Data Protection Notice

Data Protection Notice for authenticated users.

BTSF is a European Commission training initiative to improve the knowledge and implementation of EU rules covering food and feed law, animal health and welfare, as well as rules on plant health and plant protection products.

This processing operation concerns participation in BTSF training courses providing wider accessibility to training in the above areas. DG Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE) is responsible for BTSF policy, which is implemented by the Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA).

This Data Protection Notice explains the reason for the processing of all personal data provided and how HaDEA collects and handles it and ensures its protection. It also details how that information is used and what rights the data subject may exercise in relation to the data.

1. Your personal data is processed in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 2018/1725 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data by the Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies and on the free movement of such data. As the organisation of BTSF training courses implies the collection of individuals’ personal data, its processing falls within the provisions of the above mentioned Regulation.

The data controller of the processing operation is Head of Unit A2 “EU4Health and Single Market Programme Food Chain” of the HaDEA.

Personal data is accessed by the HaDEA staff involved in the management of the BTSF training courses.
The data provided may also be accessed by the BTSF National Contact Points (NCPs) of your country and by DG SANTE.

The data processors are the external contractors involved in the organisation of BTSF training courses who process your personal data on our behalf. Further information for the identification of the contractors in charge of the organisation of each training course/s is available here: https://better-training-for-safer-food.ec.europa.eu/training/.

The legal basis for the processing activities is Article 5(1)(a) of Regulation EU 2018/1725 because processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest (or in the exercise of official authority vested in the Union institution or body)* and Article 5(1)(d) of Regulation EU 2018/1725 for the non-mandatory data.

Article 130 of Regulation (EU) No 2017/625 empowers the Commission to develop training for Member State and non-EU competent authority staff.


2. The purpose(s) of this processing is the selection, enrolment and participation in the training activities under the BTSF, as well as for statistical purposes.
In addition, data is processed for the following purposes:

  • to plan and organise training activities for BTSF participants;
  • to issue certificates of participation for the different training courses;
  • to collect feedback from participants so that the controller can deliver better and more effective training, according to participants’ needs and knowledge as well as the skills necessary for their job;
  • to perform ex-post evaluation of the impact of the BTSF Initiative.

HaDEA covers all needs on the treatment of information for the BTSF Initiative.


3. The following of your personal data are collected:

  • Name and surname;
  • Date of birth;
  • Gender;
  • Nationality;
  • ID or passport details;
  • Contact details (e-mail address, telephone number, mobile telephone number, postal address, name address and phone number of the sending organisation);
  • Expertise, technical skills and languages, educational background, professional experience including details on current and past employment.

These are mandatory data for the purpose(s) outlined above.

Non-mandatory personal data may be collected such as photos and videos. These data can also only be processed based on your explicit prior consent on the basis of Article 5(1)(d) of Regulation EU 2018/1725.


4. The recipients of your personal data will be HaDEA and its contractors in charge of the organisation of the training and bodies charged with monitoring or inspection tasks in application of EU law (e.g. internal audits, Court of Auditors, European Anti-fraud Office (OLAF)). Your personal data will not be transferred to non-EU countries or international organisations.


5. Your personal data will be kept only for the time needed to achieve the purposes for which it is processed.

However, we may keep information identifying you for a longer period for historical, statistical or scientific purposes with the appropriate safeguards in place.

Reports containing personal data will be archived according to HaDEA's legal framework.

Nevertheless, where needed, after this delay, personal data will be part of a list of contact details shared internally for the purpose of contacting data subjects in the future in the context of the HaDEA's activities. If data subjects do not agree with this, please contact the Controller by using HADEA-BTSF-PROJECTS@ec.europa.eu and by explicitly specifying your request.


6. You have the right to access your personal data and to request your personal data to be rectified, if the data is inaccurate or incomplete; where applicable, you have the right to request restriction or to object to processing, to request a copy or erasure of your personal data held by the data controller. If processing is based on your consent, you have the right to withdraw your consent at any time, without affecting the lawfulness of the processing based on your consent before its withdrawal.

Your request to exercise one of the above rights will be dealt with without undue delay and in any case within one month.


7. If you have any queries concerning the processing of your personal data, you may address them to Head of Unit A2 “EU4Health and Single Market Programme Food Chain” of the HaDEA (entity acting as data controller) via: HADEA-BTSF-PROJECTS@ec.europa.eu.


8. You shall have right of recourse at any time to the HaDEA Data Protection Officer at HaDEA-DPO@ec.europa.eu and to the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS@edps.europa.eu).

*Act of Establishment: Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/173 of 12 February 2021 establishing the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency, the European Health and Digital Executive Agency, the European Research Executive Agency, the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency, the European Research Council Executive Agency, and the European Education and Culture Executive Agency and repealing Implementing Decisions 2013/801/EU, 2013/771/EU, 2013/778/EU, 2013/779/EU, 2013/776/EU and 2013/770/EU.


