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Article 28 GDPR. Processor

1. Where processing is to be carried out on behalf of a controller, the controller shall use only processors providing sufficient guarantees to implement appropriate technical and organisational measures in such a manner that processing will meet the requirements of this Regulation and ensure the protection of the rights of the data subject.

2. The processor shall not engage another processor without prior specific or general written authorisation of the controller. In the case of general written authorisation, the processor shall inform the controller of any intended changes concerning the addition or replacement of other processors, thereby giving the controller the opportunity to object to such changes.

ISO 27701

ISO/IEC 27701, adopted in 2019, added additional ISO/IEC 27002 guidance for PII processors.

Here is the relevant paragraphs to article 28(2) GDPR:

8.5.6 Disclosure of subcontractors used to process PII

Control

The organization should disclose any use of subcontractors to process PII to the customer before use.

Implementation guidance

Provisions for the use of subcontractors to process PII should be included in the customer contract.

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3. Processing by a processor shall be governed by a contract or other legal act under Union or Member State law, that is binding on the processor with regard to the controller and that sets out the subject-matter and duration of the processing, the nature and purpose of the processing, the type of personal data and categories of data subjects and the obligations and rights of the controller. That contract or other legal act shall stipulate, in particular, that the processor:

(a) processes the personal data only on documented instructions from the controller, including with regard to transfers of personal data to a third country or an international organisation, unless required to do so by Union or Member State law to which the processor is subject; in such a case, the processor shall inform the controller of that legal requirement before processing, unless that law prohibits such information on important grounds of public interest;

ISO 27701

ISO/IEC 27701, adopted in 2019, added additional ISO/IEC 27002 guidance for PII processors.

Here is the relevant paragraph to article 28(3)(a) GDPR:

8.2.2 Organization’s purposes

Control

The organization should ensure that PII processed on behalf of a customer are only processed for the purposes expressed in the documented instructions of the customer.

Implementation guidance

The contract between the organization and the customer should include, but not be limited to, the objective and time frame to be achieved by the service.

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(b) ensures that persons authorised to process the personal data have committed themselves to confidentiality or are under an appropriate statutory obligation of confidentiality;

ISO 27701

ISO/IEC 27701, adopted in 2019, added a requirement additional to ISO/IEC 27002, section 13.2.4.

Here is the relevant paragraph to article 28(3)(b) GDPR:

6.10.2.4 Confidentiality or non-disclosure agreements

Implementation guidance

The organization should ensure that individuals operating under its control with access to PII are subject to a confidentiality obligation. The confidentiality agreement, whether part of a contract or separate, should specify the length of time the obligations should be adhered to.

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(c) takes all measures required pursuant to Article 32;

Related

(d) respects the conditions referred to in paragraphs 2 and 4 for engaging another processor;

ISO 27701

ISO/IEC 27701, adopted in 2019, added additional ISO/IEC 27002 guidance for PII processors.

Here is the relevant paragraph to article 28(3)(d) GDPR:

8.5.7 Engagement of a subcontractor to process PII

Control

The organization should only engage a subcontractor to process PII according to the customer contract.

Implementation guidance

Where the organization subcontracts some or all of the processing of that PII to another organization, a written authorization from the customer is required prior to the PII processed by the subcontractor. This can be in the form of appropriate clauses in the customer contract, or can be a specific “one-off” agreement.

 

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(e) taking into account the nature of the processing, assists the controller by appropriate technical and organisational measures, insofar as this is possible, for the fulfilment of the controller’s obligation to respond to requests for exercising the data subject’s rights laid down in Chapter III;

ISO 27701

ISO/IEC 27701, adopted in 2019, added additional ISO/IEC 27002 guidance for PII processors.

Here is the relevant paragraph to article 28(3)(e) GDPR:

8.3.1 Obligations to PII principals

Control

The organization should provide the customer with the means to comply with its obligations related to PII principals.

Implementation guidance

A PII controller’s obligations can be defined by legislation, by regulation and/or by contract. These obligations can include matters where the customer uses the services of the organization for implementation of these obligations.

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(f) assists the controller in ensuring compliance with the obligations pursuant to Articles 32 to 36 taking into account the nature of processing and the information available to the processor;

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(g) at the choice of the controller, deletes or returns all the personal data to the controller after the end of the provision of services relating to processing, and deletes existing copies unless Union or Member State law requires storage of the personal data;

ISO 27701

ISO/IEC 27701, adopted in 2019, added additional ISO/IEC 27002 guidance for PII processors.

Here is the relevant paragraph to article 28(3)(g) GDPR:

8.4.2 Return, transfer or disposal of PII

Control

The organization should provide the ability to return, transfer and/or disposal of PII in a secure manner. It should also make its policy available to the customer.

