ICCL’s 2023 report on EEA
data protection authorities
Almost five years after it was implemented, the GDPR is rarely enforced against Big Tech. Few major EU cases have resulted in serious enforcement measures. The European Commission must act.
Key insights
- Almost five years after the GDPR, there has been little substantial enforcement in EU-level cases. The EDPB register of final decisions reveals that most (63%) of the 160 enforcement measures by late 2022 were merely reprimands.
- Unlike any other country's enforcement authority, 67% of the Irish Data Protection Commission's GDPR investigation decisions in EU cases were overruled by majority vote of its European counterparts at the EDPB, who demand tougher enforcement action.
- EEA data protection authorities’ budgets are rising. Despite this 10 national DPAs still have budgets under €2 million.
Updated 31 May 2023: the EDPB has informed us that a single decision during this period that it had previously not categorised in its Register of Article 60 Final One-Shop-Stop Decisions has now been re-categorised to appear in that Register. We have updated our statistics to reflect this.
Press materials
For comment: Dr Johnny Ryan
For media queries: Ruth.McCourt@iccl.ie +353874157162
You can support ICCL's work.
The Irish Council for Civil Liberties has been at the forefront of every major rights advance in Irish society for over 40 years. We helped legalise homosexuality, divorce, and contraception. We drove police reform, defending suspects' rights during dark times. ICCL is Ireland’s leading human rights organisation, and our work on digital and data issues has global impact.
ICCL is completely independent from Government, and relies on donations and gifts. You make our work for human rights and freedom possible. Thank you.
Contact
Irish Council for Civil Liberties,
Unit 11, First Floor, 34, Usher's Quay,
Dublin 8
Phone: +353-1-9121640
Email: info@iccl.ie