{ "attribution": { "source": "legal.exploreworldai.com", "canonical": "https://legal.exploreworldai.com/api/public/v1/judgment-text?id=eu:c-272-19", "cite_as": "NovaCopilot, legal.exploreworldai.com (https://legal.exploreworldai.com/api/public/v1/judgment-text?id=eu:c-272-19)", "license": "https://legal.exploreworldai.com/revision", "version": "legal-2026-10-25", "fingerprint": "ewai:eu:c82ec6", "proof": "sha256:8ed430598ce8b71b8986f4effd4283dab57dfd7a642a7f60c4e85f8e972ce2ee", "jurisdiction": "eu", "lang": "en", "publisher": "NovaCopilot by ExploreWorld Legal", "terms": "https://legal.exploreworldai.com/om" }, "brand_source": "Source: NovaCopilot", "item": { "schema_version": "1.0.0", "id": "eu:c-272-19", "jurisdiction": "eu", "lang": "en", "brand_source": "Source: NovaCopilot", "brand": { "product": "NovaCopilot", "platform": "ExploreWorldAI", "infrastructure": "ExploreWorld Legal", "infrastructure_url": "legal.exploreworldai.com", "legal_entity": "Valkiv Ventures AB", "permanent_url": "https://legal.exploreworldai.com/novacopilot", "source": "Source: NovaCopilot", "powered_by": "Powered by NovaCopilot", "license": "https://legal.exploreworldai.com/licensvillkor" }, "sections": [ { "title": "62019CJ0272", "paragraphs": [] }, { "title": "JUDGMENT OF THE COURT (Third Chamber)", "paragraphs": [] }, { "title": "9 July 2020 (\n *1\n )", "paragraphs": [ "para_4", "para_5", "para_6" ] }, { "title": "VQ", "paragraphs": [ "para_8", "para_9", "para_10", "para_11", "para_12", "para_13", "para_14", "para_15", "para_16", "para_17", "para_18", "para_19", "para_20", "para_21", "para_22", "para_23", "para_24", "para_25", "para_26", "para_27", "para_28", "para_29", "para_30", "para_31" ] }, { "title": "Judgment", "paragraphs": [] }, { "title": "1", "paragraphs": [ "para_34" ] }, { "title": "2", "paragraphs": [ "para_36" ] }, { "title": "Legal context", "paragraphs": [] }, { "title": "European Union law", "paragraphs": [] }, { "title": "Directive 95/46/EC", "paragraphs": [] }, { "title": "3", "paragraphs": [ "para_41", "para_42" ] }, { "title": "2.   This Directive shall not apply to the processing of personal data:", "paragraphs": [ "para_44", "para_45", "para_46", "para_47" ] }, { "title": "Regulation 2016/679", "paragraphs": [] }, { "title": "4", "paragraphs": [] }, { "title": "Recitals 16 and 20 of Regulation 2016/679 state:", "paragraphs": [ "para_51", "para_52", "para_53" ] }, { "title": "(20)", "paragraphs": [ "para_55" ] }, { "title": "5", "paragraphs": [] }, { "title": "Article 2 of that regulation, headed ‘Material scope’, provides:", "paragraphs": [ "para_58" ] }, { "title": "2.   This Regulation does not apply to the processing of personal data:", "paragraphs": [] }, { "title": "(a)", "paragraphs": [ "para_61" ] }, { "title": "(b)", "paragraphs": [ "para_63" ] }, { "title": "(c)", "paragraphs": [ "para_65" ] }, { "title": "(d)", "paragraphs": [ "para_67", "para_68" ] }, { "title": "6", "paragraphs": [] }, { "title": "Article 4 of that regulation, headed ‘Definitions’, provides:", "paragraphs": [ "para_71", "para_72" ] }, { "title": "(7)", "paragraphs": [ "para_74", "para_75" ] }, { "title": "7", "paragraphs": [ "para_77", "para_78", "para_79" ] }, { "title": "8", "paragraphs": [] }, { "title": "Article 23(1) of Regulation 2016/679, that article being headed ‘Restrictions’, provides:", "paragraphs": [ "para_82" ] }, { "title": "(a)", "paragraphs": [ "para_84" ] }, { "title": "(b)", "paragraphs": [ "para_86" ] }, { "title": "(c)", "paragraphs": [ "para_88" ] }, { "title": "(d)", "paragraphs": [ "para_90" ] }, { "title": "(e)", "paragraphs": [ "para_92" ] }, { "title": "(f)", "paragraphs": [ "para_94" ] }, { "title": "(g)", "paragraphs": [ "para_96" ] }, { "title": "(h)", "paragraphs": [ "para_98" ] }, { "title": "(i)", "paragraphs": [ "para_100" ] }, { "title": "(j)", "paragraphs": [ "para_102" ] }, { "title": "German law", "paragraphs": [] }, { "title": "Federal law", "paragraphs": [] }, { "title": "9", "paragraphs": [ "para_106", "para_107", "para_108" ] }, { "title": "10", "paragraphs": [ "para_110", "para_111", "para_112", "para_113" ] }, { "title": "The law of Land Hessen", "paragraphs": [] }, { "title": "11", "paragraphs": [] }, { "title": "Article 126 of the Verfassung des Landes Hessen (Constitution of Land Hessen) provides:", "paragraphs": [ "para_117" ] }, { "title": "(2)   Judges shall be independent and subject only to the law.’", "paragraphs": [] }, { "title": "12", "paragraphs": [] }, { "title": "Article 127 of that Constitution is worded as follows:", "paragraphs": [ "para_121", "para_122", "para_123", "para_124" ] }, { "title": "13", "paragraphs": [ "para_126", "para_127" ] }, { "title": "14", "paragraphs": [] }, { "title": "Paragraph 3 of the HRiG provides:", "paragraphs": [ "para_130" ] }, { "title": "15", "paragraphs": [ "para_132", "para_133" ] }, { "title": "16", "paragraphs": [ "para_135", "para_136" ] }, { "title": "17", "paragraphs": [ "para_138", "para_139", "para_140" ] }, { "title": "The dispute in the main proceedings and the questions referred for a preliminary ruling", "paragraphs": [] }, { "title": "18", "paragraphs": [ "para_143" ] }, { "title": "19", "paragraphs": [ "para_145" ] }, { "title": "20", "paragraphs": [ "para_147" ] }, { "title": "21", "paragraphs": [ "para_149" ] }, { "title": "22", "paragraphs": [ "para_151" ] }, { "title": "23", "paragraphs": [ "para_153" ] }, { "title": "24", "paragraphs": [ "para_155" ] }, { "title": "25", "paragraphs": [ "para_157" ] }, { "title": "26", "paragraphs": [ "para_159" ] }, { "title": "27", "paragraphs": [ "para_161" ] }, { "title": "28", "paragraphs": [ "para_163" ] }, { "title": "29", "paragraphs": [ "para_165" ] }, { "title": "30", "paragraphs": [ "para_167" ] }, { "title": "31", "paragraphs": [ "para_169" ] }, { "title": "32", "paragraphs": [ "para_171" ] }, { "title": "33", "paragraphs": [ "para_173" ] }, { "title": "34", "paragraphs": [ "para_175" ] }, { "title": "35", "paragraphs": [ "para_177" ] }, { "title": "36", "paragraphs": [ "para_179" ] }, { "title": "37", "paragraphs": [ "para_181" ] }, { "title": "38", "paragraphs": [ "para_183", "para_184", "para_185" ] }, { "title": "(2)", "paragraphs": [ "para_187" ] }, { "title": "The jurisdiction of the Court", "paragraphs": [] }, { "title": "39", "paragraphs": [ "para_190" ] }, { "title": "40", "paragraphs": [ "para_192" ] }, { "title": "41", "paragraphs": [ "para_194" ] }, { "title": "The admissibility of the request for a preliminary ruling", "paragraphs": [] }, { "title": "42", "paragraphs": [ "para_197" ] }, { "title": "43", "paragraphs": [ "para_199" ] }, { "title": "44", "paragraphs": [ "para_201" ] }, { "title": "45", "paragraphs": [ "para_203" ] }, { "title": "46", "paragraphs": [ "para_205" ] }, { "title": "47", "paragraphs": [ "para_207" ] }, { "title": "48", "paragraphs": [ "para_209" ] }, { "title": "49", "paragraphs": [ "para_211" ] }, { "title": "50", "paragraphs": [ "para_213" ] }, { "title": "51", "paragraphs": [ "para_215" ] }, { "title": "52", "paragraphs": [ "para_217" ] }, { "title": "53", "paragraphs": [ "para_219" ] }, { "title": "54", "paragraphs": [ "para_221" ] }, { "title": "55", "paragraphs": [ "para_223" ] }, { "title": "56", "paragraphs": [ "para_225" ] }, { "title": "57", "paragraphs": [ "para_227" ] }, { "title": "58", "paragraphs": [ "para_229" ] }, { "title": "59", "paragraphs": [ "para_231" ] }, { "title": "60", "paragraphs": [ "para_233" ] }, { "title": "61", "paragraphs": [ "para_235" ] }, { "title": "62", "paragraphs": [ "para_237" ] }, { "title": "The request for a preliminary ruling", "paragraphs": [] }, { "title": "63", "paragraphs": [ "para_240" ] }, { "title": "64", "paragraphs": [ "para_242" ] }, { "title": "65", "paragraphs": [ "para_244" ] }, { "title": "66", "paragraphs": [ "para_246" ] }, { "title": "67", "paragraphs": [ "para_248" ] }, { "title": "68", "paragraphs": [ "para_250" ] }, { "title": "69", "paragraphs": [ "para_252" ] }, { "title": "70", "paragraphs": [ "para_254" ] }, { "title": "71", "paragraphs": [ "para_256" ] }, { "title": "72", "paragraphs": [ "para_258" ] }, { "title": "73", "paragraphs": [ "para_260" ] }, { "title": "74", "paragraphs": [ "para_262" ] }, { "title": "Costs", "paragraphs": [] }, { "title": "75", "paragraphs": [ "para_265" ] }, { "title": "On those grounds, the Court (Third Chamber) hereby rules:", "paragraphs": [ "para_267", "para_268", "para_269" ] } ], "paragraphs": [ { "text": "62019CJ0272", "paragraph_id": "para_1" }, { "text": "JUDGMENT OF THE COURT (Third Chamber)", "paragraph_id": "para_2" }, { "text": "9 July 2020 (\n *1\n )", "paragraph_id": "para_3" }, { "text": "(Reference for a preliminary ruling — Article 267 TFEU — Concept of ‘court or tribunal’ — Protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data — Regulation (EU) 2016/679 — Scope — Article 2(2)(a) — Meaning of ‘activity which falls outside the scope of Union law’ — Article 4(7) — Concept of ‘controller’ — Petitions Committee of the parliament of a Federated State of a Member State — Article 15 — Right of access by the data subject)", "paragraph_id": "para_4" }, { "text": "In Case C‑272/19,", "paragraph_id": "para_5" }, { "text": "REQUEST for a preliminary ruling under Article 267 TFEU from the Verwaltungsgericht Wiesbaden (Administrative Court of Wiesbaden, Germany), made by decision of 27 March 2019, received at the Court on 1 April 2019, in the proceedings", "paragraph_id": "para_6" }, { "text": "VQ", "paragraph_id": "para_7" }, { "text": "v", "paragraph_id": "para_8" }, { "text": "Land Hessen,", "paragraph_id": "para_9" }, { "text": "THE COURT (Third Chamber),", "paragraph_id": "para_10" }, { "text": "composed of A. Prechal, President of the Chamber, L.S. Rossi (Rapporteur), J. Malenovský, F. Biltgen and N. Wahl, Judges,", "paragraph_id": "para_11" }, { "text": "Advocate General: M. Szpunar,", "paragraph_id": "para_12" }, { "text": "Registrar: A. Calot Escobar,", "paragraph_id": "para_13" }, { "text": "having regard to the written procedure,", "paragraph_id": "para_14" }, { "text": "after considering the observations submitted on behalf of:", "paragraph_id": "para_15" }, { "text": "–", "paragraph_id": "para_16" }, { "text": "VQ, by A.‑K. Pantaleon, genannt Stemberg, Rechtsanwältin,", "paragraph_id": "para_17" }, { "text": "–", "paragraph_id": "para_18" }, { "text": "Land Hessen, by H.‑G. Kamann, M. Braun and L. Hesse, Rechtsanwälte,", "paragraph_id": "para_19" }, { "text": "–", "paragraph_id": "para_20" }, { "text": "the German Government, by J. Möller, M. Hellmann and A. Berg, acting as Agents,", "paragraph_id": "para_21" }, { "text": "–", "paragraph_id": "para_22" }, { "text": "the Czech Government, by M. Smolek, O. Serdula and J. Vláčil, acting as Agents,", "paragraph_id": "para_23" }, { "text": "–", "paragraph_id": "para_24" }, { "text": "the Estonian Government, by N. Grünberg, acting as Agent,", "paragraph_id": "para_25" }, { "text": "–", "paragraph_id": "para_26" }, { "text": "the Polish Government, by B. Majczyna, acting as Agent,", "paragraph_id": "para_27" }, { "text": "–", "paragraph_id": "para_28" }, { "text": "the European Commission, by H. Krämer, D. Nardi and F. Erlbacher, acting as Agents,", "paragraph_id": "para_29" }, { "text": "having decided, after hearing the Advocate General, to proceed to judgment without an Opinion,", "paragraph_id": "para_30" }, { "text": "gives the following", "paragraph_id": "para_31" }, { "text": "Judgment", "paragraph_id": "para_32" }, { "text": "1", "paragraph_id": "para_33" }, { "text": "This request for a preliminary ruling concerns the interpretation of (i) Article 4(7) and Article 15 of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement …", "paragraph_id": "para_34" }, { "text": "2", "paragraph_id": "para_35" }, { "text": "The request has been made in proceedings between VQ and Land Hessen (Germany) concerning the lawfulness of the rejection by the President of the Hessischer Landtag (the Parliament of Land Hessen) of VQ’s application for access to the personal data concerning him, as recorded by the Petitions Committee of that parliament.", "paragraph_id": "para_36" }, { "text": "Legal context", "paragraph_id": "para_37" }, { "text": "European Union law", "paragraph_id": "para_38" }, { "text": "Directive 95/46/EC", "paragraph_id": "para_39" }, { "text": "3", "paragraph_id": "para_40" }, { "text": "Directive 95/46/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 October 1995 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data ( OJ 1995 L 281, p. 31 ), which was repealed by Regulation 2016/679, contained an Article 3, headed ‘Scope’, which provided:", "paragraph_id": "para_41" }, { "text": "‘1.   This Directive shall apply to the processing of personal data wholly or partly by automated means, and to the processing otherwise than by automated means of personal data which form part of a filing system or are intended to form part of a filing system.", "paragraph_id": "para_42" }, { "text": "2.   