België / Belgique · Belgian Data Protection Act
TL;DR
Websites targeting users in Belgium must comply with GDPR as implemented locally through the Belgian Data Protection Act. The supervisory authority is the Gegevensbeschermingsautoriteit (GBA). Notable enforcement: IAB Europe fined for TCF consent framework (€250,000). Use our free scanner below to check your website instantly.
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Gegevensbeschermingsautoriteit (GBA)
Local Law
Belgian Data Protection Act
Language
Dutch, French, German
Largest Fine
€250,000
Population
11.6 million
Strict interpretation of consent — pre-ticked boxes prohibited
Cookie walls are considered non-compliant
IAB TCF framework ruled insufficient by Belgian DPA
DPO must be accessible to data subjects
Data breach notification within 72 hours
Enhanced protections for employee data
The Belgian DPA made headlines by ruling that the IAB Europe's Transparency and Consent Framework (TCF) violated GDPR, affecting the entire ad-tech industry across Europe. This ruling has major implications for programmatic advertising.
Cookie consent banner that requires opt-in before non-essential cookies
Privacy policy available in Dutch, French, German
Clear identification of data controller and contact details
Data Processing Agreement (DPA) with all third-party processors
Lawful basis documented for each processing activity
Data Subject Access Request (DSAR) process in place
Data breach notification procedure compliant with 72-hour rule
Data Protection Impact Assessment for high-risk processing
International data transfer mechanisms documented (SCCs, adequacy decisions)
Records of processing activities (ROPA) maintained
In Belgium, websites must comply with GDPR as implemented by the Belgian Data Protection Act. Key requirements include obtaining explicit consent before setting non-essential cookies, providing a clear privacy policy, appointing a DPO when required, and notifying data breaches within 72 hours to the Gegevensbeschermingsautoriteit (GBA).
The Gegevensbeschermingsautoriteit (GBA) is the supervisory authority responsible for enforcing data protection laws in Belgium. They can investigate complaints, conduct audits, and issue fines up to €20 million or 4% of annual global turnover.
Use PrivacyChecker's free scanner to perform an instant audit of your website. Our tool checks 25+ compliance points including cookie consent, privacy policy presence, security headers, tracker detection, and more — all relevant to Belgium's GDPR requirements.
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