Article 83: General conditions for imposing administrative fines
Praxikon tracks Article 83 (General conditions for imposing administrative fines) under the GDPR, alongside the EU AI Act, citing the source for every statement.
What does Article 83 govern?
Article 83 determines when and how a supervisory authority can impose an administrative fine. Every fine must be effective, proportionate and dissuasive in the individual case (paragraph 1) and can come in addition to, or instead of, the other measures in Article 58(2) (paragraph 2). Paragraph 2 also lists the factors that count when deciding whether to fine and how much, such as the nature, gravity and duration of the infringement, intent or negligence, mitigation of damage, cooperation with the supervisory authority, previous infringements and how the authority learned of the infringement. Paragraphs 4 and 5 divide the GDPR obligations into two categories, each with its own maximum: up to 10 million euro or 2 percent of worldwide annual turnover for, among others, the obligations in Articles 25 to 39, and up to 20 million euro or 4 percent for, among others, the basic principles, data subject rights and transfers, whichever is higher; paragraph 3 caps the total fine for several linked infringements at the maximum for the gravest one. The article exists to strengthen and harmonise enforcement across the EU, with procedural safeguards for whoever receives a fine (paragraph 8 and recitals 148 and 150).
Key term: Effective, proportionate and dissuasive: the three requirements every fine must meet, so that it works, fits the infringement and deters others from doing the same
Directly affects:supervisory authoritycontrollerprocessormember stateCommission
Praxikon’s reading of the text and the recitals; the official text below prevails.
Official text
Source: EUR-Lex, Regulation (EU) 2016/679. Official text, reproduced without modification.
What does this mean for you?
Controller
The factors in paragraph 2 partly determine whether you are fined and how much: whether you mitigated the damage to data subjects (point (c)), which technical and organisational measures you had implemented under Articles 25 and 32 (point (d)), whether you cooperated with the supervisory authority (point (f)), whether you notified the infringement yourself (point (h)), and whether you adhere to an approved code of conduct under Article 40 or certification under Article 42 (point (j)). If you infringe several provisions with the same or linked processing operations, the total fine does not exceed the maximum for the gravest infringement (paragraph 3).
Processor
You too can be fined directly: paragraph 4(a) expressly names the processor's obligations, for example those in Articles 25 to 39, and paragraph 5(c) covers the transfer rules in Articles 44 to 49, which also apply to processors. The same factors in paragraph 2 count for you, such as your degree of responsibility and your cooperation with the supervisory authority.
Data Protection Officer
You help the organisation demonstrate the factors in paragraph 2: documented measures under Articles 25 and 32, a working procedure for notifying infringements, and follow-up of earlier measures ordered by the supervisory authority on the same subject (point (i)). You point out that a fine can come in addition to, or instead of, the measures in Article 58(2) (paragraph 2).
Compliance checklist
Related recitals
In order to strengthen the enforcement of the rules of this Regulation, penalties including administrative fines should be imposed for any infringement of this Regulation, in addition to, or instead o...
(149)Member States should be able to lay down the rules on criminal penalties for infringements of this Regulation, including for infringements of national rules adopted pursuant to and within the limits o...
(150)In order to strengthen and harmonise administrative penalties for infringements of this Regulation, each supervisory authority should have the power to impose administrative fines. This Regulation sho...
(151)The legal systems of Denmark and Estonia do not allow for administrative fines as set out in this Regulation. The rules on administrative fines may be applied in such a manner that in Denmark the fine...
(152)Where this Regulation does not harmonise administrative penalties or where necessary in other cases, for example in cases of serious infringements of this Regulation, Member States should implement a ...
Cross-references
More case law, guidelines and fines
In addition to the overview at the bottom of this page: rulings, guidelines and fines that interpret or apply this article, newest first. Each item was checked against the official source.
Case law (3)
- 13 February 2025 · C-383/23 · CJEUILVA
The maximum GDPR fine is calculated on the worldwide annual turnover of the whole group, even when only a subsidiary is fined.
