Guidelines 05/2019 on criteria of the Right to be Forgotten in search engines

Exception 4 :   Archiving purposes in the public interest, scientific or historical research purposes, or statistical purposes in accordance with Article 89 (1) in so far as the Right referred to in paragraph 1 is likely to render impossible or seriously impair the achievement of the objectives of that processing

79. In this scenario, the search engine provider must be able to demonstrate that the delisting of a certain content on the results page is a serious obstacle or completely prevents the achievement of scientific or historical research purposes or statistical purposes.

80. It should be understood that these purposes must be objectively pursued by the search engine provider. The possibility that the suppressionof results could significantly affect research purposes or statistical purposes pursued by users of the search engine provider’s service is not relevant for the application of this exemption. Those purposes, if they exist, should be taken into consideration when establishing a balance between the rights of the data subject and the interests of the Internet users in accessing the information through the search engine provider.

81. It must also be noted that these purposes may be objectively pursued by the search engine provider,without a link between in principle the name of the data subject and the search results being necessary.