Decision of the Governing Board of Fusion for Energy of 9 December 2019 on internal rules concerning restrictions of certain rights of data subjects in relation to processing of personal data in the framework of the functioning of fusion for energy
Date: 2019-12-09
Institutions: European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy
Subjects: data protection, data transmission, natural person, operation of the Institutions, personal data, protection of privacy




L_2020037EN.01001801.xml










10.2.2020   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


L 37/18








            DECISION OF THE GOVERNING BOARD OF FUSION FOR ENERGY
         
of 9 December 2019
         
on internal rules concerning restrictions of certain rights of data subjects in relation to processing of personal data in the framework of the functioning of fusion for energy


THE GOVERNING BOARD

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,


Having regard to Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2018 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data by the Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 and Decision No 1247/2002/EC (1), and in particular Article 25 thereof,


Having regard to Council Decision 2007/198/Euratom of 27 March 2007 establishing the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy and conferring advantages upon it (2) (hereinafter ‘Fusion for Energy’) in particular Article 6 thereof,


Having regard to the Statutes annexed to the aforementioned Decision in particular Article 10 thereof,


Having regard to the Staff Regulations of Officials and the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Union (‘Staff Regulations’), in particular Article 2(3) and Article 30 of Annex IX thereto,


Having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 883/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 September 2013 concerning investigations conducted by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1073/1999 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Council Regulation (Euratom) No 1074/1999 (3),


Having regard to the Guidance of the European data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) of 18 December 2018 and to its Opinion of 26 July 2019 following the notification for the purpose of Article 41(2) of Regulation (EU) 2018/1725,


After consulting the Staff Committee,

Whereas:







(1)


Fusion for Energy carries out its activities in accordance with the Statutes annexed to the Decision 2007/198/Euratom.












(2)


In accordance with Article 25(1) of Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 restrictions of the application of Articles 14 to 22, 35 and 36, as well as Article 4 of that Regulation in so far as its provisions correspond to the rights and obligations provided for in Articles 14 to 22 should be based on internal rules to be adopted by Fusion for Energy where these are not based on legal acts adopted on the basis of the Treaties.












(3)


These internal rules, including its provisions on the assessment of the necessity and proportionality of a restriction, should not apply where a legal act adopted on the basis of the Treaties provides for a restriction of data subject rights.












(4)


Where Fusion for Energy performs its duties with respect to data subject’s rights under Regulation (EU) 2018/1725, it shall consider whether any of the exemptions laid down in that Regulation apply.












(5)


Within the framework of its administrative functioning, Fusion for Energy may conduct administrative inquiries and disciplinary proceedings in line with the rules laid down in the Staff Regulations.
Fusion for Energy may also carry out in particular preliminary activities related to cases of potential irregularities reported to OLAF, process whistleblowing cases, process (formal and informal) procedures of harassment, process internal and external complaints, process medical data, conduct internal audits, carry out investigations by the Data Protection Officer in line with Article 45(2) of Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 and (IT) security investigations handled internally or with external involvement (e.g. CERT-EU).












(6)


Fusion for Energy processes several categories of personal data, including hard data (‘objective’ data such as identification data, contact data, professional data, administrative details, data received from specific sources, electronic communications and traffic data) and/or soft data (‘subjective’ data related to the case such as reasoning, behavioural data, appraisals, performance and conduct data and data related to or brought forward in connection with the subject matter of the procedure or activity).












(7)


Fusion for Energy, represented by its Director, acts as the data controller irrespective of further delegations of the controller role within Fusion for Energy to reflect operational responsibilities for specific personal data processing operations.












(8)


The personal data are stored securely in an electronic environment or on paper preventing unlawful access or transfer of data to persons who do not have a need to know. The personal data processed are retained for no longer than necessary and appropriate for the purposes for which the data are processed for the period specified in the data protection notices, privacy statements or records of Fusion for Energy.












(9)


The internal rules should also apply to processing operations carried out prior to the opening of the procedures referred to recital 5, during these procedures and during the monitoring of the follow-up to the outcome of these procedures. It should also include assistance and cooperation provided by Fusion for Energy to national authorities and international organisations outside of its administrative investigations.
These internal rules should also apply to activities related to cooperation with, and the transmission of information regarding an administrative inquiry or disciplinary proceedings to EU institutions and bodies. To that effect, Fusion for Energy should consult those institutions, bodies, offices, agencies, authorities or organisations on the relevant grounds for imposing restrictions and on the necessity and proportionality of the restrictions.












