Pursuant to Article 16 of the Law No. 6698 on the Protection of Personal Data ("Law"), real or legal persons processing personal data must register with the Data Controllers' Registry (tr. VERBIS) before processing personal data.

The Personal Data Protection Board ("Board") evaluated the sector representatives' requests that, due to the COVID-19 outbreak, relevant data controllers were unable to complete the necessary preparations for VERBIS registration and register with VERBIS in a timely manner. Accordingly, the Board extended the deadlines for VERBIS registration requirement.

Pursuant to the Board's decision numbered 2020/482 and dated June 23, 2020, the Board extended the deadlines as below. Relevant announcement is available online here (in Turkish).

Data Controllers

Start Date for VERBIS Registration Requirement

Previous Deadline

New Deadline

Real or legal person data controllers that have more than 50 employees in a year or an annual balance sheet above TRY 25 million (approx. USD 4 million)

01.10.2018

30.06.2020

30.09.2020

Data controllers residing outside of Turkey

01.10.2018

30.06.2020

30.09.2020

Real or legal person data controllers that have less than 50 employees in a year or an annual balance sheet below TRY 25 million (approx. USD 4 million), principle business activity of which is processing special categories of personal data

01.01.2019

30.09.2020

31.03.2021

State institutions and organizations

01.04.2019

31.12.2020

31.03.2021

The relevant data controllers may review the Guidelines for Data Controllers' Registry Information System for their registration processes. The guidelines are available here (in Turkish).

Conclusion

According to Article 18 of the Law, data controllers that fail to fulfill their VERBIS registration and notification obligations may be subject to administrative fines under the Law. In that regard, all relevant data controllers must complete their VERBIS registrations by the relevant deadlines above.

Originally published 23.6.2020.

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