DSK - energy supplier pool - March 2021: Difference between revisions

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|Case_Number_Name=„Energieversorgerpool“ darf nicht zu gläsernen Verbraucher*innen führen
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The German Data Protection Conference (Datenschutzkonferenz) holds that credit agencies in cooperation with energy suppliers cannot rely on Article 6(1)f GDPR to collect customer data in a data pool to determine if a customer considers a longterm contractual relationship.
The German Data Protection Conference (Datenschutzkonferenz) decided that credit agencies in cooperation with energy suppliers cannot rely on Article 6(1)f GDPR to collect customer data in a data pool to determine if a customer considers a longterm contractual relationship.




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Decision of the Conference of Independent Data Protection Supervisory Authorities of the
Resolution of the Conference of the Independent Data Protection Authorities of Bund and the Länder
                            Federal and state


The "energy supplier pool" must not lead to transparent consumers
of 15 March 2021


Credit agencies and energy suppliers are considering creating a so-called energy supplier pool. In this central data pool, positive data of customers should also be stored and transmitted to other energy suppliers. Positive data is data on contracts where the customers do not give cause for complaint, i.e. they behave in accordance with the contract.


Information on the number of contracts concluded and the respective contract duration can indicate whether consumers intend to have a longer contractual relationship with an electricity supplier or regularly use offers for new customers. Consumers who regularly choose the cheapest offer on the market and want to switch suppliers could then be excluded by utilities when they have attractive offers.


However, every citizen has the right to take advantage of the competition between energy suppliers and to look for cheap offers on the market. The desire to record alleged "bargain hunters" in a central data pool in order to be able to identify them as such when initiating a contract and, if necessary, to exclude them from offers, does not constitute a legitimate interest within the meaning of Article 6 (1) sentence 1 lit. f) of the GDPR. It was precisely the aim of the legislator to enable effective and undistorted competition in the supply of electricity and gas by liberalising the energy market. The attempt to identify price-conscious consumers who are willing to switch and to exclude them from certain offers, if necessary, would run counter to this objective.


“Energy supplier pool” must not lead to transparent consumers
Even if the interests of the companies were to be considered legitimate, the interests and fundamental rights of the customers worthy of protection outweigh them in such cases. Consumers who are in compliance with the contract have the right to expect that their data will not be processed beyond the purpose of the contract, which may limit their ability to operate freely in the market.


 
The storage and transmission of positive data by an energy supplier pool would contribute significantly to transparent consumers and would be illegal according to Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. f) DS-GVO.
                          from March 15, 2021
 
 
 
Credit agencies and energy suppliers are considering a so-called energy
 
to create a pool of energy suppliers. This central data pool should also contain positive
Customer data is saved and transmitted to other energy providers
 
become. Positive data is data about contracts in which the supplied ones do not
 
Give cause for complaint, i.e. behave in accordance with the contract.
 
 
Information about the number of concluded contracts and the respective
 
duration of use can provide information as to whether consumers have a longer
 
Intend to enter into a contractual relationship with an electricity supplier or
 
Take advantage of thirty offers for new customers. Consumers who regularly
Choose the most cost-effective offer on the market for you and choose the provider
 
would like to change, could then be offered by utility companies at pric-
 
attractive offers are excluded.
 
 
However, every citizen has the right to compete between
 
to use the energy suppliers and to look for cheap offers on the market
 
search. The desire to put alleged "bargain hunters" in a central data
 
ten pool in order to identify them as such when the contract is initiated and
To be able to exclude from offers, if necessary, does not represent a legitimate interest i.
 
S. d. Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR. It was precisely the aim of the law
 
bers, through the liberalization of the energy market, an effective and
 
to enable falsified competition in the supply of electricity and gas
chen. Trying to reach price-conscious consumers who are willing to change
 
identify them and, if necessary, exclude them from certain offers, this would
 
contrary to our objective, even if the interests of the company were considered to be justified,
 
In such cases, the legitimate interests and fundamental rights prevail
 
of customers. Consumers who are loyal to the contract can rightly expect
 
that no processing of your data beyond the purpose of the contract takes place
 
follows, which may limit their ability to operate freely in the market.
 
