GDPR – Why UK Businesses Need an EU GDPR Consultant

If you’re part of a UK business that handles the data of EU citizens, you need to comply with the EU GDPR. But how do you know exactly what to comply with and how to do it? In this post, GDPR Local explores the ways in which working with an EU GDPR consultant can help protect your business from security risks, reputational damage and fines.

When the UK left the EU, the data protection measures, companies were required to put in place in the days of GDPR, didn’t stop. In the UK, The Data Protection Act 2018 enshrined EU GDPR law in UK law. And for those UK businesses trading with the EU, they remain subject to the EU GDPR just as they always were. Think of it as visiting a friend who has different home rules to yours (shoes off at the door, drinks glasses always on a coaster etc).

That’s the purpose of GDPR consultancy. Having your own EU GDPR representative – your own GDPR rep who possesses expert knowledge of the regulation – can guide you in implementing measures to ensure you stay compliant. And as we’re about to discover, staying compliant can bring a wide range of benefits.

• Expertise in data protection

The frustrating truth for anyone trying to pick their way through data protection law is that it isn’t easy. There’s a lot to get right, a lot to learn and a lot to keep up to date with once you’ve learnt it.

Having your own EU GDPR representative on tap means you can effectively outsource that effort. EU GDPR consultants are experts in data protection and privacy. They are well versed in the intricacies of the regulation, including its principles, requirements and best practices.

That’s a huge advantage for your UK business because, as you leverage their expertise, you can navigate complex GDPR provisions without having to become an expert in data law yourself (or employ someone in-house to do it).

Perhaps even more importantly, working with your own European representative on GDPR removes worry and uncertainty. Because even though you might hope you’ve dotted the i’s and crossed the t’s of GDPR compliance, without expert support every business will always have that nagging doubt over whether they’ve done everything they should.

• Comply with the law

Perhaps one of the simplest reasons for working with a GDPR rep is that it’s the law. Anyone working in the UK who is processing, storing or collecting the data of EU citizens is required to have an EU representative under GDPR Article 27.

The question is whether you choose ‘entry level’ Article 27 compliance support – effectively an EU point of contact for data protection authorities – or whether you choose the sort of consultancy support that adds genuine value, as the following points explore.

Discover more about appointing an Article 27 EU GDPR representative with GDPR Local

• Risk assessment and mitigation

We mentioned above about that nagging feeling you get when you think you’ve done everything you should, but you never really know. Having an EU GDPR consultant on your team gives you the reassurance that the measures you’ve taken are watertight and minimises the likelihood of data breaches, regulatory fines and reputational damage.

Your GDPR rep can perform comprehensive risk assessments tailored to the specific needs of your UK business. They’ll identify potential vulnerabilities in your data processing operations, evaluate risks associated with data breaches or non-compliance, and provide recommendations for mitigating those risks.

• Efficient data handling practices

Implementing GDPR-compliant data handling practices is crucial for UK businesses. A GDPR consultant can assist in developing and implementing robust policies and procedures for data protection, consent management, data breach response, and data subject rights. What’s more, because they develop and implement such policies all the time, they do it fast, removing the trial, error and risk for organisations tackling such issues for the first time.

As a result, your business handles personal data in a transparent, lawful, and secure manner, instilling trust among customers and business partners.

• Regulatory updates and guidance

The EU GDPR is not a static regulation. It evolves over time with new interpretations, court rulings and amendments. GDPR consultancy ensures you stay up to date with these changes. When you need to make changes, your GDPR rep will flag them well in advance, so you stay compliant and avoid legal complications.

• Protection against growing divergence

When the UK introduced the Data Protection Act in 2018, it was in large part a copy and paste version of the EU GDPR. Yet we know that change is coming. The Digital Protection and Digital Information Bill is making its way through Parliament and, once enacted, it will increase the distance between EU and UK law. The current need for a UK equivalent of the EU representative under GDPR Article 27 for EU organisations trading in the UK, for example, will change.

We can expect every subsequent law to increase that legal divergence. That increases the pressure on UK businesses. If you have, until now, been working under the assumption that the GDPR provisions you’ve been working under for the past few years will remain (largely) a carbon copy of EU law, well, they won’t. With an EU GDPR consultant on your team, however, you’ll understand the growing differences and be able to prepare for them. 

EU GDPR representative services from GDPR Local

Business is increasingly data driven. For any organisation looking to the future – and exploring how to use data to better understand customers, to drive new efficiencies, or to harness AI – data will be the most important asset. Increasingly, data is your competitive edge. This makes it even more important that UK businesses prioritise GDPR compliance to protect personal data and maintain trust with customers.

GDPR services from GDPR Local can give your business invaluable expertise, guidance, and assistance in navigating the complex world of data protection.

Get data protection advice for your business now or, for questions about your next steps, write to us.