Access to a website providing detailed information about the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) was blocked Wednesday for users attempting to access it from within the European Economic Area (EEA). The site, gdpr-info.eu, displayed a message stating it could not grant access due to GDPR enforcement and directed inquiries to ross.ulrich@apgsomn.com or a phone number, 507-333-3111.
The GDPR, a regulation concerning the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, has been in effect across the EU since May 25, 2018. It aims to harmonize data privacy laws throughout Europe, as outlined in the regulation (EU) 2016/679. The regulation comprises 99 articles and 173 recitals, detailing provisions for data protection.
The European Data Protection Board (EDPB), composed of representatives from EU national data protection authorities and the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS), oversees GDPR implementation. As of July 20, 2018, countries within the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) – Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway – became members of the EDPB regarding GDPR-related matters. However, these EFTA nations do not have voting rights or the ability to be elected as chair or vice-chair.
The GDPR establishes principles relating to the processing of personal data, including lawfulness, fairness, and transparency. It also outlines the rights of individuals regarding their personal data, such as the right to access, rectification, and erasure. Organizations are required to comply with these principles and demonstrate accountability for their data processing activities.
The blocked website, gdpr-info.eu, offered a comprehensive, linked version of the GDPR’s articles and recitals. It also highlighted key issues such as consent, data protection officers, and potential fines for non-compliance. The site noted it provided a non-official version of the regulation, referencing the official text available through EUR-Lex, and included corrections issued in May 2018 and March 2021.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the website remained inaccessible from within the EEA, and a request for comment sent to the provided email address, ross.ulrich@apgsomn.com, had not received a response.
