EN
Protection of personal data
in the European
Union
The protection of personal data is a fundamental right in the European Union.
Everyone has the right to the protection of personal data concerning him
or her Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.
The personal information and data of individuals are processed in many aspects of
everyday life for example, opening a bank account, signing up for membership of a
gym, booking a flight, issue of a credit card, registering for fidelity cards in shops, etc
European Commission
Directorate-General
JUSTICE, FREEDOM AND SECURITY
EUROPEAN
COMMISSION
What are
personal data ?
What are
your rights ?
Personal data relate to any
personal information which can
be used to identify you, directly
or indirectly, such as your name,
your telephone number, your
email address, your place and
date of birth, etc.
When your personal data
are processed, you have
enforceable rights,
such as:
The right to be informed that your
personal data is being processed
in a clear and understandable
language;
The right to have access to your
own data;
The right to rectify any wrong or
incomplete information;
The right, in some cases, to object
to the processing on legitimate
grounds;
The right not to be subjected to
an automated decision intended
to evaluate certain personal
aspects relating to you, such
as your performance at work,
creditworthiness, reliability, and
conduct; and
The right to receive compensation
from the data controller for any
damage you suffer, etc
What are a data
controllers
obligations ?
What can you do
if your rights are
violated ?
The obligations of a data
controller (i.e. an entity either in
the public or private sector which
is responsible for processing
personal data, for example, a
medical practitioner, a company,
a sports club, public
administration, etc.) are the
following:
You can file an application with the
Data Protection Authorities (DPAs)
established in all Member States.
These authorities are responsible
for ensuring that your rights and
obligations are respected. They
are also competent to hear your
complaints and may prohibit the
processing.
To ensure that your rights are
You have at your disposal a judicial
remedy for any breach of the rights
and obligations guaranteed by the
national law.
observed (i.e. inform you, give
access to your data);
To ensure that data are collected
only for specified, explicit and
legitimate purposes, that they are
kept accurate and up to date and
for no longer than is necessary;
To ensure that the criteria for
making data-processing legitimate
are observed, for example, when
you give your consent, sign a
contract, or have legal obligations,
etc.;
Confidentiality of the processing;
Security of the processing;
Notification to the data protection
authority, in some cases; and
To ensure that, when a transfer of
data occurs to countries outside
the EU, these countries guarantee
an adequate level of protection.
The European Data Protection
Supervisor is responsible for
monitoring processing operations
carried out by Community
institutions or bodies.
The European Legislation
in Data Protection
Directive 95/46/EC of the European
Parliament and of the Council of
24 October 1995 (the Data Protection
Directive) harmonises national laws
which require high-quality data
management practices on the part
of the data controllers and the
guarantees of a series of rights for
individuals.
Directive 2002/58/EC on privacy
and electronic communications
of 12 July 2002 guarantees the
processing of personal data and
the protection of privacy in the
electronic communications sector.
Regulation 45/2001 on the
Council Framework Decision
protection of individuals with
regard to the processing of
personal data by the Community
institutions and bodies and on the
free movement of such data of
18 December 2000 regulates the
processing of individuals' personal
data when the processing is taking
place by Community institutions
and bodies.
2008/977/JHA of 27 November 2008
on the protection of personal data
processed in the framework of
police and judicial cooperation in
criminal matters.
For further information, see also
http://ec.europa.eu/justice_home/fsj/privacy/index_en.htm
Data Protection unit
Directorate-General JUSTICE, FREEDOM AND SECURITY
BE-1049 Brussels
March 2010
European Commission
Directorate-General
JUSTICE, FREEDOM AND SECURITY
EUROPEAN
COMMISSION