(10)


In the cases where these internal rules apply Fusion for Energy has to give justifications explaining why the restrictions are strictly necessary and proportionate in a democratic society and respect the essence of the fundamental rights and freedoms.












(11)


Within this framework Fusion for Energy is bound to respect, to the maximum extent possible, the fundamental rights of the data subjects during the above procedures, in particular, those relating to the right of provision of information, access and rectification, right to erasure, restriction of processing, right of communication of a personal data breach to the data subject or confidentiality of communication as enshrined in Regulation (EU) 2018/1725.












(12)


However, Fusion for Energy may be obliged to restrict the information to data subject and other data subject’s rights to protect, in particular, its own investigations and procedures, the investigations and proceedings of other public authorities, as well as the rights of other persons related to its investigations or other procedures.












(13)


Fusion for Energy may thus restrict the information for the purpose of protecting the investigation and the fundamental rights and freedoms of other data subjects.
Fusion for Energy may in particular defer the information for the purposes to protect its administrative inquiries and disciplinary proceedings, the investigations and proceedings of other public authorities as well as to protect the identity of informants and other persons involved in the procedures, including whistle-blowers and witnesses who should not suffer negative repercussions in relation to their cooperation.
Pursuant to Article 25(8) of Regulation (EU) 2018/1725, the controller may defer, omit or deny from providing information on the reasons for the application of a restriction to the data subject, if the information would cancel the effect of the restriction imposed.












(14)


Fusion for Energy should periodically monitor that the conditions that justify the restriction still exist and lift the restriction when those conditions no longer apply.












(15)


The Controller should inform the Data Protection Officer (“DPO”) at the moment of deferral of information or when other restrictions of data subject rights are applied, and during the revisions,





HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:



Article 1

Subject-matter and scope


1.   This Decision lays down rules relating to the conditions under which Fusion for Energy in the framework of its procedures set out in paragraph 2 may restrict the application of the rights enshrined in Articles 14 to 21, 35 and 36, as well as Article 4 thereof, following Article 25 of the Regulation (EU) 2018/1725.


2.   Within the framework of the administrative functioning of Fusion for Energy this Decision applies to the processing operations on personal data by Fusion for Energy for the purposes of: conducting administrative inquiries and disciplinary proceedings, as well as carrying out preliminary activities related to cases of potential irregularities reported to OLAF, processing whistleblowing cases, processing (formal and informal) procedures of harassment, processing internal and external complaints, processing medical data, conducting internal audits, carrying out investigations by the Data Protection Officer in line with Article 45(2) of Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 and (IT) security investigations handled internally or with external involvement (e.g. CERT-EU).
This Decision should also apply to Fusion for Energy’s activities of assistance and cooperation provided by Fusion for Energy outside of its administrative investigations to national authorities and international organisations.
In addition, this Decision applies to activities related to cooperation with, and the transmission of information regarding an administrative inquiry or disciplinary proceedings to EU institutions and bodies, when such information is necessary for the recipient to evaluate the grounds for opening formal investigation or proceedings.


3.   The categories of data concerned are hard data (‘objective’ data such as identification data, contact data, professional data, administrative details, data received from specific sources, electronic communications and traffic data) and/or soft data (‘subjective’ data related to the case such as reasoning, behavioural data, appraisals, performance and conduct data and data related to or brought forward in connection with the subject matter of the procedure or activity).


4.   Where Fusion for Energy performs its duties with respect to data subject’s rights under Regulation (EU) 2018/1725, it shall consider whether any of the exemptions laid down in that Regulation apply.


5.   Subject to the conditions set out in this Decision, the restrictions may apply to the following rights: provision of information to data subjects, right of access, rectification, erasure, restriction of processing, communication of a personal data breach to the data subject or confidentiality of communication.