This Directive shall not apply to the processing of personal data:", "paragraph_id": "para_43" }, { "text": "–", "paragraph_id": "para_44" }, { "text": "in the course of an activity which falls outside the scope of Community law, such as those provided for by Titles V and VI of the Treaty on European Union and in any case to processing operations concerning public security, defence, State security (including the economic well-being of the State when the processing operation relates to State security matters) and the activities of the State in areas of criminal law,", "paragraph_id": "para_45" }, { "text": "–", "paragraph_id": "para_46" }, { "text": "by a natural person in the course of a purely personal or household activity.’", "paragraph_id": "para_47" }, { "text": "Regulation 2016/679", "paragraph_id": "para_48" }, { "text": "4", "paragraph_id": "para_49" }, { "text": "Recitals 16 and 20 of Regulation 2016/679 state:", "paragraph_id": "para_50" }, { "text": "‘(16)", "paragraph_id": "para_51" }, { "text": "This Regulation does not apply to issues of protection of fundamental rights and freedoms or the free flow of personal data related to activities which fall outside the scope of Union law, such as activities concerning national security. This Regulation does not apply to the processing of personal data by the Member States when carrying out activities in relation to the common foreign and security policy of the Union.", "paragraph_id": "para_52" }, { "text": "…", "paragraph_id": "para_53" }, { "text": "(20)", "paragraph_id": "para_54" }, { "text": "While this Regulation applies, inter alia, to the activities of courts and other judicial authorities, Union or Member State law could specify the processing operations and processing procedures in relation to the processing of personal data by courts and other judicial authorities. The competence o …", "paragraph_id": "para_55" }, { "text": "5", "paragraph_id": "para_56" }, { "text": "Article 2 of that regulation, headed ‘Material scope’, provides:", "paragraph_id": "para_57" }, { "text": "‘1.   This Regulation applies to the processing of personal data wholly or partly by automated means and to the processing other than by automated means of personal data which form part of a filing system or are intended to form part of a filing system.", "paragraph_id": "para_58" }, { "text": "2.   This Regulation does not apply to the processing of personal data:", "paragraph_id": "para_59" }, { "text": "(a)", "paragraph_id": "para_60" }, { "text": "in the course of an activity which falls outside the scope of Union law;", "paragraph_id": "para_61" }, { "text": "(b)", "paragraph_id": "para_62" }, { "text": "by the Member States when carrying out activities which fall within the scope of Chapter 2 of Title V of the [Treaty on European Union];", "paragraph_id": "para_63" }, { "text": "(c)", "paragraph_id": "para_64" }, { "text": "by a natural person in the course of a purely personal or household activity;", "paragraph_id": "para_65" }, { "text": "(d)", "paragraph_id": "para_66" }, { "text": "by competent authorities for the purposes of the prevention, investigation, detection or prosecution of criminal offences or the execution of criminal penalties, including the safeguarding against and the prevention of threats to public security.", "paragraph_id": "para_67" }, { "text": "…’", "paragraph_id": "para_68" }, { "text": "6", "paragraph_id": "para_69" }, { "text": "Article 4 of that regulation, headed ‘Definitions’, provides:", "paragraph_id": "para_70" }, { "text": "‘For the purposes of this Regulation:", "paragraph_id": "para_71" }, { "text": "…", "paragraph_id": "para_72" }, { "text": "(7)", "paragraph_id": "para_73" }, { "text": "“controller” means the natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other body which, alone or jointly with others, determines the purposes and means of the processing of personal data; where the purposes and means of such processing are determined by Union or Member State law, the controller or the specific criteria for its appointment may be provided for by Union or Member State law;", "paragraph_id": "para_74" }, { "text": "…’", "paragraph_id": "para_75" }, { "text": "7", "paragraph_id": "para_76" }, { "text": "Article 15(1) of that regulation, that article being headed ‘Right of access by the data subject’, provides:", "paragraph_id": "para_77" }, { "text": "‘The data subject shall have the right to obtain from the controller confirmation as to whether or not personal data concerning him or her are being processed, and, where that is the case, access to the personal data and the following information:", "paragraph_id": "para_78" }, { "text": "…’", "paragraph_id": "para_79" }, { "text": "8", "paragraph_id": "para_80" }, { "text": "Article 23(1) of Regulation 2016/679, that article being headed ‘Restrictions’, provides:", "paragraph_id": "para_81" }, { "text": "‘Union or Member State law to which the data controller or processor is subject may restrict by way of a legislative measure the scope of the obligations and rights provided for in Articles 12 to 22 and Article 34, as well as Article 5 in so far as its provisions correspond to the rights and obligat …", "paragraph_id": "para_82" }, { "text": "(a)", "paragraph_id": "para_83" }, { "text": "national security;", "paragraph_id": "para_84" }, { "text": "(b)", "paragraph_id": "para_85" }, { "text": "defence;", "paragraph_id": "para_86" }, { "text": "(c)", "paragraph_id": "para_87" }, { "text": "public security;", "paragraph_id": "para_88" }, { "text": "(d)", "paragraph_id": "para_89" }, { "text": "the prevention, investigation, detection and prosecution of criminal offences or the execution of criminal penalties, including the safeguarding against and the prevention of threats to public security;", "paragraph_id": "para_90" }, { "text": "(e)", "paragraph_id": "para_91" }, { "text": "other important objectives of general public interest of the Union or of a Member State, in particular an important economic or financial interest of the Union or of a Member State, including monetary, budgetary and taxation matters, public health and social security;", "paragraph_id": "para_92" }, { "text": "(f)", "paragraph_id": "para_93" }, { "text": "the protection of judicial independence and judicial proceedings;", "paragraph_id": "para_94" }, { "text": "(g)", "paragraph_id": "para_95" }, { "text": "the prevention, investigation, detection and prosecution of breaches of ethics for regulated professions;", "paragraph_id": "para_96" }, { "text": "(h)", "paragraph_id": "para_97" }, { "text": "a monitoring, inspection or regulatory function connected, even occasionally, with the exercise of official authority in cases referred to in (a) to (e) and (g);", "paragraph_id": "para_98" }, { "text": "(i)", "paragraph_id": "para_99" }, { "text": "the protection of the data subject or the rights and freedoms of others;", "paragraph_id": "para_100" }, { "text": "(j)", "paragraph_id": "para_101" }, { "text": "the enforcement of civil law claims.’", "paragraph_id": "para_102" }, { "text": "German law", "paragraph_id": "para_103" }, { "text": "Federal law", "paragraph_id": "para_104" }, { "text": "9", "paragraph_id": "para_105" }, { "text": "Article 97 of the Grundgesetz für die Bundesrepublik Deutschland (Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany) provides:", "paragraph_id": "para_106" }, { "text": "‘(1)   Judges shall be independent and subject only to the law.", "paragraph_id": "para_107" }, { "text": "(2)   Judges duly appointed for life to full-time judicial office may be involuntarily dismissed, permanently or temporarily suspended, transferred or retired from that office before the expiry of their term of office only by virtue of a judicial decision and on the grounds and in the manner specifi …", "paragraph_id": "para_108" }, { "text": "10", "paragraph_id": "para_109" }, { "text": "Paragraph 26 of the Deutsches Richtergesetz (the German Judiciary Act; ‘the DRiG’) is worded as follows:", "paragraph_id": "para_110" }, { "text": "‘(1)   A judge shall be subject to supervision only to the extent that his or her independence is not adversely affected.", "paragraph_id": "para_111" }, { "text": "(2)   Without prejudice to subparagraph (1), supervision shall also include the power to censure a judge for the improper performance of his or her duties and to warn him or her to perform his or her duties promptly and properly.", "paragraph_id": "para_112" }, { "text": "(3)   Where a judge maintains that a supervisory measure adversely affects his or her independence, a court shall, at the request of that judge, give a ruling in compliance with this Act.’", "paragraph_id": "para_113" }, { "text": "The law of Land Hessen", "paragraph_id": "para_114" }, { "text": "11", "paragraph_id": "para_115" }, { "text": "Article 126 of the Verfassung des Landes Hessen (Constitution of Land Hessen) provides:", "paragraph_id": "para_116" }, { "text": "‘(1)   Judicial authority shall be exercised exclusively by the lawfully established courts and tribunals.", "paragraph_id": "para_117" }, { "text": "(2)   Judges shall be independent and subject only to the law.’", "paragraph_id": "para_118" }, { "text": "12", "paragraph_id": "para_119" }, { "text": "Article 127 of that Constitution is worded as follows:", "paragraph_id": "para_120" }, { "text": "‘(1)   Judges duly appointed to full-time judicial office shall be appointed for life.", "paragraph_id": "para_121" }, { "text": "(2)   Judges shall be appointed for life only if, after temporary engagement for a probation period the duration of which is to be determined by statute, their character and judicial activity is demonstrably such as to ensure that they will perform their duties in the spirit of democracy and with understanding of society.", "paragraph_id": "para_122" }, { "text": "(3)   A decision on temporary engagement and appointment for life shall be made jointly by the Minister of Justice and a judicial appointments committee.", "paragraph_id": "para_123" }, { "text": "…’", "paragraph_id": "para_124" }, { "text": "13", "paragraph_id": "para_125" }, { "text": "Paragraph 2b of the Hessisches Richtergesetz (the Land Hessen Judiciary Act; ‘the HRiG’) states:", "paragraph_id": "para_126" }, { "text": "‘The assessment of the ability, competences and professional performance of the judges shall be regulated by the Guidelines of the Minister of Justice.’", "paragraph_id": "para_127" }, { "text": "14", "paragraph_id": "para_128" }, { "text": "Paragraph 3 of the HRiG provides:", "paragraph_id": "para_129" }, { "text": "‘Judges shall be appointed by the Minister of Justice.’", "paragraph_id": "para_130" }, { "text": "15", "paragraph_id": "para_131" }, { "text": "Paragraph 18 of the Verwaltungsgerichtsordnung (Code of Administrative Procedure), is worded as follows:", "paragraph_id": "para_132" }, { "text": "‘For the purpose of covering staff requirements of a temporary nature, an established public servant having the requisite qualifications for judicial office may be appointed as an acting judge for a period of at least two years, but for no longer than the duration of his or her main office. Paragraph 15(1), first and third sentences, and (2) of the [DRiG] shall apply mutatis mutandis .’", "paragraph_id": "para_133" }, { "text": "16", "paragraph_id": "para_134" }, { "text": "Paragraph 30(1) of the Hessisches Datenschutz- und Informationsfreiheitsgesetz (Law of Land Hessen on the protection of data and freedom of information), which adapts the law of Land Hessen in the area of data protection to, inter alia, Regulation 2016/679, provides:", "paragraph_id": "para_135" }, { "text": "‘With the exception of Paragraphs 15 and 29, the provisions of this law shall apply to the [Parliament of Land Hessen] solely to the extent that [that parliament] plays a part in administrative matters, including the economic matters of [that parliament], staff management or the implementation of le …", "paragraph_id": "para_136" }, { "text": "17", "paragraph_id": "para_137" }, { "text": "Annex 2 to the Geschäftsordnung des Hessischen Landtags (Internal regulation of the Parliament of Land Hessen) of 16 December 1993 contains the guidelines relating to the treatment of information that is classified in the hands of the Parliament of Land Hessen of 1986, which state, in Paragraph 13 thereof, headed ‘Protection of private confidential information’:", "paragraph_id": "para_138" }, { "text": "‘(1)   In so far as the protection of personal, professional or business confidential information requires it, the files, other documents and deliberations of the committees must be kept secret. That applies in particular with respect to files relating to tax matters and petitions. …", "paragraph_id": "para_139" }, { "text": "(2)   The right to consult such files or documents shall be reserved to the members of the competent committee. The same applies to consultation of the minutes of deliberations of the committees on issues requiring confidentiality, within the meaning of subparagraph 1. The committee shall decide on the distribution of the minutes.’", "paragraph_id": "para_140" }, { "text": "The dispute in the main proceedings and the questions referred for a preliminary ruling", "paragraph_id": "para_141" }, { "text": "18", "paragraph_id": "para_142" }, { "text": "After his