Enabling the Reuse of Personal Data in Research: A Classification Model for Legal Compliance

Inspired by a proposal made almost 10 years ago, this paper presents a model for classifying personal data to inform researchers on how to manage it. The classification is based on the principles of the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and its implementation under Spanish law. The paper also describes the conditions in which personal data should be stored and accessed to ensure compliance with data protection regulations and to safeguard privacy. The authors developed the work collaboratively with the library (CRAI) and the Data Protection Office of the University of Barcelona. The outcomes of this collaboration were a decision tree for researchers and a list of requirements for research data repositories to ensure personal data is stored and accessed securely. This proposal is aligned with the FAIR principles and the commitment to responsible open science practices.