Article 2

Specification of the controller and safeguards


1.   The safeguards in place to avoid data breaches, leakages or unauthorised disclosure are the following:






(a)


Paper documents shall be kept in secured cupboards and only accessible to authorised staff;










(b)


All electronic data shall be stored in a secure IT application according to Fusion for Energy’s security standards, as well as in specific electronic folders accessible only to authorised staff. Appropriate levels of access shall be granted individually;










(c)


The database shall be password-protected under a single sign-on system and connected automatically to the user’s ID and password. Replacing users is strictly prohibited. E-records shall be held securely to safeguard the confidentiality and privacy of the data therein;










(d)


All persons having access to the data are bound by the obligation of confidentiality.






2.   The controller of the processing operations is Fusion for Energy, represented by its Director, who may delegate the function of the controller. Data subjects shall be informed of the delegated controller by way of the data protection notices or records published on the website and/or the intranet of Fusion for Energy.


3.   The retention period of the personal data referred to in Article 1(3) shall be no longer than necessary and appropriate for the purposes for which the data are processed. It shall in any event not be longer than the retention period specified in the data protection notices, privacy statements or records referred to in Article 5(1).


4.   Where the Fusion for Energy considers to apply a restriction, the risk to the rights and freedoms of the data subject shall be weighed, in particular, against the risk to the rights and freedoms of other data subjects and the risk of cancelling the effect of Fusion for Energy’s investigations or procedures for example by destroying evidence. The risks to the rights and freedoms of other data subject concern primarily, but are not limited to, reputational risks and risks to the right of defence and the right to be heard.



Article 3

Restrictions


1.   Any restriction shall only be applied by Fusion for Energy to safeguard:






(a)


the prevention, investigation, detection and prosecution of criminal offences or the execution of criminal penalties, including the safeguarding against and the prevention of threats to public security;










(b)


other important objectives of general public interest of the Union or of a Member State, in particular the objectives of the common foreign and security policy of the Union or an important economic or financial interest of the Union or of a Member State, including monetary, budgetary and taxation matters, public health and social security;










(c)


the internal security of Union institutions and bodies, including of their electronic communications networks;










(d)


the protection of judicial independence and judicial proceedings;










(e)


the prevention, investigation, detection and prosecution of breaches of ethics for regulated professions;










(f)


a monitoring, inspection or regulatory function connected, even occasionally, to the exercise of official authority in the cases referred to in points (a) to (c);










(g)


the protection of the data subject or the rights and freedoms of others;










(h)


the enforcement of civil law claims.






2.   As a specific application of the purposes described in paragraph 1 above, Fusion for Energy may apply restrictions in relation to personal data exchanged with Commission services or other Union institutions, bodies, agencies and offices, competent authorities of Member States or third countries or international organisations, in the following circumstances:






(a)


where the exercise of those rights and obligations could be restricted by Commission services or other Union institutions, bodies, agencies and offices on the basis of other acts provided for in Article 25 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 or in accordance with Chapter IX of that Regulation or with the founding acts of other Union institutions, bodies, agencies and offices;










(b)


where the exercise of those rights and obligations could be restricted by competent authorities of Member States on the basis of acts referred to in Article 23 of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council (4), or under national measures transposing Articles 13(3), 15(3) or 16(3) of Directive (EU) 2016/680 of the European Parliament and of the Council (5);










(c)


where the exercise of those rights and obligations could jeopardise Fusion for Energy’s cooperation with third countries or international organisations in the conduct of its tasks.




Before applying restrictions in the circumstances referred to in points (a) and (b) of the first subparagraph, Fusion for Energy shall consult the relevant Commission services, Union institutions, bodies, agencies, offices or the competent authorities of Member States unless it is clear to Fusion for Energy that the application of a restriction is provided for by one of the acts referred to in those points.


3.   Any restriction shall be necessary and proportionate taking into account the risks to the rights and freedoms of data subjects and respect the essence of the fundamental rights and freedoms in a democratic society.


4.   If the application of restriction is considered, a necessity and proportionality test shall be carried out based on the present rules. It shall be documented through an internal assessment note for accountability purposes on a case by case basis.


5.   Restrictions shall be lifted as soon as the circumstances that justify them no longer apply. In particular, where it is considered that the exercise of the restricted right would no longer cancel the effect of the restriction imposed or adversely affect the rights or freedoms of other data subjects.



