Guidance

Groupage export facilitation scheme membership privacy notice

Updated 19 March 2024

Applies to England, Scotland and Wales

© Crown copyright 2024

This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/animal-and-plant-heath-agency-privacy-notices/groupage-export-facilitation-scheme-membership-privacy-notice

Your data is being collected by

The data controller is the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) for personal data that you give to the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA).

APHA is an executive agency of Defra. You can contact APHA’s Data Protection Manager by email at data.protection@defra.gov.uk.

APHA also works with the Scottish Government and Welsh Government, who are joint controllers with APHA for any relevant personal data.

Any questions about how Defra and APHA use your personal data and your associated rights should be sent to APHA’s Data Protection Manager by email at data.protection@defra.gov.uk.

The Data Protection Officer responsible for monitoring that Defra and APHA are meeting the requirements of the legislation can be contacted by email at: DefraGroupDataProtectionOfficer@defra.gov.uk.

What personal data is collected

We collect the following items of personal data:

  • name
  • address
  • telephone number
  • email
  • contact details of your company

Supplier lists which include the following:

  • company name and registered address of the supplier
  • address from which supplies are procured (if different to the company name and registered address)
  • details of the supplies, confirmation of whether supplies are fully packaged for the final consumer, and the length of time the suppliers have been providing the commodity or commodities.

How your data has been obtained

Supplier data may be provided to APHA by a company applying for Groupage Export Facilitation Scheme (GEFS) membership.

Why APHA is using your data

You are applying for the company that you represent to join the groupage export facilitation scheme. We need your contact details to process the application and administer your company’s membership of the scheme.

We will use your data:

  • to verify eligibility for groupage export facilitation scheme membership which provides Certifying Officers (COs) and competent authorities with a sufficient level of confidence in the accuracy of the Support Attestations used within the groupage guidance
  • for compliance with the terms and conditions of membership

As you are voluntarily applying to join the groupage export facilitation scheme, the legal basis for our processing your data in relation to the scheme is that you have consented for us to do so.

You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time by emailing us with the name of the exporting company, GEFS membership number, your name and the reason for withdrawing your consent to GEFSteam@apha.gov.uk.

There is no obligation to provide personal data. This will only be collected with consent.

Consequences of not providing the necessary data

If we do not have the required data then your company will not be eligible to be a member of the groupage export facilitation scheme.

Who APHA shares your data with

The data we collect will be shared with Defra and may be shared with other government departments, agencies and public bodies such as Trading Standards, external officials and local authorities to ensure compliance with the terms and conditions of the groupage export facilitation scheme membership.

We will share your data if we are required to do so by law, for example, by court order, or to prevent fraud or other crime.

Storing and using data outside the UK

A very small percentage of government records containing personal information are selected for permanent preservation at the National Archives. They are made available in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000, as amended by the Data Protection Act 2018.

How long APHA holds personal data for

Retention periods are set by considering statutory, regulatory, legal, and security reasons, alongside historic value.

All information in APHA is held in accordance with our retention policy, if you would like more information contact enquiries@apha.gov.uk.

Your rights

Find out about your rights under data protection law.

Complaints

You have the right to lodge a complaint about the use of your personal data at any time with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO – the data protection supervisory authority).

APHA’s Personal Information Charter

APHA’s Personal information charter broadly sets out details of APHA’s processing of personal data.

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