Leading Law Firm Publishes Guidance To Highlight Who Needs To Take Action

Data protection experts at Irwin Mitchell are urging businesses in the UK to ensure they are fully up to speed and compliant with new data laws which will come into effect at the start of next year.

Unless a business falls within a narrow exemption, the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requires non-EU businesses to appoint a GDPR representative within the EU or EEA if they offer goods or services to EU/EEA individuals, or if they monitor the behaviour of EU/EEA individuals. 

This means that when the transition period ends on 31st December 2020, UK businesses will have to comply.

To help businesses understand whether they are caught by this, Irwin Mitchell lawyers have produced a useful flowchart highlighting which UK businesses need to appoint a EEA representative for GDPR purposes from 1st January 2021.

The flowchart can be downloaded here

The flowchart sets out the position for businesses as special rules apply to public bodies or authorities.

Expert Opinion

“The value of the data economy in the EU and UK in 2020 will be 440 billion euros so it’s crucial businesses don’t ignore the rules in relation to GDPR.

“Whether a business needs to appoint an EEA representative is a key part of this planning and our flowchart aims to make it easier to understand. Different businesses will have different obligations after the transition period and this is designed to clearly highlight which ones need to take action.”
Joanne Bone - Partner