Article 4

Review by the Data Protection Officer


1.   Fusion for Energy (the controller) shall, without undue delay, inform the Data Protection Officer of Fusion for Energy (‘the DPO’) whenever the controller restricts the application of data subjects’ rights, or extends the restriction, in accordance with this Decision. The controller shall provide the DPO access to the record containing the assessment of the necessity and proportionality of the restriction and document the date of informing the DPO in the record.


2.   The DPO may request the controller in writing to review the application of the restrictions. The controller shall inform the DPO in writing about the outcome of the requested review.


3.   The controller shall inform the DPO when the restriction has been lifted.



Article 5

Provision of information to data subject


1.   In duly justified cases and under the conditions stipulated in this Decision, the right to information may be restricted by the controller in the context of the following processing operations:






(a)


the performance of administrative inquiries and disciplinary proceedings;










(b)


preliminary activities related to cases of potential irregularities reported to OLAF;










(c)


whistleblowing procedures;










(d)


(formal and informal) procedures for cases of harassment;










(e)


processing internal and external complaints;










(f)


internal audits;










(g)


the investigations carried out by the Data Protection Officer in line with Article 45(2) of Regulation (EU) 2018/1725;










(h)


(IT) security investigations handled internally or with external involvement (e.g. CERT-EU).




Fusion for Energy shall include in the data protection notices, privacy statements or records in the sense of Article 31 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1725, published on its website and/or on the intranet informing data subjects of their rights in the framework of a given procedure, information relating to the potential restriction of these rights. The information shall cover which rights may be restricted.


2.   Without prejudice to the provisions of paragraph 3, Fusion for Energy, where proportionate, shall also inform individually all data subjects, which are considered persons concerned in the specific processing operation, of their rights concerning present or future restrictions without undue delay and in a written form.


3.   Where Fusion for Energy restricts, wholly or partly, the provision of information to the data subjects referred to in paragraph 2, it shall record the reasons for the restriction, the legal ground in accordance with Article 3 of this Decision, including an assessment of the necessity and proportionality of the restriction.
The record and, where applicable, the documents containing underlying factual and legal elements shall be registered. They shall be made available to the European Data Protection Supervisor on request.


4.   The restriction referred to in paragraph 3 shall continue to apply as long as the reasons justifying it remain applicable.
Fusion for Energy shall provide information to the data subject on the principal reasons on which the application of a restriction is based. At the same time, Fusion for Energy shall inform the data subject of the right of lodging a complaint with the European Data Protection Supervisor at any time or of seeking a judicial remedy in the Court of Justice of the European Union.
Fusion for Energy shall review the application of the restriction every six months from its adoption and at the closure of the relevant inquiry, procedure or investigation. Thereafter, the controller shall monitor the need to maintain any restriction every six months.



Article 6

Right of access by data subject


1.   In duly justified cases and under the conditions stipulated in this Decision, the right to access may be restricted by the controller in the context of the following processing operations, where necessary and proportionate:






(a)


the performance of administrative inquiries and disciplinary proceedings;










(b)


preliminary activities related to cases of potential irregularities reported to OLAF;










(c)


whistleblowing procedures;










(d)


(formal and informal) procedures for cases of harassment;










(e)


processing internal and external complaints;










(f)


processing medical data, only in specific justified cases (6);










(g)


internal audits;










(h)


the investigations carried out by the Data Protection Officer in line with Article 45(2) of Regulation (EU) 2018/1725;










(i)


(IT) security investigations handled internally or with external involvement (e.g. CERT-EU).




Where data subjects request access to their personal data processed in the context of one or more specific cases or to a particular processing operation, in accordance with Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1725, Fusion for Energy shall limit its assessment of the request to such personal data only.


2.   Where Fusion for Energy restricts, wholly or partly, the right of access, referred to in Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1725, it shall take the following steps:






(a)


it shall inform the data subject concerned, in its reply to the request, of the restriction applied and of the principal reasons thereof, and of the possibility of lodging a complaint with the European Data Protection Supervisor or of seeking a judicial remedy in the Court of Justice of the European Union;










(b)


it shall document in an internal assessment note the reasons for the restriction, including an assessment of the necessity, proportionality of the restriction and its duration.




