Obligation for transparent information

Article 12 GDPR (Transparent information, communication and modalities for the exercise of the rights of the data subject)

1. The controller shall take appropriate measures to provide any information referred to in Articles 13 and 14 and any communication under Articles 15 to 22 and 34 relating to processing to the data subject in a concise, transparent, intelligible and easily accessible form, using clear and plain language, in particular for any information addressed specifically to a child. The information shall be provided in writing, or by other means, including, where appropriate, by electronic means. When requested by the data subject, the information may be provided orally, provided that the identity of the data subject is proven by other means.

2. The controller shall facilitate the exercise of data subject rights under Articles 15 to 22. In the cases referred to in Article 11(2), the controller shall not refuse to act on the request of the data subject for exercising his or her rights under Articles 15 to 22, unless the controller demonstrates that it is not in a position to identify the data subject.

3. The controller shall provide information on action taken on a request under Articles 15 to 22 to the data subject without undue delay and in any event within one month of receipt of the request. That period may be extended by two further months where necessary, taking into account the complexity and number of the requests. The controller shall inform the data subject of any such extension within one month of receipt of the request, together with the reasons for the delay. Where the data subject makes the request by electronic form means, the information shall be provided by electronic means where possible, unless otherwise requested by the data subject.

4. If the controller does not take action on the request of the data subject, the controller shall inform the data subject without delay and at the latest within one month of receipt of the request of the reasons for not taking action and on the possibility of lodging a complaint with a supervisory authority and seeking a judicial remedy.

5. Information provided under Articles 13 and 14 and any communication and any actions taken under Articles 15 to 22 and 34 shall be provided free of charge. Where requests from a data subject are manifestly unfounded or excessive, in particular because of their repetitive character, the controller may either:
(a) charge a reasonable fee taking into account the administrative costs of providing the information or communication or taking the action requested; or
(b) refuse to act on the request.

The controller shall bear the burden of demonstrating the manifestly unfounded or excessive character of the request.

6. Without prejudice to Article 11, where the controller has reasonable doubts concerning the identity of the natural person making the request referred to in Articles 15 to 21, the controller may request the provision of additional information necessary to confirm the identity of the data subject.

7. The information to be provided to data subjects pursuant to Articles 13 and 14 may be provided in combination with standardised icons in order to give in an easily visible, intelligible and clearly legible manner a meaningful overview of the intended processing. Where the icons are presented electronically they shall be machine-readable.

8. The Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 92 for the purpose of determining the information to be presented by the icons and the procedures for providing standardised icons.

Source: Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (see also recitals 58, 59, 60 and 73)

Article 13 GDPR (Information to be provided where personal data are collected from the data subject)

1. Where personal data relating to a data subject are collected from the data subject, the controller shall, at the time when personal data are obtained, provide the data subject with all of the following information:
(a) the identity and the contact details of the controller and, where applicable, of the controller’s representative;
(b) the contact details of the data protection officer, where applicable;
(c) the purposes of the processing for which the personal data are intended as well as the legal basis for the processing;
(d) where the processing is based on point (f) of Article 6(1), the legitimate interests pursued by the controller or by a third party;
(e) the recipients or categories of recipients of the personal data, if any;
(f) where applicable, the fact that the controller intends to transfer personal data to a third country or international organisation and the existence or absence of an adequacy decision by the Commission, or in the case of transfers referred to in Article 46 or 47, or the second subparagraph of Article 49(1), reference to the appropriate or suitable safeguards and the means by which to obtain a copy of them or where they have been made available.

2. In addition to the information referred to in paragraph 1, the controller shall, at the time when personal data are obtained, provide the data subject with the following further information necessary to ensure fair and transparent processing:
(a) the period for which the personal data will be stored, or if that is not possible, the criteria used to determine that period;
(b) the existence of the right to request from the controller access to and rectification or erasure of personal data or restriction of processing concerning the data subject or to object to processing as well as the right to data portability;
(c) where the processing is based on point (a) of Article 6(1) or point (a) of Article 9(2), the existence of the right to withdraw consent at any time, without affecting the lawfulness of processing based on consent before its withdrawal;
(d) the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority;
(e) whether the provision of personal data is a statutory or contractual requirement, or a requirement necessary to enter into a contract, as well as whether the data subject is obliged to provide the personal data and of the possible consequences of failure to provide such data;
(f) the existence of automated decision-making, including profiling, referred to in Article 22(1) and (4) and, at least in those cases, meaningful information about the logic involved, as well as the significance and the envisaged consequences of such processing for the data subject.

