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Abu Dhabi Global Market

Summary

Law: Data Protection Regulations 2021

Regulator: The ADGM Registration Authority, the Board of Directors of the ADGM, and the Office of Data Protection ('ODP')

Summary: The Abu Dhabi Global Market ('ADGM') is a Financial Free Zone within the UAE, which itself is a Federation composed of seven Emirates. Being a Financial Free Zone means that UAE federal civil and commercial law does not apply, and the ADGM is able to create its own legal and regulatory framework for all civil and commercial matters.

In the ADGM, the Data Protection Regulations 2021, enacted on 14 February 2021, govern the processing of personal data by persons operating in the Free Zone. In particular, the regulations provide for a 12 month transition period for current establishments, as well as for a six months transition period for new establishments, to commence from 14 February 2021. The aim of the regulations is to bring the ADGM data protection regime in line with international standards like the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2016/679) ('GDPR').

Insights

In this report, OneTrust DataGuidance provides a means of analyzing and comparing data protection requirements and recommendations under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Regulations 2021 (the Regulations).

The report examines and compares the scope, main definitions, legal bases, data controller and processor obligations, data subject rights, and enforcement capacities of the Regulations with the  GDPR.

You can access the latest version of the report here.

Nearly six months after the enactment of the Data Protection Regulations 2021 ('the 2021 Regulations') within the Abu Dhabi Global Market ('ADGM') , and teasing the release of updated guidance on the same, the newly established Office of Data Protection ('ODP') released, on 11 August 2021, eight detailed guides, accompanied by compliance tools, to aid establishments in compliance with the range of new data protection requirements.

For an overview of the new guidance and further resources, see Part 1 of this Insight series: ADGM: What You Need to Know: Part 1 - ODP updates guidance under Data Protection Regulations 2021. This Insight article outlines and summarises the accountability-related obligations of processors and vendor management requirements addressed in the guides.

For an overview of controller accountability-related obligations, see Part 2 of this Insight series: ADGM: ODP updated guidance under Data Protection Regulations 2021 – Controller accountability and obligations.

Nearly six months after the enactment of the Data Protection Regulations 2021 ('the 2021 Regulations') within the Abu Dhabi Global Market ('ADGM') , and teasing the release of updated guidance on the same, the newly established Office of Data Protection ('ODP') released, on 11 August 2021, eight detailed guides, accompanied by compliance tools, to aid establishments in compliance with the range of new data protection requirements.

For an overview of the new guidance and further resources, see Part 1 of this Insight series: ADGM: What You Need to Know: Part 1 - ODP updates guidance under Data Protection Regulations 2021. This Insight article outlines and summarises the accountability-related obligations of controllers addressed in the guides.

    The Abu Dhabi Global Market ('ADGM') is a broad based international financial centre, established in 2013 in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi with its own civil and commercial laws based on English common law.

    Nearly six months after the enactment of the Data Protection Regulations 2021 ('the 2021 Regulations')1 within the ADGM, and teasing the release of updated guidance on the same, the newly established Office of Data Protection ('ODP') released, on 11 August 2021, eight detailed guides, accompanied by compliance tools, to aid establishments in compliance with the range of new data protection requirements (collectively 'the Data Protection Guidance 2021')2.

    This Resources Page summarises what establishments need to know to comply with the 2021 Regulations as well as the ODP's new supporting guidance and resources. We are updating our internal content to reflect the additional guidance from the ODP and we will continue to update this Resources Page accordingly.

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