Article 62 of the GDPR: Joint operations of supervisory authorities

Article 62 of the GDPR Explained

Supervisory authorities may:

• Implement joint on-site or remote inspections;
• Delegate or receive members from other authorities in their operations;
• Adopt coordinated decisions following these actions;
• Intervene in a Member State with the agreement of the local authority.

These operations are regulated to ensure national sovereignty and inter-state collaboration.

Why This Article Matters for Your GDPR Compliance

This article shows that your company may be subject to a coordinated inspection by several authorities, even if it is established in only one country. It strengthens the effective supervision of cross-border data processing operations.

How to Comply with GDPR Article 62

• Anticipate the possibility of a joint investigation if you operate in several EU countries;
• Prepare consolidated compliance documentation that is easily shareable;
• Cooperate with the various authorities involved and ensure the availability of key representatives;
• Maintain centralised documentation of international data flows.

Examples of application of Article 62 of the GDPR

• The French supervisory authority and its Spanish counterpart conduct a simultaneous inspection at two subsidiaries of the same group;
• Agents of the Dutch authority are integrated into an operation led by a German authority;
• A company is audited in a concerted manner for the use of advertising algorithms in several countries.

Related Resources

• Official text of the GDPR – EUR-Lex
• Practical guides from the French supervisory authority
• European portal for data protection

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