datos personales contenidos o destinados a ser incluidos en un fichero.

1. This Regulation applies to the processing of personal data wholly or partly by automated means and to the processing other than by automated means of personal data which form part of a filing system or are intended to form part of a filing system.

7) «responsable del tratamiento» o «responsable»: la persona física o jurídica, autoridad pública, servicio u otro organismo que, solo o junto con otros, determine los fines y medios del tratamiento; si el Derecho de la Unión o de los Estados miembros determina los fines y medios del tratamiento, el responsable del tratamiento o los criterios específicos para su nombramiento podrá establecerlos el Derecho de la Unión o de los Estados miembros;

(7) ‘controller’ means the natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other body which, alone or jointly with others, determines the purposes and means of the processing of personal data; where the purposes and means of such processing are determined by Union or Member State law, the controller or the specific criteria for its nomination may be provided for by Union or Member State law;

Comentario de expertos Ley de Directrices y caso

Comentario de expertos

(EN) Examples from the British supervisory authority (ICO):

A specialist company provides software and data analysis to process the daily pupil attendance records of a state-maintained school for an annual fee. For the software provision the company is not a processor, but for the data analysis it is a processor for the school.
The readers of a monthly science magazine receive a hard copy delivered to their home. Their subscriptions and the mailings are handled by a separate company at the publisher’s request. The company is a processor for the magazine publisher.
A marketing company sends promotional vouchers to a hairdresser’s customers on the hairdresser’s behalf. The marketing company is a processor for the hairdresser.
An organisation uses a cloud service to store and analyse its data. The organisation remains the controller and the cloud service provider is its processor.

Ley de Directrices y caso

(EN)

Document

Article 29 Working Party, Opinion 1/2008 on data protection issues related to search engines (2008).

A search engine provider that processes user data including IP addresses and/or persistent cookies containing a unique identifier falls within the material scope of the definition of the controller, since he effectively determines the purposes and means of the processing.

Article 29 Working Party, Opinion 2/2010 on behavioural advertising (2010):

When behavioural advertising entails the processing of personal data, ad network providers also play the role of data controller. Ad network providers have complete control over the purposes and means of the processing.

However, the publishers’ responsibility covers the first stage, i.e. the initial part of the data processing, namely the transfer of the IP address that takes place when individuals visit their websites. This is because the publishers facilitate such transfer and co-determine the purposes for which it is carried out, i.e. to serve visitors with tailored adverting. In sum, for these reasons, publishers will have some responsibility as data controllers for these actions.

Article 29 Working Party, Opinion 1/2010 on the concepts of “controller” and “processor” (2010).

ICO, Guidelines Data controllers and data processors (2014) – Guidelines by the British Supervisory Authority ICO.

CNIL, Guide for processors (2017) – Guidelines by the French Supervisory Authority CNIL.

European Data Protection Supervisor, Concepts of controller, processor and joint controllership under Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 (2019).

EDPB, Guidelines on the use of location data and contact tracing tools in the context of the COVID-19 outbreak (2020).

EDPB, Guidelines 7/2020 on the Concepts of Controller and Processor in the GDPR (2021).

EDPB, Guidelines 8/2020 on the targeting of social media users (2020).

Data Protection Commission (Ireland), Data Protection Considerations Relating to Receivership (2020):

The ‘controller’ of personal data is the entity that determines the ‘purposes and means’ of processing personal data – i.e. ‘why’ and ‘how’ the personal data is processed.

Case Law

CJEU, Unabhängiges Landeszentrum für Datenschutz Schleswig-Holstein/Wirtschaftsakademie Schleswig-Holstein GmbH, C-210/16 (2018).

CJEU, Fashion ID GmbH & Co. KG/Verbraucherzentrale NRW eV, C-40/17 (2019).

8) «encargado del tratamiento» o «encargado»: la persona física o jurídica, autoridad pública, servicio u otro organismo que trate datos personales por cuenta del responsable del tratamiento;

(8) ‘processor’ means a natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other body which processes personal data on behalf of the controller;

Ley de Directrices y caso

(EN) Article 29 Working Party, Opinion 1/2010 on the concepts of «controller» and «processor» (2010).

CNIL, Guide for processors (2017) – Guidelines from the French Supervisory Authority CNIL.

European Data Protection Supervisor, Concepts of controller, processor and joint controllership under Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 (2019).

9) «destinatario»: la persona física o jurídica, autoridad pública, servicio u otro organismo al que se comuniquen datos personales, se trate o no de un tercero. No obstante, no se considerarán destinatarios las autoridades públicas que puedan recibir datos personales en el marco de una investigación concreta de conformidad con el Derecho de la Unión o de los Estados miembros; el tratamiento de tales datos por dichas autoridades públicas será conforme con las normas en materia de protección de datos aplicables a los fines del tratamiento;

(9) ‘recipient’ means a natural or legal person, public authority, agency or another body, to which the personal data are disclosed, whether a third party or not. However, public authorities which may receive personal data in the framework of a particular inquiry in accordance with Union or Member State law shall not be regarded as recipients; the processing of those data by those public authorities shall be in compliance with the applicable data protection rules according to the purposes of the processing;

Considerandos

(31) Las autoridades públicas a las que se comunican datos personales en virtud de una obligación legal para el ejercicio de su misión oficial, como las autoridades fiscales y aduaneras, las unidades de investigación financiera, las autoridades administrativas independientes o los organismos de supervisión de los mercados financieros encargados de la reglamentación y supervisión de los mercados de valores, no deben considerarse destinatarios de datos si reciben datos personales que son necesarios para llevar a cabo una investigación concreta de interés general, de conformidad con el Derecho de la Unión o de los Estados miembros. Las solicitudes de comunicación de las autoridades públicas siempre deben presentarse por escrito, de forma motivada y con carácter ocasional, y no deben referirse a la totalidad de un fichero ni dar lugar a la interconexión de varios ficheros. El tratamiento de datos personales por dichas autoridades públicas debe ser conforme con la normativa en materia de protección de datos que sea de aplicación en función de la finalidad del tratamiento.

