Source: OJ L 119, 4.5.2016, pp. 1–88 · Consolidated textCurrent language: EN
- General data protection
Basic legislative acts
- GDPR regulation
Article 82 Right to compensation and liability
Summary What does Article 82 of the GDPR regulation say?
This article establishes the right to compensation for data subjects who suffer damage as a result of a GDPR infringement, and sets out the liability framework for controllers and processors.
It draws a clear distinction between the liability of controllers, who are broadly liable for infringing processing, and processors, whose liability is narrower and tied to their specific obligations or acting outside the controller's instructions.
The article also addresses scenarios involving multiple parties, ensuring that data subjects can recover full compensation even where responsibility is shared, while allowing those who have paid out to recover contributions from others at fault.
Important points:
- Any person suffering material or non-material damage from a GDPR infringement has the right to compensation from the controller or processor responsible.
- Controllers and processors can escape liability only if they prove they are not in any way responsible for the event causing the damage.
- Where multiple controllers or processors share responsibility, each is liable for the entire damage, though those who pay in full may seek a contribution from the others.
Springlex's summary of the article is a reading aid, not a substitute for the legal text.
Any person who has suffered material or non-material damage as a result of an infringement of this Regulation shall have the right to receive compensation from the controller or processor for the damage suffered.
Any controller involved in processing shall be liable for the damage caused by processing which infringes this Regulation. A processor shall be liable for the damage caused by processing only where it has not complied with obligations of this Regulation specifically directed to processors or where it has acted outside or contrary to lawful instructions of the controller.
A controller or processor shall be exempt from liability under paragraph 2 if it proves that it is not in any way responsible for the event giving rise to the damage.
Where more than one controller or processor, or both a controller and a processor, are involved in the same processing and where they are, under paragraphs 2 and 3, responsible for any damage caused by processing, each controller or processor shall be held liable for the entire damage in order to ensure effective compensation of the data subject.
Where a controller or processor has, in accordance with paragraph 4, paid full compensation for the damage suffered, that controller or processor shall be entitled to claim back from the other controllers or processors involved in the same processing that part of the compensation corresponding to their part of responsibility for the damage, in accordance with the conditions set out in paragraph 2.
Court proceedings for exercising the right to receive compensation shall be brought before the courts competent under the law of the Member State referred to in Article 79(2).
Relevant recitals
Recital 146 Compensation for infringing processing
The controller or processor should compensate any damage which a person may suffer as a result of processing that infringes this Regulation. The controller or processor should be exempt from liability if it proves that it is not in any way responsible for the damage. The concept of damage should be broadly interpreted in the light of the case-law of the Court of Justice in a manner which fully reflects the objectives of this Regulation. This is without prejudice to any claims for damage deriving from the violation of other rules in Union or Member State law. Processing that infringes this Regulation also includes processing that infringes delegated and implementing acts adopted in accordance with this Regulation and Member State law specifying rules of this Regulation. Data subjects should receive full and effective compensation for the damage they have suffered. Where controllers or processors are involved in the same processing, each controller or processor should be held liable for the entire damage. However, where they are joined to the same judicial proceedings, in accordance with Member State law, compensation may be apportioned according to the responsibility of each controller or processor for the damage caused by the processing, provided that full and effective compensation of the data subject who suffered the damage is ensured. Any controller or processor which has paid full compensation may subsequently institute recourse proceedings against other controllers or processors involved in the same processing.
Springlex and this text is meant purely as a documentation tool and has no legal effect. No liability is assumed for its content. The authentic version of this act is the one published in the Official Journal of the European Union.
Definition
processing
Definition
controller
Definition
processor
Definition
personal data