Case C‑453/21

X-FAB Dresden GmbH & Co. KG

v

FC

(Request for a preliminary ruling from the Bundesarbeitsgericht)

Judgment of the Court (Sixth Chamber) of 9 February 2023

(Reference for a preliminary ruling – Protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data – Regulation (EU) 2016/679 – Article 38(3) – Data protection officer – Prohibition on dismissing data protection officer for performing his or her tasks – Requirement for functional independence – National legislation prohibiting the dismissal of a data protection officer without just cause – Article 38(6) – Conflict of interests – Criteria)

1. Protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data – Regulation 2016/679 – Data protection officer – Position – Prohibition on a controller or a processor dismissing or penalising a data protection officer for performing his or her tasks – Data protection officer carrying out other activities with the same undertaking – Conflict of interests

   (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2016/679, Art. 38(3), second sentence)

   (see paragraphs 20-36, operative part 1)

2. Protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data – Regulation 2016/679 – Data protection officer – Position

   (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2016/679, Art. 38(6), second sentence)

   (see paragraphs 38-46, operative part 2)

See the text of the decision.