- Enforcing jurisdiction
- Belgium · Geography does not establish applicable law.
- Confirmed applicable legislation
- Privacy topics
DPA case 72/2020 – Complaint Upheld (Belgium, 2020)
Privacy enforcement record
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A Belgian data protection authority upheld a complaint against a hospital for collecting union membership data without proper consent. This case is significant because it highlights the importance of clear consent and purpose when handling personal information.
What happened
A hospital was found to be retaining union membership fees without valid consent from employees.
Who was affected
Employees of the hospital who were members of a trade union were affected.
What the authority found
The authority ruled that the hospital's consent process was invalid because it did not inform employees about their right to withdraw consent.
Why this matters
This case underscores the need for clear communication about consent in data processing. Organizations should ensure that consent is informed and that individuals know their rights.
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Linked-source text retrieved.
Automated check recorded — 18 October 2026.
Processing notes: articles corrected.
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A hospital was retaining a part of the salary of its employees being members of a trade union 'A". This practice existed before another trade union "B" existed within the hospital. Fees were retained only for the membership fees of the members of the workers Union "A". The complainant, asks the DPA to answer on the legality of a practice consisting of collecting data on the membership of workers to trade unions. The DPA considered that the consent was not valid (not because there was a subordination but) considering that the right to withdraw consent was not mentioned to the data subjects. The litigation chamber also concluded that the purpose of the processing was not explicit enough.
Outcome
Complaint Upheld
A data subject complaint that was upheld by the DPA.
Related Enforcement Actions (0)
No other enforcement actions found for DPA case 72/2020 in BE
This is the only recorded action for this entity in this jurisdiction.
Details
About this data
Cite as: Cookie Fines. DPA case 72/2020 - Belgium (2020). Retrieved from cookiefines.eu
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