Article 77
Right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority

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(7) Those developments require a strong and more coherent data protection framework in the Union, backed by strong enforcement, given the importance of creating the trust that will allow the digital economy to develop across the internal market. Natural persons should have control of their own personal data. Legal and practical certainty for natural persons, economic operators and public authorities should be enhanced.

(141) Every data subject should have the right to lodge a complaint with a single supervisory authority, in particular in the Member State of his or her habitual residence, and the right to an effective judicial remedy in accordance with Article 47 of the Charter if the data subject considers that his or her rights under this Regulation are infringed or where the supervisory authority does not act on a complaint, partially or wholly rejects or dismisses a complaint or does not act where such action is necessary to protect the rights of the data subject. The investigation following a complaint should be carried out, subject to judicial review, to the extent that is appropriate in the specific case. The supervisory authority should inform the data subject of the progress and the outcome of the complaint within a reasonable period. If the case requires further investigation or coordination with another supervisory authority, intermediate information should be given to the data subject. In order to facilitate the submission of complaints, each supervisory authority should take measures such as providing a complaint submission form which can also be completed electronically, without excluding other means of communication.

(142) Where a data subject considers that his or her rights under this Regulation are infringed, he or she should have the right to mandate a not-for-profit body, organisation or association which is constituted in accordance with the law of a Member State, has statutory objectives which are in the public interest and is active in the field of the protection of personal data to lodge a complaint on his or her behalf with a supervisory authority, exercise the right to a judicial remedy on behalf of data subjects or, if provided for in Member State law, exercise the right to receive compensation on behalf of data subjects. A Member State may provide for such a body, organisation or association to have the right to lodge a complaint in that Member State, independently of a data subject's mandate, and the right to an effective judicial remedy where it has reasons to consider that the rights of a data subject have been infringed as a result of the processing of personal data which infringes this Regulation. That body, organisation or association may not be allowed to claim compensation on a data subject's behalf independently of the data subject's mandate.

(143) Any natural or legal person has the right to bring an action for annulment of decisions of the Board before the Court of Justice under the conditions provided for in Article 263 TFEU. As addressees of such decisions, the supervisory authorities concerned which wish to challenge them have to bring action within two months of being notified of them, in accordance with Article 263 TFEU. Where decisions of the Board are of direct and individual concern to a controller, processor or complainant, the latter may bring an action for annulment against those decisions within two months of their publication on the website of the Board, in accordance with Article 263 TFEU. Without prejudice to this right under Article 263 TFEU, each natural or legal person should have an effective judicial remedy before the competent national court against a decision of a supervisory authority which produces legal effects concerning that person. Such a decision concerns in particular the exercise of investigative, corrective and authorisation powers by the supervisory authority or the dismissal or rejection of complaints. However, the right to an effective judicial remedy does not encompass measures taken by supervisory authorities which are not legally binding, such as opinions issued by or advice provided by the supervisory authority. Proceedings against a supervisory authority should be brought before the courts of the Member State where the supervisory authority is established and should be conducted in accordance with that Member State's procedural law. Those courts should exercise full jurisdiction, which should include jurisdiction to examine all questions of fact and law relevant to the dispute before them.

Where a complaint has been rejected or dismissed by a supervisory authority, the complainant may bring proceedings before the courts in the same Member State. In the context of judicial remedies relating to the application of this Regulation, national courts which consider a decision on the question necessary to enable them to give judgment, may, or in the case provided for in Article 267 TFEU, must, request the Court of Justice to give a preliminary ruling on the interpretation of Union law, including this Regulation. Furthermore, where a decision of a supervisory authority implementing a decision of the Board is challenged before a national court and the validity of the decision of the Board is at issue, that national court does not have the power to declare the Board's decision invalid but must refer the question of validity to the Court of Justice in accordance with Article 267 TFEU as interpreted by the Court of Justice, where it considers the decision invalid. However, a national court may not refer a question on the validity of the decision of the Board at the request of a natural or legal person which had the opportunity to bring an action for annulment of that decision, in particular if it was directly and individually concerned by that decision, but had not done so within the period laid down in Article 263 TFEU.

