GDPR
EU regulation for personal data protection and privacy rights
ISO 19600
International guidelines for compliance management systems
Quick Verdict
GDPR mandates data privacy for EU residents worldwide with severe fines, while ISO 19600 offers voluntary CMS guidelines for all compliance. Companies adopt GDPR for legal compliance, ISO 19600 to build systematic governance frameworks.
GDPR
Regulation (EU) 2016/679 - General Data Protection Regulation
Key Features
- Extraterritorial scope applies to non-EU entities targeting EU residents
- Accountability principle requires demonstrating compliance via DPIAs and records
- Fines up to 4% of global annual turnover for violations
- Mandates 72-hour personal data breach notifications to authorities
- Empowers data subjects with right to erasure and portability
ISO 19600
ISO 19600:2014 Compliance management systems — Guidelines
Key Features
- Governance principles: independence, direct board access, resources
- Risk-based PDCA cycle for CMS lifecycle
- Broad compliance obligations including voluntary commitments
- Proportionality and scalability for all organizations
- Integration with other ISO management systems
Detailed Analysis
A comprehensive look at the specific requirements, scope, and impact of each standard.
GDPR Details
What It Is
Regulation (EU) 2016/679, known as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), is a directly applicable EU regulation protecting natural persons' personal data. Its primary purpose is harmonizing data privacy across the EU with global reach via extraterritorial scope. It employs a risk-based, accountability-driven approach emphasizing lawful processing and data subject rights.
Key Components
- Seven core principles: lawfulness, fairness, purpose limitation, minimization, accuracy, storage limitation, integrity/confidentiality, and accountability.
- Enhanced data subject rights: access, rectification, erasure, restriction, portability, objection.
- Obligations like DPIAs, DPO appointment, breach notifications, records of processing.
- Compliance model enforced by DPAs with fines up to 4% global turnover; no formal certification but demonstrable adherence required.
Why Organizations Use It
Mandatory for EU data processors; reduces legal risks, builds trust, enables Digital Single Market participation. Offers competitive edge via privacy-by-design, inspires global standards like LGPD/CCPA.
Implementation Overview
Involves gap analysis, policy updates, training, DPIAs, DPO hiring. Applies to all sizes processing EU data globally; two-year transition (2016-2018) highlighted complexity, especially for SMEs. Ongoing audits by DPAs via one-stop-shop mechanism.
ISO 19600 Details
What It Is
ISO 19600:2014, Compliance management systems — Guidelines, is an international guideline standard providing scalable guidance for establishing, developing, implementing, evaluating, maintaining, and improving a compliance management system (CMS). It uses a principles-based, risk-based PDCA cycle applicable to all organization types and sizes.
Key Components
- High-level structure: context, leadership, planning, support, operation, performance evaluation, improvement.
- **Governance principlesdirect access to governing body, compliance function independence, adequate resources.
- Broad compliance obligations (laws, contracts, voluntary codes); no fixed controls, emphasizes proportionality.
- Non-certifiable guidelines, now withdrawn and replaced by ISO 37301.
Why Organizations Use It
- Mitigates compliance risks, embeds culture, integrates with other ISO systems (e.g., quality, risk).
- Demonstrates governance to regulators/courts, reduces penalties.
- Drives efficiency, stakeholder trust, market access, ethical culture.
Implementation Overview
- Phased: context analysis, risk assessment, controls design, training, monitoring.
- Scalable for any size/industry; voluntary with internal benchmarking.
Key Differences
| Aspect | GDPR | ISO 19600 |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Personal data protection and privacy rights | General compliance management systems |
| Industry | All sectors processing EU data globally | All organizations, all sectors worldwide |
| Nature | Mandatory EU regulation with fines | Voluntary guidelines, non-certifiable |
| Testing | DPIAs for high-risk, DPA audits | Internal audits, management reviews |
| Penalties | Up to 4% global turnover fines | No legal penalties |
Scope
Industry
Nature
Testing
Penalties
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about GDPR and ISO 19600
GDPR FAQ
ISO 19600 FAQ
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