Europrivacy certification: the highest standard for demonstrating GDPR compliance

Europrivacy introduces a certification approved by all European data protection authorities, enabling organisations to demonstrate compliance with a level of assurance not available elsewhere. Independently verified and regulator recognised, it also provides international relevance in an increasingly complex data landscape.

Key facts at a glance

• First GDPR certification approved by the European Data Protection Board (EDPB).
• Recognised and approved for use in international data transfers.
• Supported and encouraged by regulators across the EEA.
• Certifies real processing activities – not just policies.

Why this matters now

In the eight years since the GDPR came fully into force, individuals have become more aware of their rights and how they can challenge organisations, regulatory expectations have increased and supply chain partners have become more rigorous in their data protection due diligence. Europrivacy directly addresses these challenges by providing a structured, independently audited certification founded in the GDPR that:

• Mitigates regulatory risks.
• Acts as a mechanism for cross-border data transfers.
• Provides independent validation of compliance claims.

What is Europrivacy Certification?

Europrivacy is the first GDPR certification framework approved by the European Data Protection Board (EDPB).

It enables organisations to certify specific data processing activities, demonstrating that they meet GDPR requirements through an independently verified assessment.

Key developments include:

• Approval as a European Data Protection Seal.
• Recognition as a mechanism supporting international data transfers.
• Applicability to organisations both within and outside the EEA.

Why Europrivacy is different

This distinction is critical: Europrivacy provides regulatory recognition – not just alignment with best practice. 

Business benefits

Europrivacy delivers both compliance assurance and commercial advantage:

• Demonstrable GDPR compliance backed by independent certification.
• Enhanced regulatory engagement, with certification required to be considered by authorities.
• Stronger position for international data transfers.
• Increased trust with customers and partners.
• Competitive differentiation in procurement and bidding processes.
• Greater confidence for internal data protection teams, executives and board members.

How certification works

Europrivacy applies to specific processing activities, not the organisation.

Typical examples include:

• Customer onboarding and lifecycle management.
• Marketing and loyalty programmes.
• Claims processing or underwriting.
• Digital platforms and user profiling.

The certification journey

1. Define scope – Identify the processing activities to certify.
2. Pre-assessment – Evaluate readiness and address gaps.
3. Independent audit – Conducted by an accredited certification body.
4. Certification and monitoring – Valid for three years with periodic reviews.

This structured approach ensures efficient and accelerated certification journeys. 

Preparing for certification

A successful certification process requires structured preparation.

Organisations typically:

• Assess controls against Europrivacy criteria.
• Identify and remediate gaps.
• Build a structured evidence library for audit.

This preparation significantly improves audit outcomes and reduces implementation effort.

How we support your certification journey

We work with organisations globally to prepare, structure and deliver Europrivacy certification.

Our support includes:

• Defining the target of evaluation (TOE) and certification scope.
• Complete the National Obligation Conformity Assessment (NOCAR).
• Conducting gap assessments against Europrivacy criteria.
• Designing and structuring the evidence framework.
• Supporting remediation and control enhancement.
• Preparing you for successful audit outcomes.
• Coordinating with accredited certification bodies.

Our approach ensures certification is aligned with your operating model, regulatory exposure and business priorities.

Start your Europrivacy readiness assessment

In a short initial session, we will:

• Identify relevant processing activities - see here for more guidance.
• Assess your current level of readiness.
• Outline a clear and practical certification roadmap.

Contact the Forvis Mazars technology and digital consulting team to begin your certification journey.