(144) Where a court seized of proceedings against a decision by a supervisory authority has reason to believe that proceedings concerning the same processing, such as the same subject matter as regards processing by the same controller or processor, or the same cause of action, are brought before a competent court in another Member State, it should contact that court in order to confirm the existence of such related proceedings. If related proceedings are pending before a court in another Member State, any court other than the court first seized may stay its proceedings or may, on request of one of the parties, decline jurisdiction in favour of the court first seized if that court has jurisdiction over the proceedings in question and its law permits the consolidation of such related proceedings. Proceedings are deemed to be related where they are so closely connected that it is expedient to hear and determine them together in order to avoid the risk of irreconcilable judgments resulting from separate proceedings.

(145) For proceedings against a controller or processor, the plaintiff should have the choice to bring the action before the courts of the Member States where the controller or processor has an establishment or where the data subject resides, unless the controller is a public authority of a Member State acting in the exercise of its public powers.

There is no recital in the Directive related to article 77.

The GDPR

Like the Directive, Article 77 of the Regulation enables any person concerned by data processing to lodge a complaint with a supervising authority if the data subject considers that the processing of personal data relating to him or her infringes this Regulation. Any infringement of the Regulation may therefore justify such a complaint.

In its first draft, the second paragraph of Article 77 specified also the organizations entitled to lodge a complaint on behalf of the data subject, even irrespective of any claim of the data subject, in case of personal data breach. However, this element was not retained in the final version of the text. 

Which supervisory authority a data subject may report to for determination is not strictly specified. According to paragraph 1, data subject shall have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority competent of his or her habitual residence, place of work or place of the alleged infringement.

The supervisory authority receiving the lodged complaint  shall inform the complainant on the progress and the outcome of the complaint including the possibility of a judicial remedy pursuant to Article 78 of the Regulation (paragraph 2).

The Directive

The Directive already required Member States to implement a procedure for lodging a complaint with the supervisory authority. Thus any person or an association representing that person may lodge a complaint concerning the protection of his or her rights and freedoms in regard to the processing of personal data. This may in particular consist of a request for verification of the lawfulness of processing. Pursuant to Article 28 (4), the person concerned shall be informed of the outcome of the claim or that a check has taken place.

Potential issues

In countries where the authority had no decision-making power, an increase in complaints may be expected, as this situation will lead to a decision likely to be appealed. The problem is then to determine what will be the procedure before the national authority which should not be overly complicated and/or costly as this may discourage the data subject from pursuing a complaint.

Summary

European Union

European Union

CJEU caselaw

C‑132/21 (12 January 2023), Budapesti Elektromos Művek

Article 77(1), Article 78(1) and Article 79(1) 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), read in the light of Article 47 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union,

must be interpreted as permitting the remedies provided for in Article 77(1) and Article 78(1) of that regulation, on the one hand, and Article 79(1) thereof, on the other, to be exercised concurrently with and independently of each other. It is for the Member States, in accordance with the principle of procedural autonomy, to lay down detailed rules as regards the relationship between those remedies in order to ensure the effective protection of the rights guaranteed by that regulation and the consistent and homogeneous application of its provisions, as well as the right to an effective remedy before a court or tribunal as referred to in Article 47 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights.

Decision of the court

Opinion of the advocate General


C-33/22 (16 January 2024) - Österreichische Datenschutzbehörde

1.      The first sentence of Article 16(2) TFEU and Article 2(2)(a) 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 an activity cannot be regarded as being outside the scope of Union law and therefore falling outside the scope of that regulation for the sole reason that it is carried out by a committee of inquiry set up by the parliament of a Member State in the exercise of its power of scrutiny over the executive.

2.      Article 2(2)(a) of Regulation 2016/679, read in the light of recital 16 of that regulation,

must be interpreted as meaning that the activities of a committee of inquiry set up by the parliament of a Member State in the exercise of its power of scrutiny over the executive, the purpose of which is to investigate the activities of a police State-protection authority on account of a suspicion of political influence over that authority, cannot, as such, be regarded as activities concerning national security which fall outside the scope of Union law, within the meaning of that provision.

3.      Article 77(1) and Article 55(1) of Regulation 2016/679

must be interpreted as meaning that, where a Member State has chosen, in accordance with Article 51(1) of that regulation, to establish a single supervisory authority, without, however, conferring on it the competence to monitor the application of that regulation by a committee of inquiry set up by that Member State’s parliament in the exercise of its power of scrutiny over the executive, those provisions directly confer on that authority the competence to hear complaints relating to the processing of personal data by that committee of inquiry.