(31) Public authorities to which personal data are disclosed in accordance with a legal obligation for the exercise of their official mission, such as tax and customs authorities, financial investigation units, independent administrative authorities, or financial market authorities responsible for the regulation and supervision of securities markets should not be regarded as recipients if they receive personal data which are necessary to carry out a particular inquiry in the general interest, in accordance with Union or Member State law. The requests for disclosure sent by the public authorities should always be in writing, reasoned and occasional and should not concern the entirety of a filing system or lead to the interconnection of filing systems. The processing of personal data by those public authorities should comply with the applicable data-protection rules according to the purposes of the processing.

10) «tercero»: persona física o jurídica, autoridad pública, servicio u organismo distinto del interesado, del responsable del tratamiento, del encargado del tratamiento y de las personas autorizadas para tratar los datos personales bajo la autoridad directa del responsable o del encargado;

(10) ‘third party’ means a natural or legal person, public authority, agency or body other than the data subject, controller, processor and persons who, under the direct authority of the controller or processor, are authorised to process personal data;

11) «consentimiento del interesado»: toda manifestación de voluntad libre, específica, informada e inequívoca por la que el interesado acepta, ya sea mediante una declaración o una clara acción afirmativa, el tratamiento de datos personales que le conciernen;

(11) ‘consent’ of the data subject means any freely given, specific, informed and unambiguous indication of the data subject’s wishes by which he or she, by a statement or by a clear affirmative action, signifies agreement to the processing of personal data relating to him or her;

Ley de Directrices y caso Considerandos Textos enlazados

Ley de Directrices y caso

(EN)

Document

EDPB, Guidelines 5/2020 on Consent under Regulation 2016/679 (2020).

Case law

CJEU, Schwarz/Stadt Bochum, C-291/12 (2013).

CJEU, Bundesverband der Verbraucherzentralen und Verbraucherverbände — Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband eV/Planet49 GmbH, C‑673/17 (2019).

Considerandos

(32) El consentimiento debe darse mediante un acto afirmativo claro que refleje una manifestación de voluntad libre, específica, informada, e inequívoca del interesado de aceptar el tratamiento de datos de carácter personal que le conciernen, como una declaración por escrito, inclusive por medios electrónicos, o una declaración verbal. Esto podría incluir marcar una casilla de un sitio web en internet, escoger parámetros técnicos para la utilización de servicios de la sociedad de la información, o cualquier otra declaración o conducta que indique claramente en este contexto que el interesado acepta la propuesta de tratamiento de sus datos personales. Por tanto, el silencio, las casillas ya marcadas o la inacción no deben constituir consentimiento. El consentimiento debe darse para todas las actividades de tratamiento realizadas con el mismo o los mismos fines. Cuando el tratamiento tenga varios fines, debe darse el consentimiento para todos ellos. Si el consentimiento del interesado se ha de dar a raíz de una solicitud por medios electrónicos, la solicitud ha de ser clara, concisa y no perturbar innecesariamente el uso del servicio para el que se presta.

(32) Consent should be given by a clear affirmative act establishing a freely given, specific, informed and unambiguous indication of the data subject's agreement to the processing of personal data relating to him or her, such as by a written statement, including by electronic means, or an oral statement. This could include ticking a box when visiting an internet website, choosing technical settings for information society services or another statement or conduct which clearly indicates in this context the data subject's acceptance of the proposed processing of his or her personal data. Silence, pre-ticked boxes or inactivity should not therefore constitute consent. Consent should cover all processing activities carried out for the same purpose or purposes. When the processing has multiple purposes, consent should be given for all of them. If the data subject's consent is to be given following a request by electronic means, the request must be clear, concise and not unnecessarily disruptive to the use of the service for which it is provided.

(33) Con frecuencia no es posible determinar totalmente la finalidad del tratamiento de los datos personales con fines de investigación científica en el momento de su recogida. Por consiguiente, debe permitirse a los interesados dar su consentimiento para determinados ámbitos de investigación científica que respeten las normas éticas reconocidas para la investigación científica. Los interesados deben tener la oportunidad de dar su consentimiento solamente para determinadas áreas de investigación o partes de proyectos de investigación, en la medida en que lo permita la finalidad perseguida.

(33) It is often not possible to fully identify the purpose of personal data processing for scientific research purposes at the time of data collection. Therefore, data subjects should be allowed to give their consent to certain areas of scientific research when in keeping with recognised ethical standards for scientific research. Data subjects should have the opportunity to give their consent only to certain areas of research or parts of research projects to the extent allowed by the intended purpose.

