Data Processing Agreement
This Data Processing Agreement (“DPA”) and its Annexes reflects the parties’ agreement with respect to the processing and Security of Personal Data on the Company’s behalf in connection with EC-Council Services provided to the Company under Terms of Service available at www.eccouncil.org and the related Services agreement between Company and EC-Council, along with any annexures, appendices, order forms etc, or for any other services provided by EC-Council pursuant to a formal agreement between EC-Council and Company, (also referred collectively referred to in this DPA as the “Principal Agreement”).
This DPA is supplemental to and forms an integral part of the Principal Agreement. In case of any conflict or inconsistency with the terms of the Agreement, this DPA will take precedence over the terms of the Agreement to the extent of such conflict or inconsistency.
This DPA is subject to Data Protection Laws of the appropriate jurisdiction, including the State of California, the European Union, the European Economic Area and/or its member states, Switzerland and/or the United Kingdom. The parties agree to comply with the terms and conditions in this DPA in connection with such Personal Data.
The term of this DPA will follow the term of the Agreement. Terms not otherwise defined in this DPA will have the meaning as set forth in the Agreement.
The parties shall be collectively referred as “Parties”, the Company shall be generally referred as “Company” and EC-Council shall be generally referred as “EC-Council.
1. Definitions
- “Applicable Law” means all applicable laws and regulations relating to the privacy, confidentiality, security and protection of Personal Data, including, without limitation: the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, 2000 (“PIPEDA”); the UK Data Protection Act 2018 the GDPR as it forms part of United Kingdom law by virtue of section 3 of the United Kingdom’s European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, and as amended by the Data Protection, Privacy and Electronic Communications (Amendments etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (SI 2019/419) (the “UK GDPR”); the Swiss Federal Act on Data Protection; the European Union (“EU”) General Data Protection Regulation 2016/679 (“GDPR”) as applied, supplemented, modified and/or replaced from time to time by the laws of the United Kingdom, Switzerland and/or the relevant member state of the European Union and European Economic Area (as the case may be); EU Directive 2002/58/EC on Privacy and Electronic Communications (“e-Privacy Directive”); the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 and any regulations promulgated thereunder, as amended from time to time (“the CCPA”); and any other directly applicable laws or regulation relating to privacy and data rights of natural persons having effect or enacted in the United States, Switzerland, United Kingdom, the European Economic Area, and/or the European Union or a relevant state or member state thereof (as the case may be), or anywhere else in the world, in each of the foregoing instances, as applicable to the Processing of Personal Data by Processor.
- “Company” shall mean to include any partnership, corporation, consortium, association, firm or any body corporate whether incorporated or not.
- “Company Personal Data” means any Personal Data processed by EC-Council on behalf of Company pursuant to or in connection with the Principal Agreement;
- “Contracted Processor” means a Sub-processor;
- “Data Protection Laws” means EU Data Protection Laws and, to the extent applicable, the applicable data protection or privacy laws of any other country;
- “Data Transfer” means:
- (a) a transfer of Company’s Personal Data from the Company to EC-Council ; or
- (b) an onward transfer of Company’s Personal Data from a EC-Council to a Subcontracted Processor, or between two establishments of EC-Council,
in each case, where such transfer would be prohibited by Data Protection Laws (or by the terms of data transfer agreements put in place to address the data transfer restrictions of Data Protection Laws);
- “EEA” means the European Economic Area;
- “EU Data Protection Laws” means EU Directive 95/46/EC, as transposed into domestic legislation of each Member State and as amended, replaced or superseded from time to time, including by the GDPR and laws implementing or supplementing the GDPR.
- “Europe” means the European Union, the European Economic Area and/or their member states, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
- “European Data” means Personal Data that is subject to the protection of European Data Protection Laws.
- “GDPR” means EU General Data Protection Regulation 2016/679;
- “Instruction” means the written, documented instructions issued by a Controller to a Processor, and directing the same to perform a specific or general action with regard to Personal Data (including, but not limited to, depersonalizing, blocking, deletion, making available).
- “Personal Data” means any information relating to an identified or identifiable individual where (i) such information is contained within Company’s Data; and (ii) is protected similarly as personal data, personal information or personally identifiable information under Applicable Laws
- “Personal Data Breach” a breach of security leading to the accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorized disclosure of, or access to, Personal Data transmitted, stored or otherwise Processed. “Personal Data Breach” will not include unsuccessful attempts or activities that do not compromise the security of Personal Data, including unsuccessful log-in attempts, pings, port scans, denial of service attacks, and other network attacks on firewalls or networked systems.
- “Platform” shall have the meaning set forth in the specific Terms of Service for any EC-Council Service and where not defined therein shall mean EC-Council’s platform through which EC-Council provides the Service availed by the Company.
- “Service(s) ” means the services provided by EC-Council to the Company under the Principal Agreement.
- “Sub-Processor” means any person appointed by or on behalf of Processor to process Personal Data on behalf of the Controller in connection with the Principal Agreement.
- The terms, “Commission”, “Data Controller”, “Data Subject”, “Data Processor” “Member State”, “Processing” and “Supervisory Authority” shall have the same meaning as in the GDPR, and their cognate terms shall be construed accordingly.
2. Data Processing
- Scope and Roles. This DPA applies only when Company’s Personal Data is processed by EC-Council, under the Principal Agreement. Company and EC-Council agree that Company is the Data Controller of Company Personal Data and EC-Council is the Data Processor of such data, except when Company acts as a Data Processor of Personal Data, in which case EC-Council is a Sub-processor. Where the Parties are acting as independent Controllers, then each Party shall act as an independent Data Controller and not as Joint Controller.
- Legitimacy of Processing. The Company is responsible for ensuring a valid legal basis for processing the Company Personal Data.
- Compliance with Law. Each party agrees it will comply with its obligations under the Applicable Laws relating to any Company Personal Data it processes under or in relation to this Agreement. Without prejudice to the foregoing, EC-Council will not process Company’s Personal Data in a manner that will, or is likely to, result in the Data Controller breaching its obligations under the Data Protection Law. EC-Council will promptly inform the Company if any of the Company’s Instruction(s) infringes Applicable Law.
3. Company’s Responsibilities:
- Company Personal Data. In particular but without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, Company acknowledges and agrees that Company shall be solely responsible for: (i) the accuracy, quality, and legality of Company Personal Data and the means by such data is acquired; (ii) complying with all necessary transparency and lawfulness requirements under Applicable Laws for the collection and use of the Company Personal Data, including obtaining any necessary consents and authorizations; (iii) ensuring Company has the right to transfer, or provide access to, the Company Personal Data to EC-Council for Processing in accordance with the terms of the Principal Agreement (including this DPA); (iv) ensuring that Company’s Instructions to EC-Council regarding the Processing of Company Personal Data comply with applicable laws, including Data Protection Laws; (v) making an independent determination as to whether the technical and organizational measures for Services meet Company’s requirements, including any of its security obligations under applicable data protection requirements. Company acknowledges and agrees that (taking into account the state of the art, the costs of implementation, and the nature, scope, context and purposes of the processing of Company Personal Data as well as the risks to individuals) the security practices and policies implemented and maintained by EC-Council provide a level of security appropriate to the risk with respect to such data. The Company is responsible for implementing and maintaining privacy protections and security measures for components that Company provides or controls. The Company shall inform EC-Council without undue delay if Company is not able to comply with their responsibilities under this DPA or Applicable Laws.
- Company’s Instructions. The Parties agree that the Principal Agreement and this DPA, together with Company’s use of the Service in accordance with the Principal Agreement, constitute the Company’s complete Instructions to EC-Council in relation to the Processing of Company Personal Data. The Company may provide additional Instructions as long as additional Instructions, during the term of the Principal Agreement, are consistent with the Principal Agreement, this DPA, and lawful use of the Service under applicable laws. In any instance where the GDPR applies and Company is a Processor, Company warrants to EC-Council that Company’s instructions, including appointment of EC-Council as a processor or Sub-processor, have been authorized by the relevant Controller.
- Security. The Company is responsible for independently determining whether the data security provided for in the Service adequately meets Company’s obligations under Applicable Laws. Company is also responsible for the Company’s secure use of the Service, including protecting the security of Company Personal Data in transit to and from the Service (including to securely backup or encrypt any such Company Personal Data).
4. EC-Council’s Obligations
- Compliance with Instructions. EC-Council will only Process Company Personal Data for the purposes described in this DPA or as otherwise agreed within the scope of the Company’s lawful Instructions, except where and to the extent otherwise required by Applicable Law.
- Conflict of Laws. If EC-Council becomes aware of any situation where it cannot Process Company Personal Data in accordance with the Company’s Instructions due to a legal requirement under any applicable law, EC-Council will (i) act promptly as per notification provided by Company of that legal requirement to the extent permitted by the applicable law; and (ii) where necessary, cease all Processing (other than merely storing and maintaining the security of the affected Personal Data) until such time as the Company issues new Instructions with which EC-Council is able to comply. If this provision is invoked, EC-Council shall not be liable to the Company under the Principal Agreement for any failure to perform the applicable Services until such time as the Company issues new lawful Instructions with regard to the Processing.
- Limits on Updates. When Company renews an existing membership to a Service or subscribes to a new Service, the then-current DPA Terms will apply and will not change during Company’s membership for that Service.
- New Features, Supplements, or Related Software. Notwithstanding the foregoing limits on updates, when EC-Council introduces features, offerings, supplements, or related Services that are new (i.e., that were not previously included with the Service offering), EC-Council may provide terms or make updates to this DPA that apply to Company’s use of those new features, offerings, supplements, or related Service. If those terms include any material adverse changes to the DPA Terms, EC-Council may provide the Company a choice to use the new features, offerings, supplements, or related Service, without loss of existing functionality of a generally available Service. If the Company does not use the new features, offerings, supplements, or related Service, the corresponding new terms will not apply.
- Government Regulation and Requirements. Notwithstanding the foregoing limits on updates, EC-Council may modify or terminate a Service in any country or jurisdiction where there is any current or future government requirement or obligation that (i) subjects EC-Council to any regulation or requirement not generally applicable to businesses operating there, (ii) presents a hardship for EC-Council to continue offering the Service without modification, and/or iii) causes EC-Council to believe the DPA or the Service may conflict with any such requirement or obligation. EC-Council may amend the terms of this DPA where required to comply with Data Protection Requirements and to reflect any changes in the applicable Data Protection Requirements, so long as any such revisions continue to ensure the protection of Personal Data processed by EC-Council in the course of providing the Service to the Company.
5. Details of Data Processing
- Subject matter. The subject matter of the data processing under this DPA is Company’s Personal Data. The processing activities that EC-Council shall carry out are strictly limited to those necessary to fulfil the scope of the Principal Agreement signed by the parties or for the provisioning of Services provided by EC-Council.
- Duration. As between the parties, the duration of the data processing under this DPA shall be for the duration of the Services.
- Purpose. The purpose of the data processing under this DPA is the provision of the Services.
- Nature of the processing. EC-Council will process Company Personal data as per EC-Council’s Privacy Policy and Applicable Laws.
- Categories of data subjects. The data subjects could include Company’s customers, employees, suppliers, partners, end users or any individual whose Personal Data is provided to EC-Council by Company for processing.
6. Processor Personnel
7. Security
- Taking into account the state of the art, the costs of implementation and the nature, scope, context and purposes of processing as well as the risk of varying likelihood and severity for the rights and freedoms of natural persons, EC-Council shall, in relation to the Company Personal Data, implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to ensure a level of security appropriate to that risk, including, as appropriate, the measures referred to in Article 32(1) of the GDPR, to the extent required by Applicable Laws. EC-Council periodically monitors the internal processes and the technical and organizational measures to ensure that processing activities pertaining to it are carried out in accordance with the requirements of Applicable Law and the protection of Data Subjects’ rights.