Judgment of the Court

Opinion of Advocate general


C-768/21 (26 September 2024) - Land Hessen 

Article 57(1)(a) and (f), Article 58(2) and Article 77(1) 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 when a breach of personal data has been established, the supervisory authority is not required to exercise a corrective power, in particular the power to impose an administrative fine, under that Article 58(2) where such action is not appropriate, necessary or proportionate to remedy the shortcoming found and to ensure that that regulation is fully enforced.

Opinion of Advocate General 

Judgment of the Court


 C-169/23 (28 November 2024) - Másdi

1.      Article 14(5)(c) 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 exception to the controller’s obligation to provide information to the data subject, laid down in that provision, concerns all personal data, without distinction, that have not been collected by the controller directly from the data subject, whether those data have been obtained by the controller from a person other than the data subject or whether they have been generated by the controller itself, in the performance of its tasks.

2.      Article 14(5)(c) and Article 77(1) of Regulation 2016/679

must be interpreted as meaning that, in a complaint procedure, the supervisory authority is competent to verify whether the Member State law to which the controller is subject provides appropriate measures to protect the data subject’s legitimate interests, for the purposes of the application of the exception laid down in Article 14(5)(c). That verification does not however cover the appropriateness of the measures which the controller is required to implement, under Article 32 of that regulation, in order to guarantee the security of processing of personal data.

Judgment of the Court 
Opinion of Advocate General 


 

Retour au sommaire

Spain

STS 1566/2024, 7 October 2024

Retour au sommaire
Regulation
1e 2e

Art. 77

1.   Without prejudice to any other administrative or judicial remedy, every data subject shall have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority, in particular in the Member State of his or her habitual residence, place of work or place of the alleged infringement if the data subject considers that the processing of personal data relating to him or her infringes this Regulation.

2.   The supervisory authority with which the complaint has been lodged shall inform the complainant on the progress and the outcome of the complaint including the possibility of a judicial remedy pursuant to Article 78.

1st proposal close

Art. 73 

1. Without prejudice to any other administrative or judicial remedy, every data subject shall have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority in any Member State if they consider that the processing of personal data relating to them does not comply with this Regulation.

2. Any body, organisation or association which aims to protect data subjects’ rights and interests concerning the protection of their personal data and has been properly constituted according to the law of a Member State shall have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority in any Member State on behalf of one or more data subjects if it considers that a data subject’s rights under this Regulation have been infringed as a result of the processing of personal data.

3. Independently of a data subject's complaint, any body, organisation or association referred to in paragraph 2 shall have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority in any Member State, if it considers that a personal data breach has occurred.

2nd proposal close

Art. 73

1. Without prejudice to any other administrative or judicial remedy, every data subject shall have the right to lodge a complaint with a single supervisory authority, in particular in the Member State of his or her habitual residence, place of work or place of the alleged infringement, if the data subject considers that the processing of personal data relating to him or her does not comply with this Regulation.

2. (…)

3. (…)

4. (…)

5. The supervisory authority to which the complaint has been lodged shall inform the complainant on the progress and the outcome of the complaint including the possibility of a judicial remedy pursuant to Article 74 (…).

Directive close

Art. 28

(…)

4. Each supervisory authority shall hear claims lodged by any person, or by an association representing that person, concerning the protection of his rights and freedoms in regard to the processing of personal data. The person concerned shall be informed of the outcome of the claim.

Each supervisory authority shall, in particular, hear claims for checks on the lawfulness of data processing lodged by any person when the national provisions adopted pursuant to Article 13 of this Directive apply. The person shall at any rate be informed that a check has taken place.

Disposición adicional vigésima tercera. Modelos de presentación de reclamaciones.

La Agencia Española de Protección de Datos podrá establecer modelos de presentación de reclamaciones ante la misma en todos los ámbitos en los que ésta tenga competencia, que serán de uso obligatorio para los interesados independientemente de que estén obligados o no a relacionarse electrónicamente con las administraciones públicas.

Los modelos serán publicados en el ''Boletín Oficial del Estado'' y en la Sede Electrónica de la Agencia Española de Protección de Datos y serán de obligado cumplimiento al mes de su publicación en el ''Boletín Oficial del Estado''.»

 

Artículo 63. Régimen jurídico.

1. Las disposiciones de este Título serán de aplicación a los procedimientos tramitados por la Agencia Española de Protección de Datos en los supuestos en los que un afectado reclame que no ha sido atendida su solicitud de ejercicio de los derechos reconocidos en los artículos 15 a 22 del Reglamento (UE) 2016/679, así como en los que aquella investigue la existencia de una posible infracción de lo dispuesto en el mencionado reglamento y en la presente ley orgánica.

