Chapter 1 - Scope and definitions
Section 1 - Scope of the ActSection 2 - DefinitionsChapter 2 - Legal basis for processing personal data
Section 3 - Processing of personal data by public bodiesSection 4 - Video surveillance of publicly accessible spacesChapter 3 - Data protection officers of public bodies
Section 5 - DesignationSection 6 - PositionSection 7 - TasksChapter 4 - Federal Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information
Section 8 - EstablishmentSection 9 - CompetenceSection 10 - IndependenceSection 11 - Appointment and term of officeSection 12 - Official relationshipSection 13 - Rights and obligationsSection 14 - TasksSection 15 - Activity reportsSection 16 - PowersChapter 5 - Representation on the European Data Protection Board, single contact point, cooperation among the federal supervisory authorities and those of the Länder concerning European Union matters
Section 17 - Representation on the European Data Protection Board, single contact pointSection 18 - Procedures for cooperation among the federal and Länder supervisory authoritiesSection 19 - ResponsibilitiesChapter 6 - Legal remedies
Section 20 - Judicial remedySection 21 - Application of the supervisory authority for a court decision if it believes that an adequacy decision by the European Commission violates the lawChapter 1 - Legal basis for processing personal data
Sub-chapter 1 - Processing of special categories of personal data and processing for other purposes
Section 22 - Processing of special categories of personal dataSection 23 - Processing for other purposes by public bodiesSection 24 - Processing for other purposes by private bodiesSection 25 - Transfer of data by public bodiesSub-chapter 2 - Special processing situations
Section 26 - Data processing for employment-related purposesSection 27 - Data processing for purposes of scientific or historical research and for statistical purposesSection 28 - Data processing for archiving purposes in the public interestSection 29 - Rights of the data subject and powers of the supervisory authorities in the case of secrecy obligationsSection 30 - Consumer loansSection 31 - Protection of commercial transactions in the case of scoring and credit reportsChapter 2 - Rights of the data subject
Section 32 - Information to be provided where personal data are collected from the data subjectSection 33 - Information to be provided where personal data have not been obtained from the data subjectSection 34 - Right of access by the data subjectSection 35 - Right to erasureSection 36 - Right to objectSection 37 - Automated individual decision-making, including profilingChapter 3 - Obligations of controllers and processors
Section 38 - Data protection officers of private bodiesSection 39 - AccreditationChapter 4 - Supervisory authorities for data processing by private bodies
Section 40 - Supervisory authorities of the LänderChapter 5 - Penalties
Section 41 - Application of provisions concerning criminal proceedings and proceedings to impose administrative finesSection 42 - Penal provisionsSection 43 - Provisions on administrative finesChapter 6 - Legal remedies
Section 44 - Proceedings against a controller or processorChapter 1 - Scope, definitions and general principles for processing personal data
Section 45 - ScopeSection 46 - DefinitionsSection 47 - General principles for processing personal dataChapter 2 - Legal basis for processing personal data
Section 48 - Processing of special categories of personal dataSection 49 - Processing for other purposesSection 50 - Processing for archiving, scientific and statistical purposesSection 51 - ConsentSection 52 - Processing on instructions from the controllerSection 53 - ConfidentialitySection 54 - Automated individual decisionChapter 3 - Rights of the data subject
Section 55 - General information on data processingSection 56 - Notification of data subjectsSection 57 - Right of accessSection 58 - Right to rectification and erasure and to restriction of processingSection 59 - Modalities for exercising the rights of the data subjectSection 60 - Right to lodge a complaint with the Federal CommissionerSection 61 - Legal remedies against decisions of the Federal Commissioner or if he or she fails to take actionChapter 4 - Obligations of controllers and processors
Section 62 - Processing carried out on behalf of a controllerSection 63 - Joint controllersSection 64 - Requirements for the security of data processingSection 65 - Notifying the Federal Commissioner of a personal data breachSection 66 - Notifying data subjects affected by a personal data breachSection 67 - Conducting a data protection impact assessmentSection 68 - Cooperation with the Federal CommissionerSection 69 - Prior consultation of the Federal CommissionerSection 70 - Records of processing activitiesSection 71 - Data protection by design and by defaultSection 72 - Distinction between different categories of data subjectsSection 73 - Distinction between facts and personal assessmentsSection 74 - Procedures for data transfersSection 75 - Rectification and erasure of personal data and restriction of processingSection 76 - LoggingSection 77 - Confidential reporting of violationsChapter 5 - Transfers of data to third countries and to international organisations
Section 78 - General requirementsSection 79 - Data transfers with appropriate safeguardsSection 80 - Data transfers without appropriate safeguardsSection 81 - Other data transfers to recipients in third countriesChapter 6 - Cooperation among supervisory authorities
Section 82 - Mutual assistanceChapter 7 - Liability and penalties
Section 83 - CompensationSection 84 - Penal provisions(2) Appropriate measures shall be taken to make the surveillance and the controller’s name and contact details identifiable as early as possible.