Textos enlazados

Guidelines on consent under Regulation 2016/679

Free / freely given [12]

13. The element “free” implies real choice and control for data subjects. As a general rule, the GDPR prescribes that if the data subject has no real choice, feels compelled to consent or will endure negative consequences if they do not consent, then consent will not be valid. [13] If consent is bundled up as a non-negotiable part of terms and conditions it is presumed not to have been freely given. Accordingly, consent will not be considered to be free if the data subject is unable to refuse or withdraw his or her consent without detriment. [14] The notion of imbalance between the controller and the data subject is also taken into consideration by the GDPR.

_{[13] See Opinion 15/2011 on the definition of consent (WP187), p. 12}

_{[14] See Recitals 42, 43 GDPR and WP29 Opinion 15/2011 on the definition of consent, adopted on 13 July 2011, (WP 187), p. 12.}

14. When assessing whether consent is freely given, one should also take into account the specific situation of tying consent into contracts or the provision of a service as described in Article 7(4). Article 7(4) has been drafted in a non-exhaustive fashion by the words “inter alia”, meaning that there may be a range of other situations which are caught by this provision. In general terms, any element of inappropriate pressure or influence upon the data subject (which may be manifested in many different ways) which prevents a data subject from exercising their free will, shall render the consent invalid.

43. Recital 43 clarifies that consent is presumed not to be freely given if the process/procedure for obtaining consent does not allow data subjects to give separate consent for personal data processing operations respectively (e.g. only for some processing operations and not for others) despite it being appropriate in the individual case. Recital 32 states “Consent should cover all processing activities carried out for the same purpose or purposes. When the processing has multiple purposes, consent should be given for all of them”.

Minimum content requirements for consent to be ‘informed’

64. For consent to be informed, it is necessary to inform the data subject of certain elements that are crucial to make a choice. Therefore, the EDPB is of the opinion that at least the following information is required for obtaining valid consent: i. the controller’s identity, [30] ii. the purpose of each of the processing operations for which consent is sought,[31] iii. what (type of) data will be collected and used, [32] iv. the existence of the right to withdraw consent,[33] v. information about the use of the data for automated decision-making in accordance with Article 22 (2)(c)[34] where relevant, and vi. on the possible risks of data transfers due to absence of an adequacy decision and of appropriate safeguards as described in Article 46.[35]

_{[30] See also Recital 42 GDPR: “ […]For consent to be informed, the data subject should be aware at least of the identity of the controller and the purposes of the processing for which the personal data are intended.[…].”}

_{[31] Again, see Recital 42 GDPR}

_{[32] See also WP29 Opinion 15/2011 on the definition of consent (WP 187) pp.19-20}

_{[33] See Article 7(3) GDPR}

_{[34] See also WP29 Guidelines on Automated individual decision-making and Profiling for the purposes of Regulation 2016/679 (WP251), paragraph IV.B, p. 20 onwards.}

_{[35] Pursuant to Article 49 (1)(a), specific information is required about the absence of safeguards described in Article 46, when explicit consent is sought. See also WP29 Opinion 15/2011 on the definition of consent (WP 187)p. 19}

Unambiguous indication of wishes

75. The GDPR is clear that consent requires a statement from the data subject or a clear affirmative act which means that it must always be given through an active motion or declaration. It must be obvious that the data subject has consented to the particular processing.

77. A “clear affirmative act” means that the data subject must have taken a deliberate action to consent to the particular processing.[41] Recital 32 sets out additional guidance on this. Consent can be collected through a written or (a recorded) oral statement, including by electronic means.

_{[41] See Commission Staff Working Paper, Impact Assessment, Annex 2, p. 20 and also pp. 105-106: “As also pointed out in the opinion adopted by WP29 on consent, it seems essential to clarify that valid consent requires the use of mechanisms that leave no doubt of the data subject’s intention to consent, while making clear that – in the context of the on-line environment – the use of default options which the data subject is required to modify in order to reject the processing (‘consent based on silence’) does not in itself constitute unambiguous consent. This would give individuals more control over their own data, whenever processing is based on his/her consent. As regards impact on data controllers, this would not have a major impact as it solely clarifies and better spells out the implications of the current Directive in relation to the conditions for a valid and meaningful consent from the data subject. In particular, to the extent that ‘explicit’ consent would clarify – by replacing «unambiguous» – the modalities and quality of consent and that it is not intended to extend the cases and situations where (explicit) consent should be used as a ground for processing, the impact of this measure on data controllers is not expected to be major.”}

12) «violación de la seguridad de los datos personales»: toda violación de la seguridad que ocasione la destrucción, pérdida o alteración accidental o ilícita de datos personales transmitidos, conservados o tratados de otra forma, o la comunicación o acceso no autorizados a dichos datos;

(12) ‘personal data breach’ means a breach of security leading to the accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorised disclosure of, or access to, personal data transmitted, stored or otherwise processed;

Ley de Directrices y caso

(EN) Article 29 Working Party, Guidelines on Personal Data Breach Notification Under Regulation 2016/679 (2018):

In its Opinion 03/2014 on breach notification, WP29 explained that breaches can be categorised according to the following three well-known information security principles:
– “Confidentiality breach” – where there is an unauthorised or accidental disclosure of, or access to, personal data.
– “Integrity breach” – where there is an unauthorised or accidental alteration of personal data.
– “Availability breach” – where there is an accidental or unauthorised loss of access to, or destruction of, personal data.

