Belgian GDPR fines translate to 1.2 million euros over five years

The Belgian Data Protection Authority (DPA) has imposed 2.2 million euros in fines over five years for breaches of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). However, half of these have been cancelled or reduced by the Market Court, L'Echo writes on Tuesday.

When the DPA imposes a fine, it can be challenged before the Market Court. The court has overturned more than 800,000 euros in fines over five years. A further 234,000 euros has also been deducted. As a result, GDPR infringements have only generated 1.2 million euros for the Belgian treasury over the past five years.

Belgium accounts for 0.04 per cent of all European fines. According to Hielke Hijmans, chair of the DPA's litigation chamber, this is "because everything is happening elsewhere". "This mainly concerns Ireland and Luxembourg, where companies such as Meta, Google and Amazon have their headquarters."

According to the website enforcementtracker.com, 10 largest fines so far have all gone to non-European tech giants such as Meta, Amazon, TikTok and Google.

^{© BELGA PHOTO NICOLAS MAETERLINCK}

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