submission of a petition to the Petitions Committee of the Parliament of Land Hessen, VQ applied to that committee, on the basis of Article 15 of Regulation 2016/679, for access to the personal data concerning him, recorded by that committee when dealing with his petition.", "paragraph_id": "para_143" }, { "text": "19", "paragraph_id": "para_144" }, { "text": "The President of the Parliament of Land Hessen decided to reject that application, on the ground that the petition procedure constitutes a function of the parliament and that the parliament was outside the scope of Regulation 2016/679.", "paragraph_id": "para_145" }, { "text": "20", "paragraph_id": "para_146" }, { "text": "On 22 March 2013, VQ brought an action before the Verwaltungsgericht Wiesbaden (Administrative Court of Wiesbaden, Germany) challenging the decision of the President of the Parliament of Land Hessen rejecting his application.", "paragraph_id": "para_147" }, { "text": "21", "paragraph_id": "para_148" }, { "text": "That court notes that, taking into consideration, inter alia, Paragraph 13 of the guidelines relating to the treatment of information that is classified in the hands of the Parliament of Land Hessen of 1986, German law grants no right of access to personal data in the context of a petition such as that in the main proceedings.", "paragraph_id": "para_149" }, { "text": "22", "paragraph_id": "para_150" }, { "text": "However, that court is uncertain, first, whether the Petitions Committee of the Parliament of Land Hessen can be categorised as a ‘public authority’, within the meaning of Article 4(7) of Regulation 2016/679, and may, in this instance, be considered to be the ‘controller’ of VQ’s personal data. If so, VQ could claim a right of access under Article 15 of that regulation.", "paragraph_id": "para_151" }, { "text": "23", "paragraph_id": "para_152" }, { "text": "Regulation 2016/679 does not, however, provide any definition of the concept of ‘public authority’. In the view of the Verwaltungsgericht Wiesbaden (Administrative Court of Wiesbaden), that expression can be understood in a functional sense or in an institutional sense. Taking the first sense, ‘publ …", "paragraph_id": "para_153" }, { "text": "24", "paragraph_id": "para_154" }, { "text": "Further, since Article 2(2) of Regulation 2016/679 does not exclude bodies or institutions acting in a judicial or legislative capacity, that provision implies that the concept of public services and therefore the concept of a public authority should be construed broadly. Accordingly, from the perspective of the right to submit a petition, there is nothing to distinguish that committee from any other administrative authority of Land Hessen.", "paragraph_id": "para_155" }, { "text": "25", "paragraph_id": "para_156" }, { "text": "The Verwaltungsgericht Wiesbaden (Administrative Court of Wiesbaden) considers, consequently, that the Petitions Committee of the Parliament of Land Hessen is a ‘public authority’, within the meaning of Article 4(7) of that regulation and that there is no reason, in this case, to exclude a right of access under Article 15 of that regulation.", "paragraph_id": "para_157" }, { "text": "26", "paragraph_id": "para_158" }, { "text": "However, that court is uncertain, in the second place, whether it itself can be considered to be a ‘court or tribunal’, within the meaning of Article 267 TFEU, read together with the second paragraph of Article 47 of the Charter, in the light of the criteria set out by the Court in that regard, in particular the criterion pertaining to the independence of the body concerned.", "paragraph_id": "para_159" }, { "text": "27", "paragraph_id": "para_160" }, { "text": "In that regard, the referring body states that that the requirement of independence has two aspects. The first aspect, which is external, assumes that the body concerned exercises its functions wholly autonomously, without being subordinated to any other body and without taking orders or instruction …", "paragraph_id": "para_161" }, { "text": "28", "paragraph_id": "para_162" }, { "text": "As regards the external aspect of independence, the connection of a court or tribunal to the Ministry of Justice means that that court or tribunal cannot function wholly autonomously. In this case, the organisation of the courts or tribunals in Land Hessen is determined by the Ministry of Justice of …", "paragraph_id": "para_163" }, { "text": "29", "paragraph_id": "para_164" }, { "text": "The mere risk of political influence being applied to the courts or tribunals, by means of, inter alia, the facilities or staff allocated by the Ministry of Justice, is sufficient to create a risk of interference in their decisions and to affect the independence of the court or tribunals in the perf …", "paragraph_id": "para_165" }, { "text": "30", "paragraph_id": "para_166" }, { "text": "Further, the courts or tribunals of Land Hessen have no independent control in the area of data protection, since the bulk of the processing of data is prescribed, in essence, by the Ministry of Justice of Land Hessen, with no supervision by the courts as mentioned in recital 20 of Regulation 2016/679.", "paragraph_id": "para_167" }, { "text": "31", "paragraph_id": "para_168" }, { "text": "As regards the internal aspect of independence, the Verwaltungsgericht Wiesbaden (Administrative Court of Wiesbaden) states that German constitutional law does not guarantee the institutional independence of the courts or tribunals.", "paragraph_id": "para_169" }, { "text": "32", "paragraph_id": "para_170" }, { "text": "First, as is clear from Paragraphs 2b and 3 of the HRiG, the appointment, appraisal and promotion of judges, including those who are members of the referring court, are matters for the Minister of Justice of Land Hessen. It follows that the provisions of public service law are applicable to them, so that, inter alia, decisions on work-related travel abroad of judges, such as that undertaken as part of the European Judicial Training Network, have to be made by that minister.", "paragraph_id": "para_171" }, { "text": "33", "paragraph_id": "para_172" }, { "text": "Next, in accordance with Paragraph 18 of the code of administrative procedure, in order to meet a temporary need for staff, a public official can be appointed as a temporary judge. Such a judge could come from a public authority which is the defendant in judicial proceedings brought before him or her.", "paragraph_id": "para_173" }, { "text": "34", "paragraph_id": "para_174" }, { "text": "Moreover, the Ministry of Justice of Land