The European Council (Council) reached an agreement on a common member states’ position on a new law intended to improve cooperation between national data protection authorities. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) harmonizes data protection rights across Europe and applies to any organization that deals with personal data of EU citizens or residents, regardless of where they are based. To better facilitate GDPR enforcement this new law will require national data protection authorities to cooperate quickly when a data protection case concerns cross-border processing.

Once adopted, the regulation will provide tools for quickly handling the complaints filed by citizens or organizations. It also clarifies procedural deadlines and specific steps of an investigation, including the process for the adoption of a binding opinion by the European Data Protection Board (EDPB).

The Council will next begin negotiations with the European Parliament to agree on the final legislative text. Click here to learn more.