EU & UK GDPR compliance

We help businesses achieve and maintain compliance with both EU and UK GDPR. Our tailored solutions cover data protection requirements across Europe and Britain, keeping your operations running smoothly and your business clear of costly fines.

Does GDPR apply to a business based in the Gulf?

Often, yes. Under Article 3, the GDPR applies to organisations outside the EU when they offer goods or services to people in the EU or monitor their behaviour. The UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018 work the same way for the UK. A UAE or Saudi company with European customers, an EU-facing website, EU employees, or EU-based vendors and group entities may therefore be in scope, even with no office in Europe.

Non-EU organisations that are in scope often also need to appoint a representative in the EU (and a separate one in the UK), unless an exemption applies. We help you work out which of these obligations apply to you. This page is general information, not legal advice.

What our EU and UK GDPR service covers

• Scoping and gap assessment: mapping your processing against GDPR and UK GDPR requirements and ranking the gaps by risk
• Lawful basis and consent: documenting the legal basis for each processing activity and fixing consent flows
• Records of processing (Article 30): building and maintaining your data inventory
• Privacy notices and policies: clear, accurate notices, retention rules and internal policies
• Data subject requests: a workable process for access, erasure, rectification and objection requests within legal deadlines
• International transfers: assessing transfers out of the EU or UK and putting the right safeguards in place, supported by transfer impact assessments
• Impact assessments: DPIAs for high-risk processing under Article 35
• Breach readiness: a tested process for the 72-hour notification requirement, backed by our incident management support
• Processors and vendors: reviewing and papering data processing agreements
• Representatives and DPO: advice on EU and UK representatives, and outsourced DPO services where needed

EU GDPR and UK GDPR: what is different

The UK GDPR is the EU regulation as incorporated into UK law at Brexit (now treated as assimilated law), supplemented by the Data Protection Act 2018 and amended by the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025. The core principles and rights are very similar, but the regulators, transfer mechanisms and some national rules differ. The EU relies on its Standard Contractual Clauses, while UK transfers use the UK International Data Transfer Agreement or the UK Addendum to the EU clauses. Businesses serving both markets usually run one programme with a few jurisdiction-specific additions, which is how we approach it.

How we work

1. Discovery: a short call and document review to understand your data flows and markets.
2. Assessment: a written gap report with a prioritised remediation plan.
3. Implementation: we draft or update the documents and processes, or guide your team through it.
4. Ongoing support: periodic reviews and advice as your business and the law change.

Frequently asked questions

Do we need an EU representative?

If GDPR applies to you under Article 3 and you have no establishment in the EU, Article 27 generally requires you to appoint one, with limited exceptions such as occasional, low-risk processing. The UK has a parallel requirement. We can advise on whether you need one.

What are the penalties for non-compliance?

The most serious breaches can lead to fines of up to 20 million euros or 4 percent of worldwide annual turnover under the EU GDPR, whichever is higher. The UK GDPR sets comparable limits in pounds. Regulators can also order processing to stop.

How quickly must we report a breach?

Where a breach is likely to result in a risk to individuals, GDPR requires notifying the supervisory authority within 72 hours of becoming aware of it, and in some cases informing the affected individuals.

We already comply with GDPR. Do we also need to comply with UAE or Saudi law?

If you operate in or serve people in those countries, yes. GDPR work is a strong foundation, but local laws differ on points such as breach notification and cross-border transfers. See our UAE, DIFC, ADGM and KSA compliance service and our comparison of GDPR and the UAE PDPL.