---
title: "Art. 39 GDPR: Tasks of the data protection officer"
canonical: "https://dposchool.com/gdpr/article/39"
source: "https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:32016R0679#art_39"
source_note: "Source: Regulation (EU) 2016/679, Official Journal L 119, 4.5.2016, as corrected. Only the text published in the Official Journal is authentic. © European Union, https://eur-lex.europa.eu"
text_as_of: "2026-10-28"
last_reviewed: "2026-10-29"
language: "en"
publisher: "DPO School"
---

Art. 39 GDPR · Chapter IV: Controller and processor · Section 4: Data protection officer

# Article 39 GDPR: Tasks of the data protection officer

Text as of 28 October 2026 · [Reviewed by Sergio Maldonado Elvira on 29 October 2026](https://dposchool.com/gdpr/about#review)

## Summary (not the official text)

The data protection officer's tasks include at least informing and advising the controller, the processor and employees, monitoring compliance, advising on data protection impact assessments, and cooperating and acting as the contact point with the supervisory authority.

## Official text

### Article 39(1)

**1.** The data protection officer shall have at least the following tasks:

#### Article 39(1)(a)

**(a)** to inform and advise the controller or the processor and the employees who carry out processing of their obligations pursuant to this Regulation and to other Union or Member State data protection provisions;

#### Article 39(1)(b)

**(b)** to monitor compliance with this Regulation, with other Union or Member State data protection provisions and with the policies of the controller or processor in relation to the protection of personal data, including the assignment of responsibilities, awareness-raising and training of staff involved in processing operations, and the related audits;

#### Article 39(1)(c)

**(c)** to provide advice where requested as regards the data protection impact assessment and monitor its performance pursuant to Article 35;

#### Article 39(1)(d)

**(d)** to cooperate with the supervisory authority;

#### Article 39(1)(e)

**(e)** to act as the contact point for the supervisory authority on issues relating to processing, including the prior consultation referred to in Article 36, and to consult, where appropriate, with regard to any other matter.

### Article 39(2)

**2.** The data protection officer shall in the performance of his or her tasks have due regard to the risk associated with processing operations, taking into account the nature, scope, context and purposes of processing.

## Source

Source: Regulation (EU) 2016/679, Official Journal L 119, 4.5.2016, as corrected. Only the text published in the Official Journal is authentic. © European Union, https://eur-lex.europa.eu

[Article 39 on EUR-Lex](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:32016R0679#art_39)

Text as of 28 October 2026.

This is reference material, not legal advice.

## Related recitals

This list is under review.

- [Recital 97](https://dposchool.com/gdpr/recital/97)

## EDPB guidance

### [Guidelines on Data Protection Officers ('DPO')](https://dposchool.com/gdpr/guidance/wp243-rev-01)

WP243 rev.01 · Final · Endorsed by the EDPB 25 May 2018

[Document on the EDPB website](https://www.edpb.europa.eu/documents/guideline/data-protection-officer_en)

## Navigation

[GDPR Navigator](https://dposchool.com/gdpr) / [Chapter IV](https://dposchool.com/gdpr/chapter/4) / Article 39

Previous: [Art. 38 GDPR: Position of the data protection officer](https://dposchool.com/gdpr/article/38)

Next: [Art. 40 GDPR: Codes of conduct](https://dposchool.com/gdpr/article/40)

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- Machine-readable index: https://dposchool.com/gdpr/llms.txt
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