Article 60 of the GDPR: Cooperation between the lead supervisory authority and other supervisory authorities

· By Bertrand BucelleBertrand Bucelle · 2 min read

Article 60 of the GDPR: Cooperation between the lead supervisory authority and other supervisory authorities

Article 60 of the GDPR Explained

When several Member States are concerned by processing, the lead supervisory authority:

  • Coordinates the procedure with the other supervisory authorities;
  • Consults them before taking any decision (shared draft decision);
  • Takes their observations into account and may amend its draft accordingly;
  • If there is disagreement, the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) can decide.

This cooperation aims to ensure a harmonised application of the GDPR, while respecting national specificities.

Why this article is important for your GDPR compliance

If you process data in multiple countries, Article 60 ensures you have a single point of contact, while guaranteeing that local authorities will be consulted. This allows for greater legal certainty and predictability in decision-making.

How to Comply with Article 60 of the GDPR?

  • Correctly identify your lead supervisory authority (Article 56);
  • Maintain detailed documentation on your cross-border processing operations;
  • Fully cooperate with the designated authority, and prepare the documents to be shared with the other authorities involved;
  • Monitor developments from the EDPB and case law regarding disagreements between authorities.

Application examples of GDPR Article 60

  • A French company operating in Spain and Italy receives an inspection from the French supervisory authority, which consults its local counterparts before any decision;
  • A German authority raises an objection to a proposed sanction: the EDPB mediates;
  • A joint decision is taken after an investigation into advertising profiling in several European countries.

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