Hessen records the professional contact details of all the judges in a human resources information management system which is the responsibility of the government of Land Hessen, so that all the administrative authorities of that Land can obtain access to that data, even when they may be a party in a case brought before those judges.", "paragraph_id": "para_175" }, { "text": "35", "paragraph_id": "para_176" }, { "text": "Last, the Ministry of Justice also decides on the number of judges and number of posts at each court or tribunal, on the ‘non-judicial’ staff assigned, in fact, to the executive, and on the extent of the IT facilities of each court or tribunal.", "paragraph_id": "para_177" }, { "text": "36", "paragraph_id": "para_178" }, { "text": "Accordingly, the court or tribunals have merely a functional independence in so far as the judges alone are independent and subject to the law, in accordance with Paragraph 126 of the Constitution of Land Hessen. However, by itself, that functional independence is insufficient to protect the court or tribunals from any external influence.", "paragraph_id": "para_179" }, { "text": "37", "paragraph_id": "para_180" }, { "text": "The conclusion of the Verwaltungsgericht Wiesbaden (Administrative Court of Wiesbaden) is that, probably, it does not satisfy the conditions laid down in the second paragraph of Article 47 of the Charter governing whether it can be regarded as an independent and impartial tribunal.", "paragraph_id": "para_181" }, { "text": "38", "paragraph_id": "para_182" }, { "text": "In those circumstances, the Verwaltungsgericht Wiesbaden (Administrative Court of Wiesbaden) decided to stay the proceedings and to refer the following questions to the Court for a preliminary ruling:", "paragraph_id": "para_183" }, { "text": "‘(1)", "paragraph_id": "para_184" }, { "text": "Is [Regulation 2016/679], in particular [its] Article 15, [headed “Right of access by the data subject”], applicable to the committee of a parliament of a Federated State of a Member State that is responsible for dealing with the petitions of citizens — in this case the Petitions Committee of the Parliament of Land Hessen — and is that committee to be regarded in that connection as a public authority within the meaning of Article 4(7) of Regulation 2016/679?", "paragraph_id": "para_185" }, { "text": "(2)", "paragraph_id": "para_186" }, { "text": "Is the referring court an independent and impartial court or tribunal within the meaning of Article 267 TFEU read in conjunction with the second paragraph of Article 47 of [the Charter]?’", "paragraph_id": "para_187" }, { "text": "The jurisdiction of the Court", "paragraph_id": "para_188" }, { "text": "39", "paragraph_id": "para_189" }, { "text": "In its observations, the Polish Government calls into question the jurisdiction of the Court, in particular its jurisdiction to give a ruling on the second question, given that EU law does not regulate the judicial organisation of the Member States and that, consequently, that question falls solely within the scope of national law.", "paragraph_id": "para_190" }, { "text": "40", "paragraph_id": "para_191" }, { "text": "Suffice it to state, in that regard, that the request for a preliminary ruling concerns the interpretation of EU law, whether of Regulation 2016/679 or of Article 267 TFEU, read together with Article 47 of the Charter.", "paragraph_id": "para_192" }, { "text": "41", "paragraph_id": "para_193" }, { "text": "In those circumstances, the Court plainly has jurisdiction to give a ruling on that request in its entirety, that is, on both the first and the second question (see, to that effect, judgment of 19 November 2019, A. K. and Others (Independence of the Disciplinary Chamber of the Supreme Court), C‑585/18, C‑624/18 and C‑625/18 , EU:C:2019:982 , paragraphs  74 and  75 ).", "paragraph_id": "para_194" }, { "text": "The admissibility of the request for a preliminary ruling", "paragraph_id": "para_195" }, { "text": "42", "paragraph_id": "para_196" }, { "text": "By its second question, the Verwaltungsgericht Wiesbaden (Administrative Court of Wiesbaden) expresses doubt as to its own status as a ‘court or tribunal’, within the meaning of Article 267 TFEU, read in the light of Article 47 of the Charter. Accordingly, it is in fact inviting the Court to examine …", "paragraph_id": "para_197" }, { "text": "43", "paragraph_id": "para_198" }, { "text": "In accordance with settled case-law, in order to determine whether a body making a reference is a ‘court or tribunal’, within the meaning of Article 267 TFEU, which is a question governed by EU law alone, and therefore to determine whether the request for a preliminary ruling is admissible, the Cour …", "paragraph_id": "para_199" }, { "text": "44", "paragraph_id": "para_200" }, { "text": "The doubts expressed by the Verwaltungsgericht Wiesbaden (Administrative Court of Wiesbaden) concern its own independence from the legislature or from the executive. Those doubts are based on the following circumstances: (i) the judges are appointed and promoted by the Minister of Justice; (ii) the …", "paragraph_id": "para_201" }, { "text": "45", "paragraph_id": "para_202" }, { "text": "In that regard, it must be recalled that the independence of the judges of the Member States is of fundamental importance for the EU legal order in various respects. It is informed, first, by the principle of the rule of law, which is one of the values on which, under Article 2 TEU, the Union is fou …", "paragraph_id": "para_203" }, { "text": "46", "paragraph_id": "para_204" }, { "text": "Accordingly, in order to determine the admissibility of a request for a preliminary ruling, the criterion relating to independence which the referring body must satisfy before it can be considered to be a ‘court or tribunal’, within the meaning of Article 267 TFEU, may be assessed solely in the light of that provision.", "paragraph_id": "para_205" }, { "text": "47", "paragraph_id": "para_206" }, { "text": "It follows, as stated by the European Commission, that, in this instance, that assessment must relate to the independence of the Verwaltungsgericht Wiesbaden (Administrative Court of Wiesbaden) solely in the context of the dispute in the main proceedings, which relates, as is stated in paragraphs 22 to 25 of the present judgment, to the interpretation of EU law, namely Regulation 2016/679.", "paragraph_id": "para_207" }, { "text": "48", "paragraph_id": "para_208" }, { "text": "In that regard, some factors to which the Verwaltungsgericht Wiesbaden (Administrative Court of