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ARTICLE · 13 SEPTEMBER 2017

All Change - Are You Ready For The EU General Data Protection Regulation?

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The GDPR becomes effective across the European Economic Area (EEA), including in the UK, from 25 May 2018. It will also apply to a large number of businesses established outside of the EEA.

European UnionPrivacy
Anthony Woolich
Anthony Woolich
Felicity Burling
Felicity Burling

Businesses (including many outside the EEA) now have less than nine months to prepare for the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which overhauls a data protection regime dating from 1995.

The GDPR becomes effective across the European Economic Area (EEA), including in the UK, from 25 May 2018. It will also apply to a large number of businesses established outside of the EEA. With large potential fines (up to 4% of global turnover or €20 million), risk of claims from individuals and reputational damage, businesses need to make the necessary changes to their business practices now in order to be prepared when the GDPR 'goes live' in May 2018.

Under the GDPR the obligations on data controllers will substantially increase and data processors will also have data protection obligations. For example, in accordance with a new focus on accountability, data controllers and processors will be required to keep records of their processing. Contracts with processors

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