GDPR and Economic Views from the Greek Case

The research explores the application of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) within the context of Greek public administration to see whether its legislative transposition has had real impacts on enhancing good governance, accountability, and the protection of data subjects’ rights. Following a doctrinal and comparative approach to law, based on principles of public and administrative law, it analyses the rules governing data protection both at the EU level, as well as the corresponding national implementing legislation (Law 4624/2019), and the practices of supervision authorities, focusing especially on the procedural aspect of GDPR transposition, supported by an empirical examination of selected decisions of the Hellenic Data Protection Authority (HDPA) (2025–2026). Within such a framework, compliance with GDPR becomes one of the main aspects of the European administrative governance system, being associated not with mere legislative requirements, but also with other important elements, such as transparency, proportionality, institutional trust, and efficiency of public services. Greece provides a relevant context for examining the implementation of the GDPR through the high standards of HDPA within public administration. The findings indicate that GDPR compliance in public administration is primarily a matter of governance rather than merely legal alignment. The comparative analysis with recent European Data Protection Board (EDPB) opinions and coordinated supervisory activities further demonstrates that the governance challenges identified in Greece are broadly consistent with those observed across the European Union. The findings suggest that the Greek supervisory framework operates within the wider European system of GDPR governance and exhibits a level of institutional maturity and regulatory alignment comparable to contemporary European supervisory practice.