Wiesbaden) draws attention are plainly of no relevance for that assessment.", "paragraph_id": "para_209" }, { "text": "49", "paragraph_id": "para_210" }, { "text": "That must be said, in the first place, of the rules relating to the procedures for the appointment of temporary judges, since such judges are not members of the formation of the court, in this instance, which consists solely of the President of the Verwaltungsgericht Wiesbaden (Administrative Court of Wiesbaden).", "paragraph_id": "para_211" }, { "text": "50", "paragraph_id": "para_212" }, { "text": "As regards, in the second place, the role of the Ministry of Justice of Land Hessen with respect to the management of work-related travel of judges or the organisation of the court or tribunals, the determination of staff numbers, the management of means of communication and IT facilities, as well a …", "paragraph_id": "para_213" }, { "text": "51", "paragraph_id": "para_214" }, { "text": "It remains, therefore, in essence, necessary to determine the alleged influence that the legislature or the executive are capable of exercising over judges who are members of that administrative court by reason of their involvement in the appointment, promotion and appraisal of those judges.", "paragraph_id": "para_215" }, { "text": "52", "paragraph_id": "para_216" }, { "text": "In accordance with settled case-law, the guarantees of the independence and impartiality of the courts and tribunals of the Member States require rules, particularly as regards the composition of the body and the appointment and length of service of its members, and as regards grounds for withdrawal …", "paragraph_id": "para_217" }, { "text": "53", "paragraph_id": "para_218" }, { "text": "In that regard, the German Government states that, in this instance, the judiciary has an autonomous status within the public service, which is ensured, inter alia, by the guarantee of irremovability laid down in Paragraph 97 of the Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany, by the fact that the …", "paragraph_id": "para_219" }, { "text": "54", "paragraph_id": "para_220" }, { "text": "As regards the conditions governing the appointment of the judge sitting in the referring court, it must be recalled at the outset that the mere fact that the legislative authorities play a part in the process for appointing a judge does not give rise to a relationship of subordination to those auth …", "paragraph_id": "para_221" }, { "text": "55", "paragraph_id": "para_222" }, { "text": "The Verwaltungsgericht Wiesbaden (Administrative Court of Wiesbaden) appears, however, also to have doubts as to the compatibility of the composition of the Judicial Appointments Committee with the principle of independence, given that the majority of its members are chosen by the legislature.", "paragraph_id": "para_223" }, { "text": "56", "paragraph_id": "para_224" }, { "text": "However, that fact cannot, in itself, give rise to any doubt as to the independence of the referring court. The assessment of the independence of a national court or tribunal must, including from the perspective of the conditions governing the appointment of its members, be made in the light of all the relevant factors.", "paragraph_id": "para_225" }, { "text": "57", "paragraph_id": "para_226" }, { "text": "It must be recalled, in that regard, that, where a national court or tribunal has submitted to the Court a number of factors which, in its view, call into question the independence of a committee involved in the appointment of judges, the Court has held that, although one or other of the factors ind …", "paragraph_id": "para_227" }, { "text": "58", "paragraph_id": "para_228" }, { "text": "In this instance, it cannot be concluded that a committee such as that at issue in the main proceedings is not independent solely because of the factor mentioned in paragraph 55 of the present judgment.", "paragraph_id": "para_229" }, { "text": "59", "paragraph_id": "para_230" }, { "text": "As regards the conditions governing the appraisal and promotion of judges, which are also called into question by the Verwaltungsgericht Wiesbaden (Administrative Court of Wiesbaden), suffice it to state that the documents submitted to the Court contain no indication as to how the manner in which th …", "paragraph_id": "para_231" }, { "text": "60", "paragraph_id": "para_232" }, { "text": "In the light of the foregoing, the factors to which the Verwaltungsgericht Wiesbaden (Administrative Court of Wiesbaden) draws attention in support of the doubts that it expresses in relation to its own independence cannot, in themselves, be sufficient ground for a conclusion that those doubts are w …", "paragraph_id": "para_233" }, { "text": "61", "paragraph_id": "para_234" }, { "text": "In those circumstances, the Verwaltungsgericht Wiesbaden (Administrative Court of Wiesbaden) must, in this instance, be considered to be a ‘court or tribunal’, within the meaning of Article 267 TFEU. The request for a preliminary ruling is therefore admissible.", "paragraph_id": "para_235" }, { "text": "62", "paragraph_id": "para_236" }, { "text": "It must be made clear that that conclusion has no effect on the examination of the admissibility of the second question referred for a preliminary ruling, which, as such, is inadmissible. Since that question concerns the interpretation of Article 267 TFEU itself, which is not at issue for the purpos …", "paragraph_id": "para_237" }, { "text": "The request for a preliminary ruling", "paragraph_id": "para_238" }, { "text": "63", "paragraph_id": "para_239" }, { "text": "By its request for a preliminary ruling, the referring court asks the Court, in essence, whether Article 4(7) of Regulation 2016/679 must be interpreted as meaning that the Petitions Committee of the parliament of a Federated State of a Member State must be categorised as a ‘controller’, within the …", "paragraph_id": "para_240" }, { "text": "64", "paragraph_id": "para_241" }, { "text": "In order to answer that question, it must, first, be noted that Article 4(7) of that regulation defines the ‘controller’ as being the natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other body which, alone or jointly with others, determines the purposes and means of the processing of personal data.", "paragraph_id": "para_242" }, { "text": "65", "paragraph_id": "para_243" }, { "text": "Accordingly, the definition of the concept of ‘controller’ in Regulation 2016/679 is not confined to public authorities, but, as emphasised by the Czech Government, is sufficiently wide to include any body