Do You Do Business With EU Citizens?

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April 2018 NEWSLETTER

In May 2016, the European Union (“EU“) adopted the General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR“). This regulation introduces a new set of data protection rules that will increase data protection for EU residents and citizens and places more stringent guidelines on the treatment of their personal data.

It is important to note that the GDPR is not applicable only to entities located in the EU. In fact, its scope is so broad that it will apply to any entity around the world that processes personal data of individuals who are residents or citizens of the EU. Because South Africa has a thriving tourism industry with thousands of Europeans coming to its shores each year, this regulation will have a significant impact on many South African businesses. For example, any hotel that records personal data of a guest, who is an EU resident, will have to meet the requirements of the GDPR.

Although most South African businesses engaged in data processing will be aware of the Promotion of Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (“POPI“) and its requirements, the GDPR imposes some restrictions on data processing that are not covered by POPI.

Therefore, it is important for any person or business that processes any personal information of EU residents or citizens to undergo, before the May 2018 deadline, a data processing assessment in order to determine whether or not your processing activities will comply with the GDPR.

How to Avoid Disputes over Jointly Owned Property
	Pooling your resources with someone else to buy property can make a lot of sense, whether you plan to share a house, a holiday home, an office or just an excellent investment. Just remember the old Roman law maxim “co-ownership is the mother of disputes”. Plan upfront for the day that relationships sour or disagreements arise. Otherwise you risk all the hassle, cost and delay of dispute and litigation. Luckily there’s a simple solution. Read on for your pre-purchase checklist…

Do You Read Online Terms and Conditions? You Should and Here’s Why
	They’re everywhere online – tick boxes asking us to agree to a whole plethora of terms and conditions before we can order a new bicycle, or subscribe to a magazine, or use a website service. Most of us have become very relaxed about “ticking” away blindly, but a recent High Court case shows just what a risk we take when we do that. We discuss the case of the online gambler who thought he’d won R5m and was most put out when the bookmaker directed him to a clause in the Ts and Cs limiting him to a R1m payout.

From the Horse’s Mouth: House Sales and the VAT Increase
	What rate of VAT applies to you if you bought or sold property before the 1 April increase from 14% to 15%? There’s a lot at stake here - if for example you bought a house from a developer for R10m + VAT, that extra 1% adds R100,000 to your cost. Let’s have a look at what SARS has to say about it, and at a little-known (until now) section of the VAT Act that provides some relief to residential property buyers…

Your Website of the Month: 5 Hacks to Maximise Office Productivity
	Successful entrepreneurs and corporates understand that a happy, healthy workplace environment is a productive one, and that a productive office is a key driver of profitability. Now picture such a productive office, what springs to mind? What is its colour scheme, how much light is there? Is the temperature comfortable, how are the noise levels, is there a subtle fragrance in the air? Create your own checklist for creating a really productive office with “5 Office Design Hacks That Will Increase Employee’s Productivity” on the Dumb Little Man website.

Disclaimer

The information provided herein should not be used or relied on as professional advice. No liability can be accepted for any errors or omissions nor for any loss or damage arising from reliance upon any information herein. Always contact us for professional, detailed and appropriate advice.

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