13) «datos genéticos»: datos personales relativos a las características genéticas heredadas o adquiridas de una persona física que proporcionen una información única sobre la fisiología o la salud de esa persona, obtenidos en particular del análisis de una muestra biológica de tal persona;

(13) ‘genetic data’ means personal data relating to the inherited or acquired genetic characteristics of a natural person which give unique information about the physiology or the health of that natural person and which result, in particular, from an analysis of a biological sample from the natural person in question;

Ley de Directrices y caso Considerandos

Ley de Directrices y caso

(EN) Article 29 Working Party, Working Document on Genetic Data (2004).

Considerandos

(34) Debe entenderse por datos genéticos los datos personales relacionados con características genéticas, heredadas o adquiridas, de una persona física, provenientes del análisis de una muestra biológica de la persona física en cuestión, en particular a través de un análisis cromosómico, un análisis del ácido desoxirribonucleico (ADN) o del ácido ribonucleico (ARN), o del análisis de cualquier otro elemento que permita obtener información equivalente.

(34) Genetic data should be defined as personal data relating to the inherited or acquired genetic characteristics of a natural person which result from the analysis of a biological sample from the natural person in question, in particular chromosomal, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) or ribonucleic acid (RNA) analysis, or from the analysis of another element enabling equivalent information to be obtained.

14) «datos biométricos»: datos personales obtenidos a partir de un tratamiento técnico específico, relativos a las características físicas, fisiológicas o conductuales de una persona física que permitan o confirmen la identificación única de dicha persona, como imágenes faciales o datos dactiloscópicos;

(14) ‘biometric data’ means personal data resulting from specific technical processing relating to the physical, physiological or behavioural characteristics of a natural person, which allow or confirm the unique identification of that natural person, such as facial images or dactyloscopic data;

Ley de Directrices y caso

(EN)

To qualify as biometric data as defined in the GDPR, processing of raw data, such as the physical, physiological or behavioural characteristics of a natural person, must imply a measurement of this characteristics. Since biometric data is the result of such measurements, the GDPR states in its Article 4.14 that it is “resulting from specific technical processing relating to the physical, physiological or behavioural characteristics”.The video footage of an individual cannot however in itself be considered as biometric data under Article 9, if it has not been specifically technically processed in order to contribute to the identification of an individual.

In order for it to be considered as processing of special categories of personal data (Article 9) it requires that biometric data is processed “for the purpose of uniquely identifying a natural person”.
To sum up, in light of Article 4.14 and 9, three criteria must be considered:

— Nature of data: data relating to physical, physiological or behavioural characteristics of a natural person,

— Means and way of processing: data “resulting from a specific technical processing”,

— Purpose of processing: data must be used for the purpose to uniquely identifying a natural person.

EDPB, Guidelines 3/2019 on processing of personal data through video devices — 2019

Article 29 Working Party, Opinion 03/2012 on developments in biometric technologies (2012).

Article 29 Working Party, Opinion 02/2012 on facial recognition in online and mobile services (2012).

Article 29 Working Party, Working document on biometrics (2003).

15) «datos relativos a la salud»: datos personales relativos a la salud física o mental de una persona física, incluida la prestación de servicios de atención sanitaria, que revelen información sobre su estado de salud;

(15) ‘data concerning health’ means personal data related to the physical or mental health of a natural person, including the provision of health care services, which reveal information about his or her health status;

Ley de Directrices y caso Considerandos

Ley de Directrices y caso

(EN)

Documents

EDPB, Guidelines 3/2020 on the Processing of Data Concerning Health for the Purpose of Scientific Research in the Context of the Covid-19 Outbreak, (2020).

Considerandos

(35) Entre los datos personales relativos a la salud se deben incluir todos los datos relativos al estado de salud del interesado que dan información sobre su estado de salud física o mental pasado, presente o futuro. Se incluye la información sobre la persona física recogida con ocasión de su inscripción a efectos de asistencia sanitaria, o con ocasión de la prestación de tal asistencia, de conformidad con la Directiva 2011/24/UE del Parlamento Europeo y del Consejo [9]; todo número, símbolo o dato asignado a una persona física que la identifique de manera unívoca a efectos sanitarios; la información obtenida de pruebas o exámenes de una parte del cuerpo o de una sustancia corporal, incluida la procedente de datos genéticos y muestras biológicas, y cualquier información relativa, a título de ejemplo, a una enfermedad, una discapacidad, el riesgo de padecer enfermedades, el historial médico, el tratamiento clínico o el estado fisiológico o biomédico del interesado, independientemente de su fuente, por ejemplo un médico u otro profesional sanitario, un hospital, un dispositivo médico, o una prueba diagnóstica in vitro.

(35) Personal data concerning health should include all data pertaining to the health status of a data subject which reveal information relating to the past, current or future physical or mental health status of the data subject. This includes information about the natural person collected in the course of the registration for, or the provision of, health care services as referred to in Directive 2011/24/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council [9] to that natural person; a number, symbol or particular assigned to a natural person to uniquely identify the natural person for health purposes; information derived from the testing or examination of a body part or bodily substance, including from genetic data and biological samples; and any information on, for example, a disease, disability, disease risk, medical history, clinical treatment or the physiological or biomedical state of the data subject independent of its source, for example from a physician or other health professional, a hospital, a medical device or an in vitro diagnostic test.