3. Where the controller intends to further process the personal data for a purpose other than that for which the personal data were collected, the controller shall provide the data subject prior to that further processing with information on that other purpose and with any relevant further information as referred to in paragraph 2.

4. Paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 shall not apply where and insofar as the data subject already has the information.

Source: Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (see also recitals 60, 61 and 62)

Article 14 GDPR (Information to be provided where personal data have not been obtained from the data subject)

1. Where personal data have not been obtained from the data subject, the controller shall provide the data subject with the following information:
(a) the identity and the contact details of the controller and, where applicable, of the controller’s representative;
(b) the contact details of the data protection officer, where applicable;
(c) the purposes of the processing for which the personal data are intended as well as the legal basis for the processing;
(d) the categories of personal data concerned;
(e) the recipients or categories of recipients of the personal data, if any;
(f) where applicable, that the controller intends to transfer personal data to a recipient in a third country or international organisation and the existence or absence of an adequacy decision by the Commission, or in the case of transfers referred to in Article 46 or 47, or the second subparagraph of Article 49(1), reference to the appropriate or suitable safeguards and the means to obtain a copy of them or where they have been made available.

2. In addition to the information referred to in paragraph 1, the controller shall provide the data subject with the following information necessary to ensure fair and transparent processing in respect of the data subject:
(a) the period for which the personal data will be stored, or if that is not possible, the criteria used to determine that period;
(b) where the processing is based on point (f) of Article 6(1), the legitimate interests pursued by the controller or by a third party;
(c) the existence of the right to request from the controller access to and rectification or erasure of personal data or restriction of processing concerning the data subject and to object to processing as well as the right to data portability;
(d) where processing is based on point (a) of Article 6(1) or point (a) of Article 9(2), the existence of the right to withdraw consent at any time, without affecting the lawfulness of processing based on consent before its withdrawal;
(e) the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority;
(f) from which source the personal data originate, and if applicable, whether it came from publicly accessible sources;
(g) the existence of automated decision-making, including profiling, referred to in Article 22(1) and (4) and, at least in those cases, meaningful information about the logic involved, as well as the significance and the envisaged consequences of such processing for the data subject.

3. The controller shall provide the information referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2:
(a) within a reasonable period after obtaining the personal data, but at the latest within one month, having regard to the specific circumstances in which the personal data are processed;
(b) if the personal data are to be used for communication with the data subject, at the latest at the time of the first communication to that data subject; or
(c) if a disclosure to another recipient is envisaged, at the latest when the personal data are first disclosed.

4. Where the controller intends to further process the personal data for a purpose other than that for which the personal data were obtained, the controller shall provide the data subject prior to that further processing with information on that other purpose and with any relevant further information as referred to in paragraph 2.

5. Paragraphs 1 to 4 shall not apply where and insofar as:
(a) the data subject already has the information;
(b) the provision of such information proves impossible or would involve a disproportionate effort, in particular for processing for archiving purposes in the public interest, scientific or historical research purposes or statistical purposes, subject to the conditions and safeguards referred to in Article 89(1) or in so far as the obligation referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article is likely to render impossible or seriously impair the achievement of the objectives of that processing. In such cases the controller shall take appropriate measures to protect the data subject’s rights and freedoms and legitimate interests, including making the information publicly available;
(c) obtaining or disclosure is expressly laid down by Union or Member State law to which the controller is subject and which provides appropriate measures to protect the data subject’s legitimate interests; or
(d) where the personal data must remain confidential subject to an obligation of professional secrecy regulated by Union or Member State law, including a statutory obligation of secrecy.

Source: Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (see also recitals 60, 61 and 62)

Section 29 BDSG (Rights of the data subject and powers of the supervisory authorities in the case of secrecy obligations)

(1) In addition to the exceptions in Article 14 (5) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679, the obligation to provide information to the data subject according to Article 14 (1) to (4) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 shall not apply as far as meeting this obligation would disclose information which by its nature must be kept secret, in particular because of overriding legitimate interests of a third party. The right of access according to Article 15 of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 shall not apply as far as access would disclose information which by law or by its nature must be kept secret, in particular because of overriding legitimate interests of a third party. In addition to the exception in Article 34 (3) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679, the obligation to inform the data subject of a personal data breach according to Article 34 of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 shall not apply as far as meeting this obligation would disclose information which by law or by its nature must be kept secret, in particular because of overriding legitimate interests of a third party. By derogation from the exception pursuant to the third sentence, the data subject pursuant to Article 34 of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 shall be informed if the interests of the data subject outweigh the interest in secrecy, in particular taking into account the threat of damage.