2. to promote public awareness and understanding of the risks, rules, safeguards and rights in relation to the processing of personal data, paying special attention to measures specifically for children;
3. to advise the German Bundestag, the Bundesrat, the Federal Government, and other institutions and bodies on legislative and administrative measures relating to the protection of natural persons’ rights and freedoms with regard to the processing of personal data;
(3) The Federal Commissioner shall facilitate the submission of complaints referred to in subsection 1, first sentence, no. 6 by measures such as providing a complaint submission form which can also be completed electronically, without excluding other means of communication.
The Federal Commissioner shall produce an annual activity report which may contain a list of the types of violations reported and the types of measures taken, including penalties and measures taken in accordance with Article 58 (2) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679. The Federal Commissioner shall submit this report to the German Bundestag, the Bundesrat and the Federal Government and shall make it available to the public, the European Commission and the European Data Protection Board.
(1) The Federal Commissioner shall have, within the scope of Regulation (EU) 2016/679, the powers referred to in Article 58 of Regulation (EU) 2016/679. If the Federal Commissioner concludes that data protection legislation has been violated or that there are other problems with the processing of personal data, he or she shall inform the competent authority for legal or technical matters and, before exercising the powers referred to in Article 58 (2) (b) to (g), (i) and (j) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679, shall give this authority the opportunity to provide its opinion to the controller within a reasonable period. The opportunity to provide an opinion may be dispensed with if an immediate decision seems necessary due to imminent danger or in the public interest, or if it would conflict with compelling public interests. The opinion should also include a description of the measures taken on the basis of the information from the Federal Commissioner.
(2) If the Federal Commissioner finds that, in data processing for purposes beyond the scope of Regulation (EU) 2016/679, public bodies of the Federation have violated this Act or other data protection legislation or there are other insufficiencies with their processing or use of personal data, the Federal Commissioner shall lodge a complaint with the competent supreme federal authority and shall require this authority to respond within a period to be determined by the Federal Commissioner. The Federal Commissioner may dispense with a complaint or a response, especially if the problems involved are insignificant or have been remedied in the meantime. The response should also describe the measures taken as a result of the Federal Commissioner’s complaint. The Federal Commissioner may also warn a controller that intended processing operations are likely to violate provisions of this Act and other data protection provisions which apply to the data processing in question.
c) processing is necessary for reasons of public interest in the area of public health, such as protecting against serious cross-border threats to health or ensuring high standards of quality and safety of health care and of medicinal products or medical devices; in addition to the measures referred to in subsection 2, in particular occupational and criminal law provisions to ensure professional secrecy shall be complied with;
d) processing is necessary for urgent reasons of defence or to fulfil intergovernmental obligations of a public body of the Federation in the field of crisis management or conflict prevention or for humanitarian measures;
(2) In the cases of subsection 1, appropriate and specific measures shall be taken to safeguard the interests of the data subject. Taking into account the state of the art, the cost of implementation and the nature, scope, context and purposes of processing as well as the risks of varying likelihood and severity for rights and freedoms of natural persons posed by the processing, these measures may include in particular the following:
1. technical organisational measures to ensure that processing complies with Regulation (EU) 2016/679;
2. measures to ensure that it is subsequently possible to verify and establish whether and by whom personal data were input, altered or removed;
3. measures to increase awareness of staff involved in processing operations;
8. measures to ensure the ability, confidentiality, integrity, availability and resilience of processing systems and services related to the processing of personal data, including the ability to rapidly restore availability and access in the event of a physical or technical incident;
9. a process for regularly testing, assessing and evaluating the effectiveness of technical and organisational measures for ensuring the security of the processing;
4. processing is necessary to prosecute criminal or administrative offences, to carry out or enforce punishment or measures as referred to in Section 11 (1) no. 8 of the Criminal Code or educational or disciplinary measures as referred to in the Juvenile Court Act or to enforce fines;
(5) The controller must take appropriate measures to ensure compliance in particular with the principles for processing personal data described in Article 5 of Regulation (EU) 2016/679.
