GDPR: what you need to know
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has been in force since May 2018. In Belgium, the Data Protection Authority (DPA) oversees its application.
Essential obligations
Informed consent
You must obtain clear and explicit consent before collecting personal data. Pre-checked boxes and implicit consent are no longer accepted.
Right of access and deletion
Your customers have the right to know what data you hold about them and to request its deletion. You must respond within 30 days.
Processing register
Document all personal data processing: what data, why, how, for how long.
Breach notification
In case of a data breach, you must notify the DPA within 72 hours and inform affected individuals if the risk is high.
GDPR checklist for your website
- Cookie banner with explicit consent
- Clear and accessible privacy policy
- Contact forms with GDPR mention
- SSL certificate (HTTPS) mandatory
- Data deletion process
- Compliant subprocessors (hosting, analytics tools)
Sanctions in Belgium
The DPA can impose fines up to €20 million or 4% of annual global turnover. In practice, Belgian SMEs have already received fines from €10,000 to €50,000 for non-compliance.
How Espero-Soft helps
We integrate GDPR compliance into every web project:
- Compliant cookie management system
- Forms with explicit consent
- Customized privacy policy
- European data hosting
- Best practices advice
Conclusion
GDPR compliance is both a legal obligation and a trust signal for your customers. Espero-Soft helps you make your website compliant.