- 11 April 2024 · C-741/21 · CJEUjuris
An infringement is not in itself non-material damage. The controller cannot escape the duty to compensate by pointing to an employee's error, and the Article 83 fining criteria do not set the amount of compensation.
- 5 December 2023 · C-683/21 · CJEUNacionalinis visuomenės sveikatos centras
Whoever commissions an app and helps decide purposes and means can be a controller without processing data itself. Joint controllership does not require an arrangement between the parties, and a fine requires intent or negligence.
Guidelines (3)
- 17 September 2026 · v1.0 · EDPBConsultation versionGuidelines 04/2026 on the application of the power to impose administrative fines in relation to other corrective powers under the GDPR
Describes when a supervisory authority imposes a fine instead of or alongside other corrective measures, and how the GDPR criteria are weighed.
- 24 May 2023 · v2.1 · EDPBGuidelines 04/2022 on the calculation of administrative fines under the GDPR
Describes the five step method supervisory authorities use to calculate the amount of a GDPR fine.
- 3 October 2017 · WP253 · Article 29 Working PartyGuidelines on the application and setting of administrative fines for the purposes of the Regulation 2016/679
Describes the principles and criteria supervisory authorities use to decide whether a fine is appropriate alongside or instead of other corrective measures.
Line of case lawSupervision and fines
Who enforces how, and who can be fined?
- Facebook Ireland v GBA (2021)The lead authority is the contact point, but others may go to court under conditions.
- Guidelines 04/2022 on the calculation of administrative fines under the GDPR (2023)The EDPB sets the method for calculating fines.
- Deutsche Wohnen (2023)A legal person can be fined directly, but only for intent or negligence.
- Nacionalinis visuomenės sveikatos centras (2023)Processing by your processor can also lead to a fine.
- Land Hessen (2024)Not every breach calls for a corrective measure.
- Österreichische Datenschutzbehörde v FR (2025)Complaints are only excessive once abuse is shown.
- ILVA (2025)The fine cap follows the turnover of the whole group.
- Regulation laying down additional procedural rules for GDPR enforcement (2025)New procedural rules for cross-border cases, from 2 April 2027.
- WhatsApp Ireland v EDPB (2026)A binding EDPB decision can be challenged directly.
- Guidelines 04/2026 on the application of the power to impose administrative fines in relation to other corrective powers under the GDPR (2026)The EDPB on how fines relate to other corrective powers.
Checked on 5 November 2026
Frequently asked questions
Connections
What connects to Article 83 GDPR
Themes where this returns
The counterpart in the other law
Case law
- Council of State upholds 6,000 euro DPA fine for recruitment firm
2024-05-29 · final, Raad van State, Afdeling bestuursrechtspraak
- Deutsche Wohnen: a fine on a legal person needs no identified natural person, but does require fault
2023-12-05 · final, Hof van Justitie van de EU (Grote kamer), Deutsche Wohnen SE tegen Staatsanwaltschaft Berlin
- Land Hessen: the supervisory authority need not always fine where the organisation already remedied the breach
2024-09-26 · final, Hof van Justitie van de EU (Eerste kamer), TR tegen Land Hessen
- Council of State: DPA could fine DPG Media for routinely demanding ID copies, fine halved to 262,500 euros
2025-09-24 · final, Raad van State, Afdeling bestuursrechtspraak
Guidelines
- Dutch DPA publishes its final enforcement policy
2026-10-30 · final, Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens
- Guidelines 04/2026 on when a supervisory authority imposes a GDPR fine
2026-09-17 · under consultation, European Data Protection Board (EDPB)
- Consultation on the Dutch DPA's enforcement policy (April 2026)
2026-04-13 · under consultation, Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens
Enforcement and fines
- DPA cuts Kruidvat fine to 50,000 euros on objection
2025-05-27 · status not established, Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens
- Coolblue fined 40,000 euros on objection for cookies without consent
2024-12-23 · status not established, Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens
Legislation in motion
- Amendment to the Dutch GDPR Implementation Act: DPA must publish GDPR sanctions from 1 September 2026
2026-09-01 · in force, Wetgever (Tweede Kamer) en Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens