GDPR fines have exceeded €4.5 billion across Europe. Discover your obligations as a business owner, the most common mistakes, and how to bring your company into compliance quickly and efficiently.
GDPR — It's Not Optional
The General Data Protection Regulation has been in force since May 2018, and European authorities have shown they take enforcement seriously. By 2026, cumulative fines across Europe have exceeded €4.5 billion.
"I didn't know I had to comply with GDPR" is not a valid defense before authorities. Ignorance does not exempt you from fines.
Who Must Comply with GDPR?
Any organization that processes personal data of EU individuals — regardless of size or location. This includes companies with employees, websites with contact forms or newsletters, online stores, medical practices, accounting and law firms, and schools.
Most Common GDPR Mistakes by Romanian Companies
- Missing or incomplete Privacy Policy — every website must have a clear, accessible privacy policy
- Incorrect Cookie Banner — users must be able to reject non-essential cookies as easily as they accept them
- No explicit newsletter consent — you cannot add someone to your email list without prior explicit consent
- Storing data longer than necessary — rejected candidates' CVs must be deleted
- Missing DPA contracts — required with all third parties that access your customers' data
- Ignoring data subjects' rights — access, rectification, erasure, portability, and objection requests must be fulfilled within 30 days
Steps to GDPR Compliance
- Data audit — inventory what personal data you collect, where, how you store it, and for how long
- Legal basis for processing — identify consent, contract, legal obligation, or legitimate interest for each data category
- Records of processing activities — mandatory internal document
- Policies and procedures — privacy policy, breach response procedure, rights exercise procedures
- DPA contracts — with all sub-processors
- Employee training — all staff must understand basic GDPR principles
- Technical security measures — encryption, role-based access, backups
How GreenSoft Helps with GDPR
The GreenSoft team offers complete GDPR consulting: initial compliance audit, all mandatory documents, technical security measures, employee training, outsourced DPO service, and continuous monitoring. Contact us for a free assessment of your company's GDPR compliance level.