- In assessing the appropriate level of security, EC-Council will take into account the risks that are presented by processing, from a Personal Data Breach.
8. Sub-processing
The Company agrees that EC-Council may engage Sub-Processors to Process Company Personal Data on Company’s behalf. Company may write to EC-Council at [email protected] to know about EC-Council’s Sub Processor(s). Where EC-Council engages Sub-Processors, adequate data protection terms are imposed on the Sub-Processors which provides the same level of protection for Personal Data as those in this DPA , to the extent applicable to the nature of the services provided by such Sub-Processors. To the extent required by Applicable Laws, EC-Council will remain responsible for each Sub-Processor’s compliance with the obligations of this DPA and for any acts or omissions of such Sub-Processor that causes EC-Council to breach any of its obligations under this DPA.
9. Data Subject Rights
- Taking into account the nature of the Processing, EC-Council shall assist the Company by implementing appropriate technical and organizational measures, insofar as this is possible, for the fulfilment of EC-Council’s obligations, as reasonably understood by EC-Council, to respond to requests to exercise Data Subject rights under the Applicable Laws.
- EC-Council shall:
- promptly notify the Company of receipt of a request from a Data Subject under any Applicable Law in respect of Company Personal Data; and
- ensure that EC-Council does not respond to that request except on the instructions of Company or as required by Applicable Laws, in which case EC-Council shall to the extent permitted by Applicable Laws and shall inform Company of the legal requirement before responding to the request.
10. Personal Data Breach
- EC-Council shall notify Company without undue delay of a Personal Data Breach affecting Company Personal Data and shall provide sufficient information to allow the Company to meet any obligations to report or inform Data Subjects of such Personal Data Breach under the Applicable Laws.
- EC-Council shall co-operate with the Company and shall take reasonable commercial steps to assist in the investigation, mitigation, and remediation of such Personal Data Breach.
11. Data Protection Impact Assessment and Prior Consultation
12. Deletion or return of Company’s Personal Data
- Subject to this section, EC-Council shall promptly and in any event within thirty (30) business days of the receipt of request from the Company delete and procure the deletion of all copies of Company Personal Data. However, EC-Council may not be able to provide certain services upon deletion of such data, including records of certification.
- EC-Council shall upon request provide written confirmation to Company that it has complied with this section within thirty (30) business days from the date of deletion.
13. Audit rights
- Subject to Section 13.2, EC-Council may make available to the Company, on Company’s expense and request, information necessary to demonstrate compliance with this Agreement, solely in relation to the Processing of the Company Personal Data by EC-Council.
- Information and audit rights of the Company only arise under Section 13.1 to the extent that the Principal Agreement does not otherwise give them information and audit rights meeting the relevant requirements of Applicable Law. The Company shall request such information only upon providing prior written notice of thirty (30) days. Provided further still that EC-Council shall be obliged to provide only such information as shall be mutually agreed between the parties.
14. Data Transfer
15. General Terms
- Confidentiality. Each Party must keep this agreement and information it receives about the other Party and its business in connection with this Agreement (“Confidential Information”) confidential and must not use or disclose that Confidential Information without the prior written consent of the other Party except to the extent that:
- (a) disclosure is required by law;
- (b) the relevant information is already in the public domain.
- Notices. All notices and communications given under this Agreement must be in writing and will be delivered personally, sent by post or sent by email to the address or email address set out in the heading of this Agreement at such other address as notified from time to time by the Parties changing address. For EC-Council, all notices must be sent on [email protected].
- Amendment. No amendment, change or suspension of this Data Processing Agreement shall be valid unless agreed upon in writing between Company and the Processor and unless this Data Processing Agreement is expressly referred to.
- Independent Parties. Company and Service Provider are independent parties and the processing activities with respect to Processor under this Data Processing Agreement are solely the responsibility of Processor for their services.
- Governing law. Ireland
Annexure A
Documentation of Data Protection Measures
Annexure B
Standard Contractual Clauses
Module I (Controller to Controller)
SECTION I
Purpose and scope
- The purpose of these standard contractual clauses is to ensure compliance with the requirements 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 (General Data Protection Regulation) for the transfer of personal data to a third country.
- The Parties:
- the natural or legal person(s), public authority/ies, agency/ies or other body/ies (hereinafter “entity/ies”) transferring the personal data, as listed in Annex I.A. (hereinafter each “data exporter”), and
- the entity/ies in a third country receiving the personal data from the data exporter, directly or indirectly via another entity also Party to these Clauses, as listed in Annex I.A. (hereinafter each “data importer”)
- The Appendix to these Clauses containing the Annexes referred to therein forms an integral part of these Clauses.
- The Appendix to these Clauses containing the Annexes referred to therein forms an integral part of these Clauses.
Effect and invariability of the Clauses
- These Clauses set out appropriate safeguards, including enforceable data subject rights and effective legal remedies, pursuant to Article 46(1) and Article 46 (2)(c) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 and, with respect to data transfers from controllers to processors and/or processors to processors, standard contractual clauses pursuant to Article 28(7) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679, provided they are not modified, except to select the appropriate Module(s) or to add or update information in the Appendix. This does not prevent the Parties from including the standard contractual clauses laid down in these Clauses in a wider contract and/or to add other clauses or additional safeguards, provided that they do not contradict, directly or indirectly, these Clauses or prejudice the fundamental rights or freedoms of data subjects.
- These Clauses are without prejudice to obligations to which the data exporter is subject by virtue of Regulation (EU) 2016/679.
Third-party beneficiaries
- (a) Data subjects may invoke and enforce these Clauses, as third-party beneficiaries, against the data exporter and/or data importer, with the following exceptions:
- (i) Clause 1, Clause 2, Clause 3, Clause 6, Clause 7;
- (ii) Clause 8 – Module One: Clause 8.5 (e) and Clause 8.9(b); Module Two: Clause 8.1(b), 8.9(a), (c), (d) and (e); Module Three: Clause 8.1(a), (c) and (d) and Clause 8.9(a), (c), (d), (e), (f) and (g); Module Four: Clause 8.1 (b) and Clause 8.3(b);
- (iii) Clause 9 – Module Two: Clause 9(a), (c), (d) and (e); Module Three: Clause 9(a), (c), (d) and (e);
- (iv) Clause 12 – Module One: Clause 12(a) and (d); Modules Two and Three: Clause 12(a), (d) and (f);
- (v) Clause 13;
- (vi) Clause 15.1(c), (d) and (e);
- (vii) Clause 16(e);
- (viii) Clause 18 – Modules One, Two and Three: Clause 18(a) and (b); Module Four: Clause 18.
- (b) Paragraph (a) is without prejudice to rights of data subjects under Regulation (EU) 2016/679.
Interpretation
- Where these Clauses use terms that are defined in Regulation (EU) 2016/679, those terms shall have the same meaning as in that Regulation.
- These Clauses shall be read and interpreted in the light of the provisions of Regulation (EU) 2016/679.
- These Clauses shall not be interpreted in a way that conflicts with rights and obligations provided for in Regulation (EU) 2016/679.
Hierarchy
Description of the transfer(s)
Docking clause
- An entity that is not a Party to these Clauses may, with the agreement of the Parties, accede to these Clauses at any time, either as a data exporter or as a data importer, by completing the Appendix and signing Annex I.A.
- Once it has completed the Appendix and signed Annex I.A, the acceding entity shall become a Party to these Clauses and have the rights and obligations of a data exporter or data importer in accordance with its designation in Annex I.A.
- The acceding entity shall have no rights or obligations arising under these Clauses from the period prior to becoming a Party.
SECTION II – OBLIGATIONS OF THE PARTIES
Data protection safeguards
8.1 Purpose limitation
- where it has obtained the data subject’s prior consent;
- where necessary for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims in the context of specific administrative, regulatory or judicial proceedings; or
- where necessary in order to protect the vital interests of the data subject or of another natural person.
8.2 Transparency
- In order to enable data subjects to effectively exercise their rights pursuant to Clause 10, the data importer shall inform them, either directly or through the data exporter:
- of its identity and contact details;
- of the categories of personal data processed;
- of the right to obtain a copy of these Clauses;
- where it intends to onward transfer the personal data to any third party/ies, of the recipient or categories of recipients (as appropriate with a view to providing meaningful information), the purpose of such onward transfer and the ground therefore pursuant to Clause 8.7.
- Paragraph (a) shall not apply where the data subject already has the information, including when such information has already been provided by the data exporter, or providing the information proves impossible or would involve a disproportionate effort for the data importer. In the latter case, the data importer shall, to the extent possible, make the information publicly available.
- On request, the Parties shall make a copy of these Clauses, including the Appendix as completed by them, available to the data subject free of charge. To the extent necessary to protect business secrets or other confidential information, including personal data, the Parties may redact part of the text of the Appendix prior to sharing a copy, but shall provide a meaningful summary where the data subject would otherwise not be able to understand its content or exercise his/her rights. On request, the Parties shall provide the data subject with the reasons for the redactions, to the extent possible without revealing the redacted information.
- Paragraphs (a) to (c) are without prejudice to the obligations of the data exporter under Articles 13 and 14 of Regulation (EU) 2016/679.
8.3 Accuracy and data minimisation
- Each Party shall ensure that the personal data is accurate and, where necessary, kept up to date. The data importer shall take every reasonable step to ensure that personal data that is inaccurate, having regard to the purpose(s) of processing, is erased or rectified without delay.
- If one of the Parties becomes aware that the personal data it has transferred or received is inaccurate, or has become outdated, it shall inform the other Party without undue delay.
- The data importer shall ensure that the personal data is adequate, relevant and limited to what is necessary in relation to the purpose(s) of processing.
8.4 Storage limitation
8.5 Security of processing
- The data importer and, during transmission, also the data exporter shall implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to ensure the security of the personal data, including protection against a breach of security leading to accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorised disclosure or access (hereinafter “personal data breach”). In assessing the appropriate level of security, they shall take due account of the state of the art, the costs of implementation, the nature, scope, context and purpose(s) of processing and the risks involved in the processing for the data subject. The Parties shall in particular consider having recourse to encryption or pseudonymisation, including during transmission, where the purpose of processing can be fulfilled in that manner.
- The Parties have agreed on the technical and organisational measures set out in Annex II. The data importer shall carry out regular checks to ensure that these measures continue to provide an appropriate level of security.
- The data importer shall ensure that persons authorised to process the personal data have committed themselves to confidentiality or are under an appropriate statutory obligation of confidentiality.
- In the event of a personal data breach concerning personal data processed by the data importer under these Clauses, the data importer shall take appropriate measures to address the personal data breach, including measures to mitigate its possible adverse effects.
- In case of a personal data breach that is likely to result in a risk to the rights and freedoms of natural persons, the data importer shall without undue delay notify both the data exporter and the competent supervisory authority pursuant to Clause 13. Such notification shall contain i) a description of the nature of the breach (including, where possible, categories and approximate number of data subjects and personal data records concerned), ii) its likely consequences, iii) the measures taken or proposed to address the breach, and iv) the details of a contact point from whom more information can be obtained. To the extent it is not possible for the data importer to provide all the information at the same time, it may do so in phases without undue further delay.
- In case of a personal data breach that is likely to result in a high risk to the rights and freedoms of natural persons, the data importer shall also notify without undue delay the data subjects concerned of the personal data breach and its nature, if necessary in cooperation with the data exporter, together with the information referred to in paragraph (e), points ii) to iv), unless the data importer has implemented measures to significantly reduce the risk to the rights or freedoms of natural persons, or notification would involve disproportionate efforts. In the latter case, the data importer shall instead issue a public communication or take a similar measure to inform the public of the personal data breach.
