Reinier advises national and international companies
reinier.russell@russell.nl +31 20 301 55 55The bill for the new European General Data Protection Regulation includes extremely high fines of up to EUR 100 million or 5% of the global annual turnover of a company. When are you likely to incur such a fine?
In our recent newsletter on privacy, we reported that there will be a new law to provide the same data protection regulations throughout the European Union. One important aspect of these regulations will be the introduction of new penalties including extremely severe sanctions for (repeated) breaches of privacy of EU citizens.
In the Netherlands, fines are imposed by the CBP (College bescherming persoonsgegevens; Data Protection Agency). At the moment, the CBP can impose a maximum fine of EUR 4,500. The latest fines however, could be up to maximum of EUR 100,000,000 or 5% of the global annual turnover of a company, depending on which amount is higher.
You may be fined for the following violations, for instance:
Be sure to organize your data processing (HRM, ICT, online shop, website, software, cameras, GPS, etc.) in conformity with the new General European Data Protection Regulation. This regulation is expected to become effective in the course of 2015/2016. Thus, there is still plenty of time to make necessary adjustments in order to prevent fines.
Russell Advocaten will inform you regularly on the most recent developments regarding this General European Data Protection Regulation and its potential consequences for your business. Would you like to know more about the application of the new General Data Protection Regulation, or do you have any other questions on how to organize your company in the context of the new data protection regulation? Please contact:
The statutory minimum hourly wage changes every six months. What are the new amounts as of 1 July 2026?
When a foreign creditor is owed money by a Dutch debtor, the debt recovery process involves additional legal considerations, ranging from questions of jurisdiction to the enforceability of foreign judgments and the availability of cross-border enforcement instruments. What options does a creditor have in an international context?
Can you dismiss your employee with immediate effect after a minor offence, such as the theft of a (very) low-value product? Yes, you can! However, a recently published decision shows it does not go without a risk!
Employees have a right to privacy in their private lives. This also applies to sick employees. However, they must also comply with their reintegration obligations and provide accurate information about their illness. What options does the employer have to check whether they are actually doing this?
On 2 June 2026, the Dutch Senate adopted the Digital General Meeting for Private Law Legal Entities Act. This Act makes it possible to hold general meetings entirely digitally. What does this mean for directors and shareholders of private limited companies, public limited companies and other legal entities?
(Re-)building, placing solar panels or an advertisement on your commercial property? In the Netherlands you have to apply for an environmental permit for such activities. So what is an environmental permit, how can you apply for it and how does the procedure work after the application?
