What type of regulation is GDPR?

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is classified as a European Union regulation. It was enacted to harmonize data privacy laws across EU member states, providing individuals with greater control over their personal data and simplifying the regulatory environment for international business by unifying data protection regulations within the EU.

As a regulation, GDPR has direct applicability across all member states, meaning that it does not require individual countries to adopt it into their national laws; instead, it becomes law in its own right. This characteristic establishes a coherent framework for data protection that all entities operating within the EU must follow, enhancing both the protection of personal data and the enforcement of privacy rights.

This regulatory structure differs fundamentally from national laws, global standards, or local guidelines, which may lack the comprehensive and binding nature that the GDPR possesses within the member states of the EU.