A European Union regulation on information privacy for EU and EEA residents, the General Data Protection Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2016/679) is also known as RGPD (Règlement Général sur la Protection des Données) in French. The RGPD establishes a unified legal framework for data protection across Europe. It enhances individuals’ control and rights over their personal information and simplifies the regulations for international business. The European Parliament and Council of the European Union adopted the RGPD on 14 April 2016, to become effective on 25 May 2018.
Key Principles
Organizations must follow these guiding principles:
- Lawfulness and transparency: Data collection must be legal and clear to users.
- Purpose limitation: Use data only for the purpose for which it was collected.
- Data minimization: Collect only what’s necessary.
- Accuracy: Keep data up to date.
- Storage limitation: Retain data only as long as needed.
- Integrity and confidentiality: Secure data against loss or unauthorized access.
- Accountability: Prove you’re following the rules.
Rights for Individuals
RGPD gives people the right to:
- Access their data
- Correct inaccuracies
- Request deletion ("right to be forgotten")
- Restrict or object to processing
- Transfer their data to another provider
- Opt out of automated decisions
What Businesses Must Do
To comply, companies must:
- Get explicit consent for data use
- Report breaches within 72 hours
- Appoint a Data Protection Officer if needed
- Keep detailed records of data processing
- Conduct risk assessments for sensitive data
Consequences of Non-Compliance
Fines can reach €20 million or 4% of annual global revenue, whichever is higher. Regulators can also issue warnings, audits, and bans on processing.
A Global Standard
Although it’s an EU regulation, RGPD has influenced privacy laws worldwide. Many companies outside Europe have updated their data practices to align with its requirements. RGPD sets the bar for modern privacy, encouraging businesses to treat personal data with transparency, security, and respect.