BTSF is a European Commission training initiative to improve knowledge and implementation of EU rules covering food and feed law, animal health and welfare, as well as rules on plant health and plant protection products.

This processing operation concerns participation in BTSF eLearning training activities hosted in the BTSF ACADEMY providing wider accessibility to training in the above areas by using interactive eLearning. DG Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE) is responsible for BTSF policy, which is implemented by the Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA).

This data protection notice explains the reason for the processing of all personal data provided and how HaDEA collects and handles it and ensures its protection. It also details how that information is used and what rights the data subject may exercise in relation to the data.

1. Your personal data is processed in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 2018/1725 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data by the Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies and on the free movement of such data. As BTSF Academy contains individuals’ personal data, its processing falls within the provisions of the abovementioned Regulation.

The data controller of the processing operation is the Head of Unit A2 “EU4Health and Single Market Programme Food Chain” of the HaDEA of the HaDEA.

Personal data is processed by the HaDEA staff involved in the management of the BTSF of the BTSF Online eLearning activities.

The data provided may also be accessed by the BTSF National Contact Points (NCPs) of your country and by DG SANTE.

The legal basis for the processing activities is Article 5(1)(a) of Regulation EU 2018/1725 because processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest (or in the exercise of official authority vested in the Union institution or body).

Article 130 of Regulation (EU) No 2017/625 empowers the Commission to develop training for Member State and non-EU competent authority staff.

2. The purpose(s) of this processing is the selection, enrolment and participation in the training activities under the BTSF Academy, as well as for statistical purposes.

In addition, data is processed for the following purposes:

  • to plan and organise training activities for BTSF participants;
  • to issue certificates of participation for the different training courses;
  • to collect feedback from participants so that the controller can deliver better and more effective training, according to participants’ needs and knowledge as well as the skills necessary for their job;
  • to keep logs that include user activity (access time, actions, etc.), which could be used to resolve user incidents;
  • to perform ex-post evaluation of the impact of the BTSF Initiative.

HaDEA covers all needs on the treatment of information for the BTSF. The necessary profile information is generated during the registration process and account creation. The account allows the user to enrol in different courses and his or her profile data is used to track individual progress. The user can edit his or her profile data and request that the controller delete it.

3. The following of your personal data are collected:

  • Name and surname;
  • Email address;
  • City;
  • Nationality of the sending organisation;
  • Organisation;
  • Position held in the organisation;
  • Information about attended trainings;

These are mandatory data for the purpose(s) outline above.

4. The recipients of your personal data will be HaDEA and bodies charged with monitoring or inspection tasks in application of EU law (e.g. internal audits, Court of Auditors, European Anti-fraud Office (OLAF)). Your personal data will not be transferred to third countries or international organisations.

5. Your personal data will be kept only for the time needed to achieve the purposes for which it is processed.

Data is kept for as long as the user has an active account in the BTSF ACADEMY. BTSF ACADEMY will delete the account following a 5-year period of inactivity, or upon request of the user to cancel the account.

However, we may keep information identifying you for a longer period for historical, statistical or scientific purposes with the appropriate safeguards in place.

Reports containing personal data will be archived according to HaDEA's legal framework.

Nevertheless, where needed, after this delay, personal data will be part of a list of contact details shared internally for the purpose of contacting data subjects in the future in the context of the HaDEA's activities. If data subjects do not agree with this, please contact the Controller by using HADEA-BTSF-PROJECTS@ec.europa.eu and by explicitly specifying your request.

6. You have the right to access your personal data and to request your personal data to be rectified, if the data is inaccurate or incomplete; where applicable, you have the right to request restriction or to object to processing, to request a copy or erasure of your personal data held by the data controller. If processing is based on your consent, you have the right to withdraw your consent at any time, without affecting the lawfulness of the processing based on your consent before its withdrawal.

Your request to exercise one of the above rights will be dealt with without undue delay and in any case within one month.

7. If you have any queries concerning the processing of your personal data, you may address them to Head of Unit A2 “EU4Health and Single Market Programme Food Chain of the HaDEA (entity acting as data controller) via: HADEA-BTSF-PROJECTS@ec.europa.eu.

8. You shall have right of recourse at any time to the HaDEA Data Protection Officer at HADEA-DPO@ec.europa.eu and to the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS@edps.europa.eu).

REGULATION (EU) 2018/1725 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 23 October 2018

on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data by the Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 and Decision No 1247/2002/EC: PDF


The GDPR for EU institutions: your rights in the digital era - PDF

New data protection rules for EU institutions and how they affect YOU - PDF

Documenting data processing: The EDPS guide to ensuring accountability - PDF



Last modified: Friday, 29 September 2023, 12:30 PM