(1) By derogation from Article 9 (1) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679, the processing of special categories of personal data as referred to in Article 9 (1) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 shall be permitted also without consent for scientific or historical research purposes or statistical purposes, if such processing is necessary for these purposes and the interests of the controller in processing substantially outweigh those of the data subject in not processing the data. The controller shall take appropriate and specific measures to safeguard the interests of the data subject in accordance with Section 22 (2), second sentence.
(3) In addition to the measures listed in Section 22 (2), special categories of personal data as referred to in Article 9 (1) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 processed for scientific or historical research purposes or statistical purposes shall be rendered anonymous as soon as the research or statistical purpose allows, unless this conflicts with legitimate interests of the data subject. Until such time, the characteristics enabling information concerning personal or material circumstances to be attributed to an identified or identifiable individual shall be stored separately. They may be combined with the information only to the extent required by the research or statistical purpose.
(1) By derogation from Article 9 (1) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679, the processing of special categories of personal data as referred to in Article 9 (1) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 shall be permitted if necessary for archiving purposes in the public interest. The controller shall take appropriate and specific measures to safeguard the interests of the data subject in accordance with Section 22 (2), second sentence.
(2) If information is not provided to the data subject pursuant to subsection 1, the controller shall take appropriate measures to protect the legitimate interests of the data subject, including providing the information referred to in Article 13 (1) and (2) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 for the public in precise, transparent, understandable and easily accessible form in clear and simple language. The controller shall set down in writing the reasons for not providing information. The first and second sentences shall not apply in the cases of subsection 1 nos. 4 and 5.
(2) If information is not provided to the data subject pursuant to subsection 1, the controller shall take appropriate measures to protect the legitimate interests of the data subject, including providing the information referred to in Article 14 (1) and (2) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 for the public in precise, transparent, understandable and easily accessible form in clear and simple language. The controller shall set down in writing the reasons for not providing information.
b) only serve purposes of monitoring data protection or safeguarding data, and providing information would require a disproportionate effort, and appropriate technical and organisational measures make processing for other purposes impossible.
2. the decision is based on the application of binding rules of remuneration for therapeutic treatment and the controller takes suitable measures, in the event that the request is not granted in full, to safeguard the data subject's legitimate interests, at least the right to obtain human intervention on the part of the controller, to express his or her point of view and to contest the decision; the controller shall inform the data subject of these rights no later than the notification indicating that the data subject’s request will not be granted in full.
(2) Decisions pursuant to subsection 1 may be based on the processing of health data as referred to in Article 4 no. 15 of Regulation (EU) 2016/679. The controller shall take appropriate and specific measures to safeguard the interests of the data subject in accordance with Section 22 (2), second sentence.
3. processing is necessary to prosecute crimes or administrative offences, to carry out or enforce punishment or measures as referred to in Section 11 (1) no. 8 of the Criminal Code or educational or disciplinary measures as referred to in the Juvenile Court Act or to enforce fines.
If the supervisory authority determines that data protection legislation has been violated, it shall have the power to inform the data subjects concerned, to report the violation to other bodies responsible for prosecution or punishment and, in the case of serious violations, to notify the trade supervisory authority to take measures under trade and industry law. Section 13 (4), fourth to seventh sentences shall apply accordingly.
