Writing a deletion policy is one thing. Ensuring that personal data is actually removed from the systems in a timely manner is another. It is precisely this practical implementation that is increasingly becoming the focus of data protection supervisory authorities.
In February 2026, the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) published the results of its Europe-wide audit on the right to erasure: 32 participating supervisory authorities, 764 organizations that responded, and seven recurring vulnerabilities. Five of these are not legal issues, but rather implementation issues – lack of processes, training, backups, and anonymization. German supervisory authorities have announced that they will use the report’s recommendations as a guideline when engaging with controllers.
A documented deletion policy alone is therefore not enough. What matters is that deletion rules can actually be implemented in day-to-day business operations. This is exactly where our webinar comes in:
What regulators expect: the seven vulnerabilities identified in the EDSA audit – and which common assumptions do not hold up to scrutiny. From deactivated accounts to the operating system’s delete command to masking, which is mistaken for anonymization.
From a directory to an actionable deletion rule: how data categories, retention periods, and start dates are transformed into a rule that can be technically implemented – and why a retention period without a start date is not actionable.
The challenging areas: backups, legal holds and proof of erasure, anonymization as an alternative to erasure—and handling erasure requests under Article 17 of the GDPR, where partial erasure is the norm rather than the exception.
We’ll also share an example from a project, including the points we would approach differently in hindsight, as well as a 30-60-90-day roadmap for getting started.
Your Speaker:
Stefanie Bauer, CEO, ePrivacy GmbH
When:
Date: Tuesday, November 3rd 2026 | Time: 4.00pm -5.00pm CEST
We are looking forward to your participation and your questions!
Your ePrivacy Team