LuxembourgApril 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The European Data Protection Board (EDPB) has adopted two significant decisions that will facilitate international data transfers while strengthening personal data protection: The Board has approved the extension of the scope of the European data protection certification seal “Europrivacy” under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) to non-European countries. The Board also approved a specific version of the Europrivacy certification criteria that can serve as a mechanism for international data transfers under Article 46 of the GDPR.
GDPR Certification Goes Global
The first EDPB decision authorizes the use of the Europrivacy certification outside Europe. Europrivacy is already approved as a European data protection certification seal under Article 42 of the GDPR for use by organizations established in the EU and the European Economic Area. This decision enables organizations worldwide subject to the GDPR to leverage this mechanism to demonstrate compliance of their data processing activities.
A New Mechanism for International Data Transfers
The EDPB also approved a specific version of the Europrivacy certification criteria that can be adopted as part of appropriate safeguards for international data transfers under Article 46 of the GDPR. This marks a crucial step towards the operational implementation of a certification mechanism for cross-border data flows. In practice, provided binding and enforceable commitments are in place, this mechanism will support organizations acting as data importers (located outside the EEA) in demonstrating their compliance with the GDPR. This development enhances legal certainty and strengthens trust in the field of international data transfers.
Impact on Data Transfers
International data transfers face increasingly stringent data protection obligations. The term “certification” is mentioned 73 times in the GDPR. Through independent assessment and auditing, certification helps ensure compliance and supports data transfers. Early adopters of this certification in Europe report that it helps them:
- Verify and demonstrate compliance;
- Reduce risks and build trust;
- Streamline compliance processes and save associated costs;
- Value compliance and turn it into a competitive advantage and revenue source;
- Facilitate data transfers.
Furthermore, Europrivacy enables organizations to:
- Extend the scope of compliance assessments to non-EU jurisdictions;
- Access online resources to support compliance and certification;
- Leverage a global ecosystem of service providers.
By enabling organizations from other countries to also adopt a GDPR mechanism, the EDPB responds to the growing industry need for reliable ways to demonstrate cross-border data protection compliance. The International Data Protection Certification scheme Interprivacy, aligned with Europrivacy’s criteria, has now been approved by the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) for global use. They complement each other in supporting a digital economy that respects individuals’ rights and freedoms.
- Europrivacy: europrivacy.org
- ECCP: eccpcenter.org
- EDPB: edpb.europa.eu
- EDPB Opinion Box: Link
- Webinar May 5: academy.europrivacy.com/events/gdpr-certification-goes-global