Welcome to our General Data Protection Regulation or “GDPR” portal, where you can find out about:
- our privacy policies, and how we collect, store and use personal data;
- submit data to us as a client, applicant or inventor; and
- confirm, as a non-EU associate, that you meet certain data protection minimum requirements for us to be able to work with you.
The General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act
The GDPR (in the EU) comes into effect from 25 May 2018, and the updated Data Protection Act or “DPA” (in the UK) comes into effect soon. Both aim to tighten-up the way that entities process the personal data of EEA citizens.
In brief, the data protection regulations mandate that EU and/or UK entities, such as ourselves, must only collect, store and use personal data fairly, lawfully, transparently and for the limited purpose or purposes for which it was obtained. The regulations also place obligations on entities to treat and safeguard personal information as confidential. We believe that we comply with these requirements.
Privacy policy
Our privacy policy outlines: who we are and our role as a data processor; the people from whom we collect personal data; what personal data we collect and why; how we do and don’t use personal data; data retention polices; subject access requests and how to find out more/make a complaint.
Submit personal data
As part of our commitments to: limiting the amount of personal data we collect; ensuring the traceability of that personal data; justifying our use of that data; and/or obtaining consent, from 25 May 2018 we will require all personal data to be submitted to us via this portal.
Our data submission portal is designed to capture the minimum amount of necessary data for the stated purpose.
As the collection/use/consent requirements are different for different “classes” of data subjects (i.e. clients vs applicants vs inventors vs suppliers), it may be necessary for you to complete and submit several forms. This enables us to compartmentalise, audit, delete and, where necessary, obtain consent to use your personal data, as appropriate.
- Submit personal data as a client
- Submit personal data as an applicant
- Submit personal data as an inventor
For associates
As one or our associates, or potential associates, you are required to provide assurances to us that your systems and processes are GDPR- and DPA-compliant. Use this section of the GDPR portal to submit a declaration confirming that your data protection policies and procedures are at least as good as, or better than, those required under the GDPR or DPA.
Deleting your data
You are entitled to ask us to delete your personal data. However, as outlined in our privacy policy, deletion of your personal data from our systems will not remove your data from public records. Also, we reserve the right to decline to delete your personal data from our systems, where, for example, we need to retain it in accordance with our data retention policy, or where we are required to keep it.