- The data importer shall document all relevant facts relating to the personal data breach, including its effects and any remedial action taken, and keep a record thereof.
8.6 Sensitive data
8.7 Onward transfers
- it is to a country benefitting from an adequacy decision pursuant to Article 45 of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 that covers the onward transfer;
- the third party otherwise ensures appropriate safeguards pursuant to Articles 46 or 47 of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 with respect to the processing in question;
- the third party enters into a binding instrument with the data importer ensuring the same level of data protection as under these Clauses, and the data importer provides a copy of these safeguards to the data exporter;
- it is necessary for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims in the context of specific administrative, regulatory or judicial proceedings;
- it is necessary in order to protect the vital interests of the data subject or of another natural person; or
- where none of the other conditions apply, the data importer has obtained the explicit consent of the data subject for an onward transfer in a specific situation, after having informed him/her of its purpose(s), the identity of the recipient and the possible risks of such transfer to him/her due to the lack of appropriate data protection safeguards. In this case, the data importer shall inform the data exporter and, at the request of the latter, shall transmit to it a copy of the information provided to the data subject.
8.8 Processing under the authority of the data importer
8.9 Documentation and compliance
- Each Party shall be able to demonstrate compliance with its obligations under these Clauses. In particular, the data importer shall keep appropriate documentation of the processing activities carried out under its responsibility.
- The data importer shall make such documentation available to the competent supervisory authority on request.
Sub-Processor Controller to Controller- Not Applicable
Data subject rights
MODULE ONE: Transfer controller to controller
- The data importer, where relevant with the assistance of the data exporter, shall deal with any enquiries and requests it receives from a data subject relating to the processing of his/her personal data and the exercise of his/her rights under these Clauses without undue delay and at the latest within one month of the receipt of the enquiry or request. The data importer shall take appropriate measures to facilitate such enquiries, requests and the exercise of data subject rights. Any information provided to the data subject shall be in an intelligible and easily accessible form, using clear and plain language.
- In particular, upon request by the data subject the data importer shall, free of charge :
- provide confirmation to the data subject as to whether personal data concerning him/her is being processed and, where this is the case, a copy of the data relating to him/her and the information in Annex I; if personal data has been or will be onward transferred, provide information on recipients or categories of recipients (as appropriate with a view to providing meaningful information) to which the personal data has been or will be onward transferred, the purpose of such onward transfers and their ground pursuant to Clause 8.7; and provide information on the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority in accordance with Clause 12(c)(i);
- rectify inaccurate or incomplete data concerning the data subject;
- erase personal data concerning the data subject if such data is being or has been processed in violation of any of these Clauses ensuring third-party beneficiary rights, or if the data subject withdraws the consent on which the processing is based.
- Where the data importer processes the personal data for direct marketing purposes, it shall cease processing for such purposes if the data subject objects to it.
- The data importer shall not make a decision based solely on the automated processing of the personal data transferred (hereinafter “automated decision”), which would produce legal effects concerning the data subject or similarly significantly affect him / her, unless with the explicit consent of the data subject or if authorised to do so under the laws of the country of destination, provided that such laws lays down suitable measures to safeguard the data subject’s rights and legitimate interests. In this case, the data importer shall, where necessary in cooperation with the data exporter:
- inform the data subject about the envisaged automated decision, the envisaged consequences and the logic involved; and
- implement suitable safeguards, at least by enabling the data subject to contest the decision, express his/her point of view and obtain review by a human being.
- Where requests from a data subject are excessive, in particular because of their repetitive character, the data importer may either charge a reasonable fee taking into account the administrative costs of granting the request or refuse to act on the request.
- The data importer may refuse a data subject’s request if such refusal is allowed under the laws of the country of destination and is necessary and proportionate in a democratic society to protect one of the objectives listed in Article 23(1) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679.
Redress
- The data importer shall inform data subjects in a transparent and easily accessible format, through individual notice or on its website, of a contact point authorised to handle complaints. It shall deal promptly with any complaints it receives from a data subject.
[OPTION: The data importer agrees that data subjects may also lodge a complaint with an independent dispute resolution body at no cost to the data subject. It shall inform the data subjects, in the manner set out in paragraph (a), of such redress mechanism and that they are not required to use it, or follow a particular sequence in seeking redress.] - In case of a dispute between a data subject and one of the Parties as regards compliance with these Clauses, that Party shall use its best efforts to resolve the issue amicably in a timely fashion. The Parties shall keep each other informed about such disputes and, where appropriate, cooperate in resolving them.
- Where the data subject invokes a third-party beneficiary right pursuant to Clause 3, the data importer shall accept the decision of the data subject to:
- lodge a complaint with the supervisory authority in the Member State of his/her habitual residence or place of work, or the competent supervisory authority pursuant to Clause 13;
- refer the dispute to the competent courts within the meaning of Clause 18.
- The Parties accept that the data subject may be represented by a not-for-profit body, organisation or association under the conditions set out in Article 80(1) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679.
- The data importer shall abide by a decision that is binding under the applicable EU or Member State law.
- The data importer agrees that the choice made by the data subject will not prejudice his/her substantive and procedural rights to seek remedies in accordance with applicable laws.
Liability
- Each Party shall be liable to the other Party/ies for any damages it causes the other Party/ies by any breach of these Clauses.
- Each Party shall be liable to the data subject, and the data subject shall be entitled to receive compensation, for any material or non-material damages that the Party causes the data subject by breaching the third-party beneficiary rights under these Clauses. This is without prejudice to the liability of the data exporter under Regulation (EU) 2016/679.
- Where more than one Party is responsible for any damage caused to the data subject as a result of a breach of these Clauses, all responsible Parties shall be jointly and severally liable and the data subject is entitled to bring an action in court against any of these Parties.
- The Parties agree that if one Party is held liable under paragraph (c), it shall be entitled to claim back from the other Party/ies that part of the compensation corresponding to its / their responsibility for the damage.
- The data importer may not invoke the conduct of a processor or sub-processor to avoid its own liability.
Supervision
- [Where the data exporter is established in an EU Member State:] The supervisory authority with responsibility for ensuring compliance by the data exporter with Regulation (EU) 2016/679 as regards the data transfer, as indicated in Annex I.C, shall act as competent supervisory authority.
[Where the data exporter is not established in an EU Member State, but falls within the territorial scope of application of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 in accordance with its Article 3(2) and has appointed a representative pursuant to Article 27(1) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679:] The supervisory authority of the Member State in which the representative within the meaning of Article 27(1) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 is established, as indicated in Annex I.C, shall act as competent supervisory authority.
[Where the data exporter is not established in an EU Member State, but falls within the territorial scope of application of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 in accordance with its Article 3(2) without however having to appoint a representative pursuant to Article 27(2) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679:] The supervisory authority of one of the Member States in which the data subjects whose personal data is transferred under these Clauses in relation to the offering of goods or services to them, or whose behaviour is monitored, are located, as indicated in Annex I.C, shall act as competent supervisory authority. - The data importer agrees to submit itself to the jurisdiction of and cooperate with the competent supervisory authority in any procedures aimed at ensuring compliance with these Clauses. In particular, the data importer agrees to respond to enquiries, submit to audits and comply with the measures adopted by the supervisory authority, including remedial and compensatory measures. It shall provide the supervisory authority with written confirmation that the necessary actions have been taken.
SECTION III – LOCAL LAWS AND OBLIGATIONS IN CASE OF ACCESS BY PUBLIC AUTHORITIES
Local laws and practices affecting compliance with the Clauses
- The Parties warrant that they have no reason to believe that the laws and practices in the third country of destination applicable to the processing of the personal data by the data importer, including any requirements to disclose personal data or measures authorising access by public authorities, prevent the data importer from fulfilling its obligations under these Clauses. This is based on the understanding that laws and practices that respect the essence of the fundamental rights and freedoms and do not exceed what is necessary and proportionate in a democratic society to safeguard one of the objectives listed in Article 23(1) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679, are not in contradiction with these Clauses.
- The Parties declare that in providing the warranty in paragraph (a), they have taken due account in particular of the following elements:
- the specific circumstances of the transfer, including the length of the processing chain, the number of actors involved and the transmission channels used; intended onward transfers; the type of recipient; the purpose of processing; the categories and format of the transferred personal data; the economic sector in which the transfer occurs; the storage location of the data transferred;
- the laws and practices of the third country of destination– including those requiring the disclosure of data to public authorities or authorising access by such authorities – relevant in light of the specific circumstances of the transfer, and the applicable limitations and safeguards ;
- any relevant contractual, technical or organisational safeguards put in place to supplement the safeguards under these Clauses, including measures applied during transmission and to the processing of the personal data in the country of destination.
- The data importer warrants that, in carrying out the assessment under paragraph (b), it has made its best efforts to provide the data exporter with relevant information and agrees that it will continue to cooperate with the data exporter in ensuring compliance with these Clauses.
- The Parties agree to document the assessment under paragraph (b) and make it available to the competent supervisory authority on request.
- The data importer agrees to notify the data exporter promptly if, after having agreed to these Clauses and for the duration of the contract, it has reason to believe that it is or has become subject to laws or practices not in line with the requirements under paragraph (a), including following a change in the laws of the third country or a measure (such as a disclosure request) indicating an application of such laws in practice that is not in line with the requirements in paragraph (a). [For Module Three: The data exporter shall forward the notification to the controller.]
- Following a notification pursuant to paragraph (e), or if the data exporter otherwise has reason to believe that the data importer can no longer fulfil its obligations under these Clauses, the data exporter shall promptly identify appropriate measures (e.g. technical or organisational measures to ensure security and confidentiality) to be adopted by the data exporter and/or data importer to address the situation [for Module Three: , if appropriate in consultation with the controller]. The data exporter shall suspend the data transfer if it considers that no appropriate safeguards for such transfer can be ensured, or if instructed by [for Module Three: the controller or] the competent supervisory authority to do so. In this case, the data exporter shall be entitled to terminate the contract, insofar as it concerns the processing of personal data under these Clauses. If the contract involves more than two Parties, the data exporter may exercise this right to termination only with respect to the relevant Party, unless the Parties have agreed otherwise. Where the contract is terminated pursuant to this Clause, Clause 16(d) and (e) shall apply.
Obligations of the data importer in case of access by public authorities
15.1 Notification
- The data importer agrees to notify the data exporter and, where possible, the data subject promptly (if necessary with the help of the data exporter) if it:
- receives a legally binding request from a public authority, including judicial authorities, under the laws of the country of destination for the disclosure of personal data transferred pursuant to these Clauses; such notification shall include information about the personal data requested, the requesting authority, the legal basis for the request and the response provided; or
- becomes aware of any direct access by public authorities to personal data transferred pursuant to these Clauses in accordance with the laws of the country of destination; such notification shall include all information available to the importer.
- If the data importer is prohibited from notifying the data exporter and/or the data subject under the laws of the country of destination, the data importer agrees to use its best efforts to obtain a waiver of the prohibition, with a view to communicating as much information as possible, as soon as possible. The data importer agrees to document its best efforts in order to be able to demonstrate them on request of the data exporter.
- Where permissible under the laws of the country of destination, the data importer agrees to provide the data exporter, at regular intervals for the duration of the contract, with as much relevant information as possible on the requests received (in particular, number of requests, type of data requested, requesting authority/ies, whether requests have been challenged and the outcome of such challenges, etc.). [For Module Three: The data exporter shall forward the information to the controller.]
- The data importer agrees to preserve the information pursuant to paragraphs (a) to (c) for the duration of the contract and make it available to the competent supervisory authority on request.
- Paragraphs (a) to (c) are without prejudice to the obligation of the data importer pursuant to Clause 14(e) and Clause 16 to inform the data exporter promptly where it is unable to comply with these Clauses.