2. Los procedimientos tramitados por la Agencia Española de Protección de Datos se regirán por lo dispuesto en el Reglamento (UE) 2016/679, en la presente ley orgánica, por las disposiciones reglamentarias dictadas en su desarrollo y, en cuanto no las contradigan, con carácter subsidiario, por las normas generales sobre los procedimientos administrativos.

3. El Gobierno regulará por real decreto los procedimientos que tramite la Agencia Española de Protección de Datos al amparo de este Título, asegurando en todo caso los derechos de defensa y audiencia de los interesados.

 

Artículo 64. Forma de iniciación del procedimiento y duración.

1. Cuando el procedimiento se refiera exclusivamente a la falta de atención de una solicitud de ejercicio de los derechos establecidos en los artículos 15 a 22 del Reglamento (UE) 2016/679 del Parlamento Europeo y del Consejo, de 27 de abril de 2016, se iniciará por acuerdo de admisión a trámite, que se adoptará conforme a lo establecido en el artículo 65 de esta ley orgánica.

En este caso el plazo para resolver el procedimiento será de seis meses a contar desde la fecha en que hubiera sido notificado al reclamante el acuerdo de admisión a trámite. Transcurrido ese plazo, el interesado podrá considerar estimada su reclamación.

2. Cuando el procedimiento tenga por objeto la determinación de la posible existencia de una infracción de lo dispuesto en el Reglamento (UE) 2016/679 del Parlamento Europeo y del Consejo, de 27 de abril de 2016, y en la presente ley orgánica, se iniciará mediante acuerdo de inicio, adoptado por propia iniciativa o como consecuencia de reclamación, que le será notificado al interesado.

Si el procedimiento se fundase en una reclamación formulada ante la Agencia Española de Protección de Datos, con carácter previo, esta decidirá sobre su admisión a trámite, conforme a lo dispuesto en el artículo 65 de esta ley orgánica.

Admitida a trámite la reclamación, así como en los supuestos en que la Agencia Española de Protección de Datos actúe por propia iniciativa, con carácter previo al acuerdo de inicio podrá existir una fase de actuaciones previas de investigación, que se regirá por lo previsto en el artículo 67 de esta ley orgánica.

El procedimiento tendrá una duración máxima de doce meses a contar desde la fecha del acuerdo de inicio. Transcurrido ese plazo se producirá su caducidad y, en consecuencia, el archivo de actuaciones.

3. Cuando así proceda en atención a la naturaleza de los hechos y teniendo debidamente en cuenta los criterios establecidos en el artículo 83.2 del Reglamento (UE) 2016/679 del Parlamento Europeo y del Consejo, de 27 de abril de 2016, la Agencia Española de Protección de Datos, previa audiencia al responsable o encargado del tratamiento, podrá dirigir un apercibimiento, así como ordenar al responsable o encargado del tratamiento que adopten las medidas correctivas encaminadas a poner fin al posible incumplimiento de la legislación de protección de datos de una determinada manera y dentro del plazo especificado.

El procedimiento tendrá una duración máxima de seis meses a contar desde la fecha del acuerdo de inicio. Transcurrido ese plazo se producirá su caducidad y, en consecuencia, el archivo de actuaciones.

Será de aplicación en este caso lo dispuesto en los párrafos segundo y tercero del apartado 2 de este artículo.

4. El procedimiento podrá también tramitarse como consecuencia de la comunicación a la Agencia Española de Protección de Datos por parte de la autoridad de control de otro Estado miembro de la Unión Europea de la reclamación formulada ante la misma, cuando la Agencia Española de Protección de Datos tuviese la condición de autoridad de control principal para la tramitación de un procedimiento conforme a lo dispuesto en los artículos 56 y 60 del Reglamento (UE) 2016/679 del Parlamento Europeo y del Consejo, de 27 de abril de 2016. Será en este caso de aplicación lo dispuesto en los apartados 1, 2 y 3 de este artículo.