The provision of information referred to in point (a) may be deferred, omitted or denied if it would cancel the effect of the restriction in accordance with Article 25(8) of Regulation (EU) 2018/1725.
Fusion for Energy shall review the application of the restriction every six months from its adoption and at the closure of the relevant inquiry, procedure or investigation. Thereafter, the controller shall monitor the need to maintain any restriction every six months.


3.   The record and, where applicable, the documents containing underlying factual and legal elements shall be registered. They shall be made available to the European Data Protection Supervisor on request.



Article 7

Right of rectification, erasure and restriction of processing


1.   In duly justified cases and under the conditions stipulated in this Decision, the right to rectification, erasure and restriction may be restricted by the controller in the context of the following processing operations, where necessary and appropriate:






(a)


the performance of administrative inquiries and disciplinary proceedings;










(b)


preliminary activities related to cases of potential irregularities reported to OLAF;










(c)


whistleblowing procedures;










(d)


(formal and informal) procedures for cases of harassment;










(e)


processing internal and external complaints;










(f)


processing medical data, only in specific justified cases (7);










(g)


internal audits;










(h)


the investigations carried out by the Data Protection Officer in line with Article 45(2) of Regulation (EU) 2018/1725;










(i)


(IT) security investigations handled internally or with external involvement (e.g. CERT-EU).






2.   Where Fusion for Energy restricts, wholly or partly, the application of the right to rectification, erasure and restriction of processing referred to in Articles 18, 19(1) and 20(1) of Regulation (EU) 2018/1725, Article 6(2) and (3) of this Decision shall apply.



Article 8

Communication of a personal data breach to the data subject and confidentiality of electronic communications


1.   In duly justified cases and under the conditions stipulated in this Decision, the right to the communication of a personal data breach may be restricted by the controller in the context of the following processing operations, where necessary and appropriate:






(a)


the performance of administrative inquiries and disciplinary proceedings;










(b)


preliminary activities related to cases of potential irregularities reported to OLAF;










(c)


whistleblowing procedures;










(d)


(formal and informal) procedures for cases of harassment;










(e)


processing internal and external complaints;










(f)


internal audits;










(g)


the investigations carried out by the Data Protection Officer in line with Article 45(2) of Regulation (EU) 2018/1725;










(h)


(IT) security investigations handled internally or with external involvement (e.g. CERT-EU).






2.   In duly justified cases and under the conditions stipulated in this Decision, the right to confidentiality of electronic communications may be restricted by the controller in the context of the following processing operations, where necessary and appropriate:






(a)


the performance of administrative inquiries and disciplinary proceedings;










(b)


preliminary activities related to cases of potential irregularities reported to OLAF;










(c)


whistleblowing procedures;










(d)


formal procedures for cases of harassment;










(e)


processing internal and external complaints;










(f)


(IT) security investigations handled internally or with external involvement (e.g. CERT-EU).






3.   Where Fusion for Energy restricts the communication of a personal data breach to the data subject or the confidentiality of electronic communications referred to in Articles 35 and 36 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1725, Article 5(3) and (4) of this Decision shall apply.



Article 9

Entry into force

This Decision shall enter into force on the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.




Done at Barcelona, 9 December 2019.


For Fusion for Energy

Joaquín SÁNCHEZ
            

Chair of the Governing Board






(1)  
            OJ L 295, 21.11.2018, p. 39.

(2)  
            OJ L 90, 30.3.2007, p. 58.

(3)  
            OJ L 248, 18.9.2013, p. 1.

(4)  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) (OJ L 119, 4.5.2016, p. 1).

(5)  Directive (EU) 2016/680 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 by competent authorities for the purposes of the prevention, investigation, detection or prosecution of criminal offences or the execution of criminal penalties, and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Council Framework Decision 2008/977/JHA (OJ L 119, 4.5.2016, p. 89).

(6)  Those situations are explained in the respective Privacy Notice (e.g.accessing the medical file in presence of the F4E medical doctor) a general restriction on the access to personal notes of doctors within the framework of the invalidity procedure along the lines on the restriction provided for in Art 25 (1) (h) of the new Regulation (ie, the protection of the data subject or the rights and freedoms of others).

(7)  Those situations are explained in the respective Privacy Notice (e.g rectification is limited to administrative data).