---
title: "Art. 57 GDPR: Tasks"
canonical: "https://dposchool.com/gdpr/article/57"
source: "https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:32016R0679#art_57"
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. 57 GDPR · Chapter VI: Independent supervisory authorities · Section 2: Competence, tasks and powers

# Article 57 GDPR: Tasks

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

## Official text

### Article 57(1)

**1.** Without prejudice to other tasks set out under this Regulation, each supervisory authority shall on its territory:

#### Article 57(1)(a)

**(a)** monitor and enforce the application of this Regulation;

#### Article 57(1)(b)

**(b)** promote public awareness and understanding of the risks, rules, safeguards and rights in relation to processing. Activities addressed specifically to children shall receive specific attention;

#### Article 57(1)(c)

**(c)** advise, in accordance with Member State law, the national parliament, the government, and other institutions and bodies on legislative and administrative measures relating to the protection of natural persons' rights and freedoms with regard to processing;

#### Article 57(1)(d)

**(d)** promote the awareness of controllers and processors of their obligations under this Regulation;

#### Article 57(1)(e)

**(e)** upon request, provide information to any data subject concerning the exercise of their rights under this Regulation and, if appropriate, cooperate with the supervisory authorities in other Member States to that end;

#### Article 57(1)(f)

**(f)** handle complaints lodged by a data subject, or by a body, organisation or association in accordance with Article 80, and investigate, to the extent appropriate, the subject matter of the complaint and inform the complainant of the progress and the outcome of the investigation within a reasonable period, in particular if further investigation or coordination with another supervisory authority is necessary;

#### Article 57(1)(g)

**(g)** cooperate with, including sharing information and provide mutual assistance to, other supervisory authorities with a view to ensuring the consistency of application and enforcement of this Regulation;

#### Article 57(1)(h)

**(h)** conduct investigations on the application of this Regulation, including on the basis of information received from another supervisory authority or other public authority;

#### Article 57(1)(i)

**(i)** monitor relevant developments, insofar as they have an impact on the protection of personal data, in particular the development of information and communication technologies and commercial practices;

#### Article 57(1)(j)

**(j)** adopt standard contractual clauses referred to in Article 28(8) and in point (d) of Article 46(2);

#### Article 57(1)(k)

**(k)** establish and maintain a list in relation to the requirement for data protection impact assessment pursuant to Article 35(4);

#### Article 57(1)(l)

**(l)** give advice on the processing operations referred to in Article 36(2);

#### Article 57(1)(m)

**(m)** encourage the drawing up of codes of conduct pursuant to Article 40(1) and provide an opinion and approve such codes of conduct which provide sufficient safeguards, pursuant to Article 40(5);

#### Article 57(1)(n)

**(n)** encourage the establishment of data protection certification mechanisms and of data protection seals and marks pursuant to Article 42(1), and approve the criteria of certification pursuant to Article 42(5);

#### Article 57(1)(o)

**(o)** where applicable, carry out a periodic review of certifications issued in accordance with Article 42(7);

#### Article 57(1)(p)

**(p)** draft and publish the requirements for accreditation of a body for monitoring codes of conduct pursuant to Article 41 and of a certification body pursuant to Article 43;

#### Article 57(1)(q)

**(q)** conduct the accreditation of a body for monitoring codes of conduct pursuant to Article 41 and of a certification body pursuant to Article 43;

#### Article 57(1)(r)

**(r)** authorise contractual clauses and provisions referred to in Article 46(3);

#### Article 57(1)(s)

**(s)** approve binding corporate rules pursuant to Article 47;

#### Article 57(1)(t)

**(t)** contribute to the activities of the Board;

#### Article 57(1)(u)

**(u)** keep internal records of infringements of this Regulation and of measures taken in accordance with Article 58(2); and

#### Article 57(1)(v)

**(v)** fulfil any other tasks related to the protection of personal data.

### Article 57(2)

**2.** Each supervisory authority shall facilitate the submission of complaints referred to in point (f) of paragraph 1 by measures such as a complaint submission form which can also be completed electronically, without excluding other means of communication.

### Article 57(3)

**3.** The performance of the tasks of each supervisory authority shall be free of charge for the data subject and, where applicable, for the data protection officer.

### Article 57(4)

**4.** Where requests are manifestly unfounded or excessive, in particular because of their repetitive character, the supervisory authority may charge a reasonable fee based on administrative costs, or refuse to act on the request. The supervisory authority shall bear the burden of demonstrating the manifestly unfounded or excessive character of the request.

## 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 57 on EUR-Lex](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:32016R0679#art_57)

Text as of 28 October 2026.

This is reference material, not legal advice.

## Related recitals

This list is under review.

- [Recital 122](https://dposchool.com/gdpr/recital/122)
- [Recital 129](https://dposchool.com/gdpr/recital/129)

## Court of Justice judgments

### [C-416/23, Österreichische Datenschutzbehörde v F R](https://dposchool.com/gdpr/case/c-416-23)

Judgment of 9 January 2025 · ECLI:EU:C:2025:3

Complaints count as 'requests' under Art. 57(4); an authority cannot treat them as excessive just because there are many, it must show abusive intent; it may then charge a fee or refuse, choosing the proportionate option.

[CURIA](https://curia.europa.eu/juris/liste.jsf?num=C-416/23&language=en) · [EUR-Lex](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:62023CJ0416)

### [C-768/21, TR v Land Hessen](https://dposchool.com/gdpr/case/c-768-21)

Judgment of 26 September 2024 · ECLI:EU:C:2024:785

After finding a breach, a supervisory authority need not impose a fine or other corrective measure where that is not appropriate, necessary or proportionate to remedy the shortcoming.

[CURIA](https://curia.europa.eu/juris/liste.jsf?num=C-768/21&language=en) · [EUR-Lex](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:62021CJ0768)

## EDPB guidance

### [Guidelines 06/2022 on the practical implementation of amicable settlements](https://dposchool.com/gdpr/guidance/edpb-06-2022)

EDPB 06/2022 · Final · First published 12 May 2022 · Final version 12 May 2022

No public consultation.

[Document on the EDPB website](https://www.edpb.europa.eu/documents/guideline/guidelines-062022-on-the-practical-implementation-of-amicable-settlements_en)

## Navigation

[GDPR Navigator](https://dposchool.com/gdpr) / [Chapter VI](https://dposchool.com/gdpr/chapter/6) / Article 57

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Next: [Art. 58 GDPR: Powers](https://dposchool.com/gdpr/article/58)

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