GDPR: Ireland tops EU league for data fines

Regulatory authorities across Europe imposed €1.78 billion in GDPR fines in 2023, an increase of 14.1% compared with 2022. Ireland has imposed the most GDPR fines since GDPR came into effect

Why it matters: The significant increase in GDPR fines highlights the importance of data protection compliance. Despite the rise, the increase is lower than the previous year due to factors such as fewer fines issued by national data protection authorities and successful appeals.

The bottom line: Businesses face ongoing challenges in navigating the evolving data protection framework.

Additional material:

2024 edition of DLA Piper’s GDPR and Data Breach Survey

Quote from John Magee, Partner and Chair of Data, Privacy and Cybersecurity at DLA Piper in Dublin, said:

“The Irish Data Protection Commission continued to play a central role in shaping GDPR interpretations this year, notably with key decisions and fines on issues ranging from transparency and data transfer to information security and children’s privacy.