which, alone or jointly with others, determines the purposes and means of the processing of personal data.", "paragraph_id": "para_244" }, { "text": "66", "paragraph_id": "para_245" }, { "text": "As regards, second, the observations of Land Hessen to the effect that the activities of a parliamentary committee fall outside the scope of EU law, within the meaning of Article 2(2) of Regulation 2016/679, it must be recalled that the Court has already had occasion to state, in relation to Article …", "paragraph_id": "para_246" }, { "text": "67", "paragraph_id": "para_247" }, { "text": "That applies a fortiori with respect to Regulation 2016/679, which is based on Article 16 TFEU, which states that the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union are to lay down the rules relating to the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data by, in pa …", "paragraph_id": "para_248" }, { "text": "68", "paragraph_id": "para_249" }, { "text": "Third, since Article 2(2)(a) of that regulation constitutes an exception to the very wide definition of the scope of that regulation set out in Article 2(1) of that regulation, Article 2(2)(a) must be interpreted restrictively.", "paragraph_id": "para_250" }, { "text": "69", "paragraph_id": "para_251" }, { "text": "Admittedly, the Court has, in essence, stated that the activities mentioned by way of example in the first indent of Article 3(2) of Directive 95/46 (in other words, the activities provided for by Titles V and VI of the Treaty on European Union and data processing operations concerning public securi …", "paragraph_id": "para_252" }, { "text": "70", "paragraph_id": "para_253" }, { "text": "However, that fact that an activity is an activity characteristic of the State or of a public authority is not sufficient ground for that exception to be automatically applicable to such an activity. It is necessary that that activity is one of the activities that are explicitly mentioned by that provision or that it can be classified in the same category as those activities.", "paragraph_id": "para_254" }, { "text": "71", "paragraph_id": "para_255" }, { "text": "While the activities of the Petitions Committee of the Parliament of Land Hessen are incontestably public and are activities of that Land , that committee contributing indirectly to the parliamentary activity, the fact remains that not only are those activities political as much as administrative, b …", "paragraph_id": "para_256" }, { "text": "72", "paragraph_id": "para_257" }, { "text": "Fourth and last, no exception is provided for in Regulation 2016/679, including in recital 20 and in Article 23 of that regulation, with respect to parliamentary activities.", "paragraph_id": "para_258" }, { "text": "73", "paragraph_id": "para_259" }, { "text": "Consequently, in so far as the Petitions Committee of the Parliament of Land Hessen determines, alone or with others, the purposes and means of the processing of personal data, that committee must be categorised as a ‘controller’, within the meaning of Article 4(7) of Regulation 2016/679 and consequently, Article 15 of that regulation is, in this instance, applicable.", "paragraph_id": "para_260" }, { "text": "74", "paragraph_id": "para_261" }, { "text": "It follows from all the foregoing that Article 4(7) of Regulation 2016/679 must be interpreted as meaning that, in so far as a Petitions Committee of the parliament of a Federated State of a Member State determines, alone or with others, the purposes and means of the processing of personal data, tha …", "paragraph_id": "para_262" }, { "text": "Costs", "paragraph_id": "para_263" }, { "text": "75", "paragraph_id": "para_264" }, { "text": "Since these proceedings are, for the parties to the main proceedings, a step in the action pending before the national court, the decision on costs is a matter for that court. Costs incurred in submitting observations to the Court, other than the costs of those parties, are not recoverable.", "paragraph_id": "para_265" }, { "text": "On those grounds, the Court (Third Chamber) hereby rules:", "paragraph_id": "para_266" }, { "text": "Article 4(7) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Directive 95/46/EC (General Data Protection Regulation) mus …", "paragraph_id": "para_267" }, { "text": "[Signatures]", "paragraph_id": "para_268" }, { "text": "(\n *1\n ) Language of the case: German.", "paragraph_id": "para_269" } ], "word_count": 7042, "cites": [ "C-585/18", "C-624/18", "C-625/18", "C-274/14", "C-64/16", "C-542/18", "C-543/18", "C-361/97", "C-101/01" ], "sha256": "cace522b97c9bf2961ac1fdcc81e85bb8b85561bdcb9c873bcbc78499198a21f", "source_url": "https://publications.europa.eu/resource/celex/62019CJ0272.ENG.xhtml.ECR_62019CJ0272_EN_01.html", "fetched_at": "2026-10-01T14:41:43.133+00:00", "canonical": "https://legal.exploreworldai.com/ai/judgments/eu/c-272-19", "risk_graph": "https://legal.exploreworldai.com/api/public/v1/risk?id=eu:c-272-19", "relations_graph": "https://legal.exploreworldai.com/api/public/v1/relations?id=eu:c-272-19", "changes": "https://legal.exploreworldai.com/api/public/v1/eu-praxis/changes", "agent": "https://legal.exploreworldai.com/api/public/v1/eu-praxis/agent?id=eu:c-272-19" }, "hash": "sha256:8ed430598ce8b71b8986f4effd4283dab57dfd7a642a7f60c4e85f8e972ce2ee", "version": "legal-2026-10-25", "expires": "2026-10-26T00:00:00.000Z", "dependency": { "index_version": "legal-2026-10-25+legal-2026-10-25+2026-10-25T12:13:04", "content_hash": "sha256:8ed430598ce8b71b8986f4effd4283dab57dfd7a642a7f60c4e85f8e972ce2ee", "revalidate_after": "2026-10-25T14:21:32.366Z", "max_copy_age_seconds": 3600, "policy": "revalidate-required; attribution-preferred", "changelog": "https://legal.exploreworldai.com/api/public/v1/dependency", "verify": "https://legal.exploreworldai.com/api/public/v1/verify", "stale_copy_invalid": true }, "canonical": "https://legal.exploreworldai.com/api/public/v1/judgment-text?id=eu:c-272-19", "follow": [ { "rel": "risk", "href": "https://legal.exploreworldai.com/api/public/v1/risk?id=eu:c-272-19" }, { "rel": "relations", "href": "https://legal.exploreworldai.com/api/public/v1/relations?id=eu:c-272-19" }, { "rel": "agent", "href": "https://legal.exploreworldai.com/api/public/v1/eu-praxis/agent?id=eu:c-272-19" }, { "rel": "obligations", "href": "https://legal.exploreworldai.com/api/public/v1/obligation-chain" }, { "rel": "changes", "href": "https://legal.exploreworldai.com/api/public/v1/whats-new?jurisdiction=eu" } ], "disclaimer": "Source reference with official identifier. 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