Hardly any progress in the implementation of the GDPR

Only a quarter (24%) of companies in Germany have fully implemented the GDPR. A further 40 percent have implemented the rules to a large extent and three in ten (30 percent) have implemented them partially.

Five percent of companies have only just started making adjustments. This is the result of a representative survey presented by the digital association Bitkom as part of its Privacy Conference.

In an earlier Bitkom survey in May 2018, 24% of companies had already given the self-assessment that they would be fully GDPR-compliant by the end of the implementation deadline on May 25, 2018.

"The results are sobering. Many companies have clearly misjudged the implementation of the GDPR. For others, full implementation is probably not a problem in terms of time, but an ideal that cannot be achieved at all"

said Susanne Dehmel, Bitkom Director of Legal Affairs and Security.

"Many apparently only became aware of the need to catch up in terms of data protection in the course of reviewing and adapting their processes."

The vast majority of companies are complaining about higher costs due to the GDPR in ongoing operations. Eight out of ten companies (78%) state this, 45% of which report a significant increase in costs.

In May 2018, only 58% of companies came to this conclusion. Only one in five of the companies surveyed (19%) expect costs to remain the same in ongoing operations, compared to 34% four months earlier.

The vast majority of companies are complaining about higher costs due to the GDPR in ongoing operations. Eight out of ten companies (78%) state this, 45% of which report a significant increase in costs.

In May 2018, only 58% of companies came to this conclusion. Almost all companies are therefore calling for the new rules to be improved. 96% are of this opinion. Six out of ten (61%) even say that the GDPR definitely needs to be simplified.