Privacy Policy

This privacy policy is drawn up in accordance with the Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021 of the United Arab Emirates regarding the Protection of Personal Data (PDPL), which has come into effect on the 2d of January, 2022 (“Privacy Policy”). Please note that this Privacy Policy changes will be subject to meet with the applicable laws of the United Arab Emirates (“Applicable Law”). Under the PDPL, personal data is defined as any data relating to an identified natural person, or a natural person who can be identified, directly or indirectly, through the linking of data, by reference to an identifier such as his name, voice, picture, identification number, electronic, identifier, geographical location, or one or more physical, physiological, cultural or social characteristics (“the Personal Data”). Under the PDPL, the data controller is defined as an establishment or natural person that has Personal Data, and by virtue of its activity, determines whether individually or jointly with other persons or establishments, the method and criteria for processing such Personal Data and the purpose of processing it (“the Data Controller”). Under the PDPL, sensitive information is defined as any information that directly or indirectly reveals a person’s family, ethnic origin, political or philosophical opinions, religious beliefs, criminal record, biometric data, or any data relating to such person's health and physical, psychological, mental, genetic or sexual condition, including information related to the provision of healthcare services to him/her which reveals his/her health status (“the Sensitive Information”). Under the PDPL, processing is any operation or set of operations performed on Personal Data using any electronic means, including Processing and other means. This Processing includes collecting, storing, recording, organizing, adapting, modifying, circulating, altering, retrieving, exchanging, sharing, using, characterizing, disclosing Personal Data by broadcasting, transmitting, distributing, making available, coordinating, merging, restricting, blocking, erasing or destroying it or creating forms thereof (“the Processing”). Under the PDPL, the consent whereby the Data Subject authorizes a third party to process his/her Personal Data, provided that this consent indicates, in a specific, clear and unambiguous manner, that he/she accepts the Processing of his/her Personal Data through a clear positive statement or action (“the Consent”). This Privacy Policy states everything you need to know about how EDC (“EDC”, "we", “our”) protects the Personal Data we process and control relating to you ("your Personal Data"; "your Data") and which rights you have in relation to the Processing of your Personal Data. EDC protects your Personal Data in accordance with Applicable Law and our data privacy policies. In addition, EDC maintains the appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your Personal Data against unauthorized or unlawful Processing and/or against accidental loss, alteration, disclosure or access, or accidental or unlawful destruction of or damage thereto.

Categories of Personal Data collection and its Processing.

We collect Personal Data of our employees, potential employees, clients, suppliers, business contacts, shareholders and website users. If the data we collect is not listed in this Privacy Policy, we will give individuals (when required by law) appropriate notice of which other data will be collected and how they will be used. We will process your Personal Data for the purposes mentioned above based on your prior consent implied or expressed to the extent such consent is mandatory under applicable laws. To the extent you are asked to click on/check "I accept", "I agree" or similar buttons/checkboxes/functionalities in relation to a Privacy Policy, doing so will be considered as providing your consent to process your Personal Data, only in the countries where such consent is required by mandatory law. In all other countries, such action will be considered as a mere acknowledgement and the legal basis for the Processing of your Personal Data. You may withdraw your consent in the same way by clicking on “I withdraw my consent” or similar buttons/checkboxes/functionalities in relation to a Privacy Policy, doing so will be considered as providing your consent to process your Personal Data.

We will not use your Personal Data for purposes that are incompatible with the purposes of which you have been informed, unless it is required or authorized by law, or it is in your own vital interest (e.g. in case of a medical emergency) to do so.

Sharing your Personal Data with third parties.

We may transfer Personal Data to our service providers, partners, suppliers, professional advisors, public and governmental authorities or third parties in connection with a (potential) corporate or commercial transaction. Such third parties may be located in other countries. EDC may also transfer your Personal Data to any of its global affiliates/partners in furtherance of any visits to our EDC locations. For example, we may disclose Personal Data to the third parties for other business purposes as follows:We share your information with third-party service providers that provide services to us, including billing, payment processing, customer service, email deployment, advertising and marketing, security and performance monitoring, maintaining or servicing accounts, processing or fulfilling orders and transactions, verifying customer information, research, data hosting, auditing, and data Processing;To protect and defend the legal rights, safety, and security of EDC, our affiliates, users, or the public, including to protect against fraud and malicious activity; and For other business purposes described in this privacy policy or for any other purpose disclosed to you at the time we collect the information or pursuant to your consent.We may also share your Personal Data in connection with a substantial corporate transaction, such as the sale of a website, a merger, consolidation, asset sale, initial public offering, or in the unlikely event of a bankruptcy.

Personal Data retaining term.

We will retain your Personal Data only for as long as is necessary and as long as it is required by applicable law. We maintain specific records management and retention policies and procedures, so that Personal Data is deleted after a reasonable time according to the following retention criteria: We retain your Personal Data as long as we have an ongoing relationship with you and as long as it is required by applicable law. We will only keep the Personal Data while your account is active or for as long as needed to provide services to you. We retain your Personal Data for as long as needed in order to comply with our global legal and contractual obligations and to comply with the applicable law.

Circumstances to restrict us of your data Processing.

You will have the right to require EDC to restrict and stop your Personal Data from being used in any way. You can exercise this right in the following circumstances: Where you contest the accuracy of your Personal Data; Where you object to the Processing of your Personal Data contrary to agreed purposes; or Where the Processing is performed in contravention of provisions of the applicable law

Your rights with respect to the Processing of your Personal Data.

You are entitled (in the circumstances and under the conditions, and subject to the exceptions, set out in applicable law) to: Request access to the Personal Data we process about you: this right entitles you to know whether we hold Personal Data about you and, if we do, to obtain information on and a copy of that Personal Data. Request a rectification of your Personal Data: this right entitles you to have your Personal Data be corrected if it is inaccurate or incomplete. Object to the Processing of your Personal Data: this right entitles you to request that EDC no longer processes your Personal Data. Request the erasure of your Personal Data: this right entitles you to request the erasure of your Personal Data, including where such Personal Data would no longer be necessary to achieve the purposes. Request the restriction of the Processing of your Personal Data: this right entitles you to request that EDC only processes your Personal Data in limited circumstances, including with your consent. Request portability of your Personal Data: this right entitles you to receive a copy (in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format) of Personal Data that you have provided to EDC, or request EDC to transmit such Personal Data to another Data Controller. Notwithstanding anything stated to the contrary in this Privacy Policy it is clarified that unless any provisions contained in any agreement signed between you and EDC is in violation of any legal provision, the agreement signed between you and EDC shall supersede and prevail over this Privacy Policy.