The GDPR
Article 80 specifies and supplements the Directive regarding option for representation by an association. The Regulation provides that an association (non-profit association active in the protection of the rights of the data subjects) can be mandated by a data subject not only to lodge the complaint on his or her behalf, to exercise the rights referred to in Articles 77 on his or her behalf, but also for judicial remedy against a decision of a supervisory authority (Article 78) or against a controller or a processor (see Article 79).
The final version of the Regulation adds that the association is also granted the right to claim compensation as provided by Article 82 on behalf of the data subject where he or she considers that his or her rights under this Regulation have been infringed and as provided by Member State law.
The Member States may grant major powers of action to the associations charged with the protection of rights and freedoms in the data processing. If the state makes use of this provision, these associations may, at their initiative (i.e., regardless of any mandate by a data subject) lodge a claim with a supervisory authority in the territory of the Member State of their establishment (Art. 77) or expedite a judicial remedy against a decision of a supervisory authority (Article 78) or against a controller or a processor (Article 79) if they consider that the rights of a data subject have breached because the personal data processing has not been compliant with the Regulation (paragraph 2).
The Directive
The Directive already provided for the possibility of an association undertaking to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority on behalf of a person complaining of a breach of his or her rights and freedoms in the context of the personal data processing (see Article 28 (6) of the Directive).
Potential issues
It is a fundamental principle, that associations have the recognized powers to defend of the rights of data subjects.. We strongly believe this measure will contribute to ensuring the effectiveness of the rights granted to the data subjects by the personal data processing.
Jurisdictional procedures already exist for data subjects; however, it is very rare that a person resorts to legal proceedings, especially in view of the costs. In other words, at present, it is not worth the effort.
However, this development could lead to many problems of implementation. Regarding the possibility for these associations introducing a procedure regardless of a mandate by the data subject, it is not possible to predict the future implications in different Member states and disparities in the protection of the data subjects will appear on this point.
Associations must exist and be active regarding data protection, but will often involve a significant change in attitudes of the public, members and authorities.
Poland
The Draft Bill on Personal Data Protection published in September 2017
Art. 45. When the rights of persons entitled under the data protection law has been violated, the social organization may occur with the request:
1) initiate proceedings,
2) admit this person to participate in the proceedings,
if this is justified by the statutory purposes of this organization and when the interest is in favor of it the person whose rights have been violated.
European Union
CJEU caselaw
C‑319/20 (28 April 2022) - Meta Platforms Ireland
Article 80(2) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Directive 95/46/EC (General Data Protection Regulation) must be interpreted as not precluding national legislation which allows a consumer protection association to bring legal proceedings, in the absence of a mandate conferred on it for that purpose and independently of the infringement of specific rights of the data subjects, against the person allegedly responsible for an infringement of the laws protecting personal data, on the basis of the infringement of the prohibition of unfair commercial practices, a breach of a consumer protection law or the prohibition of the use of invalid general terms and conditions, where the data processing concerned is liable to affect the rights that identified or identifiable natural persons derive from that regulation.
Judgment of the Court
Opinion of Advocate general
C-757/22 (11 July 2024 ) - Meta Platforms Ireland (Action représentative)
Article 80(2) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Directive 95/46/EC (General Data Protection Regulation)
must be interpreted as meaning that the condition that an authorised entity, in order to be able to bring a representative action under that provision, must assert that it considers the rights of a data subject provided for in that regulation to have been infringed ‘as a result of the processing’, within the meaning of that provision, is satisfied where that entity asserts that the infringement of the data subject’s rights occurs in the course of the processing of personal data and results from the controller’s infringement of its obligation, under the first sentence of Article 12(1) and Article 13(1)(c) and (e) of that regulation, to provide the data subject, in a concise, transparent, intelligible and easily accessible form, in clear and plain language, with information relating to the purposes of that data processing and to the recipients of such data, at the latest when they are collected.
Judgment of the Court
Opinion of Advocate General
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