15.2 Review of legality and data minimisation
- The data importer agrees to review the legality of the request for disclosure, in particular whether it remains within the powers granted to the requesting public authority, and to challenge the request if, after careful assessment, it concludes that there are reasonable grounds to consider that the request is unlawful under the laws of the country of destination, applicable obligations under international law and principles of international comity. The data importer shall, under the same conditions, pursue possibilities of appeal. When challenging a request, the data importer shall seek interim measures with a view to suspending the effects of the request until the competent judicial authority has decided on its merits. It shall not disclose the personal data requested until required to do so under the applicable procedural rules. These requirements are without prejudice to the obligations of the data importer under Clause 14(e).
- The data importer agrees to document its legal assessment and any challenge to the request for disclosure and, to the extent permissible under the laws of the country of destination, make the documentation available to the data exporter. It shall also make it available to the competent supervisory authority on request.
- The data importer agrees to provide the minimum amount of information permissible when responding to a request for disclosure, based on a reasonable interpretation of the request.
SECTION IV – FINAL PROVISIONS
Non-compliance with the Clauses and termination
- The data importer shall promptly inform the data exporter if it is unable to comply with these Clauses, for whatever reason.
- In the event that the data importer is in breach of these Clauses or unable to comply with these Clauses, the data exporter shall suspend the transfer of personal data to the data importer until compliance is again ensured or the contract is terminated. This is without prejudice to Clause 14(f).
- The data exporter shall be entitled to terminate the contract, insofar as it concerns the processing of personal data under these Clauses, where:
- the data exporter has suspended the transfer of personal data to the data importer pursuant to paragraph (b) and compliance with these Clauses is not restored within a reasonable time and in any event within one month of suspension;
- the data importer is in substantial or persistent breach of these Clauses; or
- the data importer fails to comply with a binding decision of a competent court or supervisory authority regarding its obligations under these Clauses.
- [For Modules One, Two and Three: Personal data that has been transferred prior to the termination of the contract pursuant to paragraph (c) shall at the choice of the data exporter immediately be returned to the data exporter or deleted in its entirety. The same shall apply to any copies of the data.] [For Module Four: Personal data collected by the data exporter in the EU that has been transferred prior to the termination of the contract pursuant to paragraph (c) shall immediately be deleted in its entirety, including any copy thereof.] The data importer shall certify the deletion of the data to the data exporter. Until the data is deleted or returned, the data importer shall continue to ensure compliance with these Clauses. In case of local laws applicable to the data importer that prohibit the return or deletion of the transferred personal data, the data importer warrants that it will continue to ensure compliance with these Clauses and will only process the data to the extent and for as long as required under that local law.
- Either Party may revoke its agreement to be bound by these Clauses where (i) the European Commission adopts a decision pursuant to Article 45(3) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 that covers the transfer of personal data to which these Clauses apply; or (ii) Regulation (EU) 2016/679 becomes part of the legal framework of the country to which the personal data is transferred. This is without prejudice to other obligations applying to the processing in question under Regulation (EU) 2016/679.
Governing law
Choice of forum and jurisdiction
- Any dispute arising from these Clauses shall be resolved by the courts of an EU Member State.
- The Parties agree that those shall be the courts of Ireland.
- A data subject may also bring legal proceedings against the data exporter and/or data importer before the courts of the Member State in which he/she has his/her habitual residence.
- The Parties agree to submit themselves to the jurisdiction of such courts.
Module II (Controller to Processor)
SECTION I
Purpose and scope
- The purpose of these standard contractual clauses is to ensure compliance with the requirements 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 (General Data Protection Regulation) for the transfer of personal data to a third country.
- The Parties:
- the natural or legal person(s), public authority/ies, agency/ies or other body/ies (hereinafter “entity/ies”) transferring the personal data, as listed in Annex I.A. (hereinafter each “data exporter”), and
- the entity/ies in a third country receiving the personal data from the data exporter, directly or indirectly via another entity also Party to these Clauses, as listed in Annex I.A. (hereinafter each “data importer”)
- These Clauses apply with respect to the transfer of personal data as specified in Annex I.B.
- The Appendix to these Clauses containing the Annexes referred to therein forms an integral part of these Clauses.
Effect and invariability of the Clauses
- These Clauses set out appropriate safeguards, including enforceable data subject rights and effective legal remedies, pursuant to Article 46(1) and Article 46 (2)(c) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 and, with respect to data transfers from controllers to processors and/or processors to processors, standard contractual clauses pursuant to Article 28(7) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679, provided they are not modified, except to select the appropriate Module(s) or to add or update information in the Appendix. This does not prevent the Parties from including the standard contractual clauses laid down in these Clauses in a wider contract and/or to add other clauses or additional safeguards, provided that they do not contradict, directly or indirectly, these Clauses or prejudice the fundamental rights or freedoms of data subjects
- These Clauses are without prejudice to obligations to which the data exporter is subject by virtue of Regulation (EU) 2016/679.
Third-party beneficiaries
- Data subjects may invoke and enforce these Clauses, as third-party beneficiaries, against the data exporter and/or data importer, with the following exceptions:
- Clause 1, Clause 2, Clause 3, Clause 6, Clause 7;
- Clause 8 – Module One: Clause 8.5 (e) and Clause 8.9(b); Module Two: Clause 8.1(b), 8.9(a), (c), (d) and (e); Module Three: Clause 8.1(a), (c) and (d) and Clause 8.9(a), (c), (d), (e), (f) and (g); Module Four: Clause 8.1 (b) and Clause 8.3(b);
- Clause 9 – Module Two: Clause 9(a), (c), (d) and (e); Module Three: Clause 9(a), (c), (d) and (e);
- Clause 12 – Module One: Clause 12(a) and (d); Modules Two and Three: Clause 12(a), (d) and (f);
- Clause 13;
- Clause 15.1(c), (d) and (e);
- Clause 16(e);
- (viii) Clause 18 – Modules One, Two and Three: Clause 18(a) and (b); Module Four: Clause 18.
- Paragraph (a) is without prejudice to rights of data subjects under Regulation (EU) 2016/679.
Interpretation
- Where these Clauses use terms that are defined in Regulation (EU) 2016/679, those terms shall have the same meaning as in that Regulation.
- These Clauses shall be read and interpreted in the light of the provisions of Regulation (EU) 2016/679.
- These Clauses shall not be interpreted in a way that conflicts with rights and obligations provided for in Regulation (EU) 2016/679.
Hierarchy
Description of the transfer(s)
Docking clause
- An entity that is not a Party to these Clauses may, with the agreement of the Parties, accede to these Clauses at any time, either as a data exporter or as a data importer, by completing the Appendix and signing Annex I.A.
- Once it has completed the Appendix and signed Annex I.A, the acceding entity shall become a Party to these Clauses and have the rights and obligations of a data exporter or data importer in accordance with its designation in Annex I.A.
- The acceding entity shall have no rights or obligations arising under these Clauses from the period prior to becoming a Party.
SECTION II – OBLIGATIONS OF THE PARTIES
Data protection safeguards
8.1 Instructions
- The data exporter has informed the data importer that it acts as processor under the instructions of its controller(s), which the data exporter shall make available to the data importer prior to processing.
- The data importer shall process the personal data only on documented instructions from the controller, as communicated to the data importer by the data exporter, and any additional documented instructions from the data exporter. Such additional instructions shall not conflict with the instructions from the controller. The controller or data exporter may give further documented instructions regarding the data processing throughout the duration of the contract.
- The data importer shall immediately inform the data exporter if it is unable to follow those instructions. Where the data importer is unable to follow the instructions from the controller, the data exporter shall immediately notify the controller.
- The data exporter warrants that it has imposed the same data protection obligations on the data importer as set out in the contract or other legal act under Union or Member State law between the controller and the data exporter12 .
8.2 Purpose limitation
8.3 Transparency
8.4 Accuracy
8.5 Duration of processing and erasure or return of data
8.6 Security of processing
- The data importer and, during transmission, also the data exporter shall implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to ensure the security of the data, including protection against a breach of security leading to accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorised disclosure or access to that data (hereinafter “personal data breach”). In assessing the appropriate level of security, the Parties shall take due account of the state of the art, the costs of implementation, the nature, scope, context and purpose(s) of processing and the risks involved in the processing for the data subjects. The Parties shall in particular consider having recourse to encryption or pseudonymisation, including during transmission, where the purpose of processing can be fulfilled in that manner. In case of pseudonymisation, the additional information for attributing the personal data to a specific data subject shall, where possible, remain under the exclusive control of the data exporter. In complying with its obligations under this paragraph, the data importer shall at least implement the technical and organisational measures specified in Annex II. The data importer shall carry out regular checks to ensure that these measures continue to provide an appropriate level of security.
- The data importer shall grant access to the personal data to members of its personnel only to the extent strictly necessary for the implementation, management and monitoring of the contract. It shall ensure that persons authorised to process the personal data have committed themselves to confidentiality or are under an appropriate statutory obligation of confidentiality.
- In the event of a personal data breach concerning personal data processed by the data importer under these Clauses, the data importer shall take appropriate measures to address the breach, including measures to mitigate its adverse effects. The data importer shall also notify the data exporter without undue delay after having become aware of the breach. Such notification shall contain the details of a contact point where more information can be obtained, a description of the nature of the breach (including, where possible, categories and approximate number of data subjects and personal data records concerned), its likely consequences and the measures taken or proposed to address the breach including, where appropriate, measures to mitigate its possible adverse effects. Where, and in so far as, it is not possible to provide all information at the same time, the initial notification shall contain the information then available and further information shall, as it becomes available, subsequently be provided without undue delay.
- The data importer shall cooperate with and assist the data exporter to enable the data exporter to comply with its obligations under Regulation (EU) 2016/679, in particular to notify the competent supervisory authority and the affected data subjects, taking into account the nature of processing and the information available to the data importer.
8.7 Sensitive data
8.8 Onward transfers
- the onward transfer is to a country benefitting from an adequacy decision pursuant to Article 45 of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 that covers the onward transfer;
- the third party otherwise ensures appropriate safeguards pursuant to Articles 46 or 47 of Regulation (EU) 2016/679;
- the onward transfer is necessary for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims in the context of specific administrative, regulatory or judicial proceedings; or
- the onward transfer is necessary in order to protect the vital interests of the data subject or of another natural person.
Any onward transfer is subject to compliance by the data importer with all the other safeguards under these Clauses, in particular purpose limitation.
8.9 Documentation and compliance
- The data importer shall promptly and adequately deal with enquiries from the data exporter or the controller that relate to the processing under these Clauses.
- The Parties shall be able to demonstrate compliance with these Clauses. In particular, the data importer shall keep appropriate documentation on the processing activities carried out on behalf of the controller.
- The data importer shall make all information necessary to demonstrate compliance with the obligations set out in these Clauses available to the data exporter, which shall provide it to the controller
- The data importer shall allow for and contribute to audits by the data exporter of the processing activities covered by these Clauses, at reasonable intervals or if there are indications of non-compliance. The same shall apply where the data exporter requests an audit on instructions of the controller. In deciding on an audit, the data exporter may take into account relevant certifications held by the data importer.
- Where the audit is carried out on the instructions of the controller, the data exporter shall make the results available to the controller.
- The data exporter may choose to conduct the audit by itself or mandate an independent auditor. Audits may include inspections at the premises or physical facilities of the data importer and shall, where appropriate, be carried out with reasonable notice.
- The Parties shall make the information referred to in paragraphs (b) and (c), including the results of any audits, available to the competent supervisory authority on request.
