To carry out the tasks for which PRV is responsible we must handle certain personal data. According to Article 13 of the General Data Protection Regulation, (GDPR) PRV must inform the person concerned about the processing of this data.

Who can gain access to your personal data?

Many of the documents that PRV receive are classified as official documents. The information in these documents may be disclosed to the public in accordance with the principle of public access to information, but may also be used internally by PRV.

Purpose and legal basis for processing your personal data

The purpose of the specific PRV registers (such as the registers for patents, trademarks, designs and periodicals) is that the information in the registers shall be accessible to the public.

PRV will only process personal information that is necessary to execute our legal obligations. Personal data may be processed when it is necessary for the exercise of public authority or for us to carry out a task for public interest.

The processing of personal data according to the above is carried out in accordance with the EU Regulation 2016/679 (Art 6.1c, e) and:

• Chapter 1, 2 § of the Trademark Regulation (SFS 2011:594)
• 7, 38, 38a-b §§ of the Patents Decree, (SFS 1967:838)
• 20a § of the Design Protection Regulation, (SFS 1970:486)
• Chapter 5 of the Freedom of the Press Act (SFS 1949:105)

The overall instructions for PRV are set out in Regulation SFS 2007:1111.

PRV provides information and training with the purpose to strengthen national industrial growth, as well as innovation capacity and competitiveness. PRV shall provide information to increase understanding about intellectual property assets and rights.

PRV can provide consultancy services in the form of providing searches and advice, monitoring of fees for patents, trademarks and designs, providing training and providing services regarding the authority’s documentation.

PRV can pursue service export which is directly linked to the authority business and which is within the assignment provided in this instruction or otherwise regulated.

Personal identity number

PRV has a legal right to process certain personal data, such as your name, address and e-mail address. For secure identification, you can also submit your personal identity number. The benefit of processing your personal identity number is that you can find information about your files by using our e-services, for example My Pages. If you want to use My Pages, PRV must process your personal identity number. Your personal identity number will be processed in the systems dealing with files regarding for example patents, trademarks and designs with support from chapter 3, 10 § of act 2018:218 which is supplementary to the EU data protection regulation (GDPR).

Sensitive personal data (special categories of personal data)

Certain personal data is considered worthy of extra protection and are categorised as sensitive personal data. This can be for example information about personal health or indirect data, such as personal food preferences at events organised by PRV. Information about food preferences can be linked to health, political opinion or religion. PRV will not normally process sensitive personal data, but when we do, it will be done with support from GDPR Art 9.2 and the data will be deleted after the event.

PRV also processes certain sensitive personal data regarding employees in order for PRV to manage labour legislative rights and obligations, with support from GDPR Art 9.2.b,g-h.

PRV has previously been the responsible authority for the name archive, and for that reason PRV still keeps that information within the authority. The personal data which can be considered sensitive personal data in the name archive (e.g. information about gender sex change) is processed with support of GDPR Art 9.2.g.

Transfer of personal data to third countries

Personal data may be transferred to third countries if it is necessary for PRV to carry out our legal obligations or to perform certain tasks of public interest. Any such transfer will be carried out with a situation specific level of protection and with support by the GDPR.

With support of the authority regulation, PRV may transfer personal data to a non-EU member state or a state which is not a member of the European Economic Area, if the data is part of documentation regarding patents, trademarks or designs which are official documents or if the data is registered in the PRV special registers and diaries.

For how long do we save your personal data?

As an official authority, PRV must save certain received documents if they are of importance for our work. The processing of personal data in the PRV special registers, is among other things based on a statutory obligation to record the specific data. Regarding personal data of this kind, the purpose of the register and the diary is to provide data for businesses or other official or private activities when the information in the register is used as a basis for examinations or decisions. For that reason, PRV cannot delete any personal data in these registers.

Personal data submitted for the PRV consultancy services and subscriptions to PRV products, will only be saved for as long as it takes to deliver the order and with relevance to the specific service. Personal data submitted relating to registrations for training and information activities, will only be saved for as long as it is relevant for PRV’s information services.

Invoice material is saved according to current book keeping regulations.

Your rights

You are entitled to access your personal data and can always request your personal data to be corrected, erased or restricted. If you believe that PRV is handling your personal information incorrectly, you have the right to object to the processing. If you are not satisfied with our processing of personal data, you can report this to Swedish Authority for Privacy Protection.

Contact us

The Controller of personal data is the Patent and Registration Office (Box 5055 102 42 Stockholm). The Office is responsible for the personal data contained in the PRV register and must ensure that the data is processed correctly.

You can contact the Data Protection Officer at +46 8 7822591, +46 72 5969591 or dpo@prv.se.