OPCW General Privacy Notice

OPCW is committed to ensuring that we adequately protect the Personal Data of individuals that we Process as outlined in this Privacy Notice (“users” or “you”).

“Personal Data” is information that identifies or may be used to identify you as an individual. “Process” or “Processing” means any operation, or set of operations, automated or not, which is performed on Personal Data, including but not limited to collection, storage, use, transfer, disclosure, or deletion. This Privacy Notice provides information regarding the Processing of your Personal Data by OPCW.

The Processing of your Personal Data as set out below is consistent with, or reasonably necessary for, the OPCW to carry out its mandate and activities in accordance with the Chemical Weapons Convention, decisions of the OPCW policy-making organs, as well as policies, procedures, guidelines, and other internal legislation.

Summary

OPCW respects your privacy and seeks to protect your Personal Data. The following information describes how we gather and use Personal Data:

  • We keep to a minimum the amount of information we hold about you.
  • We use your Personal Data to respond to your enquiries about our services, to send you other useful information, and to provide our services to you.
  • We apply appropriate security mechanisms to protect your Personal Data.

Our activities

We collect and update information in relation to your participation in our activities.  We may obtain this information via direct contact with you, from third parties, or automatically via your participation in our activities.

This information may include your contact details, identification details, support problems, details around participation in events and certain relevant details of your preferences.

We also collect and use your information to administer, support, improve and obtain feedback on our activities with you and to detect and prevent fraud, avoid faults and breaches, including breaches of our network security, or our contract terms. We may contact you to obtain feedback on your participation in our activities and any improvements we could make to it.

Our legitimate basis for Processing your Personal Data when you participate in our activities is that it is necessary for the performance of a contract or compliance with an obligation or undertaking by OPCW or is consistent with or reasonably necessary for the Secretariat to carry out its functions in accordance with the Chemical Weapons Convention, decisions of the OPCW policy-making organs, as well as policies, procedures, guidelines, and other internal legislation.

Other activities

When you participate in an OPCW-financed event or seminar

We collect and update information about persons who take part in our events or seminars.  We may obtain this information via direct contact with you, from third parties such as other users or automatically via your use of our registration facilities. We may collect your name and contact details and, on some occasions, dietary requirements. If any of this Personal Data is special category data, we will endeavour to seek consent before Processing.

When you contact us

We collect your contact information and use it to respond to your questions and requests. We keep this information on our database and may use it to periodically inform you of additional useful information. We may also inform you of other related events, publications, or services unless you have requested that we do not do so.

When you apply for a vacant position

We will collect your name, address, contact details and any other Personal Data you supply to us via your cover letter, curriculum vitae, e-mail, or through an online platform. We may also subsequently collect proof of identification, references, and other related data.

When you participate in a procurement exercise including responding to a OPCW tender

We will collect contact details for the purposes of communication and invoicing. We may also collect identification or other relevant data. As part of a tender process, we may also collect from the bidder information on or references and/or CVs for experts or key personnel and capture this in any resulting contract.

When you attend OPCW premises

Our CCTV and building access and security systems and personnel may collect images and access details for the purposes of public health and security.

When we conduct research and provide or publish statistics

We may Process Personal Data for statistical and financial analysis for the formulation and validation of OPCW’s policies and projects and the publication of OPCW’s reports and research.

When we carry out other activities

In certain circumstances we may collect your contact details and any other Personal Data relevant to a specific task.

Access to your personal data

We apply role-based access to our core business systems. This means we work on a ‘need- to-know’ principle and only enable access for those within OPCW who have a legitimate business reason to access your Personal Data.

Transfer of your personal data

Without prejudice to OPCW’s privileges and immunities, OPCW may transfer relevant Personal Data about you to relevant legal, regulatory, administrative, or other authorities, provided that, under the circumstances, we satisfy ourselves that the third party affords appropriate protection for the personal data.

We never sell Personal Data.

Your rights

You have certain rights regarding OPCW’s processing of your Personal Data.

Right to objection

You may object to the Processing of your Personal Data in certain circumstances.

Right of access

You may have your Personal Data erased from our systems in certain circumstances.

Right to accuracy and rectification

Where OPCW uses consent as our legitimate basis to process your Personal Data, you may withdraw that consent.

Right to objection

You may object to the Processing of your Personal Data in certain circumstances.

Right to erasure

You may have your Personal Data erased from our systems in certain circumstances.

Right to withdraw consent

Where OPCW uses consent as our legitimate basis to process your Personal Data, you may withdraw that consent.

Please note that these rights are not absolute, and, in some instances, we may need to contact you to explain why we cannot comply with a request.

Storage and retention

We keep your Personal Data for as long as reasonably necessary to fulfil the relevant purposes set out in this Privacy Notice and in order to comply or demonstrate compliance with our legal obligations and applicable records retention schedules.

Where we can, and it is appropriate, we will minimise Personal Data or anonymise Personal Data to use for statistical, analytical, or reporting purposes. The length of time we retain your Personal Data for will differ depending on the nature of the Personal Data and what we do with it.

Consent

Where OPCW has used your consent to Process your Personal Data you can withdraw that consent at any time. This may impact our ability to provide the Processing activities previously consented to but will not impact any previous Processing activities that took place prior to the withdrawal.

Security

OPCW has standards governing information technology and security of Personal Data. OPCW uses industry standards to implement and maintain security measures to protect against the loss, misuse, or alteration of Personal Data that we have collected from you.

Changes to this Privacy Notice

OPCW may update this Privacy Notice at any time. Changes to this Privacy Notice will be dated and will be effective from the date specified so that users are always aware of what Personal Data OPCW collects, how OPCW uses it, and under what circumstances OPCW discloses it.  You are advised to check OPCW’s Privacy Notice regularly for updates.

Privileges and immunities 

Nothing contained in this Privacy Notice shall be deemed a waiver, express or implied, of any privilege or immunity that OPCW may enjoy pursuant to the Chemical Weapons Convention, the Agreement between the OPCW and the Kingdom of the Netherlands concerning the Headquarters of the OPCW, signed at The Hague on 22 May 1997, or any other agreement to which OPWC is party.

Contact

If you have any questions about this Privacy Notice, please email OPCW Privacy.