 
The storage and transmission of positive data by an energy supplier
 
gerpool would and would make a significant contribution to transparent consumers
 
according to Art. 6 Paragraph 1 Clause 1 lit. f) GDPR unlawful.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Latest revision as of 10:03, 8 September 2021

DSK - „Energieversorgerpool“ darf nicht zu gläsernen Verbraucher*innen führen
Logo-DSK-big.jpg
Authority: DSK (Germany)
Jurisdiction: Germany
Relevant Law: Article 6(1)(f) GDPR
Type: Advisory Opinion
Outcome: n/a
Started:
Decided:
Published: 15.03.2021
Fine: None
Parties: n/a
National Case Number/Name: „Energieversorgerpool“ darf nicht zu gläsernen Verbraucher*innen führen
European Case Law Identifier: n/a
Appeal: n/a
Original Language(s): German
Original Source: Datenschutzkonferenz (in DE)
Initial Contributor: Florian Kurz

The German Data Protection Conference (Datenschutzkonferenz) decided that credit agencies in cooperation with energy suppliers cannot rely on Article 6(1)f GDPR to collect customer data in a data pool to determine if a customer considers a longterm contractual relationship.


English Summary

Facts

In late 2020 it had been reported that a number of credit agencies and energy suppliers were considering to set up a data pool consisting of customers of said energy suppliers. It had been in intended to not only process so-called „Negativdaten“, i.e. data on consumers who did not pay their bills on time, but also „Positivdaten“, i.e. data on the mere conclusion of a contract. The aim was to identify bargain hunters who are not looking for a longterm contractual relationship with the energy supplier but only want so save a couple of bucks. In identifying this type of customer, the energy supplier would be able to refuse service to these potential customers.

Dispute

While the credit agencies and suppliers had not yet implemented this plan, the Data Protection Conference considered whether such a processing could be justified by Art. 6(1)f GDPR (legitimate interest)?

Holding

The Data Protection Conference maintained that the intended data processing could not be based on Article 6(1)f GDPR. It held that even if the interests of the involved undertakings were considered to be legitimate, they would be overridden by the fundamental rights and freedoms of the individual customer. Moreover, the Conference stated that the consumer expects that his/her personal data is not processed beyond what is necessary for the performance of a contract. Hence, the planned processing would impede consumers to act freely on the market.

Comment

This statement from the Data Protection Conference is interesting in so far, as the system conceived of by credit agencies and energy suppliers has not yet been implemented. The body consisting of all national DPAs preemptively issued this statement to provide its view on a system that was or is still in its planning stages.

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English Machine Translation of the Decision

The decision below is a machine translation of the German original. Please refer to the German original for more details.

Resolution of the Conference of the Independent Data Protection Authorities of Bund and the Länder

The "energy supplier pool" must not lead to transparent consumers
of 15 March 2021

Credit agencies and energy suppliers are considering creating a so-called energy supplier pool. In this central data pool, positive data of customers should also be stored and transmitted to other energy suppliers. Positive data is data on contracts where the customers do not give cause for complaint, i.e. they behave in accordance with the contract.

Information on the number of contracts concluded and the respective contract duration can indicate whether consumers intend to have a longer contractual relationship with an electricity supplier or regularly use offers for new customers. Consumers who regularly choose the cheapest offer on the market and want to switch suppliers could then be excluded by utilities when they have attractive offers.

However, every citizen has the right to take advantage of the competition between energy suppliers and to look for cheap offers on the market. The desire to record alleged "bargain hunters" in a central data pool in order to be able to identify them as such when initiating a contract and, if necessary, to exclude them from offers, does not constitute a legitimate interest within the meaning of Article 6 (1) sentence 1 lit. f) of the GDPR. It was precisely the aim of the legislator to enable effective and undistorted competition in the supply of electricity and gas by liberalising the energy market. The attempt to identify price-conscious consumers who are willing to switch and to exclude them from certain offers, if necessary, would run counter to this objective.

Even if the interests of the companies were to be considered legitimate, the interests and fundamental rights of the customers worthy of protection outweigh them in such cases. Consumers who are in compliance with the contract have the right to expect that their data will not be processed beyond the purpose of the contract, which may limit their ability to operate freely in the market. 

The storage and transmission of positive data by an energy supplier pool would contribute significantly to transparent consumers and would be illegal according to Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. f) DS-GVO.