DATA PROTECTION | EDPB publishes report on 2025 Coordinated Enforcement Action on right to erasure

On 18 February 2026, the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) adopted a report on its 2025 Coordinated Enforcement Action (CEF) action concerning the right to erasure under Article 17 of GDPR. The CEF initiative aims to enhance cooperation among European data protection authorities on high-priority issues selected annually by the EDPB.

The 2025 action focused on assessing how controllers implement and comply with the right to erasure in practice, as well as on ensuring that individuals across the EU can effectively exercise this right. In its report, the EDPB presents the results of its investigation and identifies key challenges and best practices, with the aim of providing further guidance on the topic.

As highlighted by the Italian Data Protection Authority (Italian DPA) in a press release dated 20 February 2026, the main findings include the lack of adequate internal procedures for handling erasure requests and insufficient transparency towards data subjects. Authorities also noted the use of ineffective anonymisation techniques as a substitute for deletion, the absence of clearly defined data retention periods, and technical limitations preventing erasure in backup systems. In addition, controllers often failed to properly balance the right to erasure against other fundamental rights where required.

Newsletter n. 116 – March 2026