_{[9] Directiva 2011/24/UE del Parlamento Europeo y del Consejo, de 9 de marzo de 2011, relativa a la aplicación de los derechos de los pacientes en la asistencia sanitaria transfronteriza (DO L 88 de 4.4.2011, p. 45). https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/AUTO/?uri=OJ:L:2011:088:TOC}

_{[9] Directive 2011/24/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 March 2011 on the application of patients' rights in cross-border healthcare (OJ L 88, 4.4.2011, p. 45). https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/AUTO/?uri=OJ:L:2011:088:TOC}

16) «establecimiento principal»:

(16) ‘main establishment’ means:

Considerandos

(36) El establecimiento principal de un responsable del tratamiento en la Unión debe ser el lugar de su administración central en la Unión, salvo que las decisiones relativas a los fines y medios del tratamiento de los datos personales se tomen en otro establecimiento del responsable en la Unión, en cuyo caso, ese otro establecimiento debe considerarse el establecimiento principal. El establecimiento principal de un responsable en la Unión debe determinarse en función de criterios objetivos y debe implicar el ejercicio efectivo y real de actividades de gestión que determinen las principales decisiones en cuanto a los fines y medios del tratamiento a través de modalidades estables. Dicho criterio no debe depender de si el tratamiento de los datos personales se realiza en dicho lugar. La presencia y utilización de medios técnicos y tecnologías para el tratamiento de datos personales o las actividades de tratamiento no constituyen, en sí mismas, establecimiento principal y no son, por lo tanto, criterios determinantes de un establecimiento principal. El establecimiento principal del encargado del tratamiento debe ser el lugar de su administración central en la Unión o, si careciese de administración central en la Unión, el lugar en el que se llevan a cabo las principales actividades de tratamiento en la Unión. En los casos que impliquen tanto al responsable como al encargado, la autoridad de control principal competente debe seguir siendo la autoridad de control del Estado miembro en el que el responsable tenga su establecimiento principal, pero la autoridad de control del encargado debe considerarse autoridad de control interesada y participar en el procedimiento de cooperación establecido en el presente Reglamento. En cualquier caso, las autoridades de control del Estado miembro o los Estados miembros en los que el encargado tenga uno o varios establecimientos no deben considerarse autoridades de control interesadas cuando el proyecto de decisión afecte únicamente al responsable. Cuando el tratamiento lo realice un grupo empresarial, el establecimiento principal de la empresa que ejerce el control debe considerarse el establecimiento principal del grupo empresarial, excepto cuando los fines y medios del tratamiento los determine otra empresa.

(36) The main establishment of a controller in the Union should be the place of its central administration in the Union, unless the decisions on the purposes and means of the processing of personal data are taken in another establishment of the controller in the Union, in which case that other establishment should be considered to be the main establishment. The main establishment of a controller in the Union should be determined according to objective criteria and should imply the effective and real exercise of management activities determining the main decisions as to the purposes and means of processing through stable arrangements. That criterion should not depend on whether the processing of personal data is carried out at that location. The presence and use of technical means and technologies for processing personal data or processing activities do not, in themselves, constitute a main establishment and are therefore not determining criteria for a main establishment. The main establishment of the processor should be the place of its central administration in the Union or, if it has no central administration in the Union, the place where the main processing activities take place in the Union. In cases involving both the controller and the processor, the competent lead supervisory authority should remain the supervisory authority of the Member State where the controller has its main establishment, but the supervisory authority of the processor should be considered to be a supervisory authority concerned and that supervisory authority should participate in the cooperation procedure provided for by this Regulation. In any case, the supervisory authorities of the Member State or Member States where the processor has one or more establishments should not be considered to be supervisory authorities concerned where the draft decision concerns only the controller. Where the processing is carried out by a group of undertakings, the main establishment of the controlling undertaking should be considered to be the main establishment of the group of undertakings, except where the purposes and means of processing are determined by another undertaking.

a) en lo que se refiere a un responsable del tratamiento con establecimientos en más de un Estado miembro, el lugar de su administración central en la Unión, salvo que las decisiones sobre los fines y los medios del tratamiento se tomen en otro establecimiento del responsable en la Unión y este último establecimiento tenga el poder de hacer aplicar tales decisiones, en cuyo caso el establecimiento que haya adoptado tales decisiones se considerará establecimiento principal;

(a) as regards a controller with establishments in more than one Member State, the place of its central administration in the Union, unless the decisions on the purposes and means of the processing of personal data are taken in another establishment of the controller in the Union and the latter establishment has the power to have such decisions implemented, in which case the establishment having taken such decisions is to be considered to be the main establishment;

b) en lo que se refiere a un encargado del tratamiento con establecimientos en más de un Estado miembro, el lugar de su administración central en la Unión o, si careciera de esta, el establecimiento del encargado en la Unión en el que se realicen las principales actividades de tratamiento en el contexto de las actividades de un establecimiento del encargado en la medida en que el encargado esté sujeto a obligaciones específicas con arreglo al presente Reglamento;

(b) as regards a processor with establishments in more than one Member State, the place of its central administration in the Union, or, if the processor has no central administration in the Union, the establishment of the processor in the Union where the main processing activities in the context of the activities of an establishment of the processor take place to the extent that the processor is subject to specific obligations under this Regulation;

Textos enlazados

Guidelines 3/2018 on the territorial scope of the GDPR (Article 3)

Processing of personal data carried out “in the context of the activities of” an establishment