5. Los plazos de tramitación establecidos en este artículo así como los de admisión a trámite regulados por el artículo 65.5 y de duración de las actuaciones previas de investigación previstos en el artículo 67.2, quedarán automáticamente suspendidos cuando deba recabarse información, consulta, solicitud de asistencia o pronunciamiento preceptivo de un órgano u organismo de la Unión Europea o de una o varias autoridades de control de los Estados miembros conforme con lo establecido en el Reglamento (UE) 2016/679 del Parlamento Europeo y del Consejo, de 27 de abril de 2016, por el tiempo que medie entre la solicitud y la notificación del pronunciamiento a la Agencia Española de Protección de Datos.

6. El transcurso de los plazos de tramitación a los que se refiere el apartado anterior se podrá suspender, mediante resolución motivada, cuando resulte indispensable recabar información de un órgano jurisdiccional.

 

Artículo 65. Admisión a trámite de las reclamaciones.

1. Cuando se presentase ante la Agencia Española de Protección de Datos una reclamación, esta deberá evaluar su admisibilidad a trámite, de conformidad con las previsiones de este artículo.

2. La Agencia Española de Protección de Datos inadmitirá las reclamaciones presentadas cuando no versen sobre cuestiones de protección de datos personales, carezcan manifiestamente de fundamento, sean abusivas o no aporten indicios racionales de la existencia de una infracción.

3. Igualmente, la Agencia Española de Protección de Datos podrá inadmitir la reclamación cuando el responsable o encargado del tratamiento, previa advertencia formulada por la Agencia Española de Protección de Datos, hubiera adoptado las medidas correctivas encaminadas a poner fin al posible incumplimiento de la legislación de protección de datos y concurra alguna de las siguientes circunstancias:

a) Que no se haya causado perjuicio al afectado en el caso de las infracciones previstas en el artículo 74 de esta ley orgánica.

b) Que el derecho del afectado quede plenamente garantizado mediante la aplicación de las medidas.

4. Antes de resolver sobre la admisión a trámite de la reclamación, la Agencia Española de Protección de Datos podrá remitir la misma al delegado de protección de datos que hubiera, en su caso, designado el responsable o encargado del tratamiento, al organismo de supervisión establecido para la aplicación de los códigos de conducta o al organismo que asuma las funciones de resolución extrajudicial de conflictos a los efectos previstos en los artículos 37 y 38.2 de esta ley orgánica.

La Agencia Española de Protección de Datos podrá igualmente remitir la reclamación al responsable o encargado del tratamiento cuando no se hubiera designado un delegado de protección de datos ni estuviera adherido a mecanismos de resolución extrajudicial de conflictos, en cuyo caso el responsable o encargado deberá dar respuesta a la reclamación en el plazo de un mes.

Si como consecuencia de dichas actuaciones de remisión, el responsable o encargado del tratamiento demuestra haber adoptado medidas para el cumplimiento de la normativa aplicable, la Agencia Española de Protección de Datos podrá inadmitir a trámite la reclamación.

5. La decisión sobre la admisión o inadmisión a trámite, así como la que determine, en su caso, la remisión de la reclamación a la autoridad de control principal que se estime competente, deberá notificarse al reclamante en el plazo de tres meses. Si transcurrido este plazo no se produjera dicha notificación, se entenderá que prosigue la tramitación de la reclamación con arreglo a lo dispuesto en este título a partir de la fecha en que se cumpliesen tres meses desde que la reclamación tuvo entrada en la Agencia Española de Protección de Datos, sin perjuicio de la facultad de la Agencia de archivar posteriormente y de forma expresa la reclamación.

En el supuesto de que la Agencia Española de Protección de Datos actúe como consecuencia de la comunicación que le hubiera sido remitida por la autoridad de control de otro Estado miembro de la Unión Europea, conforme al artículo 64.4 de esta ley orgánica, el cómputo del plazo señalado en el párrafo anterior se iniciará una vez que se reciba en la Agencia toda la documentación necesaria para su tramitación.

Cuando los hechos de una reclamación relativa a la posible existencia en el ámbito competencial de la Agencia, guarden identidad sustancial con los que sean objeto de unas actuaciones previas de investigación o de un procedimiento sancionador ya iniciado, en la notificación de la decisión de admisión a trámite se podrá indicar el número de expediente correspondiente a las actuaciones previas o al procedimiento correspondiente, así como de la dirección web en la que se publicará la resolución que ponga fin al mismo, a efectos de que el reclamante pueda conocer el curso y resultado de la investigación.