The provisions of this Part shall apply to the processing of personal data by public bodies competent for the prevention, investigation, detection or prosecution of criminal or administrative offences or the execution of criminal or administrative penalties, as far as they process data for the purpose of carrying out these tasks. The public bodies shall be regarded in that case as controllers. The prevention of criminal offences as referred to in the first sentence shall include protection against and prevention of threats to public security. The first and second sentences shall also apply to those public bodies responsible for executing penalties, measures as referred to in Section 11 (1) no. 8 of the Criminal Code, educational or disciplinary measures as referred to in the Juvenile Court Act or fines. As far as this Part contains provisions for processors, it shall also apply to them.
5. ‘pseudonymization’ means the processing of personal data in such a manner that the data can no longer be attributed to a specific data subject without the use of additional information, provided that such additional information is kept separately and is subject to technical and organisational measures to ensure that the personal data cannot be attributed to an identified or identifiable natural person;
23. processed in a manner that ensures appropriate security of the personal data, including protection against unauthorised or unlawful processing and against accidental loss, destruction or damage, using appropriate technical or organisational measures.
3. measures to increase awareness of staff involved in processing operations;
Personal data may be processed in the context of purposes listed in Section 45 in archival, scientific or statistical form if doing so is in the public interest and appropriate safeguards for the legally protected interests of data subjects are implemented. Such safeguards may consist of rendering the personal data anonymous as quickly as possible, taking measures to prevent unauthorised disclosure to third parties, or in processing them organisationally and spatially separate from other tasks.
(2) Decisions referred to in subsection 1 shall not be based on special categories of personal data unless suitable measures to safeguard the data subject's legally protected and legitimate interests are in place.
(2) Subsection 1 shall not apply to personal data recorded only because they may not be erased due to legal or statutory provisions on retention, or only for purposes of monitoring data protection or safeguarding data, if providing information would require a disproportionate effort, and appropriate technical and organisational measures make processing for other purposes impossible.
(4) In automated filing systems, technical measures shall ensure that the restriction of processing is clearly recognizable and processing for other purposes is not possible without further examination.
(5) If the controller has rectified inaccurate data, he or she shall communicate the rectification to the body from which he or she received the personal data. In cases of rectification, erasure or restriction of processing pursuant to subsections 1 to 3, the controller shall inform recipients to whom the data were transferred about these measures. The recipient shall rectify or erase the data or restrict their processing.
(2) A controller may use only processors providing sufficient guarantees to implement appropriate technical and organisational measures in such a manner that the processing will meet the requirements of the law and ensure the protection of the rights of the data subjects.
8. takes all measures required pursuant to Section 64; and
(1) The controller and the processor, taking into account the state of the art, the costs of implementation and the nature, scope, context and purposes of the processing as well as the risk of varying likelihood and severity for the legally protected interests of natural persons, shall implement the necessary technical and organisational measures to ensure a level of security appropriate to the risk when processing personal data, in particular as regards the processing of special categories of personal data. In doing so, the controller shall take into account the relevant Technical Guidelines and recommendations from the Federal Office for Information Security.
(2) The measures referred to in subsection 1 may include pseudonymization and encryption of personal data, if such means are possible in view of the purposes of processing. The measures pursuant to subsection 1 should ensure
(3) In respect of automated processing, the controller and processor, following an evaluation of the risks, shall implement measures designed to
4. a description of the measures taken or proposed by the controller to address the personal data breach, including measures to mitigate its possible adverse effects.
(2) The notification of the data subject pursuant to subsection 1 shall describe in clear and plain language the nature of the personal data breach and contain at least the information and measures referred to in Section 65 (3) nos. 2 to 4.
1. the controller has implemented appropriate technical and organisational protection measures, and those measures were applied to the personal data affected by the personal data breach, in particular those that render the personal data unintelligible to any person who is not authorized to access them, such as encryption;
2. the controller has taken subsequent measures which ensure that the substantial risk referred to in subsection 1 is no longer likely to exist;
4. the measures envisaged to address the risks, including safeguards, security measures and mechanisms to ensure the protection of personal data and to demonstrate compliance with the law.
