Gaining Control Over GDPR Compliance: Why Municipalities Need a Practical Solution
The Case: Structural Challenges in Local Government
Dutch municipalities carry a major responsibility when it comes to handling personal data. While the intention to comply with the GDPR is almost always present, incidents, warnings, and even fines remain common.
For example:
- The municipality of Enschede, The Netherlands, was fined €600,000 for unlawful WiFi tracking through MAC address collection.
- The muncipality of Voorschoten, The Netherlands, received a formal warning due to inadequate technical and organizational safeguards.
- In Deventer, The Netherlands, unlawful data processing and poor communication led to a reprimand.
The root cause? Not unwillingness — but a lack of oversight, knowledge distribution, and capacity.
The Conclusion: A Need for a Realistic, Executable Approach
The challenge isn’t the legal framework — it’s the ability to implement and monitor compliance consistently and controllably. Municipalities are looking for a solution that:
- is cost-effective and scalable;
- requires minimal legal expertise;
- enables decentralized execution;
- provides centralized monitoring and reporting.
Without such a system, GDPR compliance remains overly dependent on a few key individuals — making it fragile and inefficient.
Why Traditional Approaches Fall Short
1. No Complete Overview
Most municipalities lack a clear picture of what’s in place, what’s missing, and whether existing measures are effective.
2. Limited Capacity
Staff shortages make it difficult to structurally embed privacy compliance.
3. Knowledge Is Not Widely Shared
Legal expertise is often centralized with a single DPO or privacy advisor. If that person leaves, the process collapses.
4. Compliance Feels Expensive and Complex
Municipalities report that the current approach is too resource-intensive for the return it provides.
5. Lack of Continuous Monitoring
Even when implemented correctly, there’s often no process for continuous improvement. As a result, compliance tends to fade over time.
What Actually Works: Decentralized Execution, Centralized Control
An effective GDPR approach requires digital support. Not just checklists or reports, but a system where:
- each department takes ownership of implementation;
- automated reporting shows real-time status;
- DPOs and leadership steer based on live data;
- legal guidance and workflows are built in;
- organization-wide insight is just one click away.
No expensive legal projects — just actionable, scalable privacy control.
In Closing
GDPR compliance is not just about intent; it’s about infrastructure. With a process-driven, digital solution, municipalities can ensure continuous, auditable compliance — and earn the trust of their citizens.
How RealCob Can Help
For municipalities looking for a practical and scalable way to manage their GDPR responsibilities, RealCob offers a concrete solution. The platform enables decentralized implementation at the departmental level, while providing centralized oversight and reporting through a single, user-friendly dashboard. Without requiring deep legal expertise, DPOs and privacy officers can gain full organizational insight, identify risks early, and coordinate targeted actions.
A key advantage is RealCob’s built-in continuous monitoring functionality. The platform automatically performs recurring compliance checks, flags risk changes, and helps municipalities stay ahead of evolving legal requirements. This turns privacy compliance from a one-time project into a manageable, ongoing process.