6. Tras la admisión a trámite, si el responsable o encargado del tratamiento demuestran haber adoptado medidas para el cumplimiento de la normativa aplicable, la Agencia Española de Protección de Datos podrá resolver el archivo de la reclamación, cuando en el caso concreto concurran circunstancias que aconsejen la adopción de otras soluciones más moderadas o alternativas a la acción correctiva, siempre que no se hayan iniciado actuaciones previas de investigación o alguno de los procedimientos regulados en esta ley orgánica.

 

Artículo 67. Actuaciones previas de investigación.

1. Antes de la adopción del acuerdo de inicio de procedimiento, y una vez admitida a trámite la reclamación si la hubiese, la Agencia Española de Protección de Datos podrá llevar a cabo actuaciones previas de investigación a fin de lograr una mejor determinación de los hechos y las circunstancias que justifican la tramitación del procedimiento.

La Agencia Española de Protección de Datos actuará en todo caso cuando sea precisa la investigación de tratamientos que implique un tráfico masivo de datos personales.

2. Las actuaciones previas de investigación se someterán a lo dispuesto en la sección 2.ª del capítulo I del título VII de esta ley orgánica y no podrán tener una duración superior a dieciocho meses a contar desde la fecha del acuerdo de admisión a trámite o de la fecha del acuerdo por el que se decida su iniciación cuando la Agencia Española de Protección de Datos actúe por propia iniciativa.

 

Artículo 68. Acuerdo de inicio del procedimiento para el ejercicio de la potestad sancionadora.

1. Concluidas, en su caso, las actuaciones a las que se refiere el artículo anterior, corresponderá a la Presidencia de la Agencia Española de Protección de Datos, cuando así proceda, dictar acuerdo de inicio de procedimiento para el ejercicio de la potestad sancionadora, en que se concretarán los hechos, la identificación de la persona o entidad contra la que se dirija el procedimiento, la infracción que hubiera podido cometerse y su posible sanción.

2. Cuando la Agencia Española de Protección de Datos ostente la condición de autoridad de control principal y deba seguirse el procedimiento previsto en el artículo 60 del Reglamento (UE) 2016/679, el proyecto de acuerdo de inicio de procedimiento sancionador se someterá a lo dispuesto en el mismo.

 

Artículo 69. Medidas provisionales y de garantía de los derechos.

1. Durante la realización de las actuaciones previas de investigación o iniciado un procedimiento para el ejercicio de la potestad sancionadora, la Agencia Española de Protección de Datos podrá acordar motivadamente las medidas provisionales necesarias y proporcionadas para salvaguardar el derecho fundamental a la protección de datos y, en especial, las previstas en el artículo 66.1 del Reglamento (UE) 2016/679, el bloqueo cautelar de los datos y la obligación inmediata de atender el derecho solicitado.

2. En los casos en que la Agencia Española de Protección de Datos considere que la continuación del tratamiento de los datos personales, su comunicación o transferencia internacional comportara un menoscabo grave del derecho a la protección de datos personales, podrá ordenar a los responsables o encargados de los tratamientos el bloqueo de los datos y la cesación de su tratamiento y, en caso de incumplirse por estos dichos mandatos, proceder a su inmovilización.

3. Cuando se hubiese presentado ante la Agencia Española de Protección de Datos una reclamación que se refiriese, entre otras cuestiones, a la falta de atención en plazo de los derechos establecidos en los artículos 15 a 22 del Reglamento (UE) 2016/679, la Agencia Española de Protección de Datos podrá acordar en cualquier momento, incluso con anterioridad a la iniciación del procedimiento para el ejercicio de la potestad sancionadora, mediante resolución motivada y previa audiencia del responsable del tratamiento, la obligación de atender el derecho solicitado, prosiguiéndose el procedimiento en cuanto al resto de las cuestiones objeto de la reclamación.

 

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Twenty-third additional provision. Standard forms for the submission of complaints.

The Spanish Data Protection Agency may establish standard forms for the submission of complaints within all areas falling under its competence. Such forms shall be mandatory for data subjects, regardless of whether they are required to interact electronically with public administrations.

These standard forms shall be published in the Official State Gazette and on the electronic headquarters of the Spanish Data Protection Agency and shall become binding one month after their publication in the Official State Gazette.

 

 

Article 63. Legal Regime.

1. The provisions of this Title shall apply to the procedures processed by the Spanish Data Protection Agency in cases in which a data subject claims that his or her request to exercise the rights recognized in Articles 15 to 22 of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 has not been met, as well as in cases in which the Agency investigates the existence of a possible infringement of the provisions of the aforementioned regulation and of this Organic Law.