The EDPB considers that, for the purpose of Article 3(1), the meaning of “processing in the context of the activities of an establishment of a controller or a processor” is to be understood in light of the relevant case law. On the one hand, with a view to fulfilling the objective of ensuring effective and complete protection, the meaning of “in the context of the activities of an establishment” cannot be interpreted restrictively [12]. On the other hand, the existence of an establishment within the meaning of the GDPR should not be interpreted too broadly to conclude that the existence of any presence in the EU with even the remotest links to the data processing activities of a non-EU entity will be sufficient to bring this processing within the scope of EU data protection law. Some commercial activity carried out by a non-EU entity within a Member State may indeed be so far removed from the processing of personal data by this entity that the existence of the commercial activity in the EU would not be sufficient to bring the data processing by the non-EU entity within the scope of EU data protection law [13].

_{[12] Weltimmo, paragraph 25 and Google Spain, paragraph 53.}

_{[13] G29 WP 179 update – Update of Opinion 8/2010 on applicable law in light of the CJEU judgment in Google Spain, 16th December 2015}

Consideration of the following two factors may help to determine whether the processing is being carried out by a controller or processor in the context of its establishment in the Union

i) Relationship between a data controller or processor outside the Union and its local establishment in the Union

The data processing activities of a data controller or processor established outside the EU may be inextricably linked to the activities of a local establishment in a Member State, and thereby may trigger the applicability of EU law, even if that local establishment is not actually taking any role in the data processing itself [14]. If a case by case analysis on the facts shows that there is an inextricable link between the processing of personal data carried out by a non-EU controller or processor and the activities of an EU establishment, EU law will apply to that processing by the non-EU entity, whether or not the EU establishment plays a role in that processing of data [15].

_{[14] CJEU, Google Spain, Case C‑131/12}

_{[15] G29 WP 179 update – Update of Opinion 8/2010 on applicable law in light of the CJEU judgment in Google Spain, 16th December 2015}

ii) Revenue raising in the Union

Revenue-raising in the EU by a local establishment, to the extent that such activities can be considered as “inextricably linked” to the processing of personal data taking place outside the EU and individuals in the EU, may be indicative of processing by a non-EU controller or processor being carried out “in the context of the activities of the EU establishment”, and may be sufficient to result in the application of EU law to such processing [16].

_{[16] This may potentially be the case, for example, for any foreign operator with a sales office or some other presence in the EU, even if that office has no role in the actual data processing, in particular where the processing takes place in the context of the sales activity in the EU and the activities of the establishment are aimed at the inhabitants of the Member States in which the establishment is located (WP179 update).}

17) «representante»: persona física o jurídica establecida en la Unión que, habiendo sido designada por escrito por el responsable o el encargado del tratamiento con arreglo al artículo 27, represente al responsable o al encargado en lo que respecta a sus respectivas obligaciones en virtud del presente Reglamento;

(17) ‘representative’ means a natural or legal person established in the Union who, designated by the controller or processor in writing pursuant to Article 27, represents the controller or processor with regard to their respective obligations under this Regulation;

Textos enlazados

Artículo 27 RGPD. Representantes de responsables o encargados del tratamiento no establecidos en la Unión

Article 27 GDPR. Representatives of controllers or processors not established in the Union

1. Cuando sea de aplicación el artículo 3, apartado 2, el responsable o el encargado del tratamiento designará por escrito un representante en la Unión.

1. Where Article 3(2) applies, the controller or the processor shall designate in writing a representative in the Union.

[…]

3. El representante estará establecido en uno de los Estados miembros en que estén los interesados cuyos datos personales se traten en el contexto de una oferta de bienes o servicios, o cuyo comportamiento esté siendo controlado.

3. The representative shall be established in one of the Member States where the data subjects, whose personal data are processed in relation to the offering of goods or services to them, or whose behaviour is monitored, are.

4. El responsable o el encargado del tratamiento encomendará al representante que atienda, junto al responsable o al encargado, o en su lugar, a las consultas, en particular, de las autoridades de control y de los interesados, sobre todos los asuntos relativos al tratamiento, a fin de garantizar el cumplimiento de lo dispuesto en el presente Reglamento.

4. The representative shall be mandated by the controller or processor to be addressed in addition to or instead of the controller or the processor by, in particular, supervisory authorities and data subjects, on all issues related to processing, for the purposes of ensuring compliance with this Regulation.

5. La designación de un representante por el responsable o el encargado del tratamiento se entenderá sin perjuicio de las acciones que pudieran emprenderse contra el propio responsable o encargado.

5. The designation of a representative by the controller or processor shall be without prejudice to legal actions which could be initiated against the controller or the processor themselves.

