(a)

in the light of the right to respect for private and family life guaranteed by Article 7 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (the ‘Charter’), interpreted in accordance with Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, having regard to the objectives stated inter alia in recitals 30 and 31 of Directive 2018/843 relating, in particular, to efforts to combat money laundering and terrorist financing; and

(b)

in the light of the right to protection of personal data guaranteed by Article 8 of the Charter, in so far as it is intended, inter alia, to guarantee that personal data are processed lawfully, fairly and in a transparent manner in relation to the data subject, that the purposes for which such data are collected are limited, and that the data are minimised?

1.

Is Article 1(15)(g) of Directive 2018/843 to be interpreted as meaning that the exceptional circumstances to which it refers, in which Member States can provide for exemptions from access to all or part of the information on beneficial owners, where access on the part of the general public would expose the beneficial owner to disproportionate risk, risk of fraud, kidnapping, blackmail, extortion, harassment, violence or intimidation, exist only where it is demonstrated that there is a disproportionate risk of fraud, kidnapping, blackmail, extortion, harassment, violence or intimidation which is exceptional, which is actually borne by the beneficial owner as an individual, and which is clear, real and present?

2.

Should this be answered in the affirmative, is Article 1(15)(g) of Directive 2018/843, thus interpreted, a valid provision in the light of the right to respect to private and family life guaranteed by Article 7 of the Charter and the right to protection of personal data guaranteed by Article 8 of the Charter?

1.

Is Article 5(1)(a) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Directive 95/46/EC (3) (the ‘GDPR’), which requires data to be processed lawfully, fairly and in a transparent manner in relation to the data subject, to be interpreted as not precluding:

2.

Is Article 5(1)(b) of the GDPR, which requires the purposes of data processing to be limited, to be interpreted as not precluding that the personal data of a beneficial owner, recorded in a register of beneficial owners established in accordance with Article 30 of Directive 2015/849, as amended by Article 1(15) of Directive 2018/843, are accessible to the general public, in circumstances where the data controller cannot guarantee that those data will be used only for the purpose for which they were collected, which, in essence, is that of combating money laundering and terrorist financing — a purpose in relation to which the general public is not the responsible body from which compliance is required?

3.

Is Article 5(1)(c) of the GDPR, which requires data to be minimised, to be interpreted as not precluding the general public from having access, through a register of beneficial owners established in accordance with Article 30 of Directive 2015/849, as amended by Article 1(15) of Directive 2018/843, to data indicating, in addition to the beneficial owner’s name, month and year of birth, nationality and country of residence, as well as the nature and extent of his beneficial interests, also his day and place of birth?

4.

Does Article 5(1)(f) of the GDPR, which requires data to be processed in a manner that ensures appropriate security of the personal data, including protection against unauthorised or unlawful processing, and thus guarantees the integrity and confidentiality of such data, preclude access to the personal data of beneficial owners contained in a register of beneficial owners established in accordance with Article 30 of Directive 2015/849, as amended by Article 1(15) of Directive 2018/843, from being provided on an unlimited and unconditional basis, with no commitment to keep such data confidential?

5.

Is Article 25(2) of the GDPR, which guarantees data protection by default, providing in particular that by default, personal data must not made accessible without the individual’s intervention to an indefinite number of natural persons, to be interpreted as not precluding:

6.

Are Articles 44 to 50 of the GDPR, under which the transfer of personal data to a third country is subject to strict conditions, to be interpreted as not precluding that the personal data of a beneficial owner, contained in a register of beneficial owners established in accordance with Article 30 of Directive 2015/849, as amended by Article 1(15) of Directive 2018/843, are accessible in any circumstances to any member of the general public, with no requirement to demonstrate a legitimate interest and no limitations as to the location of that public?