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The data in the GDPR Fines 2020 Report, shows that 171 million euros in GDPR fines were collected in European countries in 2020. The fines were issued between January 1st, 2020, and January 1st, 2021.

According to the report by Findbold, Italy accounts for the highest fines with 58.16 million euros, across 34 violations. The UK comes in second with 43.9 million euros in fines from a measly 3 violations. The two countries account for a whopping 59.5% of all the EU GDPR fines.

Germany comes in third with 37.39 million euros, from 3 significant violations.

The top offenders

Sweden’s violations of GDPR led to 14.27 million euros in fines. At the bottom of the top five pile, is Spain with 8 million euros in fines, across 128 violations. In 2020, a total of 299 fines were registered in the EU.

The German-owned online Shop AB and Co. KG (under the H&M umbrella) was fined 35.25 million euros for violation of data protection rights. This fine is the biggest on a specific data breach in 2020.

In Italy, TIM, a telecom company, got the second-highest fine, at 27.8 million euros. British Airways makes the top three with a fine of 22.04 million euros.

The problems remain

The fines come two years after the General Data Protection Regulation was put in place in the EU and EEA on May 25, 2018.

Finbold.com’s Chief Editor, Oliver Scott, says that even with the campaigns to get the companies to enact better measures that protect consumer data, the violations have remained significantly high since the law was enacted in 2018.

It will be interesting to see if organizations take more responsibility in 2021.