EU Court of Justice blocks public access to information on beneficial ownership

Alexandra Dias Henriques, a senior counsel in the European and Competition practice, and Inês de Castro Ruivo, a senior associate in the Technology, Media and Telecommunications practice, have written an opinion article for Jornal de Negócios on the change to the general public's ability to access information on the beneficial ownership of commercial companies and other legal entities.

This change stems from the judgment of 22 November 2022 (Joined Cases C-37/20 and C-601/20). In this judgment, the EU Court of Justice ruled that public access to information on beneficial owners - the individuals who have direct or indirect ownership or control of the company - represents an interference with the private and family life of these persons and with the right to the protection of personal data.

Read the full article here.