An EU Representative is a designated person or entity located within the European Union who acts on behalf of companies outside the EU regarding their obligations under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
This role is specifically aimed at non-EU businesses that offer goods or services to or monitor the behavior of individuals within the EU.
The representative serves as a local contact point for supervisory authorities and individuals in the EU on all matters related to data processing, ensuring compliance with GDPR requirements.
For example, if you run a US-based e-commerce website that sells products to customers in France, you might need to appoint an EU Representative.
This representative would handle any inquiries from European data protection authorities or EU residents about how their data is being processed.
They facilitate communication between your company and EU citizens or regulators who might have questions or concerns about privacy and data protection practices.
The requirement to appoint an EU Representative is set out in Article 27 of the GDPR. However, not all non-EU businesses are required to appoint one.
The obligation applies to those entities that process personal data on a large scale or handle special categories of data as part of their regular activities aimed at EU residents.
Your EU Representative should be explicitly designated in writing, and their contact details should be made available to the public and authorities, typically through your website’s privacy policy.
This role is essential for ensuring that your business can effectively and lawfully engage with the EU market by adhering to its stringent data protection standards.