Use of sub-processors
- The data importer has the data exporter’s general authorisation for the engagement of sub-processor(s) from an agreed list. The data importer shall specifically inform the data exporter in writing of any intended changes to that list through the addition or replacement of sub-processors at least thirty (30) days in advance, thereby giving the data exporter sufficient time to be able to object to such changes prior to the engagement of the sub-processor(s). The data importer shall provide the data exporter with the information necessary to enable the data exporter to exercise its right to object.
- Where the data importer engages a sub-processor to carry out specific processing activities (on behalf of the controller), it shall do so by way of a written contract that provides for, in substance, the same data protection obligations as those binding the data importer under these Clauses, including in terms of third-party beneficiary rights for data subjects. The Parties agree that, by complying with this Clause, the data importer fulfils its obligations under Clause 8.8. The data importer shall ensure that the sub-processor complies with the obligations to which the data importer is subject pursuant to these Clauses.
- The data importer shall provide, at the data exporter’s or controller’s request, a copy of such a sub-processor agreement and any subsequent amendments. To the extent necessary to protect business secrets or other confidential information, including personal data, the data importer may redact the text of the agreement prior to sharing a copy.
- The data importer shall remain fully responsible to the data exporter for the performance of the sub-processor’s obligations under its contract with the data importer. The data importer shall notify the data exporter of any failure by the sub-processor to fulfil its obligations under that contract.
- The data importer shall agree a third-party beneficiary clause with the sub-processor whereby – in the event the data importer has factually disappeared, ceased to exist in law or has become insolvent – the data exporter shall have the right to terminate the sub-processor contract and to instruct the sub-processor to erase or return the personal data.
Data subject rights
- The data importer shall promptly notify the data exporter and, where appropriate, the controller of any request it has received from a data subject, without responding to that request unless it has been authorised to do so by the controller.
- The data importer shall assist, where appropriate in cooperation with the data exporter, the controller in fulfilling its obligations to respond to data subjects’ requests for the exercise of their rights under Regulation (EU) 2016/679 or Regulation (EU) 2018/1725, as applicable. In this regard, the Parties shall set out in Annex II the appropriate technical and organisational measures, taking into account the nature of the processing, by which the assistance shall be provided, as well as the scope and the extent of the assistance required.
- In fulfilling its obligations under paragraphs (a) and (b), the data importer shall comply with the instructions from the controller, as communicated by the data exporter.
Redress
- The data importer shall inform data subjects in a transparent and easily accessible format, through individual notice or on its website, of a contact point authorised to handle complaints. It shall deal promptly with any complaints it receives from a data subject.
- In case of a dispute between a data subject and one of the Parties as regards compliance with these Clauses, that Party shall use its best efforts to resolve the issue amicably in a timely fashion. The Parties shall keep each other informed about such disputes and, where appropriate, cooperate in resolving them
- Where the data subject invokes a third-party beneficiary right pursuant to Clause 3, the data importer shall accept the decision of the data subject to:
- lodge a complaint with the supervisory authority in the Member State of his/her habitual residence or place of work, or the competent supervisory authority pursuant to Clause 13;
- refer the dispute to the competent courts within the meaning of Clause 18.
- The Parties accept that the data subject may be represented by a not-for-profit body, organisation or association under the conditions set out in Article 80(1) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679.
- The data importer shall abide by a decision that is binding under the applicable EU or Member State law.
- The data importer agrees that the choice made by the data subject will not prejudice his/her substantive and procedural rights to seek remedies in accordance with applicable laws.
Liability
- Each Party shall be liable to the other Party/ies for any damages it causes the other Party/ies by any breach of these Clauses.
- The data importer shall be liable to the data subject, and the data subject shall be entitled to receive compensation, for any material or non-material damages the data importer or its sub-processor causes the data subject by breaching the third-party beneficiary rights under these Clauses.
- (Notwithstanding paragraph (b), the data exporter shall be liable to the data subject, and the data subject shall be entitled to receive compensation, for any material or non-material damages the data exporter or the data importer (or its sub-processor) causes the data subject by breaching the third-party beneficiary rights under these Clauses. This is without prejudice to the liability of the data exporter and, where the data exporter is a processor acting on behalf of a controller, to the liability of the controller under Regulation (EU) 2016/679 or Regulation (EU) 2018/1725, as applicable.
- The Parties agree that if the data exporter is held liable under paragraph (c) for damages caused by the data importer (or its sub-processor), it shall be entitled to claim back from the data importer that part of the compensation corresponding to the data importer’s responsibility for the damage.
- Where more than one Party is responsible for any damage caused to the data subject as a result of a breach of these Clauses, all responsible Parties shall be jointly and severally liable and the data subject is entitled to bring an action in court against any of these Parties.
- The Parties agree that if one Party is held liable under paragraph (e), it shall be entitled to claim back from the other Party/ies that part of the compensation corresponding to its / their responsibility for the damage.
- The data importer may not invoke the conduct of a sub-processor to avoid its own liability.
Supervision
- [Where the data exporter is established in an EU Member State:] The supervisory authority with responsibility for ensuring compliance by the data exporter with Regulation (EU) 2016/679 as regards the data transfer, as indicated in Annex I.C, shall act as competent supervisory authority.
[Where the data exporter is not established in an EU Member State, but falls within the territorial scope of application of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 in accordance with its Article 3(2) and has appointed a representative pursuant to Article 27(1) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679:] The supervisory authority of the Member State in which the representative within the meaning of Article 27(1) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 is established, as indicated in Annex I.C, shall act as competent supervisory authority. [Where the data exporter is not established in an EU Member State, but falls within the territorial scope of application of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 in accordance with its Article 3(2) without however having to appoint a representative pursuant to Article 27(2) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679:] The supervisory authority of one of the Member States in which the data subjects whose personal data is transferred under these Clauses in relation to the offering of goods or services to them, or whose behaviour is monitored, are located, as indicated in Annex I.C, shall act as competent supervisory authority. - The data importer agrees to submit itself to the jurisdiction of and cooperate with the competent supervisory authority in any procedures aimed at ensuring compliance with these Clauses. In particular, the data importer agrees to respond to enquiries, submit to audits and comply with the measures adopted by the supervisory authority, including remedial and compensatory measures. It shall provide the supervisory authority with written confirmation that the necessary actions have been taken.
SECTION III – LOCAL LAWS AND OBLIGATIONS IN CASE OF ACCESS BY PUBLIC AUTHORITIES
Local laws and practices affecting compliance with the Clauses
MODULE THREE: Transfer processor to processor
- The Parties warrant that they have no reason to believe that the laws and practices in the third country of destination applicable to the processing of the personal data by the data importer, including any requirements to disclose personal data or measures authorising access by public authorities, prevent the data importer from fulfilling its obligations under these Clauses. This is based on the understanding that laws and practices that respect the essence of the fundamental rights and freedoms and do not exceed what is necessary and proportionate in a democratic society to safeguard one of the objectives listed in Article 23(1) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679, are not in contradiction with these Clauses.
- The Parties declare that in providing the warranty in paragraph (a), they have taken due account in particular of the following elements:
- the specific circumstances of the transfer, including the length of the processing chain, the number of actors involved and the transmission channels used; intended onward transfers; the type of recipient; the purpose of processing; the categories and format of the transferred personal data; the economic sector in which the transfer occurs; the storage location of the data transferred;
- the laws and practices of the third country of destination– including those requiring the disclosure of data to public authorities or authorising access by such authorities – relevant in light of the specific circumstances of the transfer, and the applicable limitations and safeguards15 ;
- any relevant contractual, technical or organisational safeguards put in place to supplement the safeguards under these Clauses, including measures applied during transmission and to the processing of the personal data in the country of destination.
- The data importer warrants that, in carrying out the assessment under paragraph (b), it has made its best efforts to provide the data exporter with relevant information and agrees that it will continue to cooperate with the data exporter in ensuring compliance with these Clauses.
- The Parties agree to document the assessment under paragraph (b) and make it available to the competent supervisory authority on request.
- The data importer agrees to notify the data exporter promptly if, after having agreed to these Clauses and for the duration of the contract, it has reason to believe that it is or has become subject to laws or practices not in line with the requirements under paragraph (a), including following a change in the laws of the third country or a measure (such as a disclosure request) indicating an application of such laws in practice that is not in line with the requirements in paragraph (a). [For Module Three: The data exporter shall forward the notification to the controller.]
- Following a notification pursuant to paragraph (e), or if the data exporter otherwise has reason to believe that the data importer can no longer fulfil its obligations under these Clauses, the data exporter shall promptly identify appropriate measures (e.g. technical or organisational measures to ensure security and confidentiality) to be adopted by the data exporter and/or data importer to address the situation [for Module Three: , if appropriate in consultation with the controller]. The data exporter shall suspend the data transfer if it considers that no appropriate safeguards for such transfer can be ensured, or if instructed by [for Module Three: the controller or] the competent supervisory authority to do so. In this case, the data exporter shall be entitled to terminate the contract, insofar as it concerns the processing of personal data under these Clauses. If the contract involves more than two Parties, the data exporter may exercise this right to termination only with respect to the relevant Party, unless the Parties have agreed otherwise. Where the contract is terminated pursuant to this Clause, Clause 16(d) and (e) shall apply.
Obligations of the data importer in case of access by public authorities
15.1 Notification
- The data importer agrees to notify the data exporter and, where possible, the data subject promptly (if necessary with the help of the data exporter) if it:
- receives a legally binding request from a public authority, including judicial authorities, under the laws of the country of destination for the disclosure of personal data transferred pursuant to these Clauses; such notification shall include information about the personal data requested, the requesting authority, the legal basis for the request and the response provided; or
- becomes aware of any direct access by public authorities to personal data transferred pursuant to these Clauses in accordance with the laws of the country of destination; such notification shall include all information available to the importer.
- If the data importer is prohibited from notifying the data exporter and/or the data subject under the laws of the country of destination, the data importer agrees to use its best efforts to obtain a waiver of the prohibition, with a view to communicating as much information as possible, as soon as possible. The data importer agrees to document its best efforts in order to be able to demonstrate them on request of the data exporter.
- Where permissible under the laws of the country of destination, the data importer agrees to provide the data exporter, at regular intervals for the duration of the contract, with as much relevant information as possible on the requests received (in particular, number of requests, type of data requested, requesting authority/ies, whether requests have been challenged and the outcome of such challenges, etc.). [For Module Three: The data exporter shall forward the information to the controller.]
- The data importer agrees to preserve the information pursuant to paragraphs (a) to (c) for the duration of the contract and make it available to the competent supervisory authority on request.
- Paragraphs (a) to (c) are without prejudice to the obligation of the data importer pursuant to Clause 14(e) and Clause 16 to inform the data exporter promptly where it is unable to comply with these Clauses.
15.2 Review of legality and data minimisation
- The data importer agrees to review the legality of the request for disclosure, in particular whether it remains within the powers granted to the requesting public authority, and to challenge the request if, after careful assessment, it concludes that there are reasonable grounds to consider that the request is unlawful under the laws of the country of destination, applicable obligations under international law and principles of international comity. The data importer shall, under the same conditions, pursue possibilities of appeal. When challenging a request, the data importer shall seek interim measures with a view to suspending the effects of the request until the competent judicial authority has decided on its merits. It shall not disclose the personal data requested until required to do so under the applicable procedural rules. These requirements are without prejudice to the obligations of the data importer under Clause 14(e).
- The data importer agrees to document its legal assessment and any challenge to the request for disclosure and, to the extent permissible under the laws of the country of destination, make the documentation available to the data exporter. It shall also make it available to the competent supervisory authority on request. [For Module Three: The data exporter shall make the assessment available to the controller.]
- The data importer agrees to provide the minimum amount of information permissible when responding to a request for disclosure, based on a reasonable interpretation of the request.