1. a data protection impact assessment pursuant to Section 67 indicates that the processing would result in a substantial risk to the legally protected interests of data subjects in the absence of measures taken by the controller to mitigate the risk; or
4. information on the measures and safeguards intended to protect the legally protected interests of the data subjects; and
(3) If the Federal Commissioner believes that the planned processing would violate the law, in particular because the controller has not sufficiently identified the risk or has not taken sufficient measures to mitigate the risk, he or she may provide, within a period of up to six weeks of receipt of the request for consultation, written advice to the controller and, where applicable, to the processor, as to which additional measures should be taken. The Federal Commissioner may extend this period by a month, if the planned processing is especially complex. In this case, the Federal Commissioner shall inform the controller and, where applicable, the processor of the extension within one month of receipt of the request for consultation.
9. a general description of the technical and organisational security measures referred to in Section 64.
3. a general description of the technical and organisational security measures according to Section 64.
(1) The controller, both at the time the means of processing are determined and at the time of the processing itself, shall take appropriate measures to implement data protection principles, such as data minimization, in an effective manner, to ensure compliance with legal requirements and to protect the rights of data subjects. In doing so, the controller shall take into account the state of the art, the cost of implementation and the nature, scope, context and purposes of processing, as well as the risks of varying likelihood and severity for the legally protected interests of the data subject posed by the processing. In particular, personal data shall be processed, and processing systems shall be selected and designed in accordance with the aim of processing as few personal data as possible. Personal data shall be rendered anonymous or pseudonymized as early as possible, as far as possible in accordance with the purpose of processing.
(2) The controller shall implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to ensure that, by default, only personal data which are necessary for each specific purpose of the processing are processed. That applies to the amount of data collected, the extent of their processing, the period of their storage and their accessibility. In particular, the measures must ensure that by default the data are not made accessible by automated means to an indefinite number of persons.
(1) The controller shall take appropriate measures to ensure that personal data which are inaccurate or no longer up to date are not transmitted or otherwise made available. To that end, the controller shall, as far as possible with reasonable effort, verify the quality of the data before they are transmitted or made available. The controller shall also, as far as possible and reasonable, in all transmissions of personal data include the necessary information to enable the recipient to assess the degree of accuracy, completeness and reliability of the data, and the extent to which they are up to date.
(4) Without prejudice to any time limits for storing or erasing data defined in law, the controller shall provide for appropriate time limits for the erasure of personal data or for a periodic review of the need for the storage of personal data and shall take procedural measures to ensure that these time limits are observed.
(4) The controller transferring data pursuant to subsection 1 shall take appropriate measures to ensure that the recipient will transfer the data onward to other third countries or other international organisations only with the prior authorisation of the controller. When deciding whether to authorize the transfer, the controller shall take into account all relevant factors, including the seriousness of the criminal offence, the purpose for which the personal data were originally transferred and the level of personal data protection in the third country or international organisation to which the data are to be transferred onward. The transfer shall be authorized only if a direct transfer to the other third country or international organisation would be lawful. The responsibility for issuing authorisation may also be otherwise provided for.
(1) The Federal Commissioner shall provide the supervisory authorities in other European Union Member States with information and mutual assistance as far as necessary to implement and apply Directive (EU) 2016/680 in a consistent manner. Mutual assistance shall cover, in particular, information requests and supervisory measures, such as requests to carry out consultations, inspections and investigations.
(2) The Federal Commissioner shall take all appropriate measures required to reply to a request for mutual assistance without delay and no later than one month after receiving the request.
1. he or she is not competent for the subject matter of the request or for the measures he or she is asked to execute; or
(4) The Federal Commissioner shall inform the other state’s requesting supervisory authority of the results or, as the case may be, of the progress of the measures taken in response to the request. In the case of subsection 3, he or she shall provide reasons for refusing to comply with the request.
(1) The transfer of personal data to a third country, to supranational or intergovernmental bodies or to international organisations in the context of activities outside the scope of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 and Directive (EU) 2016/680 shall be permitted in addition to the cases permitted under Regulation (EU) 2016/679 also if the processing is necessary to perform tasks for urgent reasons of defence or to fulfil supraor intergovernmental obligations of a public body of the Federation in the field of crisis management or conflict prevention or for humanitarian measures. The recipient shall be instructed that the transferred data may be used only for the purpose for which they were transferred.