European Data Protection Board (EDPB)
The EU-level body of national Data Protection Authorities that issues binding decisions, guidelines and consistency opinions under the GDPR.
Full Definition
The European Data Protection Board (EDPB) replaced the Article 29 Working Party on 25 May 2018. It brings together the heads of each EU/EEA national DPA plus the European Data Protection Supervisor, with the European Commission attending in a non-voting capacity. Its role is to ensure consistent application of the GDPR across the Union: it issues guidelines (non-binding but authoritative), opinions on draft codes of conduct and certifications, and — in cross-border enforcement — binding decisions under the Article 65 consistency mechanism when national DPAs disagree.
EDPB guidance has shaped how the GDPR is applied in practice on cookies, legitimate interests, data breach notification, data subject rights, international transfers, children's data and dark patterns. Its 2026 outputs include Guidelines 02/2026 on anonymisation, Guidelines 03/2026 on web scraping for generative AI, and Guidelines 04/2026 harmonising DPA fining methodology. Monitoring EDPB consultations and final guidelines is baseline practice for any organisation under GDPR scope, including non-EU businesses offering services to Union residents.
Related terms
Data Protection Authority (DPA)
The independent public authority responsible for enforcing a jurisdiction's data protection law.
European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS)
The independent authority that supervises personal data processing by EU institutions, bodies and agencies.
Cross-Border Transfer
The transfer of personal data from one country to another, subject to restrictions under data protection laws.
Relevant regulations
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