Law enforcement activities
How the Swedish Coast Guard processes personal data
The Swedish Coast Guard is only permitted to process personal data if it is necessary in order for the agency to perform its statutory law enforcement assignment pursuant to, for example, the Coast Guard Act (SFS 2019:32).
When the Swedish Coast Guard processes personal data in the course of the agency’s law enforcement activities, we are subject to the provisions of the Criminal Data Act (SFS 2018:1177). The Swedish Coast Guard must also comply with data protection regulations specific to the agency’s operations in the Act (SFS 2018:1695) and Ordinance (SFS 2018:1943) concerning the Swedish Coast Guard’s processing of personal data within the scope of the Criminal Data Act.
The Swedish Coast Guard is the controller of the personal data processing performed by the agency.
Your rights pursuant to the Criminal Data Act
When, in its capacity as controller, the Swedish Coast Guard processes personal data concerning you for law enforcement purposes, you have certain legal rights. As the data subject, you have the right to obtain from the Swedish Coast Guard confirmation as to whether or not personal data concerning you are being processed, and, where that is the case, access to the personal data. You also have the right to request the rectification of inaccurate personal data concerning you, or the erasure or restriction of processing of personal data concerning you.
The Criminal Data Act contains provisions limiting these rights, meaning that the Swedish Coast Guard may not always be able to comply with your request. For example, the Swedish Coast Guard is not permitted to disclose information about personal data if it is subject to a secrecy provision pursuant to the Public Access to Information and Secrecy Act (SFS 2009:400).
You also have the right to complain to the supervisory authority for the processing of personal data, the Swedish Authority for Privacy Protection (IMY), and to request that IMY conducts a lawfulness check. You can learn more about this on the IMY website.
Contact the Swedish Coast Guard and our data protection officer
If you have any questions or views, or you wish to exercise your rights as the data subject, please contact us. You are also welcome to get in touch with our data protection officer, whose assignment is to independently monitor the Swedish Coast Guard’s processing of personal data to ensure regulatory compliance. You can find contact details here.
Purpose and legal basis of our personal data processing
The Swedish Coast Guard processes personal data in order to prevent, hinder and detect criminal activity in the maritime environment and that is related to the agency’s operations.
As part of the Swedish Coast Guard’s intelligence operations, the agency collects, processes and analyses data that may contain personal data in cases where there is no specific suspicion that a crime has been committed. Personal data may be shared with other authorities if there are legal grounds for doing so.
The Swedish Coast Guard processes personal data in order to prevent, hinder and detect criminal activity in the maritime environment and that is related to the agency’s operations.
As part of the Swedish Coast Guard’s intelligence operations, the agency collects, processes and analyses data that may contain personal data in cases where there is no specific suspicion that a crime has been committed. Personal data may be shared with other authorities if there are legal grounds for doing so.
The Swedish Coast Guard processes personal data in order to maintain public order or security. For example, personal data may be processed when the Swedish Coast Guard intervenes in a specific case of disorder causing disruption to maritime traffic, or when necessary to avert a violation of regulations concerning maritime traffic and maritime safety devices.
When the Swedish Coast Guard conducts routine surveillance for security purposes – camera surveillance, aerial surveillance by the Swedish Coast Guard Flight or remote electronic monitoring, for example – data processing is not covered by the provisions of the Criminal Data Act. You can learn more about how the Swedish Coast Guard processes personal data in operational activities here.
The Swedish Coast Guard may process personal data when necessary to fulfil international undertakings. Examples of such undertakings include cooperation pursuant to the International Police Cooperation Act (SFS 2017:496) or legal assistance rendered pursuant to, for example, the Act (SFS 2000:562) concerning International Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters.
The Swedish Coast Guard may process personal data if necessary to register incoming documents containing personal data in the agency’s register or to take administrative measures.