Non-compliance with the Clauses and termination
- The data importer shall promptly inform the data exporter if it is unable to comply with these Clauses, for whatever reason.
- In the event that the data importer is in breach of these Clauses or unable to comply with these Clauses, the data exporter shall suspend the transfer of personal data to the data importer until compliance is again ensured or the contract is terminated. This is without prejudice to Clause 14(f).
- The data exporter shall be entitled to terminate the contract, insofar as it concerns the processing of personal data under these Clauses, where:
- the data exporter has suspended the transfer of personal data to the data importer pursuant to paragraph (b) and compliance with these Clauses is not restored within a reasonable time and in any event within one month of suspension;
- the data importer is in substantial or persistent breach of these Clauses; or
- the data importer fails to comply with a binding decision of a competent court or supervisory authority regarding its obligations under these Clauses.
In these cases, it shall inform the competent supervisory authority [for Module Three: and the controller] of such non-compliance. Where the contract involves more than two Parties, the data exporter may exercise this right to termination only with respect to the relevant Party, unless the Parties have agreed otherwise.
- [For Modules One, Two and Three: Personal data that has been transferred prior to the termination of the contract pursuant to paragraph (c) shall at the choice of the data exporter immediately be returned to the data exporter or deleted in its entirety. The same shall apply to any copies of the data.] [For Module Four: Personal data collected by the data exporter in the EU that has been transferred prior to the termination of the contract pursuant to paragraph (c) shall immediately be deleted in its entirety, including any copy thereof.] The data importer shall certify the deletion of the data to the data exporter. Until the data is deleted or returned, the data importer shall continue to ensure compliance with these Clauses. In case of local laws applicable to the data importer that prohibit the return or deletion of the transferred personal data, the data importer warrants that it will continue to ensure compliance with these Clauses and will only process the data to the extent and for as long as required under that local law.
- Either Party may revoke its agreement to be bound by these Clauses where (i) the European Commission adopts a decision pursuant to Article 45(3) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 that covers the transfer of personal data to which these Clauses apply; or (ii) Regulation (EU) 2016/679 becomes part of the legal framework of the country to which the personal data is transferred. This is without prejudice to other obligations applying to the processing in question under Regulation (EU) 2016/679.
Governing law
Choice of forum and jurisdiction
- Any dispute arising from these Clauses shall be resolved by the courts of an EU Member State.
- The Parties agree that those shall be the courts of Ireland.
- A data subject may also bring legal proceedings against the data exporter and/or data importer before the courts of the Member State in which he/she has his/her habitual residence.
- The Parties agree to submit themselves to the jurisdiction of such courts.
Module III (Processor to Processor)
SECTION I
Purpose and scope
- The purpose of these standard contractual clauses is to ensure compliance with the requirements 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 (General Data Protection Regulation) for the transfer of personal data to a third country.
- The Parties:
- the natural or legal person(s), public authority/ies, agency/ies or other body/ies (hereinafter “entity/ies”) transferring the personal data, as listed in Annex I.A. (hereinafter each “data exporter”), and
- the entity/ies in a third country receiving the personal data from the data exporter, directly or indirectly via another entity also Party to these Clauses, as listed in Annex I.A. (hereinafter each “data importer”)
have agreed to these standard contractual clauses (hereinafter: “Clauses”).
- These Clauses apply with respect to the transfer of personal data as specified in Annex I.B.
- The Appendix to these Clauses containing the Annexes referred to therein forms an integral part of these Clauses.
Effect and invariability of the Clauses
- These Clauses set out appropriate safeguards, including enforceable data subject rights and effective legal remedies, pursuant to Article 46(1) and Article 46 (2)(c) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 and, with respect to data transfers from controllers to processors and/or processors to processors, standard contractual clauses pursuant to Article 28(7) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679, provided they are not modified, except to select the appropriate Module(s) or to add or update information in the Appendix. This does not prevent the Parties from including the standard contractual clauses laid down in these Clauses in a wider contract and/or to add other clauses or additional safeguards, provided that they do not contradict, directly or indirectly, these Clauses or prejudice the fundamental rights or freedoms of data subjects.
- These Clauses are without prejudice to obligations to which the data exporter is subject by virtue of Regulation (EU) 2016/679.
Third-party beneficiaries
- (a) Data subjects may invoke and enforce these Clauses, as third-party beneficiaries, against the data exporter and/or data importer, with the following exceptions:
- Clause 1, Clause 2, Clause 3, Clause 6, Clause 7;
- Clause 8 – Module One: Clause 8.5 (e) and Clause 8.9(b); Module Two: Clause 8.1(b), 8.9(a), (c), (d) and (e); Module Three: Clause 8.1(a), (c) and (d) and Clause 8.9(a), (c), (d), (e), (f) and (g); Module Four: Clause 8.1 (b) and Clause 8.3(b);
- Clause 9 – Module Two: Clause 9(a), (c), (d) and (e); Module Three: Clause 9(a), (c), (d) and (e);
- Clause 12 – Module One: Clause 12(a) and (d); Modules Two and Three: Clause 12(a), (d) and (f);
- Clause 13;
- Clause 15.1(c), (d) and (e);
- Clause 16(e);
- Clause 18 – Modules One, Two and Three: Clause 18(a) and (b); Module Four: Clause 18.
- Paragraph (a) is without prejudice to rights of data subjects under Regulation (EU) 2016/679.
Interpretation
Hierarchy
Description of the transfer(s)
Docking clause
- An entity that is not a Party to these Clauses may, with the agreement of the Parties, accede to these Clauses at any time, either as a data exporter or as a data importer, by completing the Appendix and signing Annex I.A.
- Once it has completed the Appendix and signed Annex I.A, the acceding entity shall become a Party to these Clauses and have the rights and obligations of a data exporter or data importer in accordance with its designation in Annex I.A.
- The acceding entity shall have no rights or obligations arising under these Clauses from the period prior to becoming a Party.
SECTION II – OBLIGATIONS OF THE PARTIES
Data protection safeguards
MODULE THREE: Transfer processor to processor
8.1 Instructions
- The data exporter has informed the data importer that it acts as processor under the instructions of its controller(s), which the data exporter shall make available to the data importer prior to processing.
- The data importer shall process the personal data only on documented instructions from the controller, as communicated to the data importer by the data exporter, and any additional documented instructions from the data exporter. Such additional instructions shall not conflict with the instructions from the controller. The controller or data exporter may give further documented instructions regarding the data processing throughout the duration of the contract.
- The data importer shall immediately inform the data exporter if it is unable to follow those instructions. Where the data importer is unable to follow the instructions from the controller, the data exporter shall immediately notify the controller.
- The data exporter warrants that it has imposed the same data protection obligations on the data importer as set out in the contract or other legal act under Union or Member State law between the controller and the data exporter12 .
8.2 Purpose limitation
8.3 Transparency
8.4 Accuracy
8.5 Duration of processing and erasure or return of data
8.6 Security of processing
- The data importer and, during transmission, also the data exporter shall implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to ensure the security of the data, including protection against a breach of security leading to accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorised disclosure or access to that data (hereinafter “personal data breach”). In assessing the appropriate level of security, the Parties shall take due account of the state of the art, the costs of implementation, the nature, scope, context and purpose(s) of processing and the risks involved in the processing for the data subjects. The Parties shall in particular consider having recourse to encryption or pseudonymisation, including during transmission, where the purpose of processing can be fulfilled in that manner. In case of pseudonymisation, the additional information for attributing the personal data to a specific data subject shall, where possible, remain under the exclusive control of the data exporter. In complying with its obligations under this paragraph, the data importer shall at least implement the technical and organisational measures specified in Annex II. The data importer shall carry out regular checks to ensure that these measures continue to provide an appropriate level of security.
- The data importer shall grant access to the personal data to members of its personnel only to the extent strictly necessary for the implementation, management and monitoring of the contract. It shall ensure that persons authorised to process the personal data have committed themselves to confidentiality or are under an appropriate statutory obligation of confidentiality.
- In the event of a personal data breach concerning personal data processed by the data importer under these Clauses, the data importer shall take appropriate measures to address the breach, including measures to mitigate its adverse effects. The data importer shall also notify the data exporter without undue delay after having become aware of the breach. Such notification shall contain the details of a contact point where more information can be obtained, a description of the nature of the breach (including, where possible, categories and approximate number of data subjects and personal data records concerned), its likely consequences and the measures taken or proposed to address the breach including, where appropriate, measures to mitigate its possible adverse effects. Where, and in so far as, it is not possible to provide all information at the same time, the initial notification shall contain the information then available and further information shall, as it becomes available, subsequently be provided without undue delay.
- The data importer shall cooperate with and assist the data exporter to enable the data exporter to comply with its obligations under Regulation (EU) 2016/679, in particular to notify the competent supervisory authority and the affected data subjects, taking into account the nature of processing and the information available to the data importer.
8.7 Sensitive data
8.7 Sensitive data
8.8 Onward transfers
- the onward transfer is to a country benefitting from an adequacy decision pursuant to Article 45 of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 that covers the onward transfer;
- the third party otherwise ensures appropriate safeguards pursuant to Articles 46 or 47 Regulation of (EU) 2016/679 with respect to the processing in question;
- the onward transfer is necessary for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims in the context of specific administrative, regulatory or judicial proceedings; or
- the onward transfer is necessary in order to protect the vital interests of the data subject or of another natural person.
8.9 Documentation and compliance
- The data importer shall promptly and adequately deal with enquiries from the data exporter that relate to the processing under these Clauses.
- The Parties shall be able to demonstrate compliance with these Clauses. In particular, the data importer shall keep appropriate documentation on the processing activities carried out on behalf of the data exporter.
- The data importer shall make available to the data exporter all information necessary to demonstrate compliance with the obligations set out in these Clauses and at the data exporter’s request, allow for and contribute to audits of the processing activities covered by these Clauses, at reasonable intervals or if there are indications of non-compliance. In deciding on a review or audit, the data exporter may take into account relevant certifications held by the data importer.
- The data exporter may choose to conduct the audit by itself or mandate an independent auditor. Audits may include inspections at the premises or physical facilities of the data importer and shall, where appropriate, be carried out with reasonable notice.
- The Parties shall make the information referred to in paragraphs (b) and (c), including the results of any audits, available to the competent supervisory authority on request.
Use of sub-processors
MODULE THREE: Transfer processor to processor
- OPTION 2: GENERAL WRITTEN AUTHORISATION The data importer has the controller’s general authorisation for the engagement of sub-processor(s) from an agreed list. The data importer shall specifically inform the controller in writing of any intended changes to that list through the addition or replacement of sub-processors at least ten working days in advance, thereby giving the controller sufficient time to be able to object to such changes prior to the engagement of the sub-processor(s). The data importer shall provide the controller with the information necessary to enable the controller to exercise its right to object. The data importer shall inform the data exporter of the engagement of the sub-processor(s).
- Where the data importer engages a sub-processor to carry out specific processing activities (on behalf of the controller), it shall do so by way of a written contract that provides for, in substance, the same data protection obligations as those binding the data importer under these Clauses, including in terms of third-party beneficiary rights for data subjects. The Parties agree that, by complying with this Clause, the data importer fulfils its obligations under Clause 8.8. The data importer shall ensure that the sub-processor complies with the obligations to which the data importer is subject pursuant to these Clauses.
- The data importer shall provide, at the data exporter’s or controller’s request, a copy of such a sub-processor agreement and any subsequent amendments. To the extent necessary to protect business secrets or other confidential information, including personal data, the data importer may redact the text of the agreement prior to sharing a copy.
- The data importer shall remain fully responsible to the data exporter for the performance of the sub-processor’s obligations under its contract with the data importer. The data importer shall notify the data exporter of any failure by the sub-processor to fulfil its obligations under that contract.
