Enforcing The GDPR On US Companies

At this point, it is no secret that many US companies will be subject to the GDPR. Under the GDPR, EU regulators will have the authority to punish noncompliance by imposing hefty fines, issuing injunctions, assessing bans on processing, and suspending international data transfers.

The practical impact of such enforcement measures is the ability to devastate a product, service, or business.

Many US companies may still be wondering:

How can regulators enforce the GDPR on companies in the United States?

The answer, at this point, depends on principles of jurisdiction and international law. In general, international law distinguishes between the ability to apply law versus enforce law extraterritorially. As such, even if the GDPR is applicable to certain condu penalties for violating the law may or may not reach beyond EU member states.