2. The procedures processed by the Spanish Data Protection Agency shall be governed by the provisions of Regulation (EU) 2016/679, in this Organic Law, by the regulatory provisions issued in its development and, insofar as they do not contradict them, subsidiarily, by the general rules on administrative procedures.

3. The Government shall regulate by Royal Decree the procedures processed by the Spanish Data Protection Agency under this Title, ensuring in all cases the rights of defense and hearing of the interested parties.

 

Article 64. Form of initiation of the procedure and duration.

1. When the procedure refers exclusively to the lack of attention to a request for the exercise of the rights set forth in Articles 15 to 22 of Regulation (EU) 2016/679, it shall be initiated by an agreement to admit for processing, which shall be adopted in accordance with the provisions of Article 65 of this Organic Law.

In this case, the term to resolve the procedure shall be six months from the date on which the claimant was notified of the decision to admit the claim for processing. Once this period has elapsed, the interested party may consider the claim to have been upheld.

2. When the purpose of the procedure is to determine the possible existence of an infringement of the provisions of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 and of this Organic Law, it shall be initiated by an agreement to initiate the procedure adopted on its own initiative or as a result of a complaint.

If the procedure is based on a complaint filed with the Spanish Data Protection Agency, the latter shall decide on its admission for processing, in accordance with the provisions of Article 65 of this Organic Law.

Where the rules set out in Article 60 of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 apply, the procedure shall be initiated by the adoption of the draft agreement of the initiation of the sanctioning procedure, of which the interested party shall be formally notified for the purposes set forth in Article 75 of this Organic Law.

Once the complaint has been admitted for processing, as well as in those cases in which the Spanish Data Protection Agency acts on its own initiative, prior to the initiation agreement, there may be a phase of preliminary investigation proceedings, which shall be governed by the provisions of Article 67 of this Organic Law.

The procedure will have a maximum duration of nine months from the date of the initiation agreement or, as the case may be, of the draft initiation agreement. Once this period has elapsed, the procedure will expire and, consequently, the proceedings will be filed.

3. The procedure may also be processed as a result of the communication to the Spanish Data Protection Agency by the supervisory authority of another Member State of the European Union of the complaint made before the same, when the Spanish Data Protection Agency had the status of lead supervisory authority for the processing of a procedure in accordance with the provisions of Articles 56 and 60 of Regulation (EU) 2016/679. The provisions of paragraph 1 and the first, third, fourth and fifth subparagraphs of paragraph 2 shall apply in this case.

4. The processing periods established in this article as well as those for admission for processing regulated by article 65.5 and the duration of the preliminary investigation proceedings provided for in article 67.2, shall be automatically suspended when information, consultation, request for assistance or mandatory pronouncement of a body or agency of the European Union or of one or more supervisory authorities of the Member States must be sought in accordance with the provisions of Regulation (EU) 2016/679, for the time between the request and the notification of the pronouncement to the Spanish Data Protection Agency.

 

Article 65. Admission of claims.

1. When a complaint is submitted to the Spanish Data Protection Agency, the latter shall evaluate its admissibility for processing, in accordance with the provisions of this article.

2. The Spanish Data Protection Agency will not admit the complaints submitted when they do not deal with personal data protection issues, are manifestly unfounded, are abusive or do not provide rational indications of the existence of an infringement.

3. Likewise, the Spanish Data Protection Agency may reject the claim when the data controller or data processor, following a warning issued by the Spanish Data Protection Agency, has adopted corrective measures aimed at putting an end to the possible breach of data protection legislation and any of the following circumstances apply:

a) That no harm has been caused to the affected party in the case of the infractions provided for in Article 74 of this Organic Law.

b) That the right of the affected party is fully guaranteed by the application of the measures.

4. Before deciding on the admissibility of the complaint, the Spanish Data Protection Agency may refer the same to the data protection officer who had, where appropriate, designated the controller or processor or to the supervisory body established for the implementation of codes of conduct for the purposes provided in Articles 37 and 38.2 of this Organic Law.

 

The Spanish Data Protection Agency may also refer the complaint to the data controller or processor when a data protection officer has not been appointed or has not adhered to out-of-court dispute resolution mechanisms, in which case the controller or processor must respond to the complaint within one month.

