What is Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA)?

A Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) is a structured evaluation process mandated under Article 35 of the GDPR for processing operations that are likely to result in a high risk to the rights and freedoms of natural persons. DPIAs must be conducted before the processing begins and are required in situations involving systematic and extensive profiling with significant effects, large-scale processing of special category data, or systematic monitoring of a publicly accessible area on a large scale.

A DPIA must contain a systematic description of the envisaged processing operations and the purposes of the processing, an assessment of the necessity and proportionality of the processing in relation to the purposes, an assessment of the risks to the rights and freedoms of data subjects, and the measures envisaged to address those risks, including safeguards, security measures, and mechanisms to ensure compliance. If the DPIA indicates that the processing would result in high risk that cannot be mitigated, the organization must consult with the supervisory authority before proceeding.

ComplyIQ provides structured DPIA templates and workflows that guide organizations through the assessment process, document risk evaluations, track mitigation measures, and maintain a complete record of assessments for regulatory review. This helps organizations fulfill DPIA requirements systematically across all high-risk processing activities.