(Case T-709/21 Action brought on 1 November 2021– WhatsApp IrelandvEDPB
Fecha: 01-Nov-2021
Action brought on 1 November 2021– WhatsApp IrelandvEDPB
(Case T-709/21)
Language of the case: English
Parties
Applicant: WhatsApp Ireland Ltd (Dublin, Ireland) (represented by: H.-G.Kamann, F.Louis, A.Vallery, lawyers, P.Nolan, B.Johnston, C.Monaghan, Solicitors, P.Sreenan, D.McGrath, C.Geoghegan and E.EganMcGrath, Barristers-at-Law)
Defendant: European Data Protection Board
Form of order sought
The applicant claims that the Court should:
annul the decision1/2021 of the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) of 28July 2021, in total or, in the alternative, in its relevant parts, and
order the Defendant to pay the costs of the proceedings.
Pleas in law and main arguments
In support of the action to annul the binding decision 1/2021 of the EDPB of 28July 2021, on the dispute arisen on the draft decision of the Irish Supervisory Authority regarding WhatsApp Ireland under Article65(1)(a) of Regulation (EU)2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council (GDPR)1 , the applicant relies on seven pleas in law.
First plea in law, alleging that the EDPB exceeded its competence under Article65 of GDPR.
Second plea in law, alleging that the EDPB infringed Articles13(1)(d) and 12(1) GDPR by interpreting and applying these provisions and WhatsApp’s transparency obligations excessively by requesting WhatsApp to provide unrequired information.
Third plea in law, alleging that the EDPB infringed Article4(1) GDPR by interpreting and applying this provision and the term ‘personal data’ excessively.
Fourth plea in law, alleging the EDPB violated the presumption of innocence as enshrined in Article48 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU by inappropriately shifting the burden of proof onto WhatsApp to demonstrate that its processing environment is such that the risks of re-identification of data subjects is purely speculative.
Fifth plea in law, alleging that the EDPB infringed the right to good administration as enshrined in Article41 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU by disregarding WhatsApp’s right to be heard and the EDPB’s obligations to carefully and impartially examine evidence and to adequately state reasons.
Sixth plea in law, alleging that the EDPB violated Article83 GDPR and various underlying principles governing the determination of fines under the GDPR.
Seventh plea in law, alleging that the EDPB violated the principle of legal certainty by failing to acknowledge that its decision puts forward novel interpretations and applications of several provisions of the GDPR, with the consequence that the infringement was unpredictable.