18) «empresa»: persona física o jurídica dedicada a una actividad económica, independientemente de su forma jurídica, incluidas las sociedades o asociaciones que desempeñen regularmente una actividad económica;

(18) ‘enterprise’ means a natural or legal person engaged in an economic activity, irrespective of its legal form, including partnerships or associations regularly engaged in an economic activity;

19) «grupo empresarial»: grupo constituido por una empresa que ejerce el control y sus empresas controladas;

(19) ‘group of undertakings’ means a controlling undertaking and its controlled undertakings;

Comentario de expertos Considerandos

Comentario de expertos

(EN)

In order to impose fines that are effective, proportionate and dissuasive, the supervisory authority shall use for the definition of the notion of an undertaking as provided for by the CJEU for the purposes of the application of Article 101 and 102 TFEU, namely that the concept of an undertaking is understood to mean an economic unit, which may be formed by the parent company and all involved subsidiaries. In accordance with EU law and case-law*, an undertaking must be understood to be the economic unit, which engages in commercial/economic activities, regardless of the legal person involved (Recital 150)

* The ECJ case law definition is: «the concept of an undertaking encompasses every entity engaged in an economic activity regardless of the legal status of the entity and the way in which it is financed” (Case Höfner and Elsner, para 21, ECLI:EU:C:1991:161). An undertaking «must be understood as designating an economic unit even if in law that economic unit consists of several persons, natural or legal» (Case Confederación Española de Empresarios de Estaciones de Servicio [para 40, ECLI:EU:C:2006:784)

Art29WP, Guidelines on the application and setting of administrative fines for the purpose of the Regulation 2016/679, wp253 (2017)

Considerandos

(37) Un grupo empresarial debe estar constituido por una empresa que ejerce el control y las empresas controladas, debiendo ser la empresa que ejerce el control la que pueda ejercer una influencia dominante en las otras empresas, por razones, por ejemplo, de propiedad, participación financiera, normas por las que se rige, o poder de hacer cumplir las normas de protección de datos personales. Una empresa que controle el tratamiento de los datos personales en las empresas que estén afiliadas debe considerarse, junto con dichas empresas, «grupo empresarial».

(37) A group of undertakings should cover a controlling undertaking and its controlled undertakings, whereby the controlling undertaking should be the undertaking which can exert a dominant influence over the other undertakings by virtue, for example, of ownership, financial participation or the rules which govern it or the power to have personal data protection rules implemented. An undertaking which controls the processing of personal data in undertakings affiliated to it should be regarded, together with those undertakings, as a group of undertakings.

20) «normas corporativas vinculantes»: las políticas de protección de datos personales asumidas por un responsable o encargado del tratamiento establecido en el territorio de un Estado miembro para transferencias o un conjunto de transferencias de datos personales a un responsable o encargado en uno o más países terceros, dentro de un grupo empresarial o una unión de empresas dedicadas a una actividad económica conjunta;

(20) ‘binding corporate rules’ means personal data protection policies which are adhered to by a controller or processor established on the territory of a Member State for transfers or a set of transfers of personal data to a controller or processor in one or more third countries within a group of undertakings, or group of enterprises engaged in a joint economic activity;

21) «autoridad de control»: la autoridad pública independiente establecida por un Estado miembro con arreglo a lo dispuesto en el artículo 51;

(21) ‘supervisory authority’ means an independent public authority which is established by a Member State pursuant to Article 51;

22) «autoridad de control interesada»: la autoridad de control a la que afecta el tratamiento de datos personales debido a que:

(22) ‘supervisory authority concerned’ means a supervisory authority which is concerned by the processing of personal data because:

Considerandos

a) el responsable o el encargado del tratamiento está establecido en el territorio del Estado miembro de esa autoridad de control;

(a) the controller or processor is established on the territory of the Member State of that supervisory authority;

b) los interesados que residen en el Estado miembro de esa autoridad de control se ven sustancialmente afectados o es probable que se vean sustancialmente afectados por el tratamiento, o

(b) data subjects residing in the Member State of that supervisory authority are substantially affected or likely to be substantially affected by the processing; or

c) se ha presentado una reclamación ante esa autoridad de control;

(c) a complaint has been lodged with that supervisory authority;

23) «tratamiento transfronterizo»:

(23) ‘cross-border processing’ means either:

a) el tratamiento de datos personales realizado en el contexto de las actividades de establecimientos en más de un Estado miembro de un responsable o un encargado del tratamiento en la Unión, si el responsable o el encargado está establecido en más de un Estado miembro, o

(a) processing of personal data which takes place in the context of the activities of establishments in more than one Member State of a controller or processor in the Union where the controller or processor is established in more than one Member State; or

b) el tratamiento de datos personales realizado en el contexto de las actividades de un único establecimiento de un responsable o un encargado del tratamiento en la Unión, pero que afecta sustancialmente o es probable que afecte sustancialmente a interesados en más de un Estado miembro;

(b) processing of personal data which takes place in the context of the activities of a single establishment of a controller or processor in the Union but which substantially affects or is likely to substantially affect data subjects in more than one Member State.

Textos enlazados

Guidelines 3/2018 on the territorial scope of the GDPR (Article 3)

“An establishment in the Union”

The threshold for “stable arrangement [9]” can actually be quite low when the centre of activities of a controller concerns the provision of services online. As a result, in some circumstances, the presence of one single employee or agent of a non-EU entity in the Union may be sufficient to constitute a stable arrangement (amounting to an ‘establishment’ for the purposes of Art 3(1)) if that employee or agent acts with a sufficient degree of stability. Conversely, when an employee is based in the EU but the processing is not being carried out in the context of the activities of the EU-based employee in the Union (i.e. the processing relates to activities of the controller outside the EU), the mere presence of an employee in the EU will not result in that processing falling within the scope of the GDPR. In other words, the mere presence of an employee in the EU is not as such sufficient to trigger the application of the GDPR, since for the processing in question to fall within the scope of the GDPR, it must also be carried out in the context of the activities of the EU-based employee.