5. The decision on the admission or rejection of the claim, as well as the decision determining, if applicable, the referral of the claim to the main supervisory authority deemed competent, shall be notified to the claimant within a period of three months. If this period has elapsed without such notification, it shall be understood that the processing of the complaint continues in accordance with the provisions of this Title as from the date on which three months have elapsed since the complaint was received by the Spanish Data Protection Agency.

 

Article 67. Preliminary investigative actions.

1. Prior to the adoption of the resolution to initiate the procedure, and once the complaint has been admitted for processing, if any, the Spanish Data Protection Agency may carry out preliminary investigation actions in order to achieve a better determination of the facts and circumstances that justify the processing of the procedure.

The Spanish Data Protection Agency will act in any case when it is necessary to investigate processing operations involving massive traffic of personal data.

2. Preliminary investigation proceedings shall be subject to the provisions of Section 2 of Chapter I, Chapter I of Title VII of this Organic Law and may not have a duration of more than one year.

The Spanish Data Protection Agency acts on its own initiative or as a consequence of the communication sent to it by the supervisory authority of another Member State of the European Union, in accordance with Article 64.3 of this Organic Law, when the Spanish Data Protection Agency acts on its own initiative or as a consequence of the communication sent to it by the supervisory authority of another Member State of the European Union.

 

Article 68. Agreement to initiate the procedure for the exercise of the sanctioning power.

1. Once the proceedings referred to in the preceding article have been concluded, where appropriate, the Presidency of the Spanish Data Protection Agency shall be responsible for issuing a resolution to initiate proceedings for the exercise of the sanctioning authority, in which the facts, the identification of the person or entity against whom the proceedings are directed, the infringement that may have been committed and the possible sanction thereof shall be specified.

2. When the Spanish Data Protection Agency holds the status of lead supervisory authority and the procedure provided for in Article 60 of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 must be followed, the draft agreement to initiate the sanctioning procedure shall be subject to the provisions thereof.

 

Article 69. Provisional measures and measures of guarantee of rights.

1. During the performance of the preliminary investigation actions or the initiation of a procedure for the exercise of the sanctioning power, the Spanish Data Protection Agency may agree, with reasons, the necessary and proportionate provisional measures to safeguard the fundamental right to data protection and, in particular, those provided for in Article 66.1 of Regulation (EU) 2016/679, the precautionary blocking of the data and the immediate obligation to comply with the requested right.

2. In cases where the Spanish Data Protection Agency considers that the continued processing of personal data, their communication or international transfer would entail a serious undermining of the right to the protection of personal data, it may order data controllers or processors to block the data and cease their processing and, in the event of non-compliance with such orders, to immobilize them.

3. When a complaint has been filed with the Spanish Data Protection Agency that refers, among other issues, to the failure to comply with the rights established in Articles 15 to 22 of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 in due time, the Spanish Data Protection Agency may agree at any time, even prior to the initiation of the procedure for the exercise of the sanctioning power, by means of a reasoned resolution and after hearing the data controller, the obligation to comply with the right requested, continuing the procedure with respect to the rest of the issues that are the subject of the complaint.

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Organic Law 15/1999 on Personal Data Protection regulated. This law has been repealed by Organic Law 3/2018.

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Art. 31

§ 1er. Sans préjudice de toute action devant les tribunaux et sauf si la loi en dispose autrement, la Commission examine les plaintes signées et dates qui lui sont adressées. Ces plaintes peuvent avoir trait à sa mission de protection de la vie privée à l'égard des traitements de données à caractère personnel ou à d'autres missions qui lui sont confiées par la loi

§ 2. La procédure est réglée par le règlement d'ordre intérieur. Celui-ci prévoit l'exercice d'un droit de défense.

§ 3. La Commission examine la recevabilité de la plainte. Si la plainte est recevable, la Commission accomplit toute mission de médiation qu'elle juge utile. En cas de conciliation des parties, fondée sur le respect de la vie privée, elle dresse un procès-verbal dans lequel la solution retenue est explicitée. En l'absence de conciliation, la Commission émet un avis sur la caractère fondé de la plainte. Son avis peut être accompagné de recommandations à l'intention du (responsable du traitement).

§ 4. Les décisions, avis et recommandations de la Commission sont motivés.

§ 5. La Commission communique sa décision, son avis ou ses recommandations au plaignant, au (responsable du traitement) et à toutes les autres parties à la cause.

Une copie de la décision, de l'avis des recommandations est adressée au Ministre de la Justice.

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