What Is the GDPR?
The General Data Protection Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2016/679) has applied since 25 May 2018 and establishes rules governing the processing of personal data.
The GDPR applies across the 27 EU Member States and the EEA and can also apply to organizations outside the EU where the regulation's territorial-scope requirements are met.
The regulation is built around principles including:
Lawfulness, fairness, and transparency
Purpose limitation
Data minimisation
Accuracy
Storage limitation
Integrity and confidentiality
Organizations must also identify an appropriate lawful basis for processing personal data and meet applicable transparency, accountability, security, and data-subject rights requirements.
Who Needs to Comply With GDPR?
GDPR compliance can be relevant to organizations established inside or outside the EU depending on their processing activities and whether the regulation's territorial scope applies.
This can include:
Non-EU SaaS & Technology Companies
Organizations outside the EU that offer goods or services to individuals in the EU or monitor their behaviour may fall within GDPR's territorial scope.
E-commerce & Digital Platforms
Online businesses serving customers in European markets may process personal data subject to GDPR requirements.
Marketing & AdTech Companies
Organizations involved in profiling, targeted advertising, analytics, and behavioural monitoring may have significant GDPR obligations.
HealthTech & Biotech
Organizations processing special-category data, including health information, may face additional requirements under GDPR.
AI Companies
Organizations developing or deploying AI systems that process personal data may need to address GDPR alongside other applicable technology regulations.
GDPR Compliance Services
RegulatoryBridge provides a six-pillar approach to GDPR compliance designed to help organizations manage key obligations through one compliance partner.
Article 27 EU Representative
01Organizations established outside the EU that fall within the applicable territorial scope of GDPR may be required to designate an EU representative under Article 27, subject to the regulation's conditions and exceptions.
RegulatoryBridge can act as an EU Representative and provide a point of contact for relevant supervisory authorities and data subjects.
Our EU Representative service includes:
- Article 27 representation
- Regulatory and data-subject communication
- Authority liaison
- Multilingual support
- Representation documentation
- Regulatory correspondence management
Outsourced Data Protection Officer
02Some organizations are required to designate a Data Protection Officer (DPO) under GDPR Article 37.
RegulatoryBridge provides outsourced DPO support for organizations that need dedicated privacy expertise without maintaining the entire function internally.
Our DPO support can include:
- GDPR compliance advisory
- Privacy governance
- ROPA support
- DPIA guidance
- Data-subject rights support
- Staff awareness and training
- Supervisory authority cooperation
- Privacy programme reviews
Records of Processing Activities (ROPA)
03Article 30 requires certain organizations to maintain records of processing activities.
A well-maintained ROPA can help organizations understand:
- What personal data is processed
- Why it is processed
- Who has access to it
- Where data is stored
- Who receives the data
- Applicable retention periods
- Security measures
- International transfers
- Relevant controllers and processors
RegulatoryBridge helps organizations establish and maintain structured processing records that can support accountability and regulatory readiness.
DPIA & Legitimate Interest Assessments
04High-risk processing activities may require a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) under GDPR Article 35.
Organizations may also need to document and assess their reliance on legitimate interests as a lawful basis.
RegulatoryBridge supports:
Data Protection Impact Assessments
Assess privacy risks associated with high-risk processing activities, new technologies, products, and business processes.
Legitimate Interest Assessments
Evaluate whether legitimate interests can provide an appropriate lawful basis for processing and document the balancing assessment.
These assessments can help organizations identify privacy risks before launching new products, processing activities, or technologies.
GDPR Data Breach Response
05GDPR Article 33 establishes a notification requirement for certain personal-data breaches, including a requirement to notify the competent supervisory authority without undue delay and, where applicable, within 72 hours after becoming aware of the breach.
RegulatoryBridge provides structured breach-response support covering:
Detection
- Identify and triage the incident.
Containment
- Coordinate appropriate containment and engage relevant legal, privacy, and security stakeholders.
Assessment
- Determine the nature and scope of the personal-data breach and assess risks to affected individuals.
Documentation
- Prepare the required breach documentation and maintain an appropriate record.