_{[9] Weltimmo, paragraph 31.}

The fact that the non-EU entity responsible for the data processing does not have a branch or subsidiary in a Member State does not preclude it from having an establishment there within the meaning of EU data protection law. Although the notion of establishment is broad, it is not without limits. It is not possible to conclude that the non-EU entity has an establishment in the Union merely because the undertaking’s website is accessible in the Union [10].

_{[10] CJEU, Verein für Konsumenteninformation v. Amazon EU Sarl, Case C‑191/15, 28 July 2016, paragraph 76 (hereafter “Verein für Konsumenteninformation”).}

24) «objeción pertinente y motivada»: la objeción a una propuesta de decisión sobre la existencia o no de infracción del presente Reglamento, o sobre la conformidad con el presente Reglamento de acciones previstas en relación con el responsable o el encargado del tratamiento, que demuestre claramente la importancia de los riesgos que entraña el proyecto de decisión para los derechos y libertades fundamentales de los interesados y, en su caso, para la libre circulación de datos personales dentro de la Unión;

(24) ‘relevant and reasoned objection’ means an objection to a draft decision as to whether there is an infringement of this Regulation, or whether envisaged action in relation to the controller or processor complies with this Regulation, which clearly demonstrates the significance of the risks posed by the draft decision as regards the fundamental rights and freedoms of data subjects and, where applicable, the free flow of personal data within the Union;

Ley de Directrices y caso

(EN)

Documents

EDPB, Guidelines on relevant and reasoned objection under Regulation 2016/679 (2020).

25) «servicio de la sociedad de la información»: todo servicio conforme a la definición del artículo 1, apartado 1, letra b), de la Directiva (UE) 2015/1535 del Parlamento Europeo y del Consejo [19];

(25) ‘information society service’ means a service as defined in point (b) of Article 1(1) of Directive (EU) 2015/1535 of the European Parliament and of the Council [19];

Textos enlazados

Guidelines on consent under Regulation 2016/679

129. While assessing the scope of this definition, the EDPB also refers to case law of the ECJ.[62] The ECJ held that information society services cover contracts and other services that are concluded or transmitted on-line. Where a service has two economically independent components, one being the online component, such as the offer and the acceptance of an offer in the context of the conclusion of a contract or the information relating to products or services, including marketing activities, this component is defined as an information society service, the other component being the physical delivery or distribution of goods is not covered by the notion of an information society service. The online delivery of a service would fall within the scope of the term information society service in Article 8 GDPR.

_{[62] See European Court of Justice, 2 December 2010 Case C-108/09, (Ker-Optika), paragraphs 22 and 28. In relation to ‘composite services’, the EDPB also refers to Case C-434/15 (Asociacion Profesional Elite Taxi v Uber Systems Spain SL), para 40, which states that an information society service forming an integral part of an overall service whose main component is not an information society service (in this case a transport service), must not be qualified as ‘an information society service’.}

_{[19] Directiva (UE) 2015/1535 del Parlamento Europeo y del Consejo, de 9 de septiembre de 2015, por la que se establece un procedimiento de información en materia de reglamentaciones técnicas y de reglas relativas a los servicios de la sociedad de la información (DO L 241 de 17.9.2015, p. 1). https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/AUTO/?uri=OJ:L:2015:241:TOC}

_{[19] Directive (EU) 2015/1535 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 September 2015 laying down a procedure for the provision of information in the field of technical regulations and of rules on Information Society services (OJ L 241, 17.9.2015, p. 1). https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/AUTO/?uri=OJ:L:2015:241:TOC}

26) «organización internacional»: una organización internacional y sus entes subordinados de Derecho internacional público o cualquier otro organismo creado mediante un acuerdo entre dos o más países o en virtud de tal acuerdo.

(26) ‘international organisation’ means an organisation and its subordinate bodies governed by public international law, or any other body which is set up by, or on the basis of, an agreement between two or more countries.

Reglamento general de protección de datos (RGPD)

General Data Protection Regulation (EU GDPR)

The latest consolidated version of the Regulation with corrections by Corrigendum, OJ L 127, 23.5.2018, p. 2 ((EU) 2016/679). Source: EUR-lex.

Considerandos Deja un comentario

Considerandos

(27) El presente Reglamento no se aplica a la protección de datos personales de personas fallecidas. Los Estados miembros son competentes para establecer normas relativas al tratamiento de los datos personales de estas.

(27) This Regulation does not apply to the personal data of deceased persons. Member States may provide for rules regarding the processing of personal data of deceased persons.

(30) Las personas físicas pueden ser asociadas a identificadores en línea facilitados por sus dispositivos, aplicaciones, herramientas y protocolos, como direcciones de los protocolos de internet, identificadores de sesión en forma de «cookies» u otros identificadores, como etiquetas de identificación por radiofrecuencia. Esto puede dejar huellas que, en particular, al ser combinadas con identificadores únicos y otros datos recibidos por los servidores, pueden ser utilizadas para elaborar perfiles de las personas físicas e identificarlas.

(30) Natural persons may be associated with online identifiers provided by their devices, applications, tools and protocols, such as internet protocol addresses, cookie identifiers or other identifiers such as radio frequency identification tags. This may leave traces which, in particular when combined with unique identifiers and other information received by the servers, may be used to create profiles of the natural persons and identify them.

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Artículo 3. Ámbito territorial

Artículo 5. Principios relativos al tratamiento