- The data importer shall agree a third-party beneficiary clause with the sub-processor whereby – in the event the data importer has factually disappeared, ceased to exist in law or has become insolvent – the data exporter shall have the right to terminate the sub-processor contract and to instruct the sub-processor to erase or return the personal data.
Data subject rights
MODULE THREE: Transfer processor to processor
- The data importer shall promptly notify the data exporter and, where appropriate, the controller of any request it has received from a data subject, without responding to that request unless it has been authorised to do so by the controller.
- The data importer shall assist, where appropriate in cooperation with the data exporter, the controller in fulfilling its obligations to respond to data subjects’ requests for the exercise of their rights under Regulation (EU) 2016/679 or Regulation (EU) 2018/1725, as applicable. In this regard, the Parties shall set out in Annex II the appropriate technical and organisational measures, taking into account the nature of the processing, by which the assistance shall be provided, as well as the scope and the extent of the assistance required.
- In fulfilling its obligations under paragraphs (a) and (b), the data importer shall comply with the instructions from the controller, as communicated by the data exporter.
Redress
- The data importer shall inform data subjects in a transparent and easily accessible format, through individual notice or on its website, of a contact point authorised to handle complaints. It shall deal promptly with any complaints it receives from a data subject.
- In case of a dispute between a data subject and one of the Parties as regards compliance with these Clauses, that Party shall use its best efforts to resolve the issue amicably in a timely fashion. The Parties shall keep each other informed about such disputes and, where appropriate, cooperate in resolving them
- Where the data subject invokes a third-party beneficiary right pursuant to Clause 3, the data importer shall accept the decision of the data subject to:
- lodge a complaint with the supervisory authority in the Member State of his/her habitual residence or place of work, or the competent supervisory authority pursuant to Clause 13;
- refer the dispute to the competent courts within the meaning of Clause 18.
- The Parties accept that the data subject may be represented by a not-for-profit body, organisation or association under the conditions set out in Article 80(1) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679.
- The data importer shall abide by a decision that is binding under the applicable EU or Member State law.
- The data importer agrees that the choice made by the data subject will not prejudice his/her substantive and procedural rights to seek remedies in accordance with applicable laws.
Liability
- Each Party shall be liable to the other Party/ies for any damages it causes the other Party/ies by any breach of these Clauses.
- The data importer shall be liable to the data subject, and the data subject shall be entitled to receive compensation, for any material or non-material damages the data importer or its sub-processor causes the data subject by breaching the third-party beneficiary rights under these Clauses.
- (Notwithstanding paragraph (b), the data exporter shall be liable to the data subject, and the data subject shall be entitled to receive compensation, for any material or non-material damages the data exporter or the data importer (or its sub-processor) causes the data subject by breaching the third-party beneficiary rights under these Clauses. This is without prejudice to the liability of the data exporter and, where the data exporter is a processor acting on behalf of a controller, to the liability of the controller under Regulation (EU) 2016/679 or Regulation (EU) 2018/1725, as applicable.
- The Parties agree that if the data exporter is held liable under paragraph (c) for damages caused by the data importer (or its sub-processor), it shall be entitled to claim back from the data importer that part of the compensation corresponding to the data importer’s responsibility for the damage.
- Where more than one Party is responsible for any damage caused to the data subject as a result of a breach of these Clauses, all responsible Parties shall be jointly and severally liable and the data subject is entitled to bring an action in court against any of these Parties.
- The Parties agree that if one Party is held liable under paragraph (e), it shall be entitled to claim back from the other Party/ies that part of the compensation corresponding to its / their responsibility for the damage.
- The data importer may not invoke the conduct of a sub-processor to avoid its own liability.
Supervision
- [Where the data exporter is established in an EU Member State:] The supervisory authority with responsibility for ensuring compliance by the data exporter with Regulation (EU) 2016/679 as regards the data transfer, as indicated in Annex I.C, shall act as competent supervisory authority.
[Where the data exporter is not established in an EU Member State, but falls within the territorial scope of application of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 in accordance with its Article 3(2) and has appointed a representative pursuant to Article 27(1) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679:] The supervisory authority of the Member State in which the representative within the meaning of Article 27(1) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 is established, as indicated in Annex I.C, shall act as competent supervisory authority.
[Where the data exporter is not established in an EU Member State, but falls within the territorial scope of application of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 in accordance with its Article 3(2) without however having to appoint a representative pursuant to Article 27(2) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679:] The supervisory authority of one of the Member States in which the data subjects whose personal data is transferred under these Clauses in relation to the offering of goods or services to them, or whose behaviour is monitored, are located, as indicated in Annex I.C, shall act as competent supervisory authority. - The data importer agrees to submit itself to the jurisdiction of and cooperate with the competent supervisory authority in any procedures aimed at ensuring compliance with these Clauses. In particular, the data importer agrees to respond to enquiries, submit to audits and comply with the measures adopted by the supervisory authority, including remedial and compensatory measures. It shall provide the supervisory authority with written confirmation that the necessary actions have been taken.
SECTION III – LOCAL LAWS AND OBLIGATIONS IN CASE OF ACCESS BY PUBLIC AUTHORITIES
Local laws and practices affecting compliance with the Clauses
MODULE THREE: Transfer processor to processor
- The Parties warrant that they have no reason to believe that the laws and practices in the third country of destination applicable to the processing of the personal data by the data importer, including any requirements to disclose personal data or measures authorising access by public authorities, prevent the data importer from fulfilling its obligations under these Clauses. This is based on the understanding that laws and practices that respect the essence of the fundamental rights and freedoms and do not exceed what is necessary and proportionate in a democratic society to safeguard one of the objectives listed in Article 23(1) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679, are not in contradiction with these Clauses.
- The Parties declare that in providing the warranty in paragraph (a), they have taken due account in particular of the following elements:
- the specific circumstances of the transfer, including the length of the processing chain, the number of actors involved and the transmission channels used; intended onward transfers; the type of recipient; the purpose of processing; the categories and format of the transferred personal data; the economic sector in which the transfer occurs; the storage location of the data transferred;
- the laws and practices of the third country of destination– including those requiring the disclosure of data to public authorities or authorising access by such authorities – relevant in light of the specific circumstances of the transfer, and the applicable limitations and safeguards15 ;
- any relevant contractual, technical or organisational safeguards put in place to supplement the safeguards under these Clauses, including measures applied during transmission and to the processing of the personal data in the country of destination.
- The data importer warrants that, in carrying out the assessment under paragraph (b), it has made its best efforts to provide the data exporter with relevant information and agrees that it will continue to cooperate with the data exporter in ensuring compliance with these Clauses.
- The Parties agree to document the assessment under paragraph (b) and make it available to the competent supervisory authority on request.
- The data importer agrees to notify the data exporter promptly if, after having agreed to these Clauses and for the duration of the contract, it has reason to believe that it is or has become subject to laws or practices not in line with the requirements under paragraph (a), including following a change in the laws of the third country or a measure (such as a disclosure request) indicating an application of such laws in practice that is not in line with the requirements in paragraph (a). [For Module Three: The data exporter shall forward the notification to the controller.]
- Following a notification pursuant to paragraph (e), or if the data exporter otherwise has reason to believe that the data importer can no longer fulfil its obligations under these Clauses, the data exporter shall promptly identify appropriate measures (e.g. technical or organisational measures to ensure security and confidentiality) to be adopted by the data exporter and/or data importer to address the situation [for Module Three: , if appropriate in consultation with the controller]. The data exporter shall suspend the data transfer if it considers that no appropriate safeguards for such transfer can be ensured, or if instructed by [for Module Three: the controller or] the competent supervisory authority to do so. In this case, the data exporter shall be entitled to terminate the contract, insofar as it concerns the processing of personal data under these Clauses. If the contract involves more than two Parties, the data exporter may exercise this right to termination only with respect to the relevant Party, unless the Parties have agreed otherwise. Where the contract is terminated pursuant to this Clause, Clause 16(d) and (e) shall apply.
Obligations of the data importer in case of access by public authorities
15.1 Notification
MODULE THREE: Transfer processor to processor
- The data importer agrees to notify the data exporter and, where possible, the data subject promptly (if necessary with the help of the data exporter) if it:
- receives a legally binding request from a public authority, including judicial authorities, under the laws of the country of destination for the disclosure of personal data transferred pursuant to these Clauses; such notification shall include information about the personal data requested, the requesting authority, the legal basis for the request and the response provided; or
- becomes aware of any direct access by public authorities to personal data transferred pursuant to these Clauses in accordance with the laws of the country of destination; such notification shall include all information available to the importer.
- If the data importer is prohibited from notifying the data exporter and/or the data subject under the laws of the country of destination, the data importer agrees to use its best efforts to obtain a waiver of the prohibition, with a view to communicating as much information as possible, as soon as possible. The data importer agrees to document its best efforts in order to be able to demonstrate them on request of the data exporter.
- Where permissible under the laws of the country of destination, the data importer agrees to provide the data exporter, at regular intervals for the duration of the contract, with as much relevant information as possible on the requests received (in particular, number of requests, type of data requested, requesting authority/ies, whether requests have been challenged and the outcome of such challenges, etc.). [For Module Three: The data exporter shall forward the information to the controller.]
- The data importer agrees to preserve the information pursuant to paragraphs (a) to (c) for the duration of the contract and make it available to the competent supervisory authority on request.
- Paragraphs (a) to (c) are without prejudice to the obligation of the data importer pursuant to Clause 14(e) and Clause 16 to inform the data exporter promptly where it is unable to comply with these Clauses.
15.2 Review of legality and data minimisation
- The data importer agrees to review the legality of the request for disclosure, in particular whether it remains within the powers granted to the requesting public authority, and to challenge the request if, after careful assessment, it concludes that there are reasonable grounds to consider that the request is unlawful under the laws of the country of destination, applicable obligations under international law and principles of international comity. The data importer shall, under the same conditions, pursue possibilities of appeal. When challenging a request, the data importer shall seek interim measures with a view to suspending the effects of the request until the competent judicial authority has decided on its merits. It shall not disclose the personal data requested until required to do so under the applicable procedural rules. These requirements are without prejudice to the obligations of the data importer under Clause 14(e).
- The data importer agrees to document its legal assessment and any challenge to the request for disclosure and, to the extent permissible under the laws of the country of destination, make the documentation available to the data exporter. It shall also make it available to the competent supervisory authority on request. [For Module Three: The data exporter shall make the assessment available to the controller.]
- The data importer agrees to provide the minimum amount of information permissible when responding to a request for disclosure, based on a reasonable interpretation of the request.
SECTION IV – FINAL PROVISIONS
Non-compliance with the Clauses and termination
- The data importer shall promptly inform the data exporter if it is unable to comply with these Clauses, for whatever reason.
- In the event that the data importer is in breach of these Clauses or unable to comply with these Clauses, the data exporter shall suspend the transfer of personal data to the data importer until compliance is again ensured or the contract is terminated. This is without prejudice to Clause 14(f).
- The data exporter shall be entitled to terminate the contract, insofar as it concerns the processing of personal data under these Clauses, where:
- the data exporter has suspended the transfer of personal data to the data importer pursuant to paragraph (b) and compliance with these Clauses is not restored within a reasonable time and in any event within one month of suspension;
- the data importer is in substantial or persistent breach of these Clauses; or
- the data importer fails to comply with a binding decision of a competent court or supervisory authority regarding its obligations under these Clauses.
In these cases, it shall inform the competent supervisory authority [for Module Three: and the controller] of such non-compliance. Where the contract involves more than two Parties, the data exporter may exercise this right to termination only with respect to the relevant Party, unless the Parties have agreed otherwise.
