General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) (2016-2018)
April 2016 - May 2018What Happened
The EU adopted the GDPR in April 2016 with a two-year transition period before enforcement began in May 2018. The regulation established comprehensive data protection requirements with fines up to €20 million or 4% of global revenue. Companies worldwide scrambled to comply, and the regulation reshaped global privacy practices.
Outcome
Initial enforcement was gradual, with regulators issuing guidance and warnings before major fines. Many organizations remained non-compliant past the deadline.
GDPR became the global standard for privacy regulation, with California, Brazil, and other jurisdictions adopting similar frameworks. Companies now routinely apply GDPR standards worldwide rather than maintaining separate systems.
Why It's Relevant Today
The CRA follows GDPR's regulatory model: a transition period, substantial fines, and extraterritorial reach. Industry expects similar dynamics—initial compliance gaps, gradual enforcement escalation, and eventual global adoption as manufacturers prefer uniform standards over regional fragmentation.
