GDPR Art.31: Cooperation with the Supervisory Authority

Designate a primary contact point for all supervisory authority communications - typically your DPO or legal counsel. Make sure everyone in the organisation knows to escalate any regulatory contact to this person immediately, without attempting to handle it themselves. Speed and coordination matter in these situations. Develop response protocols for different types of regulatory engagement. An informal information request calls for a different approach than a dawn raid or a formal enforcement proceeding. For each scenario, define who needs to be involved, what information will need to be gathered, how responses should be reviewed and approved, and when outside legal advice is needed. Keep your compliance documentation ready for inspection at all times. Your RoPA, policies, DPIAs, DPAs, training records, breach logs, and data subject request records should be current, accessible, and well-organised. Being able to produce comprehensive documentation quickly makes a significant difference in how a regulatory interaction unfolds. Train staff who might interact with supervisory authorities during investigations or audits. They need to understand the cooperation obligation, the importance of providing accurate information, the limits of what they should discuss without legal counsel present, and how to handle requests for system access or site visits. A well-prepared team is far less likely to make costly mistakes under pressure. Log every interaction with supervisory authorities. Record the date, what was requested or discussed, what you provided, what actions you took, and the outcome. This supports accountability, helps you spot patterns in regulatory focus areas, and gives you a reference point for future engagement.