Notification
- Support applicable supervisory-authority and data-subject notification processes.
The exact notification obligations depend on the circumstances of the incident and applicable law.
International Data Transfers
06Transferring personal data outside the EEA can trigger additional GDPR requirements.
RegulatoryBridge helps organizations assess and manage international data transfers through mechanisms and assessments such as:
- Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs)
- Binding Corporate Rules (BCRs)
- Adequacy decisions
- Transfer Impact Assessments
- Schrems II-related transfer assessments
- Supplementary safeguards where required
Our approach helps organizations evaluate international transfers within their broader GDPR compliance programme.
Data Subject Rights & DSAR Management
GDPR provides individuals with several rights relating to their personal data, including rights of access, rectification, erasure, restriction, portability, and objection, along with rights relating to certain automated decision-making.
RegulatoryBridge can support organizations in establishing structured processes for responding to data-subject requests.
Our DSAR workflow can include:
A structured workflow helps organizations coordinate requests across legal, privacy, IT, security, and business teams.
GDPR Compliance Across Your Organization
GDPR compliance is not limited to the legal or privacy team.
An effective programme can require coordination across:
Legal
Interpret GDPR requirements, contracts, regulatory communications, and legal risks.
Privacy
Manage privacy governance, data-subject rights, DPIAs, ROPA, and accountability.
Security
Implement appropriate technical and organizational measures and support breach response.
IT & Engineering
Identify data flows, systems, access controls, retention mechanisms, and technical requirements.
HR
Address employee-data processing and privacy obligations.
Marketing
Manage consent, profiling, analytics, advertising, and transparency requirements.
Why Choose RegulatoryBridge for GDPR Compliance?
EU Representation & Compliance Expertise
Access a single partner for applicable Article 27 representation and broader GDPR compliance support.
Comprehensive GDPR Coverage
Address key areas including DPO support, ROPA, DPIA, LIA, DSARs, breach response, and international transfers.
Regulatory Monitoring
RegulatoryBridge states that its broader platform monitors regulators, authorities, privacy sources, and court developments across more than 45 jurisdictions and surfaces relevant signals.
Global Compliance Coverage
GDPR can overlap with other privacy, cybersecurity, AI, and digital regulations. RegulatoryBridge's broader platform covers multiple frameworks and jurisdictions.
Practical Compliance Support
Move beyond documentation with structured workflows for recurring compliance activities and regulatory obligations.
GDPR Compliance for Global Businesses
GDPR rarely exists in isolation.
A company operating internationally may need to address GDPR alongside regulations such as:
- UK GDPR
- CCPA/CPRA
- India's DPDPA
- Brazil's LGPD
- Singapore PDPA
- Japan APPI
- EU AI Act
- NIS2
- DORA
- Other applicable national and sector-specific requirements
RegulatoryBridge provides broader regulatory coverage across 45+ jurisdictions, allowing organizations to coordinate GDPR with other applicable regulatory frameworks.
A Practical GDPR Compliance Journey
Assess
01Identify applicable GDPR obligations, data processing activities, existing controls, and compliance gaps.
Map
02Document personal-data flows, processing activities, vendors, transfers, and relevant stakeholders.
Implement
03Establish appropriate policies, contracts, assessments, governance processes, and technical measures.
Represent
04Appoint an Article 27 EU Representative where required.
Monitor
05Track regulatory developments, guidance, enforcement activity, and changes relevant to your organization.
Respond
06Maintain processes for DSARs, breaches, regulatory correspondence, and other data-subject or authority interactions.
Improve
07Continuously review and update your GDPR programme as your business, technology, and regulatory environment evolve.
Stay GDPR-Ready as Regulations Evolve
GDPR compliance is an ongoing responsibility rather than a one-time project.
As your organization launches new products, enters new markets, adopts new technologies, changes vendors, or introduces new processing activities, your privacy obligations may also change.
RegulatoryBridge helps organizations build a GDPR programme that combines representation, governance, regulatory monitoring, assessments, response processes, and ongoing expert support.
Build a GDPR compliance programme designed to scale with your business.