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Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Topics
  3. Key GDPR concepts

Legal basis

On this page

  • General information
  • Guidance
  • Enforcement
  • Policy work
  • Enforcement support
  • Compliance instruments
  • Related news

Before processing individuals’ data, organisations must identify a legal basis under the GDPR. The GDPR lists six legal bases that may be relied on depending on the context in which this processing takes place: consent, performance of a contract, legal obligation, vital interests of an individual, public interest and legitimate interest.
The GDPR also establishes additional conditions for the processing of special categories of data: the processing of these types of data, due to their sensitivity, is generally prohibited except in specific cases.

Guidance

Guidelines 02/2021 on virtual voice assistants

Guideline
07 July 2021
#Basic principles #Legal basis #Technology #Privacy by design and by default
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Guidelines 02/2021 on virtual voice assistants

Guidelines 8/2020 on the targeting of social media users

Guideline
13 April 2021
#Basic principles #Legal basis #Technology #Automated decision making, profiling and Online tracking #Online platforms
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Guidelines 8/2020 on the targeting of social media users
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Enforcement

Urgent Binding Decision 01/2023 requested by the Norwegian SA for the ordering of final measures regarding Meta Platforms Ireland Ltd (Art. 66(2) GDPR)

EDPB Binding Decisions
27 October 2023
#Legal basis #GDPR enforcement #Fines #Cooperation between authorities
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Urgent Binding Decision 01/2023 requested by the Norwegian SA for the ordering of final measures regarding Meta Platforms Ireland Ltd (Art. 66(2) GDPR)

Binding Decision 5/2022 on the dispute submitted by the Irish SA regarding WhatsApp Ireland Limited (Art. 65 GDPR)

EDPB Binding Decisions
05 December 2022
#Basic principles #Legal basis #GDPR enforcement #Fines #Cooperation between authorities
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Binding Decision 5/2022 on the dispute submitted by the Irish SA regarding WhatsApp Ireland Limited (Art. 65 GDPR)
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Policy work

EDPB-EDPS Joint Opinion 3/2026 on the Proposal for a European Biotech Act

Legislative opinion
12 March 2026
#Cross-regulatory interplay #Artificial intelligence #Health and research #Legal basis #Controller/processor
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EDPB-EDPS Joint Opinion 3/2026 on the Proposal for a European Biotech Act

EDPB-EDPS Joint opinion 2/2026 on the Proposal for a Regulation as regards the simplification of the digital legislative framework (Digital Omnibus)

Legislative opinion
11 February 2026
#Artificial intelligence #Automated decision making, profiling and Online tracking #Controller/processor #Cross-regulatory interplay #Legal basis
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EDPB-EDPS Joint opinion 2/2026 on the Proposal for a Regulation as regards the simplification of the digital legislative framework (Digital Omnibus)
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Enforcement support

Study on the secondary use of personal data in the context of scientific research

Legal study by external suppliers
03 April 2025
#Legal basis #Health and research
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Study on the secondary use of personal data in the context of scientific research
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Compliance instruments

Opinion 28/2024 on certain data protection aspects related to the processing of personal data in the context of AI models

Opinion of the Board (Art. 64)
18 December 2024
#Legal basis #Artificial intelligence #Anonymisation/pseudonymisation
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Opinion 28/2024 on certain data protection aspects related to the processing of personal data in the context of AI models

Opinion 08/2024 on Valid Consent in the Context of Consent or Pay Models Implemented by Large Online Platforms

Opinion of the Board (Art. 64)
17 April 2024
#Legal basis #Online platforms
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Opinion 08/2024 on Valid Consent in the Context of Consent or Pay Models Implemented by Large Online Platforms
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Related news

  • EDPB News

EDPB and EDPS support strengthening EU’s cybersecurity and easing compliance while protecting individuals’ personal data

19 May 2026
  • EDPB News

EDPB brings clarity to data processing for scientific research, speeds up the finalisation of the anonymisation guidelines and approves first European data protection seal as a tool for transfers

16 April 2026
  • EDPB News

EDPB and EDPS support harmonisation of clinical trials under European Biotech Act, but call for specific safeguards for sensitive health data

12 March 2026
All news
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