Case C‑590/22

AT
and
BT

v

PS GbR and Others

(Request for a preliminary ruling from the Amtsgericht Wesel)

Judgment of the Court (Third Chamber) of 20 June 2024

(Reference for a preliminary ruling – Protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data – Regulation (EU) 2016/679 – Article 82(1) – Right to compensation for damage caused by data processing which infringes that regulation – Concept of ‘non-material damage’ – Impact of the seriousness of the damage suffered – Assessment of the amount of compensation – Claim for compensation for non-material damage based on fear – Inapplicability of the criteria laid down for administrative fines in Article 83 – Dissuasive function – Assessment where that regulation and national law are infringed simultaneously)

  1. Protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data – Regulation 2016/679 – Right to compensation and liability – Right to compensation for the damage suffered – Conditions – Mere infringement of the provisions of that regulation in the absence of damage – No right to compensation – Failure to take into account the seriousness of the damage suffered – Obligation of the person concerned to prove the existence of damage

    (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2016/679, Art. 82(1))

    (see paragraphs 21-28, operative part 1)

  2. Protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data – Regulation 2016/679 – Right to compensation and liability – Right to compensation for the damage suffered – Non-material damage – Concept – Fear experienced by a data subject with regard to a possible misuse of his or her personal data by third parties – Included – Limits

    (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2016/679, Art. 82(1))

    (see paragraphs 32, 34-36, operative part 2)

  3. Protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data – Regulation 2016/679 – Right to compensation and liability – Right to compensation for the damage suffered – Non-material damage – Concept – Loss of control over personal data – Included

    (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2016/679, recital 85 and Art. 82(1))

    (see paragraph 33)

  4. Protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data – Regulation 2016/679 – Right to compensation and liability – Right to compensation for the damage suffered – Assessment of the amount of compensation – Inapplicability of the criteria laid down for imposing administrative fines – Dissuasive function of that right – No such function

    (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2016/679, recitals 146 and 148 and Arts 82(1) and 83)

    (see paragraphs 38-44, operative part 3)

  5. Protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data – Regulation 2016/679 – Right to compensation and liability – Right to compensation for the damage suffered – Assessment of the amount of compensation – Simultaneous infringements of that regulation and of national law on the protection of personal data – Irrelevant

    (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2016/679, recital 146, fifth sentence, and Art. 82(1))

    (see paragraphs 47-50, operative part 4)

See the text of the decision.