Balance Of Interest Between Personal Data Protection Law And The Publicity Functıon of The Trade Registry

Nurdan Balkan

Article Details

Balance Of Interest Between Personal Data Protection Law And The Publicity Functıon of The Trade Registry

Authors:

Nurdan Balkan

Publisher:

Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli University

Main Topics:

Bilişim ve Teknoloji Hukuku | Hukuk (Diğer)

Journal:

Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.28 Issue 2, pp.207-240

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

4/2024

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001315455

pISSN:

2651-4141

Keywords:

Abstract:

 According to Turkish Commercial Code Article 352, the trade registry is public. For this reason, anyone regardless of the relevant title can examine the contents of the trade registry and all bills and documents stored in the registry, obtain certified copies from them, and request a certified document indicating whether an issue is registered in the registry or not. However, the trade registry contains personal data about real persons. It is assumed that a person who appears as an officer or shareholder of an active company has voluntarily consented to sharing this information in the registry. However, it is a matter worth discussing whether the inclusion of information about real persons in the trade registry constitutes a personal data breach if the relationship with the company has ended or the company has ceased its activities. As a matter of fact, this issue was discussed in a decision of the European Court of JusticeECJ. In its decision, the ECJ evaluated whether there was a legitimate interest over personal data protection, especially in the publicity of the registry. While making this evaluation, it examined the conditions of processing of personal data and the principles that must be followed in personal data processing activities. In Turkish law, it is still possible to access information electronically regarding a company whose registration has been deleted from the registry, and likewise, it is possible to access the information of a shareholder or company officer whose relationship with the company has ended, through the trade registry. In our study, we will examine how this issue will be evaluated within the framework of Turkish personal data law and commercial law regulations.

 According to Turkish Commercial Code Article 352, the trade registry is public. For this reason, anyone regardless of the relevant title can examine the contents of the trade registry and all bills and documents stored in the registry, obtain certified copies from them, and request a certified document indicating whether an issue is registered in the registry or not. However, the trade registry contains personal data about real persons. It is assumed that a person who appears as an officer or shareholder of an active company has voluntarily consented to sharing this information in the registry. However, it is a matter worth discussing whether the inclusion of information about real persons in the trade registry constitutes a personal data breach if the relationship with the company has ended or the company has ceased its activities. As a matter of fact, this issue was discussed in a decision of the European Court of JusticeECJ. In its decision, the ECJ evaluated whether there was a legitimate interest over personal data protection, especially in the publicity of the registry. While making this evaluation, it examined the conditions of processing of personal data and the principles that must be followed in personal data processing activities. In Turkish law, it is still possible to access information electronically regarding a company whose registration has been deleted from the registry, and likewise, it is possible to access the information of a shareholder or company officer whose relationship with the company has ended, through the trade registry. In our study, we will examine how this issue will be evaluated within the framework of Turkish personal data law and commercial law regulations.

 According to Turkish Commercial Code Article 352, the trade registry is public. For this reason, anyone regardless of the relevant title can examine the contents of the trade registry and all bills and documents stored in the registry, obtain certified copies from them, and request a certified document indicating whether an issue is registered in the registry or not. However, the trade registry contains personal data about real persons. It is assumed that a person who appears as an officer or shareholder of an active company has voluntarily consented to sharing this information in the registry. However, it is a matter worth discussing whether the inclusion of information about real persons in the trade registry constitutes a personal data breach if the relationship with the company has ended or the company has ceased its activities. As a matter of fact, this issue was discussed in a decision of the European Court of JusticeECJ. In its decision, the ECJ evaluated whether there was a legitimate interest over personal data protection, especially in the publicity of the registry. While making this evaluation, it examined the conditions of processing of personal data and the principles that must be followed in personal data processing activities. In Turkish law, it is still possible to access information electronically regarding a company whose registration has been deleted from the registry, and likewise, it is possible to access the information of a shareholder or company officer whose relationship with the company has ended, through the trade registry. In our study, we will examine how this issue will be evaluated within the framework of Turkish personal data law and commercial law regulations.

 TTK m.352 gereği, ticaret sicili alenidir. Bu nedenle herkes ilgili sıfatı aranmaksızın, ticaret sicilinin içeriğini ve sicilde saklanan bütün senet ve belgeleri inceleyebilir, bunlardan onaylı suret alabilir ve bir hususun sicilde kayıtlı olup olmadığına ilişkin onaylı belge verilmesini isteyebilir. Ancak ticaret sicilinde gerçek kişilere ilişkin kişisel veriler bulunmaktadır. Faal bir şirketin yetkilisi ya da pay sahibi olarak gözüken bir kişinin, bu bilgiyi sicilde paylaşarak anonim hale getirdiği kabul edilir . Ancak şirket ile ilişkisi sona ermiş ya da şirketin faaliyetinin sona ermiş olması durumunda ticaret sicilinde gerçek kişilere ilişkin bilgilerin yer almasının, kişisel veri ihlali olup olmadığı tartışmaya değer bir konudur. Nitekim Avrupa Birliği Adalet DivanınınABAD bir kararında bu konu tartışılmıştır. ABAD kararında sicilin aleniyeti ile kişisel veri koruması arasındaki menfaat dengesini değerlendirmiştir. Bu değerlendirmeyi yaparken kişisel verilerin işlenme şartları ve kişisel veri işleme faaliyetinde uyulması gereken ilkeleri incelemiştir. Türk hukukunda da sicilden kaydı silinen bir şirkete ilişkin bilgilere elektronik ortamda erişim imkanı devam etmektedir. Aynı şekilde şirket ile ilişkisi sona ermiş pay sahibi ya da şirket yetkilisinin bu sıfatlarına ilişkin bilgilere ticaret sicilinden erişmek mümkündür. Çalışmamızda bu konunun Türk kişisel veri hukuku ve ticaret hukuku düzenlemeleri çerçevesinde nasıl değerlendirileceği incelenecektir.

Article Details

Balance Of Interest Between Personal Data Protection Law And The Publicity Functıon of The Trade Registry

Authors:

Nurdan Balkan

Publisher:

Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli University

Main Topics:

Bilişim ve Teknoloji Hukuku | Hukuk (Diğer)

Journal:

Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.28 Issue 2, pp.207-240

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

4/2024

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001315455

pISSN:

2651-4141

Commercial registery

publicity

personal data

legitimate interest

balance test

storage limitationTicaret sicili

aleniyet

kişisel veri

meşru menfaat

denge testi

sınırlı süre saklama ilkesi

Issues

Article Details

Authors: Nurdan Balkan

Publisher: Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli University

Main Topics: Bilişim ve Teknoloji Hukuku | Hukuk (Diğer)

Journal: Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.28 Issue 2, pp.207-240

Document Type: Article

Publication Date: 4/2024

Document Language: Turkish

Document ID (Org No.): 2001315455

pISSN: 2651-4141

Issues

Authors:

Nurdan Balkan

Publisher:

Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli University

Main Topics:

Bilişim ve Teknoloji Hukuku | Hukuk (Diğer)

Journal:

Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.28 Issue 2, pp.207-240

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

4/2024

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001315455

pISSN:

2651-4141