Implementation guidance

At some point in time, PII can need to be disposed of in some manner. This can involve returning the PII to the customer, transferring it to another organization or to a PII controller (e.g. as a result of a merger), deleting or otherwise destroying it, de-identifying it or archiving it.

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(h) makes available to the controller all information necessary to demonstrate compliance with the obligations laid down in this Article and allow for and contribute to audits, including inspections, conducted by the controller or another auditor mandated by the controller.

ISO 27701

With regard to point (h) of the first subparagraph, the processor shall immediately inform the controller if, in its opinion, an instruction infringes this Regulation or other Union or Member State data protection provisions.

4. Where a processor engages another processor for carrying out specific processing activities on behalf of the controller, the same data protection obligations as set out in the contract or other legal act between the controller and the processor as referred to in paragraph 3 shall be imposed on that other processor by way of a contract or other legal act under Union or Member State law, in particular providing sufficient guarantees to implement appropriate technical and organisational measures in such a manner that the processing will meet the requirements of this Regulation. Where that other processor fails to fulfil its data protection obligations, the initial processor shall remain fully liable to the controller for the performance of that other processor’s obligations.

ISO 27701

ISO/IEC 27701, adopted in 2019, added additional ISO/IEC 27002 guidance for PII processors.

Here is the relevant paragraph to article 28(4) GDPR:

8.5.6 Disclosure of subcontractors used to process PII

Control

The organization should disclose any use of subcontractors to process PII to the customer before use.

Implementation guidance

Provisions for the use of subcontractors to process PII should be included in the customer contract.

[…]


to read the full text

5. Adherence of a processor to an approved code of conduct as referred to in Article 40 or an approved certification mechanism as referred to in Article 42 may be used as an element by which to demonstrate sufficient guarantees as referred to in paragraphs 1 and 4 of this Article.

Related

6. Without prejudice to an individual contract between the controller and the processor, the contract or the other legal act referred to in paragraphs 3 and 4 of this Article may be based, in whole or in part, on standard contractual clauses referred to in paragraphs 7 and 8 of this Article, including when they are part of a certification granted to the controller or processor pursuant to Articles 42 and 43.

Related

7. The Commission may lay down standard contractual clauses for the matters referred to in paragraph 3 and 4 of this Article and in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 93(2).

Related

8. A supervisory authority may adopt standard contractual clauses for the matters referred to in paragraph 3 and 4 of this Article and in accordance with the consistency mechanism referred to in Article 63.

Related

9. The contract or the other legal act referred to in paragraphs 3 and 4 shall be in writing, including in electronic form.

10. Without prejudice to Articles 82, 83 and 84, if a processor infringes this Regulation by determining the purposes and means of processing, the processor shall be considered to be a controller in respect of that processing.

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Expert commentary ISO 27701 Recitals Guidelines & Case Law Leave a comment
Expert commentary

A processor is a person or an organization that processes personal data on behalf and under the authority of a controller [Articles 4(8) and 28(1)]. The term used in the English text of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) remains difficult to apprehend by a non-legal audience, so it is useful to turn to other linguistic versions for a better understanding.

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Author
Louis-Philippe Gratton
Louis-Philippe Gratton PhD, LLM
Privacy Expert
ISO 27701

ISO/IEC 27701, adopted in 2019, added a requirement additional to ISO/IEC 27001, section 4.1.

Here is the relevant paragraph to articles 28(5), 28(6), and 28(10) GDPR:

5.2.1 Understanding the organization and its context

The organization shall include among its interested parties (see ISO/IEC 27001:2013, 4.2), those parties having interests or responsibilities associated with the processing of PII, including the PII principals.

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Recitals

(81) To ensure compliance with the requirements of this Regulation in respect of the processing to be carried out by the processor on behalf of the controller, when entrusting a processor with processing activities, the controller should use only processors providing sufficient guarantees, in particular in terms of expert knowledge, reliability and resources, to implement technical and organisational measures which will meet the requirements of this Regulation, including for the security of processing. The adherence of the processor to an approved code of conduct or an approved certification mechanism may be used as an element to demonstrate compliance with the obligations of the controller. The carrying-out of processing by a processor should be governed by a contract or other legal act under Union or Member State law, binding the processor to the controller, setting out the subject-matter and duration of the processing, the nature and purposes of the processing, the type of personal data and categories of data subjects, taking into account the specific tasks and responsibilities of the processor in the context of the processing to be carried out and the risk to the rights and freedoms of the data subject. The controller and processor may choose to use an individual contract or standard contractual clauses which are adopted either directly by the Commission or by a supervisory authority in accordance with the consistency mechanism and then adopted by the Commission. After the completion of the processing on behalf of the controller, the processor should, at the choice of the controller, return or delete the personal data, unless there is a requirement to store the personal data under Union or Member State law to which the processor is subject.

Guidelines & Case Law Leave a comment
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