- [For Modules One, Two and Three: Personal data that has been transferred prior to the termination of the contract pursuant to paragraph (c) shall at the choice of the data exporter immediately be returned to the data exporter or deleted in its entirety. The same shall apply to any copies of the data.] [For Module Four: Personal data collected by the data exporter in the EU that has been transferred prior to the termination of the contract pursuant to paragraph (c) shall immediately be deleted in its entirety, including any copy thereof.] The data importer shall certify the deletion of the data to the data exporter. Until the data is deleted or returned, the data importer shall continue to ensure compliance with these Clauses. In case of local laws applicable to the data importer that prohibit the return or deletion of the transferred personal data, the data importer warrants that it will continue to ensure compliance with these Clauses and will only process the data to the extent and for as long as required under that local law.
- Either Party may revoke its agreement to be bound by these Clauses where (i) the European Commission adopts a decision pursuant to Article 45(3) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 that covers the transfer of personal data to which these Clauses apply; or (ii) Regulation (EU) 2016/679 becomes part of the legal framework of the country to which the personal data is transferred. This is without prejudice to other obligations applying to the processing in question under Regulation (EU) 2016/679.
Governing law
MODULE THREE: Transfer processor to processor
Choice of forum and jurisdiction
MODULE THREE: Transfer processor to processor
- Any dispute arising from these Clauses shall be resolved by the courts of an EU Member State.
- The Parties agree that those shall be the courts of Ireland.
- A data subject may also bring legal proceedings against the data exporter and/or data importer before the courts of the Member State in which he/she has his/her habitual residence.
- The Parties agree to submit themselves to the jurisdiction of such courts.
Annexure C
INTERNATIONAL DATA TRANSFER ADDENDUM
Start Date | The Start date for this Addendum shall coincide with the start data of each Agreement between the Parties. | ||
---|---|---|---|
The Parties | Exporter (who sends the Restricted Transfer) | Importer (who receives the Restricted Transfer) | |
The Exporter is the Customer as identified in Annex I.A. of the EU SCCs found in Addendum I to the DPA. | The Importer is EC-Council. | Parties Details | Exporters’ details are as set forth in Annex I.A. of the EU SCCs found in Addendum I to the DPA. | Importer’s details are as set forth in Annex I.A. of the EU SCCs found in Addendum I to the DPA. |
Key Contact | Exporters’ Key Contact details are as set forth in Annex I.A. of the EU SCCs found in Addendum I to the DPA. | Importer’s Key Contact details are as set forth in Annex I.A. of the EU SCCs found in Addendum I to the DPA. | |
Signature | The Parties agree that their acceptance to the DPA or the EU SCCs in Annex I.A. of Addendum I shall serve to legally bind the Parties to this Addendum. |
Module | Module in Operation | Clause 7 Docking Clause | Clause 11 (Option) | Clause 9 a (Prior Authorisation / General Authorisation) | Clause 9 a (Time Period) | Is personal data received from the Importer combined with personal data collected by the Exporter | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | No | ||||||
Yes | No | No | Yes | 30 Business Days | |||
3 | No | ||||||
4 | No |
Annex 1A: List of Parties: | Parties are as set forth in Annex I.A. of the EU SCCs found in Addendum I to the DPA. | |
---|---|---|
Annex 1B: Description of Transfer: | Description of Transfer is as set forth in Annex I.B. of the EU SCCs found in Addendum I to the DPA. | |
Annex II: Technical and organisational measures including technical and organisational measures to ensure the security of the data: | TOMs are as set forth in Annexure A to the DPA. |
Ending this Addendum when the Approved Addendum changes. | Which Parties may end this Addendum as set out in Section 19: |
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[ ] Importer [ ] Exporter [X]Neither Party. Clause 18 will apply in the event the Approved Addendum changes in accordance therewith. |
PART 2: MANDATORY CLAUSES
Entering into this Addendum
1. Each Party agrees to be bound by the terms and conditions set out in this Addendum, in exchange for the other Party also agreeing to be bound by this Addendum.
2. Although Annex 1A and Clause 7 of the Approved EU SCCs require signature by the Parties, for the purpose of making Restricted Transfers, the Parties may enter into this Addendum in any way that makes them legally binding on the Parties and allows data subjects to enforce their rights as set out in this Addendum. Entering into this Addendum will have the same effect as signing the Approved EU SCCs and any part of the Approved EU SCCs.
Interpretation of this Addendum
3. Where this Addendum uses terms that are defined in the Approved EU SCCs those terms shall have the same meaning as in the Approved EU SCCs. In addition, the following terms have the following meanings:
Addendum | Addendum This International Data Transfer Addendum which is made up of this Addendum incorporating the Addendum EU SCCs. |
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Addendum EU SCCs | The version(s) of the Approved EU SCCs which this Addendum is appended to, as set out in Table 2, including the Appendix Information. |
Appendix Information | As set out in Table 3. |
Appropriate Safeguards | The standard of protection over the personal data and of data subjects’ rights, which is required by UK Data Protection Laws when you are making a Restricted Transfer relying on standard data protection clauses under Article 46(2)(d) UK GDPR. |
Approved Addendum | The template Addendum issued by the ICO and laid before Parliament in accordance with s119A of the Data Protection Act 2018 on 2 February 2022, as it is revised under Section 18. |
Approved EU SCCs | The Standard Contractual Clauses set out in the Annex of Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/914 of 4 June 2021. |
ICO | The Information Commissioner. |
Restricted Transfer | A transfer which is covered by Chapter V of the UK GDPR. |
UK | The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. |
UK Data Protection Laws | All laws relating to data protection, the processing of personal data, privacy and/or electronic communications in force from time to time in the UK, including the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. |
UK GDPR | As defined in section 3 of the Data Protection Act 2018. |
4. This Addendum must always be interpreted in a manner that is consistent with UK Data Protection Laws and so that it fulfils the Parties’ obligation to provide the Appropriate Safeguards.
5. If the provisions included in the Addendum EU SCCs amend the Approved SCCs in any way which is not permitted under the Approved EU SCCs or the Approved Addendum, such amendment(s) will not be incorporated in this Addendum and the equivalent provision of the Approved EU SCCs will take their place.
6. If there is any inconsistency or conflict between UK Data Protection Laws and this Addendum, UK Data Protection Laws applies.
7. If the meaning of this Addendum is unclear or there is more than one meaning, the meaning which most closely aligns with UK Data Protection Laws applies.
8. Any references to legislation (or specific provisions of legislation) means that legislation (or specific provision) as it may change over time. This includes where that legislation (or specific provision) has been consolidated, re-enacted and/or replaced after this Addendum has been entered into.
Hierarchy
9. Although Clause 5 of the Approved EU SCCs sets out that the Approved EU SCCs prevail over all related agreements between the parties, the parties agree that, for Restricted Transfers, the hierarchy in Section 10 will prevail.
10. Where there is any inconsistency or conflict between the Approved Addendum and the Addendum EU SCCs (as applicable), the Approved Addendum overrides the Addendum EU SCCs, except where (and in so far as) the inconsistent or conflicting terms of the Addendum EU SCCs provides greater protection for data subjects, in which case those terms will override the Approved Addendum.
11. Where this Addendum incorporates Addendum EU SCCs which have been entered into to protect transfers subject to the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 then the Parties acknowledge that nothing in this Addendum impacts those Addendum EU SCCs.
Incorporation of and changes to the EU SCCs
12. This Addendum incorporates the Addendum EU SCCs which are amended to the extent necessary so that:
a. together they operate for data transfers made by the data exporter to the data importer, to the extent that UK Data Protection Laws apply to the data exporter’s processing when making that data transfer, and they provide Appropriate Safeguards for those data transfers;
b. Sections 9 to 11 override Clause 5 (Hierarchy) of the Addendum EU SCCs; and
c. this Addendum (including the Addendum EU SCCs incorporated into it) is (1) governed by the laws of England and Wales and (2) any dispute arising from it is resolved by the courts of England and Wales, in each case unless the laws and/or courts of Ireland have been expressly selected by the Parties.
13. Unless the Parties have agreed alternative amendments which meet the requirements of Section 12, the provisions of Section 15 will apply.
14. No amendments to the Approved EU SCCs other than to meet the requirements of Section 12 may be made.
15. The following amendments to the Addendum EU SCCs (for the purpose of Section 12) are made:
a. References to the “Clauses” means this Addendum, incorporating the Addendum EU SCCs;
b. In Clause 2, delete the words:
“and, with respect to data transfers from controllers to processors and/or processors to processors, standard contractual clauses pursuant to Article 28(7) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679”;
c. Clause 6 (Description of the transfer(s)) is replaced with:
“The details of the transfers(s) and in particular the categories of personal data that are transferred and the purpose(s) for which they are transferred) are those specified in Annex I.B where UK Data Protection Laws apply to the data exporter’s processing when making that transfer.”;
d. Not applicable. Intentionally left blank;
e. Clause 8.8(i) of Module 2 is replaced with:
“the onward transfer is to a country befitting from adequacy regulations pursuant to Section 17A of the UK GDPR that covers the onward transfer;”
f. References to “Regulation (EU) 2016/679”, “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 (General Data Protection Regulation)” and “that Regulation” are all replaced by “UK Data Protection Laws”. References to specific Article(s) of “Regulation (EU) 2016/679” are replaced with the equivalent Article or Section of UK Data Protection Laws;
g. References to Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 are removed;
h. References to the “European Union”, “Union”, “EU”, “EU Member State”, “Member State” and “EU or Member State” are all replaced with the “UK”;
i. Not applicable. Intentionally left blank;
j. Clause 13(a) and Part C of Annex I are not used;
k. The “competent supervisory authority” and “supervisory authority” are both replaced with the “Information Commissioner”;
l. In Clause 16(e), subsection (i) is replaced with:
“the Secretary of State makes regulations pursuant to Section 17A of the Data Protection Act 2018 that cover the transfer of personal data to which these clauses apply;”;
m. Clause 17 is replaced with:
“These Clauses are governed by the laws of England and Wales.”;
n. Clause 18 is replaced with:
“Any dispute arising from these Clauses shall be resolved by the courts of England and Wales. A data subject may also bring legal proceedings against the data exporter and/or data importer before the courts of any country in the UK. The Parties agree to submit themselves to the jurisdiction of such courts.”; and
o. The footnotes to the Approved EU SCCs do not form part of the Addendum.
Amendments to this Addendum
16. The Parties may agree to change Clauses 17 and/or 18 of the Addendum EU SCCs to refer to the laws and/or courts of Ireland.
17. If the Parties wish to change the format of the information included in Part 1: Tables of the Approved Addendum, they may do so by agreeing to the change in writing, provided that the change does not reduce the Appropriate Safeguards.
18. From time to time, the ICO may issue a revised Approved Addendum which:
a. Makes reasonable and proportionate changes to the Approved Addendum, including correcting errors in the Approved Addendum; and / or
b. Reflects changes to the UK Data Protection Laws;
The revised Approved Addendum will specify the start date from which the changes to the Approved Addendum are effective and whether the Parties need to review this Addendum including the Appendix Information. This Addendum is automatically amended as set out in the revised Approved Addendum from the start date specified.
19. If the ICO issues a revised Approved Addendum under Section 18, if any Party selected in Table 4 “Ending the Addendum when the Approved Addendum changes”, will as a direct result of the changes in the Approved Addendum have a substantial, disproportionate, and demonstrable increase in:
a. Its direct costs of performing its obligations under the Addendum; and / or
b. Its risk under the Addendum, and in either case it has first taken reasonable steps to reduce those costs or risks so that it is not substantial and disproportionate, then that Party may end this Addendum at the end of a reasonable notice period, by providing written notice for that period to the other Party before the start date of the revised Approved Addendum.
20. The Parties do not need the consent of any third party to make changes to this Addendum, but any changes must be made in accordance with its terms.