(2) If in the context of a client-lawyer relationship the data of third persons are transferred to persons subject to a legal obligation of professional secrecy, the transferring body shall not be obligated to inform the data subject according to Article 13 (3) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 unless the data subject has an overriding interest in being informed.

(3) The supervisory authorities shall not have the investigative powers according to Article 58 (1) (e) and (f) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 with regard to the persons listed in Section 203 (1), (2a) and (3) of the Criminal Code or their processors as far as exercising these powers would violate these persons’ obligations to secrecy. If in the context of an investigation a supervisory authority becomes aware of data subject to an obligation of secrecy as referred to in the first sentence, the obligation of secrecy shall also apply to the supervisory authority.

Source: German Federal Data Protection Act

Section 32 BDSG (Information to be provided where personal data are collected from the data subject)

(1) In addition to the exception in Article 13 (4) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679, the obligation to provide information to the data subject according to Article 13 (3) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 shall not apply if providing information about the planned further use
1. concerns the further processing of data stored in analogue form, for which the controller directly contacts the data subject through the further processing; the purpose is compatible with the original purpose for which the data were collected in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/679; the communication with the data subject does not take place in digital form; and the interest of the data subject in receiving the information can be regarded as minimal, given the circumstances of the individual case, in particular with regard to the context in which the data were collected;
2. would, in the case of a public body, endanger the proper performance of tasks as referred to in Article 23 (1) (a) to (e) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 for which the controller is responsible, and the controller’s interests in not providing the information outweigh the interests of the data subject;
3. would endanger public security or order or would otherwise be detrimental to the welfare of the Federation or a Land, and the controller’s interests in not providing the information outweigh the interests of the data subject;
4. would interfere with the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims, and the controller’s interests in not providing the information outweigh the interests of the data subject; or
5. would endanger a confidential transfer of data to public bodies.

(2) If information is not provided to the data subject pursuant to subsection 1, the controller shall take appropriate measures to protect the legitimate interests of the data subject, including providing the information referred to in Article 13 (1) and (2) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 for the public in precise, transparent, understandable and easily accessible form in clear and simple language. The controller shall set down in writing the reasons for not providing information. The first and second sentences shall not apply in the cases of subsection 1 nos. 4 and 5.

(3) If notification is not provided in the cases of subsection 1 because of a temporary obstacle, the controller shall meet the obligation to provide information, while taking into account the specific circumstances of processing, within an appropriate period after the obstacle has ceased to exist, but no later than two weeks.

Source: German Federal Data Protection Act

Section 33 BDSG (Information to be provided where personal data have not been obtained from the data subject)

(1) In addition to the exception in Article 14 (5) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 and in Section 29 (1), first sentence, the obligation to provide information to the data subject according to Article 14 (1), (2) and (4) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 shall not apply if providing information
1. in the case of a public body
a) would endanger the proper performance of tasks as referred to in Article 23 (1) (a) to (e) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 for which the controller is responsible, or
b) would threaten the public security or order or otherwise be detrimental to the Federation or a Land,
and therefore the data subject’s interest in receiving the information must not take precedence;
2. in the case of a private body
a) would interfere with the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims, or processing includes data from contracts under private law and is intended to prevent harm from criminal offences, unless the data subject has an overriding legitimate interest in receiving the information; or
b) the responsible public body has determined with respect to the controller that disclosing the data would endanger public security or order or would otherwise be detrimental to the welfare of the Federation or a Land; in the case of data processing for purposes of law enforcement, no determination pursuant to the first half-sentence shall be required.

(2) If information is not provided to the data subject pursuant to subsection 1, the controller shall take appropriate measures to protect the legitimate interests of the data subject, including providing the information referred to in Article 14 (1) and (2) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 for the public in precise, transparent, understandable and easily accessible form in clear and simple language. The controller shall set down in writing the reasons for not providing information.

(3) If the provision of information relates to the transfer by public bodies of personal data to the authorities for the protection of the Constitution, the Federal Intelligence Service, the Military Counterintelligence Service and, as far as the security of the Federation is affected, other authorities of the Federal Ministry of Defence, such provision shall be permitted only with the approval of these bodies.

Source: German Federal Data Protection Act